Currently...

Reading: Pronto by Elmore Leonard. Since I've loved the series Justified (which is based off of Leonard's books) for at least a couple of seasons now, thanks to accidentally watching it on a knit-binge weekend, I always wanted to check out the books. Every time I went to the bookstore (either Half Price or a new bookstore), I could either not find any of his books, or didn't really have time to look. So when I finally found a copy of one of the Raylan Givens novels, I bit the bullet and picked it up. I am really enjoying it so far, and it is likely going to be the cause for a new Book Club Monday post, once I finish it!

Listening to: The Gaslight Anthem's 2012 album Handwritten is playing as I write this courtesy of Spotify. I tend to forget about certain bands or even that they have new music, since I get so comfortable with the music I like! There are a few that I will still pick up a hard copy of at a store on the day of release, but for the most part, I like my Premium Spotify subscription so I can catch a listen of most things. That, and my awful 90's music obsession has taken a turn for the worse - I have 90's radio stations on both Spotify and Pandora, and I'm not even mad about it! The best part has to be that I never knew how sexual most boy bands' music was back when I liked it - probably for the best.

Thinking about: How I need to make a change with some aspect of my life. I have a great job and a nice apartment, but I have really been thinking about meeting some new people. A big part of everyone's life is friends, and I don't have many in Milwaukee, though I have been here since about 2008. There are some good summer events coming up, though, so I hope that if I put myself out there enough, it will be for the best and I'll get to meet some new faces. It's a struggle, especially as an adult in a city where I only have work friends, but I am going to do my best with it for once, instead of just clamming up and not feeling good about myself because of it. Can't know if you don't try!

Eating: Every day when I get home from work, I have to have flatbread or pita and hummus. It is probably my favorite snack as of late, and I'm almost out of hummus so it's good that I have to go to the store in a couple of days!

Watching: I got another free 3 months of HBO thanks to U-Verse, so I re-upped it to watch the new True Blood season. With that, however, comes use of their On Demand channel, so I've been watching some documentaries and newer movies, as well.

Loving: My sleazy new aviator sunglasses! They make me look hilarious. I have a great habit of smashing every pair of sunglasses I've owned the past few years. Whether accidentally breaking a stem off in a jacket pocket or breaking out lenses, I've done it all. Knowing I was going to be driving a lot this weekend, I decided to check out some of the junky ten dollar sunglasses Walgreens had to offer. I found this pair and brought them to the checkout, where the clerk told me they were buy one get one free! So I got these and a pair of black and mint colored plastic ones. I swear, it's the little things in life that get you by - sunglasses or not!

Currently...

Sitting in bed with a sleeping cat, ready to go to bed myself, and decided to write a little note to just say that I am still alive. See, I've spent the last few months learning how to live again. As dramatic as that sounds, its' true.

It ended with a text message that read 'you are dead to me'. I knew it was over from there. Packed up, moved out, and I was left with the haunted house. Not haunted, literally, but haunted by the love that once lived between these walls. Haunted by what used to be and what isn't anymore. Instead of staying friends, I decided that for me, for my own sanity, it was better to cut all ties. I didn't want to play games, and I didn't want him to, either.

For everyone that thinks that it's easy to break up with someone you lived with, let me just tell you that it isn't. It sucks. Coming home to what looks like a ransacked living room, that only looks that way because the couch, TV stand, and TV are gone, and all that's left is a pile of cable boxes and the line in the carpet where his couch used to be. I rented a Rug Doctor like an adult - got rid of all the stains, as good as a chalk outline so far as I was concerned. The outline of the death of our relationship.

Before thinking that I'm wallowing in some sort of self-pity over here, let me just say that no, that isn't the case. In the two or so months since this has happened, I've gotten promoted at work, got a new car, and have a moderately successful handmade business. All in two months. I don't have time to wallow - hell, I barely have time to work some days! I'll leave you guys with a few pictures from life these days - and promise that I'm working hard, as my show schedule slows down, to get back to writing. It's not something I like not doing. It feels like something is missing, to me, and I'm more than ready to get back to the way life should be.

An amazing sunrise on my way to work!

A recent show's booth setup.

The crazy waves here in the MKE due to
Superstorm Sandy.

Cupcakes I made as a Halloween surprise for the shop -
I made a little mess with the frosting, as usual.

My Day of the Dead makeup from hosting trivia
on Halloween night!

Me hanging with my favorite little dude.