I haven't updated this blog in a loooong time. I've been struggling between bouts of busyness with life, visitors galore, and some very real depression. I've definitely realized that my blogging activity has declined in the past couple of years, ever since I graduated from college. I started keeping a physical journal that I could write in, I came out of my shell and became a vivacious, incredibly social and extroverted person, and I lived in many areas that didn't have reliable WIFI access (aka the woods). That does not mean that I no longer wish to blog, however. Some people abandon their blogs in favor of other platforms, some people go through hiatuses in order to focus more on other things; I'm in a situation where my blog is still just a public forum on which I can discuss my personal opinions, practice my writing, and post photographs. It's still important to me that I practice and post my photography as often as possible, which has definitely fallen by the wayside this year (2016 was just sort of a heaping pile of $@*%, right?) I would love to attempt getting back into the blogging game, and because I don't depend on this blog for my livelihood it never has to become a "job" and I can come and go as a please. So hopefully I'm back again and I can start posting with some more regularity.
Here are some of the things I've been up to recently!
Listening
Megan visited me for the second time this year (!!!) last week and she LOVES latin pop. I've been known to listen to it in passing, but I've never exclusively listened to it. I ADORED this song though, we listened to it as we drove over the ocean, watching osprey gazing out over the gleaming waves and great blue herons hunting in the shallows. So upbeat and happy
Now more than ever it's important for sassy ladies of all cultures and backgrounds to feel confident and fight for what they believe in. This song makes me feel that
I usually end up liking a lot of Top 40 songs just because I'm listening to the radio a lot and also I like pop A LOT okay it's FUN so I heard this at a Halloween party and really like it whenever it comes on
Other songs I'm still loving include American Girl by Bonnie Mckee (does. not. get. old.), anything Disney (I'm on a huge Disney kick right now because I want happy music in my life and singing Disney at the top of my lungs is SUPER happy), and Starboy by The Weeknd.
Reading
I STILL haven't read Radical Self Love by Gala Darling, but it's on my bookshelf waiting. I desperately need to continue my journey of self love and I think that Gala, the queen of self love and respect, could definitely help shed light on my predicament!
I'm about halfway through this book. I LOVED the first in the trilogy, A Discovery of Witches, but this one has been a bit harder to get through because there is SO much historical background to it. I've never been one to love historical fiction so I have only been reading it every so often. It's beginning to get pretty intriguing though! I do recommend the first book to see if you like it - the writing is WONDERFUL. It's like a 500x better version of Twilight with actually interesting people with their own personalities.
...I've not been reading a lot lately, unfortunately
Watching
Black Mirror: Season 3 is just as good as the previous two seasons. I've only seen the first three episodes, which I thought was the entire season. HOWEVER I guess Netflix realized how popular it was becoming and added three other episodes as well!! I've really enjoyed them all so far, though I did get a little depressed/stressed out because some of that technology-based fear mongering is PRETTY ACCURATE.
In a similar vein, I've also been watching Law and Order: SVU because although I'm horrified by most of the content, I LOVE that show and I LOVE Mariska Hargitay! I think my affinity for such shows comes from my mother, who also loves horror movies and dateline-esque shows.
Playing
I've been playing A LOT of Stardew Valley, an Animal Crossing/Harvest Moon/Minecraft game that is incredibly addicting. You can farm, flirt, socialize, forage, slay monsters, mine, raise animals, fish, and complete quests. I'm on year two - I have a full coop with chickens (including one random demon chicken named Voodo), ducks, and a tiny dinosaur, two chocolate milk cows and a goat, I'm married to a writer with luxurious long hair who used to live by the sea and greets me with poetry and coffee every morning, and I'm almost done renovating the community center by completing magical bundle quests! Like I said, addicting. I bought it on Steam, if anyone is interested!!
Other Events
-Megan visited, as stated above! In fact, she visited me TWICE! The first time this year was when my amazing roommates flew her in as a surprise for my birthday! I seriously was in shock, I couldn't even think. They told me I had a present in the park and I cautiously approached a dilapidated box in the middle of the field, feeling anxious and excited simultaneously. People helicoptered around me with their cell phones, filming the process as I opened the top and Megan popped out, essentially tackling me. IT WAS CRAZY, I definitely cried after I got over my shock haha. She came down for a conference this time, but we still had time for nights out to the bars, a beach bonfire, a "bring your BFFL to work day", tacos, Redox and wine nights, and something else...
-WE GOT TATTOOS!!! Mine is still healing so I will definitely post a photo when it looks prettier, but I love it so much. Megan and I got matching ones; mine is on my wrist and Megan's is on her ribs (ouch, but at least they were small tattoos!) It hurt, but not like I expected. I thought I would be crying and in agony the whole time, but it was actually very easy to simply not focus on the pain (it does feel like someone is cutting into you with razors) and instead chat about mundane topics to take your mind off the process. Now that I know I can do it, I want more!
-I'm getting more responsibility at work! Lots of new animals, training goals, and supervisory roles. It's been very stressful and tough at times, but it's also rewarding. But there are days where I just want to come home and drink wine.
-My roommates adopted a chocolate lab puppy. Like a puppy puppy, one who is smol and floppy and smells kinda like rancid coffee, you know that puppy smell, and who has needle sharp teeth and wants to chew on everything. Her name is Riley and (now that she doesn't cry AS MUCH during the night) she's super adorable!
-I get to go home for Christmas this year! My December is actually pretty awesome - I go to a training workshop in Florida for a week, have another couple of days off, and then work maybe one week before I go home to Salt Lake. So ready for a break!
It was good to catch up here. Hopefully I'll get some photography on here soon!
