New Year, Fresh Start

More like a fresh outlook.

Just because it’s now a new year doesn’t mean that the past two years have been wiped clean. But I am choosing to deal with it differently.

A new way to look at things. *not my image-credit to owner*

Last year was an epic dumpster fire, and I had a hard time feeling positive about anything. I had a lot going on in my personal life, not to mention the mental burnout of the pandemic.

At the end of 2021, I started to *slightly* feel better mentally. And more like my old self. And I want to hang onto that with all that I got.

Over the years I have flipflopped between making new years resolutions and not caring either way. While this year I’m not exactly making resolutions, I am making a bit of a plan.

The biggest thing for me is to keep my focus on the positive as well as projects. I have a massive TBR pile, a secret book project I’m putting together for family in honor of my mother, and getting back to writing daily. Even something small. I won’t beat myself up when I have unproductive days. My goal however is to have many more productive days then I did last year. (Which shouldn’t be hard since I can practically count them on one hand)

In hindsight, the best thing I did last year was write my mom’s obituary and eulogy. Those were hard for me to do, especially having to speak in front of everyone. Family or not, I’m not a fan of doing that. But I did it. And I did it for her. They were the last things I could do for her, and I feel like I did it well. So in that I am proud of myself. I think she’d be proud of me too.

I think a part of my mental burn out was the doom scrolling and so much pandemic talk. This year I won’t be doing so much doom scrolling. And using my creative outlets to think about other things.

Well, if you’d excuse me, I’m off to finish binge watching season four of Cobra Kai.

What do you hope to get out of 2022?

New Year, New Goals

Last year I decided to set myself some goals for 2018. Get back to reading, increase how often I write, etc… I wanted to make another list for goals for 2019 and try to improve upon what I managed to do this year. There are some personal things I want to work on, but they won’t be on this list. They aren’t resolutions, just changes I want to make, and not because its the time of year everyone tries to improve themselves. These are things I want to do anyway.

So, here is my new goal list for 2019!

The Book Pile: I didn’t reach my goal of reading 15 books in 2018. I had some personal life crap that put me off of doing much. I can’t read or focus well when I am stressed. But I did get 9 or 10 under my belt, discovered a new author and binged on some great books. This year I am attempting to tackle this reading challenge from Pop Sugar. Right off the top when I read this list I have at least 11 books on my shelf that fit for it. I plan to set my goal again for 15 books, and hopefully this time I will reach it at the very least.

Blogging: I will be blogging book reviews again, writing topics and the like. I would like to make a schedule but instead I will aim for writing once or twice a week.

Writing:  One thing I really want to improve is how much I write and work on my projects. I want to spend at least 10 minutes a day writing. Which is better then what I do now. There are times I go months without writing, and I really want to change that. Plus I have too many plots in my head that need to come out. You know, to make room for more ideas I can’t keep up with. 😉

Other stuff: When I was looking back on my Facebook photos the other day, I forgot how fun this year was. From comic con to a mini road trip with my mom and sister, the good outweighed the bad. I want to keep that up. I have a few ideas for this year that I hope pan out. I also have small projects I want to get at, like some crafts and I have stacks of photos that need to be organized.

So, do you have any goals for the year? If so what is on your list?

September Check In

Where did summer go? I feel like I blinked and it’s over. I know it is still technically summer, but it feels like it is over with school back in session and the weather cooling off a bit.

First, a Foxy update. Our newest furbaby is really settling in. While she is yet at that “Hey love me!” stage with the tail wagging all the time, I think this photo is proof she is comfy in her new home.

I have been so busy with life in general I even forgot to post an end of August update. Opps. My bad.

Also, today is mine and Mister’s 2 year wedding anniversary. Feels like just yesterday I was elbow deep in wedding stress. But hey, I got to blow it off by ‘killing’ the wedding party. They were zombies, what could we do? 😉

One of several shots our photographers took. One was altered for a zombie Apocalypse. 

I have been thinking about my goals for the fall. I plan to get back to reading, writing and plan my novel (or short stories) for November. I have a few unfinished pieces that I really want to get back at.

My office aka my Bear Cave is almost organized. At this point it is good enough. I have all sorts of projects I want to do with crafts and photos this winter. I have at least space to do it in.

What are your fall plans?

 

Summer Shenanigans

I haven’t been around much these days. Not since we adopted Foxy. I should mention here that she is doing really well and slowly coming out of her shell. We adore her.

That face tho. ❤ 

My goals for 2018 were going along wonderfully until summer hit. I always forget that the summer months can be a shit-show. I have gotten off track of a lot of things, but that’s ok.

I still write one positive thing in my journal each day. And I crossed yet another item from the bucket list: seeing Bryan Adams in concert. My best friend and I had an absolute blast that night. He played for two solid hours and came back for five encore songs.

What an amazing night!

A big part of why I haven’t been around is because work has been crazy busy. But that isn’t a bad thing! Also the humidity here was brutal for weeks, sapping my energy. Mr. C and I basically melted in front of fans and Lived on Mr. Freeze to cool down.

We’ve spent time in our neighbors pool and also at a local beach. Foxy loves the water and I think we will have a swimmer on our hands. 🙂

It’s hard to believe September is around the corner. It tends to be my time of fresh starts, or in this case, getting back on track. Hopefully.

I hope you are all having a wonderful summer and finding ways to beat the heat.

July Wrap Up

Well, this month is not what I expected.

If you have read other wrap ups this year, you know I have usually stayed on task, or at least didn’t give myself a hard time if I didn’t. I have had some unexpected surprises, like getting our greyhound and getting to go to Toronto Comic Con.

July…oh July, what did you do to me? We started out ok, but you have decided to kick me in the teeth.

Work has been really busy, but not complaining about that! The heat is slowly kicking my ass. Well, the humidity. I hope it breaks soon. I am constantly shiny and have a cranky hubby haha.

Earlier last week, Foxy shaved about five years off of my life expectancy. She was fine and all of a sudden, she couldn’t walk. We rushed her to the emergency vet. I am grateful it was her new vet on duty that night. The good news: it wasn’t something deadly. Wasn’t a stroke or seizure. Long story short, she wasn’t paralyzed and 24 hours later she was walking again and had her strength up. It brought a lot back from when my boxer was sick last year and passed away. If you are an animal lover, you get the sick feeling I had.

Foxy ❤ She is doing so much better. Love this lil face ❤

The weekend brought a double whammy. I got a call from a friend who had a medical thing. I won’t go into details but she is ok. And on top of that, I found out one of my best friends is moving back home, half way across the world to Ireland.

I’m crushed.

I cried all weekend. She and I are close. When hubby goes away, her and I hang out a lot more and also are there for each other. When money is tight we pull together our resources and cook at my place or hers. When my boxer was sick, she stayed with me and helped. I call her “the wife” for a good reason. We are there for each other but life has thrown some shit her way that not even the bestest of friends can fix. My small, cheerio sized circle of (local) friends, is about to get smaller. Things may change, but…we shall see.

So thanks to humidity zapping my energy, work being crazy and being emotionally drained, I did nothing this month. No reading, no writing…but I plan to take a “me day” soon and hopefully I can do one of these things.

Hopefully next month my wrap up will be more perky haha. 😉

 

June Wrap Up: Busted Goals and A New Dog

This past month was good but full of stress and anxiety.

I did get some reading in, but got off track. I do plan/hope to get back to reading next week at some point.

Writing fiction was a total bust, but that’s ok. It happens. Writing here and my letters was so-so. I started out good but petered off when things got busy. I am looking forward to Camp Nano. Not sure how many of my 30 hour goal I will get in, but I will give it a good shot anyway.

When I said this month was full of stress, I meant good stress. Moving my salon was one of those things. We finished setting up shop and we will open for business come Monday. I am really looking forward to the next chapter in my career.

Hubby and I also welcomed a new addition into our home. We did something we had wanted to do for awhile.

We rescued a greyhound.

Meet our girl, Foxy.

Her race name was Foxberry so we decided to go with Foxy. She is shy, timid and a lil diva. But we love her to bits. Now we are on the road to getting her to adjust. With lots of love she will start to relax and come around. We see improvement in her every day. This is a huge change for her. Lucky for her she’s got a mom and dad who understand that.

This was taken the first day or two here. She loves her stuffed bear.

I could ramble on about her but I will save that for another day.

So, while my usual goals went bust (for the most part), I had 2 big things happen that I am over the moon about. My positivity journal has been getting extra notes in it each day.

How was your month?

Camp Nano Prep and Other Shenanigans

Like I said in my last post, June has been a hectic month. But I am focusing on July. Things should be a lot more settled by then. The new salon location will be up and running for the 2nd! And, the stress of greyhound adoption has been lifted since we found out we have been approved! We go on Saturday for an orientation and odds are we will be bringing home our new furbaby. (So, be prepared for a big greyhound post and pics of our new four legged kid 😉 )

With July coming means another month of Camp Nano! I have already signed up and am in a cabin one of my friends started. So I am looking forward to doing it again. My plan of action is what I did back in April. I am aiming for 30 hours of varied writing projects such as blogging, outlining a novel that has been peculating for awhile,  reading more writing related articles (maybe start re-reading Stephen King’s On Writing) and I am not sure what else.

Once July hits I will be finished the salon move and we will have our dog. So things *should* be a little less crazy. Work will be steady and we have a greyhound to help train and adjust, but that’s all good stuff. ❤

Are you doing camp Nano? What are your goals?

April Wrap-Up

Back in January, I set some hopes and goals for the new year. While it’s only the end of April, I am really happy with how things are going. This is the first time I have kept up with my goals so far into a new year. Each month I am making progress and/or crossing off items off my to-do list.

Writing: I joined Camp Nano this month. My goals were wide and flexible. As far as the writing part of my goals went, I edited a short story, wrote notes on existing ones and started a new piece. My Camp Nano goal was to log in 35 hours of  time, and I have managed to get in 36! So I am really happy with how things went.

Reading: Another part of my Camp Nano goal was to catch up on some articles and blogs about writing. I also read a collection of short stories by Sherry D. Ramsey as well as the newest novel in Candace Osmond’s Darktide series. If you want to check out either amazing author, you can buy their stories wherever books are sold. Some of Sherry’s books such as One’s Aspect to the Sun and Candace Osmond’s Darktide Series can be found on Amazon. (Links attached to book titles).

Blogging: I have been posting, sometimes more then I thought lol. This blog has been a great place for me, especially recently. Sometimes you just need a place to get out what you’ve been feeling. I have also been slowly learning new blogging tips. Either way, I am happy and thank YOU for being here.

The Book Pile: I have now read 7 out 15 books for the year. So I am almost half done according to Goodreads, and also ahead of schedule. Considering I barley read the last few years, I am really happy with how I have been doing.

Positive Vibes: Learning how to manage my negative feelings and focus on the good stuff has really come in handy. Even on a blue day or a day I feel like a writing impostor, I don’t dwell on what’s making me feel like crap. I allow myself to feel it, because that’s important. Then I am able to move forward. I still make a note in my journal every day, about something good that happened.

So, how was your month? I hope that May treats you all well!

 

March Wrap Up

This was a pretty great month! I managed to check off something I wanted to do this year, as well as check off something from the bucket list! And my goals for the year are still coming along nicely! 🙂

Writing: Writing has been slow, but that’s okay. I do have a finished short story that needs some lines edits. This month I came up with a few new ideas, so I have some plot bunnies growing. I also have been gathering ideas/images and putting them on a secret Pinterest board. So while my hands have been idle at the computer, my brain has been going non-stop.

Blogging: Look at me, being all consistent for three months. 😉 I am having so much fun being here, and I love being interactive with YOU in the comments. Also, the author of The Devil’s Heart, Candace Osmond, loved the review I wrote and shared it to her author Facebook page! Sweet! 😀

The Book Pile: I am still on track with my goal. I just started the third compendium in The Walking Dead series. Hubby got it for me at Christmas and I am finally sitting down with it. I will finish it soon and book six of the year will be under my belt.

Positive Vibes: I have added a lot of good things to my positivity journal. I didn’t take it when I went to Toronto, but I made notes and added them when I came home. My way of thinking has changed so much. I still have my bad days, but they don’t last as long as they did before. This journal has helped me with winter blues and my depression. This is one of the best things I have ever done.

Toronto Comic Con: This was on my personal list of big things to do this year. It was my first time there and I had so much fun! I now have ten comic cons under my belt. I hope I can get there next year as well.

Bucket List- The ROM: I have been wanting to go to the Royal Ontario Museum for the last five or six years. I was beyond thrilled when Mr. C was able to score us tickets for my last day in Toronto. Bonus: The Viking exhibit is happening right now, so we went to that first. I will be blogging about my time there soon. 🙂

So, how was your March? Tell me about it in the comments!

February Wrap Up

Check it out, two months into the year and I am actually keeping up with my goals. Woot woot! 😉 Today is also my momma’s birthday. She is an amazing woman and I love her to bits.

This month was good in a lot of ways. Winter hasn’t been nearly as harsh as usual, thinking more positive is making a big difference in me, and I am checking off goals and adding new ones.

Writing: I finished a short story which is now in the hands of my first round of beta readers. I am getting great feedback. The biggest thing for me is that my editing skills have improved a lot. Aside from some line edits, I don’t need to make any major changes. Now I am figuring out what to work on next: a fantasy novel I started a few years back, or finish a story I started last NaNoWriMo.

Blogging:  I have been keeping up with this little corner of my world. I love popping in here. It helps to organize my thoughts, and I love chatting to those who comment. 🙂

Positive vibes: This month has had some bumps. For instance, I have hit that wall where I just want my husband to be home. It isn’t easy that he has to work away. BUT, the way I view things now has most certainly gotten me through things. I still write at least one good thing a day in a journal, and when I feel my thoughts going down a bad path, I stop myself and can usually get myself back on track. I feel really frickin’ good, peeps! 😀

The Book Pile: I am now on book four of the year! My goal is to read fifteen, which is very attainable. If and when I go beyond that, bonus! Although I did break my reading rule. Instead of reading books only out on my table, I have been switching things up. But hey, i am in the reading groove again, that’s all that matters.

Other projects: I have been doing pretty good with keeping up on my pen pal letters. I have a couple to write, but they are newer. It feels good being more regular in my snail mail. I am hoping to make my own envelopes soon, or at least creating some mail art.

I hope you have had a great month. How are your goals coming along?