Jessstin

I made a little octopus while riding in the car the other day… I still have to put on the eyes and mouth, but for the most part it’s complete.

Gonna get motiviated to make some more complex dolls. Can’t wait!

So, yeah. I’m most definitely not making these bracelets—and for a few reasons:
1. Not quite sure where the paracord materials are located/stored
2. I don’t talk to John anymore. Even though I could, I don’t; and wouldn’t make and send him bracelets in my free time. I’d do that for people who are actually active in my life.
3. The initial thrill of the project is gone.

However!
If for some reason, on the rare date when I do find the materials and get the bug to make them again—I will make some and do the right thing and send them off. But that’s doubtful I’ll feel that bug again. Until then… I’m giving up!

Since I got a schnazzy new camera for Christmas, I’ve had no excuse not to start taking lots of pictures. So, I’ve taken to carrying my camera around with me. Granted, there are times and occassions that call for picture taking when I don’t take any and other times when pictures are taken when there’s really no need. Then again, there’s always a need for pictures. :) I try to get at least one picture in of a good event, like a wedding or what not. Sometimes I feel like the camera is so obtrusive. People, except for a friend who covers her face whenever the snapper is out and my dad and those other oddities, love to be in pictures. Plus, I need pictures to remind me that I’m actually doing stuff with my life. “Why Yes! I do have fun/hang out with friends/go on trips/am generally cool! I have the pictures to prove it!” Even though I only need to prove it to myself. My goal and determination is renewed! A-Picture-taking I will go!

I took a picture when my car rolled over to 285k—I was heading home from my Grandmother’s and wasn’t aware (ok, I was) this would be one of it’s last milestones. My car has since gone to that big Used Car Lot in the, er, town. Somebody else will get to experience its rollover to 300k. I doubt they will be as excited as I would have been—cause that would mean that they willingly purchased a vehicle with 285k miles. C’est la vie.

Ugh, I remember what the jist of my three previous secrets were—and it still holds very true. Especially this week for some reason or another. Anywho, I sent in my secret yesterday! It was a thrill to pop it in the mail box. I doubt it will be showcased- but perhaps this will give me the courage I need to take the risk that’ll make my secret irrelevant. I hope so!

I finally had to break down and buy a new (to me) car. I’d always had to top off my old car’s fluids, but I was going through a bottle of transmission fluid every 2-3 days—which made for scary driving. Once it got to the point I wasn’t comfortable driving my own car- time to switch! My new car is pretty schnazzy and a 180 from what I thought I wanted. I like it though—even if it does mean higher expenses. Wonk Wonk.

I was very fortunate in the friend making department this year. Even if some of the people are more acquaintances than actual friends, its still new people with friend potential, which is more than I could have said any of the previous years. I think Brett might be my #1 new friend though. :)

The scarf turned out great—especially when paired with the wand I made Bridget. http://www.dadcando.com/default_MAKING.asp?project=Wizards_wands&category=Wizardry_and_Magic

Awesome!

I really need to get a new car—my parents worry about me whenever I drive a long distance. (I don’t worry). I’d like to see it roll over to 300,000 miles first though.. and I’ve only got about 20k more to go. That’s a lot of miles—especially since I don’t drive that much (Catch 22—need to up my mileage to get a new car, but I don’t drive a lot cause I have an old(er) car) I think I might have to settle on getting 290k instead.. at least I’ll make that the short term goal. I’ve only put 30k miles on it in the 6 years I’ve owned it… so this feat may be harder to accomplish that most…...

I’ve got an 89’ Camry that just won’t die—- That’s what it will probably take for me to buck up and buy a new car (or at least, new to me). I love not having a car payment and know the newness and novelty of a new car would wear off soon, but I don’t know what I’m so chicken about. Why has buying a car been such a difficult process for me? I’ll narrow it down to a few cars I like, then I’ll test drive (with no intentions of buying)and discover something I don’t like. I guess if I was super car obssessed it would help. But I’m not. Old Blue will probably have to die first, which would be just the prompt I would need to get a new one. Geez.

My friend Bridget is going to be some sort of Gryffindor for Halloween, so I promised I’d make her a scarf. I really wanted to knit it, so it would be proper. But I don’t feel like putting the time or effort into knitting something that will be more of a novelty. I started crocheting one last night and so far it’s turning out pretty good. The crocheting is stiffer than the knitting would be and the scarf is pretty thick so it might be cumbersome to wear—but I’ll see for sure the farther I get along in the making process. If I don’t like it I can always start over or try a different stitch. Halloween is right around the corner… gotta finish!

This year I’ve been going out and simply visiting friends a lot more than I ever did in the past.. which really aids in the drinking front. Saying I needed to drink more alcohol was really just a way to say I needed to get out and socialize and have a good time, and get a life of my own.

I think I’ve done that….......

I finished up “The Bell Jar” about a month ago—I figured that it was one of those books I should read for the sake of reading it. I started on “Cat’s Cradle” but haven’t gotten very far into it—which is a shame considering it’s somewhat of a breeze to read, but I’ll finish it eventually and then venture into “The Confederancey of Dunces” or “Lolita”. I went a little hog wild at the book store a few months ago… :)

I wrote down three secrets last night, but I’m not sure if I’ll send them in.. simply writing them down (and admitting they’re true)has made them seem less important…..... by the time I get around to sending one… i might not care anymore.

We went out this weekend and it was a blast! I should have used more SPF, but now I have a painful sunburn to remind me of our trip. :)Something I would definitely like to do again :)

In preparation of the last Harry Potter coming out this summer, I’ve started to re-read all of the previous books. Doing my homework you might say. I was a little fuzzy on some of the characters when I read the 6th book—and I don’t want to miss anything this time around! Oh, how bittersweet…. :)

I made the Neiman Marcus chocolate chip cookie recipe and thought they turned out really nicely. Some people said they were too chocolatly but that didn’t stop them from eating them all either. The recipe calls for instant coffee granules which I think was the culprit in the “too much chocolate” front. But for my second batch I used Vanilla that I got in St. Maartin, and I think that made a big (positive)difference in the taste.

I also made some Cookies from the Dr. Pepper web site—They are very similar to wedding cookies and were pretty good too. Even though I made way too many and had to end up throwing most of them out. I wish you could rent kids to eat your food. That way I could cook and bake all the time and not have to worry about who is going to eat my lovely creations.

On a recent fishing trip, a friend made this cornbread and I thought it was absolutely scrumptious! I’m going to make it this weekend and serve it with Chili :)

Preheat oven to 375
add a little oil to the bottom of a cast iron skillet and stick that in the oven while preheating.

1 1/2 C. Self-Rising Corn Meal (We used Buttermilk)
1/3 C. Oil
2 eggs
1 can cream style corn
1/2 C. chopped onions
1/2 C. shredded/crumbled chedder cheese
1/2 to 1 C. diced Jalapeno peppers (To your own taste)(Fresh or Jarred)
1 tsp Salt

Mix everything up in a bowl, pour into the preheated skillet, and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

About two weekends ago, I headed down to Florida with some friends for a weekend of deep sea fishing. Well, lets just say that we went fishing—but not in the deep sea. Long story short, the guys took the boat out in the morning to check out the weather conditions and got stuck in an oyster bed in the channel. For 3 hours. Then, once they managed to get untangled from that Snafu, we loaded up and started to head out and then kablooey! (Or whatever sound effects word an engine makes when it blows a rod.) The engine died- it was still operational.. barely, but of course not enough to get us out to the Gulf… and back in safely. So we ended up switching boats and fishing in the river. Which, of course, was fun too.

Apparently the gods didn’t want us to go out that weekend—and that’s ok. I just hope they allow it for our next trip!

Ignorance is not bliss. For some reason, I thought this story was one of those classically thick novels that took forever to drudge through. Kind of like Anna Karenina-oh wait I quit drudging through that one about 15 pages in. Oops. Anywho, I was suprised to see that this story was so short, and in fact part of a compilation of other short storys by Robert Louis Stevenson. I read it and liked it, but haven’t managed to read any of the other short storys in the book. Oh well.