Dad says I need to write

I talked to my Dad yesterday, as I munched on tuna salad (like, a salad with tuna on top -- not a sandwich with tuna salad in between the bread).

He said our friends Rick and Maureen (also my former landlords extraordinaire) want to know how my book is coming.

Ummmm[gurgly eschewing-the-question noises]mmmmmmmmm, I said.

[Laughter], Dad said.

Daddy Dearest then requested that I get some writing in "before you forget how to do it."

Admittedly, I have started -- and abandoned -- several blog posts in the last couple of weeks.

The book hasn't been touched since last year, I'm pretty sure.

But since FATHER asked specifically, I will write SOMETHING here and then post it and you're welcome.

The good news is I have been very active in 2016, so I have plenty of material to draw from. So let's begin with a smattering of thoughts and musings, shall we?

Onward.

#1. I am becoming one with karaoke.

I would say I'm obsessed. I would say I'm falling in love. But as I dissect it more closely, I'd have to say that karaoke is just becoming a part of me.

(Normally), when one first begins singing karaoke, the number one emotion tied to the action is fear. Also maybe some elation, excitement, fun. But certainly some nervousness in there as well.

Well, I'm at the point where I just get up there and do it, the way I would sit down to stitch some X's into perforated fabric, or snuggle my kitten's face, or drink a beer. It's just easy peasy. It's fun, don't get me wrong, but I'm no longer like, "Eeeeeeek" when they call my name to take the stage. I'm just like, "Circle of Life in the key of E, yo."

I'm also getting to know some new pals at our favorite local bar, which is making karaoke way more fun than it already naturally is.

#2. Billiards is also becoming a part of my natural self/life.

Adding to our favorite local bar's charm -- in addition to the great patrons and karaoke two nights a week -- is the fact that it has a pool table, and games are a whopping 50 cents.

I am beginning to love pool so much that I gladly dip into my precious quarters-for-laundry collection to play several times a week.

I have some off moments, to be sure, but...to be honest...I'm getting a little better at the game. And that's fun.

#3. I'm getting pretty organized.

My car and bedroom, while not pristine, are currently not atrocious.

One of my besties, Laura, is coming to stay with us tonight, and I am not cringing with self consciousness at the fact that she might walk into a horrendous mess this evening (just a number of days ago I would have been clamoring to keep her away from my horribly messy room).

I did some laundry last night. I'm getting better at using my evenings and weekends and spare time to do at least small things in the effort of becoming more clean/organized/calm/Namaste.

#4. Several books are being cracked these days.

To New Year date, I believe three books have been completed. (I didn't read 16, like my friend Jill). But I have books, books, books everywhere, in various states of being read. On the shelves, in my purse, in my car, in my bed.

Books about the Titanic, post-World War II, pregnancy (it's a novel, not a Bailey-reading-for-personal-info book), menopause (see previous parenthetical, except replace "novel" with "memoir"), cessation of smoking (this is a kid's book, I promise; again, not for self help), a castle that comes to life, the hospitality industry...

On and on.

Oh how I love to read. I want to write a blog post about my lifelong love affair with words, but for some reason am not quite up to pull the trigger on that one.

Books. Read. Yum.

#5. My refrigerator magnet collection is getting a wee bit out of control.

Or it's on point, depending on how you see things.

In the last couple of months, I have collected new magnetic booty from:

The Sonoran Desert
Yosemite
Catalina Island
Ensenada, Mexico
Kansas City, MO
The Carnival Imagination cruise ship
Somewhere along Highway 99

This weekend I plan to pick one up from Santa Barbara.

Let's just say the wheels of my suitcase have been getting some exercise of late.

#6. I get to hang with my friend Laura, which is rad.

Before Valentine's I went on a cruise with Lola, her BF, my BF, and her parents. This past Monday we hung out at the beach with Abs during Laura's layover. And this weekend we're headed to a beach getaway.

This is our third annual gal pal vacation we'll be taking together, and to put it only lightly I LOVE this tradition. It is things like this that make me love being a (without kids) adult. Planning vacations with friends and making them happen. This might sound over the top, but in a way it is a dream come true for me. I spent a lot of my adolescence feeling like I was on the outside looking in on other people's living of normal life/events/happiness, and I feel like, now at 30, I am grabbing life by the horns and making things happen and oh if it doesn't feel GREAT.

A snap from Gal Pal Trip #1

#7. My nephew is hilarious.

I Skyped with him this weekend, and he made me laugh, more than once.

All right, Kiddoes, I did it! I wrote something. Never mind that it's a listy blog post, I got my fingers doing keyboard aerobics and that is something.

Some. Thing.

Be back soon, with some better writing, hopefully.

Love,
Me