daylong · obsessions, · joys, · and · torments

Jared baked cookies last night, and I helped him decorate them... Got to see an old friend from high school last night, and got back home around 11 PM. We decorated and frosted cookies until about 12:45, which was impressive.

Left = sugar cookies
Middle = anise cookies
right = chocolate sugar cookies

We're having a Halloween party on Saturday night, which may be underpopulated due to some Facebook issues (apparently some peoples' invites got stuck in spam filters)... but it's still going to be fun! And we're going to the Great Halloween Lantern Parade down in Patterson Park, and dragging everyone with us. The cats can't come, though Annabel wants to see the lanterns. :-)

Things are going well. I'm still alive, just barely in touch with anyone, including those closest to me. Sometimes I feel like my time isn't my own, but it's because that is the case right now.

Hope every one of you enjoys your Halloween! Be safe and don't eat TOO much candy.

<3

What I've been doing lately. I know, I suck at doing Livejournal lately. I still read, every other day or so, but I've been so wrapped up in pre-nursing things that my life has been taken over. I just finished Anatomy & Physiology II last night, taking a lab practical and my lecture exam the same night. I'm drained. Monday starts my Fall semester, with Microbiology two nights a week, and Psychology 103 (Principles of Human Growth and Development). Despite some hangups, I'm applying to nursing school as of September 15. We'll see if I get in (my A&P grades weren't awesome). I'm stressed out, relieving my panic with patches of drawing and playing Peggle on my DS, and reading recipes (hoping to have the time to bake again)... Trying to exercise, eat my vegetables, take care of myself, save time for friends, see my husband as much as possible, take care of the two kitties, etc. It's crazy, living like this. So, I share a scan of my drawing from last week... Some of my life has color, even if it gets drab on occasion. Hope you are all doing well.

My coworker made a Rainbow Cookie in honor of the 4th of July, or "Independence Day." He apparently stayed up until 1 in the morning, baking. It tastes like almond and raspberry and chocolate. As a tribute, I drew a little ink drawing in my Moleskine, and colored it in. Unfortunately I ended up with the Moleskine "bookmark" in the way. Perhaps I'll re-scan it this coming week.

Hope you guys enjoy your 4th. I plan on being outside, drinking wine, and watching fireworks with friends. Woot!

This is a very happy Annabel, aka "The Bells," "Belly," "The Annabelly," "The Bean," "Psycho Kitten," and "Stripey Kitten."

I am most happy that I am an hour from leaving work, and it's a gorgeous day outside. It's the small things in life. Tonight we also go to a book sale (at Maryland State Fairgrounds, you B-more people). BOOKS! *drool*

Hope you all enjoy your weekend, and whatever it brings. Maybe it will involve a nice fuzzy creature and a lot of hugs and whatever else you require. If you do not have a happy kitten, consider adopting one... It's worth it. :-)

♥

What I did this weekend :-)

My banana friend, brought to you by the letter "B" for boredom, and the number "130" which is the number of minutes left in my day at work. :-)

Last night I was tired out and had a migraine from sitting in traffic for ages... I was sitting in the car for over 2 hours, waiting for drivers to move. Route 40, which is a large highway, was closed and had a blinking arrow sign pointing "< " and ">." A driver across the road yelled that we should all turn around, since he was stuck there for over an hour already. It was not a good evening. I had been looking forward to enjoying my afternoon, grabbing a salad to eat for dinner, and hanging out and knitting in the car before class. That didn't work out so well. Fortunately, I arrived at school at 5:50 and was able to park and sprint into the building, and take my biology quiz... Class begins at 5:45. I'd left work at 3:30. BLEH. I think I passed, and I got a 100% on my last quiz. The class was about enzymes and photosynthesis, and I enjoyed it a lot. I just felt craptacular, and wasn't able to relax. Stopping at BJs on the way home, I picked up about three things, and managed to lose my newly-purchased packs of gum in the parking lot. It rattled its way off the cart and straight into the road. It was nearly crushed by a pickup truck, but I managed to get it in time. I grabbed lukewarm pizza from the fast-food counter in the front of the store for dinner, which was a far cry from the intended salad + balsalmic dressing I had intended on eating. Disappointing, I guess, seeing as I'd been really looking forward to class (seriously) and then going home to hang out.

So, when I finally got home, Jared was still at the gym... I took a hot shower with papaya-coconut shampoo, scrubbed clean, and vegged out in the living room. I called my mom to chat, and sipped iced tea. When Jared arrived, I buzzed him in the front door, and he showed up with a giant bouquet. (Which is shown here.) He handed them off, and I got off the phone with my mom and gave him a kiss. So, despite the long day and the migraine I had, the evening ended nicely.

I'm very, very thankful for my sweet Jared. It's gestures like that which keep me from having terrible days... and it's the little things that really count. It was a lovely end to an exhausting day.

<3

When I got home last night, Jared had installed lanterns on the ceiling. We had blown-glass spirals up there, shown in some other photos I've taken, and we took those down after the holidays. So, now we have new and entertaining lighting in the apartment. I look forward to actually decorating a house, when I see cool paint jobs and read interior design magazines left in doctor's waiting rooms. I enjoy decorating more than most, I guess. Lately, I've been looking at Etsy and imagining the prints I'll hang up, and mentally I've been framing the prints we already own... I think we'll have to rotate our art at this point; we've collected so much that we don't have the wall space anymore.

One day, we'll have more than just these lanterns. But for now, they'll work for me. :-)

You know you secretly enjoy playing with toys even when you're an adult, so why not take a biology class? We get to make molecular models, play with dye, grow plants, look at stuff under microscopes (even cheek cells from yours truly), and learn about plasma membranes and stem cell research. I really, really love this class so far...

And I found out I'm getting an "A" at this point, and passed my first test with a 95%. So, I'm even happier right now.

My Flickr page has my Tuesday lab on it, if you guys want to look. Not so exciting, but it's good study material. :-) I love Flickr so much.

This year I'll be skipping the usual excitement of Holiday Heap and heading to VA for a friend's wedding. However, I really recommend that Baltimore people attend this event. It's full of fun vendors, gorgeous wares, and it's a lovely time. I like supporting local artists, and you get amusing interaction if you have any interest in peoples' work. The photo was taken in the church where it's held. If you need information, it's at http://www.charmcitycraftmafia.com/Holiday_Heap_2009.html

Taken from "Kiss My Crafts" blog:
"At each event, the Charm City Craft Mafia raffles off a basket filled with an awesome assortment of goods and donates all the money raised to a local organization in need. This December, the money raised will be donated to Art With a Heart, Inc.

'Art with a Heart, Inc. brings the joy and benefit of visual art to those who need it most by providing hands-on art activities to disadvantaged families and children, and to people with developmental and physical challenges.' "

I think you should go out and support Baltimore crafters, and get some fantastic works of art for your loved ones. After all, why not enjoy a beautiful setting AND beautiful art, all in one place?

Since the Lantern Parade's cancelled, staying in seems the best idea. Now you can see our neighborhood in the rain.