Category: Ask Me Anything

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trees and lights and holidays

Halloween has always been the holiday I go all out for, but once upon a time, I used to go wild for Christmas too. Back when my mother and I were sharing a home, we strung up hundreds and hundreds of lights on the house, bushes, even the lawn. We did a big tree and a Christmas village that took up an entire table.

Since moving out to live alone, I haven’t had room for a tree or much desire to decorate inside, and for a long time, I lived in places where decorating outside didn’t matter as no one would see it. This year, I fell in love with a tree with fiber-optic lights and decided to co-opt the corner of my living room to put up a tree.

I don’t have anything on it yet, but I have ornaments coming. I need to find a tree topper that won’t topple my wee little tree and maybe some garland.

I also got some lights for outside, I just need to find the oomph to get them up.

I will also need to go help Mom get her tree up sometime in the next week or so. For today though? I’m nursing my back that I seem to have injured by sleeping last night.

Photo by Thalia Ruiz on Unsplash

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numbers add up

On one hand, this week just disappeared. On the other hand, well it was a week.

When I first started my adult career, I worked in data. I was good at it, but it didn’t really fulfill me. Then I recognized a need for someone to take over writing a number of policies and procedures and I did both for a long time. Eventually, I found my way into a job that was 90% writing and it felt like coming home.

I’ve been a technical writer for over 20 years now, and yet, somehow, data still finds its way into my work day. This week that was NPS scores. Because I own the tool that allows us to pop up NPS scores directly in our platform, it falls to me to do the read out. My VP asked me yesterday to share our current NPS scores and some awesome comments in our “Weekly Wins” call. That lead to being asked to do a deep dive to provide info to our Marketing team and our CTO.

We’ve been running the survey since May of this year, and we currently sit at a solid 50, which is pretty damn good.

But now it’s the weekend and I’m hoping to get some writing done, clean the house, take the dog to the park, grocery shopping with Mom, etc. Right this minute, however, I have some Death Wish Coffee in my cup and a blank page staring at me.

Photo by Joshua Sortino on Unsplash

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BOOKS! I have books!

As I work my way back into the writing groove, everything feels rusty and foreign. I’ve written a poem a day so far this month, some of them suck, some are okay. I’m attempting to be more present on social media…well, Threads anyway. I’ve tried to maintain a posting schedule here (Wednesdays and Saturdays).

This weekend I hope to work on one of the novels I’ve got started

The world seems so dark right now, that I need to find the light where I can and my characters are the light I choose.

However, I also need to get some cleaning done. And shopping. Somehow Thanksgiving is next week! Oh! And that means that Christmas is around the corner. Do you have readers on your list this year?

I have hardback and paperback copies of most of my novels on hand. I am happy to personalize and sign and mail them out to you!

Hardbacks $20 ($35 for 2, $50 for 3) +shipping
Paperbacks $10 ($15 for 2, $25 for 3) +shipping

If you are interested, reach out to me via email. Let me know which book(s) you want, how you want them personalized, and make sure to include a mailing address. I’ll get back to you on the shipping cost. I can take Paypal, Venmo, cashapp and Zelle for payment.

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random thoughts and stray dogs

I have a mess of thinky thoughts roiling around in my brain this morning. Thoughts about veterans, about stray dogs. Thoughts about consent being a thing we need to cultivate and honor starting with out kids. Thoughts about books and writing. Thoughts about family and Yule and Thanksgiving.

Days like this are hard on the ability to write. I can’t focus on any one thing for too long because my head is just swimming.

This week I rescued a wee dog that was abandoned at the dog park. He’s a chihuahua mix, about a year old and un-neutered. Someone just left him there alone. He’s a sweetheart of a pup. He gets so excited anytime I come into the room. Part of me wishes I could keep him, but I know I can’t. My landlady would have a fit.

I’m still thoroughly enjoying Threads (https://www.threads.net/@nataliejcase) where I am connecting and interacting with lots of new folks. I’m almost to 600 followers over there!

I’m going to be running a sale on books, I just need to run an inventory of what I have on hand. I have hardbacks and paperbacks. I’m also running a special for the holidays where I will write poetry or short stories for you to give as a gift to someone special in your life.

Today is veterans day. My dad was a veteran, several family members are as well. We owe a lot to those who were willing to put themselves in harms way to keep the world safe.

I did say it’s a mess in my head today, right? Anyway, happy Saturday, Readers. I hope the weekend is kind.

Photo by Chad Madden on Unsplash

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most of us

Democracy won in a lot of places last night.

I don’t write much about politics on this blog, but I am a political person. I am a liberal and progressive. I believe in LGBTQIA+ rights, voting rights, and the right of women to control their own bodies.

Last night women and Gen Z turned out and told Republicans that they are out of touch with the majority of Americans.

The thing is, most of us don’t want to go backward. Most of us want more rights, not less. Most of us want to let LGBTQIA+ live their lives and have the same rights that everyone else does. Most of us want everyone to have the chance to vote. Most of us want women to be able to make decisions about their own bodies. Most of us don’t buy into the conspiracy theories.

Republicans seem to be stuck in a mindset that most of us don’t share.

Now, we just need to carry that momentum into next year. And I need another cup of coffee.

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getting back in the swing

Even though I’m largely back to myself, albeit significantly changed by the last year, things still feel kind of stilted and off. Somehow, I never really recognize a depression cycle until I’m coming out the other end.

And really, how did I not think that something like my father’s death would send me down a spiral?

I’m trying to write every day again, though I’m not ready to work on any of the novels I have partially written. I’m trying to at least put words on a page. I’ve even started a new story that I think will be a short story.

Despite the depression and grieving, both of which dialed up my agoraphobia quite a bit, I have done some pleasure travel this year mixed in with all the trips to Tucson.

My mother, brother, and I went to New Orleans in September for 8 days. We had such a great time. And, I was just back there this past weekend for some Halloween fun with friends.

This weekend I need to focus on getting some housework done, this place is a mess. It always gets like this when I’m depressed.

I’m taking a huge step next year and going to a Supernatural convention in SF. I’ve always wanted to go to one, but my agoraphobia makes it super difficult, but I’m in a place now where I can actually afford the high-end tickets and I scored a front-row seat. I both terrified and excited!

So yeah, working my way back to something that resembles a normal life.

You can follow me on Threads and/or Blue Sky and I am still on Instagram.

Photo by Kayra Sercan on Unsplash

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the year that was and the year that will be

Ah, New Year’s…that time of hope and good will and the best intentions. We say good riddance to the year that was and throw open our arms to embrace the year to come.

As a general rule, I do my goal setting and reminiscing about the year at Samhain, but it’s been a hell of a year.

I moved from Walnut Creek out to Stockton to be closer to my mom and brother. I went to Star Wars Celebration. I got a dog. I published three novels. I lost my father and stepped into the caretaker role for my stepmother. I got to go to Nashville to see Radio Company in their first public gig.

In April, I wrote a poem every single day. I finished writing one book and got a third of the way into the next.

I got to catch up with some family I haven’t seen in forever, and meet some family I had never met.

I generally suck at keeping up with any schedules or such when it comes to posting daily or weekly or whathaveyou…but I’d like to get back to a more regular posting schedule. When I started this blog, I committed to posting here every Mon-Weds-Fri, but life got in the way, so maybe I’ll attempt Saturdays and Wednesdays. One of those days I’ll post something about my writing process/progress and the other whatever comes to mind.

I’m also wanting to get back to writing more poetry, so you may see more of that too.

Here’s a wish for you, Readers: May 2023 bring you peace, joy, and love. May your coffee be strong, your food delicious, your sleep restful and your heart filled with kindness. Goodbye 2022, the year that was, and welcome 2023, the year that will be.

Photo by Moritz Knöringer on Unsplash

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the joys of being a growed up person

For a lot of years, I worked for a company that shut down for the week between Christmas and New Year’s. Then there was enough PTO available in my next jobs that I could take it off. This year, I opted to not take the time off, even though I could.

It’s always an odd week. Half the company is off on vacation, which means there are no meetings. The normal cadence of the week is off. But, that also means more time to get work done.

However, I find myself more easily distracted by random things. I head to the kitchen to get a drink and end up cleaning off a counter. I go to the bathroom to take care of business and end up rounding up towels for the laundry. Go out to get the mail and end up playing with the dog.

It doesn’t help that the weather has us cooped up in the house. It’s been wet and rainy for days. Poor Athena doesn’t understand why we haven’t been to the park, but she gets so dirty! And bathing her is a chore and a half.

I’ll be heading back to Arizona for a few days in a couple of weeks, to accompany my stepmother to a few appointments. Haven’t decided how I’m getting there just yet, with the current state of air travel.

I need to go out today to get the car smog tested so I can finish the registration stuff, and I need a few groceries besides.

I’d rather curl up on the couch with a book and a cuppa.

Ah well, the joys of being a growed up.

Photo by Ismi Fitri Hodijah on Unsplash

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season’s greetings and all that jazz

This holiday season has not felt particularly joyous. It’s taken me most of the month to muster up any amount of holiday spirit. My Yule consisted of lighting a single candle and staring at it for most of an hour. My Christmas Eve was essentially my annual watching of Die Hard and then crawling into bed.

I didn’t sleep well, in part because I did something to aggravate my back injury and in part because I could NOT shut my brain off.

While Christmas is not a religious holiday for me, it is a day to be spent with family, and sure enough, I’ll be headed over to my brother’s place later today for presents and food. I promised my stepmother I’d call when I got over there so everyone can say Merry Christmas. She’ll be spending the day with friends.

I can remember a time when I went all out for Christmas, particularly when the girls were small. I decorated the whole house and I bought extravagant gifts. I cooked and baked and took great pleasure in gifting people treats from my kitchen.

Maybe I’ll find my way back there someday, but for today, I just want to be with the ones I love, cuddle some puppies and enjoy being alive.

Whatever you celebrate, I hope today is filled with love and happiness, Readers. Be kind to yourself and those around you.

Photo by Rodion Kutsaiev on Unsplash

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finding my happy place

It’s been a hell of a year. I’ve struggled, I’ve persevered, I’ve almost given up. I’ve had my feet knocked out from under me, I’ve accomplished some amazing things, I’ve lost people I loved.

While I have worked at keeping my head up and my eyes on the horizon, it hasn’t been easy, and that’s saying something coming off of two years of lockdown. One of the great joys of my life has been denied to me through the pandemic, the joy of live music and photography.

I’ve been to a few gigs, but not nearly as many as I usually attend in a year, even if you add up all of 2020, 2021, and 2022!

So, it gives me great pleasure (and great anxiety) to be heading off to Nashville today to see the band Radio Company perform in their first public gig.

The show is tomorrow night, and I’m boarding a plane tonight at around 11:15pm, hopefully, to sleep my way across the country. With a brief layover in DC, I’ll arrive in Nashville somewhere around 10am, get an Uber to the hotel, and see if I can manage an early check-in.

I’m mostly solo this trip, though I know a few of the folks who will be at the gig. This is something that’s added to my anxiety. I don’t have my usual friend bubble to protect me when things get…tight. I do, however, have Xanax, so I should be okay.

I’m mostly packed, other than clothes, because I’m still deciding on clothes. I’m leaning toward a dress, boots, and stylish hat. Since I’m turning around and flying home on Tuesday afternoon, so I don’t need to bring much more, as I can wear the same clothes I travel to Nashville home from Nashville.

I have a little time to do some wandering around and souvenir/Christmas shop, but not a lot.

I’m just hoping to disconnect myself from the stress and emotional turmoil of the year and immerse myself in music and doing what I love.

I hope y’all have some fun planned for yourself during this season of much ado. And I hope your holidays are marvelous, dearest Readers.

Photo by Magnus Lunay on Unsplash