Is That What You're Brewin'?

     Here at the Peterson house we're dusting off that Christmas spirit and the decorations (and by we, I really mean my parents).  Even Jack and Oscar got into Christmas spirit/decoration overflow.  (Oscar had a little too much fun.  If we had let him, he would have eventually figured out the whole wreath thing--or really how to take it apart.)

Title: "O' Be Joyful" by Shovels & Rope

Doing the Best We Can

     I'm worn down and exhausted.  I fell asleep Tuesday night with my light on (the one right beside my bed and in my eyes) and reading (at a ridiculously early hour).  Tuesday I also went to the doctor where it was confirmed that I am probably having some kind of auto-immune flare up.  The only official diagnosis I have as of right now is Raynaud's phenomenon (basically my toes turn a purple/blue color a good bit of the time and are freezing!), but we're waiting on the results of my blood tests to see if it is caused by something else.  Scary fact, test results for things such as Lupus and arthritis can come back negative until they don't.  The scariest part about that is I had just figured that if they tested me for those things and they came back negative it meant I didn't have it period.  (And if I'm exhibiting the same symptoms as before then it doesn't quite make sense to me that I would test negative one time and positive the next, but I think all of the autoimmune diseases are kind of wishy-washy at best.)  So if I miss a few posts now and then, I apologize ahead of time.  I'll try my best post every day,  but I never want this to become a place where I gripe and complain and right now that about all I feel like doing--either gripe or sleep (I won't turn that down either).  

     I'm listening to new Christmas music right now (picking out my favorite for a December playlist) which is putting me in a better mood.  Speaking of Christmas, I got to go shopping for a little girl in Old Navy and they have the cutest clothes!  They even have skinny cords.  I'm pretty sure if I have kids they are going to be just a little mini-me.  It's going to be awesome.

Title: "By the Horns" by Julia Stone

Tired of the Same Song Everyone's Singing

     I really wish there was more time in the day and that my body didn't hate working all day.  I'm definitely an old lady on the inside.
     I'm making an almost end of the year resolution to make a conscious effort to take a real picture every day (and not just rely on pictures of my puppy everyday).  Sooner or later y'all are going to get tired of the adorable guy.  But right now I feel just like him, both completely exhausted and not conforming to my "situations" in life.  (I'm such a rebel.)

Title: "All I Have" by Mat Kearney

A Tepid Flickering of Street Lights Wipes the Grief Across Her Face

     I've been feeling a little under the weather (if you can count joint problems as being under the weather) so I took a holiday from blogging, but now I'm back!!  And am hopeful that I won't be missing anymore for an extended period of time anyway.  I've been sickish for over a week now and am starting to get better (my feet are almost pain free, whereas this time last week I was having trouble putting any weight on my the balls of my feet, especially the left one).  The whole time I've been staying away from WebMD because I've been through some of this whole routine before a couple of years ago (where I was convinced for a whole TWO weeks that I had Lupus--I don't, btw).  But when  my toes turned a purply/blue color tonight I thought I'd go ahead and things up (I know very bad idea). I don't think I did too much damage, mostly because we've already ruled somethings out (like gout and arthritis--unless it's an arthritis that doesn't show up on tests).  Anyway, since I've thoroughly freaked myself out I'm just going to concentrate on my blessings and ignore anything I don't like for the time being.

Five Things I'm Thankful for This Week:

Family time this Thanksgiving with my Mom's side of the family whom I never really get to see

(P.S. isn't my little cousin so adorable?!?)

I've almost completed a whole pair of fingerless gloves 

(minus the thumbs which I haven't quite figured out how to do yet)

The wooly sheep-puppy I call Oscar

(and the fact that he seems to have been mostly good during our out of town trip)

Jack-ster

(who conquered his first circle rawhide recently)

The simple fact that I'm getting better

(I was really hoping this episode wouldn't last 6 months like the last one did)

And last but not least the love and care from God that gives me hope even during the rough times.

I just found out that one of my high school friends is no longer with us.

He will be greatly missed by all who got the chance to know him, especially by the wife he left behind.

Title: "Violence Out Tonight" by Little Comets

Sayin' That You Oughta Laugh About It

      I know it has been customary for me to feature a collage on Mondays, but this weekend has been filled with migraine pain and other crazy strange pain (that seems to have something to do with the cold weather--I would never make it in my imaginary homeland, England).  Which all translates to I'm not in the mood for collage putting together time.
     However, I do blog for Click Magazine and if you haven't checked it out yet you should (that was my one shameless plug).  I posted my five favorite fall fashion items--collage style, of course.  So I'm using that as my stand in for today.  If you haven't already seen it, you should definitely click on over.  It kinda has some good advice (final plug I promise!).

     But for those of you who have already seen seen the post, I thought I'd add some original content.  My church had its annual Thanksgiving dinner tonight (I'm not sure what year, but it's probably at least in the late teens).  My mom helped decorate the tables, along with some other extremely talented ladies.

Title: "Sweet Sour" by Band of Skulls

Gonna be an Optimist About This

5 things I'm thankful for this week:

Poetic Phrases

(and of course thesaurus.com that makes it all possible)

(Photo Credit)

Foreign Films

(as long as you can pay enough attention to them to read the subtitles you're in for a treat)

Editing Epoch

(I finally have almost all of my backed up photos edited--I just have 2 more sets that will be finished before Thanksgiving break is over)

Shopping Sprees

(Mom and I finally went to the Memphis Free People store.  If it was blasphemous to equate that store to heaven, I would in a heartbeat--mostly because of the decorations)

(Photo Credit)

Forthcoming Feats

(I'm making some fingerless gloves, if I can ever figure out what the pattern is talking about)

a Gracious God and Faithful Father (in Heaven) 

Title: "Pompeii" by Bastille

We Could Live to Learn and Learn

     Books changed my life.  Honestly, I can't remember a time that I didn't know how to read/wasn't reading a book (except for that dark time from sophomore to junior year of college where I only read school-related books).  I got an English major and a History minor for a reason, other than "just making sure I was fully unemployable" (see Liberal Arts movie trailer).  Even before I was in middle school I would stay up late with my "night light" and read books way late into the night.  I've always been somewhat of a night owl and book junkie.  I doubt I could tell you about all of the books I've read, but some of them stick out.  One in particular was my favorite for years--and then I read Jane Austen.  And yes, this means I'm turning Saturday into Book Day just because I feel like all of my weekend posts should be themed.  Actually, now that I'm thinking about this author, I keep remembering books I want to read by her.  So instead of just highlighting one book, I'm highlighting a whole body of work.
     Robin McKinley is a British author (I think).  What I know for sure is that she has an English writer husband and has written some of my favorite childhood books.  Although if you look at the Amazon listings it says the reading level is "18 and up," pretty sure I read them on one of Colorado road trips we took (so 4th-5th grade maybe).  I'm way super glad that Mom didn't know about the "reading age" thingy.  There was not anything inappropriate in the books, but I'm getting sidetracked.  Robin McKinley has written The Hero and the Crown, The Blue Sword, Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast, Rose Daughter, Deerskin, and Sunshine.  All of which I loved.  Warning there are some adult situations in Deerskin, but it's still a great story (and not extremely graphic like things are these days).
     The Hero and the Crown and The Blue Sword are set in the same imaginary land centuries apart.  These stories are epic tales of young women stepping up and becoming heroines without even realizing what they are doing.  Mostly they are just trying to do the right thing.  Beauty and Rose Daughter are retellings of Beauty and the Beast.  While I'm not 100% certain, I think that Beauty is McKinley's first published novel.  I know it is her first attempt at retelling the fairytale and Rose Daughter is a much more elaborate version.  While some elements are similar in both books, they are not the same story.  However, I kind of wished I had read Rose Daughter first as I fell in love with Beauty and compared everything, but that is also just my personality.  Deerskin is a story of magic, survival, justice, loyalty, and love.  I don't even know if I could sum it up for you or even begin to do this story justice.  Let's just say it's a powerful complicated story.  Sunshine is fairly new.  If by new you mean early 2000s--The Hero and the Crown was first published in the late '80s.  Sunshine is a vampire book that was written obviously before Twilight (but also after Interview with a Vampire).  It is not all about vampires though, it takes into account that if the vampire stories are true then so are other stories.  Actually Sunshine was one of the first serious vampire books I read and I personally think it can hold its own with the best of them.
    I've never been one to follow trends because in my opinion if you're busy keeping up with trends then you don't have much time to create your own ideas, opinions, and taste.  So maybe I missed the part when Robin McKinley was a big rock star in the book world or in truth maybe I was barely just born.  She has won more than a few awards and recognitions for her work.  I love her.  I was extremely sad once I had read everything she had ever written.  (I hear she's coming out with some new stuff in the upcoming years and I seriously cannot wait!)  In fact, I'm probably going to have to reread Sunshine just because I started thinking of her (I very recently reread The Blue Sword for about the fiftieth, which is my absolute favorite of hers).

Title: "Dark Sea" by Husky

This Is the End

     The last installment of the Twilight Saga recently hit theaters, as in last night.  Based on my newsfeed on Facebook, it was the best movie of them all. While I've seen them all, I just have to say that isn't that hard to beat the previous movies.  They pushed the amount of drama they could pack in one scene to the max.  Honestly, the books were dramatic and about how one girl couldn't survive/thrive without a boy.  What does that teach our youth?  But before I digress completely the movies had such dramatic music, dramatic pauses, dramatic looks/glares that it almost became comical. Oh and apparently this movie ends differently from the books?  Or at least rumor has it.

Because I'm trying to prove my point here are a few videos:

I'm just ready to go see Skyfall on Saturday.  James Bond=a good time for everyone.

Title: "Skyfall" by Adele

We Can Sleep When January's Here

     Weird fact number one about myself.  I don't like Thanksgiving.  Don't get me wrong, I love the idea behind Thanksgiving, the whole counting-your-blessings thing not the forefathers-and-indians-first-meal thing.  Don't even get me started about how things were always and will be always an us versus them mindset.  It's part of the sinful world, but the "settlers" of North America weren't exactly kind to the existing inhabitance to the land.  (Because "we" know better than "them.")  From this day and age we look back on the "glory years" but they're only glorious because they didn't happen to us (or even if they did, we only see the good parts not the good parts with the bad mixed in).   Sin didn't just stop happening because America was founded.  Okay, so done with my political, not so political rant.  Back to the original topic.
     I'm not a fan of Thanksgiving because of the food.  Any side dish you might think to make for a typical Thanksgiving feast, I don't like it.  I don't like the smell, the texture, anything about it.  I'm not going to make it for you, but I will suffer through cleaning it up--you just might owe me something big.  I love the decorations and the idea of it, but just not the actual meal itself.  When I grow up and have my own house/family, I'm going to figure out a way to have Thanksgiving without a tradition meal.  I've been thinking through some ideas but I haven't come up with anything solid as of yet, but I will.
     For Christmas dinner we have steaks--and I get to have my little piece of meat wrapped in bacon--so I love Christmas.  Plus the whole giving and receiving presents--giving is just as much fun, especially planning out what you're going to give people (because it's never about them, it's about you).  I love Christmas music.  I would say that it's my favorite kind of music, but really it's just my favorite kind of seasonal music, as opposed to Easter music, St. Patrick's Day music (though St. Patty's music is a close second), Halloween music and Valentine's Day music. Anyway, I could have sworn I had already written a blog about it because I'm partial to "contemporary" Christmas music (or just original songs).  I have a newfound affection towards the oldies, but I love the songs that I've never heard of before.  It's strangely hard to find.  Jack Johnson's record company (Brushfire Records) has released two compilations of original Christmas songs from their recording artists (one in 2008 and one in 2011).  Once I find a CD I play it over and over again because I love each song.  We'll see what new ones I can find this year.  If you know of any I'd love to hear any helpful tips.
     Basically this whole post was just so I could get to the simple reason why I'm already posting Christmas songs as my song of the day.  It's because I want to like Thanksgiving, but I'm already so over November in general so Christmas here we come!

Title: "I Bet On Flying High" by Matt Costa

(off This Warm December, a Brushfire Holiday, Vol. 2)

Sun Comes Up Without a Sound

     As much as I love fall and I love the idea of winter (and I'm not a fan of the hot heat in summer), I think I need the sun more than I want to admit.  I'm dragging.

I want to do this (pretty much for the whole day):

Title: "Someday Soon" by Alexi Murdoch

There Is Nowhere Else That I Belong

     This weekend I went down to Oxford to visit a friend (and possibly go to the grove).  While we didn't make it to the Grove, we did have an amazing time having a movie marathon and relaxing.  I didn't open my computer or write.  One those thing was good, the other not so much.  Not opening my computer also meant that I missed out on my Sunday thankfulness post something that isn't so great, especially considering that November is a time for counting your blessings leading up to Thanksgiving. So here are my belated five things I'm thankful for this week.

My Owl Oreo Truffle Stuffed Cupcakes actually turned out nicely.

(These cupcakes have been previously featured on my blog.)

(Photo Credit)

Things that are gluten-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free.

(I'm also thankful for the things that aren't any of that because I love bread, candy, and cheese.)

Even though I'm a little behind on my writing, I've still made some amazing progress.

(I'm on my second legal pad and hit about 12,400 words on page 62.)

The adorable sheepdog I call Oscar.

(Who is super proud of his new wood disk from the trees that have been cut down.)

The whole weekend.

(It was fun, relaxing, and filled with laughter.)

Which I don't seem to have pictures from.

I am also very thankful for the ways in which God has blessed me, not with just material items, but things like:

 my imagination which keeps me guessing

my mind which tackles problems like they're quarterbacks

my parents who support me in everything I do

my friends who have become incredibly important these past few weeks

my attitude which wants to be chipper and happy all the time

and that's just some of the small things.  

God blesses us with the strength to make it through any trial that might come our way.

Like Morgan Freeman says in Evan Almighty, 

"Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for the family to be closer, do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each other?"

(All of this I found very enlightened coming from Hollywood.) 

Title: "New York" by Snow Patrol

My Mind Is Racing From Chasing Pirates

     I might have been (and still am) on a Norah Jones kick.  I just love her music.  I listened to her first CD on a road trip to Colorado (and read a book at the same time) and now whenever I hear it I think of the book I was reading, which is actually another favorite of mine.  All around I think she's wonderful.  And while the pirates in the title are pretty much just a metaphor for adventures and stories, my mind is always racing.

Title: "Chasing Pirates" by Norah Jones

How Could These Days Go By So Fast

     I tend to start off my week raring to go and then when it hits Wednesday I'm all fizzled and headachy.  But that hasn't stopped me from working hard, except on my story.  I'm about a day behind but I have all Thursday and most of Friday to catch up.

Title: "Drive Darlin" by Boy

'Cause There's a Fine Line Between a Skewer and a Decent Sense of Humor

     As I am writing this there are 95 more electoral votes to be tallied and it looks like President Obama might win a second term.  Whomever wins they are being put in a position of authority over me to glorify God in some way.  While I voted, I'm pretty much over the whole election and election process.
    I'd rather dwell on things I can actually change.  Like my NaNoWriMo story.  I've finished a whole legal pad worth of writing (it only had 48 pages) and I've moved on to my second pad.  Writing it out for me helps with the thinking process more so than typing.  Something about making the words is different.  I don't know.  I do know that last time when I worked on the computer, I'd get distracted or write myself into a corner (a lot).  So I'm just guessing how many words on average will end up on a page and taking it from there.  I'm thinking that 200 words can fit on a page so I'll need to write 250 pages, but I want to give myself some growing room just in case my math is off, which it could easily be.  So I'm adding 10-20 pages of extra story to give myself some padding.  I don't know when exactly I'm going to type it all up, but sometime.
     I'm really missing a cork bulletin board or magnetic something that is on the wall.  I have notecards taped to side of my bookcase (with wash tape so it won't ruin anything).  But I have other notecards that I would need to take down and put back up (where cork would definitely come in handy).  I can see myself in the future being extremely organized when I write.  I didn't used to be so organized, but I think I'm finally starting to see how I work best and organize accordingly.  Somethings have to be in perfect order and others it doesn't really matter.  (Yes, I know I'm strange).  I've also counted out how many pages each of my legal pads have (they've all been used before) and I'm going to be like one pad short.  I'm hoping the Condo in Oxford has a few more I didn't snag before I came home.  We'll see.  Oh and I am in love with post-it notes.  You should see my weekly calendar for Click I have blog ideas stuck on certain days in one color, events I'm going to post on Facebook in another, events Click is covering in a different color than that, and a few more categories stuck all over everywhere.  I've tried just writing the information just on my calendar but then things change and I mark out and it starts to look messy.  So I've been waiting until it really happens to write it on my calendar.  Again, I know I'm strange and have a bit of the OCD thing going on, but it works for me.

     My favorite lyrics from the song below is: "If all we talk about is money Nothing will be funny, honey And now that everyone's a critic It's makin' my mascara runny" and "If we don't get a new situation For our busted country, we're lazy" (P.S. this is said by people every year no matter who is in office.  If we're not on the rise, we're on the decline.)

Title: "It's Gonna Be" by Norah Jones

We Gun Down Werewolves Wherever We Go

     Sunday, I wrote and wrote and wrote and I'm super glad I did.  I wrote past my designated page numbers (and I was almost a whole day behind).  So yesterday, I was already done with my goal.  However, by the time you read this I'm going to be in the hole five pages.  It's not a lot, but that's the thing with daily goals, you might surpass one day, but then as soon as midnight rolls around you're having to catch back up.  I have to keep reminding myself this because I know I'm that person that gets excited about being ahead and then fiddles around and falls extremely far behind.  It will be interesting to see how well I can keep up with my story.  I'll keep you updated.  

    At your local Office Depot, people.  Because no class president's campaign is complete without blinking lights.  Super glad I never knew about this... Many of my own class project posters would be covered with this stuff.

Title: "Young Blood" by Norah Jones

I Live Inside That Dream

1. Art Deco Sapphire Ring Circa 1929, $601
2. Blue Lapis Ring Gemstone Vermeil Ring, $66
3. Aqua Chalcedony Ring, $68
4. Tanzanite Trillion Ring, $125
5. Oval Boulder Opal Ring, $5,850

Title: "Hands Down" by Dog is Dead

I've Got to Turn This Thing Around

5 things I'm thankful for this week:

Mom's birthday went pretty smooth!  

We had the best dinner last night (and she loves all her presents, yay).

I have a NaNoWriMo plan.

I might not stick to it, but it makes me feel like it's more accomplishable.

I feel pretty good about my progress even if I am a little behind.

I'm writing everything out first and then typing it.  

(I know it may take more time, but I can't write successfully on my computer.)

I'm super thankful for David Holt helping me out at an event for Click.

I really wish I had taken a photo of David in action, but hindsight is always 20-20.  

(So I stole this picture from his Facebook. Thank you, David!)

Having a super busy and yet super successful Saturday.

And having the best spot to take senior pictures didn't hurt either.

Where has this guy been?? (Or really why haven't I heard of him until now?)

Title: "Trouble" by Ryan Keen

      

I've Been Worryin' That We All, Live Our Lives, in the Confines of Fear

     When did it become lady bug season?  All of a sudden there were tons of lady bugs on my window today.  Man, time flies (that and I thought lady bugs only came out in the spring).  And before you say anything, I know that instead of two lady bugs there should be three to make it more appealing to your eyes.  But have you tried to direct a lady bug?  They don't listen very well.
     On a completely separate note, this song has been my theme song.  I love this guy, but I even more love the theme behind it all.  I keep playing it over and over to remind me to challenge myself (and that fear is normal, but we move past it).

Title: "The Fear" by Ben Howard

I'm Stealing Home

If one does only what needs to be done, one most likely shall never have fun.

    Priorities.  I'm struggling with putting certain things first and other things last.  Like sleep and work.  I know I'll struggle with it almost every day, but I'm always learning.  And then having to unlearn.  I don't like indecision.  I prefer to have a plan, know where I'm going, and what I need to do to get there.    But some days, I need a puppy to get in my face and remind me that this is my life and that living in the present without a plan can be loads of fun.

P.S. I just found out that there is/was a major jazz/ragtime/blues pianist named Oscar Peterson!  I just found this in my Simple Diary (that is turning out to be so much fun to keep). 

Title: "My Doll" by Sam Beeton

Good Morning Freedoms, Good Night Lullabies

     My feelings from yesterday haven't much changed.  I want to enjoy my life instead of being exhausted all the time.  I'm not sure where that will lead, but I'm definitely ready to start on my own personal projects instead of projects for other people.  Even though I'm not in the office today, I still have so much work to do.  Maybe I'll forgo some of that work so I can do something I enjoy, instead of something I have to do.  All the work will still be there tomorrow and the day after.  No one is going to die if I don't do it as soon as possible.
     While a ton of kids my age dressed up for Halloween yesterday (or at least passed out candy), I cleaned my room.  It's nice and clean now except for the pile of picture frames that litter my floor (mostly on one wall) while they are waiting for me to complete a long desired project of collaging my whole wall.  Still looking forward to it, but at this pace who knows when it will actually get done.
     Days like today make me want to go on long road trips, with someone else driving, of course.

Title: "Drive Darling" by Boy