Gina! I finally checked my mail today and got your package. It is awesome! I don't know where to start with how much I love everything. Especially the Doctor Who stuff: a package of ankle socks with different motifs (Daleks, Cybermen, and more); a TARDIS tea infuser (I've been dying for one!), a mug that when you pour stuff in one picture disappears on one side and another appears on the other--I've got the disappearing/reappearing TARDIS--but this one is the Weeping Angels! AHHHHHHH. It's awesome! And then two bags of tea from Adagio: one that's Lord of the Rings themed (by one of my favorite fandom blenders; I have two of their teas in my cupboard right now) and one of chestnut, which is one of my very favorite flavored teas, especially in winter. And, lastly, a mug from the Christkinldmarket in Chicago. It's all so amazing. THANK YOU! It's the most wonderful way to ring out the old and ring in the new.

Edited to add: Santee, your package went out on Thursday UPS ground.

Excellent! I'm glad it got there so quickly! I didn't quite have the spoons to get it shipped before Christmas.

Sincere thank you to all Buffistas who sent me cards this holiday season, and earlier in the summer in case I didn't say it then. I'd mention everyone by name but I fear I'd accidentally leave someone out. I loved them all and they made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Moving my LJ posts to Dreamwidth opened my eyes to a stark reality. For at least a dozen years I have been bemoaning being overworked and out of shape. Enough already. Do or do not. There is no try.

Similar experience here. I'm astonished in a not-good way how many years I've been saying the same things. Time really does run together for me, I guess. But it needs to stop. I need to pay attention to my life and what I'm doing, beyond just my work. Do or do not. There is no try.

(That quote was on my BFF's bedroom ceiling as a teenager.)

I went to my sister's for New Year's Day brunch and picked up a card and package.

I got Elf-ed with chocolate and magnets!

And my secret santa DebetEsse sent a gorgeous card from Hawaii with word that she had donated to Planned Parenthood for me and sent a lovely magnet as well! Thank you, that's the best give ever this year!

Theodosia or Paula - one of you is my marvelous gifter. ONE OF YOU!

I received a copy of Christopher Moore's Sacre Bleu but I don't know if it was a santa or a straggler from the FB book pyramid scheme. Either way, I'm glad to have it!

2016 was a big year. I turned 60 and that seemed to kick off a lot of soul-searching, which led to a lot of changes. A lot of them were very good: I started doing stand-up, which I am really liking. My nephew got married to his way cool girlfriend in April and my whole extended family was there. We finished redoing our bathroom and have started a giant culling of stuff, to get rid of all non-loved and needed things.

Some changes were not good--The country's right wing shift is horrible for all of us. My mom's and my FiL's health continue to deteriorate. I gained a LOT of weight, I think due to the struggle of realizing that I not only kinda hate my job--I hate being in HR. After a lot of discussion and thought, we decided the best course of action will probably be moving to the Detroit area (most likely Ypslanti or somewhere else around Ann Arbor). The DH can continue his writing easily, and we can buy a place which is MUCH more affordable, which will allow me to work as a substitute teacher, and possibly try to get a provisional cert to become a fulltime teacher. We are going there at the end of the monthto scout out neighborhoods and unless it's radically different than we think it is, the move will happen in the Spring.

I just got home from NY and there were many holiday cards from Buffistas, as well as a lovely necklace from my Elf: lisah! Thank you so much! I'm wearing it right now, and I adore it!

It's also raining and I came down with a cold and I've been up since 4:45 this morning, so I'm going to take it easy for the rest of the afternoon. The cat and I are staring at each other from opposite couches.

as well as a lovely necklace from my Elf: lisah! Thank you so much! I'm wearing it right now, and I adore it!

Yay! My friend who owns the store where I got it made it. I love her work!

Thank you, Buffista elf who remains anonymous, for the gift cert to my favorite hot tub place. I had a soak last night, looking up at the redwood tree and sky, after a fun day around the Sausalito houseboat area. It was a great way to end last year and start the new year.

I really appreciate it. My own hot tub has been a cold water storage tank for some years, and I love this relatively-new-to-me hot tub place. Sometimes I do it for fun, like last night, and sometimes soaking in hot water is the only therapy that works to relax some muscles that get super tense that are a symptom of a medical condition. Either use, I love it, and this is much appreciated.

I thought I'd finally figured out how to link my own photos, but I fear I gave total access to all my Google universe everything in so doing, so I deleted them. If someone can tell me how to post photos here, I'd really appreciate it. And I'll post photos at FB. I love seeing photos over there - please post there too if you are on FB too!