New Year, New Goals

January 6, 2021January 5, 2021 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hello, hello! It’s another new year. We’re almost a week into it, so how’s 2021 treating people thus far? It’s been a mixed bag for me, but generally meh. I got some good news that I’ll share later. Aside from that, I started off the year with a rejection and am now up to three as I’m writing this (it’s just the 5th day of the year). Things have also been hectic for Dad because of some stuff with our neighbor that he helps out. So, yeah. I think meh is an apt description of 2021 so far. Anyway, since it’s the first Wednesday of the year and I have nothing to really ramble about, this is just going to be a yearly goal post.

I see a lot of people making vision boards and stuff like that for 2021, but I don’t really understand them, so I’ll just stick with written goals. But I think I’ll group them a little differently this year instead of just writing a random paragraph with multiple goals mushed together.

Writing Goals:

1. Write 3 short stories/flash fiction pieces. I need to replenish my stock of stories to send out into the slush void.

2. Finish the first draft of DS2. I lost steam on this one, but it’s not the story’s fault. I just need to suck it up and write words.

3. Dig out the sci-fi novel I stopped a few years ago because I couldn’t figure out how to fix it and see if I can rework it. I have a new idea that will require rewriting the whole thing, but it just might work. I’ll try, but I won’t force it if it fights me.

4. Pull out the “Lightning Bugs” novelette/novella that I haven’t worked on since Stonecoast (despite Nancy Holder’s cheerleading) and see if I can flesh it out and make it presentable. I’ve avoided it because, submission-wise, I don’t really know what to do with something of that length.

Shut up, Cass. I’m going to write. Soon.

Submission Goals:

1. Submit to two magazines or anthologies a week.

2. Query agents for DS1. I have about 10 to go on my list, but I’m at that point where I need to wait for responses before I can try other agents.

3. Query publishers for DS1. If I strike out with the agents, I have a few publishers I want to submit to before I debate trunking the book/series.

Reading Goals:

1. Read 35 books overall.

2. Of those 35, review at least 12.

3. Of those 35, I want at least 8 to be from my “want to read again” list.

Misc. Goals:

1. Finish the shawl of doom. This is entirely because I procrastinate too much, but I will finish the damned thing and move onto another project to procrastinate on.

2. Finish watching The Untamed. I don’t usually care about TV, but I’m behind on all of my foreign shows. It’s extremely rare for me to watch anything on my own (I’d rather read), but I will make time for at least The Untamed this year. I always need more adorable gay stuff in my life.

What about you? What are your goals for 2021? As always, feel free to share your thoughts or comments here or on my social media profiles!

The Bracelet

December 2, 2020December 1, 2020 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hello, hello! And welcome to December! Didn’t November start like two days ago? How is it already over? I’m really struggling to find the motivation to be productive. Needless to say, my writing goals will not be met this year, even if I manage to write every day until January. Don’t get me wrong. My word count for the year (thus far) isn’t too shabby, I just haven’t finished the first draft of DS2 yet. But my reading goals have been surpassed, so at least there’s that. Crochet is done in random spurts, so I’m super behind on that too. Submissions and queries are still going out regularly. I missed two weeks because I am a lazy bum, but I caught up by sending out extras this week. So, that’s where I am at the start of December. Now, I have to write an actual blog post for you. Luckily, the gift I bought myself arrived recently, so I’m going to show it off with a little review!

Just a nice picture I borrowed from Google.

As some of you know, I actually bought something for myself that wasn’t a book, food, or something I needed. Like many people, I constantly look at pretty things and declare my love for them (and I don’t just mean pretty people, I do it with objects too), but rarely buy the objects (I don’t pay for pretty people either because I don’t have an OnlyFans account). Anyway, when I do talk myself into buying something, it’s like pulling teeth. This was no exception.

I was scrolling through some of the crochet pages I stalk on Facebook when I came across a gorgeous choker (those necklaces that fit snugly around the throat). It was thin silver wire that had been crocheted and moonstone with a wire tree wrapped around it. I can’t wear chokers, but I still wanted it, so I asked if the creator had a website. That led me to Jessy Herc’s Etsy page. There are so many pretties on there! Everything from chokers to pendants to rings to armbands. She even has bracelets. I tend to avoid buying everything except pendants because I’m super tiny, so rings and bracelets and stuff like that tends to fall right off me unless I get them customized. But I fell in love with a particular bracelet and a lot of the reviews said her bracelets run small, so I talked myself into spending the money.

And I’m so glad I did! It fits my tiny wrist perfectly and the band is stretchy, so Dad (and his big fingers) can get it clasped easy enough. The labradorite is so shiny and pretty. It’s mostly green with a gold sheen and hints of blue. I haven’t taken it out in the sun yet, so I don’t know if any other colors will make an appearance. The copper wire is a lovely contrast to the stone and beads. The design is intricate and the craftsmanship is wonderful. I’m so happy with the piece. I have nowhere to wear it right now, but maybe one day the plague will be under control and I’ll be able to leave the house again. Until then, I can admire my little tree (I’m calling it Yggdrasil) on my own.

Me. Because I’m too lazy to find a meme or something that fits here.

Have you recently splurged and bought yourself something pretty? Is there anything you’re considering buying? As always, feel free to tell me about it or share your thoughts and comments here or on my social media pages!

I’d Rather Be Crocheting

September 16, 2020September 15, 2020 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Howdy, howdy! How is everyone doing? I’m still procrastinating on my writing, but I’ve started crocheting again. It’s not exactly what I should be doing. I know. I’m still keeping up with everything else (reading, submitting, querying, blogging, etc.), it’s just the actual writing I’ve been avoiding. Shame on me. But I’m having more fun playing with yarn than the computer. Granted, I’m not doing it every day, so it’s not like I don’t have time to write. No excuses. I’m just lazy. Anyway, I thought I’d use this post to update you on my crochet progress and make a list of other projects I want to work on.

1. Lost Soul Shawl by Maryetta Roy. Yes, I’m still working on this because of my random tendency to quit things for weeks (sometimes months) at a time. I’m opening up for the 10th set of skulls. I’ll see how big it is at the end of this set and maybe stop there. But I am starting to see the end and it’s encouraging me to finish it. There will be pictures after it’s done and blocked, before it’s shipped off to my ever patient friend. I’m not saying it’ll get finished any time soon, but it’s getting there.

2. The Lakeside Beanie from 5 Knots North. The very first thing I started was a crappy beanie for Dad that requires sewing (meaning I’m never going to finish it). Since I’ve been working on the shawl, I’ve been looking into top-down and bottom-up hats that don’t require any real sewing. I’ll probably unravel the rectangle I made Dad and try this pattern whenever I finish the shawl. Then, I have to find a pattern and yarn to make myself a hat. Hopefully small projects will be easier to complete.

Borrowed from Wickedly Handmade’s Ravelry site linked below

3. The Wickedly Hooded Pocket Shawl by Andrea Williams at Wickedly Handmade. This one would be for me. Jackets and hoodies are annoying because I rarely put my arms in the sleeves unless I’m going to be outside for an extended period of time, so they don’t lay right on me. But maybe a straight back shawl would drape better and offer the same warmth as a hoodie without the pesky sleeves adding extra bulk. Plus, there’s a hood and pockets. How cute is that? But it’s another big undertaking, so I’ll probably procrastinate for a while.

Borrowed from Hooked on Homemade Happiness’s Ravelry site linked below.

4. The Urban Chic Cocoon Sweater by Breann Mauldin at Hooked on Homemade Happiness. I don’t know why, but I really like this pattern. I wouldn’t wear it because I don’t like layering clothes, so I’d have to think of someone to make it for, but I want to try making it eventually. She has a lot of cute patterns (many available for free on her website). There are a lot of beanies, so I’ll probably procrastinate with some of those before I try this one.

5. The Pretty in Peplum Sweater from Okie Girl Bling ‘n’ Things. It’s such a cute sweater and the yarn looks gorgeous. This would be another thing for me. It comes in a bunch of sizes and there’s no seaming required. It looks pretty easy, so it might be good as a first top. I’ll find out eventually!

I also want to try making socks, but I’ll have to get smaller hooks and get Dad to make long handles for them. What are some of your hobbies? Do you have some projects you want to work on eventually? As always, feel free to share your thoughts or comments here or on my social media pages!

Adjusted Goals

July 1, 2020June 30, 2020 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hello, hello! Welcome to July! How is everyone doing? Can you believe it’s already July? This year has flown by despite (or maybe because of) everything going on. Anyway, I stayed up late with Dad while he had some stuff on the smoker last night (a couple of briskets, pulled pork, and a “prime” rib… it’s okay to be jealous), so we got a late start today, which means I’m too lazy to come up with something decent to blog about. So, since it’s actually the first of the month and I haven’t done a goals post in a while, I’m just going to give you a quick update on new goals and how my old ones are going.

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Here are my goals from January and how I’ve been doing with that/what’s changed.

1. From January: Finish revising DS1.
Status: Complete. I finished in April instead of March because I got lazy, but I finished nonetheless and I love this book.
Updated Goal: Write a first draft of DS2. I waffled about starting this book until I see how DS1 does, but ultimately decided that it’s better to have a draft started and have no one want it than to procrastinate and have nothing if someone gets interested and wants to know where I’m at with book two. I’m aiming to have the first draft done by September 15th at the latest.

2. From January: Read 30 books.
Status: I have read 20 books so far this year. Six were from my “to re-read” pile, nine have been books I’ve reviewed (no idea how that happened), and the other five were new to me, but not necessarily new.
Updated Goal: My official goal is still 30 books. I still have six months of books to review. I also want to re-read at least two more books. And I’ll squeeze in at least two new to me books. Hopefully I’ll be able to get to more in the latter two categories, but I won’t push it.

1a6b2cf3ca1ebdfc5f8d98948e95616e — Amazon, but yeah.

3. From January: Keep submitting.
Status: I haven’t missed a week yet.
Updated Goal: The goal is relatively the same, submit two short pieces to magazines or anthologies every week. I normally do this on Mondays, but I’ve decided it doesn’t matter which day as long as it gets done every week.

4. January Goal: Query 100 agents.
Status: In progress. I’ve queried 16 agents thus far and received a couple of form rejections as well as a couple of really encouraging personal rejections.
Updated Goal: I’m still going to query 100 agents unless I find one. I send out five queries a week and I will participate in appropriate Twitter pitch sessions. If I can’t find an agent, there are also a few publishers I will try querying before I give up and move to a new project or debate self-publishing.

5. January Goal: Crochet.
Status: In limbo. I haven’t crocheted in a couple of months.
Updated Goal: I want to finish the shawl I’m working on and a hat by the end of the year. I’m just weird and can’t find the motivation for it. But I will get back to it soon.

Those are my revised goals for now. What are some of your goals? How have they changed since earlier in the year? As always, feel free to leave a comment here or on my social media pages!

The Things I Do For Procrastination

June 3, 2020June 2, 2020 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hello, hello! Welcome to June. Can you believe it’s already this far into the year? I’m still stuck back in March somewhere. I’ll be honest: motivation for productive things is hard right now. I know I should be writing something, but I’m also nervous because the only thing I’m drawn to is DS2. I’m currently searching for an agent for DS1 and I don’t want what happened with G&G and its sequel to happen this time. I don’t want to get deep into DS2 only to end up with a bunch of rejections for DS1, get disgusted with everything, and trunk them both. That’s too depressing. But I’m also not excited about any of my other ideas at the moment, so I’ll probably cave and start DS2 tomorrow. I’m just procrastinating and I know it. Just like I procrastinated before writing this post. And since I have nothing else to talk about, I thought I would explain what a day of procrastination looks like for me.

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When I get up, it’s a long drawn out process during which I usually have time to play my three mindless games on Facebook for a bit. During that time Dad makes breakfast. We watch an hour of TV while we eat, then we go out back and feed the fish (we have a pond). Afterwards, Dad usually goes out to work in his shop. That’s when the procrastination truly begins.

Today (as in the day I’m writing this, not the day you’re reading it), I came inside and did the crossword puzzle. I checked my email. Got something from Panera Bread about contactless delivery, which they’ve emailed me about before but never delivered to our address, so I checked again figuring it would be the same as usual. To my surprise, they now deliver to us! So, I spent twenty minutes perusing their grocery menu and normal menu even though I know what they have. I was that bored and desperate to avoid working. Sue me. Then, I decided to read a chapter of the book I’m currently reading to review on the 24th.

I followed that up with slowly wandering around the living room and kitchen, then staring out the back door for a few minutes. I usually tell myself it’s because I need to give my eyes a break from the computer screen, but really it’s because I don’t know what to write and hope a change of scenery will help. It never does. And before I returned to my room, I went into the dining room to stare at the crochet stuff I haven’t touched in almost a month. It was a mess. The shawl was all scrunched up and the hook was dangling from the last stitch I made. Instead of waiting for Dad to come inside and help me straighten everything out (which would have taken all of five seconds), I spent fifteen minutes getting the hook into position and shoving everything around as best I could with my back scratcher so that it’s ready for me when I want to work on it again, but won’t fall off the table in the mean time.

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When I noticed it was almost six, I decided to get serious and write this post. This isn’t an unusual day for me. Granted, when I’m in the middle of writing a book or short story, I force myself to get serious closer to 4:30, maybe 5:00. But that’s only because I write more words and sprinkle in random breaks to stare out the back door or check my email or scroll through social media for five minutes.

What about you? What’s a normal day of procrastination like for you? As always, feel free to share your thoughts or comments here or on my social media pages!

Life Update…

March 11, 2020March 10, 2020 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Howdy, howdy! How is your March going? Mine has been pretty quiet so far. I’ve looked back over my posts from the past few weeks and realized that they’ve been mostly food and book reviews. That’s great for me because it means I don’t have to think about what to write, but I’ve run out of those for now. So, I thought I would do a general life update. Here’s a list of five updates ranging from things I promised to expand on in previous posts to completely random new topics.

86800308_10156754249811716_4083994662719717376_n — At the DMA.

1. The friend visit! Enza came to visit from February 14th ’til the 18th. We went to the Dallas Museum of Art, Fountain Place (yes, there’s a building in Dallas surrounded by fountains), Meadows Museum, and a few different places to eat. Then, we had a relaxing day hanging out in the backyard reading and chatting before Enza had to go back. She left us some surprise chocolates when she left. They’re long gone, but they were yummy! I had a nice time and I’m sorry I hate Dallas’s shitty roads. If you’re reading this, thank you again for visiting!

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2. Cake! Dad bought a cake for Enza’s visit from Great Balls of Fudge n Stuff. Here’s the Instagram. We met Erika, the wonderful lady behind the goodies, at Panera. She made us a decadent chocolate cake with raspberry buttercream frosting and chocolate ganache. It was absolutely delicious. There was brief talk about freezing some of it, but it didn’t last that long. Go ahead and be jealous.

3. Goals. I won’t make you suffer through a whole post about them, but they’re going well. I slacked off on my revisions, so instead of 1,500 words on my revising days, I have to do 1,700 words, but I’m still on track to finish them by March 20th. I’m also three books ahead of schedule for my reading goal for the year. Submissions go out every week. So yeah. Everything is going pretty well.

72330138_10156431433036716_1610674746737819648_n — My first little lost soul. She has lots of friends now, but still isn’t done.

4. Crochet! Since Enza saw the shawl-thus-far, I can talk about it on here. It’s called the Lost Souls shawl and I got the pattern for free on Ravelry. It was a big project to take on, but I’ve learned a lot from it so far. There are also some amazing tutorials for it on YouTube that I would be lost without. I’m currently halfway through with the eighth set of skulls and starting the ninth. I’ve been working on it on and off since October (I’m super slow). I actually haven’t worked on it since February 2nd, so I need to get back to it. I’ll make sure to post pictures when I’m done with it.

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5. Coronavirus. Dad’s a bit paranoid about the flu and the latest plague, so we’ve been hermitting more than usual. There’s not really much we can do about it since it’s spreading so much, but it gives me a legit excuse to avoid going grocery shopping or to Home Depot. I can only use revising as an excuse so much, but avoiding sickness gets me off the hook even on my days off. Yay for being a recluse!

That’s life. I’m stuck in a revise, read, eat, repeat loop. You’re all caught up now. Feel free to tell me how things are going for you on here or on my social media pages!

Happy 2020!

January 1, 2020January 1, 2020 ~ shawnaborman ~ 3 Comments

Howdy, howdy! Welcome to 2020! I hope you all have a wonderful year and even better decade! The 2010s were a weird decade for me. My mother passed away (don’t be sorry, I’m not), I finished my BA at SMU, got my MFA from Stonecoast, got published a couple of times, earned a LOT of rejections, lost some pups, got a new one, and the list goes on. Ultimately, it seems like there were more ups than downs, and that’s all one can really hope for. It’s all I want out of 2020 as well, both the year and the decade. Anyway, since it’s the 1st, I’m just going to list my goals for the year. I suppose I should have some kind of 10 year plan, but I don’t. I never think that far ahead, at least not seriously. So, you’re stuck with my plan for the year like usual.

Happy-New-Year-Wallpaper-2020-Download

My 2020 goals in no particular order:

1. Finish revising DS1. I plan on getting back to this today. The only major change I’m looking at making is changing the tense of the story from past to present because it just reads better that way. This goal is my priority for this year. Hopefully, it will only take me a few months. After I look at it, I’ll set a realistic deadline and share it with people who can hold me accountable.

2. Read 30 books. I’ll definitely read 12 new/recently released books for the monthly book reviews (yeah, that’s still going to be a thing). That leaves 18 books. I’m planning on 8-10 of those being books from my “to re-read” list and the rest being books that are new to me, but not necessarily new. At least that’s the plan. We’ll see how it goes.

what-shall-i-read-today-harry-potter-pile-of-unread-42868636 — Maybe I will start with Harry Potter. After I read some books my secret Santa sent me for the Pseudopod book exchange.

3. Keep submitting. This will be my third year of consistent submissions. At least two stories every week (or the equivalent if I get sick and miss some weeks like last year). I’ve gotten about 210 rejections for my short stories since I started keeping track in 2014, plus 101 rejections from agents for G&G, so I’d say I’m doing pretty well. The few acceptances I’ve earned make it not so discouraging. All of my acceptances so far have been for semi-pro level payment and I’ve received positive feedback on rejections from pro level markets, so hopefully 2020 will be the year of my first pro level acceptance. A girl can wish, right?

4. Query 100 agents (or fewer if I find one). Once I finish the revisions to DS1, the plan is to query agents. It’s drastically different from G&G, so I’ll have to go through the process of finding agents with a taste for this particular genre. But at least this time I’ll have had some experience and know where to start my search. I dread writing the query letter, though. It’s harder to write than a novel.

center — Except I’m not a lady and I have no stash yet, but one day it will be glorious.

5. Crochet. Yes, my new hobby is still a thing. I’m getting pretty far along with my first project (the unfinished hat doesn’t count). And I already have like 10 free patterns saved to try and 20 paid patterns in my favorites on Ravelry to buy when/if I decide to do them. But it’s just a hobby and will have to be done after my writing and revising each day. At least that’s what I keep telling myself. I’ll make it work. Eventually.

Those are my goals for the year. I’ll add new writing goals once I finish my revisions. And I’m not even going to say anything about trying to be more social because we all know it’s not going to happen. What about your goals? Any plans you want to share for your 2020? As always, feel free to share your thoughts and comments here or on my social media pages!

Less Screen Time: Pros and Cons

December 11, 2019December 10, 2019 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Howdy, howdy! How is everyone doing this December? Are you ready for whatever holiday you happen to be celebrating? We aren’t planning on doing anything this year, so we’re pretty much prepared. Anyway, I haven’t been doing much aside from reading and crocheting. That means I don’t have much to talk about. But it also means I’ve been away from the computer more often than usual. It makes for a weird combination of good and bad. So, I thought I would take a chance to ramble about some of the pros and cons I’ve noticed about being away from the screen.

Pro 1: Less social media drama. Don’t get me wrong, I love lurking and seeing how everyone I know is doing, but I really like not getting sucked down all the flame war rabbit holes. I still scroll through everything on a daily basis, but I find myself reading fewer comments because I’d rather go play with yarn than watch people argue. It just seems like a better use of my time.

Con 1: Less socializing. I don’t socialize enough as it is, but being away from the computer means that I don’t respond to Facebook messages right away. I rarely respond to texts right away anymore, unless it’s important. It’s just not as easy to multitask when my computer is in my room and I’m in the dining room. So, sorry if I haven’t messaged you enough or in a timely manner. I’m being worse than usual about it.

Pro 2: Yarn doesn’t judge me when I curse at it. Try it. You can say anything you want to yarn and the worst it will do is tangle itself up, which just results in more colorful language. Say the wrong thing online and someone’s going to blow up at you whether you were talking to them or not. Yarn is good. Yarn doesn’t judge. Be like yarn.

Con 2: Yarn won’t help you with stupid things. As good a listener as yarn is, it won’t offer unhelpful solutions when you need a laugh. That’s what my Interwebz friends are for, to send me stupid memes and GIFs when I’m in a funk.

Pro 3: Finding new communities to be part of and learning people you already know are in those communities. I’ve joined a few crochet and fiber arts groups only to discover people I already know are in them! It’s actually kind of cool to join a group and realize you already have friends there. Plus, it’s nice to have places to go and ask beginner questions and get a lot of feedback.

Con 3: The groups are online. In other words, I join them and stalk them for a few minutes, then go back to the dining room.

Ultimately, I’m still on my computer a lot, but being away from it seems to be helping my mental health. I don’t know if it’s just being away from the negativity of social media or if it’s doing something with my hands or a combination of the two, but I feel better (not as depressed and anxious as usual). So, I think less screen time is good, but I still need it to socialize.

What are your thoughts on screen time and social media breaks and all that good stuff? Feel free to leave your comments or thoughts here or on my social media pages!

December Goals: 2019

December 4, 2019December 3, 2019 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hello, hello! It’s the last month of 2019 and I haven’t really accomplished much the last few months. I’m not really looking to do much this month either. Shame on me, I know. But it’s true. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I’m not going to be able to shake the writing blahs any time soon. But I still have some goals that I intend to work on. And I haven’t shared a goal post in a while, so that’s what I’m doing now. Sorry that I have nothing better to ramble about.

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So, here are those goals in no particular order:

1. Keep submitting to two places each week. I fell behind on this when I was sick earlier this year, but I caught up and have no plans to give up now. I’ve gathered a lot of rejections, mostly form, but with some really nice personal ones sprinkled throughout. You know about the acceptances if you stalk me at all. It’s been a really good year submission-wise.

2. Read 2 more books. I know I originally wanted to read 30 books this year, but I think I’m going to top out around 27. I just finished number 25. If I hadn’t gotten sick, I probably could’ve squeezed in a few extra. But honestly, I’ll be happy if I only get through 26.

crochet-is-not-a-hobby-its-a-post-apocalyptic-life-skill-b542f — Zombies need sweaters too.

3. Crocheting. I was stupid and chose a big ambitious project as a newbie. There’s no way I’m finishing it this year, but I want to get a big chunk of it done, so in January I can switch my main focus back to writing like I should’ve done a long time ago. I have to remind myself that crocheting is just supposed to be a hobby.

4. Being more social. I went to SMU’s Celebration of Lights with Dad and some friends. We even have another holiday thing planned with them. But I also really need to text and Facebook message some people because I have been hermitting really bad. Like worse than usual. I blame the crochet because it doesn’t involve the computer, so I can’t multitask when I’m doing it. But really, I’m just enjoying my own company.

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5. Get in a festive mood. It’s hard. I can’t get into Christmas music. I’m not in the mood to look at lights. I thought going to SMU’s thing would help, but it didn’t do much for me. Maybe the holiday party will help. Or maybe I’m just a Grinch. But I have eggnog, so I’m a happy Grinch.

What about you? Do you have any December goals? Are you already filled with the holiday spirit or are you struggling too? As always, feel free to share your thoughts and comments here or on my social media pages!

Thanksgiving: 2019

November 20, 2019November 19, 2019 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Howdy, howdy! How is everyone doing this week? November is speeding along, much like the rest of this year. I have no idea where the time went. I’m still stuck in April or May. Is it just me? Yeah? Okay then. But Thanksgiving is only eight days away, so I thought it would be a good time to make a list of things I’m thankful for this year. I know I should probably do this closer to Thanksgiving, but next week is my book review post. Anyway, in no particular order, here are five things I’m thankful for this year.

12310696_10153290948051716_4911173510513371495_n — We’ll get a new picture of us eventually.

1. Dad. I know it’s sappy, but I am thankful for him. He does everything for me. Even the gross stuff no one wants to know about. And I don’t say thanks enough. Mostly because I don’t really know how to express myself well (my social skills suck, even with family). But I know he’s reading this. So, you are appreciated. Even if you’re a dick sometimes. That’s as sappy as I get.

Crochet-Patterns-Funny-These-funny-Crochet-Memes-are-sure-hilarious.-You-will-laugh-and-be-entertained — Replace cleaning the house with writing and it’s me!

2. Tunisian/Afghan crochet hooks. They’re super long and designed for a special type of crochet, but I just use them for regular crochet so far. My discovery of these earlier this year has allowed me to be creative in a whole new way. And they prove my hands can still do cool things if I set my mind to it. I’m not entirely useless after all!

When-you-are-reading-a-book-and-get-to-the-part-where-the-title-makes-sense — Unless the title has nothing to do with the book and you’re just disappointed.

3. NetGalley. I’m not usually thankful for specific websites, but I admit that this one is pretty cool. I’ve been able to read a bunch of books that I probably wouldn’t have tried otherwise. I even found a couple of authors that I’m still following. Plus, it gives me something to blog about each month, which is super helpful.

BFF8-5ac2eb883418c600374ef459 — Or maybe because I already know too much. My friends are crazy. Don’t deny it.

4. Friends. Again, sappy. But it’s true. Especially the ones who randomly check in on me even when I’m in full hermit mode and being a shit friend myself. You know who you are. You’re all appreciated. And sorry I am such a hermit. I try not to be, but it never works out.

internet-memes-7

5. The Interwebz. It’s where all my friends live. But really, because it simultaneously lets me stalk people and keep up with their lives while helping limit my need to use the phone or leave the house. Need to activate that card? Do it online! Want to buy something? There’s a website for that. It’s basically an introvert’s dream. But never read the comments.

What about you? What are you thankful for this year? It can be small or large. Serious or funny. Or anything in between. Feel free to share your lists and thoughts here or on my social media pages!

Shawna's Blog of Doom

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