Fifteen Minutes of Scrawl

Here are some short pieces based on things that have happened in my life recently. Postcards Whenever I say I'm in the mood to write postcards, I truly mean it. I don't mind if you never write back, I genuinely enjoy writing the cards. I also, one day, want to get through the huge reserve of postcards that I have. I think that'd be so satisfying (but right now I have easily over 100). I'm not sure why I like writing them so much, but I guess I see it as a tangible way to show people I'm thinking about them and spread some joy in this world. I don't write much in a postcard (I don't think anyone does), but I hope it's always enough to help make someone's day. So, please, when I post about wanting to write postcards, let me send you one. Requests I have several unanswered friend requests on Facebook. I usually leave people in limbo when I honestly don't know if I want them to be my Facebook friend or not. I don't want to say absolutely not, but...

I hope everyone has fun at it! Cut up the kit Sort the kit Get volunteers for set up Get volunteers for clean up Tell people what to bring Tell people the rules of the game Tell people the rules of the house Potentially buy a new dress Potentially buy new jewelry Decide how I'm going to do my hair Order a cake Buy some snacks Buy some drinks Perhaps get some decorations Get everything to the party location (Prompt by me) "Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt" by Franklin Park Library . Attribution 2.0 Generic .

Time for the finale?  Okay Ashley may be superstitious but it does look like rain, Manuel And what if it storms dangerously at 5:30, Ashley? Not speaking for weeks is bad, Nikki Ugh I mean Nikki and Justin/Igor should've broken up long ago I called that Anali was going to show up by the way I like the top of Anali's dress Omg we're meeting Clayton's dad? I did not know he was like in Clayton's life A llama balloon! Clayton's sister is hilarious Why are so many people taking videos when this whole thing is being recorded? What does Sam mean they were busy with ghosts? (Ah Citra was scared to be in the house) It's weird to joke about this, Citra's dad "Pretty big nice little room"--Rob Does Sophie have COVID? Sophie, there were so many other signs Who on Earth would think Sophie's mom liked Rob? Wait when did Sophie get this dress? Ashley is super pretty OMG I don't need to see Sam seducing Citra So they're leaving us on a cliffhanger...

Happy 2K! I think I've made this blog more personal as time goes on I need more prompts (both listicles and ones that may lead to a piece I'd like to publish) I'm proud of keeping this going even though it's been a while since I felt truly inspired I hope some people like the D&D content I put on here (if not, oh well, it helps me) The balance of listicle post vs non-listicle post helps me keep pace Doing a few reality TV show reviews helps me pay more attention to what I'm watching and give myself a break when I need it I want to write more publishable (beyond this blog) content I want to engage my audience more (not that it's large, but still) Would people be interested in seeing my photography? Should I try my hand at more poetry? I recently uncovered even older works of mine; would people be interested in reading them? I think I might try doing some more posts where I have to do historical research so I can learn more Maybe I'll try a MadLibs post (I...

Snatch Game time!  Mhi'ya is getting more outspoken Ooh some pre-show drama The library! So Xunami likes Plane Xunami did have the most jokes that made the edit Chad Michaels really does look like Cher Dawn is shady! Finally we get a deadline on the immunity potion God the Pit Crew is hot I had a good time at Snatch Game Are Dawn and Morphine matching? Oh, Sapphira Ru's look is different, but I like it Q's look is fun Xunami is just gorgeous Nymphia's look made me say "wow" Dawn looks adorable Sapphira is just too fun Plasma gets points for legitimately tap dancing Morphine is stunning Mhi'ya can move, but the outfit isn't my favorite Plane looks good Of course Plane isn't using the potion I wanted Sapphira to win, but Plane is was very good I gasped when I saw what song they were going to lip sync to Maybe this will be a double save? Though I'd pick Morphine to win if I had to pick (I was right) Next time is a neo goth design challenge Next ti...

It'll be here one day!  Flowers Buying new scented candles (maybe a lilac one?) Not wearing a heavy coat Rain on warmer days Longer days My birthday (which is technically in winter, but shhh) C2E2 A new Field Museum exhibit Hopefully visiting a dear friend Getting through two big events at work Feeling up to longer walks with Hoban Acquiring new plants Purchasing some new spring clothes Taking more photos Feeling refreshed (Prompt by me) "Mustard Grass" by moonjazz

It was Jasper's 13th birthday and he thought something magical would happen. He was going to become a teenager and then things would just start to make more sense, right? He would be treated more like an adult and he would understand more adulty things, right? No matter what, he was glad it was a Saturday so he could roll over and sleep a little more. As he rolled over, turning to face his nightstand, he saw something odd. His pet rock, Slate, was not there. Now it wouldn't be the first time that Jasper had had a dream that involved him kicking or punching and hitting his nightstand, dislodging his beloved Slate. But Slate anyway was hearty and always forgave Jasper, or so Jasper always thought anyways. He had gotten Slate when he was just six years old after he'd been begging his parents for a pet. However, his parents correctly guessed that this desire would fade and it happened just to coincide with his interest in rocks. After Jasper became aware that he was named for a...

These are just petty things though! Also, I swear I did this one before but I can't find it.  Having to repeat myself because my phone and/or headphones are being wonky Getting my facemask caught in my headphones Putting my right earring in (it's more difficult than the left, I swear!) Clothing getting caught on door handles My hair getting caught on things Having a day where I drop everything (I swear there are days where I am all butterfingers) My door sticking Having large pimples Accidentally closing an incognito window The noise my work email makes Ghost buses/trains Standing in a line that is moving slowly Not finding something on a menu I like Losing my train of thought Being stuffed up (Prompt by Jacqui Broderick) "Natalie Annoyed" by Martin's Pixels & Words & Resistance . Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic .

Whenever I'm asked what my favorite season is, I default to saying spring. There are a bunch of reasons why I love spring. The weather is starting to get warmer again, flowers sprout and bloom, and my birthday happens (my birthday is still in winter, but it's close enough that I like to think of myself as a spring baby). When the sun starts to come out more and not be accompanied by freezing temperatures, it makes me smile. I feel brighter on bright days, as I think many do. I love the feeling of a warm sunbeam on my face that doesn't feel scorching (though I should still wear sunscreen on any sunny day). This is especially true as I have a lot of windows both at work and at home. I love looking out and being bathed in sunlight.  It makes me smile to see little flowers start to peak through the cold earth. It shows that things renew, change, and grow. I like looking for new buds on my walks and a smile creeps onto my face when I see a little sprout poking its way through. I...

In February 2020 I wrote "15 things I'd want for my dream house" and in August 2022 I wrote "15 things my dream house would have" but here are 15 more! Space for scented candles A styled but haphazard look Be in a walkable neighborhood Be located close to friends and family Lots of creative storage space Kids' rooms with blackboard paint on the walls At least one chandelier Garden gnomes Solar panels Holly Birdhouses A sandbox Lots of wall space for art Outlets everywhere I need one Superb Wi-Fi (Prompt by Jacqui Broderick) "7 The Appletrees, Henry Eugene Coe house, 1914" posted by John Tewell . Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic .

Time for the finale? Igor/Justin's shirt is hilarious Igor/Justin's mom is so sweet Pink and blue is not specific enough, Sophie Those are the same hat, Gino "My gringo bonito" That's sweet of Gino's uncle Anali suddenly looks so young to me Wait so why didn't the imam perform the legal wedding between Sam and Citra? (Ah short notice) Rob, Claire is giving every chance to say something nice when she shows up The guinea pigs were fighting, Clayton??? Firing a pastor is awkward, huh, Sam? I guess Gino and Jasmine are finally getting married I love Gino and Jasmine's dog Somewhere in there, Gino and Jasmine do love each other, huh? Ah I thought Jasmine would be pregnant already I'm glad Sam's brother can marry them "Yes, I'm here," is a hilarious answer to "Will you marry me?" I think Anali will show up Next time Ashley cries a lot Next time there is a hurricane? Next time we see too much of Sam and Citra's wedding nigh...

Just felt appropriate for my 1992nd post. "George H. W. Bush is televised falling violently ill at a state dinner in Japan, vomiting into the lap of Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa and fainting." "Boris Yeltsin announces that Russia will stop targeting United States cities with nuclear weapons." "A court in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, sentences serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer to life in prison." "USS Missouri (BB-63), the last active U.S. Navy battleship, is decommissioned at Long Beach, California." "The Chicago Flood occurs, causing approximately $2 billion in damages to the city (equivalent to $4.12 billion in 2022)" "The Twenty-seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution is enacted." "Jay Leno becomes the new host of NBC's The Tonight Show, following the retirement of Johnny Carson." "Kentucky celebrates its bicentennial statehood." "The Goosebumps series of children's horror fiction, penned ...

Rusical time! Q the applause you mean lol The Sound of Rusic ! Plane...you know you're playing up a mean character on TV, right? Role picking drama, as per usual Dawn, musicals are fun and you KNEW a Rusical was going to happen OMG MELISSA MCCARTHY! (Though I did assume it'd be Julie Andrews) Okay this cheese product placement is chaos Ru's look is a mishmash a bit, but I do still enjoy it I love Michelle's top I was wondering how they were going to avoid the Nazis But it was the nuns who sabotaged a car... Plasma's look is fabulous Sapphira's look made me actually gasp Morphine's look suffers from being after Sapphira's... Mhi'ya looks lovely Dawn's look is striking Megami looks good, but it's not my favorite Nymphia's look has a sense of humor to it Q is incredible Plane looks nice, but there are some amazing looks on this runway and this one does not stand out Xunami looks great Okay I really thought Sapphira was going to win Yeah I th...

This is just personal preference though! Ursula Hades Gaston Anakin Joffrey Adolf Helga Vladimir Cletus Dick Elmo Lucifer Dolores Jafar Cersei (Prompt by Jacqui Broderick) "Baby show" posted by National Science and Media Museum

I am single. As such, I did not have Valentine's Day plans with anyone so I decided to make them with myself. I requested the day off work and slept in (not much, but enough to feel a difference). I debated what to wear, but ultimately decided on an all-floral outfit with floral jewelry because if no one is giving you flowers, become the flowers. Then it was off to walk Hoban to Stan's where I got a heart-shaped donut and Hoban got a free pup cup (seriously, Stan's is the best). Then it was time to light some red and pink candles, lounge in bed, and catch up on The Bachelor (it's an okay season so far but boy is the bachelor himself hot). Next it was time for a manicure where I got my nails painted red. The manicurist was friendly and gave me a hand massage (during which she told me to relax lol). I had already ordered a sushi lunch but the manicure ended earlier than I expected (not a bad thing, mind) so I was off to buy myself flowers (yes, today was partially inspire...

I can be picky. Alligators Liz Climo (I believe she has ones you can print) Punny animals Irish sayings Star Trek Punny flowers Memes Alpacas Punny candy Friends Firefly Punny foods Scooby Doo Barbie Punny dogs (Prompt by me) "Vintage Valentine Card - You'll Be My Valentine Sooner Or Later So How About It Alligator, Made In USA" by Joe Haupt . Attribution 2.0 Generic .

Here are some short pieces based on things that have happened in my life recently. Grapefruits My ovaries became the size of grapefruits--at least, that's what my doctor told me. I have a difficult time believing that, but then again, I did feel like I was carrying around some extra weight in my abdomen (which made things like walking pretty uncomfortable). They need to shrink back to the size of lemons (again, per my doctor). During this shrinkage, they will release a lot of fluid that could become problematic (don't worry, I'm taking medications and doing other things to help ensure it won't be problematic).  I think we often compare the things to the size of fruits because they're familiar to us, but still, the idea of two extra grapefruits in my body is a bit bizarre to me. One Shot I need and want to get back to my D&D one shot ideas. I really enjoyed making a one shot before and I think it's a great creative outlet for me. I made three oneish pagers fo...

I feel like I did this or a similar one earlier, but I couldn't find it so oh well! Sleeping in A massage A swim or time in the water Warm temperature Long daylight hours Seeing friends and family Free of responsibilities A luxurious bath A nap Head scratches Delicious meals Opulent desserts Winning a lot of money Good news Hugs (Prompt by Jacqui Broderick) "sunny" by Diamond T Design

Doll time!  Is Plane turning over a new leaf? Charo! Wait Spain is really advertising? Geneva, the goal of mini-challenges isn't always to exceed at the skill, it's to make Ru laugh Xunami won and what a great prize! Ah, I'm sorry, Plane Oh, Q, I'm sorry Law Roach, I'm sorry, I don't know who you are but that's honestly a reflection of me Xunami looks great, but I'm also getting some Ariel vibes Sapphira has the funniest facial expressions, but she also looks lovely Plasma's look doesn't quite work for me, but her audio is funny Plane looks good, but gosh something about burger finger still makes me cringe Nymphia's dress makes a statement, but the hair doesn't quite work for me in this look Morphine is so pretty Mhi'ya look is super fun Megami looks beautiful Geneva's look doesn't quite work for me, but it's not like it's awful I like Dawn's concept and makeup, but the garment isn't really for me It's incr...

In August of 2019, I wrote a post titled "15 baby names," but at that point, I only had two nephews (as opposed to 8 niblings) and hadn't undergone a round of egg freezing. So here are 15 more baby names I like. Oliver Violet Iris Clover Posy Jasper Coralie Jade Brooke Fern Alanna Cameron Lyra Jamie Rose (Prompt by Jacqui Broderick) "Baby show" posted by National Science and Media Museum

You can  read part 1 here ,  read part 2 here ,  read part 3 here ,  read part 4 here , and read part 5 here . Yesterday I had my egg retrieval and overall the procedure went smoothly. I was nervous but my mom was with me and the staff was incredibly kind (though clearly not all were morning people, but hey neither am I). I also had with me an alligator good luck charm to bring with me from a dear friend. I remember asking them to warn me when they were going to use the speculum and they said they would and then I was out. I don't remember coming back to the recovery room where my mom was waiting but I did and they initially told us that they got 17 eggs (though later they would tell us 20 was the actual count). I got pretzels, graham crackers, and Sprite and felt pretty normal. After being home for a while, I started to get cramps, but luckily Tylenol took care of all of that. I mostly slept on Thursday and updated some friends and family, but overall I took it easy...

I hope to throw one soon, so here are some things on my mind.  About how many people will attend? How many people can I fit in my apartment? Should I consider another location? Who will be in what role? How will I adjust if someone has to cancel? To go with a theme (like a holiday or supernatural) or to do a more generic closed-door mystery? Require costumes? Include dinner or just snacks and drinks? Potluck? What relationships do the characters have with one another? Where will I print the materials? Ask people to split the cost or just pay for it myself? Are decorations needed? Is a "body" needed? Do I want to know the solution beforehand? (Prompt by me) "Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt" by Franklin Park Library . Attribution 2.0 Generic .

You can  read part 1 here ,  read part 2 here , read part 3 here , and read part 4 here . It's go time. My egg retrieval is tomorrow. I am both excited and nervous. I was hoping to be told on Monday to trigger and was disproportionately disappointed when I wasn't told. Oh, I should explain. 36 hours before the procedure, you do something called the trigger shot. This shot has to be timed very precisely so that everything will be ready at the time of the procedure.  Anyways, I wasn't told to trigger on Monday and I felt a little teary (thanks hormones), but I was quickly reassured by a family member that all would be well. Then I got word yesterday to do the trigger shot and I was so excited. I called my mom pretty much right away and told her the exciting news. The downside that I had to tell her was that I needed to report for the procedure at 6:30am (the procedure itself will be at 7am). Now for some people, I'm sure leaving the house at 5:45 sounds fine, but my mom a...

I send a birthday list to some of my family every year, so here it is this year! Massage (ideally in Hyde Park) Opalite alligator Alligator wine stopper Gator wine holder and stopper Sawbones t-shirt, L Cider gift card Inkbox gift card Gator t-shirt (XL, v-neck, pink) Alligator ring Hint Go Alligator bath mat Llama chia pet RPG Chibi Monsters Vinyl Sticker Set Portable washing machine Countertop dishwasher (Prompt by me) "Holly Mutation" by Mel Edwards . Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic .

Time for some almost weddings? I bet Gino has not price checked this place Jasmine...you know black widows kill, right? Jasmine, $1,000 wedding dresses do exist I love how the consultants just straight-up ignored Gino's budget The consultant has champagne too? Anali...you were filmed with the stripper...there wasn't really an option to keep it a secret I don't like watching Sophie cry Oop Google Translate is failing a bit for Sam Sam, if you don't want to embarrass Citra's family then maybe you should've done a little bit of research? This is a pretty location that Gino found Manuel's mom is sweet Ugh I want Sophie and Rob to break up I'm glad Sam's dad showed up Gino's family seems to be softening to Jasmine Sam and Citra are married! Storms in Florida are no joke, Ashley (though she seems to know that) Clayton, I agree you put a lot of effort into getting Anali here, but you did not put effort into planning the wedding Next time Rob and Sophie...

I know I'm doing this not in the way intended, but I don't think Kimisha will mind. Also, I know the image isn't the most relevant, but I found it and fell in love. Orchids comment on your elegance and beauty, no matter how scarce you may feel they are Pothos acknowledge your resilience Pileas tell you to always look for the light Succulents share the importance of taking your time Cacti teach you how to get through any kind of drought Money trees remind you to save Ponytail palms suggest how to style your hair Peperomias say to embrace variety Inch plants muse on your growth Basil admires your zest for life Spider plants show to breed community Snake plants reveal how to purify your surroundings Ferns emphasize the importance of the past Monsteras present to you how to not judge something just by its name Aloe stresses how to soothe yourself (Prompt by Kimisha Cassidy) "Flan-Eating Fox" by Sandra Strait . Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic .

Song time!  I stand by saying Amanda was one of my favorites last episode Quick drag time! That was a pretty fun challenge Team picking drama Okay yeah why pick Plane when you have Amanda on your team? Maybe let Xunami choose? I would fail so hard at the choreography portion so I really sympathize with some of these queens That color on Ru is divine Sapphira's group was fun, but their looks weren't consistent Plasma's group has consistent looks, and I really liked their song Geneva's group also has consistent looks, but I wasn't really a fan of the song (though that is just personal taste) Morphine's look is great Q's look is fantastical Sapphira has the best facial expressions and her look has humor Dawn's look is bizarre but not in a bad way Plasma's look has great inspiration Amanda's look is hilarious Xunami is right, she looks exquisite Plane's look is fascinating Geneva's look isn't my favorite because of the mix of 20s and rain...

These are for different reasons! I need help Can you help me? I'm angry right now I'm angry with you I admire you I'm scared I'm scared for you I need words of support I need actions of support I wish you would listen to me It's not my business, but I want to know _____ Are you actually okay? I need you to take care of me more right now How much they mean to me Can you come over and do nothing with me? (Prompt by Emily Kleeman) "08 july 31" by (cup)cake_eater . Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic .

You can  read part 1 here ,  read part 2 here , and read part 3 here . I'm feeling cheery. Perhaps because the sun is out, perhaps because I'm taking some level of control over my fertility, perhaps both. It's a beautiful sunny day and I have been doing injections since Saturday and today just started my third injectable. So far, I haven't noticed any major side effects. I do have some bruising around where I've been doing the injections, but that's really it. I say so far because I wonder if adding in this new injectable will make a difference. I am getting more and more confident with the injections and don't even have to watch the video for one of them (but I do watch for the other two). I also took myself to my ultrasound this morning and that was a step for me to go by myself. I also feel kind of proud of myself for taking these steps. It is a bit disruptive to my life, but I remind myself that it's temporary and that it'll be over before I know...