Thursday 13: Daybook musings

or today:

1. I am thinking that I'm so glad that laughter exists. I did a bit of that yesterday--at a meeting where I'm pretty sure I wasn't supposed to laugh *quite* so much. But I wasn't too giggly... I swear. But I love laughter.

2. I am thankful for good friends, always. I had a lovely Google chat with my heirloom friend Corinne yesterday afternoon. Yes, heirloom friend. That's our new word. No more BFF, that's so last week. We've been friends for 26 years, so we definitely feel very heirloomy... we covered all the good topics, solved a few of the world's problems, and even got a little girly and shallow too. All the important stuff.

3. In the kitchen I am feeling off my game. Not sure why, maybe just a little uninspired. Need to get a little inspiration and motivation. Feeling the need to get a little healthier around here too... my tastebuds have been leaning toward fat and salt lately, with a little sugar thrown in for good measure. So, to retrain toward a bit more health, less processed... wish me/us luck.

4. I am wearing jeans and a T and cardy. Comfortable, but dressed. Bonus.

5. I am creating some fun stuff with crochet right now, and having quite a bit of fun with it too (well, other than the whole project I had to throw out on Sunday, as the result of a bad, quick decision with a pair of scissors. Horrors!). I think, though, I need to pick a craft and stick with it for a month or two, doing ONLY that craft and not even trying to fit in the others. I am not doing a good job of multitasking right now, so it's kind of that way by default, but maybe being a bit more intentional about it will alleviate the guilt. I know, what's that? Craft guilt? Who knew? I just look over at my calligraphy table and sigh...

6. I am going to support our local Humane Society this weekend at the annual gala--the Furr Ball. Yes, it is indeed called THAT. Meow! Woof! And today I encouraged the use of Furr-bulous and Bow-wow and that kind of silliness in sponsor levels as I was proofreading the program. Just couldn't resist. Of course, the men are going with me. And some good friends and their son too, so hopefully everyone will be happily entertained. (But we'll keep an eye on the boys at the silent auction tables for sure. Don't want to be coming home with some oopsie items because somebody was kept bidding it up!)

7. I am wondering why it seems at times that tackling things head on is harder work than avoiding them? If you take the long view, avoidance seems to be a heck of a lot more work, with all the ducking and dodging. And by "head on" I don't mean bulldozing, I just mean being clear, straight, honest. I went to a class/lecture on conflict management yesterday, can you tell?

8. I am reading a lot of blog posts/web sites about blogging, how to start blogging, what makes for good blogging. A friend of mine bought a local scrapbooking store this past summer and is offering some new kinds of classes... I am teaching a small class today on blogging basics for creatives. I already taught a general "technology for creatives" kind of class, and that went well, and this one I feel like I have an even better handle on. It's narrower in scope and doesn't run the risk of being as overwhelming as TECHNOLOGY. Just that word can be overwhelming... So anyway, wish me luck. I think it will be fun, and a very small class, so very hands on too... next up, a Pinterest class (I know, you're shocked).

9. I am hoping for some blue sky today. That might be a bit of a stretchy kind of hope, but at least we're not socked in with fog. We had that flip-flop earlier this week: one day of sunshine, gorgeous blue skies and high-ish temps, followed by a really foggy morning. It freaked out a few people that the inevitable Walla Walla fog had arrived and would stay all winter (we've had some pretty long stretches of fog here...), but by mid-afternoon it burned off beautifully. Now, it's just gray. Blah.

10. I am looking forward to Thanksgiving. Family time!

11. I am hearing a few music videos on my computer. I almost posted 13 videos today, but wasn't quite ready. So I'm taking the easy way out and just musing at you. Lucky you.

12. Around the house it's all pretty tidy at the moment. You'd better come visit right this moment, because that changes incredibly quickly. I have no idea HOW exactly, but we really know how to clutter up a space around here, between mail and odds-n-ends and who-knows-what... Also, I'm just two seconds away from having fall/Thanksgiving decorations up and going... the gourds have been purchased, the leaves brought out (I have some fun ideas of what to do with them this year), the appropriate glassybabies set out...

13. I am pondering what I have left to get ready for my class this morning. I gotta get moving.

Not sure what happened... I swear the daybook thing used to be 13 items long. Hmmm... Well. I have already written the next two tidbits, so you're getting bonus musings today...!

One of my favorite things right now are all the fall flavors and colors... minus Halloween. I am such a non-Halloween person, there's really not much about that whole "season" that I appreciate--I'm not into dressing up, not into the undead-ghosty stuff, not into decorating specific to spiderwebs and tombstones... OK, so what's the Halloween version of a Grinch? That's me (with a few mini Snickers thrown in, I'm not a complete nut job, really). Take me straight through to Thanksgiving, please and thank you.

A few plans for the rest of the week include lunch tomorrow with my childhood pastor and his family who are in town visiting, picking Seth up from school tomorrow and sliding on in to the weekend. Oh and making and canning applesauce, and maybe even finally blogging about some of the recipes I've made recently, as I've been just horrible about that...

Here is picture for thought I am sharing.

Remember that? That was my "word" this year... how's it going with that? Ha.

How are things in your world? Fall arrived in all it's glory? Tell me what you're up to!

For more Thursday 13 folk, go here.

For more daybook kind of people, go here.