Sick, Plans, Books

We might be moving into a new nest at the end of March or early April. While we really like our current apartment, its cost east up a not-insignificant part of Tene's paycheck, and we've been thinking it might be nice to find somewhere either less expensive, or possibly get a 3-bedroom and move in with a roommate (perhaps friend Bancus). We're still uncertain, but it's something we've been thinking about because our lease is going to be over soon and rent will be increasing slightly.

Lately I have been spending my time being sick with the cold-I-just-cannot-shake. Which has been extremely annoying, to say the least. I've been sick, to some extent, for three weeks now; and every time I've been so sure that I was on the mend and going to feel completely better in a couple of days , I've ended up sick in bed within the next two days. It's mostly cold/flu symptoms - but I've also had nausea, dizziness, fatigue, and some pretty horrible headaches. My jaw, also, is still pretty painful, and I hope to find out what's wrong with it in the next week (my most recent appointment was cancelled, since the dentist hadn't received information from one of my previous dentists yet). Currently I'm a black box - to both myself and to the dentist.

On the up side (or potential downside), being sick has given me a lot of idle time - which I've been using to look up all sorts of arts and crafts on the internet. I have so many things that I want to make! I want to make Tene a blanket for his birthday, and myself a blanket (our current ones, made by Tene's mother, are both reaching their last days). I also want to make myself a different blanket to take with me to lay on in parks and the like - as I hope to get out more this spring/summer than I have in the past. And a blanket or two to keep in my car.

I'm suspecting that I might end up being a quilter of some sort (I could see myself very much enjoying this), and I keep imagining us ending up with a room filled with blankets.

I've also started reading more - I fully updated my Goodreads list (removed something like 150 books from the "To Read" list), and I've set a goal to read 24 books this year. Right now I'm working on Anna Karenina, by Tolstoy. I have vague memories of seeing Anna Karenina as a ballet when I was younger. All I can really remember is the ending. So far the book has held my attention, which is good. Many classics don't.

New Beginnings

I haven't really done anything with my hair since 2005 or 2006. I've just let it grow and grow and grow. I hadn't even trimmed it in a good year or more. So no surprise that my hair was long - it fell to my waist - and was frequently tangled (that's what split ends will do, I suppose - and my hair was full of them, thanks to not being trimmed). It had reached the point that most days I just ignored my hair - pulling it back into a pony tail to keep it out of my face and putting on a beret. Needless to say, it was time for a change.

I've been talking about cutting my hair for, oh, six months? I keep mentioning it and thinking "Oh, I'll get around to it." I've known what I wanted my hair to look like, I just haven't actually done anything about it.

And then I did.

Yes, that's right. I finally cut my hair, and I didn't pull any punches when I did either.

Best part? I absolutely love it.

I know you can't see too well in the picture (flash messed it up), but it's really short, and it flares out all cute (if I style it appropriately, of course). I think my straightener is finally going to get some mileage on it.

Other things that I'm working on, and I guess this is the perfect time of year for it, are a Happiness Project, and being more organized.

I've simply come to the conclusion that I'm sick of tired of being sick and tired. And so far doctors, in their various forms, have been mostly unable to help me out. So, I'm going to try to take my happiness (or unhappiness) into my own hands, and see if I can't start to feel better about the world.

I have a whiteboard, which I've been referring to as my Scrum Board (Tene gave me the name). It's basically an interactive to-do list. I use post-it notes to symbolise tasks, and they get moved from the "To Do" Column to the "In Progress" Column as I begin working on them, and then go into the "Completed" box once I'm done. I also have a section for things that I'm not quite ready to start on, but that I need to look in to (my "Planning" section). So far it's been really helpful, and I think it will only become more so as I get into the habit of using it. I admit: It doesn't hurt that the post-it notes are all different colors.

I bought myself a sewing machine. I've yet to even unpack it, but I finally did buy one. Now I'm working on making some space in my workroom for it.

I wanted make sure to thank those of our family who sent Tene and I such nice gifts. My dad and stepmom got him some interesting books, and got me some nice photography equipment (which should come in handy soon as I start to take something from the planning stage to the implementation stage). We got some nice dishes from Tene's older sister, and I hope his younger sister and her family enjoys the books we sent (a phonecall from her points to "Yes"). Tene's mother and grandparents also sent us some things, as did my mom and stepdad. So thank you all!

The last big thing is that I'm going to upgrade the cage the girls are in. Having helped a little with the North Star Rescue, I've been able to see the Ferret Nation cages in use - and I must say I'm really happy about them. So, I've decided to get one for myself. Well, almost. The Ferret Nation cages are made, as the name implies, for ferrets. The bars are wider spaced apart than is entirely comfortable, is the main problem I've been able to find. A lot of people at the animal forum I frequent (and the people at the rescue) have discussed wrapping the cages with hardware cloth. I've decided that unless I can find a really inexpensive Ferret Nation cage, I'll instead get the more rattie appropriate Critter Nation cage.

I'm also pretty set on adopting two new girls from the San Jose hoarding case. I know they'll come with their own set of health problems - but I can at least give a good, safe home to two more girls.