Reawakening.

So, it's been awhile.  Lots has transpired since last time I updated.  Obviously.  The way of the universe is, life goes on, whether you're ready for it or you want it to or not.  The shop is doing well.  I took a 2 1/2 week trip to California to visit friends, which did wonders for body and soul.  I didn't get to see everyone I wanted to see, but I guess that just means I have to go back next year.  I kept a (paper!) journal through the whole trip, and I plan on writing some posts based on those journal entries, very soon.  And you all know that for me, "very soon" can mean tomorrow or next month.

Yesterday, I made amends with a friend I'd been fighting with for the better part of two months.  We got the yuck out of our systems, talked about things like grown-ups, then spent the evening hanging out like no time had passed.  That's the mark of a good friend, dears.  You get the hell over it.  Forgiveness is hard, and forgetting?  Well, forget it.  But moving on is truly where grace lies.

So it's that time of year where enough of it has passed to look back and make broad, sweeping judgments about it.  This was a bad year for friendship, sadly.  A good year for personal growth, but a horrific year for friendship.  I can't hold myself blameless.  My fault mostly lies in the "not just saying what you feel, when you feel it" department, vis a vis my proclivity to befriend people, then help them, and not speak up when the first signs of my good nature being shat upon appear.

That's what it always boils down to in my life, folks taking enormous dumps on my good nature.  It's always the people I try to give a hand up that suddenly decide I'm a heinous bitch for whatever reason.  I don't think I want anyone besides my husband to live with me ever again.  Those are the worst slaps in the face.  I've got two rooms in my home trashed right now because clearly, asking for rent after MONTHS of saying we're having financial issues is just rude, and expecting to use one's own living room before midnight when there's no less than 3 other places in the house to sleep and clearly, headphones do not exist is downright unreasonable. The really shitty thing is, I don't merit talking to about these things.  Nope.  Let's just leave our shit all willy-nilly and fuck off and shit talk the only person who was willing to help in your hour of need.

I'm done with shitty people, y'all.  Just done.  I'm up to something like 6? 8? people that crested the top of my shit list and rolled off the other side in 2011.  Folks I thought were good friends and good people.  Is it just me?  Does this happen to anyone else when you lend someone a hand?  Maybe it's just misdirected stress and anger.  I'm here, and thus, an easy target.  Makes sense, but it doesn't make it right.  I'm kind, and thus, a mark.  THAT is fucked up.

And, to make up for all the shittyness of this post, here is Scotti-cat in a hoodie.

Onwards and upwards. Bigger and better. Good things are coming to me. I can already feel it.

So this one time, I totally abandoned my blog...

...Sorry about that.  Saying things have been hectic is the understatement of the year.  Biggest news:  B and I opened a gaming/comic shop with a couple of our friends!  Friday was our first day open, and it went phenomenally.  And I use that word without irony or hyperbole.  The three or so weeks leading up to our opening were filled with planning, painting, and sheer exhaustion.  I couldn't form sentences well enough for Facebook, let alone write a blog post with paragraphs and whatnot.  I can't believe it's real, y'all.  "Run my own shop" has always been pretty high on the list of things I'd like to do with my life, and it's happening.  Now, I could go on about the pain I've dealt with for the duration of the remodeling of the store, but I really have no desire to bitch and moan.  Yes, I still hurt.  Yes, I blew through my month's worth of pain meds in two and a half weeks.  Yes, my doctor is an incredibly understanding man and wrote my refill early.  But I pulled my weight, did my part, and I'm still around to tell the tale.  I'll take it.

But suffice to say, everyone in the House of Round Cats was completely exhausted today.  We're closed on Monday and Tuesday, so this is our first day off in forever.  Brandell has been playing games on his computer with Caleb literally all day.  Ryan and I have been spending quality time with Gray's Anatomy on Netflix.  However, Ryan did take a moment to punk anyone and everyone with any intention of using the hallway bathroom.

With so many people living here and spending time here, we always have a plethora of empty soda 12-pack boxes.  Often, they're used for wall-building, as was shown in a previous post.  But tonight?  It was time for something different.

Jared went to use the loo, only to find this:

Yep.  The toilet seems to be missing.

Oh, and it's not hollow either:

We voted for Krystal to be the one to undo Ryan's handiwork, since she's the cutest.  Destruction ensues!



So, I'm pretty pleased that this is the extent of the grand excitement of my day.  Aaand, it's time to get back to the living room before my spot on the couch gets cold.  <3

GTFO, take two

I rescheduled this week's stitch-n-bitch date with Jeanette to today since I won't be around on Friday.  I made Shrimp, Crab, and Corn Bisque for lunch, which came out better than any other time I've made it.  I impressed myself.  And Jeanette.  And Brandell.  I made a full batch, as in, enough for meal-sized servings for 6 people.  Between the three of us, it was polished off by 6pm.  Glory!  I taught Jeanette some of the basics of crochet.  It's been a really mellow day, which is what I needed. 

I'm still continuing to improve.  My overall pain level has decreased, and my doctor had the wild idea of using a small dose of an appetite suppressant as a mild stimulant to help cut through the fibro fog, and that's working out pretty damn well.  My mental state...well...it's fluid as always.  At least it's not stuck on "Heinous."  Things are pretty good, though.  Can't complain.

I'm going to be out of town for the next two days, so I'm just going to leave you darlings with this.

We have a backlog of soda boxes.  Our roommate had a bad day.  Bring on the hilarity.

To anyone who reads this, please send me happy, calming thoughts and good traffic mojo for tomorrow.

ps  I'm getting my Super Secret Hilarious Tattoo on Tuesday.  Just so ya know.  XD