Tag: Things I Love

  • 16 Days of Blogging

    Today we headed to Polaris Fashion Place, which is a giant mall in Columbus, to stalk our favorite soap makers and buy more of their amazing soaps. We have been almost exclusively using Elder Forest Soaps for at least 5 years but more than likely more than that. We met them at the Ashville Viking Festival and started by buying a couple of bars just to try them. Now we buy 6-9 at a time. We love their products so much and I highly recommend them.

    We ended up with Sandalwood Rose, Rosemary, Coconut Lemongrass, Woodland, Patchouli Spice and their seasonal Charcoal Rose in soaps. I also picked up some of their pain balm which is one of the best things for muscle pain I have ever found. Their natural deodorant spray which works well and leaves you smelling wonderful. And I tried their new lotion in Cashmere and Vanilla Oak and I smell so amazing right now. Katie the owner also threw in a lip balm for me and it is also great. If you are looking for a great natural soap company give them a look.

  • Buffy, Vampires and Me.

    Buffy, Vampires and Me.

    January 19th was the 40th birthday of Buffy Sommers, the titular heroine of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I was someone who was an on and off Buffy watcher when it was on, because sometimes I had plays and such that made it so I couldn’t watch and this was before watch later options (I am that old.) But I watched when I could and even occassionally had a watchalong with my friend where we would talk on the phone (picture a 90s cordless phone) and discuss the action as it was taking place. As an adult I went back and binged the full series, and I am thinking of doing it again.

    Buffy and I are the same age (She was a couple of months older than me but born the same year) and it made it so I could relate to so much of the chaos and growing up Buffy had to experience outside of being the Slayer. Buffy was endlessly relatable. When she had problems with school/life balance, wasn’t sure what she wanted to be when she grew up, had to take on a shitty job to make it through, ended up growing up traumatically with the death of her mother, had a little sister appear out of nowhere, and lost her virginity to a literal monster.

    I was one of those girls who immediately fell in love with Rupert Giles instead of one of the more logical teenage boys or you know Angel who was teenage boy adjacent (until Oz hit the scene OMG I love Seth Green). Now, when Spike hit the scene my Billy Idol loving ass immediately was like oh, that too. Please world give me a punk British librarian. (Is there a character like this? If so please let me know. Male or Female…or non-binary.)

    I still sometimes look to the energy of Buffy for strength and the courage to do what is right. I recently ordered myself some stickers from etsy to make my own Buffy prayer candle because the news of her birthday really made me think of all the things I learned from her. How to walk through the fire. How beer is good. How to save the mother f#cking world.

  • Did I Need a Skull Tiara?

    The answer to this query is no. Did I buy a skull tiara? You know full well I did. Is it blingy to hell and covered in clear gemstones? Yep. Was it less that $30? It was…which is why I just couldn’t resist.

    Me wearing a tiara made up of a series of small skulls.

    I also recently got a new grouping of bath bombs and my first bath potion from Witch Baby Soap. I had never tried the bath potion before. I bought it in Little Boo which smells like Pumpkin, Marshmallow and crisped rice. Add a cap full or two to your bath water and it not only smells wonderful, but you get a bath full of bubbles! I love it! I was already in love with their bath bombs but now I will have to invest in bath potions as well.

    Here’s to treating yourself to Spooky Halloween Treats!

  • Holy Sh#T! It’s July!

    Holy Sh#T! It’s July!

    How did this happen? How is the year halfway over? I have no idea but it is.

    I am that much closer to Forty, OMG! I am not overly worried about turning forty, but there are certain things I would like to do before that birthday hits. I would like to get closer to my weight loss goal, if not hit it. I would like to find a new job that allows me to use my degree any at all. I would like to get more regular with my writing schedule. So many things.

    I am a woman who likes to set goals, and gets a thrill when I reach them. I am also a woman who is prone to procrastination. Take procrastination and add on the pandemic and suddenly I am barely a functioning person.

    Anxiety and depression are rearing their heads for me in a big way and I am having trouble convincing myself that I should reach out to my PCP for help. Sometimes at times like this calling to make an appointment feels like an impossible task. I will get there and make the call, just not quite yet.

    On a plus my little sister surprised me with a little planter the other day that is Albert Einstein, so I bought a tiny succulent for it. It looks amazing and kinda like Albert is wearing a black sweatband.

  • 50 Dig A Little Deeper Questions

    50 Dig A Little Deeper Questions

    I found this on Pinterest and thought the questions were fun and interesting. So…

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    1) Do you prefer writing with black or blue pen? – I prefer black, and my favorite pen is Unibal Signo Impact 207

    2) Would you prefer to live in the country or the city? – I am an active person so I am best in a city, but I love the idea of living in the country.

    3)If you could learn a new skill, what would it be? – I would love to learn another language. Currently I speak almost no Spanish and French and I would love to be at least mildly conversational in one.

    4) Do you drink your tea or coffee with sugar? – Nope. I drink both black.

    5) What was your favorite book as a child? – The Pobble Who Has No Toes by Edward Lear, and The Light In The Attic by Shel Silverstein

    6) Do you prefer baths or showers? – I love both, but I love baths.

    7) If you could be a mythical creature, which would you choose? – Well, my myth for the Wenches is the Banshee and I am becoming very attached to her, so probably that.

    8) Do you prefer reading paper or electronic books? – I prefer paper, but for travel electronic is by far better.

    9) What is your favorite item of clothing? – My leather jacket and my favorite jean jacket.

    10) Do you like your name? Would you ever change it? – I love my name. I would never change my first name but I have joked about changing my middle name to Snow (It is legally Jo) so my name would be Betsy Snow White.

    11) Who is a mentor to you? – My mom, she is an amazing person. My fellow lady gangers and wenches. I am surrounded by some of the most amazing women.

    12) Would you ever want to be famous? – If so, what for? Well…I am a writer so being acknowledged for that would be nice.

    13) Are you a restless sleeper? – Generally, no. But when I get anxiety I can

    14) Do you consider yourself to be a romantic? – I do.

    15) Which element best represents you? – I am a water sign through and through (Pisces sun and Cancer moon)

    16) Who do you want to be closer to? – I would love to establish a relationship with my half-sister Chelli. I don’t know if it will ever happen, but…

    17) Do you miss someone at the moment? – I have really been missing my grandparents lately. My grandma died when I was 15 and my grandpa when I was 20.

    18) Tell us about an early childhood memory. – Some of my favorite early memories are swinging with my grandma in her backyard on a spring day. She would sing a little song and you could hear the turtle doves cooing. I still love to swing.

    19) What is the strangest thing you have eaten? – Probably alligator. I am not picky at all, so I will eat anything, but I think that is the strangest.

    20) What can you see outside your bedroom window? – My backyard from one side, and my driveway from the other side.

    21) What are you most thankful for? – My husband, family and friends.

    22) Do you like spicy food? – I love spicy food. When my husband and I got together 13 years ago I was absolutely not, but he slowly introduced me to more spice and now I love it.

    23) Have you ever met someone famous? – I have met Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione of the Dresden Dolls several times at signings. I met Voltaire, Puddles Pity Party, David Sedaris and Ron Funches in the same way.

    24) Do you keep a diary or journal? – I do.

    25) Do you prefer to use pen or pencil? – It depends on the application. In my journals I write in pen, but when I am prewriting etc. I prefer pencil.

    26) What is your star sign? – I am a Pisces with an Aquarius rising and a Cancer moon.

    27) Do you like your cereal crunchy or soggy? – Crunchy please.

    28) What would you want your legacy to be? – I feel like I am working on that. I hope that my work with the Wenches Guild will last and build beyond our work.

    29) Do you like reading? What was the last thing you read? – I love to read. Scythe by Neal Shusterman, Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars: A Dangerous Trans Girl’s Confabulous Memoir by Kai Cheng Thom and I just started I Am God by Giacomo Sartori.

    30) How do you show someone you love them? – I will just straight up tell them, but I also like to buy very selective and specific gifts that play to what they love.

    31) Do you like ice in your drinks? – Water, yes. Alcohol, not necessary. Soda, maybe.

    32) What are you afraid of? – The dark and I am not a fan of thunderstorms.

    33) What is your favorite scent? – Sandalwood, lavender, rosemary, lemon and mint

    34) Do you address older people by their first or last name? – It depends. At first by their last name, but if they request then I will use their first name.

    35) If money was not a factor, how would you live your life? – I would own my own business, but otherwise my life would be pretty much the same. I would renovate my house.

    36) Do you prefer swimming in pools or the ocean? – I am not a great swimmer, so pools all the way. I only wade in the ocean.

    37) What would you do if you found $50 on the ground? – If I could locate an owner I would return it. If not I might report it somewhere.

    38) Have you ever seen a shooting star? Did you make a wish? – I have seen many shooting stars and I have wished on many of them.

    39) What is one thing you would want to teach your children?  – Well I don’t have any children, but I like to think I am helping to teach my nieces and nephew to be open, honest and inclusionary.

    40) If you had to have a tattoo, what would it be and where would you get it? – I already have several, but some of the ones I am planning are the word Wench on my left arm, and a quote and maybe some artwork from the book The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern “We are all stardust and stories.”

    41) What can you hear right now? – Archer playing on the TV.

    42) Where do you feel safest? – With my husband, family and friends.

    43) What is one thing you want to overcome/conquer? – I would love to better deal with my anxiety. I am already working on self-love, but my anxiety will always come back to bite me.

    44) If you could travel back to any era, which would you choose? – Maybe ancient Egypt, the past was kinda shitty for women, so it is hard to think of going back to those times.

    45) What is your most used emoji? hearts

    46) What is your favorite season? Why? – Autumn, though with climate change it isn’t much of a thing anymore.

    47) How would you spend your ideal day? – Go to Tommy’s Diner for breakfast, then go shopping on high street and to the Book Loft, hit a Mexican place for lunch, catch a show at a local theatre and then go out to dinner for drinks and maybe dancing later.

    48) Describe yourself using one word. – Creative.

    49) What do you regret the most? – Not going after my dreams when I was younger. Now I am just trying to make up for lost time.

    50) Invent your own word. What does it mean? – Somesense: It is more than sense and a direct opposite to nonsense.

     

    There you go! 50 more things about me. Are you getting tired of me yet?

     

  • Rainy Day Musical Round Up

    I am a Musical Junkie! I love them so much. On rainy days I often listen to Musicals to cheer me up and wake me up. Here are some of my favorite musicals in no specific order. Some I love for the music, some for the production. Some I have seen performed, and some I have only experienced the soundtrack. Have a Broadway Day!!

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    How do you feel about musicals? Do you have a favorite?

  • Do you D&D?

    Among my myriad of side quests I indulge in on a regular basis one of them is playing tabletop role-playing games and especially playing Dungeons and Dragons. I began playing in my mid to late twenties (so 2005-2006 ish) with my future brother and sister in law. They gladly began running a campaign when I expressed an interest in playing. We played in 3.5 because 4 wasn’t out yet, and I rolled up a human bard name Philomel. Several weeks and one angry barghest later I rolled up a human battle nun named Beatrice which was more fun for me as a newbie.

    Since then in various campaigns I have been a halfling rogue, a halfling bard, a gnome rogue, a half-elf sorceress, and more I can’t remember off the top of my head. Some of these were one shots, and these were in 3.5 mostly, as we only played 4 for a very short amount of time. Currently I am in two (technically 3 but one is on a brief hiatus) campaigns in Fifth Edition (5e). 5e is much more fun to play than 4, but not as clunky as 3.5. I am really enjoying playing it in a way that I haven’t in a long time. In fact we are beginning a new campaign tonight with several people who have never played before.

    My active characters are a Dwarf Barbarian named Ingemar Thunderblood and a Half-Orc Fighter Eldrich Knight Iva Battlemancer. This weekend I painted up my figurines for these characters, and I am really happy with them, especially with Iva. Ingemar has the red skirt and Iva has the axe and shield. These are photos with my phone, but you can get the idea.

    I also painted my copper dragon this weekend. This is my favorite type of dragon and I had so much fun painting her.

    Seth and I are also planning to attend Origins Game Fair this year in June, so expect a lot more gaming and geeky goodness from me.

    Do you play any tabletop rpgs? Do you play D&D?

  • Witch Baby Soap and My Favorite Bath Bombs

    Witch Baby Soap and My Favorite Bath Bombs

    I am a pisces and my watery nature makes it so I love to take baths. I would take one every day if I could. And in those baths I love to use bath bombs. I am particularly fond of the bath bombs from Witch Baby Soaps. My personal favorite is the psychic which has a chunk of amethyst inside. I also love the Rune bath bomb which has a stone rune inside and comes with a list to tell you what your rune means. I recently bought the autumn spell box which came with a bar of soap, three bath bombs (one for each of the full moons in fall), a body scrub, a pretty wooden spoon with moon phases burnt on it and an apron with their tagline “Get Naked. Do Witchcraft” on it. I love very piece. I have recently tried most of their Halloween bombs and recommend them highly as well. Here are some photos of bath bombs in use.

  • Velvet Goldmine

    I love the clothing of fall. I love sweaters and hoodies. I love layers. And above all else I love velvet. In all its forms, in every color, I love velvet. I honestly wear it all year long, but it is more available in fall and I love every bit of it. I have velvet hats, shoes, skirts, pants, jackets and dresses. Here are some pieces that I am coveting currently and that absolutely get me in the fall mood.

  • This is Halloween – Podcast Edition

    I am an avid podcast listener, in fact I listen to podcasts or audio books all day at work. My podcast obsession began with My Favorite Murder, which could be considered a spooky podcast in itself, and has bloomed into me listening to many many podcasts of all kind. Today I am going to suggest for you my favorite spooky podcasts to get you in the mood for Halloween.Ghosted by Roz Drezfalez – Drag Queen Roz invites her friends to tell their ghost stories. Listen to the Elvira episode to hear how good this podcast can be.Snap Judgement presents: Spooked – Host Glynn Washington sets up stories of the unexplained and paranormal told by the people who experienced them. Super creepy and wonderful.Teen Creeps – Hosts Lindsay Katai and Kelly Nugent read the pulpy gore filled teen books from the nineties. You will laugh and really want to dig out those books to reread.Shadows at the Door Podcast – A bit like a radio drama an author and an actor present a scary story and then discuss the underlying themes. The stories are spooky and the conversations are interesting as a writer.The Angel of Vine – Set up like a true radio drama this podcast has a star studded cast and only 10 episodes. This is a beautifully produced noir murder mystery.Do you have a favorite spooky podcast? Have you listened to one of these? Let me know in the comments.