Fifteen Minutes of Scrawl

I think I did pretty well. A distillery tour Groupon Lens for a smart phone camera Game of Thrones welcome mat Adorable onesies A gadget to keep mugs of tea or coffee warm A cozy mystery set during Christmas Irish breakfast tea Chai tea A cat scarf A customized pet bandanna with an Arrested Development  quote A sea pig stuffed animal A 90 Day Fiance  mug Ornaments with an ultrasound in them Out of the Wreck I Rise A surprise Harry Potter ornament (Prompt by me) Photo source

Or, at least, try them out to see if I like them first. Painting nutcrackers Opening some presents at night where the only light is from the tree Christmas tree selfie Photo of me with my nephews (and any future nieces) Lighting a Christmas-y scented candle Watching A Muppets Christmas Carol Ugly sweater party Decorate cookies like an ugly Christmas sweater Cookie baking and decorating Come up with a Christmas-y cocktail Wrapping paper scrap origami  Who can buy the creepiest new ornament? Find an alligator ornament Christmas-y manicure Official Christmas pajamas (Prompt by me) Photo source

Some are newer than others, but they are all traditions! Cory putting office supplies in the tree Eating coffee cake int he morning Having me pass out the presents at the house My mom writing down who gave whom what Me drinking hot chocolate Me wearing Christmas colored pajamas during present opening Going to Bri and Adrien's for the best food of the year Seeing my nephews (I hope this becomes a tradition at least) Watching A Nightmare Before Christmas Reading at least some of A Christmas Carol Watching Christmas episodes of some TV shows Doing presents at Bri and Adrien's in a round robin  Eating the oplatki at Bri and Adrien's Listening to Christmas music Cory mislabeling his present to me (Prompt by me) Photo source

Happy holidays! Christmas 4th day of Chanukah  Pancha Ganapati Malkh Dies Natalis Solis Invicti Newtonmas Birthday of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, founder of Pakistan National Pumpkin Pie Day Children's Day Feast Day for Anastasia of Sirmium Tulsi Pujan Diwas Taiwan Constitution Day Good Governance Day Takanakuy Feast Day of Alburga of Wilton (Prompt by me) Photo source

Getting closer to picking one! Also, these are in addition to the encounters I wrote earlier. Murder at magic boarding school Encountering a clue the authorities did not collect Journalists arrive at the school Classes are suspended The school goes on lock down Most of the staff is forbidden from speaking to students The rest of the town has fallen asleep. How can these adventurers save their town (or are they the ones in danger?) The team has the chance to investigate the stores of caffeinated beverages for the town A driverless carriage arrives with mail With an unguarded town, the team must decide how to acquire resources  A storm is on the horizon, how will the team handle the townspeople asleep outside? The team has a chance to climb the watchtower to see what the surrounding areas look like A town's zoo has escaped. Can the party return all of the creatures and figure out what happened in the first place? The team encounters protesters who want the zoo cl...

No matter what, I'd like to work these in. Any I'm missing that are super fun? Oblex: "an extraordinarily intelligent ooze created by mind flayers that fed on other creatures' memories. They were capable of using those memories to create replicas of their victims, which they used to further hunt and feed." - The Forgotten Realms Wiki Kenku: "Haunted by an ancient crime that robbed them of their wings, kenku wander the world as vagabonds and burglars who live at the edge of human society." - D&D Beyond Changeling: "A changeling can shift its face and form with a thought as a form of artistic and emotional expression." - D&D Beyond Shifter: "humanoids with a bestial aspect." - D&D Beyond Loxodon: "Humanoid elephants, loxodons are strong, calm, and wise." - D&D Beyond Abyssal chicken: "Abyssal chickens were small creatures. They had leather wings but were not capable of sustained flight. Their wings...

Time to narrow! Murder at magic boarding school The team must attend the dance where the murder takes place The team is questioned by the authorities The team attends an assembly the day after the murder The rest of the town has fallen asleep. How can these adventurers save their town (or are they the ones in danger?) Each player wakes up and starts to make their way to work The party locates the sleeping town healers and attempt to wake them The team faces nightfall and the choice of whether to rest A town's zoo has escaped. Can the party return all of the creatures and figure out what happened in the first place? Talking with a small child who has adopted one of the escaped animals and loves it dearly A horse-like creature is loose at the hospital Someone approaches the party to offer a high price for a certain animal A new queen fears being overthrown by her younger brother. She hires the adventurers to help quell a coup. The team must go to a pub friendly...

Should I be a DM? If so, which of these would be the most fun to play? Murder at a magic boarding school The adventurers wake up in cave full of treasure, but don't remember the past two weeks Advisors of a young princess who wishes to rule (in this one, I imagine many people to have secret goals) An isolated town has lost contact and supplies from their liege lord. The party is sent out to make contact. The rest of the town has fallen asleep. How can these adventurers save their town (or are they the ones in danger?) All of the dead are rising, can the party help the dead get their rest? A town's zoo has escaped. Can the party return all of the creatures and figure out what happened in the first place? The king requires discrete protection for his lover out of town. Two nations are newly in contact. The party is sent to discuss possible alliances and trades. A magic-y Lewis and Clark expedition. A sickness hits a town. The adventures are some of the few healthy le...

The cleaning out continues! A film canister labeled "Camera Batteries," but filled with hair [whose hair? you may ask, well...we're not 100% sure] A wooden clothespin that my mom wouldn't let me throw away A box containing "magic" items that included a chipped marble [is my mom a witch?] Someone's tooth Tintin figurines Two squirrel pins My mom's new student pin from Grinnell Old spools of thread Dolls my mom made Fake eyelashes made in Canada A bread box A rock that had a smiley face on one side and said "I am a rock" on the other A box of rocks that I could only convince my mom to put outside A porcelain rabbit that was made in the USSR Tons of little perfume bottles (Prompt by me) Photo adapted from here: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61skK97HSvL._SX466_.jpg

Tis the season to try out a new poem style! Celestial bells echo through my frost-nipped ears, recalling all of my snow-bleared memories and bringing them crystal focus. Bright, festive paper shines and coats boxes filled with lovely thoughts from kin and near-kin alike, bringing warmth and care to cold mornings. Bear bark clamors for the few rays of light that push through misty gray clouds, even though nothing more will grow til the year starts anew. (Prompt by me) Photo source

Tis the season! "Carol of the Bells" "Good King Wenceslas" "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree" "12 Days of Christmas" "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" "All I Want for Christmas is You" "I'll Be Home for Christmas" "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" "Winter Wonderland" "Angels We Have Heard on High" "Jingle Bell Rock" "White Winter Hymnal" "That's Christmas to Me" "Sleigh Ride" "O Come, All Ye Faithful" (Prompt by me) Image source

To be fair, this list is far more than 15 types. Vanilla cake with vanilla frosting with tapioca pearls Strawberry cake with vanilla frosting with boba Irish cream cake with mocha frosting Coffee cake with chai frosting Chocolate cake with Oreo bits with cookies and cream frosting Vanilla cake with cookie bits and vanilla frosting Neapolitan cake with Neapolitan frosting Chocolate cake with almond frosting Mango cake with vanilla frosting Cardamom cake with Kulfi frosting Chocolate funfetti cake with strawberry funfetti frosting Chocolate stout cake with whiskey frosting Kashmiri Pink chai cake with Kashmiri pink chai frosting Vanilla cake with midori miruku frosting Coffee cake with white Russian frosting (Prompt by me) Photo source

Just FYI, a lot of these will be dessert-based. Chai tea (not chai latte, chai tea) Strawberry shortcake Icebox cake Creme brulee Fresh cut grass S'mores by the campfire Thin Mints Samoas Flan Chocolate Angel Food cake Almond mocha Kit kats Challah French toast Chocolate chip pancakes Sweet sea water (Prompt by me) Photo source

Only one more (half) week til break! I'm going on vacation to Newhio. I'm gonna blind all the babies. Break yourself. Breaky, breaky, break yourself. Your phone belongs to me, for I claimed it with a great big sneeze. Ah-choo! This dinner is too silly now. (Prompt by me) Photo source

I think I've ordered all that I need to order, but now they must be wrapped! Books with hard edges wrap relaxingly. Cutting paper sizes is an art. Surely I couldn't've forgotten to label... I've never mastered curly bow art. Matching wrapped pile adorns my corner. (Prompt by me) Photo source

One day I'll have my own tree and I'd like some nerdy ornaments. Star Wars. These certainly exist so this one seems doable. Leverage. A heist on my tree would be amazing. Scooby Doo. There must be a mystery on my tree! McElory family. Candlenights shows should really have them for sale. MFM. These must exist somewhere. Nailed It! How many of those desserts would make hilarious ornaments? Star Trek TOS. I'm specifying because Star Trek is a huge fandom.  Star Trek TNG. This is my other favorite iteration of Star Trek. Harry Potter. Yule Ball ones would be the best. The Good Place. There could be some delightful ones from this show. Firefly. Such an important show for me and I know these exist. I Love Lucy. Another important show to me. Yuri on Ice. The ice skating just makes it perfect for ornaments. The Walking Dead. Mostly I'd just like the couples I ship in cute holiday outfits. Nightmare Before Christmas. I know these are real, but I would just like ...

Want a holiday card? Message me your address! Cards that look like a snowball fight (like maybe there is a little snowball cutout on a spring inside the cards) Star Wars greetings from Hoth Wookie Life Day card (Life Day is legit the Wookie winter holiday) A snow alligator Cards that come with hot cocoa Nailed It!  cards Alpacas dressed warmly A mermaid waving from under the ice A card expressing the shock that 1990 is about to be 30 years ago Happy 100th to the 1920s Spot white animals in a snowy field Tiny advent calendar with one word of the message in each door Decorate an ugly sweater card Netflix and chilly (people watching Netflix because it's cold out) Holly-shaped cards (Prompt by me) Image source

If only I had the talent. The Scooby Gang A presidential debate Snowmen having a snowball fight Jack Skellington snowman A snowman making a snow angel An alligator A zoo The Leverage group Yule Ball dancers A Bachelorette rose ceremony Herd of alpacas Centaur Mermaid A snowman melting in a bathtub 1920s themed snowmen (Prompt by me) Photo source

What won't these kiddos say? Big feelings run rampant after Thanksgiving. You'll never see my secret stuffie. Does cucumber have a bitter aftertaste? I had one at my Baltimore. Mom's allergy is Chuck E. Cheese. (Prompt by me) Photo source

Tis a cloudy day. Gray mist weaves a thick blanket. Somehow I know there's still blue. Puffs take shape and form daydreams. Absorbing the first rays of sunshine. Lowering themselves, they gild the skyline. (Prompt by me) Photo source

I will probably do another one of these once we do our tree. Creepy baby must always be hidden. Wax-covered ornaments tell of dangerous times. Fragile ornaments await inevitable gravitational fate. Generations of crafts, gifts, festive purchases. Haphazard collections make for charming trees. (Prompt by me) Photo source

Tis the season! Shopping for men is nearly impossible. People to buy for keeps increasing. Shopping isn't as fun on budgets. May gift lists be my salvation. Sales are like magnets to me. (Prompt by me) Photo source

I'd recommend a visit! Pink chai will brighten your day, The fort guards history, photo opportunities. Rickshaws' buzz flits through the air. Can Food Street itself be eaten? Bracelet clasps memories to my pulse. (Prompt by me)

Glad I just got back from one. Professional photographers relieve smart phone shutters. Wedding decor sparkles with blissful candlelight. Guests are arranged into infinite photographs. Families, friends unite over love stories. Photos take forever, selfies are instant. (Prompt by me)

Time for some reflection! In the US there isn't much platonic hand-holding for adults. I'm not making a judgment on that, but one of the things that stood out to me in Pakistan was when I saw it. I get why people wear makeup now. I would like to learn how to do fancy braids. My spice tolerance is even lower than I thought. I did not know what chai tea really was until very recently. I will never see a more beautiful wedding. Guard your cake after your wedding if you want leftovers. Negotiating is something I really need to learn how to do. I have so much more of the world to see. I really want to ride in a rickshaw. I could spend forever at historic sites taking photos. I want to try business class at least once in my life. There is such a thing as pink chai. It's so good to know that your sibling will have sibling-in-laws who will tease them. Having clothes made for you makes you feel very special. (Prompt by me)