Times They are a Changing....

I love that cliche question, Where will you be in five years?  I have always been very optimistic about my future and so I've never been the one to answer with a shrug.  Something big and wonderful is always just about to happen in my life.
"I'll be a writer."
"I'll own a small bed and breakfast."
"I'll live on the ocean."
"I'll travel the world."
These are the answers that I've given all of my life and they are the ones that I still would give out today except that the question should be Where do you wish you could be in five years?  Things don't always happen the way that you wanted them to.  I'm a bit more of a realist than I used to be but I still will always see faint rainbows on any horizon.

I'm back again from another long absence.  I've been busy over the last couple of months.  Some of what has kept me busy was fun, most of it has been very difficult adjustments.  The thing that keeps me positive is my dreams about tomorrow and what great things are still to come.  I promise that you'll be hearing from me a bit more again.  I have many things to tell you about.  Next month I'm going to a writer's conference (Thanks Penny!) and I'm finally starting to format my first e-book release.  I'm done fretting over if the comas are in the right place or not.  A Taste of Honey is a fun read and it is about time that all of you get to enjoy it!

I hope that these tiny rays of spring have come to your home!  I can't wait for some bold flowers to spring out of the earth!

To Jasmine Graves

Mostly blind and deaf in her later years, she could still find my mom in a crowd of people.

I've had a rough week.  One of my family members, an 18 year old Cockapoo-dachshund named Jasmine was put to rest.  I liked to joke that she had already lived longer than she deserved, as a cat fanatic she and I didn't always see eye to eye, but in her later years she was nothing but sweet to me.

I love pet names and finding out how they were chosen.  Her name was a bit oddly done.  My mom picked it and if you do the math and know your Disney history well then you might remember that she was named not long after the movie Aladdin came out.  My sister and I thought that was how mom had thought of it.  But my family is quite unique.  My parents own a music shop and they have always sold extra items like incense and tiny bottles of oil in many different scents.  That is where my mom got the name.  She liked the scent of the perfume and thought that the name sounded pretty.

As a pup I think you'd have to call Jasmine a fire cracker.  She was tiny, fiesty, and filled with the need to run all over our house.  She had her quiet moments too and was a huge comfort to sick people.  In my family you knew if you were really ill because Jasmine would cuddle up next to you and loyally stay put through coughs, sneezes and everything else.  You also knew when you were getting better because she would jump ship and become my mom's shadow again.

We took her on trips with us whenever we left the house.  She was great to my extended family and when we all got together at the cabins she would adopt them all and happily greet those who came to our door.  It was only outsiders who got the occasional growl.

The only time that she didn't live with us was for about a week or two 11 years ago when she dug her way out of the yard hoping to follow us one day.  She was picked up and taken away when she was found on the street.  Our family went nearly mad with worry, I think my mom did go crazy for a little while.  The only reason we got her back is that someone mentioned that our lost dog posters should show a reward in case she was being held for money.  That afternoon we finally got the call and that person certainly was in it for the $50.  I still think of those people as dog-nappers and as evil as Cruella DeVille.

It is hard to imagine my parents house without her.  She will be missed but she will also be remembered.  Goodbye Jazzy!

Call Me Crazy

I do a lot of crazy things.  The one that gains shock from others is when I tell them that the most relaxing thing in my life is cross stitch.  It is even better than hot cocoa and purring kittens although it does go well with both nearby.

There is something so renewing about taking a pattern, a needle, colored thread and a white cloth and turning it into a piece of art.  It is very methodical and while my mind often wanders it is frequently forced back to the careful task of making each stitch perfect.  There isn't much need for a good imagination, although I think it does help. 

Maybe this says something about the way my brain works (or doesn't).  Maybe this is a proof that I am crazy but sometimes I wonder if the world wouldn't be just a bit more relaxed if everyone could enjoy a bit of cross stitch.

Go Golden Globes!

I love men in scarves!

I'm really not into the award shows.  The usual people win and the unusual people sometimes get to make a speech that later gets taken out in editing.  Just not really my thing most of the time although I do fondly remember the days when Billy Crystal lit up the Oscars.  But this time I have to give a shout out to the Golden Globes for nominating some of my favorite new faces.

Yes that is a um, well one of THOSE kind of dolls.

Somehow Ryan Gosling is now Hollywood's new stud.  That is great for him and I don't mind getting in a few glimpses of what he has to offer.  However if you haven't seen it yet take a step back and watch Lars and the Real Girl.  This is when I became impressed with this amazing actor.  It was at times difficult to watch but a moving view of how lonely some of us can feel.

And of course the whole reason that I even noticed who was nominated this year, my new favorite actor, Michael Fassbender, is now in the running for his role in Shame.  I have not yet seen this dark film but am now even more excited to watch it.  Could this be the year that I have an underdog to cheer for at the award shows?  That hasn't happened in years!  Happy movie watching and happy holidays!

It's Over!

November was a VERY long month!  My Grand Opening, my failed NaNoWriMo, the remodel of my craft room, and everything that happened in between really took it out of me.  A quick update on each...

Wire Willow had a pretty good grand opening.  I sold quite a few items, all of them were sold to friends and family, but I now have a site that looks more experienced and popular.  My only disappointment was that I still can't seem to break into the Etsy clientele.  Just means that better marketing and research is needed.  Why are they important?  There are WAY more of them and the hard core etsy shoppers spend a lot more and shop more often.

Failed NaNoWriMo.  I was about 6,000 words into my book when I decided, it sounded too much like a romance novel.  No, there wasn't any hanky panky, but the mood and POV wasn't a sharp enough contrast to what I've written before.  I want to scrap the whole thing and this time REALLY try to make something different.  That means I need to slow down, really think about it, and then tip-toe ahead.  NaNoWriMo is fun, but not everything can be done at a sprint.

My room.  I know, still haven't taken pictures of it.  Well I have but they didn't turn out very well.  Until my husband has time (hint hint) to get some great ones taken you'll just have to take my word for it.  The room looks wonderful.  I've already begun to retreat to it more often.  And while I haven't gotten much writing done in the small closet retreat that I made, my cat sure does love it!

So what does December hold?  If I survive the holiday then I'll call that good enough.  I need some time to just relax.  But I wouldn't say no to more etsy sales!

Like They Used to...Michael Fassbender

Like They Used to...is going to start jumping into some modern actors and actresses that you should keep an eye on.  Like today's!

The Irish-German that I've fallen in love with is...yup, Michael Fassbender.  Sexy and very intense.  He is a fantastic actor who can play villians, spys, and brooding romantics with ease.  One of the things I love (and hate) about him is that the genres that he takes up in film jump all over the place.  Having a Michael Fassbender-athon would be a mindbending and emotional upheval.

Want a stark view of the Irish hunger strikes...watch Hunger.  Want to see lots Nazis get killed in increasingly horrific ways, Inglorius Basturds.  Scifi fans can watch X-Men.  Romantics can swoon at Jane Eyre.  Want to see him with long hair and wearing nearly nothing at all (hehehe of course you do!) then re-watch the film 300.  There was even a small production family friendly movie about the original "Winnie Bear" that inspired the Winnie the Pooh stories.

As a German Nazi

 One of his most recent films, A Dangerous Method, is "A look at how the intense relationship between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud gives birth to psychoanalysis."  I've never had much interest in Freud but now...yup I'll be watching that one.  The next one that I'm really excited for is called Shame, don't be looking for an upbeat movie with a title like that.

It isn't just his looks that makes him someone to watch.  Sometimes he can be downright frightening!  It is the presence that he brings to the characters he portrays.  His severity often comes off as sincere but intense.  So I guess the best thing about becoming a Michael Fassbender fan is that you will try a bit of everything, not all of the movies have been great (Jonah Hex), but he is worth watching.  If you haven't seen him in a movie yet, keep an eye out.  I'd bet that he is about to jump into your favorite genre very soon!

Candle of the Week-Buttered Rum

Smell it!

The first time that I burned this candle I swear that I could taste it too.  I love lifesavers buttered rum candies and burning this candle is like poping one in your mouth for hours and without the added calories.  I honestly use this candle to suppress some of my sweet tooth urges, it is that good!  Rich, velvety, sweet, bold, good lord there is no way to really describe it so just go get a thing of the lifesavers if you need to know more.  I love it for this late fall and early winter period because this season is filled with deserts and this is my cheat for getting around the extra calories.

Get it!

WoodWick gets rid of their seasonal scents every year.  Luckily they often repeat scents from year to year.  Unfortunatly this has not been one of them.  As of right now it isn't avalible through their site but sometimes you can run across one in stores or through other online candle vendors.  Just don't expect a good deal  And don't loose hope, there is always next year for Woodwick to bring it back!

Woodwick Tip

If you read my blog regularly then you already know why I love these candles.  Instead I have a little tip for making them last and last.  When you burn any jar candle you should let it burn for long enough that it melts the entire top layer of wax, or close to it.  This is especially import for wood wicks because they have such a soft wax and won't build up that stiff rim.  Instead they will melt the edges and flood your wick until it goes out.  If this has happened you can scoop out the excess wax with a spoon untill you have the right level all the way around and light it again.