This isn't really a place for me to vent my frustrations, but I think I will tonight. Please bare with me while I list off some of the things that have previously kept me away from my blog.
I've got so many things going on! I'm sure I'm far from the only one with about a million things to do. All of you, my lovely readers, are busy too, I'm sure. Let me know if any of this sounds like you, or if you are my complete opposite.
I'm very much a "yes" person. If someone comes up to me to ask me to do something, it's very likely I'll say yes. I'm a leader of two different social organizations, and I'm also an advocate for one of those (yes, two different positions within the same organization). It's a lot of work! My seven year old son is a member of one of those groups, and we meet each week.
On top of that, my four year old daughter takes dance classes for two hours on two evenings of the week. She will soon try out for the competition team, and likely be accepted. That will bring us up to five hours total and three nights a week. But these are my children, and I want them to be social and form good friendships.
I also love to bake and I'm not too bad with cake decorating, if I do say so myself. Along with making birthday cakes for my kids, I have many friends who come up to me and ask me to bake something for their kids, or sisters, or whoever. Don't get me wrong. I love this! It makes me feel good and puts a smile on my face. But it's also more stuff that I say yes to without really thinking things through first.
If all of this isn't enough yet, I adore entertaining. This past Saturday, I hosted my son's birthday party (with one of the most involved cakes I've ever made). This week, I've committed to hosting Easter dinner. Again, I invited people without thinking about what I was actually saying first. Two of these friends have husbands who aren't home. The other family doesn't have anywhere else to go. No one should be lonely on a holiday (even if that holiday merely means a breakfast of candy and deviled eggs, and a huge dinner in this house...hey, I'm Pagan...I was just raised to celebrate the day, so that's what I do). With all of that being said, I'm totally excited to be having some great friends over this weekend!
Yes, I love being involved and helping people out. It's kind of what I do. But sometimes I give so much of myself that I don't have anything left over for me. Or to clean my house for that matter. And I'm having people over this weekend! I better get to cracking!
Does your social and/or every day life get to be too much for you sometimes? Are you like me, or do you easily say no?
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Leprechauns
Leprechauns are mythical creatures of Irish folklore. They are generally male, aged, dwarfish, and drunken. With a knack for making and repairing shoes, the sound of a tap, tap, tap-like a tiny cobbler's hammer-can signify their presence.
If you're lucky enough to catch one of these magical, jokester creatures, he will be happy to grant you three wishes in return for his freedom. Most people are said to ask for knowledge on the whereabouts of the leprechaun's pot of gold. The riches are usually said to be at the end of a rainbow.
Most creatures of fairy tales like these are far from what we've come to expect from Disney. These fables were often used to scare children-and maybe some adults-into behaving themselves. In the case of leprechauns, listeners and readers are cautioned against "get rich quick" schemes and informed of the dangers of stealing from others.
Leprechauns can be seen throughout pop culture as well. Falling in line with the creep factor of these tiny magical beings is the 1993 movie, Leprechaun. It stars Jennifer Aniston and features a tale of a serial killer leprechaun. On a much lighter note, there's a different kind of cereal, Lucky Charms. I've got a box or two in my house right now. After all, they're magically delicious!
What do you think of leprechauns? Are there any tales you can come up with?
If you're lucky enough to catch one of these magical, jokester creatures, he will be happy to grant you three wishes in return for his freedom. Most people are said to ask for knowledge on the whereabouts of the leprechaun's pot of gold. The riches are usually said to be at the end of a rainbow.
Most creatures of fairy tales like these are far from what we've come to expect from Disney. These fables were often used to scare children-and maybe some adults-into behaving themselves. In the case of leprechauns, listeners and readers are cautioned against "get rich quick" schemes and informed of the dangers of stealing from others.
Leprechauns can be seen throughout pop culture as well. Falling in line with the creep factor of these tiny magical beings is the 1993 movie, Leprechaun. It stars Jennifer Aniston and features a tale of a serial killer leprechaun. On a much lighter note, there's a different kind of cereal, Lucky Charms. I've got a box or two in my house right now. After all, they're magically delicious!
What do you think of leprechauns? Are there any tales you can come up with?
Friday, March 6, 2015
Doppelgangers
Doppelganger (AKA: a person's "fetch") is the German word for "exact double." It is a term that found its way into the common vernacular from the 1848 best-selling book, The Night-Side of Nature by Catherine Crowe.
There have been reports of people claiming to see someone in the act of doing something, only to later find out that what they thought they saw would have been impossible. For instance, say a woman comes home from work and sees her son, sitting on the couch, playing video games. She walks upstairs, and her son calls out to her...as he's sitting on his bed. The vision of her son on the couch would be his doppelganger.
Throughout history, there have even been people who have claimed to see their own doppelganger. And, no, these people weren't strung out on the latest high-fashioned drugs, either. In fact, it has been said that Abe Lincoln reported seeing his double! When you add to that the legend that seeing a doppelganger foretells the death of the person in question, the fact that America's sixteenth president allegedly saw his own is just a little creepy.
There are two examples of doppelgangers within pop culture that float around in my brain each time I hear the word. The first one came in the form of a literary character in Anne Rice's The Witching Hour. One of the only male Mayfair witches, Julian, was able to be in two places at once. And the second doppelganger to resonate with me was created by Joss Whedon for his television series, Buffy: The Vampire Slayer. The sixteenth episode of season three, "Doppelgangland," centers on Willow and her doppelganger, Vampire Willow.
At times, I've had dreams where I run into my doppelganger. While I'm dreaming, it's as if I'm watching a movie and I'm the star. Only when I wake up does the chilling realization come to me that I've encountered my double. I've had dreams like these a number of times over the years, and I'm still alive. So, I don't believe the legend about foretold deaths.
Do you believe in doppelgangers? Have you ever encountered one?
There have been reports of people claiming to see someone in the act of doing something, only to later find out that what they thought they saw would have been impossible. For instance, say a woman comes home from work and sees her son, sitting on the couch, playing video games. She walks upstairs, and her son calls out to her...as he's sitting on his bed. The vision of her son on the couch would be his doppelganger.
Throughout history, there have even been people who have claimed to see their own doppelganger. And, no, these people weren't strung out on the latest high-fashioned drugs, either. In fact, it has been said that Abe Lincoln reported seeing his double! When you add to that the legend that seeing a doppelganger foretells the death of the person in question, the fact that America's sixteenth president allegedly saw his own is just a little creepy.
There are two examples of doppelgangers within pop culture that float around in my brain each time I hear the word. The first one came in the form of a literary character in Anne Rice's The Witching Hour. One of the only male Mayfair witches, Julian, was able to be in two places at once. And the second doppelganger to resonate with me was created by Joss Whedon for his television series, Buffy: The Vampire Slayer. The sixteenth episode of season three, "Doppelgangland," centers on Willow and her doppelganger, Vampire Willow.
At times, I've had dreams where I run into my doppelganger. While I'm dreaming, it's as if I'm watching a movie and I'm the star. Only when I wake up does the chilling realization come to me that I've encountered my double. I've had dreams like these a number of times over the years, and I'm still alive. So, I don't believe the legend about foretold deaths.
Do you believe in doppelgangers? Have you ever encountered one?
Monday, February 23, 2015
First Post in Eight Months? Unthinkable!
Wow! Okay, so I know I've been slacking with the blog lately, but to go eight months without blogging, that's bad. Please allow me to take a moment and explain some of the things that have kept me away.
First and foremost, I have NOT stopped writing! I am still working on my current WIP and second novel. I also have a few short stories I've been working toward finishing up, and hope to have those published at some point, hopefully sooner rather than later. It seems to be harder for me to think in short terms, so short stories are some of the hardest things for me to write. With that being said, I have two stories I'm working on now, both different genres, and three stories that are finished. I also have an idea brewing in my head for something entirely different from anything else I've worked on before. Right now, it's looking like it might be a historical/time travel stand-alone novel. As for the novel I've been working on, I'm a bit stuck for the moment. This is the longest period of time I've been stuck, and it's absolutely terrifying! I do, however, have faith that my muse will return.
Aside from being a wife and a mom of two small children, my personal life has been buzzing with activity. I am the leader of two different community organizations, so I sometimes have mountains of things to do with each of those positions. With everything going on around me, I do plan to return to this blog and keep it running. Please look for my posts in the near and distant futures.
First and foremost, I have NOT stopped writing! I am still working on my current WIP and second novel. I also have a few short stories I've been working toward finishing up, and hope to have those published at some point, hopefully sooner rather than later. It seems to be harder for me to think in short terms, so short stories are some of the hardest things for me to write. With that being said, I have two stories I'm working on now, both different genres, and three stories that are finished. I also have an idea brewing in my head for something entirely different from anything else I've worked on before. Right now, it's looking like it might be a historical/time travel stand-alone novel. As for the novel I've been working on, I'm a bit stuck for the moment. This is the longest period of time I've been stuck, and it's absolutely terrifying! I do, however, have faith that my muse will return.
Aside from being a wife and a mom of two small children, my personal life has been buzzing with activity. I am the leader of two different community organizations, so I sometimes have mountains of things to do with each of those positions. With everything going on around me, I do plan to return to this blog and keep it running. Please look for my posts in the near and distant futures.
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