Currently

Hey guys! Remember how one of my goals was to post more on my blog this year? I have not been doing very well with that! I'll admit one of the main reasons is my new version of Photoshop is stumping me. I am having a hard time resizing images for the web for some reason, so hopefully I'll figure it out soon! Until then, I'm going to do one of these currently post.
Excited About: This coming weekend we're going up to the Smokey Mountains with some good friends and I can't wait! There are several claw foot tubs and a sweet outdoor hot tub at our cabin, and I'm hoping I'll get to ride go karts and go through a mirror maze.
Reading: I've been trying to read a book called The Historian about a vampire, but it is SO SLOW it has been putting me to sleep within 10 minutes at night so I think I'll give up on it. I'm about 12% in and not much as happened. Tonight I'm going to start Tender Morsels.
Watching: Travis and I decided to catch up on the Walking Dead so we've been watching one episode a night. I love it, and I hate it. I just get so scared! I'm also watching The Bachelor and loving how BONKERS it is. I'm waiting on pins and needles for the new season of RuPaul's Drag Race to start. So soon! The queens this year look really promising!
Working On: I just finished a photo book chronicling 2015, and now I'm going to start 2014. I ordered the first one and can't wait to see how it turns out. It ended up at 308 pages. Remember how I thought I didn't take enough photos last year? Ha!
Listening To: Podcasts as usual. I have been really enjoying story telling ones lately like The Moth. I've also been listening to lots of Beyonce after she put out the Formation single. I'm really sad that I will be out of town when she is here on tour. Why????????
Anticipating: But I'm still REALLY excited about going out of town. While Queen Bey is here in Nashville I'll be out in LA getting ready for DragCon and hopefully meeting RuPaul. I really can't wait!
Loving: We didn't do much for Valentine's Day, but we did go out with out best friends Crystal and Marc to see Alaska perform at Play! She is one of my favorite queens and she was hilarious! It was "open stage night" so we saw lots of amatuer queens and I feel like we'll be talking about it for years.
Here we are with Alaska, look at how tall she is!

Life Lately

The winter here finally got cold so I've been spending lots of time hanging with the dogs, watching tv. Last weekend Travis and I pulled out the sofa bed and spent a few days lounging around watching old favorites. It was so perfect. I'm tempted to pull the bed out again today! (Another snow day!)

I have kind of figured out work things for now. You might remember that I left my job at Whole Foods in September unexpectedly and wasn't sure what I wanted to do next. For now I am kind of piecing it together and working for myself most, which I love! I am doing product demos for several natural industry companies, doing shipt (on demand grocery delivery) and last week I got hired two days a week at a local vegan meal delivery service, My Veggie Chef. It is definitely an adjustment and a little scary to be out here without company health insurance and benefits, but for now it is working for me. I am much happier to have a break from the high stress I was under in the old job.

The most exciting news as of late? Crystal and I bought plane tickets and passes to go to Drag Con in LA in May! Ahhhhh!! We're gonna meet RuPaul! We talked about it casually, then realized that both of us being able to go might not come around again. She is self employed too. So we took the plunge! We are flying in a few days before, and staying a day after so we can hang with some friends and go to Little Japan and just have a great time in general. I'm already saving all I can for the trip. Outfit planning starts, NOW!

In other exciting news, we got a kitty shelf! We have talked about it for years, I'm not sure why we waited so long. The cats love it! They seem to be taking turns on it. Scampi lays on it all day, then Scout and Murray take turns once the sun goes down. 

Travis has hooked me up in the bath bomb department for the winter. Ahhhhh so lovely. The new intergalactic bomb from Lush is current favorite. He got me this "Happy Bathday" tin and stocks it back up when I'm running low. What a man.

I FINALLY picked out a photo and Crystal made me the most perfect wallet ever! The outside (and inside) are so glittery! I absolutely love it. You should check out her shop, Olivia Frankenstein. She can custom make you a wallet with almost anything on it!

Porter has now been with us for five weeks. Like I mentioned yesterday, they have a good lead on a family for him in Maryland. He is our fourth foster dog (though we hadn't fostered since 2010) and the best. Even if he REALLY doesn't want to go out in the snow.

That is pretty much all that has been going on lately.

1000 Posts!

This marks the 1000th post I've made on this blog! I have been keeping a personal blog since 1999 (when I was 14!), but started this public one in 2009. I love blogging and all the fun people I've met because of it. Thanks for sticking around and looking at too many pictures of everything I'm doing all the time. I don't see myself giving it up anytime soon, even though blogs seem to be going out of style.
I thought to celebrate I would do one of these "Currently" posts. 

Excited About: This already happened, but I'm still excited. Travis and I went to see Dolly Parton play at the Ryman Auditorium on Saturday night. It was her first show in Nashville in 13 years, and the Ryman is an amazing legendary venue. Beautiful acoustics and there isn't really a bad seat in the house (well, unless you get stuck behind a pole on the bottom level). We were in the middle of the balcony and had a wonderful view! My iphone sucks in these situations, but here was my view of Dolly:

 I had very high hopes for the night, and Dolly blew them all out of the water. She played for an hour and 40 minutes and every second of it was transcendent. Her voice sounded beautiful, her banter was hilarious, and she played guitar, banjo, dulcimer, autoharp, harmonica, piano and recorder! All bedazzled of course!And look at that outfit! Here is a better photo I stole from the city paper's website:

 Beautiful sparkling rainbow fringe. The curtains opened and you just saw her in silhouette coming out of some fog and I started bawling! Travis had to get out his hanky for me. I would only have been happier if she had sang "False Eyelashes" which might be my favorite Dolly song. I definitely wore false eyelashes to the show. She did an amazing a capella version of Little Sparrow that had everyone on their feet. Dolly Parton is a national treasure and I hope I have a chance to see her live again. But if not, this time was absolutely perfect. Could not have been better.

Reading: The Magician King by Lev Grossman. I'm in the middle of this trilogy and I'm loving it! The first book was described to me as "Harry Potter in college" and if that piques your interests, you should give it a try because it is so much more than that! The basic premise is a guy named Quintin has gone through life in a pretty normal way when he is whisked off to a secret college for magicians. In this world magic is mostly an application of skill and intelligence, not just the inherent gift of wizards. Throw in a Narnia type book series that ::spoiler alert:: turns out to be based on a real alternate reality and you've got something could not be more perfect for me. It gets pretty dark, and funny, and weird. Highly recommend!

Watching: So the last time I did this survey (November 2014) I was rewatching Gilmore Girls because they had just put it on Netflix. And now I am rewatching it again! Haha, I can't resist! I'm in season seven so it is about to be over. Wah! ALSO What We Do in the Shadows finally came out on blu ray so I've been watching that(commentary on and off) whenever Travis isn't home. (Not that he would care, most people just don't love watching the same thing over and over like I do.) Did you see it yet? I heard it is in Redbox, go get it now!

Working On: Planning our fall trip to the Pacific Northwest! Three months away! I'll be asking you guys for recommendations soon!

Listening To: These four albums are pretty much all I'm listening too. And podcasts of course. Current favorites are: What's the T, Throwing Shade, Who Charted?, Straight Talk with Ross Matthews and Mystery Show.

Anticipating: I've got lots of stuff coming up! Violet Chachki at Play this weekend, getting tattooed at Ink and Iron, a lake weekend for a friend's birthday, our PNW vacation...

Loving: I'm loving the summer season. If I could, I would go swimming every day! 

Life Lately: Christmas Edition!

Christmas is coming! And I've been trying to really enjoy the season this year. We went to our local Oddities shop, Hail, and got our photo with Satan Claws! I love these photos!

We have tickets to Hail's Dark Arts Holiday Masquerade Ball later this week. I bought a black velvet dress and I'm really excited for it. I hope it is fun!

A local brewery did a screening of Christmas Vacation with unlimited beer. So of course Travis had to go. That is his favorite movie of all time and he watches it all year long.

Here he is, legitimately stoked. It was so fun! The best part was at the end when the sewer gas makes the reindeer fly through the air and Aunt Bethany starts singing the star spangled banner, everyone in the audience sang along. What a great night.

We took the pugs to see Santa at Petsmart. Santa and Priscilla both had a hard time looking at the camera. Ho ho ho!

We went to my parents house and decorated cookies for them to take to their neighbors. I need to make some this week to take to my work's Secret Santa party.

I got my decorating done last week and I love it this year! I'll try to take some real photos later this week. It is such a bummer that it gets dark so early. I work in the mornings and it is always dark when I get home.

I'm in a vintage kitschmas group on facebook and someone mentioned their grandparents had window boxes like mine and always put bottle brush trees up on top. I will do that forever now. How cute!

Monster Christmas Mash is just as awful/great as you think it will be.

Got two movies I've been waiting on in the mail. I'm sure you saw Guardians of the Galaxy, but did you see Frank? It is so good. If you like weird movies you'll be into it. Michael Fassbender is incredible in it.

I was going to do a day in the life type post but I forgot most of the day and just took pictures when we went out to lunch. Here is a portrait of Travis at Happy Cow.

I got the nachos! I ALWAYS get the nachos. They are so good I just can't take a chance on anything else. I've never had better vegan queso.

And we had some chocolate almond pie. Mmmmm.

We went to an art crawl in downtown Nashville, but mostly just ended up walking around with our friends. Apparently this area is getting turned into a luxury hotel, so this might be our last photo with the nude karaoke sign.

I met a mini poodle named Bowie! It made me want a tiny poodle even more! Gosh he was cute, and sweet! And sassy.

Here is Phyllis and I in the backyard watching Travis burn junk mail. Hope you're having a good holiday season! I have one more present to buy then I'm done!

Currently

I've had a full plate lately, with not even time to get online and read blogs! Horrors! I'll finish up posting about my vacation soon but I thought I would do one of these check in posts to share what I've been up to.

Reading: I'm up in the 90's of my 100 books in 2014 goal, I'm pretty sure I'm going to make it. Last week I left my current book at work (horrors!) and needed something to read in the tub. Like you do. I picked up this old favorite and realized Harriet is kind of my style icon. Have you read Harriet the Spy? It's so good!
But back to my new book goal, I'm currently in the middle of the Chrestomanci series by Diana Wynne Jones. She wrote Howl's Moving Castle, which I read earlier in the year and loved. Her books are for young adults I guess but I love her style and how magical her writing is. The world she creates feels so real, I highly recommend her if you like that kind of thing.

Watching: Like every other woman around my age I'm re-watching Gilmore Girls since they put it on Netflix. I have all the season's on dvd but it so much more fun to watch 3 (or 4, or 10) in a row! When it first aired I was the same age as Rory, but now I'm only two years away from Lorelei's age when the series started! It's so weird! And the show is SO GOOD! I'm loving it all over again, and seriously how long did it take ::spoiler alert:: Luke and Lorelei to get together? I'm almost done with season four and I can't take it anymore! Also, Rory is the worst. Anyone else watching it?  
Working On: I'm still getting through our vacation photos and trying to make a blurb book of them. I keep starting those books, but I never finish. I'm trying to get more of my photos off the computer!
Listening To: The Book of Mormon soundtrack on repeat. STILL. It is just so good! We finally got to see it last night at TPAC. We bought the tickets in August and it felt like it would never come! We went with some friends and the boys dressed up for the occasion. Here they are cheesin' at dinner. We went to Two Boots for pizza. Yum!

Travis even got interviewed by the local paper! Ha! The show was incredible. I have never laughed so hard. I shouldn't have worn mascara because it was running into my eyes! I loved it so much I was tempted to go by tonight and try to get the lottery tickets. I want to see it again already!

Anticipating: I had so much planned for October and the beginning of November now it feels like I have nothing left to look forward too! There are lots of movies I'm excited about coming out soon (The Hobbit, Mockingjay, Big Eyes, Into the Woods, to name a few) so that is exciting. And I'm going to start decorating for Christmas this weekend. 
Loving: I got my kitsune tattoo colored after six months of it being just line work. It is so bright and beautiful! I didn't take a photo before it entered the gross peely phase so here is her little head peeking out of the bandage. I'm in love with it. I just need one more session and that half sleeve is done. I just wish it wasn't all the underside of my arm left. Ouch.

And what is an instagram photo post without a cute photo of the pugs. And this one really takes the cake! Look at them in their raincoats! The most precious creatures in the world!

Currently

currently:

watching: At this exact moment, Ghostbusters 2. I'm so happy that RuPaul's Drag Race started two weeks ago! So far I'm into Adore Delano, BenDeLaCreme, Milk, and Courtney Act.
A few days ago I went to our local drag club, Play, to see season 6 contestant Gia Gunn! She is so gorgeous in person! I didn't get to meet her (the show didn't start until 1 am and I had to drag myself home at 3 before it was over) but I'm glad I went. Any other Drag Race fans out there? Who are you into this season?

thinking about: Our vacation in July. Which is too far away to be thinking about! But I just can't wait to spend a week at the beach with our best friends. July can't come soon enough! Also, I get four weeks of vacation time this year, and Travis just gets two. I'm wondering if I should take a little solo trip somewhere. 

anticipating: Two nights of Weezer in April! Oh my GOSH I was freaking out when these shows got announced and could't sleep the night before they went on sale. I even had a dream about it last night! A friend is hosting a "Preezer" (pre-weezer) party before the first night and we're going to make all Weezer themed food. So far I've thought of making Pink Triangle cookies and "I'll Bring Home the Turkey if You'll Bring Home the Bacon" sandwiches. It's going to be so amazing! I will probably cry, more than once. I'm sure you'll get a nostalgic how much I love weezer post before the shows. Did I ever tell that the first time I ever talked to Travis was the first time I saw Weezer live, back in 2002? An auspicious beginning. 

working on: Purging stuff. I said this in January and thankfully I'm still doing it! Last week I deep cleaned my craft room and threw away 4 bags of trash and took 3 big boxes to Goodwill! Travis has been taking my piles of books and cds to McKay's, a local place that actually gives you decent money for your used stuff. We used the credit to get an iPad and a Kindle! Both are old models but that works for me! Next I am going to tackle our front room. It is FULL of boxes and bags and has been that way for more than two years. I keep saying I'll share before pictures on here to make me work on it, but it's too embarrassing! But it feels so good to go in my newly clean and organized craft room. Maybe I'll even sew again!

listening too: The Snap Judgement podcast. I used to occasionally catch it on our local NPR station but recently started downloading it. I LOVE it! If you like This American Life you should give it a chance. It has a similar format of stories on a theme each week. Don't tell Ira, but I think I might like Snap Judgement a little better! 

loving: Beyond Meat Feisty Crumbles. Fellow vegans/vegetarians you have to get on this! I already liked their fake chicken strips but the crumbles are even better! I've never been a fan of any mock ground beef and would have rather just gone without. But saute a bag of this up,add some Frank's Red Hot and I'm salivating! Taco night at my house will never be the same. We have been making the Pinto Beans with Ancho Chili Sauce from this cookbook (which I highly recommend!). I am setting a limit of once every two weeks, or I might be having it every night. 

Also, Travis and I have been making it a point to spend time together at home not just with the tv on, and both of us looking at computers. (That is part of the reason for my internet absence lately.) A few nights ago we played this game, Go For Broke, that I bought at an estate sale. The goal is to be the first to spend $1,000, 000! It was really fun! We also recently did a puzzle which was fun until the end. All we have left is a bunch of trees and I'm over trying to make those vague leaf patterns!

reading: Today I finished book 24 of my 100 books in 2014 goal! I had to call out of work because of ice last week (the first time ever!) and I laid in bed and read an entire book, start to finish! It felt so indulgent! I used to do that all the time during summer breaks. 

And bonus, here is my favorite instagram post lately. My friend brought her baby over and Travis and he matched! Travis always seems to match our nephew (it's all the plaid) but who knew he would match a baby wearing a fluffy pink bear suit! Look at those cuties.

Currently

 

currently: 

reading: I just started a new series by Gail Carriger. It is YA and about a finishing school for girls who are going to be spies/assasins. I love it so far!

watching: We discovered the British series An Idiot Abroad and are OBSESSED! It is a travel documentary but the star, Karl Pilkington is not interested in travel and hates everything. Ricky Gervais sends him to the seven wonders of the world in the first series. It is so hilarious. Check it out of you have Netflix!

thinking about: Budgeting! We are really into that right now. Travis' car just died (again!) and we've decided to become a one car household (for a while at least.) So he got a bus pass and swears he likes it so far. We've been using the "Home Budget" app and I highly recommend it. It is like using the envelope system but you don't have to have cash and it syncs up between our phones. We've been using it for two months and have already been able to save a significant amount. 

anticipating: Hopefully going to see a college production of Dreamgirls at TSU tomorrow! And going to see our nephew Ellis in February. We don't have any solid big travel plans yet this year so I'm looking forward to making some!

listening too: Podcasts or the new Beyonce album. That is really it. I don't know how many more times I'll be able to make Travis list to "Partition." It is so good though!

working on: Purging stuff. I went through our living room bookcase yesterday and have a huge box of stuff to take to a used bookstore. I'm in that place where it feels really good to get rid of things I know I won't use. Hopefully it lasts a while!

loving: My new tattoo! I got it yesterday, and it is on the back of my right thigh. It was a very painful spot, but i love how it looks! Can you believe this is my first vintage related/kistchy tattoo? I posted a photo from my collection on instagram, and my friend Eli said he would love to tattoo one! I can't believe I hadn't thought of it before!
I'm also feeling pretty proud of myself for doing karaoke in public for the first time! My work holiday party was last night, and I got up and did "Time of My Life" (you know, the one from Dirty Dancing) with my good friend Ryan. I was really nervous to do it, but it ended up being so fun!

Currently

I had a root canal today. Half of my face is still numb and Travis wouldn't stop laughing at how it looks when I drank from a straw. Haha! I can't wait to regain feeling in my face! The actual precedure wasn't bad, except for a woman in another room SCREAMING! The hygienist told that woman was a huge drama queen, and they weren't even working on her while she was screaming. Haha! Now that I'm home my teeth really hurt. Ugh. I hope it will be better soon. Now I will listen to my mother and go in for my regular cleanings. 

While I'm stuck at home recuperating I thought I would fill one of these out: 

currently: 

reading: I'm still making it through the Game of Thrones series. I'm around 2300 pages in, with about 1200 to go! I still like it a lot! Next I want to read some more Neil Gaiman books. My "To Read stack is a little out of control, so no more new books, and no checking stuff out of the library until I make a dent!

watching: We are watching Orange is the New Black on Netflix. Have you seen it yet? It is fantastic! I wasn't so sure a Netflix original series would be worth watching but it totally is! We're also trying out the free trial of Amazon Prime and I've been watching old seasons of America's Next Top Model! Total guilty pleasure. Travis is NOT into it. 

thinking about: We are going to try and spend as little money as possible for the next month. Well, other than going to the world's longest yard sale again. That means no nights at the movies and no eating out 4 time a week!  It will be an experiment for sure. 

anticipating: Our trip to California at the end of August! I just confirmed that Richard Simmons WILL be in town while we're there. So we are definitely be taking a class with him! Ah! That is at the top of my already exciting list of things to do while we're on the west coast. 

listening too: Mostly podcasts, as usual. How Did This Get Made and Who Charted are still my favorites. 

working on: cleaning out our front room. I keep saying I'm going to take pictures of it to share, but it's too embarrassing! It is full of boxes from when we moved, stuff from my parents house I haven't opened in 5+ years and tons of vintage finds. Travis has been making me go through boxes and throw lots of stuff away, so hopefully we'll have a useable room by the end of the summer!

loving: Our little nephew Ellis! Isn't this a sweet picture? Baby Ellis looks a lot like Travis did when he was a baby! They even have the same widow's peak. I can't wait to go visit him again. 

Currently...

Oh man, I've been sick for a week! Mostly just terrible window rattling coughs and a completely stuffed up nose. It is getting really old. Thankfully I think I'm finally on the tail end of it. I've been taking vitamin C and fenugreek/thyme like crazy!  Do you like my KALE sweatshirt? I got it free from work and it is one of the dorkiest things I own.  I have some great finds to show you, but I haven't gone through the pictures yet. I went to a really amazing sale this past week and I can't wait to show you! Until then I thought I would fill out this little survey. I've never done it before, but I've always enjoyed seeing other bloggers do it!
currently:
loving: Rupaul's Drag Race All Stars!! Is anyone else watching it? I love that they brought back the fan favorites, thought I wish it was going to be a whole season! I'm team Latrice/Manilla, but wouldn't be made if Jujubee/Raven won. They post the episodes on logotv.com every Tuesday if you are interested! In my opinion it is the best show on television!
reading: I just finished How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran. I had high hopes as it was supposed to be a modern, funny, take on feminism, but it was just ok. Next I'm going to read Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach. I've heard a lot of good stuff about it! I have also been rereading all my Clutch zines, since I finally got issue 19. I used to order tons of zines and indie comics a few years ago, and I'm trying to get back in the habit. It is a great way to support small business.
watching: I just rewatched Freaks and Geeks on netflix and am sad all over again that there is only one season. Such a bummer. We watched a National Geographic documentary on North Korea last night that kind of blew my mind. And full disclosure, Travis and I are currently watching Magic Mike! Haha, he rented it! Have you watched anything interesting on Netflix instant lately? I can always use suggestions!
thinking about: The upcoming holiday retail season and how much I'm dreading it! Maybe someday I won't be in retail and I'll be able to enjoy it more.
anticipating: Putting up my Christmas decorations! And a trip I get to take to Naples, Florida because of work after Thanksgiving. And I'm looking forward to election season being over. So much unpleasantness everywhere. I'll be glad when the winner is announced and I can stop worrying about it.
listening too: Mostly podcasts. My favorites are The Nerdist, Ronna and Beverly, and This American Life. Today while deep cleaning our room I listened to the Backstreet Boys station on Pandora and really loved it! Lots of Boyz II Men and power ballads to sing along too. I finally bought the most recent Tilly and the Wall record as well. It is ok.
working on: Pricing Christmas stuff for my booth. I need to go in and see my numbers for October but honestly I'm scared to.