time does dull emotions

The last day of November. I got to spend the Thanksgiving weekend with my mom's side of the family. My immediate family usually goes to my dad's side in Pittsburgh, but this year my maternal grandparents are too sick to be left alone. My grandmother is still the same from her stroke. It was very hard to see her at first, but now I think the family has gotten used to how she is, which helps us cope. I also feel like I'm being desensitized, which disturbs me, but that's what time does - dulls emotions.

I got to spend time with family and my sisters and 2 cousins even went Black Friday shopping in kop. I must be growing up because I actually started to buy only Christmas presents. That may have degenerated into 3 tops and a pair of pajama pants for me, but I started off well. Three nights of sleeping on my parents sofa and my knee hurts. Yeah, I think my running days are over.

My sister and I also got new phones since it was time for both our upgrades. They came with free tablets. Is there such a thing as too much technology?  Probably. I don't actually watch tv in bed. If I want to read a book in bed, well I read a book, and if I wanted to read a screen, it would be the kindle. Saw Maleficent last night. It was a nice twist on the traditional Sleeping Beauty story. I also watched the first season of The Bletchley Circle, which sounds like a horrible disease, but is actually a suspenseful girl power show.

So this is the last day of November and have I learned anything? That I want to avoid S. Not SH (we're cool, although I am not like his other friends). I think he was fishing to meet up, but he didn't ask, so I just went and did my thing. It's probably for the best. Other things: I don't like the cold. The fastest lane in slow traffic on 95 really is the right lane.

My new fashion mission is elegant lounge wear. That's the last gap in my wardrobe (okay, besides a cream blazer, work pants, and bikini top that actually fits). I wear as much make-up as I ever will, so no purchases needed until something runs out.

Goodnight, November. The Christmas music can now commence.

in the arp groove. i miss my bed.

So far I've been able to keep up with posting to the arp blog every other day, but I don't know how much longer this is going to last. I'm staying in the groove by always thinking up the idea for my next post before I stop. Then after I log back in tomorrow or the next day and finish it, I'll be in the writing groove and able to find another blog idea. Right now, a lot of my blogs are inspired by other blog posts. Not feeling my most creative. We definitely need another content provider. I don't know how much longer the two of us can hold out before falling into another slump. They keep saying it'll snow the day before Thanksgiving, but I don't quite believe it. However, I am lazy so I'm not travelling until the actual holiday. So tired all the time. And then I might have to drive for 5 hours after I get there? Ugggggh. I miss my bed already.

Both my mom's parents are in the hospital. It's not easy being 80-something. They're supposed to get out soon though. We'll see. At least over break maybe my dad can get my car trunk to unlock.

The tornado painting doesn't quite terrify me now. It's something about the shape of the tornado about 2/3rds of the way up that starts to scare me if I keep looking at it.

Again, I love my bed. Going to sleep now.

muhahahahahaha ...aha!

My new goal is feel stylish while lounging at home. For too long I have lounged in the sweatpants from kmart that I bought 6 years ago (I bought 4 pairs in different colors). Ew, has it really been that long? Anyway, I will take a note from the kdrama heroine who lounge around in oversized sweaters and comfy skirts and fleece-lined tights. It's what I tried today, and I love it. Maybe a thrift store clothing run is going to happen, because this does wonders for my self-esteem. Also, I look really good in mint green. Why do I not own more shirts/sweaters in this color?

Day 3 of me having sand storm colored nails and the chipping is constant, but at least the color is close enough to my actual nail color that you don't really notice. I've always admired this color when I saw it on a girl in a kdrama or a model. And now it is mine. Muhahahahahaha! ... ha ha!

after that disappointing coffee event which was vaguely disappointing for reasons I don't even quite know

New goal is to try to be better to the ARP blog and write more for it. I'm trying to find interesting articles or at least a topic for when I have the energy to write. Every so often I just do a google news search on books, but I really have to wait a week for there to be new articles. I think what I need is a few blogs that I go to for inspiration. We'll see.

Went to the second contractor event today and I wasn't really wowed. Maybe later? I'm only doing it so that I can make some friends, but everyone is in the early polite stage. You cannot rush friendship. I mean, how long did it take me to become good friends with AC anyway? I need to send her a check for my hotel portion now that I think of it. I should write that and get it into the mail. And darn I was just at the post office today.

New person at work, so there's training involved. And I'm doing part of it. Why did that happen? It feels weird. And then she mentioned that what she really wants to do is procurement so after a year she might just go and find another job. And then I can see it happening again - having to train a new person. Gosh, that's not ideal. No ideal at all. I hope it doesn't happen actually. B won't be around to explain all the things I don't know. Goshhhh. Ah well, just trust in God and try to eavesdrop to be able to train the next person I guess. There are tutorials.

But I don't like to bring work home. I prefer to turn it off actually. Which usually isn't hard as I'm not really that interested in work-related things. Now whenever I see the logo I cringe. I bought myself a mug and I never use it because it makes me cringe and think about work. Now I see why I don't own a work t-shirt or hat or hoodie.

Help!

spices versus herbs

"I think we're close enough / can I lock in your love?"

Still on my Sam Smith kick. Gosh, why? I should be in bed right now.  I made a stew with chickpeas in it. I kind of want to eat it for lunch tomorrow instead of the lentils/rice I made on Saturday, but I've already filled the lunch containers. I only have 2. Pyrex, baby. Anyway, tomorrow it's supposed to rain, so definitely no post-work trip to get that bookshelf. Tuesday? Wednesday?

I made it to the Aldi, which was fine. I forget that they don't give you bags there. I was determined not to pay extra, so I just put the things in the passenger seat of the car (b/c my trunk won't unlock) and then brought out bags from the apartment. I have so many extra ones from the other grocery stores. I will put the reusable Old Navy bag in the car though. Maybe if I leave it in the passenger seat, I'll remember to bring it in. Also, I was driving back and a bunch of stores are opening like a 5 minute drive away from me. I could now potentially go to a Regal Cinema even! I've only lived this close to a cinema once in GA and then I had no money to spend on movies. Not that I really do now. We'll see how this new benefits and such affects my paycheck. Either way, I should be set to go to Puerto Rico, but that trip isn't for a while, so I need to forget about it for now.

I have trouble with spices in recipes, so I made some cute lists and put them on the kitchen wall. One is spice substitutions and the other is herb substitutions. They're cute because I drew little cartoon animals on them in colored pencil. I also learned that there is a difference between a spice and an herb. Just what makes that distinction, I'm not interested enough to google.

I need to come up with a catchy name for the brief newsbites that I write for a blog I'm actually paid to write for. Newsbites is taken. OMG post is taken. ONTD is a livejournal (very entertaining one). What happened to my creativity?