Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts

Tuesday, 30 May 2023

I don't know about you, but I"m feeling 52... almost

 

I'm going to be 52 in a couple of weeks. (The 12th of June to be precise. I don't believe in astrology, but I'm a Gemini.)

I've had an idea percolating for a while, to find 52 things I can achieve in 52 weeks. Not necessarily to do something once a week, because that's a bit ... limiting? 

I have a couple of ideas so far.

I do cross-stitch, and I don't really want to learn a new craft, but what I do want to do is learn beading. I've never done it, but I have projects on the go that do use it.

I also refuse to learn how to do French knots, so learning beading will be a good alternative. 

The second one - and this probably sounds silly - but I want to learn how to do pretty eye makeup. I don't really wear a lot of makeup (the above picture was from a work do last year) but I always think it looks pretty and it's something I'd like to learn for myself.

So that's ... two things. Two down. 50 to go. I still have a couple of weeks to add to the list. :)

Saturday, 8 July 2017

Sunday post 63; It's Monday, what are you reading? 49


The Sunday Post is a chance for a chat and catch-up with the lives of other bloggers, and is hosted by Kimba, here: http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/ and It's Monday! What are you reading? Can be found hosted by Kathryn, here: http://bookdate.blogspot.co.nz/

You know the saying that goes life happens when you make other plans? Nothing I had set out for last week happened. Patrick was sick with a bad cough for most of it and that had the knock-on effect of me not getting anytyhing done.

As for what's going to happen this week, I'm actually not sure. My course is supposed to start tomorrow, but I haven't heard anything from the institute since about June 21 when they emailed me to ask what papers I wanted to take. I replied to that, and ... nothing. I tried calling a couple of times but only got an answerphone. So, tomorrow (they've been on semester break) I'm going in there in person and politely asking whether I'm enrolled or not.

I'm still waiting to hear back from the part-time admin job that I interviewed for, and the other one that I had a phone interview for I didn't progress. I'm living in limbo and it's actually the worst. If I start the course then that's something, and then if I get the job what I'll likely do is put the course on hold and maybe re-enrol next year, but I don't want to speak my plans too loudly - lol.

We're coming into school holidays for two weeks here as well, so spawn will be home for a bit. I don't like things to be this ... disorderly.

I finished The Crow yesterday and I'm hoping to get a review up for that this week. I'm also about to dive into the next Temeraire book - Tongues of Serpents. For everything else - let's say I'd like to get some blogging and writing done, and some stitching and get a few walks in, but honestly - let's see how I go.

What about you? What are you doing? What are you reading? How's your week?

Sunday, 23 October 2016

Sunday post 46; It's Monday, What are you reading? 32



The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba here; http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2016/10/sunday-post-236-am-i-up-or-am-i-down.html and is a chance for a chat and a catch-up with fellow bloggers each week.

The 24 Hour Readathon takes place every April and October, and you can find out about it here: http://www.24hourreadathon.com/

It's Monday, What are you reading? Is now hosted by Kathryn, and it can be found over here: http://bookdate.blogspot.co.nz/

Let's see ...

I'm only sort-of doing the readathon, which is what I always do. I dive in, read as much as possible in the time that I have given that it starts at 1am my time, and cheer on other readers on the twitter. This year I managed to read half of Nevernight by Jay Kristoff, which I'm really digging. I've put it down for the night now, and will encourage other readers.

I blogged last week - actually did a few posts. Finally wrote that Secret Life of Pets review I've been threatening, wrote a couple of readathon posts, and also reviewed Alexis Hall's new novel, Pansies.

Went to a quiz night last Wednesday with some friends - we usually do all right, and came in fourth, which was a pretty respectable showing.

Got a few more job rejections, but I'm trying to ..... not be down about it? I'm looking into ways to fill in my time, like maybe volunteer work of some sort, or picking a subject I really want to know more about and doing some research. You know how we always say "I'd do .... if I just had TIME." Well. I have time. I'm going to keep applying for jobs, I just refuse to let the process grind me down. A self-pity pit is an easy one to fall into but climbing back out of it ... so. Ideas?

What would YOU do, if you had the time?

I've signed up for nano next month as well. At the moment I'm planning on writing Dragon Age fic, but the idea I have for that is ridiculously complicated, so I might have to change it.

I finished Illuminae on Saturday, and really enjoyed it, though I did find the format a bit annoying. So there should be a review of that coming up this week. I'm halfway through Nevernight, so possibly will review that this week, too.

It's Labour Day here tomorrow, which means spawn will be home from school. Other than that for this week, my goal is to ... get out of my own head a bit. Look into volunteering, and maybe some kind of studying for next year if I can't find a job. It's a much more disheartening process than I realised, but I refuse to let it grind me down. REFUSE.

Anyway.

How's your week?

What are you reading?

Saturday, 6 August 2016

Sunday post 39; It's Monday, What are you reading? 26


It's been two or three weeks since I did one of these posts - I decided I needed to have content on my blog in between, rather than just one weekly post. I have ...one short reviews post, so ta-da!!

Anyway. The Sunday Post - a chance for a natter and a catch-up - is hosted by Kimba over here:
http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/ and It's Monday! What are you reading? is now hosted by Kathryn over here: http://bookdate.blogspot.co.nz/

Let's see ... I have two weeks left on this temporary contract, and while I'll be glad to leave this job behind, I do need to find something else. If you could all put good thoughts out to the universe, tip a word to your higher power ... I need all the positive energy I can muster right now.

Other than that, I've been trying to institute a daily 30/30/300 thing - that's read 30 pages; stitch for 30 minutes, and write 300 words. I know I CAN do it, and did manage it last week for a few days, but I'm easily distractable and very lazy. But these are things that I enjoy doing as well, so it makes sense for me to make some kind of effort to make room and time for them.

What else. I've been marathoning Dr Who on Netflix while I've been working. I'm up to Eleven and Clara - neither of which are my favourites to be honest. I don't mind Eleven so much, but I think that, after 10 (DONNA!!!!!) a lot of the storylines became nothing more than nonsense, and it became far too much about Amy Pond and not  enough about saving the universe.

Anyway. I'm grinding on, and after Dr Who I'm either going to go for Torchwood, or start Stranger Things, which I've heard Good Things about.

I ticked Civil War off my reading list because I've finished reading the main arc, and there are just so many off-shoots. So. Many.

Right now I'm reading book 3 of The Dark Tower - The Waste Lands. After that I think I'll either pick up the first Shannara Chronicle book, or Black Wolves, by Kate Elliott.

Coming up this week - hopefully some stitching and writing; applying for jobs and more Dr Who.

How about you?

What's your week like?

What are you reading?


Wednesday, 1 June 2016

My seven sanity-savers

So, a while back, Trish at http://www.lovelaughterinsanity.com/ did this post about creating her happy list - things in her life that, well, make her happy.

The idea came from this post on another website: http://modernmrsdarcy.com/things-saving-my-life-right-now/ and so I thought “hey, that’s a good idea for a post!” And then immediately couldn’t think of anything that was currently saving my life/sanity/my skin cells ….

However, I am Making an Effort to blog more outside of the weekly meme so. Here goes?

1) Big Finish: https://www.bigfinish.com/ essentially radio plays and audiobooks. I came across them originally because of Alex Vlahos, who played Mordred in the last season of Merlin. (He’s in Versailles now, playing the king’s brother). He performs as Dorian Gray in The Confessions of Dorian Gray - a what-if scenario that posits Oscar Wilde had based his famous character on a real person. There’s four seasons so far, and the fifth - and final - is due out in October. I’m working from home at the moment, and silence is a bit too much, but if I’m watching something, I get distracted. Big Finish audiobooks/plays are ideal workmates. Oooh, also, there’s a three-episode series with David Tennant and Catherine Tate as Dr Who/Donna. (See also: audible.com)

   2) On a similar theme … Welcome to Night Vale, and Alice Isn’t Dead. Both podcasts. Night Vale has been described as Twin Peaks meets Stephen King, which is not a bad description. Website here: http://www.welcometonightvale.com/ The podcast is free. Alice Isn’t Dead is more recent, and is created by one of Night Vale’s writers - Joseph Fink. It’s performed by Jasika Nicole, who also voices Dana on Night Vale. The narrator (Nicole)  is driving a big rig (I think that’s right) across  America, searching for Alice, her missing wife. It’s seven episodes in so far, and it’s ...creepy. Really good though.

3) The #30for30crafting hashtag on Instagram. Created by crafting geek, here’s the original post explaining the idea: https://thecraftinggeek.com/2014/07/23/hey-listen/ I have ……………. Many cross-stitch projects, but that’s not what this post is about *ahem*. Generally speaking, I do a couple of hours stitching a week at my friend’s house on a Saturday night. So I decided to take up the #30for30crafting challenge, and I’m glad I did. It doesn’t seem like much, but it’s just so. Nice. I do it after spawn’s gone to bed - throw in an episode of something - usually The Walking Dead at the moment (I’m behind on every single TV programme I follow ever) and stitch. I don’t do more than 30 minutes because I have to factor in packing it up and putting it away, and also work the next day. My friend describes it as a meditation, and I have to say, she’s right.

4) My iPad. I don’t care. I love it. I love my iPad. It has all of my lovely things on it, like my favourite games, and social media, and ebooks. I browse through iBooks sometimes, looking for something new to read, or I can play my favourite games (right now, it’s Whiteout, by the makers of Lifeline, and Farmville: Harvestswap. And Two Dots) while I’m watching TV. It’s a familiar weight in my hands, and I love the fact that I can be connected with people all over the world at just the touch of a screen.

5) Dragon Age. I’ve talked about these games before (a lot) and I’m not sure I can convey the feeling they give me - escape, excitement, dread, even, when I launch one of them, and watch as the title screen loads and the music starts playing. As much as I love many, many escapist things - reality TV (up to a point. As I said to someone when they asked if I’d watch Married at First Sight “I have standards. They’re low [see: The Bachelor NZ], but I have them); books, movies …  but there’s something truly escapist about disappearing into Thedas and saving the world - either as a Warden, a Hawke or the Inquisitor.

6) archiveofourown.org - sometimes you just want to read fic about your OTP. Or well-plotted long fic. Or smut. Or - you get the idea. It’s my go-to place every morning after I’ve scrolled twitter and facebook, and there’s almost always something to lose myself in.

7) Pinterest. I started collecting quotes to put in my diary every day, and for a start I was laboriously googling them and it was taking bloody ages. Then I realised I could create a board on Pinterest for such a thing, and it changed my life. (Not my whole life. Sunday nights, which is when I do the diary thing. Took WAY less time.) Also on Pinterest I discovered the best chicken marinade ever which is literally just barbecue sauce and honey. About half a cup of the first, couple tablespoons of the second (to taste, is what I’m saying), bung it over some chicken, marinate for at least 30 minutes, and honestly nommmm nom nom. If I’m feeling energetic, and I’ve cut my chicken vaguely lengthwise, I’ll then crumb them in - PANKO. PANKO CRUMBS CHANGED MY LIFE BUT I DON’T WANT TO DO MORE THAN SEVEN THINGS. - crumb them in panko and bake them in the oven. So. Good.

I’m sure there’s others I haven’t thought of. But there you have it. My seven sanity-savers. (Try saying that five times fast …)

Wednesday, 25 May 2016

Thank you for being ...

I was going to start this by saying, “I have two friends …” but realised that made me sound like a lonesome loser.

Anyway. I have two friends - dammit.

Okay. Now that’s out of the way, let me get to the point of this post, that I’ve had simmering in my brain-parts for a while. I started thinking about it because these two friends are very, very different people.

I call them the “yes, but” friend and the “oh my god yes, you should do it!” friend.

The “yes, but” friend - who I call to mind when I need to temper my actions and impulses, is someone I’ve known since I was five years old. We look nothing alike, but have been mistaken for sisters, as we know each other so well. This is the friend that I will call when I burn my arm on hot oil and need to go to A&E (er, for example). She’s my Saturday night stitch-and-watch friend, and her pragmatism helps keep me grounded.

The “oh my god yes you should do it!” friend is someone I met at work. It’s been rocky, sometimes and we lost touch for a long time - until I took redundancy last year and she came to the leaving do (the leaving do was at the pub, in case you’re thinking I’m getting above myself). She said we should have lunch and I would have dismissed it as one of those “oh, we should get together sometime” things but she was adamant on reconnecting and we started having lunch regularly on Mondays.

This is the friend I can say anything to and she will be nothing but optimistic and encouraging. I told her about my dream to open a bookstore (called The Last Book Shop and I have the perfect location - anyway) and she was nothing but supportive.

I tell my “yes but” friend the same dream, and she says “but what about parking?”  She would also be concerned at my complete inability to finance said book shop. Whereas my other friend will indulge my flights of fancy and give me ideas of what to put in the store.

These two friends don’t know each other, but that’s fine with me. I think I’d rather keep my pragmatist and my flights of fancy friend separate anyway.

That way, I can indulge my daydreams, but still keep my feet on the ground.

Sunday, 17 April 2016

Sunday post 29; It's Monday, What are you reading? 17


The Sunday Post, hosted by Kimba here: http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/ is a chance to catch up with the week that was, plan the week ahead and chat with other bloggers. It's Monday! What are you reading? has been taken over by Kathryn at http://bookdate.blogspot.co.nz/ and the title says it all. :)

Last week we returned to a kind of equilibrium, and spawn returned to school, much recovered from his fever/infection. All hail antibiotics. (All hail the glow cloud). Of course, he had one week of school and now has two weeks off for school holidays but eh. There's never a good time to get sick.

I worked, and kept chipping away at The Girl With All the Gifts (which really is very very good) and played a little Dragon Age and an even more little Mass Effect (I'm very bad at Mass Effect so far. Like. Awful.)

I'm never up for much of anything by the time I get home from work; after sorting out tea, lunches, clothes and uniforms (and homework), so last week I finally started on the last season of The Walking Dead. I finished Versailles and needed something else. So far TWD is good. Little bit slow and there's a little too much teen angst that I just don't care about, but I persist because I think The Walking Dead is one of the best shows to come along in a long time.

Let's see ... by Friday night I was so knackered that I nearly fell asleep on the couch about the time I meant to head to bed. Just. Exhausted. And I'd started coughing, which hasn't gone away, so I guess it's my turn for the seasonal lurgy. Marvellous.

What else. I started The Casual Vacancy by J K Rowling yesterday and I have to say, I'm really enjoying it. A friend pointed out to me that she's an excellent storyteller, and so whatever story she chooses to tell is bound to be a good one. So far that theory is holding.

For this week I think I'll pause on The Girl With all the Gifts and venture slowly back into Perdido Street Station.

I did a short reviews post last week, though I didn't get around to my happy list/things that are saving my life post. Hopefully this week, I'll see. I also have an idea brewing of - I'm not sure how to describe it - the things that give us sanctuary. From our daily lives; our children - books and games and things. I'm in mind of it because Spawn is playing Dragon Age Inquisition. Which is fine, I'm happy he can handle it and all that jazz but it's like ... this is MY escape. I'm actually thinking of launching a new playthrough that he doesn't know about, so I can have a proper, real escape with it.

Anyway. I'll see if I can even get a whole post out of that idea.

What about you?

How's your week been?

What are you reading?

Sunday, 10 April 2016

Sunday post 28; It's Monday, What Are You Reading? 16



It's that time of the week again somehow - time to catch up with what's been going on around the blogosphere and also catch people up on what I've been doing. The Sunday Post is hosted here by Kimba: http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/ and It's Monday! What are you reading? is over here, at Kathryn's: http://bookdate.blogspot.co.nz/

Let's see.... I didn't blog at all last week, but I had a bit of a week, to be honest. Between work (it still feels good to say that) and the fact spawn was hit from out of nowhere by a fever and a raging ear/throat infection which knocked him off his feet for most of the week ... well. I can do some of the work I'm doing from home, so I spent a fair amount of time shuttling back and forth.

By Friday night I was ready to fight a pigeon in the pit. Tired, but also capable of making bad choices, is what I'm saying.

We took spawn to the doctor on ... Thursday I think? 39.5degC fever, and raging infection. Woop. So we got antibiotics and paracetamol for the fever. Today was the first day he started to sound and act like himself. He didn't even touch his video games all week. That's how I knew it was BAD. Also, he kept crawling into my bed and falling asleep in the middle of the day, which he only does when he's not well.

So on Friday night I fired up Dragon Age 2 and ran around killing qunari and bandits and whatnot. Trying to push the rivalry so I can romance Fenris and still be nice to the mages. Therapy, is what I'm saying.

Saturday, I put off my stitch-and-watch friend because I was shattered. I spent most of the day either reading The Eye of the Labyrinth by Jennifer Fallon (book 2 of the Second Sons trilogy) and running around Thedas again - in Inquisition this time. Then I watched some TV - Versailles, I think and an episode of Face Off and went to bed. Spawn had a bad day on Saturday - miserable and sick and tired, but he'd turned a corner this morning thank goodness. Fever all but gone, and much more himself, which was a relief.

I finished The Eye of the Labyrinth today, and really, really enjoyed it. It's such a good series. I also finished The Drawing of the Three before that, so my reading is starting to pick up again *fingers crossed.*

I have The Girl With All the Gifts on the go on the ibooks to read at work, and after eating in the cafe once and being interrupted (grr) I now eat at my desk. I'm in an empty office so it's pretty peaceful.

What else. I'm hoping to do a short reviews post this week, and I picked up an idea from Trish at http://www.lovelaughterinsanity.com/ so I'm going to be doing a happy list/things that are saving my life post - hopefully this week.

So.

How's your week been?

What are you reading?

Sunday, 3 April 2016

Sunday post 27; It's Monday! What are you reading? 15

  The Sunday Post is hosted here by Kimba: http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/ and is a chance for a chat and a catch-up with what's been going on in your week.

It's Monday! What are you reading? is hosted here: http://bookdate.blogspot.co.nz/ by Kathryn and does what it says on the tin. :)

Let's see ... I worked. I played Dragon Age: Awakenings. I did not do much reading last week, however. I stumbled over a mini-slump instead, which really wasn't much fun. Hence, getting through Awakenings so quickly (also I accidentally skipped a bunch of side-quests). I launched Dragon Age 2 again today. I always say that Origins was my first love and Inquisition is my true love. DA2 ... I guess DA2 is my bit on the side but I do love it.

Anyway. Yesterday, with determination and fortitude and blah blah blah I sat down with The Drawing of the Three, and made actual, real, genuine progress with a book. I've read it before, though not for many years, and I forgot that this is peak King. Like. This is Peak King. It's King right at the top of his game. I got through another 50 pages or so today, and I'm on track to finish this week. Which will be nice, as my goodreads stats keep slipping - lol.

I'm still picking at Perdido Street Station but I've had to put it down for a bit, there was a sequence that was ... hard to read. I might pick it up this week again, I'll see.

A friend of a friend and her son came down from Christchurch unexpectedly yesterday so spawn and I spent a large part of the afternoon with them. It was fun, but both spawn and I were ready to go home by about 7.30. The friend is my stitch-and-watch Saturday night friend and asked me if I'd want to come back with my stitching, even though her friend and son were still there - they were staying with them. Honestly, as much as I enjoy our Saturday nights, I just wanted to go home.

Today, I got all my grown-up things done, and launched DA2, like I said, and friends of spawn showed up (there's a rant/post for another day) so he was well  occupied for the afternoon.

For the coming week, I have work, hopefully finising The Drawing of the Three, and possibly catching up with Versailles and maybe also The Walking Dead. I'd like to get some writing done, too maybe and also possibly some stitching. Hopefully I'll also get at least one blog post done - a short reviews post. :)

I'll see.

How's your week looking?

What are you reading?

Saturday, 19 March 2016

A day in the life ...

This was the brainchild, I believe, of Trish at http://www.lovelaughterinsanity.com/ - the idea being to share an ordinary day in our lives. I didn't take part in the last one but I was casting about for a blog topic and remembered this, so here goes.

Friday, March 18 - a day in my life.

4am: Wake up. Need to go to the loo. No I don't. Yes I do. Get up. No. Yes. Come onnnnnnnnnnnnnnn. Fine!

4.30am: Get up. Go to loo; grab a couple of biscuits on the way back - for some reason I get hungry when I have to get up for the facilities at bugger-off o'clock.

7am: Alarm goes off. I contemplate committing alarm-a-cide, as I do every morning. Spawn gets up about 10 minutes later, comes in to say good morning and goes and does spawn things for a bit.

7.35: I've negotiated with my bed for my release. Dammit. Get up, make toast and a drink of milk for spawn, make toast and a drink of coffee for me. J has Fridays off, so he's around and about, too. Also some cats. (Let's take the presence of cats as a given.)

7:45-8:15: Consume toast and coffee, browse social media, read a Dragon Age fic. Get spawn into school uniform. Get dressed. Here's spawn, waiting for our ride to school.

8.35: Get picked up - one of the other mums who's son is in spawn's class gives us a ride to school every morning, as I don't drive and J usually isn't home from work by then.

8.45: Bell rings at school and I'm lingering. I help out some mornings, with reading, etc, though I have a limit of how long I can tolerate herds of 8 year olds (about 45 minutes). Today, however, it's the feast day of the saint spawn's school is named after, so we're off to church. (I'm not particularly religious but the school fit my criteria for spawn: small; excellent rep and a diverse roll).

9am: In church. I can feel my brain drifting already. Spawn is sitting beside me and I have one of those quiet moments when he tucks into me and I put my arm around him and I can feel him breathing. I love those moments. Mass goes on as it does.

10am: Spawn - and indeed the whole school - is getting restless and ready to get back to the business of the day. I stop to say hello to my old principal - now rather elderly, but she taught me as a wee thing at the same school. Also there was the mother of a high school friend of mine.

I drop spawn off and head to the supermarket to pick up a few things. I also call my old job, as they need someone asap for a three-month fixed term contract. I start on Monday and while it's a lot to get my head around all at once it'll be nice to be working again for a bit.

10.30am: I make the bus, yessss. Get home, call my Monday lunch friend and reschedule and tell her my news. Then I call Births, Deaths and Marriages as the woman from my old job I spoke to said that HR would need a birth certificate or passport. For a company I worked for, for 13 years. So I'm on hold for a bit, and I take a few photos for this post while I'm waiting. Get through and find out that the court records for my birth certificate have my first name spelt "Marie" instead of "Maree". Were my mother still alive, she would have Words to Say About This. I say yes please when they offer to track down the records to correct it. Fun and games.

11.20am: Coffee and ginger kisses time. Om nom nom nom nommmmm I think to myself, "I could work on that Dragon Age fic while I'm sitting here. 300 words. You can do it." I browbeat 410 words out of myself and call it a good day's work.

12pm: I meander to the living room, ipad, book and water in hand. I dither for a bit on what to do, then decide to start on American Horror Story: Hotel. Which. Is. A thing. That I watched. Only one episode though because it has everything, the kitchen sink and the local bloodbank in it. I'm sure it will be terrible but I'll persist - for now. I heat up a bacon and egg pie for my lunch and read a bit of Perdido Street Station while listening to Adam Lambert on spotify. Tis peaceful. There's a cat.

3pm: Meander back into my room, intent on abrogating all of my adult responsibilities and playing Dragon Age: Inquisition for the rest of the afternoon.

7pm: Okay, that's exactly what I did. Friday afternoon is game day in this house,which doesn't mean what you might think - it means video games. Spawn is a gamer kid, and Friday afternoons is the one day he can play unfettered by things like "rules" and "homework" so I tend to go nuts myself. I played Inquisition till about 5.45; got through a major quest line. Died a couple of times - you know how it goes. I ordered pizza for tea because ... Friday. Mooched for a bit reading fic, and updating this post.

After tea, spawn asks for "alone time", so I head back to my room and more Dragon Age. "Alone time" doesn't mean the same thing to me as it does to spawn, and five minutes later he's in my room. Which is fine, it's just sort of funny.

8:15-8.30pm: Getting spawn to bed, which doesn't usually take too long. He's not a kid for deliberate delaying tactics, though he does muck around a bit. I read a  chapter of the Lego Movie book, and say good night. J repairs to his own room to read.

8.45-9.30: I watch Face Off - it's a repeat, but I love Face Off.

9.30-11.10: It's time for #cinemaz on The Zone. The Zone is New Zealand's version of SyFy, and it actually has some decent content, but on Friday nights it's time for the schlock. Bad movies abound and those of us who watch gather on twitter to mock. Tonight's offering - Lord of the Elves - is especially awful. Possibly the worst movie I've watched in a long time. It's fun, though, and I tweet sporadically while also playing Midnight Castle and trying to accommodate Lily, who is an affectionate cat but not especially cuddly. Which is an awkward combo when she's lying on my lap.

Halfway through the movie I make myself a hot chocolate and have something to eat. After Lord of the Elves, I watch a tiny bit of American Idol to see Adam Lambert's performances (which is the grand total of how much of Idol I've watched all season). After that, I take my sorry and tired bones off to bed, closely watched by cats.

Annnnnnd that was my Friday. :-)


Saturday, 12 March 2016

Sunday post 24, It's Monday, what are you reading? 12

 Linking up with Kimba from http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/ for the Sunday Post - a chance to catch up and chat about the week that was and the week that's coming - and with Kathryn from http://bookdate.blogspot.co.nz/ to chat about what we're reading.

Let's see ... I met Marg from http://www.theintrepidreader.com/ last Monday for coffee, and it was great to meet a fellow blogger in person, as I don't think there are all that many who live near me. My location is geographically undesirable, as it were. Still, it was great to catch up. :)

What else. Spawn ended up being home for most of the week because in one of those A+ parenting moments, the day after he was home with a sore throat, I sent him off to school - for a sports day. Which took place outside all day in a howling gale. The day after that was a half day for parent-teacher interviews so I just gave up the whole week as a bad deal. Hopefully we'll be back on track this week.

I didn't get a lot of reading done, but I'm chipping away at Perdido Street Station - I'm trying for a chapter a day. So far so good! I'm also reading Scrap Metal by Harper Fox, about two young men who find love on a remote Arran farm. It's actually very good and a nice counter-point to the weightiness of Perdido Street Station.

I still have The Drawing of Three and book two of the Second Sons trilogy on the backburner, and hopefully this week will be a better reading week than last week. Last week was just a massive bust all around, honestly. But that's okay. Some weeks are diamond-encrusted Tiffany tiaras. Some are $2 shop tiaras that give you a weird rash and make your hair fall out. It's all to the good.

Up this week ... I'll finish Scrap Metal, I'm sure. Then I will dive into The Drawing of Three, I will, I will!! I'm chipping away at a 10-year old cross-stitch project, too - Circe, which I've talked about before. So I might get some stitching done, outside of Saturday night at my stitch-and-watch friend's. Now that Downton is done (has everyone seen it? Can I yell about the thing yet?) - we're diving into The Blacklist, which I enjoy but am finding frustrating by equal measure.

Also - and I don't want to say too much because jinx - but I have a job interview on Wednesday. That's all I'll say here, except I had to rush out and buy grown-up shoes and a nice jacket - and ask for good wishes and thoughts, if you have them to spare. :)

I did my Things I Like post, finally; tis here: http://lifetheuniverseandcats.blogspot.co.nz/2016/03/a-list-of-things-i-like.html and hopefully this week I'll kick off my Awesome Ladies project. I miiiiiight also do a post about Dragon Age and how I fell into it, but I'll ponder that one.

What about you?

How's your week?

What are you reading?



Tuesday, 8 March 2016

A List of things I like

I've been talking on and off for a while about doing a post of Things I Like That People Think I Shouldn't Because I'm a Woman in My 40s, but that's far too long for a blog post title.

Cleverer people than me could articulate a dozen reasons for this, but from my personal experience as a Watcher of Many Things (TV, movies) is that in these mediums, women in their 40s tend to be two things: wives and mothers. And that's it. That's all.

Their husbands are the ones who get the hobbies and the storylines while they stay home and be exasperated and cook dinner and make sure the kids do their homework.

These women seem to have no inner lives of their own: no struggles; no hobbies; no interests that don't pertain to their families. You could shake them and they'd sound like a piece of laminated paper.

As a Woman In My 40s, let me assure you, that this is bollocks. Here's the thing. I'm going to tell you a secret. Lean in a bit. Not that far, mate, steady on.

Women.

Are.

People.

Mindblowing, right? You know what that means? That means we like stuff! And just because we hit a certain age - I'm talking 40s here because that's what I'm in - doesn't mean we automatically stop liking stuff, and turn the robot switch on.

So, in no particular order, here are some things I like that people might side-eye me for. (Side-eye me all you like. Also, stick it up your jumper.)

1) Pop music. I love pop music. Completely unironically and joyfully. I don't just mean the pop music that was popular when I was a teeny eeny teenybopper, either (though, that too). I will happily watch MTV Music and the top 20 countdowns. My fave popster at the moment is Troye Sivan. Here's his Vevo channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/TroyesivanMusicVEVO One of my fave pop songs lately is Can't Feel My Face by The Weeknd -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEI4qSrkPAs I'm not even sure why, I just deeply, deeply dig it.

2) Video games. I'm a late bloomer to video games, as most people know but I have embraced the insanity wholly. Right now, by "video games" I mean Dragon Age because it fills my very specific criteria for playing: a storyline. And the gameplay isn't impossible. I mean, I play on PC because I'm hopeless with consoles, BUT. STILL. But also, I'm VERY EXCITED about a new game coming out later this year - No Man's Sky. I mean. Just look at this trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmwG6Sj1Yfg How great does that look???? Exploring galaxies, terraforming worlds .... I cannot WAIT.

3) Superhero movies. I am resigned, mostly, to the fact that I'm outside of that all-important age demographic, the 18-30s. Also, I'm not a  dude, so that's against me as well. But. I love a good superhero movie. A great superhero movie? I'M IN AND I WILL BUY TOYS. Ahem. I mean. I get excited when I see a new Captain America trailer (though Civil War is going to be traumatic for everyone) or when I realise that hey, maybe Batman vs Superman won't suck! Who knows??????  You don't want to be sitting beside me in a movie theatre if there's a trailer that I'm excited for because I will Kermit-flail in my seat. It took me a long, long time to unleash my inner fangirl on the world at large, but now that she's out there, there's no holding her back. Nor would I want to. It's so much more fun to get excited about stuff that I love than being apologetic because I'm too old, or not a dude, or whatever.

What else can I think of? Tumblr, YA novels, fan-fiction. All of these things contribute to the person that I am. Yes, I'm in my 40s - I'll be 45 in June - and yes, I'm a wife and a mother. But. I'm also a lover of music, an overexcitable fangirl, a nascent gamer, and so much more.

Sunday, 6 March 2016

Sunday post 23, It's Monday! What are you reading? 11

Linking up with Kimba here: http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/ for the Sunday Post - a chance to catch up and chat - and with Kathryn here: http://bookdate.blogspot.co.nz/ for It's Monday, What are you reading?

I'm mostly posting just to kind of touch base, I think. I haven't posted since last week, but I do have a couple of posts in draft - one  is the Things I Like in My 40s (that people may judge me for) and the other one is my awesome ladies project, though the first lady I chose for that - Sahakduhkt an Armenian composer - has very little information.

She's the first in my lady composer part (I have five ladies in each subject I chose) and the only work of hers that remains, apparently, is a hymn to the Virgin Mary. Which I can't find anywhere.

Still. Hopefully I'll have both of those posts up some time this week.

I went with spawn's class to the museum on Friday, and got to touch a tuatara for the first time ever. They're weirdly soft and kiiiiind of creepy. But. Still very cool. Here's a handy link:
http://www.southlandmuseum.com/tuatara.html

My stitch and watch friend and I finally finished Downton Abbey on Saturday and all I can say is
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Edited because I forgot some people haven't seen it yet).

Ahem.

Spawn is home with a sore throat today, though I have to admit I'm a bad judge of whether he's bad enough to stay home or not most of the time. I tend to err on the side of "he's eight. A day at home won't matter much at this stage", because I'm an A+ parent.

I haven't been reading very much; picking away at the monolith, which is what I've been calling Perdido Street Station, but I finally pulled book 2 of The Dark Tower from the bookshelf, in celebration of the news that Idris Elba will be playing the gunslinger. (mmmm ... Idris Elba).

I also have book 2 of The Second Sons trilogy by Jennifer Fallon on the backburner.

For today, I'm meeting a friend for lunch, and then after that, the lovely Marg from http://www.theintrepidreader.com/ for coffee, as she is in my neighbourhood.

Spawn will be in the capable hands of his father, while I swan about being a social butterfly.

Other things I need to do this week are sort out my passport application - I need BOTH my marriage certificates, and I never changed my name officially the second time, so if I want it to be under my current name, I have to do that too. It's frustrating but  needs must.

I also have to be a grown-up and call Work and Income, see if I'm entitled to any kind of benefit while I'm looking for work. It's a Big Girl Pants week.

What are you up to?

What are you reading?












Sunday, 14 February 2016

Sunday post 20; It's Monday! What are you reading? post 8


Linking up with Kimba at http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/ for the Sunday post, and with Kathryn at  http://bookdate.blogspot.co.nz/ for It's Monday! What are you reading?

The Sunday Post is a chance to catch up with what you've been doing, and with what you're going to do for the week, and of course It's Monday! is all about the books. :)

Once again, I tripped and fell off the radar. I'm not sure why, but there we have it.

Spawn went back to school for the new year on February 1, so perhaps that's part of it - settling into the school routine again.

For me, that means getting up a good hour earlier at least than I have been, which is a struggle, given that I am certainly NOT a morning person.

Otherwise, things continue on much the same. I'm still applying for jobs. I have picked up some casual proof-reading, so that's a start. And somehow I've been drafted as a sort of parent help some mornings for spawn's class to help with reading and writing. Which is fine, I don't mind, but I'm just not very good with children in large groups.

I'm trying to re-set parts of my own routine so I'm not passively sitting in front of the computer or the TV for large parts of the weekday. Even if I'm writing or reading, it's better for my brain parts.

What else. I do have blog posts planned for this week, so hopefully this time I'll actually do them.

I'm hoping to write up reviews for the Captive Prince trilogy by C S Pacat, and also Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire. I also went to see Deadpool last week, so am  hoping to write that up as well. I also have two or three other posts in mind, though I might not get them done this week. They're simmering away, though.

As for what I'm reading ... I had a bit of a mini-slump after finishing Rosemary and Rue, so nothing for a few days. However, I'd bought The Martian on iBooks a while back when it was on special, so I'm reading that at the moment. It's very science-y and a bit dense, but I'm getting more into it now.

As for what's coming up; book 2 of The Dark Tower, finally. And then ... I'm not sure after that. I'll have to poke around a bit.

How's your week been?

What are you reading?

Saturday, 30 January 2016

Sunday post 19; It's Monday, What are you reading? 7


Linking up with Kimba for the Sunday post here: http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/ and with Kathryn for It's Monday! What are you reading? here: http://bookdate.blogspot.co.nz/

I'm doing this post early, so I don't forget later on in the rush of Sunday night spawn-wrangling and first-day-of-school shenanigans tomorrow. So, of course, I'm drawing a complete blank.

What did I DO last week? Not very much of anything, I suspect. I did do one of the two blog posts  I talked about last Sunday; the short reviews one of all five books I've read so far this year: http://lifetheuniverseandcats.blogspot.co.nz/2016/01/short-reviews.html I think my favourite so far has to be Shadowshaper, but so far not a dud read. *Fingers crossed.*

I did a little bit of stitching, and advanced my Grey Wardens pattern, so that half of "vigilance" is finished. I'll post a  pic and write a post about it when that word is done. Now that I've managed to do this one and not totally mangle it, I'm thinking of finding a nice alphabet or two or three and doing "Survival is insufficient"; a quote from Star Trek: Voyager and also from Station Eleven, aka the book of my heart. (Never mind the 2489577 other cross-stitch WIPs I have scattered about. Shush.)

Hopefully, this year, I can get the Grey Wardens pattern finished, and also Circe, which I have had on the go - on and off, obviously, for more than 10 years. I'll post a pic of that one in the upcoming cross-stitch post, too.

Heather at http://www.capriciousreader.com/ made this post - http://www.capriciousreader.com/?p=13999 - about a project she plans to undertake, called The Dead Ladies Project, and it jogged my memory.

Gathering dust in google docs, I have a list of women from different eras and disciplines. I was going to try and start some kind of project, but really all I did was google things like "women composers" and save the links to the wikipedia pages. Heather's post,  however, has got me thinking, so ... watch this space? Maybe?

I'm still going to do a post on my top three non-match 3 apps, which I meant to do last week. And I've had one knocking about in my brain for the past week or so - "things that I like that people don't think middle aged women should like" but I don't know how it would come out. What I see of women my age on TV and in movies,  mostly, is that they're exasperated by their husbands or helping children with their homework, but seem to have no inner lives of their own. And we all know that's just not true. I'd love some feedback on whether I should go ahead or not, I'm not the most articulate when it comes to Deep and Meaningful, and I tend to generalise.

I'm still applying for jobs. I have my fingers mentally crossed for a couple, some I don't expect anything from, but I find it's a good discipline; writing the cover letters and sending off applications. I DO have an "informal chat" tomorrow at a local community paper; they're apparently looking for a part-time proofreader and someone who works there now thought of me (we used to work together). It would only be a few hours a week, but the way I see it, at this point (after four or so months) I'm ready to start doing something, while I still look for something fulltime.

As for what I'm reading ... I'm about to re-read the Captive Prince books by C S Pacat in anticipation of book three coming out on Tuesday. I also picked a book up at the library called The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic, which sounds like a fun read, so that's what's up next.

How's your week going?

What are you reading?

Saturday, 23 January 2016

Sunday post 18; What are you reading on Monday 6


Linking up with Kimba at http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/ for the Sunday Post and with Kathryn at http://bookdate.blogspot.co.nz/ for It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

Apparently I haven't done one of these posts in about three weeks. Or any post in about three weeks.

That was an unintended break, and hopefully one that won't be repeated. We'll see though, life, etc.

Speaking of, it's trucking along here much as usual. I started applying for jobs after the new year, and will keep doing so while I cross fingers and toes that something will come up soon. As nice at it has been to be at home for the past four months, it's time to venture out into the world again.

I've been baching the past week, J and spawn headed up north to visit J's parents and I stayed home to hold down the fort and feed the cats. They're due back tomorrow, and as nice as the peace and quiet has been, I'm looking forward to them coming home.

My reading year has got off to a bit of an unsteady start, but I have got through four books - The Gunslinger, Lion of Senet, The Distance Between Us and Magekiller #2 - so that's not too bad. Hopefully if my blogging habit is returning after three weeks in the outer limits, I'll do a short reviews post this week.

Also, hopefully, I'm going to do a post on my three favourite non-match 3 games.

As for what I'm reading ... I finished Lion of Senet today, and really enjoyed it. I'm about halfway through Shadowshaper by Daniel Jose Older, and I think Sierra might be one of my new favourite characters. Possibly ever.

After that ... possibly book two of the Dark Tower series, and a re-read of Captive Prince and Prince's Gambit by C S Pacat before King's Rising is released next month.

How about you? How's your week been? What are you reading?

Sunday, 3 January 2016

Sunday Post 17 and What Are You Reading on Monday 5


Happy New Year everyone! Here's hoping 2016 is a good one!

I'm linking up with Kimba at http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/ for the Sunday Post and with Kathryn at http://bookdate.blogspot.co.nz/ for It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

Last week was a pretty quiet one around here. That week between Christmas and New Year is such an odd time, I always think. Like it's been suspended in space, or something. Everything is quiet. Like the big inhale before the exhale of the New Year.

Anyway. I got through my annual LOTR re-watch last night, and made some good progress on my peonies cross-stitch. Now I'll go back to a 10-hour rotation, with three projects on the go. Good times, good times.

I haven't really made concrete resolutions for 2016. Just. Drink more water. Eat more fruit. Be kind. That's really it.

I took spawn to the movies last week, grit my teeth and sat through Alvin 4 or whatever it was. Spawn enjoyed it but it is not a good movie. We have a playdate today, so that should be .... a thing. He'll have fun, anyway.

I did manage a couple of posts last week; one reflecting on the past year: http://lifetheuniverseandcats.blogspot.co.nz/2015/12/the-year-that-was.html and one talking about making 2016 the year of the series: http://lifetheuniverseandcats.blogspot.co.nz/2015/12/2016-year-of-series.html

Other than that .... not a lot. As I said, it was a very quiet week.

As for what I'm reading, I'm about halfway through The Gunslinger by Stephen King and should finish sometime this week. After that I'm not sure. I might finally read Shadowshaper by Daniel Jose Older. We'll see.

How was your week?

What are you reading?

Wednesday, 30 December 2015

The year that was

I have to say, 2015 was a bit average for me. Not the worst year I've ever had - 2011 and 2006 vie for that title as those were the years I lost my mother and father, respectively.

This past year, however, we did lose three cats - two to the ravages
of time, and my sweet girl, Morgana, to a car. She was my lap buddy and only two and a half. That hole in my heart is still open. That photo on the right is very typical of her. Every time I sat down, there she was. I miss that quiet weight so very much.

Let's see ... I also rolled the dice on my job and took redundancy. Which, so far, hasn't been a bad thing. I've taken the chance to kick back at home, which I've never really been able to do. But it's getting to the point, now, where I do need to find something fairly soon.

Cross fingers for me? :)

What else. Spawn turned eight in May, and he's a happy, healthy gamer kid. So that's something to be thankful for. Here he is with one of the kittens we adopted last month - Felicia, I think. Inevitably, he's fascinated by them, but he's pretty good with them and of course kittens have little claws and teeth as warnings if things get to be too much.

Speaking of kittens ... they're both black, so getting good pix is nearly impossible, but I do try. That's Felicia and Ivy in the basket. I think Felicia is on the left - her coat is a bit lighter and glossier. They're very typical kittens and so a joy and a burden to have around - lol.
What else have I done this year? I ...... have played a lot of Dragon Age. Especially since I finished work in September. I'm on my third Origins playthrough since last year, and my third Inquisition playthrough since .. well. Since September. I'm trying to limit it at the moment a little bit because I play on PC and I've found that I'm getting pain in my right index finger knuckle, if that makes sense.

I've "traced" it back to the gaming, and much mouse-clicking, so I'm taking a few days off. But look at my Inquisitors; Ellana and Gethriel (I call him Dorkvellan because well, I accidentally made him look like a dork). Anyway, don't get me started on Dragon Age, I'll never stop.

I didn't expect to love a game so much, but good golly gosh, I love it so very, very, very much of a lot.


Anyway. I also made my goodreads goal this year: https://www.goodreads.com/user/year_in_books/2015 and I'm thinking of pushing the boat out and aiming for 80 books in 2016. We'll see.

I also took up baking again, something I haven't done in 20 years or more, with various rates of success. I enjoy the process though, and with it being school holidays, I can drag spawn in to help me with some of it, which he seems to enjoy.

Oh! I also moved! Sort of - lol. From http://justaddbooks.blogspot.co.nz/ to here. It felt like the right time. :)

How was your 2015? Good? Bad? Average? Great? Let me know :)

Sunday, 27 December 2015

Sunday Post (16) and It's Monday What Are You Reading (4)


I'm linking up with Kimba's Sunday Post here: http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/ and with It's Monday! here: http://bookdate.blogspot.co.nz/

I hope everyone had a good Christmas, or whatever it is you celebrate at this time of year.

We had a quiet one - just the three of us at home. I cooked chicken and spawn played with ALL THE TOYS. It was a good day. On Boxing Day we went to my brother and sister-in-law's for a family get-together, which was great, as we all found - after mum died - that the glue that pulled us into family things had dissolved.

So now we try to make a bit of an effort. It was a beautiful day, which is rare at the moment, and a good time was had by all.

I got what I wanted for Christmas - books, jewellery, chocolates - and so did J, so we did all right. And, as I said, spawn got ALL THE TOYS and had a great day.

Let's see. I  finally finished Uprooted last week, which I loved, and which I reviewed here:
http://lifetheuniverseandcats.blogspot.co.nz/2015/12/review-uprooted-by-naomi-novik.html and I alos did a shorts review post for We Were Liars and Umbrella Academy #0, both of which I  liked a lot.

I got Stephen King's new short story collection, The Bazaar of Bad Dreams for Christmas, and I've dipped into that bit, and I also got Star Wars: Aftermath by Chuck Wendig which I'll dive into sometime soon, given that I'm still riding the high from The Force Awakens and absolutely plan on going to it again.

As for this week... New Year's will be quiet, but that's no bad thing. It's nearly time for the annual Lord of the Rings rewatch/new project to begin. I'll start on Tuesday and watch one part of each movie per night. I have, however, already started on the cross-stitch, it's so pretty I couldn't resist:
I absolutely love peonies, and the colours in the pattern are amazing.

I'm still working on my Grey Wardens chart, but have to concede that I need to unpick that "V" and move it over a bit. The word is "vigilance" and I don't think I've left myself quite enough room. Other than that, I'm really pleased with how it's turning out.

As for what's next book-wise ... I'm still reading The Gaugin Connection, and picking at The Martian, which was $5 on iBooks.

I'm joining in with Sheila at http://bookjourney.net/ for her first book of the year challenge: http://bookjourney.net/2015/12/05/dont-forget-to-sign-up-for-first-book-of-the-year/

I'm determined to read all of The Dark Tower series by Stephen King in 2016 - I've read the first three books but I'm going to start over on January 1 with The Gunslinger. Should be fun!
Other than that, I'm not sure what I'm going to read next. I should start going through all of the books I've bought since September, perhaps. Hrm.

How's your week been/going? What are you reading?

Monday, 21 December 2015

Surely it's still Sunday somewhere (15) and What are you reading on Monday? (3)


I'm a bit late this week, with the Sunday post, anyway.

The Sunday Post is a chance to talk about the week that was, and the week that may be. It's hosted by Kimba, here: http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is all about the books, all about the books, no ... something. Anyway. You can go here for that one: http://bookdate.blogspot.co.nz/

The reason today's post is late is because I SAW STAR WARS TODAY. AND IT WAS AWESOME. I loved it so. much. Like. SO VERY MUCH. So I was out and about when I'd normally be doing this and then apparently I had some urgent gaming I just had to do *ahem*.

ANYWAY. I actually blogged last week, and wrote reviews.

Wonders will never cease. I reviewed Witches Abroad: http://lifetheuniverseandcats.blogspot.co.nz/2015/12/witches-abroad-review.html and also Think of England and Dragon Age: Magekiller: http://lifetheuniverseandcats.blogspot.co.nz/2015/12/two-short-reviews.html

Hopefully this week I'll write up a Star Wars review. It will not be spoiler free because it's likely I won't be able to restrain myself.

What else. I picked away a bit more at my Dragon Age cross stitch; I'll try and take a photo of it for next week. At the moment, of course, I can only stitch when the kittens are sleeping - lol.

I also chose my yearly New Project for starting over the end of 2015/start of 2016 as I embark on my yearly re-watch of The Lord of the Rings. Generally speaking, I start on about December 28 and watch half a movie a night. I love them to pieces but I have to be realistic about ... time.

I've chosen an absolutely gorgeous peony pattern, and started it at my friend's on Saturday night, for our weekly stitch and watch, the last for the year as her family descends for the festivities. Once again, I'll try and take a pic of it for next week.

Also ta daaaa!! I made my goodreads reading goal for the year! https://www.goodreads.com/user_challenges/1882319 I've never done that before!

Let's see ... last week I finished Think of England by K J Charles, and Dragon Age; Magekiller by Greg Rucka ... oh! And also We Were Liars, by E Lockhart, which I really enjoyed. Hopefully I'll get a review up this week.

I also read the first book of Umbrella Academy, by Gerard Way, which was free on the Dark Horse app. It's very interesting and I enjoyed it a lot.

Right now I'm reading Uprooted by Naomi Novik, and absolutely loving it. Just. Loving it. I also took a pass at The Martian by Andy Weir, but I'm not sure how far I'm going to dig into that because I really want to finish Uprooted. It's the kind of fantasy that I love - awesome, well-rounded kick-ass girls, friendships, magic and it's just. Cosy.

So. How was your week? How's your week coming up? What are you reading?