It's been awhile - I know you've missed them . . .

What might that be? Why it's the bullet-list blog posting of course!

• What is sleep, Alex? Indeed, what IS sleep? I used to have a baby that slept through the night. For that mater, I used to have an elderly dog who also slept all night and lazily into the morning. In the very least these two could get on the same schedule, but no. Instead we have baby J waking up 1-2x a night because he rolls around too much in his crib and gets "stuck" (not really but in his half-sleep state he's convinced). If it's not that then he's up and wide awake for a good hour in which he gets fed and rocked back to sleep. Ahhh, 3AM how lovely your dark, quiet streets are, that is until the blaring train horn shreds the night and pierces our ears - though not our slumber. Soon I'm back asleep though, that is until Miss Cleo wakes. Apparently 5AM is THE time for an elderly dog to awaken and pee on the floor if not promptly taken out. Oh, and she needs fed - take her back to bed and pooping on the floor as revenge is likely. Sigh. Maybe I should take the melatonin instead of giving it to the dog - then I'll just sleep through all the nonsense.
• I am no social butterfly. I got the worry gene not the party gene - some get both in my family. I'm the wallflower. I like a soft couch and good book far better than a bar or party. They are too loud and too crowded and conversation is impossible. Maybe if I drank but I don't so I'm also bored at these social gatherings . BUT that's not to say I don't get out and socialize. Okay, I don't. But I used to and that's the point. Baby J has never been with anyone but D or I for more than the 2hrs I left him with my mom for an appointment. He needs to get socialized and more adaptable with his routines. And I need to be able to accept some of the invitations I get. The issue? Well, firs there is the before mentioned worry gene. He'll need to be in a safe environment, but he is not used to strangers so it's not going to go well, ugh! So our house, after he's in bed sounds like a plan but alas we've painted ourselves into a corner up here. We're really far north - like an outpost or something and few people want to hike up here. Plus we have the dogs. A babysitter ends up being a basenji sitter which in reality is part lion-tamer (unless you are a dog whisperer - that'll work too, and if you are then we've got a job for you!). It's our own fault and I recognize it. I'm willing to accept it too. However, at some point it seems important for everyone involved that J get some time with others and I/we get some time away from J to hang out with friends. May will come faster than we know and the plan is for him to spend a week with his aunt. How's that gonna work if he's never spent an evening with anyone else let alone at another house? We'd like not to paint ourselves into a second corner for that vacation.
• November here - it's Save A Turkey month with the Save A Turkey 4th Thursday holiday. :) What else is here? COLD! During September I thought how lovely the cool air was and how I was looking forward to fall and even winter. What was I smokin'? I still believe snow is pretty and I want J to have the opportunity to play in it as he grows. And to play in fallen leaves. But I'm back to thinking the cold is not cool.
  
• So if cold is not cool then what? Well, D has already talked to his bosses and they know he's as open to taking a promotion in Dallas as he is in Ohio (well nearly AS open to it - I think OH is still his first choice). I go back on forth with my first choice. The key reason I'd be interested in going to DFW is family. I have family there and so does D, and more importantly they have kids J's age. Sometimes I think I'd have a built-in friendship network but really I have to get away from that. I would still need to forge friendships there to have the social network I'd be comfortable with. Okay, maybe I'm more of a social butterfly than I'm admitting - but I still hate crowded bars and parties though I can't think of any of the latter I've attended since college.
  
• I have no freelance work. Blame the economy? Who knows. My t-shirts are moving forward though. I found an artist local to St. John and hope to have rough sketches by Thanksgiving at the latest. From there we'll settle on the favorites, the fees, and do contracts. Gulp. I'm excited though, really. She sounds really nice and genuinely excited about the venture. I may have her do a website for me also so I can sell the shirts online as well. For those not in the know, the company is Wearable Souvenirs and the shirts are just that. It would be great to get another freelance job or two this winter to pay for this venture in full. I had mistakenly labeled myself as "part-time" on my cover letters. I think that killed my chances. I'm no longer doing that and instead will only take on the size chunk I can do in part-time hours. I hope that helps!
• It's November 12th. I have library books due today but I'm too lazy to want to go to the library. I'm also too lazy, busy, mismanaged to continue the adventure I started earlier this month. I signed up for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoMo). I need (needed) to write about 3 - 3.5 pages a day to get the required 50,000 words by November 30th. I've not ever written a sentence of fiction in my life though (purposely at least) so I was nervous. But I figured if not now then when? The expectations are so low that I might as well just do it and know it will suck if it even gets done. I do still want to do it but I've already lost my umpf. I only have 4 pages and it's the 12th of November!!! I have a full storyline and list of characters and even an outline so I think I just need to make time to dive back into the process. I'm only writing this here to hopefully receive a litany of comments tell me I must write and I'm a loser if I don't. I need motivation - external motivation!