tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30741041699243381992024-03-04T22:27:22.674-06:00Musings of A Frustrated Lady WriterThe online journal of a writer who likes to talk about books and music. Oh, and random stuff. Yes, definitely that.Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04017751430710988891noreply@blogger.comBlogger556125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3074104169924338199.post-77875944078715325982017-06-01T09:32:00.001-05:002017-06-01T09:32:48.983-05:00So Long and Thanks For All the FishHey everyone, it’s been a real long time since I posted on here. And there was a reason for it; that reason was I was getting tired of this blog. I found myself without any inspiration to update it with any kind of post, even though I did take time out to plan out some potential topics, yet I didn’t get the muster up to actually finish them. For a while I cited this lack of motivation as depression, then later to being busy with work. You can tell starting from late 2014 that once I got a full-time job, keeping up with <i>Musings </i>became more challenging, so this wasn’t far from the truth. So I decided, since I didn’t know what was causing it, to take a step back and give it a few months to figure it out. It dawned on me about three months into 2017…<br />
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I was done.<br />
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Sure I could keep it up for myself, but updating it is not the plan anymore. There was a time where this blog was a safe harbor, especially when I was in college and working in retail. Now that those days are long gone and I have a lot of things going on: full-time job, living on my own, paying rent and other things (including a car payment!); it is time to clean house and find out what I want to spend my time doing. One of those things did not include keeping up with this blog.<br />
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So what is the future of <i>Musings</i>? Well, after this entry, there will be no more. The blog will not be deleted, I rather keep it up for archival purposes and for myself. If I do start another blog, it will likely be at Wordpress, but the when I cannot say and that day may never even come.<br />
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I am fonder of keeping paper journals, especially since I’ve fallen into the hobby of fountain pens as of late. Taking the journal class with Rowdy Kittens sealed the deal for me on how I felt about this blog. It just took me much longer to admit it.<br />
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To those who stopped by, been here from the beginning, or whenever… thank you so much. I don’t know how many of you are there, but you all count. Thanks to my friends who left comments, for continuing discussions, and just being awesome overall. Thanks to my family who barely flinched when I announced I wanted to be a writer when I was sixteen.<br />
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If you want to continue to follow my adventures, check me out on Instagram (link at the right side): @thenewadventuress.<br />
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It’s been a fun, heartbreaking, crazy, weird, funny ten years.<br />
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Fare thee well!Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04017751430710988891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3074104169924338199.post-18231501137240482142017-02-21T12:43:00.000-06:002017-02-21T12:43:35.554-06:00Alright, I'm Back!After almost a month of silence, <i>Musings of A Frustrated Lady Writer</i> rises from its deep slumber and is ready to continue!<br />
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Part of the reason for the break was because of a very hectic three weeks at my job. First off we were down a lot of people due to a training class for dental claims, then a lot of callouts and sick days turned my once-robust night team into a skeleton crew. Calls seemed to pour in without end. Along with that, I began helping out with a long-term project that involves returned checks and there was a significant learning curve with that. But things have settled down and my focus can now change back to other matters, like this blog!<br />
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Right now, there are workers repairing the roofs of all the apartment buildings in my complex. After months of living with leaks and a semi-permanent solution of tarps over said roofs, the repairs are in full swing. Even with this finally coming to pass, I am still going to move out of the complex when my lease is up. So that is one huge thing that is happening later on this year. As it gets closer, I'll go into more detail. Right now my focus is on getting rid of as much stuff as possible.<br />
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Writing and reading also sat in the back-seat for a long while too. Since I have today and tomorrow off from work, I am going to use this time to catch up on reading and working on finishing a project.<br />
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Last weekend, I was able to attend another Writers' League of Texas class in Austin, where I learned the fine art of writing short stories. It was tremendous fun, especially since the class was held in a community college that was once an old mall.<br />
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Also, for those that know I live in San Antonio, you may have heard about my hometown getting its ass kicked by tornadoes on Sunday night. I can assure you that my folks and I are safe and sound, also the same can be said for the citizens as well. Despite the catastrophic damage, there are no reports of serious injuries or deaths. We are fortunate in that matter. Plus it helped a lot it was late at night on a Sunday and pretty much everyone was at home sleeping. I'll talk about my experience on that night in a separate entry.<br />
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Hope you are all doing well! It's good to be back. Until next time, stay cozy and stay beautiful!<br />
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P.S.: I wanna give a shout-out to my most-excellent friend and old B&N colleague Kristin who runs a minimalism/lifestyle blog <i>The Mulberry Patch</i>. She is a phenomenal writer and photographer, go check out her work <a href="http://themulberrypatch.com/">here</a>! You can follow her <a href="https://www.instagram.com/themulberrypatch/">on Instagram</a> as well.Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04017751430710988891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3074104169924338199.post-55845737025622114832017-01-29T21:57:00.000-06:002017-01-29T21:57:21.191-06:00A Pause... For NowEver since I wrote my last post back in December, about how to react to the Trump presidency (which seems to be getting to a new level of nightmarish as days pass...), I've been conspicuously absent from this blog since.<br />
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Honestly, I cannot even begin to put into words why I haven't posted since then. But I will say that a lot of things happened in that span of time that changed the trajectory of this year. A series of events that I am not ready to indulge just yet, but I assure they will be elaborate in their telling.<br />
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Until that time comes, the blog is coming to yet another pause.<br />
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This is not permanent, this is not goodbye.Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04017751430710988891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3074104169924338199.post-66076514263420252462016-12-02T11:30:00.000-06:002016-12-02T11:30:05.755-06:00Fight the Power: Plans to Piss Off a Kleptocracy <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ6w5PSb-98TPXgeEQqIrzn8xFrRv4VzcyVox3SdOv-GR3c6KRnoaTuDZ7TFIKpVjygKEw_MhAJ2MGB-3cLy3Bpqqzt7XyscOuy3T5Y0fqe-uzScoWgad6zLmGAakfVqUk6vgC_bMvO2g/s1600/anigif_enhanced-buzz-18752-1439671846-5.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ6w5PSb-98TPXgeEQqIrzn8xFrRv4VzcyVox3SdOv-GR3c6KRnoaTuDZ7TFIKpVjygKEw_MhAJ2MGB-3cLy3Bpqqzt7XyscOuy3T5Y0fqe-uzScoWgad6zLmGAakfVqUk6vgC_bMvO2g/s320/anigif_enhanced-buzz-18752-1439671846-5.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">hey look everybody, it's my boyfriend! </td></tr>
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Okay, I promised a post that addresses what I'm gonna be doing from this point on regarding the waking nightmare that is the current state of US politics.<br />
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A horrible, inexperienced man is president-elect, a MASSIVE downgrade to the wonderfulness that is Obama, massive leaps backwards into the harsh and ugly parts of history. Trump is bringing in people that plan to dismantle civil rights for many marginalized peoples, destroy school systems, spreads white nationalist propaganda, have no regard for the environment, and overall simply doesn't give a f*** about anyone but themselves.<br />
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More than ever, we need to be kind to each other. Compassion should be the law of the land as everything goes to chaotic evil.<br />
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My plans are to talk more about my feelings and share what I find here and elsewhere. I feel it's my duty as an American citizen with social media and a blog to be a sounding board and a messenger. If you wish to avoid this posts, that is up to you. If you choose to no longer follow me because of this, or for my views, I understand that as well. I only ask you to go out and be kind.<br />
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I will continue to post about writing, my life, and whatever else. You'll just be seeing more politics is all.<br />
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I also plan on donating more often and even volunteering. I detail a little more below.<br />
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~~~</div>
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Donations or Volunteering:</div>
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I have donated all my birthday money (and soon, some of my Christmas monies) to six non-profits and charities (a seventh to follow...) that will need all the help they can get as they gear up to fight against a president and a cabinet full of horrid, hateful monsters.<br />
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If you work with a company that matches donations, take advantage of that as well! I know I will.<br />
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Here is a <a href="http://jezebel.com/a-list-of-pro-women-pro-immigrant-pro-earth-anti-big-1788752078">pretty damn good list</a>.<br />
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If you want to know who I donated to, here ya goes:<br />
<a href="https://www.plannedparenthood.org/"><br /></a>
<a href="https://www.plannedparenthood.org/">Planned Parenthood</a> of South Texas (I am researching on becoming a clinic escort)<br />
<a href="https://www.aclu.org/">ACLU</a> of Texas (also now a proud member!)<br />
<a href="http://www.naacp.org/">NAACP</a><br />
<a href="http://standwithstandingrock.net/">Stand with Standing Rock</a><br />
<a href="https://www.splcenter.org/">Southern Poverty Law Center</a><br />
<a href="https://bitchmedia.org/">Bitch Media</a> (along with a renewed subscription to their most excellent magazine)<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Posts and a Book to Read:</div>
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If you want to improve on your compassion, I <i>highly </i>recommend Karen Armstrong's beautiful book <i><a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780307742889?aff=penguinrandom">Twelve Steps to A Compassionate Life</a></i>. I read it a long time ago and found it to be a balm. It has changed how I feel about the world and my interactions with any and all people.<br />
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<a href="http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/11/van-jones-donald-trump-sanders-clinton-racism">Van Jones gives</a> a realistic view on what happened and what we need to do moving forward.<br />
<a href="https://tananarivedue.wordpress.com/2016/11/13/post-election-why-im-journaling-not-just-sharing-feelings-on-social-media/"><br /></a>
<a href="https://tananarivedue.wordpress.com/2016/11/13/post-election-why-im-journaling-not-just-sharing-feelings-on-social-media/">Tananarive Due talks</a> about why she wasn't active on social media and took to journaling to cope with the horror.<br />
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Chuck Wendig <a href="http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2016/11/10/mourn-then-get-mad-then-get-busy/">drives all the post-election feelings home here</a> very well. In fact, you should read his entry before mine. It is definitely better.<br />
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It's interesting to note <a href="https://bitchmedia.org/article/self-care-guide-counter-trump-fatigue">that this post</a> will be almost a year old, but boy howdy, we are gonna need it more than ever now.<br />
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<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/11/18/george-takei-they-interned-my-family-dont-let-them-do-it-to-muslims/?utm_term=.3c9863353d2c">George Takei speaks</a> from painful experience about why a Muslim registry is starting to sound too familiar...<br />
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<a href="http://shannatrenholm.com/2016/11/12/5-ways-to-restore-post-election-wellness/">This lovely post</a> about what to do to take care of yourself after all this...<br />
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Rowdy Kittens <a href="http://www.rowdykittens.com/2016/11/election/">shares some thoughts</a> and some lovely pictures with inspiring quotes.<br />
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<a href="http://www.susannahconway.com/2016/11/light-gets-in/">Susannah Conway</a> tied together the sadness of the political atmosphere along with a sweet dedication to the late Leonard Cohen.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Videos:</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-rSDUsMwakI" width="560"></iframe><br />
John Oliver provides some laughs and outlines some more non-profits to support.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5N6TC4oSsAg" width="560"></iframe><br />
Commander Holly continues to be the human incarnation of sunshine by suggesting non-profits and other ways to be kind this holiday season.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b75H93b6wIs" width="560"></iframe><br />
LittleKuriboh eschews politics to get to one heart of the matter: self-care in times like these.<br />
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~~~</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
This is merely a primer of suggestions. There are many posts like this I'm sure, so I'm not saying anything newish. But I like to think it's just an addition to the voices. May my voice not be louder than those who said it better and have more to lose than myself.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I will be blunt and say that a Trump "presidency" is not gonna affect me greatly as a straight, cisgender white person. It will affect me as a woman, but not as much as say... a woman of color. And you know what? That disgusts me more than anything that I will be more okay than a great chunk of friends, colleagues, coworkers, neighbors, and complete strangers. I was raised to be considerate to everyone and not think I was better than anyone regardless of any identifying traits. </div>
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<br /></div>
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That is why I am going to use my privilege for something good: do anything in my power to stop this madness from getting any worse than it already is. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Who's with me?!</span></b></div>
Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04017751430710988891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3074104169924338199.post-185221225787459272016-11-30T11:30:00.000-06:002016-11-30T11:30:31.029-06:00NaNoWriMo 2016: Dammit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well... uhm... okay look, this time it did not go as planned. I actually had a good start the first week or so. Kinda like <a href="http://frustratedladywriter.blogspot.com/2015/11/nanowrimo-2015-i-didnt-think-i-would.html">last year</a>, where I was thrown off by illness and the starting of my new job, but I was able to make a comeback that I was quite proud of.<br />
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Not this time, sadly.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5RaHjg_TQpRcA-MsH2BX0JzwFs5UvcCyo9QwP7idxL8YtStJQKhRI8MUUP18iiseYlfXKR9sym3H_7XqjqtJcGuHwZoK3QHTXc4ZyON8StcRRM25wc7GN4tH8eS6CrrB8k3khIH2iGE/s1600/tumblr_o3cj99oGtn1tq6v5ro1_400.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5RaHjg_TQpRcA-MsH2BX0JzwFs5UvcCyo9QwP7idxL8YtStJQKhRI8MUUP18iiseYlfXKR9sym3H_7XqjqtJcGuHwZoK3QHTXc4ZyON8StcRRM25wc7GN4tH8eS6CrrB8k3khIH2iGE/s320/tumblr_o3cj99oGtn1tq6v5ro1_400.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">basically me by month's end</td></tr>
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First off, I will be blunt and say that Trump becoming the president-elect bummed me out something serious. I mean, what the hell do you do when you did as much as you could to make sure the asshole didn't get elected and he "won"? It turns out I wasn't the only one, there were a lot of writers I followed on Twitter that were depressed. Even Stephen King had to take a break from Twitter.<br />
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Then slowly but surely, more people I followed revealed they were upset about what happened. They were concerned for family and friends, angry at those who voted and/or were reacting by being horrible human beings (well, more so than usual), and wanting to do something good (I promise I'll address this more in an upcoming entry on what I'm thinking about doing...).<br />
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Tweets after the election were outpourings of love and awareness, even a few speaking to those who created art to get ready and be more empowered to create more than ever. In dark times such as these, art will flourish, speak for the voiceless, and bring us a measure of joy when we think there is none left. It was those tweets that got me to think of coming back to the projects and also to do NaNoWriMo every year until otherwise indicated (I was thinking of calling this time as my last).<br />
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While I did not return to the projects, I learned a valuable lesson: do not do multiple projects during NaNoWriMo. Just focus on one! I ran into <a href="http://frustratedladywriter.blogspot.com/2014/11/a-huge-update-omg-oo.html">a similar issue in 2014</a>, but it didn't sink in until this time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1rOYiohXJofHwSjcfZxNWHWftXFht2rr_axX-Ev_5_bwCXHG6jW0ZAe3GkzSfsgL4vPcxMnNtwo4C29wsm5n7rITOehPbbO5KPwEo5l-5oYka9mRudlW8GzxEwQ8Mm-NhAfp6m5pWIb8/s1600/anigif_optimized-21007-1440013316-7.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1rOYiohXJofHwSjcfZxNWHWftXFht2rr_axX-Ev_5_bwCXHG6jW0ZAe3GkzSfsgL4vPcxMnNtwo4C29wsm5n7rITOehPbbO5KPwEo5l-5oYka9mRudlW8GzxEwQ8Mm-NhAfp6m5pWIb8/s400/anigif_optimized-21007-1440013316-7.gif" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">actual footage* of me trying to write later in the month...<br />*not actual footage</td></tr>
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After somewhat recovering from post-election malaise, I got smacked with an awful, ass-kicking head and chest cold. It was a perfect storm of WTF that took up most of my last days as a twenty-something. The cold delayed my initial appointment to get my tattoo, which was on the 18th (it changed to the 22nd). On top of all that, I also got so wicked drunk that I was violently ill for most of the night (also learned watching <i>Interstellar</i> drunk is not a good idea, despite that it was a fantastic movie). Needless to say that November was not a month in my favor.<br />
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But now empowered to keep creating, I vow to keep doing NaNoWriMo every year and to get back to my project (in this case, <i>Dolls</i>) next month so it can be done by New Year's Eve. Despite the setbacks (aw, that's cute, "setbacks" is being nice...), I did get over 15K on <i>Dolls</i> and it's getting close to being finished. So not all was lost nor underachieved.<br />
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Bottom line is that whenever craziness throws lemons at you, make lemonade and not invite craziness to your awesome lemonade brunch 'cause it can go f*** itself.Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04017751430710988891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3074104169924338199.post-89042147950240724912016-11-28T11:30:00.000-06:002016-11-28T11:30:05.859-06:00OMG I'M 30 AAAAAHH<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvlkIw2ezbIuMDx4GO7CE-JmQqjX3EpgKpNhXZDOANmicvV6prYYfb1rrK0n9uxWiUsUBibKYsEeCgNwWlAF2ZPOylGgZOHW-_g9UqR3PH4nzOrkm8_ZfKNs6BuQ_kikuB3axTVjwB5L8/s1600/aE1od6o_460sa.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvlkIw2ezbIuMDx4GO7CE-JmQqjX3EpgKpNhXZDOANmicvV6prYYfb1rrK0n9uxWiUsUBibKYsEeCgNwWlAF2ZPOylGgZOHW-_g9UqR3PH4nzOrkm8_ZfKNs6BuQ_kikuB3axTVjwB5L8/s400/aE1od6o_460sa.gif" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">me in five years, just you wait...</td></tr>
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<br />So on Saturday, I turned that fated age of 30, marking three decades of living behind me... one decade closer to being a "middle-aged adult". As I sit here in my abode, listening to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_Breaks">Norah Jones's new album</a>, watching <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/CommanderHolly/videos">Commander Holly's videos</a>, and babying <a href="http://frustratedladywriter.blogspot.com/2016/11/surprise-big-thing.html">my tattoo</a>... I can say with absolute certainty I am happy to be finally here.<br />
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My twenties were... really rough (and that's being nice). The last year of it or so were better, but I dealt with eight+ years of bull-crap, too much for me to want to stay in that decade for much longer than needed. So it was a huge sigh of relief to get to this point. I am beyond fortunate to have survived the toughest decade of my life to get here. From here on out, I declare my thirties to be the most awesome ever.<br />
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I celebrate even in these dark times of uncertainty, fear, and downright surrealism we as Americans face now and will continue to until... the cows comes home? Man, I don't know. (More on my thoughts about this going forward in a future entry...)<br />
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For those who had a birthday Saturday, happy birthday fellow Sagittarians! For the ones already here, we're in for the long haul, let's get to it. For the newcomers, welcome to Spaceship Earth! We need you more than ever.<br />
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*just remembered that Steve Buscemi is also a Sagittarian... O_O*Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04017751430710988891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3074104169924338199.post-38760593445901046682016-11-25T22:18:00.000-06:002016-11-25T22:18:10.832-06:00Surprise Big Thing!Hey people, it's been a while, so glad to be back here on the blog! As I mentioned in a past entry, I had some big things happening this month. Well, here is the surprise one:<br />
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I got a tattoo!<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
Yep, I took the plunge and went to a tattoo parlor that was recommended to me by my boss at work (of all the people, I know!). It was an early birthday gift to myself, got it done on the 22nd. It cost about 93 bucks (including tip!) and took about an hour overall to get it done. What a life-changing thing to have done! It was painful, not gonna lie, but it was worth it. There are still moments where I'm stunned to see this.<br />
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My design choice is the penguin from the liner notes of <i>Mirage </i>by Fleetwood Mac. It is all dressed in stereotypical French attire since the album was initially recorded at the Chateau d'Herouville (which is outside of Paris, IIRC). It's an album with a lot of meaning to me: one of my favorite albums by them, my all-time favorite album cover, and an album I was obsessed with as a teenager and again now due to the remastered re-release. Since the band is one of my all-time favorites and the album's ties to my teen-hood, it made sense to get this tattoo. Fun fact, this design was one of more recent ones I thought of getting. I ended up getting this on my lower left arm.<br />
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Getting the tattoo was an experience unto itself. I will be honest and say it did hurt quite a bit (and it still does in some areas, mainly from the tightness from the skin healing), it felt like a hot, thin scratching especially when the coloring began. I got used to it about halfway through. Once it was done, I was light-headed and developing a headache from clenching my teeth as I tried to brave it out.<br />
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I also will admit to almost chickening out at the last minute, but you know what? I'm glad I did it. It'll be a long while before I see its final form after all the healing, but in the meantime... I'm enjoying every moment of having this lovely little work of art.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGpv89_ripNtBZ-NT9MUWfwJJ90xTEFtdCaL1b1Gs_rUcHev_AgrOopF12rozmjL9x8kNyrJKcZP11E0n-5JSsZHRllCx9CQfcN_LEwUcwNHaCXzn7-nH2WKWEqWgnb4F9CpX0kbpL35Y/s1600/15101519_1458587230852507_2788134499018342400_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGpv89_ripNtBZ-NT9MUWfwJJ90xTEFtdCaL1b1Gs_rUcHev_AgrOopF12rozmjL9x8kNyrJKcZP11E0n-5JSsZHRllCx9CQfcN_LEwUcwNHaCXzn7-nH2WKWEqWgnb4F9CpX0kbpL35Y/s320/15101519_1458587230852507_2788134499018342400_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">pic taken by Andy, the tattoo artist!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04017751430710988891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3074104169924338199.post-46581946263749746492016-11-09T00:21:00.004-06:002016-11-09T00:27:20.813-06:00I Am Not Proud to Be an AmericanA long time ago, when I was a wee lass, my mother told me that my great-grandfather on her side was a member of the KKK. Needless to say, I was horrified on learning this. After the shock wore off, I made a vow that I would do everything in my power to undo as much damage as he had done when he was alive.<br />
<br />
Today, with the election results, this feels more relevant than ever. I'm writing this, cringing for the impact of what will be an unmitigated disaster for this nation.<br />
<br />
I feel like how I did when I found out that I am a descendant of the KKK: ashamed. Yet responsible. No, I did not elect for that asshole. Yet it was my race and the privilege that comes with it that did it.<br />
<br />
I want to apologize, but I feel the words will hurt more. A bandage on a broken soul.<br />
<br />
Instead, I will do more than apologize. I will vow not only to undo as much of the damage that this will wrought, but I will stand at the front lines with all those that will fight.<br />
<br />
Fuck you if you voted for Trump. You are responsible for this and you will clean up this mess once the damage has been done.<br />
<br />
For those who fight and will continue to, I love you from the bottom of my heart and without condition. I am on your side. Count me in.<br />
<br />
This got too personal. This has gone on far too long.<br />
<br />
And you don't want to fuck with me. I am part Irish. I am a liberal stuck in a red state. I am also a writer armed with words. Just sayin'...Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04017751430710988891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3074104169924338199.post-32948120819713774462016-11-05T19:46:00.001-05:002016-11-05T19:46:14.508-05:00NaNoWriMo 2016: Whoops, Meant to Tell Y'all ThisYeah sorry for the radio silence. Again, it is all because of work. But I am happy to let y'all know that some BIG stuff is set to happen this month! One I'll keep as a surprise, the other I'll reveal now:<br />
<br />
I'm doing NaNoWriMo again!<br />
<br />
But instead of a brand-spankin'-new project, I am working on finishing not one but TWO unfinished WIPs. One is last year's NaNo winner and the other is our good friend <i>Dolls </i>(who yes, still remains unfinished... until now!). Right now I am over the estimated word count for <i>Dolls</i> (100K), but I still need to add some scenes, so I'm going into overtime.<br />
<br />
Once that gets finished, I'll begin on <i>Thing</i> and continue on until it's all over (or November finishes out, whichever happens first).<br />
<br />
I'll get back to regular updates. Until then, enjoy one of my favorite episodes of <i>Ross's Game Dungeon</i>:<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XZSObFVfI5E" width="560"></iframe>Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04017751430710988891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3074104169924338199.post-40507548049388452512016-10-16T11:09:00.000-05:002016-11-05T19:19:48.691-05:00Update #4: Grad School Future(Note: I got a couple more of these updates, then I'll start talking about other stuff! So if you ain't digging these posts, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQAcBSO5jC8">just wait a little longer</a>.)<br />
<br />
Okay, so I went into detail how I <a href="http://frustratedladywriter.blogspot.com/2011/11/just-found-out-my-gre-scores.html">took the GRE</a>, <a href="http://frustratedladywriter.blogspot.com/2011/11/just-found-out-my-gre-scores.html">applied for the Michener Center twice</a>, and <a href="http://frustratedladywriter.blogspot.com/2012/01/got-news-back-from-michener.html">got rejected</a> <a href="http://frustratedladywriter.blogspot.com/2014/02/2014-is-not-year-of-grad-school.html">both times</a>. After all that, I decided I put it aside and do other things, like look for a job that actually pays a living wage and move out of my parents' house. And here we are, over two years after I wrote about the last time I applied. Have things changed? Yep!<br />
<br />
For one, I read <a href="https://www.amazon.com/MFA-NYC-Cultures-American-Fiction/dp/0865478139">this book</a>. I remember it being a big thing when it came out. I wanted to check it out since I was still thinking about grad school and if I <i>needed</i> it to be a writer. That book helped me realize that it wasn't worth it and perhaps I am fine winging it.<br />
<br />
I thought about applying for grad school again. And yes, for the same damn MFA in Creative Writing. But then I remembered I had a <a href="http://diymfa.com/product/diy-mfa-book">copy of this book</a> and decided to read that first. Doing so did squash that obsession.<br />
<br />
And one last reminder, my new all-time favorite writer actually <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/helen-oyeyemi-a-postmodern-literary-wizard-9213132.html">DROPPED out of grad school</a> and continued to do her own thing. That's right, you heard me. She <i>freaking </i>left and soon proved she didn't need it. If I ever get the itch again, all I have to do is think "If Helen Oyeyemi* didn't need it, maybe I don't need it either".<br />
<br />
But now something else came up. Another idea for grad school dreams: perhaps a degree in a different field, like a Master's in Library Science. It was amplified when I found out a while back that my friend was thinking of getting this degree and signed up for the upcoming semester for an online program. Keep in mind she has an eight-month-old kid <i>and</i> a full-time job. I don't know how she does it. I'm lucky I catch up with my daily writing quota and I'm single!<br />
<br />
After a while of thinking about it, and even doing some research on programs, I came to a hard yet necessary decision: no, I do not need grad school. Do I even want it? Actually, not really on that either. I wanted to put my concentration on doing good at my job (which is going <i>very </i>well actually), saving up for a new car, finding a new apartment to move into next year, and above all: build my writing muscle and launch that career.<br />
<br />
Grad school would prove to be a distraction. I can easily work at a job like a customer service call center and do all the writing on the side. I thank my current job for showing that it was possible. Since I'm not fretting over losing it (like the bank job) and am doing well at it, I can focus on my writing.<br />
<br />
Nothing wrong with anyone wanting to go to grad school. In fact, I'm stoked for my friend and wish her nothing but the best in her journey. It was important for me to know when some things are a good fit and when some are not.<br />
<br />
Many of my friends are having children. I never want to have kids, I rather have puppies and kittens.<br />
Some of my friends are English teachers. I am fine working in customer service.<br />
Some are going to grad school. I am very content with my Bachelor's and learning outside school.<br />
<br />
And that, my friends, is what life is all about: finding your path and sticking to it.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
***</div>
<br />
*If you haven't read her short story collection <i><a href="http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/318836/what-is-not-yours-is-not-yours-by-helen-oyeyemi/9781594634635/">What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours</a></i>, please remedy this and GET IT.Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04017751430710988891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3074104169924338199.post-193633279221699562016-10-08T12:26:00.001-05:002016-10-08T12:26:37.993-05:00Update #3: One Hell of a Work WeekAs y'all know, I work for a call center for a major healthcare company. To go into further detail, I specialize in the dental benefits. I thank this job for several things, like a further awareness for the health of my mouth and also the tragedy that is little kids getting root canals. So obviously, I take calls. Quite a few in fact! I speak to a variety of people from rushed providers' offices to disgruntled members to chipper third-party agents. But lemme tell you about the week where I took maybe only twenty calls overall. Why? Read on below!<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
My company holds a huge annual week-long thing that celebrates everyone that works there with lots of food, silly games, and an excuse to dress up our desks with fun colors. This year's theme was the Olympics. Each team was assigned a country and we were given a chance to decorate our areas to celebrate it. My team got the Philippines, which is funny since we do have a call center in that country. We went the understated route but I liked the final product.<br />
<br />
But that wasn't the only decorating to be had. There was the matter of the whole building. For a week by that point, some of my colleagues were pulled off the phones to work on things like building giant paper-mache macaws and cutting out palm tree leaves. One night I was recruited to "feather" smaller paper-mache macaws. My efficiency (I got two-and-a-half done to everyone's barely one) became "legend" and soon I was spirited away to the Land of Arts and Crafts.<br />
<br />
I did everything: paint fake tree trunks, cut out flowers, hung up pennant banners, glitter up macaws, hot-glue pipe cleaners, spray-paint paper-mache rings, trace out palm tree leaves, tape up finished pieces, and stuff swag bags. I could go on, but you get the gist, I hope.<br />
<br />
During this maddening week, I came to my desk with either a note or a change in my schedule. No phones, only projects. I joked that I would forget how to do my job by the end of it all. I survived with the help of the remastered deluxe release of Fleetwood Mac's <i>Mirage </i>and the occasional breather where I got to shoot the crap with my colleagues.<br />
<br />
There was one major snag in this epic week, something I honestly I thought I would never be the victim of: lunch theft. While helping out, I went to grab my favorite first-break snack of string cheese when I saw my lunch bag looked awful light. I checked inside to see my pre-made salad was gone. I first thought I was a goof and left it at home, but I confirmed it when I returned. Since the food truck wasn't on the site that day (yes, there is a food truck that hangs out around the building) and the on-site cafe was closed for the day, I had to order pizza. That was the first time I ever ordered pizza and it didn't make me happy. I spent eighteen bucks to cover a three-dollar loss. Now y'all may think "oh whatever, that's happened to me before, so stop yer whining". Okay, lemme be clear: I have been major fortunate to have only this and my credit card number stolen. So yeah, it's kind of a big deal when it does happen.<br />
<br />
I did learn shortly after that I was named my team's Top Performer for August, so that helped ease the sting and boosted my confidence.<br />
<br />
About two days before this, my team moves desks to where one side was all Dental reps and the other was all Vision. So along with all the above going on, I was busy rearranging my desk and hanging up all my personal decorations.<br />
<br />
The week ended on a relieved sigh when my boss asked me to meet with him about twenty minutes before the shift's end so we talked about stuff while walking around the near-empty building. My boss is a cool dude, especially for letting me and several of my team-mates jump on the crafting bandwagon.<br />
<br />
So that was how September ended for me. I didn't need to wake up, but I sure was tired enough coming home every night.Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04017751430710988891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3074104169924338199.post-72422524939398347542016-10-05T23:00:00.000-05:002016-10-05T23:00:07.168-05:00Update #2: WritingWhen it comes to writing, from this here blog to fiction projects, I had a terrible habit of writing something every day. I mean, you see it on here, right? It seems like I hardly post on here anymore. No schedule, nothing!<br />
<br />
Well, I'm happy to say that I finally got a habit going. It all started last month.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Before I started my vacation (more on what I did in a future entry), I signed up for a <a href="http://www.rowdykittens.com/write/">journaling class</a> held by Tammy of Rowdy Kittens. I also volunteered to help the Writers' League of Texas test-run online courses around the same time.<br />
<br />
The first class did something for me: I started to write daily entries. There would be times I skipped a day, but I started to feel bad about it. Next thing you know, I journaled how I wanted to start writing again, especially for contests. I decided to do a project and started on a short story idea I had for a while. I barely wrote less than a thousand words on it over my vacation. I was more determined to work on <i>Dolls</i>.<br />
<br />
Then <a href="https://themolotovcocktail.com/flash-fear-contest/">this contest</a> showed up. I began to pen what would be my entry for that contest. The idea came to me while I had trouble sleeping. After finishing it, I took several days to look it over and add or change anything that didn't work. By Friday, it was submitted. I'll let ya know the outcome on that one in time.<br />
<br />
I was bitten by the writing bug. I was tearing through my paper journal and determined to bring this blog back from the brink. I started off with another flash fiction story one day, song lyrics the next day, a poem after that. I opted to do one writing thing a day. Then, the short story that started off slow was taking off. I opted to write a thousand words on it every day. I finished it in about eight days. I began on another short story idea, one which I am currently working on but should be finished by Friday.<br />
<br />
Unlike the last short story, I decided to try for 500+ words a day in this project, a habit I've been keeping up on almost daily (I allow one "cheat" day where I do nothing). My plan is to keep going until NaNoWriMo and then I'll work on finishing <i>Dolls </i>and last year's NaNo.<br />
<br />
And really? I have never been happier. I feel awful if I forget to write, so I make sure to do it before I go to work. No, seriously, I actually write my 500+ words about an hour before I leave. If I don't write, I notice that I feel like a sack of sadness and grump. So for my mental health and the betterment of my writing, I prescribed this habit and been good since.<br />
<br />
Time will tell how much this could change, but for now, I'm in a good place with it.<br />
<br />
P.S.: I am currently attending <a href="http://www.susannahconway.com/e-courses/journal-your-life/">this class</a> by Susannah Conway. So far, I dig it!Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04017751430710988891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3074104169924338199.post-79426113746074808752016-09-28T11:41:00.002-05:002016-09-28T11:41:53.027-05:00Update #1: Health IssuesSince mid-June, I documented on here my issues with heart palpitations. I didn't know what was going on or what was causing them, so I went to my general doctor around early July to have her check it out. From there, we go into a saga. Let's begin from there, shall we?<br />
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After my general doctor confirmed she found nothing wrong with my heart, at least from what she could see and understand, she asked me if I was interested in getting an EKG for "peace of mind". I said sure and I was left to undress and put on a robe. A nurse came in with the EKG and hooked up twelve electrodes to varying areas of my left side. The test didn't take long, but even when I redressed and waiting for my doctor to return, it seemed to take longer than I thought. That should've been my warning sign.<br />
<br />
My doctor returned and said, "Even though I think you're fine and I don't believe this reading, the EKG reads like you had a heart attack."<br />
<br />
The system was "smart" and made those kind of diagnoses depending on the heart readings, or at least that's what I gathered from the haze of shock. She then referred me to a cardiologist for "reassurance". I left the office, stunned enough that once I got to the car, it hit me and I started to cry. After talking with my mom, I drove home and prepared for work. I almost called in, but honestly I'm glad I didn't.<br />
<br />
I went to work, only telling my supervisor what was going on. I let him in on the heart palpitations before and he asked me to keep him in the loop on any future news. So I remained a woman of my word there.<br />
<br />
Once things settled down, I called the cardiology office and found out that I wasn't able to get an appointment until mid-August. It was early July. I booked an appointment and also requested the day off from work. While I did search for other cardiologists in my plan's network, I decided to wait. In the meantime, I informed two of my co-workers that I trusted about the situation. They said they would pray for me. At that point, any good energy coming my way was better than nothing. I still fretted and worried, but time can be a healer. I started to worry less and move on with my life.<br />
<br />
The day of the appointment came. My mom offered to go along with me. We waiting for what seemed like an hour just for a short visit, it would later turn out. The first thing the cardiologist said when he entered was "hmmm, false alarm, huh?". He explained that false positives are common and suggested either we do an echo-cardiogram or a 24-hour monitoring. I opted for the former, which he agreed was better. When we went out, we were told I would have to come back to get it done. I decided to do it during my week vacation, about two weeks from the day. Oh good, more waiting! But I left the appointment feeling better. And sure enough, that waiting did some good.<br />
<br />
I started to do my homework, trying to solve the puzzle of my palpitations. At first I felt it was caffeine, but I never drank coffee nor imbibed in energy drinks as of late. I had the occasional soda and daily hot tea. So that was ruled out. But then my palpitations disappeared. I was thirlled, but it was only for a few weeks. They returned... during my PMS time. After doing some online searching, I learned palpitations can be a PMS symptom. Armed with that, I was certain that I never had a heart attack.<br />
<br />
On the day of the echo-cardiogram, I went alone. I joked to myself that this was the only time any type of sonogram would be done on me. I promised to notify my family and my co-worker on the results. The nurse was kind enough to point out where my heart was on the screen and show which side we were looking at. It was surreal, watching the gray screen of my beating heart. The sounds were alien, like a sloshing submarine. After over twenty minutes, I redressed and waiting for the cardiologist to look at the results and talk with me. He shook my hand and congratulated me on having a healthy heart (even with me being overweight, which surprised me more). Nothing on the echo indicated any damage or inflammation that suggested an attack or disease. It confirmed what I already suspected: nothing was wrong. I thanked the cardiologist and left, contacting my folks and my co-worker with the good news.<br />
<br />
I did get a bill from the office recently for about $513 for the echo, so I paid nearly half a grand for reassurance (for those about to ask, I have a high deductible). But I am happy to say that the bill was paid with no issue.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
****</div>
<br />
So there you have it, peeps. I had one hell of a health scare, but I managed to learn a lot and was able to get through it. I am very thankful that I have health insurance so I was able to go get these check-ups and the readings. I am very thankful to my GD and specialist who were professional and very kind. I am very thankful for my family, friends, and co-workers who were supportive and loving during this scary time. But most of all, I am very thankful for my heart, which keeps beating with determination and spirit.Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04017751430710988891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3074104169924338199.post-19089219185742017702016-09-21T22:38:00.001-05:002016-09-21T22:38:35.109-05:00Okay Seriously, I’m Back This Time<div class="MsoNormal">
Wow, okay. So that didn’t work what I was planning back in
July. I had some things happen, as you could tell from previous entries. They
ranged from personal to health to even writing. Well I’m back, a few months
wiser, with some updates. Instead of doing it all on one post, like I used to,
instead I’ll be breaking it up into separate posts for easier reading and
better focus on each topic at hand. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I thought about calling it a day with the blog, but I feel
there is life in it yet. Instead of writing everything on here, I’ll reserve it
to a set of topics (TBD). Until then, you’ll see some experimentation on here.
But other than that, I am back. </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This time, for good. </div>
Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04017751430710988891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3074104169924338199.post-75471566979301200392016-07-17T17:43:00.002-05:002016-07-17T17:43:30.200-05:00Sunday Update (With Some Extra Rambly Bits)I just came back from visiting with my folks and trying to get <i>Pokemon Go </i>to work on my phone. I've been trying on and off for the last several days, then giving up and playing <i>Neko Atsume</i> instead. It is possible that my phone is too old. (For those keeping score, it's an iPhone 4S that I got in 2012)<br />
<br />
One major update: my health situation has improved. No more heart palpitations! It seems that the cause was low iron, since taking a new multivitamin and eating more iron-rich foods alleviated it. I am still planning on going to the cardiologist to be extra sure, but it seems whatever was ailing me healed up, thank goodness!<br />
<br />
I also lost three pounds, my first significant loss in a few months. I credit the eating of salads twice a week and now exercising on the weekends to this happy change. I'm down to 183, so I have about 30 more to go.<br />
<br />
I also read John Steinbeck for the first time: <i>The Pearl </i>and <i>Of Mice and Men</i>. Not gonna lie, I legit teared up at their endings. And now I eagerly await my BookPeople order of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Working-Days-Journals-Grapes-Wrath/dp/0140144579">his journals</a>, <i>The Grapes of Wrath</i>, and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Short-Novels-John-Steinbeck-Classics/dp/0143105779/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1468794967&sr=1-1&keywords=john+steinbeck+collection">a collection of his short novels</a>. Needless to say, he gained a fan in me. Would've dug reading those if I was in high school.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
***</div>
<br />
So yeah, <i>Pokemon Go</i>. My sister (being the dedicated fan since... the whole thing began for us Americans) already has a Flareon guarding a spot (which is at her job). It's fricking brilliant, this game. Pokemon has an intriguing habit of being a catalyst for change. I can't wait to see what this game will do for us as a population obsessed with our smartphones.<br />
<br />
And also, I have made a pretty big decision: I am going to vote for Hillary. I am <i>not </i>in the least bit thrilled, but I cannot to let Trump win. The whole #Brexit catastrophe has catapulted me to this decision, I will admit. I also changed my mind on Jill Stein due to some disgusting things she'd said about folks with autism. As for Bernie... it's pretty apparent he is not wanting to be President, more satisfied with invoking change as a Senator and working within the DNC. So feel free to call me a hypocrite, I will only shrug and go "well, cool story bro" and move onto supporting down-ticket Democrats and Independents and turning Texas blue.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
***</div>
<br />
That's about it for me for now. Here's to timely updates, healthy hearts, and working smartphone games!Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04017751430710988891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3074104169924338199.post-28928899557926848552016-07-09T18:29:00.000-05:002016-07-09T18:29:12.764-05:00Some Good Things: A List of Happiness<br />
<ul>
<li>I preordered a vinyl copy of Nite Jewel's new album and it initially came warped (thanks USPS, ya jerks), but the company (and possibly Nite Jewel herself) apologized and offered to send me a new one. I just got my second copy and it was autographed (my first was, but I wasn't expecting the second copy to be)! </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>My recent health issues (see last entry) have pushed me to eat better and get right into exercising. I also am planning to see a cardiologist to double-check some things. (Exactly what is going on will be detailed in due time. I want to wait for things to pass before I talk about it in full)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>My new supervisor is awesome! He has been caught up to speed on my health issues and also is going to help me (and many of my colleagues) look into other career opportunities. I'm thinking of either working for scheduling or Quality Assurance. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The <a href="http://www.anti.com/artists/caselangveirs/">case/lang/veirs</a> album is absolutely f***ing magic. I cannot wait to see them in August!</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Lazy Game Reviews (LGR) did <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbjYkPKRm-8">a hour-long video</a> of just him building a computer and it's so much fun to watch. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Natalie Goldberg's <a href="http://nataliegoldberg.com/books/the-great-spring/">latest book</a> reminds me of two things: writing is awesome and I really need to get into meditation. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Meg Turney, one of my two girl-crushes*, has her own <a href="https://www.patreon.com/megturney">Patreon</a> and <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/megturney/profile">Twitch</a> accounts now. I may sign up to be a donor soon. And also for LGR, PushingUpRoses, and Brad Jones (<i>The Cinema Snob</i>). </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Shura and Bat for Lashes' new albums are out! And I'm still waiting on my preorders. UGH.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
*Yeah, what of it? (The second girl-crush is Rosario Dawson, BTW)</div>
Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04017751430710988891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3074104169924338199.post-44598961856573040922016-07-06T11:24:00.003-05:002016-07-06T11:24:32.083-05:00A Quick Update on My HealthI didn't make mention of it in my previous update, but I've been having a weird health issue for the last couple of weeks: heart palpitations. While that is the worst of it so far (no dizziness nor shortness of breath), I am not sitting on it for much longer. I have a doctor's appointment this Friday to double-check on it.<br />
<br />
I do want to mention that it has gotten much better, but still I have it. I have cut out sugary drinks (mainly sodas), found out I was wearing a bra many sizes too small (and could've been the cause of everything all along) and have since switched to a more comfy bra, and even got a massage that worked out a previous left shoulder injury that was causing a pinched nerve.<br />
<br />
I just want to rule out anything far more serious, but I feel that I found the cause (<i>really</i> tight bra) and it's a matter of a slow healing. After all, the damage didn't occur overnight.<br />
<br />
I feel it's nothing more serious than what I discussed and it doesn't hurt to check with the good doctor.<br />
<br />
I will update as I learn more.Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04017751430710988891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3074104169924338199.post-52745020921781161142016-07-02T18:53:00.001-05:002016-07-02T18:53:29.660-05:00I Swear to Gone, I'm Not God!Sorry for the lack of posts. I didn't really set this up properly. I wanted to do a posting on ever Wednesday and Saturday, but I haven't established that habit yet. It is a work in progress.<br />
<br />
Here is what's been going down since I last wrote:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Despite the raise in rent, I am going to stay for one more year at the abode. I plan to negotiate something, but it's not gonna make me leave if I don't succeed.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Turns out I am not going to get a bonus for May. Dammit. And to make it better, not for this last month either! UGH</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>My credit cards' balances are going back up, so I need to put a stop to that. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>My weight-loss journey has slowed to a crawl. I need to do something to get back on track. Exercise maybe? (Yes)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>My reading habits have slowed down too and have been trying to play catch-up and finish my currently-reading list, along with any library borrows. </li>
</ul>
<br />
Yeah, this is not exactly the happiest of entries, but it is what it is. Who knows where I could be this time next month. There is only one way to find out...Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04017751430710988891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3074104169924338199.post-10908859905620528152016-06-08T11:21:00.001-05:002016-06-08T11:21:09.720-05:00A Note on Recent Political EventsSince it's looking VERY likely that Hillary will be the Dem nominee and there has been a push for Bernie supporters to join her side and defeat Trump in the general election, I feel the need to make something very clear.<br />
<br />
While I am not a Bernie or Bust gal, I am definitely not voting for Hillary.<br />
<br />
I have stated in my FAQ why I have no intention of voting for her. I do not like a lot of her policies; the only one I honestly feel aligned with is anything regarding women's rights and sadly, that is not enough.<br />
<br />
I’m sure some will feel compelled to "scare" me into voting for Hillary so we don't get a President Trump. First off, Hillary is doing fine without my vote, so she'll do without mine in the GE. Second, throwing the privilege card in my face may not work. I am aware of (and working so hard against) the catastrophic heaviness of what a Trump presidency could do for everyone. Also, I would be impacted since I am a woman, a young person, and certainly not wealthy nor middle-class.<br />
<br />
Hillary has done nothing to earn my vote. Her track record in the Middle East, here in the States, her history of overshadowing the voices and efforts of many activists of color (especially with those involved with #BlackLivesMatter), and also her hawkish tendencies are some of the many things that deeply bother me.<br />
<br />
Yes, it is historical that we have a female presidential nominee. Yes, I hope more young girls are inspired to run for office. I just feel that we're having to take what we can get and be grateful for it (or else).<br />
<br />
Or, in other words... Death Cab for Cutie said it best: "bah-baaaah, bah-baaaah, this is the sound of settling..."<br />
<br />
Yet, this doesn't mean I am not voting come November 8th. I am still voting in local elections. As for the presidential pick, it will be either Jill Stein or a write-in for Bernie.<br />
<br />
It hurts that Bernie didn't win, but it hurts even more that we're settling for someone that I believe is mediocre and won't do 3/4 of what she's promising on the campaign trail. And the droning of "accept it or else".<br />
<br />
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~~</div>
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One more thing before I go: I would love to be wrong about Hillary. That once she gets elected, she just blows us all out of the water with her progressive politics; she gets us out of the Middle East, champions for women's health, breaks up Wall Street, and does something amazing to stop all the police brutality.<br />
<br />
But her track record says otherwise.<br />
<br />
Then again, I tend to give people a chance.<br />
<br />
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~~</div>
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Due to the possibility of all sides clashing, I will do something rare here and close comments on this post.Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04017751430710988891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3074104169924338199.post-34354964832830078132016-06-04T17:37:00.001-05:002016-06-04T17:37:21.529-05:00It's Alive!!Oh my word, I vanished for a long time and left this poor blog out in the middle of the Internet to fend for itself. But just when you think it's for good, I mosey on over and post once again.<br />
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It seems as the years tick on, the less frequent the entries become. Yet I have a few ideas to revitalize this place. You'll see a few of this experiments come into play very soon.<br />
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In the meantime, lemme make some announcements [these will be detailed in future entries]:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Rent is going up at my apartment so I'm decided whether to stay here and negotiate or look somewhere else</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>I am saving up for a car and I hope to purchase it either by December of this year or February of next year. The type of car I want is a three-way tie between a Toyota Yaris, a Mitsubishi Mirage, and a Chevy Spark. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>I became my work team's "compassion coaches" (actually I'm one of two) I send weekly emails, grade calls for compassion, and I will soon start getting time off the phones to listen in on some of my teammates</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Twice already this year, I got a bonus for having great customer service scores! With the car (and maybe the moving, if needed), this is really helping out!</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>I tried getting off my antidepressant and it didn't work. I almost had a severe depressive episode due to it. So yeah, not ready to get off of them just yet.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>I finally paid off my credit cards. I am debt-free for the first time since early 2014!</li>
</ul>
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So despite the silence, you see that I ain't doing too shabby. And since I plan to update at least twice a week, you'll only get to see more, so stay tuned my dears! It's gonna get fun.Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04017751430710988891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3074104169924338199.post-80845536613130205552016-04-13T11:30:00.000-05:002016-04-13T11:30:23.559-05:00One Exciting Weekend OMGI had a straightforward plan for my first weekend of April: go to Austin for a writing class, go to my fav spots and only spend a little bit of cash, and be home by four so I can rest from getting up so damn early.<br />
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Oh, how I wished that was the case. HOW I WISH.<br />
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The first half went as planned: I got up at six am and was out on the road by seven, chasing the sunrise all the way to Austin where I managed to get to St. Edward's University with thirty minutes to spare. It was a cold morning, a front blew in and gave the otherwise lovely morning a deep and unusual chill. The class, which was about how to research for your fiction works, went on swimmingly. The teacher was engaging and very knowledge... and also handsome. Yeah, I said it. And I'll live with it. The class ended at noon. Now it was time to shop! And that's where things went off-course.<br />
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It all started in Bookpeople. I found one book, then another. I planned on only one, but I couldn't leave without the other, so here I was buying two books and a pair of socks. Then straight to Waterloo, where it just got worse. I found my CD and records, but then I stumbled upon <a href="http://theseconddisc.com/2016/02/18/go-your-own-way-fleetwood-macs-in-concert-gets-standalone-vinyl-release/">this</a>. I couldn't leave without it. Damn the price tag (despite the sale going on)!<br />
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After that, I stopped by In-n-Out Burger for some food before heading home. As I left for the gas station, my car started to shake quite a bit. I thought it would let up when I got gas, but it didn't. It did get worse when I got into San Antonio, getting off of I-35. The car was shaking so violently that I feared a tire was going to rip right off and send me careening into a concrete wall. I pulled over and checked. Nothing. I even did the kick test. I called my father and told him I was heading over to the house so he could help me check on my car. I got off the freeway and onto a major road. The shaking got more violent. I stopped at a light and heard a "honk". To my left was a woman in her own car, making the gesture to roll down my window. I did.<br />
<br />
The following occurred (dialogue to the best of my memory):<br />
Lady: Hey, I think your front right tire is flat.<br />
Me: Yeah, I feared that.<br />
Lady: You need help?<br />
Me: I'm okay. My folks don't live too far.<br />
Lady: Alright, hope you make it.<br />
Me: Thank you!<br />
<br />
I didn't. I made it only past that light and pulled into a parking lot. I got out and saw that my front right tire was effing flat. Stunned, I called my father and asked him to help me change the tire. As I waited, I had someone approach me and ask if I needed help. I thanked them, but declined. After that, my father arrived and walked me through the process of changing the tire to the spare I had. When I removed the tire, my father showed me that it wasn't merely flat, it was separating. In other words, it could've gotten way worse. A separating tire can lead to a blow-out, which can lead to something far deadlier than a flat tire. Thankful for my good fortune, I changed the tire to a spare and headed up to Pep Boys, my father trailing behind. I dropped off my car so I could get a full-sized replacement.<br />
<br />
My father took me to the house where we chilled for a while and talked about my future trip to Austin in May. For a while, I was thinking of renting a car instead of taking my 13-year-old car on such long journeys. After considering the options, I decided to rent a car for the upcoming concert next month. I then got a call from Pep Boys. The car was ready. My father drove me back there. After thankful hugs and a kiss goodbye, my father and I went back to our respected homes: me to the abode and him to the house.<br />
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By the time this was all over, it was six pm. And there was one more thing to happen. I guess my cat was so excited to see me that she didn't properly chew her food, more Hoovered it than anything. As I tried to relax, she started to barf all over the abode. I became Extra Watchful Kitty Mom as I cleaned up after her and gave her tiny amounts of food to replace what she barfed up.<br />
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And there it is, the chronicle of the day known as April 2nd, 2016.<br />
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<i><b>Good Golly</b></i>.<br />
<br />
P.S.: If there is any bright side to this, I guess it would be that I now know how to change a tire.<br />
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Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04017751430710988891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3074104169924338199.post-25382265378577080992016-04-10T23:23:00.000-05:002016-04-10T23:23:04.913-05:00My Latest ExcuseIt all started with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlUcg5R-CHk">one video</a>, a simple review and playthrough. Innocent enough. Or so it seemed. <br />
<br />
PushingUpRoses made her review and released it upon the world, sharing her latest obsession, a game that made her "ass sore"*. It was that kinda game, it gave you blinders to anything else going on in your life. If playing at the wrong time, then it would be a fatal choice. You look up and see that the time has flown, not just in the game, but in reality. And you are late for work.<br />
<br />
I am thankful to say that I hadn't been late to work due to anything like a game (or even a book, since that can also happen... if the Internet is to be believed), but man alive... I lost several weekends over to this game.<br />
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That game is none other than <i>Stardew Valley</i>.<br />
<br />
I actually heard about this game, but saw nothing nor pursued anything on it. It was a title I heard around some circles, saying it was this mishmash of <i>Harvest Moon</i> (which I hadn't played, but my sister had) and <i>Farmville </i>(which I would NEVER play, but my mother did). Funny, those types of games never interested me, but what did it for<i> Stardew Valley</i>? Man, I wish I can tell you. Perhaps that it's more simplified or different, I dunno. But I enjoy the eff out of it. I'm over 50 hours in and already got a wine-and-cheese business going, along with a marriage to the town doctor and raising our firstborn son.<br />
<br />
Since playing, I have learned that this game was the work of one man, there is a massive modding community (the game is barely two months old!), and is possibly one of the best games out this year**. It is worth its weight in gold, being only a mere fifteen bucks on Steam. It's not like <i>Farmville </i>where you buy things to progress along with real cash. As for <i>Harvest Moon</i>, I still have no clue.<br />
<br />
I have since gotten my mother hooked on the game. We spent the better part of this afternoon with the game, me with my own file and helping my mother along with her own (mainly teaching her, since she is new to computer gaming of this level). It's not everyday I bond with my folks over a video game. Scratch that... that hadn't happened since we got an Atari 2600 and played <i>Pac-Man</i> and <i>Sub-Scan</i>. That was almost twenty years ago. Damn***.<br />
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I'm unsure if I want to recommend this game to others. Not that it's bad or anything (far from it!), but do I want others to lose weekends like I've had?<br />
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I guess that is up to them. Ain't my fault if it happens to them.<br />
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<br />
*those were her words. I felt them about five hours into playing it.<br />
**okay, it may be too soon to tell on this one. But I bet it will be on some end-of-the-year lists.<br />
***showed my age here, BIG TIMELindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04017751430710988891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3074104169924338199.post-65812036719963071042016-03-20T11:30:00.000-05:002016-03-20T11:30:09.965-05:00*Christian Bale voice* "Oh good for you!"Soooo... after my post from earlier (which I actually started to write around Thursday), I had a funny thing happen on Saturday.<br />
<br />
When I arrived at my parents' house to visit for a while and do some laundry, I threw my back out when I bent down to grab my laundry basket from the car. I was basically stuck in this position and my father rushed out to help me. I thought I wouldn't be able to move, but I was able to stand up straight and walk in, my father carrying my purse and laundry basket (bless him). Needless to say, my visit went differently than I thought.<br />
<br />
My mother (bless her too) drove me to the grocery store so I could get stuff for the week ahead. She also took me back to the apartment so I could drop off my food. She even clipped my cat's front claws, so a two-fer there. We went back to the house and I chilled there, reading <i>Fairest</i> Volume 4 and going between icing and using the heating pad on my lower back.<br />
<br />
I went home with my parents' electrode massager and have been using that since, along with the ice pack and the heating pad my mother gave me a long while ago.<br />
<br />
This pain hasn't taught me too much yet, but one thing I know for sure: SLOW DOWN. My mother has a similar problem; when she rushes around, she ends up pulling something or overall getting in major pain.<br />
<br />
So, I tell you the same thing: slow down so you don't hurt yourself. And if you do, allow yourself to heal. DOn't rush it, relax and let the body do what it's designed to do.<br />
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Also, tripping over that pothole the day before didn't help either.<br />
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TL;DR: watch for potholes and laundry is dangerous.Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04017751430710988891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3074104169924338199.post-7395120654179068662016-03-19T18:42:00.003-05:002016-03-19T18:42:36.561-05:00A Long Work Week OverAt my job, when it's predicted we'll be busy AF (especially since this week is Spring Break), we have to work mandatory overtime. So every day I've been going in for 10-hour shifts. By Wednesday night, I was feeling it. Twitchy eye, yawning constantly during the shift, waking up groggy... I really hope this doesn't happen again anytime soon. Sure the pay is nice, but I think it was chipping away at my health. So Friday marks the last of it and thank God! My paycheck is gonna look nice, but I'm not sure the cost is worth it. My parents say it is, but I'm not so sure anymore. Last I checked, overtime was voluntary. Oh well, what do I know? I'm just a spoiled millennial. /sarcasm<br />
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This weekend shows no signs of slowing down as well. I have errands to run, but then sweet relief on Sunday... I get to see my best friend for the first time since last November! She recently had her first child, so naturally she was spending time with the little one and getting used to that new thing called motherhood. I have no doubt in my heart and soul that she is a great mom. That kid is one lucky little dude!<br />
<br />
I also have some cool things to look forward to: a writing class in April up in Austin, an online writing class the month after, the Silversun Pickups show in May as well, and then case/lang/veirs in August!<br />
<br />
Not much update on my writing projects, though I did stop doing the flash fiction challenge that started at the beginning of the year. It was becoming more of a chore and less fun, so I wanted to move onto other things. I also stopped writing a poem a week for the same reason as well. My goal is to finish what I started, edit as much as I can, and start submitting more work out to the world.<br />
<br />
So that's about it for me here! Until next time...Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04017751430710988891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3074104169924338199.post-13107181957984800492016-03-06T18:41:00.000-06:002016-03-06T18:41:06.933-06:00Proof I'm Still AliveSo yeah, getting into the new job has really robbed me of my concentration, but I've thankfully been able to recover a great chunk of it to do something about it. So the first thing on the list was to update this here blog.<br />
<br />
As always, when I've been away from it for so long like I've been for the last year or so, it has given me pause. Is keeping this blog something I can still do? Is it even worth it? Who am I really doing it for? To answer the last question, it was always for myself. If it led to greater things, then that's a bonus. But it was for me.<br />
<br />
But what purpose does it serve? I already write a paper journal (that also has fallen to infrequency as the online one), so what thoughts am I projecting out here that can't be done in a private journal? Well, maybe it's an outlet for expressing other kinds of thoughts, ones more about writing and reading. At least, that's what I'm considering this blog to be.<br />
<br />
Other than that, it is merely a hobby that I don't want to give up on just yet!<br />
<br />
**<br />
<br />
So, on my weight-loss journey, I am happy to announce that I lost 9 pounds! I've been eating better and watching my portions more than before. My next step is more cooking my own meals and not relying on pre-made foodstuffs. I do indulge in some fast food (mostly the Wendy's value menu) and snacks, but thanks to going for smaller sizes, I'm still enjoying but certainly not overeating.<br />
<br />
Today, my mom and I went to Trader Joe's to get some stuff. I love that store, there is always something awesome to try (like the Hatch Chile Mac 'n Cheese, which was great BTW). And to get my dosage of cookie butter. Cookie butter is life. Don't deny it.<br />
<br />
Job is going well, been getting used to my schedule and the overtime ($$$) I've been doing. The money is helping me save up for a newer car, some great experiences that are forthcoming, and paying off my debts (which should be done by month's end).<br />
<br />
**<br />
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That's about it for me here. I'll work harder to update this more often. Until next time, have a good week!Lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04017751430710988891noreply@blogger.com0