Anticipating – My upcoming two week vacation from work at the end of the year/beginning of the new year. I am SO EXCITED! In March, Covid went rampant at my work and we all got sick and I had to stay home for 2 weeks. Later, at work I was asked about working on a weekly publication, it would require me to do plenty of prep work when I take vacation time. He asked “you aren’t planning on taking any more 2 week vacations?” At first I laughed, and then said “well, I had never taken off 2 weeks from work ever before. EVER.” I think the publication found another designer, but it did get me thinking…. 1. That wasn’t a vacation. I was sick and had to quarantine for 2 weeks! and 2. I DESERVE to take 2 weeks off, if and when I want. I usually take the week between Christmas and the new year off, but it goes by in a flash. Most people just get it off (such as my husband, for example) and so there are usually a lot of friend and family activities. It is never quite the Artapalooza I imagine it to be. But this year? I’ve already got a list of things I want to do.
Buying – Christmas presents for everyone (and some things similar to this, for meeeee!)
Creating – I’ve been working on a new stationery set that I’m pretty excited about (combination of handpainted mushrooms and snail, and digital elements)
Eating – Inspired by Violet Cooks on tiktok (she makes cooking quick, yummy food at home, look so easy), I’ve been cooking more meals at home. One thing I made was ”
Feeling – Fairly inspired and driven, which is a combination that I can’t often get going at the same time.
Listening – Crime Show podcast on Spotify,
True Story with Tig and Cheryl (thank you Katie for the recommendation) and this week,
and Radiohead radio on Spotify
Loving – These Threshold blankets from Target, forever and ever and ever (we have 7 throughout our house, no joke). It started with a different but similar plush lap blanket our realtor gave us as a closing gift on our house over 10 years ago. We’d fight over it. We finally splurged and bought two queen sized blankets, one on the couch and one at Matt’s computer. Then I wanted one on the bed, but we’d fight over it, so we each bought one more (exact same color and everything) unplanned as Christmas gifts one year. Then this year, after getting a new couch and wanting it covered to protect it from the cats, we ended up buying 2 more. I’ve also gifted at least 4 to others. I should own stock in this blanket alone.
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Missing – I probably say this every time, but indoor shopping malls of my childhood. Always indoor malls. Why the heck have strip malls replaced indoor malls in the North part of this country? But really, who wants to have to walk outside before going to another store? In the rain, or snow? But I really think of this during Christmas present shopping.
Procrastinating – Finalizing a couple pattern/stationery set collections (tiny treasures AND mushrooms and snails)
Reading – As usual I have a tall stack of ever changing books on my bedside table that I almost rarely ever get to reading, I am however listening to Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert as an audiobook read by Elizabeth herself
Watching – Joe Pera Talks With You season 3,
Curb Your Enthusiasm season 11,
How to With John Wilson season 2,
oh, and The Shrink Next Door (I had listened to the podcast when it originally came out. Will all TV shows in the future be from podcasts?)
Wishing – it would snow and be wintery already. It feels like we usually get a good snow in unnecessarily early and then it all melts before Christmas, but we haven’t even had that yet. It’s supposed to be in the mid 60s today… IN DECEMBER! That is not typical for Northern Illinois.
