Took a leap

It's official - I've opened my Etsy shop! So far there is only one item listed, but don't worry - more are waiting in the wings! I know few - if any - of you are in need of handspun yarn, but I just wanted to brag a little.

Honestly, it's a little nervewracking - even more than the craft shows a few years ago were - but I know that I'll be over the moon if I actually sell something.

If you're interested, my shop is: EvergreenCreations.etsy.com.

Yay!

No more Dracula

I like to think that this weekend made up for the Dracula fiasco - yesterday, T and I were able to go see the Trans-Siberean Orchestra play in Albany. We've wanted to go for a while, but we never heard about it early enough to get tickets (they always sell out early!). We lucked out this year, though, and I have to say - it was well worth the trip.

The first half of the show was basically their "Christmas Eve and other stories" CD, beginning to end, but the lights and the personality of their performers made it much more powerful in person. The second half was "new" stuff - classical music that they have re-purposed and will be releasing on their next album sometime in the future.

If you like TSO, their live concerts are fantastic - but be forewarned, their shows are more rock band than orchestra, with lots of pyrotechnics and laser lights. Way fun, though!

To top off the weekend, I got in to work today to find that our reviews (which we turned in way back in August) have finally been processed. That means that I actually got a raise! This is the first one that I have received, that wasn't state mandated, since I started working 11 years ago. Yay!

Reassurance

Ok, so I ranted and raved, I cried a little, I posted thoughts on here that I don't like to admit to myself, much less to anyone else...and you know what? I feel better. Not great-that will take a while-but better.

Amazingly, the first thing I saw when I logged back in to post this update was the comment on my post about Etsy. Even though the problem that I'm currently having is different, that comment made me feel much better. It made me feel loved.

Even though my dear commenter didn't leave a name ( I have my suspicions about the identity!), I would like to thank them. You never know what the impact of a little thing like that will be - in this case, it was much greater than was intended.

Thanks.

Dark side

Don't want to hear me whining? Don't read this one.


I am a jealous person. I know this - I always have been. I compare myself and my situation to those around me, and usually find myself coming up short. I struggle with this, and I thought I was starting to do better. I can usually seperate my wants from my needs, and I realize how incredibly fortunate I am that my needs are more than met. I've never truly been without anything important. I know this. I don't need the piles of money, though I would like a house of my own. I don't need a new car, though I would like enough money to put new tires on my husband's. I don't need the cool gadget, or the great trip, or any of the material things that I covet.

But how do I squelch the jealousy that comes from seeing my nearest and dearest given the one thing that I have always - all my life - secretly and not-so-secretly desired? The one thing that I would sincerely and joyfully give up everything to have?

How do I shake the anger, the hurt, the jealousy and the fear, how do I put away the silly dreams I built around my desire, in order to be the strong, caring, loving, supportive person I need to be now?

Sorry to be so vague - it's not my story to share at the moment. Some of you know what I'm talking about, some may guess, and some won't care either way. I just need to get this out there, and I can't deal with talking to anyone in person right now.

What do you think?

I've been checking out this cool website for a while: www.etsy.com. It is kinda like EBay, but only for handmade stuff. Some of the work on there is amazing.

So, I've been thinking about putting some of my handspun yarn on there, to see if it sells. But (for some reason) I'm nervous about the whole idea. I mean, what if no one likes it?

So, take a look at the site and let me know - should I try it?

No worse for the wear

As a couple of you know, I wound up taking Gaffney to the vet last night. Not that she was sick...but she had ticks.

I know most people would have just removed them and continued on with their day, rather than driving 30 minutes to the vet and paying for an appointment, but there are two things to consider. 1) Creepy crawlies freak me out. I mean REALLY freak me out. I know they won't really hurt me, but still! 2) This was the first time I've ever seen a tick, and by the time I was done reading about how to remove them I had seen so many warnings (Don't squeeze it, don't leave the head in, kill it quick so it doesn't bite someone else, don't touch it barehanded) that I was even more freaked. The drive and appointment were a small price to pay for peace of mind.

But puppy's fine (I'm not sure she even noticed the tick. She just knows she got to go for a car ride and get treats!), her Lyme vaccine has been updated, and I got this really cool tool for the removal of future ticks! It basically negates all of the warnings I had read. Makes it really easy!

So she's just waiting for her next adventure - see?

When are you coming home?

That is the question I am asked nearly every time I call home. Finally, I have an answer for all of you!

T, the dog, and I will be leaving here on the night of Tuesday the 18th, so barring snow we will be seeing you all on the 19th.

Why Tuesday night? Because next Tuesday Gaffney graduates from beginner obedience, and her intermediate class begins the following week. I refuse to pay for classes, then not go to the very first one!

I have a question for you, though - is it sad that I'm kinda proud of her for graduating? I mean, it's not like they could flunk her, right?

Wasn't me...

Update: I just sent out an email inviting friends and family to the blog. How many will actually come here? (I'm watching my page views...)

I've been reading the "Not me!" Monday postings from several blogs, and I think most of them are hilarious. The basic idea, which was created by MckMama (click the image above to get to her site), is to post happenings from the last week which I certainly didn't have a hand in. I know better than to do silly things...right?

• I did not win tickets to the theater through work to a production of Dracula, proceed to drag my dear husband there on his birthday, and then discover that the show should have been titled Dracula - An Amateur Ballet.
• I did not then convince my poor husband to stay, in the hopes that the show would improve. (No such luck...)
• I did not feel terribly out of place there, wearing casual street clothing while sitting in the front box, drinking free champagne, and watching people spend outrageous sums at a pre-show auction. ( Four grand for an Italian dinner anyone? No? Didn't think so.)
• I certainly did not try to convince T that the free drink made up for the terrible show. That would just be silly.
• On Sunday, I did not decide that it would be a great idea to take the dog for a hike. In an open field. Just after the snow melted.
• I did not proceed to forget to wash - or at least wipe down - said dog, until after I arrived at work this morning. How could someone forget to clean off the muddy, clay-covered animal?

Nope. That certainly was not me.

It's official...

T's computer is dead. We aren't really sure what is wrong with it, but it doesn't work.

I had been hoping it was just the video card, like mine was, because it was having the same problems (basically, it would try to start, get to the Windows screen, and go black). But he tried reformatting it (not sure that is the right word) last night - you know, reinstalling the start-up disks? And it keeps saying that it was not able to finish the installation, and demading we try again. And again. And again...

So we have two non-functional computers (my laptop no longer holds a charge, but it works when plugged in...however, that defeats the purpose of having a laptop!) And mine, which is using the video card out of T's. Sigh...

On a brighter note, the snow melted in time for Halloween, and we got 7 trick-or-treaters this year! (Up from 4 last year.) There are a lot of kids in town, but they rarely make it up the hill...

I'm hoping to start posting pictures tonight, if I can find the cable for my camera and figure out how to load them from the camera to the computer to the blog. Shouldn't be too hard, right?

On the bandwagon

I'm such a bandwagon kinda gal...I've been claiming to not want a blog for years now, since before they became big, while secretly admiring and desiring the blogs I read (ok, stalk). Yet here I am. And no-so-secretly, I'm thrilled!

Eventually, I may share exciting news with friends and family here, or I may forget that I ever started this thing (it's been known to happen!) I admit, I would love to become a major "must read" blogger, but that is highly unlikely. My life just isn't that interesting...

That's how I like it, though. Quiet and predictable.