Tag: vacation

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prepping for a convention when you’re agoraphobic

So, Star Wars Celebration. We leave after midnight on Wednesday to drive down to LA. To say that my anxiety is off the charts is an understatement.

The last few days in Rockaway Beach, and the few days off between that and leaving have been helpful, but as we get closer, my anxiety climbs.

One of my coping mechanisms is to make sure that I can control all the things that can be controlled. This means many different things: lots of lists for making sure I don’t forget anything, planning routes (even though google maps is my copilot), knowing as much info as possible, etc.

It also means ensuring that I have the things on hand I need to cope: Xanax (hopefully, getting a new prescription since I moved has been work), having my camera with enough battery/memory cards for the time I’ll be there, etc. I plan on requesting ADA support so I can have access to the quiet rooms if needed, and to cut down on the number of people I need to stand in line with for things.

I will also have my brother and his oldest (adult) child with me, who both have never been to anything like this before, so I’ll have caring duties to attend, which always lets me get outside my own head.

Don’t get me wrong, I am SO excited for this, despite the fact that I have never attempted so huge a convention before. It’s just that running right along that excitement is absolute terror. I have probably thought about every possible thing that could go wrong…and invented a hundred more.

So here, let me share some pics from my time at the ocean last week.

Rockaway Beach, Oregon

Rockaway Beach, Oregon

Anyway, I’ll have a full report for you when I get back, Readers. Stay safe and sane and kind.

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road trip

It’s twelve thirty in the morning. I’m waiting for second coffee to finish brewing so I can fill my travel mug and head out on the first road trip since the before times. The cats have food and water and clean litter boxes. The house is mostly clean. Mom is coming to watch the kitties.

Once the coffee is ready, I’ll run through my checklist one more time, shut off the computer, start the dishwasher and finish putting stuff in the car. I should be on the road by 1:30 ~ish, which should put me at my destination around noon.

I went to bed around 6pm to prep for this, and despite being super tired, my sleep was a bit crappy. I slept best early on, but then I was awake at least once an hour after 8pm. Finally gave up at a little after 11 because all I was doing was worrying about stupid stuff and stressing myself out.

I have the next two weeks off of work. A few days in Oregon with my girls, a few days at home to relax, then Star Wars Celebration. My low mileage insurance is going to go bonkers! LOL. Next month’s insurance bill is going to suck.

So, I hope you have a wonderful couple of weeks and get to take some time just for yourself, Readers.

I’m off to pour some coffee and get things moving.

Photo by Leio McLaren on Unsplash

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let us chill

This is the first of two short weeks for me on the day job. This week, I’m driving up to the Oregon coast to hang out with friends I haven’t seen in 3 years or more. I anticipate a lot of talking, a lot of laughing and a lot of relaxing.

I’m only taking my tablet for keeping up with the world outside, mostly because I’m awaiting some edits from an editor that I’d like to see as soon as they come in. I’m likely bringing a book or two since I’m an early riser and a nice quiet cup of coffee with a book is appealing to me.

The following weekend will not be as quiet or relaxing, as I head to Anaheim for Star Wars Celebration. I am absolutely terrified for multiple reasons, not the least of which is my agoraphobia. I’ve never attempted such a big convention before. I’m going with my brother and his oldest kid (who is not a kid anymore) so I have assistance and also care taking to do (as kid also has crowd issues) which helps me cope. Then there’s the whole pandemic thing. I haven’t been in a crowd more than five people since this whole thing started.

There’s going to be thousands.

We also have Disney After Dark tickets for that Friday night and tickets to see a friend at a music venue in Hollywood that Saturday night, so…it’s going to be a long, stressful, but awesome weekend. There is a lot I’m looking forward to! And costumes! I do love getting to dress up!

Needless to say, these activities will cut into some of the stuff I do on the regular, like posting my Word of the Day and other such fun, but I’m sure I’ll come home with tales to tell.

I hope the weekend has treated you with kindness, Readers! I’m off to finish my coffee and start my packing.

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when words flow like water

There is a particular spot when writing a book, at least for me, when I’ve found the path, and the plot is clear and my characters are feeling very chatty, and it just flows out of my fingers and into the keyboard.

I’ve recently hit that point with the second Blood Witch book.

The problem with that is, all I want to do is write, to get it all down and find the ending. It’s a glorious feeling, but it does tend to interfere with real life. I still have to work, and there’s other obligations to meet. I can’t actually sit my ass down at my computer and write all day, every day.

That said, I do have some vacation days coming, and I’m hoping that I can get my zero draft finished before the end of the year. I just have to get from here to December 24th, grabbing writing time where I can, then I have a whole week (plus a day or two) off to write.

I hope you are all well, and keeping yourself, and your families safe during this hell-fire of a year. Drink some water. Wash your hands. Wear your mask. Stay home as much as you can. I love you all, Readers!

Cover Photo by Roma Ryabchenko on Unsplash

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getting girly

I am, most definitively, a woman.  I have never been a “girly” woman.  The most girly I get is the treat of having someone else color my hair for me, and even then, I have a pretty straightforward cut that is easy to style (or not) to keep it all pretty low maintenance.

I am, however, getting ready to go on vacation, and I was suddenly struck with a deep desire to have my nails done, so yesterday after the gym, I stopped into a nail salon and had a mani/pedi and got my face de-haired.  I originally just asked for my eyebrows, but then decided to let her do my upper and lower lip, chin and cheeks.  Ever since I started using the Nuva ring to help control my out of control menstrual cycle, my facial hair has gone bonkers.

It’s been ages since I did any of that.  Add in the massage chair during the pedicure, and I was feeling pretty pampered.  And today I have an appointment with my amazing hair stylist who is going to re-green my hair for me.

I’m feeling downright girly!

Since today is Saturday, there’s been quite a bit of writing as well, with my focus once more on the Daughters of Morru book.  Toss in some coffee and clothing I haven’t been able to wear in years?  Yeah, it’s a good day.

How about you, Readers?  What’s on your agenda for this final weekend in July?

Photo by Kris Atomic on Unsplash

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cabin fever

About this time of year, I start to itch for travel.  I want a weekend away, or a road trip or an adventure. It’s the same every year.  The middle of February brings with it a need to do something, anything, as long as it is away from here.

For a lot of years, I went to a Pagan convention in San Jose, CA on President’s day weekend, and that scratched the itch pretty successfully.  The last few years though, that convention has become too much for me.  I’m thrilled that they’ve grown so much, but at the same time, it is really hard for me to cope with that many people for four days.

So this President’s Day weekend, I’m here at home, still itching to go somewhere, do something.  Which is difficult when you are purposefully not spending money and working hard to put money aside for planned holidays in the fall.

I’d love to sit on a beach and watch the sun set…and rise again…or sit beside a roaring fire while the snow falls outside the cabin.

So for today I’m going to focus on giving myself a “me” day.  I have an appointment today to have my hair colored and trimmed, and when I get back, I’ll maybe have a nice soak in the tub and such, while reminding myself of the shenanigans I have planned in September in LA and the convention in October in Denver.

What about you, Readers?  Has cabin fever set in?  How do you deal with it?

Happy Saturday!  I’m off to enjoy this cup of coffee and see about getting some words down on paper.