#soooo. i've been meaning to share this playlist for a while now and i figured since s6 stars today

[nancypullen]

Lawdy, I'm Tired

I worked until 8pm on Thursday, on Friday we picked up the grand girl and returned her on Sunday afternoon, on Monday Matt flew in, and on Wednesday the Edgewaters will be back for a few nights. I'm not complaining about being loved, but I need a day! On the morning of the 8th I will wave goodbye to Mickey and Matt as they fly out of Baltimore (in different directions) and then I will have my day. There will be crime shows, popcorn for dinner, and not a bra in sight. I'll probably be in bed by 9 o'clock every night. The cats are really excited about that. As you may have guessed from that first paragraph, I'm finally finished at the library. As much as I hate that, I do feel like I made the right decision. There's a possibility that they'll bring me on as a volunteer just to do the displays. I'd be okay with that. On my terms and on my time, a little creative outlet - what's not to love? This morning I had a breakfast meeting with a very interesting and likable woman who may hold a portion of my future happiness in her hands. She has taken on a local magazine and has a wonderful vision for it. Part of that vision is assembling a talented team and I'm flattered beyond belief that she wanted to talk to me. Flattered and STUMPED, really, because she is such a smart, determined, and confident person. I'm always in awe of people like that and wonder what in the world I could offer - but I'm absolutely open to the possibilities. I'll know more in a couple of weeks, and will make some choices then. My imposter syndrome is strong, but I refuse to allow it to keep me from trying something new and possibly fabulous. I remind myself that Laura Ingalls Wilder started writing her column for the Missouri Ruralist when she was 44, the same age that I was when I started this blog. Maybe it's time for me to spread my wings a bit and see what happens.

If it doesn't work out I'll go right back to writing my little manuscripts that I never send in and making my weird little cards. Either way I'll be keeping company with the written word and I find the prospect of that utterly delightful. I'm also delighting in my gardens. I've actually seen humingbirds, at last! Since moving here I've felt that my gardens have been a bit lackluster. I'd gotten very used to my green thumb producing tumbles of blooms and luscious greenery. It took some time for me to learn how to garden in clay, I suppose it's now time to learn to garden in sandy soil. I'm not good at it. I've studied books on mid-Atlantic gardening and Eastern Shore gardening, and read every tip that Maryland's master gardeners share. I still feel like things are stunted and/or stubborn. The vinca is fine, and my sunflowers and purple coneflower have finally started blooming.

Of course the reliable ol' zinnias are blooming like crazy. But nothing seems full and lush. I'll get the hang of it. I will figure it out, but the clock is already ticking on this growing season. That's not a complaint, I am no fan of summer. I mean...

I'm not saying I'm counting or anything, just ...er...remaining aware.

The heat will be escalating this week, the 4th promises to be a scorcher, but you can bet that the inside of my head will look like this.

Whatever it takes, short of shaving my head, to stay cool. If you hear me playing Monster Mash while I cook, mind yo' business. That brings me to another idea. Denton lacks exercise options if you don't want to walk around in the woods (I don't). That's probably not fair, they just lack the stuff I like, like Zumba and Jazzercise. More specifically, Zumba and Jazzercise with women who remember L'eggs pantyhose and who shot J.R. On mornings that I want to feel better I pop in my ear buds and dance around to a favorite playlist. Even just a half hour of dancing puts me in an improved state of mind. Soooo, hear me out. Why not reserve a room via Parks & Rec, and just have a dance hour every morning? I'll bet they'd be surprised at how many middle-aged women would show up to just laugh and dance for an hour, or even 30 minutes! Don't call it cardio, or strengthening, or any of that. Just some time blocked out to get your groove on. I'll bet the room would be filled with laughter and new friendships. I know I'd be a regular. I think it's a shame when we stop dancing.

That's my plan for uniting the country. Put people in rooms and play the songs that we all know and love. They'll be smiling, sharing, and dancing in no time. Honestly, it's as good a plan as anything else. On that silly note, I'm going to go give my gardens a drink and a pep talk. It's been an interesting and encouraging day, hope is fluttering around, looking for a place to land.

I hope your hearts are full of hope, even if you're just hoping for cooler weather or a little fun. Hope is what helps us show up and keep trying. That's really all we have to do.

Sending out loads of love tonight, take as much as you need. As always - stay safe, stay well. XOXO, Nancy

[kahvilahuhut]

wip questions tag

thank you @sunset-a-story for tagging me!!!!!!! (and sorry it took me a while sjfjfjfjfj)

tagging @void-botanist @avi-why @televisionjester and anyone else who wants to do this :3

1. What was the first part of your WIP that you created?

Worldbuilding!!! I've always loved Mars (influenced by Doom probably? i just think it's neat :]) and the idea of a whole society on Mars is just very cool for me. All the possibilities and things that can go wrong. And the political debates.......

2. If your story was a TV show, what would the intro song be?

HMMMMM this one is hard bc i absolutely su k at picking music for story playlists and this is waaaaaay harder. I think I would love it to be instrumental or smth tho!

That said I would soooo much rather have it become a video game, and and if I were to pick a song for a trailer I'd go with either Black Mambo by Glass Animals or something from Depeche Mode. My brain is currently telling me to go with "Pain That I'm Used To" but I wouldn't say it fits Cynosure that well KFKKFFKFKFK

3. Who are your favourite character(s) and why?

Tobyyyyyyy <3 I love him so much he is such a...guy. He's some guy. A chemist who has spent a bit too much reading his dad's books about social theory and stuff since he was a child. All he wants is that people would be happy and he has so much love to give for the world, which mostly means him helping people a lot (people pleaser guy). Tobias isn't really that special, he wants to do something he likes, he's scared of guns (for a reason) and just wants a calm new life. Too bad that's not happening for a while.

To think he started as a copy of Nathan I made for a The Outer Worlds playthrough and then it all kinda turned into a bigger thing and he became his own self and I just decided to pull him + Klara & others out of being fandom ocs and put them into Cynosure.

putting the rest of questions under read more <3

4. What other pieces of media could share a fan base with your WIP?

HMMMM I'd say basically any kind of scifi book that has some societal themes in it + has some comedy and stuff. Same for video games maybe?

5. What has been your biggest struggle while writing your WIP?

I'm going to be honest I haven't really started writing Cynosure yet JFBBFBFFKF

My biggest struggle is having a job and being a master's student basically hehe

6. Are there any animals in your story?

Haven't really figured out if I'd want to showcase Mars wildlife in it + what kind of wildlife would it be, BUUUUT!!! There's definitely Klara & Toby's cat, Melody. She's a lil tabby cat :3

7. How do your characters get around?

I'm a public transport fan so I'm putting public transport into my wip!!!! I'd say Mars has lots of fancy trains and the ocean area has ships. Buses, too, though probably not what Cynosure characters will end up using.

There's also cars and motorcycles, though they're hovering instead of having wheels. Mars terrain sucks for wheels.

8. What part of your WIP are you working on right now?

Figuring out the plot + finishing up worldbuilding <3

9. What aspects of your WIP do you think will draw people in?

Hmmmm! I'd love to say worldbuilding or like, whatever is going on in Mars power struggles. Making fun of capitalism too (i'm a social scientist), maybe even the characters? Who knows :^)

[widogest]

the heart & the head: a bellarke playlist

no light, no light by florence + the machine / goodbye, my danish sweetheart by mitski / september by paola bennet / are you with me? by stars / waiting room by phoebe bridgers / i don't believe in the sun by the magnetic fields / we found each other in the dark by city and colour / mercury by sleeping at last / never say die by chvrches / two slow dancers by mitski / venus by sleeping at last / boa constrictor by the magnetic fields / follow you by chvrches / light on by maggie rogers / movement by hozier / next year by two door cinema club / no choir by florence + the machine / clearest blue by chvrches / why didn't you stop me? by mitski / georgia by phoebe bridgers / fallingwater by maggie rogers / hurricane by fleurie / ledges by noah gundersen / silhouette by tom odell / shrike by hozier / when the party's over by billie eilish / strawberry blond by mitski / hold back the river by james bay / (...)