Howdy, howdy! How’s everyone doing this wonderful first Wednesday of 2026? Things here are fine. I’m skipping a goals post this year. I never follow through. But don’t worry. I still shared goals with my writing bestie, so I do have them. I’m just hoping keeping them to myself and one person will help me achieve them. I don’t know. Anyway, I turn 40 on Monday (the 12th), so I decided to do my usual random things about me thing, but over two posts (40 is just too many to do at once). I didn’t bother going through my old ones, so sorry for any overlap.
Here are 40 things you never wanted to know about me. Well, the first 20 things.
1. I wasn’t supposed to make it this far and it’s annoying as fuck. I wasn’t supposed to make it past 6, 12, 18, whatever. Now, I’m 40 and I’ve spent the last 20 years worrying about stuff I was told I wouldn’t live to see. I was lied to! Robbed of death! I demand compensation! Stupid doctors. But seriously… how am I 40?
2. Sometimes, I plan things like I’m a normal person before I realize I’m not normal. Like, I’ll be looking at restaurants and the one I want to go to doesn’t have any tasty looking desserts, but there’s this cute little coffee shop or bakery nearby, so we could just go there for dessert, right? Then I remember I’ll have leftovers from dinner (because I always have leftovers) sitting in a hot van for an hour (because I eat/drink slowly) while I indulge, which isn’t a good thing, so I just shut that idea down. I do stuff like that a lot.
3. I mimic pretty much every alarm/notification sound in our house the moment I hear it. No idea why.
4. Pretty sure I’ve mentioned this one before, but I still think about that drunk lady in the bathroom of a club 20 some odd years ago who sang happy birthday to me and threatened to slice the throat of anyone who said I wasn’t beautiful.
5. I also still think about the arm molester at A-Kon. That’s just what I call him. He asked permission before touching me then rubbed my arm and told me all the nice things, then left me alone to drink with my friends.
6. I keep thinking about dying my hair purple again, but it’s not really worth the trouble.
7. I’m not as active on social media as I used to be. Mostly because every time I scroll through anything, I end up seeing a bunch of Nazi wannabe bullshit or just seeing the orange face of a troll and it pisses me off to no end. So, sorry for not being around as much, but most of the people I know understand.
8. I hate having to pester people to do their jobs. Makes me feel like a Karen, but that doesn’t stop me once they’ve proven they need it.
9. I kind of want something minty. Maybe I’ll have some peppermint bark after dinner.
10. I’m trying very hard to be happy. I know others are too. It’s very hard right now and will be for a while longer.
11. I dislike generative AI. It doesn’t really matter because people are still going to use it, but it’s skeevy and gross and I will totally judge you if I find out you use it.
12. I’m tired all the time, except when I’m supposed to be sleeping.
13. I don’t understand why America needed to remake Doc Martin. And I really don’t understand why it’s listed as a “FOX Original” when it’s literally just Doc Martin. That being said, the first episode was fine and the scenery was lovely.
14. The new Witcher is meh so far (we’re only three episodes in). I miss Cavill.
15. Hazbin Hotel is fun and adorable. If you watch it, who would I be?
16. I’m dreading doing this again next week because I’m already out of things to ramble about.
17. If you ever buy me books, send me your favorite so I can get to know you better. Or send something that reminds you of me so I can see what you think of me.
18. I have a video appointment with my pulmonologist later this month and haven’t received any automated confirmation texts yet. It’s weird. I usually get about 50 throughout the month. But the visit is listed as upcoming in my chart thingie, so I guess it’s fine.
19. I could go for a milkshake, but I don’t feel like ordering a hamburger. Maybe later this week.
20. I’m going to eat dinner now. Leftovers of some kind.
Howdy, howdy! How’s everyone doing this lovely Wednesday? My birthday was on Sunday and Dad was feeling yucky again (thinking it’s his new medicine), so instead of a shower, we had a lazy day. Chinese food was involved. And we finished off Star Trek DS9 and started Voyager. We’ll go out for a proper celebration (dinner) eventually, but I’m in no rush. For now, this is my annual list of things you never wanted to know about me. I didn’t bother going over the old lists, so sorry if there’s overlap.
1. I went out in the snow for a few minutes on Thursday. It was basically gone a couple of hours later, but it existed and I was in it. And I even have proof! As you can see.
2. I’ve been craving peppermint tea and jasmine tea which is weird because I rarely drink tea. I haven’t had peppermint tea since Maine, like 10 years ago. And I haven’t had jasmine tea since my SMU days (graduated 2012) when we would go to Bangkok City (I don’t think it’s called that anymore).
3. I’ve been hermitting hard. I don’t post often on my personal social media accounts. I’m just avoiding the world, I guess.
4. Mountain Cedar/Juniper season sucks and it’s like 6 months long. Yes, I’m currently high on Benadryl.
5. I got a new toothbrush. It’s basically the same thing I had, but black.
6. I’m super tired of feeling like I have to be the adult and annoy people into doing their jobs in a timely manner. But I’m really just tired of people in general.
7. I’m also tired of having to beg for stuff I need and having some faceless government entity tell me I don’t need those things that professionals and doctors say I do need. And that shit is just going to get worse over the next 4+ years.
8. I still don’t like to rant, but it’s all I feel like doing lately, which is probably why I’m hermitting so hard.
9. I’m making Dad watch all the Star Treks with me. In order of release. Not the movies. Or original animated series. Or the shorts. Yet. We just started Voyager.
10. I’ve been doing the NYT Sudoku. I don’t know why. It’s not particularly enjoyable. I can do the easy and medium, but not the hard yet. Mostly because I get bored and do other things instead.
11. I’m drinking a cherry cola. It’s yummy.
12. I just found out Peacock has FernGully, so I might make Dad watch that with me soon.
13. Still can’t find Once Upon a Forest unless we rent it from Amazon. Boo.
14. I don’t like audiobooks, but if I’m not really enjoying a book and just want to get through it, I’ll have Alexa read to me at night. This doesn’t work with all Kindle books, but she can read most of them.
15. The dogs all have ID and rabies shot tags, so they jingle when they move and it’s super cute.
16. I like crackers (especially Ritz or Club) by themselves, but feel weird asking for them without cheese or something.
17. Dad made pinto beans and cornbread recently. Be jealous.
18. For some reason, I’ve been listening to Sum 41’s Chuck album a lot recently.
19. Pieces is my favorite Sum 41 song.
20. Going through a Rogue and Gambit phase where I steal most pictures I see of them.
21. I haven’t worn my ring in a couple of weeks. I’m just too lazy to put it on. But it still feels like I’m wearing it. It’s weird.
22. Our Roomba is named Oscar, because Oscar the Grouch is my favorite Sesame Street muppet.
23. My pinky nail broke about a week ago, so my finger feels really short and it’s annoying.
24. My favorite smell is cut wood.
25. My allergies are making my head thrum and I hate it.
26. Sophia doesn’t really bark. She banshee screams and it’s kind of terrifying when you’re not expecting it.
27. My favorite color is still purple, but teal is becoming more and more appealing.
28. I’d rather be doing the crossword puzzle right now.
29. Had leftover fried dumplings and lo mein for dinner. I’m full.
30. But I also kind of want some chocolate now.
31. I have Hell is Forever from Hazbin Hotel stuck in my head.
32. Alastor is my favorite, followed closely by Husk and Angel.
33. Sadly, Lucifer was just meh and they could have just left him out completely.
34. I still call my pulmonologist Dr. Lucifer. She’s great, though.
35. I have a televisit with her around 4 this afternoon.
36. I hate that my appointment is at 4, but I have to sign in at 3:30. It’s especially annoying with in-person visits. I guess people are prone to being late, but it just means my wait time is even longer than usual because I’m always early anyway.
37. At least I can play stupid games or read while I wait since I’ll be at my computer.
38. I’m going to do the crossword puzzle now!
39. I really need to remember to start this post early next year and just jot down a couple of interesting things a day instead of doing it all at once. I won’t, but I should.
Howdy, howdy! How’s everyone doing this wonderful Wednesday? It’s that time of year again. That time where I get older and everyone seems to notice for a few days, then I just go back to quietly aging every second until next year when everyone notices again. Yay! Actually, my birthday isn’t until Friday, so I seriously considered skipping this post this year. I’m lazy and coming up with 38 random things about myself is… well… it’s a lot. But I’ll try. Let’s see how far I can get.
1. Let’s just jump right in with an unpopular opinion. I don’t like fudge. If I wanted to eat a cube of sugar, I’d eat a sugar cube.
2. I’m currently obsessed with the song Afraid of the Dark by Chef’Special and have no idea way. It’s not even a very good song.
3. I’m not a big tea drinker, but I like looking at fancy tea sets.
4. It’s currently January 9th and I’ve written four days this year, not including blog posts. I’m not writing a lot, but at least it’s something.
5. In those four days, I’ve almost completed a short story. One more day should do it, plus a day to read through and flesh it out. Should be done before my birthday. It might not be good, but at least it will exist.
6. I find myself actually wanting to write the past few days. It’s weird.
7. My favorite colors are purple (heavier on the blue than red), teal, and silver.
8. I’m reading The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec for fun.
9. I’m also reading Clover Hendry’s Day Off by Beth Morrey to review at the end of the month.
10. I’m getting shepherd’s pie for my birthday dinner. Be jealous.
11. I’d rather be watching TV than doing this. Actually, I’d rather be doing just about anything else.
12. Enza sent me some stuff from MarieBelle chocolates and the brownies came in a lovely blue tin. I think I was more excited about that than the goodies. I love tins and I don’t know why.
13. I still don’t like pumpkin spice. I try it every year thinking maybe I’ll magically love it, but it’s always just meh.
14. I bought a nice sweater in November and still haven’t worn it. No reason to. But I bought it anyway.
15. I cry when I’m angry, but not really when I’m sad. It’s annoying and that just makes me cry more.
16. It has taken me over an hour just to get this far on this list. Needless to say, finding things to say about myself is not my forte.
17. I’m craving hot chocolate. I have hot chocolate. I just keep forgetting to ask Dad to make it.
18. It’s weird when people ask for my opinion like I’m supposed to know what I’m doing. I assure you, I have no idea. I’m just faking it.
19. I randomly think of the drunk chick who belted out happy birthday at me in a club bathroom then promised to slit the throat of anyone who said I was anything less than beautiful.
20. So many random drunk people stories. I don’t miss going to clubs and being surrounded by them.
21. I do miss going to anime conventions though.
22. I love pupusas.
23. My minion made me a skull and she’s sitting on my desk and her name is Hel.
24. Candy Corn is just wax with sugar in it.
25. I’m tired. All the time. Until it’s time to sleep, then I’m wide awake for the next three hours reliving something stupid I said or did five years ago.
26. I never kept a journal for more than a few days and I don’t understand how people do it. Nothing interesting enough ever happens to me on a daily basis to keep a list.
27. Sometimes, I want to pull down the tequila and sip on a shot, but then I wonder why and decide it’s not worth the trouble.
28. I sit and listen to the dogs bark then tell them I don’t believe their stories when they’re done or ask them to tell me more.
29. I haven’t watched anime or read any manga in a long time.
30. My favorite non-food smell is that smell after you cut a piece of wood.
31. My favorite food smell is probably roasting garlic.
32. I like grape soda. There’s nothing quite like that fake grape taste. Certainly not real grapes.
33. I’m thinking about rereading The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings this year. The past few years, I’ve randomly reread series, so maybe it’s time for those books again.
34. In lieu of new TV, Dad and I have watched a bunch of the old Perry Mason (can’t find all of them), all of Columbo, and the original Star Trek. We’re currently working through Star Trek: TNG, Murder She Wrote, and Monk. Plus stuff on BritBox and Acorn TV.
35. I can’t decide if I want to read The Midnight Library or Mexican Gothic as my next fun book.
36. I’m making Dad watch the new Percy Jackson show. I like it so far.
Howdy, howdy! How’s everyone’s Wednesday going? Things are fine here. It’s that time of year again where I’m supposedly getting older. Tomorrow (the 12th) is my birthday. Probably just going to order Greek for dinner and spend the day writing. Unless I use it as an easy day and just goof around. Haven’t decided yet. Anyway, I’m skipping the book number thing this week in favor of a random about me thing. I don’t know why I started doing this. It takes forever. But whatever. I’m 37, so here are 37 random things about me.
Tomorrow, anyway.
1. I’ve written creative words every day this year. A whole 10 days. I’m trying to stick to a schedule where on Sunday, Tuesday (or whatever day I write my blog post that week), and a lazy day of my choice, I write 100 words on the current novel attempt. The other four days, I’m aiming for 1,000 words. At least until I finish a first draft (the goal is approximately 90,000 words for this one). It’s basically my old schedule, but with no zero word days because it’s too easy to talk myself into quitting right now if I don’t write words. So far, so good.
2. I haven’t gone anywhere (where I left the van) aside from yearly doctor appointments and a couple of trips to a hardware store that’s usually empty since Covid started. I’m mostly okay with this.
3. I do miss going to restaurants and the occasional concert, but that’s about it.
4. Telehealth visits are wonderful. It means we don’t have to drive all the way to UT Southwestern just to wait 45 minutes for a five minute chat. I like my doctor there and wouldn’t mind meeting her face-to-face (we haven’t because my old pulmonologist retired after Covid started, so computer visits were already a thing when she took over), but I like not having to leave the house too.
5. I’ve become fond rye and ginger beer.
6. Kraken rum and Pepsi is pretty good too.
7. I’m not a sot. I swear. I have a drink maybe once a week.
8. I still have most of my Kah reposado and Republic anejo tequilas. Mostly because I don’t have anyone to sit around and sip booze with once in a while, but whatever. If I were a tosspot, they would be gone.
9. It’s that time of year where I panic because I have a scratchy throat (Flu! Covid! Dying!) only to remember that it’s Mountain Cedar season, so my options are living with a scratchy throat/excess mucus/sinus headache or live in a Benadryl/Zyrtec haze for the next couple of months if things get unbearable. This is just my life now.
10. I despise ordering groceries from Kroger. There’s almost always some kind of glitch on their website. They never tell you what’s out of stock until it’s too late to modify the order. Canceling orders is ridiculous and there’s a 50/50 chance it’ll still show up. Plus, most of the time, they don’t have a previously ordered section to make life easier.
11. Walmart is better, but the few times we’ve ordered dairy or produce through them, it went bad within a few days despite the best by dates being reasonably far away. It’s weird.
12. Amazon Fresh is pretty good, but they have the worst meat selection. The diversity of the selection is good, but they only sell them in one pound portions most of the time. We can’t survive on that.
13. Tom Thumb is our go to, but only because Dad can call them up and they usually fix things. Usually.
14. I’m already running out of things to say about myself in case the ordering groceries mini rant didn’t make it obvious. Talking about myself is hard.
15. I’m great at bottling everything up, but expressing feelings and shit is hard. I keep my responses to everything (good or bad) moderate and I don’t know how to fix it. How do I show excitement or happiness? The anger and rage can stay in the box in the abyss of my soul, but I would like to become better at expressing the good stuff.
16. I’m not a physically affectionate person. At all. I can’t be. It’s not like I can randomly hug people or whatever. And I have a super hard time asking for things that I actually need to survive and/or be comfortable (the whole burden mentality is a bitch to outgrow), so I just can’t see myself ever asking for cuddles or whatever. I don’t know how to fix this either.
17. And now I’m super uncomfortable with the last two shares, but it’s getting late and I still have too many to go, so I guess I’ll leave them.
18. Despite my aversion to being touched (one reason I’m not affectionate), one of my favorite A-Kon (anime convention) memories is of the dude who rubbed all up on me in the Sheraton bar. He asked if he could love on me and then massaged my arms and knees while whispering sweet nothings at me. He asked if I was okay with what was happening every time he switched hand placement. I’ve never felt more comfortable with a stranger touching me. It was weird and innocent and amusing. And I still randomly think of him and hope he’s doing well.
19. I also randomly think of the dude and his friend who gave me a lap dance at Lazerz when I was like 20. That was strange and not something I would let happen now, but I was young and stupid and didn’t really care about being touched as long as something pretty was dancing for me.
20. I know I shouldn’t objectify people, but I can’t help it. I enjoy eye candy. I’m not a dick about it. It’s not like I catcall people on the street or harass them online. I appreciate from afar and mind my manners.
21. I don’t understand expensive coffee. Dad decided to try some Kona coffee and it’s good, but it tastes like… coffee. Same with chocolate and wine and stuff. I’m just not sophisticated enough, I guess.
22. I am eternally tired. It doesn’t matter how well I sleep (not that I sleep well often). I wake up tired.
23. I get irrationally upset when I find a book with a good story and characters I enjoy, but it’s full of continuity errors, typos, and punctuation errors. It’s so disappointing, but I usually rage read it just to have something to rant to myself about at night. So much potential just absolutely ruined by a horrible editor (or lack of an editor).
24. I’ve been working on this list for three hours. I’m so uninteresting. Sorry. But at least it’ll only take you a few minutes to read.
25. I love peppermint bark. In chocolate form or coffee form or whatever. You can’t go wrong with chocolate and peppermint.
26. I always say I need to catch up on anime or tv shows I don’t watch with Dad, but if I have time, I end up playing mindless games while listening to loud music.
27. Years ago, I stopped playing video games because crippleness (my last big mobility loss affected my arms and hands and I lost the ability to lean forward on my own). That was before adaptive controllers existed. Now, I hesitate about getting back into them because they are/were addictive. I get sucked into my mindless games occasionally. Can you imagine what would happen if it was a game I actually liked?
28. I wouldn’t mind dancing around and being stupid with people. I don’t think I’ve done any dancing with others since Stonecoast. Used to dance at anime conventions and clubs. That’s not happening any time soon. If I had local friends aside from the Minion, I’d say we have a backyard, but everyone is so far away. You guys suck. Not really.
29. My coping mechanisms for life in general could probably be better. A dark sense of humor and self-deprecation have helped me survive this long, though, so I won’t change anything.
30. I started following other cripple people on social media and found out that pee math is a thing cripples have to do. Calculating how much they can drink and knowing where the bathrooms they can use are, etc. I mostly eliminated that a long time ago by training myself to just hold it, but I still have to do it for all day events. I have to know which drinks I can have and when I can have them so I can make it home. Or we have to drag my lift with us and that’s more trouble than just doing the math. But yeah. Pee math is a thing you know about now. You’re welcome!
31. Amazon started doing Kindle Reading Challenges and the only thing I get out of them are little bookmark icons that do nothing and can’t be seen by anyone but me. They don’t even send a congratulations for completing the challenge. But I get so ticked off if I fail to get one of the stupid things. Is that weird?
32. Mardi has me trained to go get her when she nudges my feet and whines while Dad’s out in the garage or running errands. Then she just wants back down two minutes later. Spoiled pupper is spoiled.
33. I’m currently craving flan and I don’t know why. It’ll pass.
34. I’m far too old and boring to be making these kinds of lists. There’s nothing interesting about me that people don’t already know. Ugh.
35. Surprisingly, I’d rather be working on the novel than this post. I never thought that would happen. But I’m sure as soon as I schedule this and open the file to write my 100 words it’ll be like pulling teeth. I’m never satisfied with anything until I’m done.
36. Holy shit. This post is about 1,700 words according to the WordPress word count thingie. No wonder I hate it.
37. Gott Ist Ein Popstar by Oomph is a decent song to end this list to. It’s what’s playing right now.
Sorry for the length. As always, feel free to leave comments or whatever here or on my social media pages!
Howdy, howdy! It’s time for another short Jenae appreciation post. This time, it’s her actual birthday (June 8th). She’s my little sis, my found family, my forever friend. And she’s the bestest. Hugs and love and all of that sappy stuff to you! She knows I’m really bad at this openly affectionate stuff, so I hope she forgives me for being weird and creepy.
Happy birthday, Sis! Couldn’t find an appropriate picture, so you get your favorite prince!
You’re smart and sassy and gorgeous. I still wish your husband would let me marry you, just so we could wear fancy clothes and eat epic cake. Stop being a buzzkill, Matt! I kid. Maybe. Nah… it’s the distance that’s the buzzkill, not the hubby. Why do you have to be so far away? Ah well. It just means I have to admire you from afar. I would say it was good because this way you don’t have to know how creepy I really am, but you met me at peak cringe when I didn’t hide it at all and still didn’t run away. I think we’re good.
You’re a wonderful mother and friend and nerd. I’m so glad I get to watch you grow every step of the way. I love that you’re turning your kids into little nerds too. I know life gets crazy and difficult, but you always do your best with what you have. You listen to me complain and always know when I’m looking for actual help or just someone to plot revenge with. It’s usually the latter. We’ve planned so much chaos. You’re the best sidekick a villain could have.
Did I mention you’re gorgeous?
I love you, Sis. And I hope your birthday is awesome!
Howdy, howdy! How’s everyone doing this week? Things here are good. I’ve been writing and all of that fun stuff. Fingers crossed that I can keep it up! But, I’m not really here to talk about that right now. It’s my birthday tomorrow (actually today when this goes live), so I thought I’d do another “getting to know me” type post. Instead of 36 random facts about me, I decided to look for one of those A to Z questionnaire things. They’re shorter and I don’t have to think as much. I randomly found this one during a Google search, so here we go.
A… If you were an ANIMAL, what would you be?
Probably some kind of fish. One of those ugly deep sea fish with the little light lure thing on its head. An anglerfish, I think. That might be cool.
B… BOOKS: What’s on your reading list?
Right now, just the book for January’s review post and one I ended up with to review in mid-February. Otherwise, my list is mostly the same as the last time I posted about it, but I’m slowly chipping away at it and randomly adding new stuff. I’m sure I’ll run out of stuff to talk about and share a list soon enough.
C… COMPULSIVE about anything?
Far too many things. I have a few weird rituals that I do repeatedly throughout the week, mostly when I’m in my lift for an extended period of time. It’s stupid and does nothing, but it makes me feel slightly better.
D… DREAMS: Do you… dream in color? remember your dreams? keep a dream journal?
I don’t journal at all. And it’s rare for me to remember my dreams. They’re either super mundane or straight up nightmares, nothing in between. Almost always from my own perspective and in color.
E… EATING: What’s your usual snack?
I don’t really eat snacks unless Dad and I are having a lazy day. I guess chocolate mostly. I’ll have a piece before bed if that counts as snacking. Chips if we have them. Once in a while, popcorn. Or whatever leftovers are in the fridge.
F… A Few of your FAVOURITE Things?
Food. Animals. Books. I could go on, but you just asked for a few.
G… GIGGLES! What (or who) makes you laugh? Do you have a good sense of humor?
I basically have the sense of humor of a 12-years-old boy. It’s not hard to make me laugh. Dad jokes, puns, innuendo. I’m not picky with my humor. It ranges from actually funny to completely inappropriate.
H… Major HOT Button:
I don’t really have any. I know I should probably care about stuff more, but the truth is that people are going to think what they want regardless of what I say. The only reason I ever debate anything with people is because I’m bored, but then I just get annoyed, so I don’t see the point in it.
I… I am:
A cripple. A writer. My father’s daughter. And much more.
J… JOBS: What do you do? What have you done? What would you like to do?
I’m a writer. That’s about it.
K… Also KNOWN As: Aliases? Screen names? A non de plume perhaps?
Cyn, because my old screen name was cynicalcripple and my friends were too lazy to type it out. Sak or Sakura for basically the same reason. I also have a pen name, but I haven’t published anything using it yet. When I do, you’ll know.
L… I LOVE:
Dad. Jen. Danielle. Heather. And some other people.
M… How do you feel about MEETING people? Do it all the time? Rarely? Parties or 1-on-1?
Please don’t make me. I’m not good with people. If I have to, I prefer email or text.
N… What’s the story of your NAME? Were you named after anyone? Do you go by a nickname? Any aliases?
I was named after Sean Connery and Nichelle Nichols.
O… OBSERVANT: What’s around you right now? What do you see?
My desk and armoires and sticky notes and tins of peppermint bark. Darkness outside my window. I have the front camera on, so I see the vans and trailer and truck. The heat is currently on. I can’t really smell anything because allergies suck. My ventilator is whooshing. I’m too lazy to keep listing things.
Old picture, but similar set up.
P… Who are the special PEOPLE in your life?
Just Dad, really.
Q… Any Little QUIRKs About Yourself?
I have a lot of quirks, but I can’t think of them off the top of my head. What quirks do I have?
R… What do you like to do for RECREATION?
I read books or manga. I watch anime. And I play mindless games while blasting music as loud as it will go. I’m not an exciting person.
S… Do You SING in the Shower? In the car? For your friends?
I try to only sing when I’m alone or the music drowns me out. Sometimes I slip up. Ah well.
T… What’s at the Top of your TO DO list?
Writing. Need to get back into a rhythm.
U… Any UNUSUAL Experiences?
Far too many to talk about here. Maybe in a different post. But I did have a woman sing a full on gospel version of happy birthday to me in a dance club bathroom, then she told me I was beautiful and if anyone told me different she would slit their throat. I stopped letting my sister drag me into public bathrooms after that.
V… VEGAS, Vienna, Venice, Vladivostok: How far have you travelled? What’s your favourite City?
None of those places. I do remember stopping in or near Verona, New York. Pretty sure that was the place with the awesome La Quinta. I’ve been all over the eastern side of the U.S. and up into Canada. I’m partial to the northeast.
W… WINTER, Spring, Summer, Fall: What’s your favorite season? What makes it special?
I live in Texas. We get summer and a couple of weeks of winter. Summer is better.
X… EXes: They are ex for a very good reason.
I wouldn’t know. Don’t have any.
Y… Any secret/deep YEARNINGS?
Unless you count milkshakes as secret desires, no. Not really. I’m good.
Z… ZERO to ZENITH: Where are you in your life? Still growing? On an upward (or downward) curve? Just skating along?
Pretty much just skating along right now. I think that’s what most people are trying to do thanks to COVID. Hopefully things will eventually get better.
Howdy, howdy! How’s everyone doing at the moment? As I’m writing this (the 12th), it’s my birthday. All I really want to do is watch The Untamed or some anime and maybe read some manhwa or manga, but it’s only my second blog post of the year, so I can’t justify taking the day off. Instead, I’m listening to the Japanese music playlist Spotify created for me for today and trying to think of something worth rambling about. I know I did it last year, but I think I’m just going to make a list of random facts about me. I’m 35, so that seems like a good number. I’ll try not to overlap with previous posts too much, but if you’ve been paying attention, you probably know most of these things anyway.
Who doesn’t need a little Deadpool on their birthday?
1. I’m far too lazy to go back and read previous posts to see if I’m repeating myself. If you stalk me enough to remember everything I’ve written in this blog, cheers to you and sorry for the repeats. If you’re new to stalking me, this is pretty much everything you need to know.
2. I’ve probably said it before, but I’m currently diagnosed with Ullrich Congenital Muscular Dystrophy (UCMD). It’s one of the rarer Muscular Dystrophies, so I don’t really talk about it in specific terms. No one knows what it is anyway.
3. UCMD is my fourth diagnosis, but I’ve been assured it’s the correct one. First, it was floppy baby syndrome, then congenital myopathy, then for about 18/19 years it was Spinal Muscular Atrophy type 2. A few years after they discovered UCMD, my pediatric neurologist asked if I would be willing to get tested for it. Surprise! For the last 11 or 12 years, that’s been what is supposedly wrong with me.
4. I enjoy listening to music in languages I don’t speak just to hear the rhythm of the words. When I listen to English music that way, people still expect me to know what a song is about. Like, sorry. I know every single word, but I’ve never actually paid attention to what was being said. I’m weird.
5. I like screamers and growlers (musicians, you pervert). I don’t have to know what they’re saying as long as I can rage vicariously through them.
6. I’m currently obsessed with the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack for some strange reason. It will pass.
7. I haven’t worn shoes (except fluffy slippers) since July. Haven’t had to go anywhere, so what’s the point? Thank you, Covid!
8. Despite the lack of shoes, I wear pants and a clean shirt every day. The plague won’t change that.
9. People are idiots. I know this. There’s nothing I can do or say to change this. That’s why I tend not to address all of the idiocy going on right now, especially on social media (I have no desire to feed the trolls). It’s not that I don’t care. I just don’t want to waste my emotional energy getting riled up about things we all knew would happen eventually. Because people are assholes. Sure, the majority of people are fine. But those extreme dickwads (on both sides) are the reason the rest of us can’t have nice things.
10. I do occasionally post political crap when I’m extremely bored and want to watch people argue, but it’s never serious stuff.
11. Even though I haven’t finished a single crochet pattern, I keep stocking up on free ones so I have stuff to make when I decide to stop procrastinating.
12. Stalking artists is one of my favorite pastimes lately.
13. I love it when people draw pretty things for me.
Jenae Barton drew us together. ❤
14. Norse mythology is currently my favorite and I love reading about the weird crap those gods got up to, like when Loki tied one end of a rope around his testicles and the other around a goat’s beard, then proceeded to play a kind of tug-of-war in order to make Skadi laugh. Those people were strange.
15. I had no idea what the random deluge of Twisted Tea memes were about until a couple of days ago.
16. I’ve never heard WAP and don’t ever plan on listening to it.
17. I’m in the middle of reading a craft book and, despite liking the author, it’s reminding me why I only read them once in a blue moon. It’s a slog and not particularly helpful.
18. Despite the fact that J.K. Rowling has gone kind of nuts, I’m really enjoying reading the Harry Potter series again.
19. I don’t wear jewelry often (aside from a ring I wear every day), but I still buy necklaces and bracelets that I know I’ll only wear once or twice.
20. It is taking me far too long to write this list and it’s just reinforcing the fact that I’m old.
21. I randomly want ice cream, but we have none. Sadness.
22. I don’t remember ever having a brain freeze.
23. I just ordered Thai/Japanese fusion for my birthday dinner (thank you, Dad!). They said they have mochi, so as long as the order shows up right, I’m getting red bean ice cream! Wootwoot!
24. I have a bunch of awesome people who wished me a happy birthday. I’ll respond to each of them, but I’m sorry if it takes a couple of days.
25. While you’re reading this, I’ll either be reading manhwa or watching The Untamed since I didn’t get around to it today. Or I’ll be a good little writer and read some stuff I’m supposed to then write some words. I haven’t decided.
26. I’m terrible at talking about myself and am running out of things to say already. Is it obvious? I feel like it’s obvious.
27. My dog learned quickly that cats are sharp and now boldly barks at the ferals only when they’re no where in sight or she’s safely in the house. I find this hilarious.
28. I hate The Great Gatsby. I know I’m supposed to love it and think all these things about it and what it portrays, but it’s not good. At all. I’ve read it twice in my life and each time I wished I had those hours back.
29. White chocolate KitKats are better than milk chocolate ones.
30. I post little anecdotes that I think are funny and get weirded out when people start commenting supportive and encouraging things. I guess my funny stories are depressing or too dark.
Oh well.
31. An example of the type of anecdotes mentioned above: someone once asked why I write horror and when I told them that when you keep getting told you’re going to die by a young age you turn out a little twisted, they gave me that deer in the headlights look people get when they have no clue how to respond.
32. Dinner was yummy. I had a dancing eel roll and yakisoba, plus a duck bun and some of one of Dad’s dishes. The mochi will be a reward when I finish scheduling this post.
33. I just checked my email and got a great birthday present! Well, great news on my birthday, so I’m claiming it as a present. I’ll make a post about it when everything is official.
34. Apparently I give off a dragon vibe even though I’m obviously an unknowable sea entity. What do you think?
The new stupid fun thing on social media.
35. I’m too old to be making lists like this. It took all afternoon. Maybe I’ll just take my birthday week off from blogging in the future. Or maybe I’m just being lazy.
And I’m done. Thank the gods and goddesses. As usual, feel free to share your thoughts or comments or own lists here or on my social media pages!
Howdy, howdy! On Sunday, I turned 34. It was a nice, quiet day. Dad took me out for Thai food, which was super yummy. It’s a place we used to go to pretty often called Tukta Thai over on the corner of Walnut Hill and Plano Road. We still have no idea why we stopped going other than it being a bit of a drive. I’ll have to review the place next time we go (if I can remember to make Dad take pictures). Anyway, since I have nothing new to ramble about, I thought I would make a list of 34 random facts about me that you may or may not already know.
1. In case you haven’t guessed by the January 12th birthday, I’m a Capricorn.
2. Just about every morning, I call my dog random names to see what she’s answering to in that particular 5 minutes, because she refuses to learn her name. Or any name.
3. I love garlic. What’s the point of eating something if there’s no garlic in it?
5. If I have to choose between vanilla and chocolate ice cream, I’ll usually choose vanilla. Unless it’s Ghirardelli or Talenti, then chocolate please. Or just give me coffee ice cream. Now, I want ice cream.
6. I watched The Witcher and never got the song stuck in my head. I can’t even remember the tune. Does that make me a psychopath?
7. I think Madonna is overrated.
8. I haven’t watched a single episode of Game of Thrones, nor have I read any of the books.
9. I like fake grape flavor.
10. Sailor Saturn is the best Sailor Senshi and nothing you say will change my mind.
11. Anime taught me that main characters don’t have to be likeable for the story to be good. Yeah. I’m looking at you, Shinji and Eren.
12. I love bats and octopuses. And snakes. And wombats. Animals. I like them.
13. Mermaids, sirens, and selkies are among my favorite mythical creatures.
14. I’m so bad at remembering to write letters that one of my friends routinely sends me stationery type stuff to remind me to write to her. I currently have one of the blank cards she sent me for my birthday sitting in front of me waiting to be filled out. It’s been there since Friday. I’m a horrible friend.
15. I told Dad I was going to crochet a bag of dicks for him if he didn’t stop being one, so he brought out the “dick warmer” he got as a gift a long time ago. Needless to say, I now have an old crocheted penis on display in my room.
16. My CD collection has been sitting on my desk for over a year since my old stereo died. I keep forgetting to transfer them to my computer.
17. I have been in every state straight up from Texas and to the east. Now, we just have to conquer the west.
18. When people ask if I’ve been out of the country, it takes me a minute to remember that Canada counts and I have been there.
19. I used to cross-stitch before my hands decided to be stupid. Which is probably why I enjoy crocheting. It’s a completely different experience, but I get to buy pretty yarn, which is basically the same as buying pretty thread.
20. As much as I miss video games, I’m kind of glad I stopped being able to play before you had to start buying in-game upgrades and subscriptions and all that crap. I’m poor enough as it is.
21. I could never be a vegan because cheese. Meat too, but mostly cheese.
22. I like Pepsi better than Coke. Unless it’s Mexican, then Coke is better.
23. My acquaintances post these “picky eater” test things on Facebook and I really have no idea how some of them survive. Like, what do you eat? You can’t survive on air and cookies.
24. I’ll taste just about anything once. I’m not picky. Even if I know I don’t like it, but haven’t tasted it in years, I’ll try it again.
25. I don’t like sweet pickles. Doesn’t matter how many times I taste them. Blargh. But I love dill pickles.
26. My favorite season is summer. I like heat, though I admit as I get older, 85-90 is warm enough.
27. Anything besides cheese pizza (and maybe sausage or pepperoni) is an open-face sandwich. You’ll never convince me otherwise.
28. I’ve had to read “Hills like White Elephants” by Hemingway so many times I’ve lost count. The last teacher who assigned it actually looked supremely disappointed when he asked what it was really about and I automatically answered abortion. He was kind of a dick anyway, so I didn’t mind bursting his smug bubble when he just knew no one would know what it was about.
29. I love boxes and baskets. I have no use for them, but I love them.
My bat’leth and other things.
30. I collect blades and whips.
31. In one of my fiction writing classes at SMU, no one knew what an asshat was. I understood the teacher not knowing, but none of my classmates had heard it either. I fixed that.
32. Aside from weapons, my room also contains an eclectic mix of stuffed animals, skulls, Barbie dolls, and signed posters among other things.
33. I like Panera’s frozen coffees, but find their hot (read that as lukewarm) drinks extremely disappointing.
34. It took me a ridiculously long time to write this because I suck at talking about myself.
There you go. Thirty-four random things about me. Feel free to share your thoughts or comments or lists about yourself here or on my social media pages!
Howdy, howdy! As some of you might know, tomorrow (January 12th) is my birthday. I’ll be 31, or for those of you who have gerascophobia (the fear of aging), it’ll be my third 29th. Birthdays around here are quiet events that usually consist of a nice dinner with friends. This year, the destination is Texas de Brazil! Yummy! I’ll make sure to do a full report on that next week. This week, I thought I would share a list of 15 things about myself that you may or may not already know. I was going to do 31 and make it a whole nod to my age thing, but no one’s that interested in me.
Pretty much.
1. My current diagnosis is Ulrich Congenital Muscular Dystrophy (UCMD), but it’s not my first. There was Floppy Baby Syndrome, which I was supposed to grow out of. When that didn’t happen, it was Congenital Myopathy. I didn’t grow out of that either, so I was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy type 2 (SMA2), which came with a series of death guesstimates that never panned out. That was all by the time I was five. I was 23 or so when they decided SMA2 was definitely wrong and tested for UCMD (a relatively new disease at the time). The doctors swear UCMD is the correct one, though. We’ll see what happens.
2. I like Nickelback. Make fun of me all you want, but they aren’t a bad group. They’re not my favorite or anything, but I never really understood why they’re so hated.
3. I don’t have a favorite TV show. I have shows I love, but if you asked me to pick one I like best, I couldn’t even narrow it down.
4. I’m a firm believer that “growing up” and “acting your age” are scams developed by people who aren’t young at heart. Besides, I’ve never been this age. I don’t know what it’s supposed to be like.
5. My favorite things about the Christmas season (aside from family and joy and all of that) are eggnog and peppermint bark.
6. I’m quietly competitive. I try not to compete with people for things, but when it happens, I will silently plot your overthrow.
7. One of my favorite memories from my time at SMU was when my physics teacher decided to make class grades “public.” There was a spreadsheet on the class website with our grades listed under nicknames. I swapped back and forth with a guy (I overheard the guy tell a classmate his nickname, so I know it wasn’t the other female in class) for top marks as the semester went on, ultimately earning the highest grade. That was the best motivation ever.
8. I started listening to James Blunt and Lifehouse and sappy music in general for a male. I keep listening to it because I’m apparently a big old softy who enjoys that kind of stuff.
Maybe.
9. I can go weeks or more without talking to people. It doesn’t mean that I don’t like you. And I don’t avoid people very often unless I’ve had too much social interaction (a rare occurrence). I’ll answer you if you message me. I’m just really bad at keeping in touch.
10. My favorite colors are purple and green. My favorite color combination is purple with black and silver. Most people don’t seem to know about the green part. It’s weird.
11. I have to drink booze through a straw. I don’t really understand why this amazes people, but it does.
12. I want to go to Japan some day. There are other places I would like to visit, but Japan will always be at the top of my list.
13. A friend once told me that she loved me because I would tell her the blunt truth and she’d still walk away feeling special, even if I was telling her she was doing something idiotic. She’s not the only one who has said something similar. I guess it’s a weird talent I have.
Seriously. Don’t do the thing.
14. I don’t read nearly as much as I should. I know writers are expected to read a lot, but I don’t. It’s just not that high on my list of priorities, so I tend to keep putting it off.
15. I’d love to move to the northeast. Somewhere on the water. Closer to my Stonecoast people. I really miss Maine, especially while residency is going on, like right now.
I’ll stop boring you! Feel free to share some facts about yourself in the comments or on my social media pages. See you next week!
Shawna's Blog of Doom 