Oh, yeah, my birthday's almost here

I've been kinda forgetting.

Got packages from home. Mom sent me a skirt and three shirts from the Express sale. Express always seems to hide the extra small stuff until the sales, so she loves shopping for me. The card's great, too: "On your birthday, remember: Negative feelings give you negative energy, while positive feelings give you positive energy. (open) And cake and ice cream give you a nifty little sugar rush." Even Daniel the Wonder Cat signed it. I took the fifty dollar check and put it safely in my wallet.

I just opened the other package, the big square one. It's the painting of Sandy for Charlotte and Billy, the one Charlotte comissioned Mom for a couple of months ago. It looks just like the dog, it really does; it's beautiful. You can see the border collie beagle terrier mix right away. At the start, Mom sent Charlotte a photo when the work was in progress. Charlotte and her mother cried when they saw the photo. Mom was so flattered and pleased that she decided not to charge, and made it a gift.
She says the finished work is much better. I really can't wait. And with the kittens here now, there will be a lot of positive energy in that house.

I'm not being biased here -- my mother and my father are two of the most talented artists alive. I just wish the rest of the world knew that.

Oh, yeah, my birthday's almost here

I've been kinda forgetting.

Got packages from home. Mom sent me a skirt and three shirts from the Express sale. Express always seems to hide the extra small stuff until the sales, so she loves shopping for me. The card's great, too: "On your birthday, remember: Negative feelings give you negative energy, while positive feelings give you positive energy. (open) And cake and ice cream give you a nifty little sugar rush." Even Daniel the Wonder Cat signed it. I took the fifty dollar check and put it safely in my wallet.

I just opened the other package, the big square one. It's the painting of Sandy for Charlotte and Billy, the one Charlotte comissioned Mom for a couple of months ago. It looks just like the dog, it really does; it's beautiful. You can see the border collie beagle terrier mix right away. At the start, Mom sent Charlotte a photo when the work was in progress. Charlotte and her mother cried when they saw the photo. Mom was so flattered and pleased that she decided not to charge, and made it a gift.
She says the finished work is much better. I really can't wait. And with the kittens here now, there will be a lot of positive energy in that house.

I'm not being biased here -- my mother and my father are two of the most talented artists alive. I just wish the rest of the world knew that.

Thoughts

Dawn just revealed that she passed her karate tests and will be going for her black belt later on this year. After I read her entry on my friends list, I sat back and looked at my new Pilates stretcher, and realized that while I'm not ready for something as immediately grueling as karate, I can start off slow and simple, with Pilates and Yoga, gradually returning to Tai Chi and putting away the memory of the injuries that have become permanent. Everyone who's talked about Pilates has said that it is wonderful for posture and muscles and well-being. When I spoke to Mom over the phone, she was really excited and told me that if I get really good at it, I might be able to fake being taller with no problem. Plus, my muscles and tendons will become looser, more flexible, and that in turn will ease so many problems and keep the sciatic nerve from pinching. My stress levels will plummet, which I desperately desperately need. Stress has always been my biggest issue. It's starting to make me physically sick. If I can lessen it, in a healthful way, I will do it. I just have to commit the time and energy: Take a Pilates class maybe. I want to study a martial art that will work for me personally, like tang su do or aikido, but I need to start with the basics, and Pilates is a great doorway. So is Yoga.

Another thing I need to work on is my psychic capacity. The mind is a muscle as much as anything else. I think back to a dream I'd had years ago that warned about not using my magic enough and letting it weaken and fade. I should be practicing every day, strengthening my shields, reaching out deliberately into the world and sensing my environment. It doesn't make me better than anyone, just more sensitive and receptive. I want to become stronger. I want to be able to call myself witch and really mean it. And that means something like psychic martial arts. Which I can probably do better than the physical right now, anyway.

To my friends: I miss you. I love you.

Thoughts

Dawn just revealed that she passed her karate tests and will be going for her black belt later on this year. After I read her entry on my friends list, I sat back and looked at my new Pilates stretcher, and realized that while I'm not ready for something as immediately grueling as karate, I can start off slow and simple, with Pilates and Yoga, gradually returning to Tai Chi and putting away the memory of the injuries that have become permanent. Everyone who's talked about Pilates has said that it is wonderful for posture and muscles and well-being. When I spoke to Mom over the phone, she was really excited and told me that if I get really good at it, I might be able to fake being taller with no problem. Plus, my muscles and tendons will become looser, more flexible, and that in turn will ease so many problems and keep the sciatic nerve from pinching. My stress levels will plummet, which I desperately desperately need. Stress has always been my biggest issue. It's starting to make me physically sick. If I can lessen it, in a healthful way, I will do it. I just have to commit the time and energy: Take a Pilates class maybe. I want to study a martial art that will work for me personally, like tang su do or aikido, but I need to start with the basics, and Pilates is a great doorway. So is Yoga.

Another thing I need to work on is my psychic capacity. The mind is a muscle as much as anything else. I think back to a dream I'd had years ago that warned about not using my magic enough and letting it weaken and fade. I should be practicing every day, strengthening my shields, reaching out deliberately into the world and sensing my environment. It doesn't make me better than anyone, just more sensitive and receptive. I want to become stronger. I want to be able to call myself witch and really mean it. And that means something like psychic martial arts. Which I can probably do better than the physical right now, anyway.

To my friends: I miss you. I love you.