Reposted from my Book Reviews Blog:

To all who follow my blog and/or book reviews, I wanted to take the opportunity to fill you in on what's been going on in my life and explain the lack of updates out here in case you weren't already aware.

Over the last year, Mike and I have been prepping and preparing to sell our house here in the Boston suburbs and move out west to the San Jose area of California. Once we get there, we'll definitely be living in a much smaller place—and possibly even living out of our RV for up to six months while we house hunt—so we've been working on a major downsizing by going through all the "stuff" we've accumulated over the past 40 years, deciding what to keep, sell, or just throw away! I can't lug all this crap out there with me. It's time to simplify and lighten the load!

Anyway, over the last six months, this effort has picked up steam and the clearing out process has taken away from much of my reading time. It's no wonder I've only managed to read 10 books so far this year! =:-o

I already have some family out there: my sister, mother, and two nieces, and we investigated neighborhoods and different areas when we were out there previously, doing a few drive-bys and such, though we weren't prepared to make an offer on any place without having sold our house here first.

So, as soon as our house here is sold, Mike, the bunnies, and I are hitting the road in the RV for a cross-country road trip, while the rest of our stuff is shipped out via movers and whatnot. We'll probably take about three weeks to travel from coast to coast, exploring many parts of the country we've never seen before. I'm actually really looking forward to that, and plan to take and share many pictures along the way. Keep an eye out for those... if I don't post them here, I'll definitely mention where they are. You can also follow me on Twitter, or friend me on Facebook, to keep tabs on me. I'm looking forward to the journey and hope you'll join me, at least virtually. ;)


On a side note, all this clean-up has obviously stirred up quite a bit of dust, aggravating the heck out of my allergies, already piqued due to the pollen. With stupid Blue Cross Blue Shield canceling coverage for my prescription allergy medication earlier this year, I've taken the opportunity to try out some all-natural remedies like Oregano Oil and Butterbur while switching my body over to Zyrtec-D. But what a pain in the ass all this is! Because the sale of over-the-counter decongestant is used in the production of crystal meth, it's sale is quantity restricted, and I'm only allowed a two-week supply at a time, presenting my license at the pharmacy in order to even get that! Grrr....

But on the good side, I've been quite happy with the Oregano Oil. It hasn't completely replaced the Zyrtec-D (or the Nasalcrom and Naphcon-A which I also take), but it has supplemented it quite nicely. I haven't had nearly as many migraines as I usually deal with this time of year, especially with all the dust and pollen coming into my system at once. Sometimes I even forget that my 12 hours are up and it's time for another pill, something I never experienced before when I used to start getting stuffy again after about 10 or 11 hours. For the Butterbur, I haven't been taking that long enough to form an opinion one way or the other yet.

Tags: just life

I really should try to update this more.  I was soooo busy from April onwards, and dealing with so much shit that I barely had time to keep my head on straight let alone write about it.  But here's a few of the more important things:

1.  The hard drive for the web server died so SexyGeekChick is currently offline.  (Yes, this includes ElektriCam too... even though defunct, was still up for viewing archived pics and such.)

2.  Mike and I are preparing to sell the house and move to California.  w00t w00t!  I can't wait to get out of New England.  We already spent 2 weeks in the San Jose area in September doing house hunting, exploring neighborhoods, and all that good stuff.  So come Spring, our house here in Mass. will go on the market, and we'll pack up the kids (the bunnies) and drive to Beverly.  ;)  LOL  Well, we're actually moving to the San Francisco Bay area, which is more northern CA, but I couldn't resist the jingle since we do hope to be able to drive cross country...

3.  I quit smoking (not the all natural stuff ;) on June 11th and have been completely smoke-free since!  GO ME!!


In any case, while Mercury was in Retrograde over the summer, in addition to that being when the server problems started cropping up, I switched ISP's from Comcast to Verizon FiOS.  I am so much happier with Verizon to say the least!  But talk about so many things being in a state of flux at once... I should've known better than to try to travel during that time with everything falling apart around me.  My weekend trip to visit with friends in Columbus turned into a full-day journey from Hell!!  Now I know why some people refuse to connect through JFK!! 


That's about all I have time for now, but seeing as how I've gotten some of the major stuff outta the way, maybe I'll find time to update out here a little more regularly.  Hmmmm... that's assuming anyone still reads me.  :P

Tags: just life
I'm feeling: blank

I was gonna wait to post this until I could find or make some kind of badge, but since I couldn't find anything, I'm just gonna announce it this way!


Yup, I quit smoking on Monday, June 11th.  So yeah, actually it's not until the end of day Sunday that'll really make it a full 7 days. 

I'm taking prescription Chantix and though it's really helped a lot, I still had a few withdrawal issues and cravings over the last week (including a few side effects from the medicine such as gas and bloating).   

But I didn't give in... well, one night I substituted with an all-natural alternative  to help with the anxiety issues, but beyond that, which doesn't count anyway... nope NOT A ONE! 

GO ME!!! 

Tags: health, just life
I'm feeling: accomplished

In other news, I'm going to the 2007 BookCrossing Convention in Charleston next month.  w00t w00t!!  I've never been to Charleston, SC so that should be way fun... especially rooming with noumena I'm just imagining the trouble we can get into!!

Tags: books, just life
I'm feeling: bouncy

Today is the Winter Solstice (well the 21st was, but I'm writing this after midnight).  So Happy Yule!!  And Solstice Blessings to all.  (If you click the Yule log above, you'll be taken to an article about Yule that I posted many years back.)

I had parties both nights last weekend, but hadn't had much of a chance to write anything about them yet as I've been busy with everything else.  Our girls only Yankee swap party was Friday night, and Yule party was on Saturday night.  Both were fun, and late nights, with much drinking and partying!  And when it can time to use the energy raised during the evening on Saturday, some heartfelt crying as well. 

For the past 3 holiday seasons, one each of my mother's brothers or sisters has been hospitalized for one thing or another.  This past year, it was her eldest brother, with whom I've had a rocky relationship my entire life, and he almost didn't make it.  I'd wanted to make sure to mend bridges and let him know a few heartfelt things before he left this world.  Fortunately, though he's still not himself, I believe our energy pulled him through, or at least helped to, I doubt I was the only one projecting for him even if my non-Pagan relatives didn't realize they were doing it.  So though he won't be home for Christmas, since I still celebrate that holiday with other parts of the family, he'll be nearby, and we'll all be able to go see him.  So I'm glad that worked out...

Tags: just life
I'm feeling: introspective

Pictures taken during my birthday dinner back in November have been posted (just follow the link).

PS - Woosang and Tzad, I know I need to go back and see if you've posted the 20 questions to your own journals, and yup I promise to fill em in... been too busy shopping and partying lately to keep up with much else though! heh

Tags: just life, pictures
I'm feeling: amused

My boy Rudy-pop, you make my heart go hippy-hop!

Heh I wrote the above the other day, but never ended up posting it. 

But back to the here and now.... I've got a pisser head cold.  Mike had it first and then passed it on to me.  (Thanks Mike!)  I only hope it's cleared out by Thanksgiving for dinner at Dad's and Amy visiting from NY.  Though Mike's lasted just less than a week so I'm fairly certain it should be. 

Last night, I took 2 shots of NyQuil to try to get to sleep.  My head, nose, and throat were so congested and stuffed up I couldn't even breathe!  Oy, this sucks!

Tags: just life
I'm feeling: sick

I had a great last couple of days, surrounded by family and friends and people who love me and want to give me presents!  

Mom sent me some Happy Bunny PJs, a pretty turquoise/topaz necklace and earring set (which I wore both tonight and last night.  From Dad and Patty, a check for $200 and a beautiful sun catcher/wind chime, with a sun and a hematite stone... sooo me!  My girlfriends gave me a dark purple/plum (my favorite color) necklace and earring set (perfect with what I was wearing tonight so I had to switch my jewelry during dinner) and a $10 Victoria's Secret gift certificate.  Mikey got me some of my favorite fudge from Fudge Fatale and we're going to pick up my new cell phone, a Sanyo 8400 to replace my aging 8100, from the Sprint store tomorrow.  And of course, just them all being with me was present enough.  Tonight we went out for Japanese food, and had a party of 12 of us, got sung to by the wait staff, doing their special Japanese birthday song in addition to the regular happy birthday one. 

It's not even the presents... what I love the most about my birthday is being made to feel special on my special day... and I certainly got that.  Even those of you who couldn't be with me in person, but sent me bunnies (cheesy) or sexy guys in skimpy clothes (Nou)... tells me you've thought enough about me to know what I like!  And I sooooo love you for that!!  :kiss:  :kiss:  :kiss:

I'll leave you with a bit of trivia that some of you may already know, but it's pretty cool to add here, it being my birthday and all...

I was due to enter the world on Halloween 1968, but being late as usual, was born on Nov 4th instead, on the first Full Moon following Halloween (a bit more subtle but just as magickal in it's own way).  In addition, I was born with an extra finger on my left hand, which was removed in surgery shortly after my birth. Now were we still living during the Burning Times, I'd have immediately been put to death for being born with the mark of the Witch, particularly on the first Full Moon following the Witches New Year.

Tags: just life, witchy
I'm feeling: drunk

My friend Macala came from NY to stay a few days and go to Salem with us tomorrow, me, Lemon, and Larry.  She'd wanted to go in the jacuzzi tonight after dinner but no way I could miss the Pats game who were playing on Monday Night Football!  And what an awesome game it was too!  So it looks like we'll have something warm to look forward to tomorrow night instead.  Though it'll probably be after midnight by the time we get home.  I'll just have to feed Macala some coffee with baileys and amaretto to keep her up. 

  Wishing everyone a Happy Samhain or Happy Halloween! 

Tags: football, just life, witchy

Sorry, no pictures from last night.  I forgot to bring my camera and so did any of the other gals going.  I was so stressed and rushed to get outta the house in time that I forgot a lot of things...

But I got my first early birthday present today from Mom.  And since she didn't write "do not open until 11/4" on the box, I opened it now.  :)  I got a pair of Happy Bunny PJs, a nice topaz and teal necklace and earring set, and some Gevalia Chamomile tea.

I think I'm going to go to the Sprint store this weekend to hopefully get the new Sanyo 8400 I want to replace my aging 8100.  This is Mike's birthday present for me.

Tags: just life
I'm feeling: cheerful