cygnoir

Today's coffee is Water Avenue's Boxcar, a dark roast that is sharper than I usually like, but still delicious.

They Might Be Giants' "Factory Showroom" is still an album of my soul.

OK, I might be a coffee person now. FunkyPlaid has learned AeroPress tricks, and so I had two lattes, back-to-back. Oops. And also zzzzooooooommmmm

Sometimes I withdraw from being online so much. It goes in cycles. Right now I feel like I can't share only positive vibes, and I don't want to share negative ones because there are already too many of those.

Watched the first episode of "Silo" ... hmm. It's got "Lost" plus "Severance" vibes and I'm okay with that.

Thrilled to be attending a pen show this weekend!

Back after two days without internet and several hours without power.

Revenge bedtime procrastination is real, y’all.

Today marks seven years at my current workplace!

Inordinately impressed with my "fried rice" improvisation that used up cooked quinoa leftovers.

One book I recommend over and over again: "Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself" by Nedra Glover Tawwab. A favorite quote of mine from this book: "Clarity saves relationships."

On a pineapple green smoothie kick. Can’t stop won’t stop.

My mom found a tape recording of six-year-old me, reading to my grandfather, who was in hospital. I checked out a tape converter from my library so I could save it for posterity.

Jet lag has absolutely flattened me this time around. Humbling, irritating.

Long day of travel back to the States. Sad to be leaving FunkyPlaid behind, but eager to see our adorable Crivens and Criminy!

Crying off and on since I dropped my mom off at the airport this morning. I miss her so much already.

I love croissants even more now that I know how difficult they are to make.

When in doubt, bake cookies.

The bread machine is my favorite kitchen robot. Brioche incoming!

I love the big giant flakes that look like fake Hollywood foam snow the best.

I'd love a cure for the Sunday blues.

My iPhone’s so into me that I got a birthday slideshow and all of the photos were mostly flattering.

Trying a new recipe for gluten-free lasagna. I’ve been at it for two hours already!

Not-work planned for today: coffee with a friend, puttering about the house, quality time with FunkyPlaid, birthday shenanigans planning, a big cooking project in the evening.

Saw a terrifying cloud over Portland on my way home. Thanks, "The Day After", for the permanent psychological scarring.

Time transforms grief, elongates it, spreads it more thinly over the crevices of each day. Less puncture; more papercut.

a day of breaking terribly sad news to my coworkers, over and over, and "breaking" is the right word for it because I'm now broken

Happy Hogmanay! Today is the day I get my planner and diary set up for the new year.

Baked cookies with a friend today: gingersnaps, buckeyes, thin mints, and good ol' chocolate chips.

"Die Hard: The Musical Parody" at the Funhouse Lounge. I had heard about it, and thought I was prepared. I was not prepared. Already looking forward to next year.

24-hour delayed reaction to seeing someone dressed up as Krampus casually browsing in a Southeast Portland gift shop.

New ink day only slightly dampened by a chipped (not fully broken) bottle. Most of the ink has been salvaged, rehomed in a bay leaves jar. Swab test soon!

Chicken and dumplings are in the slow-cooker!

Sick again, but not with COVID. I wish I had dodged the flu completely, but I'm still grateful for muted symptoms, thanks to my flu jab. Now back to bed.

In that part of the recipe experiment when the dish I'm making smells really good yet not at all what I expected it to smell like.

Curled up in bed with an engrossing book, a cuppa, and occasionally a cuddly cat.

Having fun with NaNoWriMo this year, writing what I want to read.

Third flotation tank experience today. When I have good words for it, I'll write more about it.

It will never not be They Might Be Giants, for me. Tonight "Answer" came on randomly and it was the most perfect.

For a short week, that sure was a long week.

Took our out-of-town visitor to Salt & Straw, and I had matcha ice cream with toffee-brittle mealworms and chocolate crickets! Surprisingly tasty, but maybe I'll order something less adventurous next time.

Started rewatching "Schitt's Creek" while recovering from COVID, and just finished (again). I love it more every time.

Closed all three rings for the first time post-COVID! And now, ready to sleep 10 hours.

So happy to wake up to rain this morning! And the day just got better and better.

So grateful for wonderful people in my life who make the time to cheer me up when I am grieving.

As soon as I turned on crossposting for my status log, everything I typed seemed too trivial to share.

trying to revive myself with homemade chocolate chip cookies

sudden resurgence of COVID symptoms, boo

first cuppa today, now ready for a status!