Mande's Scribblings

All future entries will be friend-only due to a recent increase in spam.  If you're not on my friends list and you'd like to be, send me a message.  Thanks!

For those that are at all interested, I've recently started a new journal for all thoughts baby as I plan my first pregnancy.  I didn't want to clutter up my existing journal, or force people to have to sift through subject matter they aren't interested in.  I guess I could have just used a filter, but it's kind of nice having the separate journal.

If interested, my journal can be found here: http://mybabygray.livejournal.com/

You'll have to friend me, as of right now all entries are friend-only.  I may or may not change that in the future.  If anyone has thoughts on that, feel free to share!

I've found myself in, what appears to me to be, a fairly unique situation.  I've spent the better part of a decade focused on NOT getting pregnant, and now that school is done, and "real" life has started (and now that I'm in my 30s!!!) it feels like time to start planning on growing our family.  This position seems unique because no other women that I know are worrying about planning for a family.  I know women who are avoiding pregnancy (or, who I ASSUME are avoiding pregnancy) because they are focusing on school or career, or because they have no current spouse/partner.  I know women who have children, but they didn't sit and plan for them -- they just did what comes natural and fell pregnant in the normal course of things.  According to everyone I've spoken to, including my new OB, pregnancy seems to just "happen", and most women don't give it a second thought (beyond making sure they DON'T become pregnant) until it happens.

I am somewhere in between... I'm done worrying about preventing pregnancy, but not ready to simply let nature take it's course.  I want to be as educated and prepared as possible.  If you'd like to follow along on this preconception-to-(hopefully)-conception-and-beyond roller-coaster, please friend me.  If not, no worries -- I won't spam you with all thoughts baby.  ;)  My neuroses and obsessions will be carefully tucked away in a private little corner of the 'net, open only to the truly curious.  For the rest of you, I'll do my best to retain my sanity!

Just an fyi, however -- certain topics may become rather frank and graphic, as conception, pregnancy and babies all come with a host of new and strange bodily functions and issues.  Consider yourself forewarned.

Thanks for reading!

My resolutions...

-::-Health-::-

01) Lose 20-40 more lbs
02) Work on vegan eating plan
03) Exercise regularly; daily if possible, no less than 3x per week but aim for 5x
04) Drink lots of water
05) Avoid caffeine
06) Avoid alcohol
07) Avoid sugar
08) Avoid chemical food additives (artificial sweeteners, HFCS, hydrogenated oils, trans fats, etc.)

-::-Creativity-::-

09) Finish ONE story, from start to finish
10) Crochet lots
11) Learn to knit
12) Learn new, fabulous recipes
13) Woodburn more
14) Learn to make natural, chemical free toiletries and cleaners (i.e. using white vinegar, baking soda, borax, etc.)
15) Start a personal recipe book, including a section for the natural homemade cleaners
16) Start a (physical) diary; write something every day of 2011

-::-Environment-::-

17) Read more, watch TV less
18) Play more video games
19) Spring clean the apartment -- organize or downsize where possible; give unused items to charity

-::-Bonus-::-

20) Get preggers*
21) Move to Cali.*
22) Move into a house*
23) Get a puppy*

*Bonus items are wished for, but not something I have direct control over.

No major expenses (no new cars, living in an affordable apartment, etc.); keeping debt low by paying off credit cards and only using them sparingly; living within means; getting the hubby through law school; preparing to become a best-selling author and make enough from royalties to sock away in the bank and live off the interest :P

I have been looking for this song for ages...



My older brother had included it on a broadway musical mix tape that he made for me when I was in grade school.  For years I thought this song was a secret track from the Phantom of the Opera because that is the only place I knew Sarah Brightman's voice from.  Every now and then I've gotten snippets of this song stuck in my head, but I could never remember the full story -- I even began to wonder if it was a real song, or just something my mind made up.

Got up at 7:30 a.m.
Spent half and hour on Wii Fit
Showered
Accompanied the hubby on his doctor's visit
Went to work
Work was accomplished
Left work
Shopped at Michael's for pretty pretty crafting supplies
Came home
Found tarot cards waiting for me (yay Amazon.com!)
Ate a soy yogurt
Did dishes
Scooped 6 cat boxes
Praised a kitty for using her freshly clean box instead of the carpet (we are making progress!)
Cleaned out fridge
Started laundry.

My legs are now wobbly.  But I feel accomplished.

Hubby is now home.  Now waiting on Vons.com order.

/wobble

Had a sort of epic dream that was a cross between Buffy: The Vampire Slayer Season 8 (comic continuation of the TV show) and the Wheel of Time books.  Was so inspiring I just sat here and wrote about 2,000 words for a story I'm working on.  Booya!

Then I read my horoscope for today from Tarot.com which said:

And also according to Tarot.com:


I don't take these things too seriously, but it was a funny coincidence.  Suffice to say, I will be paying attention to my dreams in the coming days, in case my subconscious mind sends me any other inspiring tidbits. =)

Today to do:

-Put away clean dishes/load dishwasher with soaking dishes/clean counters
-Put away one load of clean laundry
-Clean front bathroom

-Spend 30 minutes writing

-Spend 15-30 minutes with kitties

-Make dinner and prep lunch for tomorrow (me and JR)

-Spend time w/hubby

-Leave time before bed for reading

- - -

I might be getting out of work early today <happy dance>.  I might spend the extra time getting another Wii Fit workout in and then doing my housework before hubby gets home.  I might even get dinner going before he's home -- which could be a nice surprise!  And, that means more time to hang out tonight and play EQ or watch the House season finale (or both!).

... Pushy telemarketers.  I know your job sucks.  I know you have to make sales to get commission to make enough money to survive.  But you know what?  Nobody likes you.  Nobody needs what you're selling.  Nobody wants to buy a product from some pushy, snot-nosed college dropout.  STOP CALLING, damnit.

/rantoff

Other than that -- work is great. 

Goodbye speculation, hello LEGO Rock Band, the game you were never really expecting but you'll probably stand up and cheer for anyway. You know, like LEGO Final Fantasy. Or LEGO Fallout.