Words, Earrings, and a Grinning Puppy

Here's a little story:

Once upon a time (about an hour ago) there was a fair maiden (okay a regular looking woman) who was faced with a fire breathing dragon ... alright - it was a blank piece of paper and she ... I ... couldn't ... oh. Crap.

Story's over ... here's real life.

I'm sitting at my computer and I have this phenomenal episode of Supernatural about which I am working to compose a new blog for TVGuide. I'm a few pages into writing and suddenly it's as though every word in my head has left. I write a sentence and then recognize it for the ickiness that inhabits it. (Yes. Ickiness IS a word ... I. Just. Used. IT!) I erase the sentence. I recognize the thought that I am trying to transfer to written word and I find that regardless of the number of words listed in my little desk side dictionary (or the honking big online dictionary which is supplemented by the ever entertaining and blush inducing urban dictionary), none of them will string together to take the thought that is in my head and put it to paper.

I'd rather face a fire breathing dragon than a blank piece of paper. A blank piece of paper is, at times, harder to conquer than a yellow eyed demon.

So, I fall back in my chair and I simply start to doodle on my notebook and I look at the spot where I always lay my earrings when I take them off.

Two things here ...
1. Yes. I do have an earring tree and a place in my dressing area (ie. bathroom) where I keep my ever overflowing stash of those little metal delights. Once a week I clean up my desk and actually take them there. But most of the time they can be found under the corner of my computer monitor, right in front of the speaker where my little stuffed puppy one of my girlies gave me to keep me company resides, watching me with eyes that even now are telling me I'm stalling trying to write my Supernatural blog ... and ...
2. My earrings are my jewelry vice. I love them. I seem to collect them. I have hoops and studs and dangles. And the pair that I wore today are my favorite - a twisted hoop of silver that match the smaller set residing in my second set of lobe piercings.

Anyway ... I look to this spot as I am trying to wrap my mind around how to convey this thought and I realize there is only one of my earrings laying there ... in the spot where there should be two.

I look under my computer, under my keyboard, around my desk, through my papers. Nothing. I ask my little puppy but he's still looking at me with THOSE eyes. I get on the floor and check under my desk, I check the trash can beside my desk, I look in the basket that holds all my post-its and hairclips, pencils and pens, scissors and hole punch, book marks and safety pins and I've got nothing.

And the puppy is still not talking.

I go to the bathroom and check the earring tree, the countertop, the little jewelry dish, the bigger jewelry basket, I check the floor, I check the trashcan.

I go to the bedroom and check the dresser, the top of the tv, the table beside my bed, the pockets of my pants I wore earlier.

I go to the kitchen and check the countertop, beside the sink, the refrigerator (yes ... well, when you find your pair of glasses in there one morning and I'm not talking about the kind you drink from - you realize anything is possible) .

And still the puppy's not talking.

Frustrated in writing and frustrated in loosing one of my favorite earrings ... I decide to go ahead and call it quits for the night. I find my comfy jammies and I head to the kitchen to make a cup of tea - something soothing such as camomile with lemon. But before I go, I head to the bathroom and pull my hair up in a pony.

Want me to tell you what I see dangling from one of my ears?

Yeah. I'm back in front of the computer. There are now FOUR twisted silver hoops (two big/two small) lying under the corner of computer monitor and a fresh mug of steaming orange spice black tea. The words are back.

Stupid puppy's sitting there ... grinning at me.

Floral Obituaries

Do you ever wonder if your death would rate a headline in the newspapers? Yeah ... I know ... you're thinking, "Jeez! Morbid much?"

Bear with me here for a minute.

I love fresh air. I really do. There is something so intoxicatingly wonderful about it. I love the time of year when it's not too hot and not too cold and the windows of the house can be flung open and allow the breeze to go through. (Okay ... I also love the fact that when the windows are open I'm not paying an electric bill for the A/C or a gas bill for the heat ... again, work with me here.) I enjoy sitting outside on my little patio and reading, breathing the fresh air of an evening. I am thrilled to sit up front in a boat crossing the lake at high speeds, nothing between me and the rush of air blowing past.

Unfortunately, the time that the air smells the sweetest and best is the time when the air is full of all those nasty little things that love to cause my eyes to leak and become glassy, my nose to continually run and my throat to clog to it's smallest possible size. Yes ... the best fresh air can always be found during allergy seasons - both spring and fall.

Living with my allergies is just loads of fun. Still, I really can't complain. I know that there are many who are worse off than I am. Plus ... I am a grown up here ... it's my choice to leave windows open or not and so I live with the consequences. Still, there are other things I can't control that make viewing the world around me through red, watery eyes and attempting to breathe without using either nose or lungs such fun.

Things such as the fact that in order to get the laundry detergent I need in order to wash the clothes I seem to continually get dirty (no - the budget simply can't sustain buying new clothes for each day OR hiring out the service), it is necessary to go down that aisle of the store chock full of the various detergents. Each one with it's "fresh scent" or "outside goodness" or, even better, the new "light floral scents". Just stepping a foot in this aisle causes my chest to tighten and my throat to close. So, naturally, the detergent I prefer is smack in the middle of the aisle. Got to go all the way in. Some days it's fairly comical, I am sure. There I am, standing at the precipice, sucking in all the "clean" air around me, then ... holding my breath, I run in, snatch the box or bottle I need and then dash out, gasping and wiping my eyes heading for the cool, clean smell of the frozen foods section.

And don't get me started on candles. Seems every store now has a section with candles. I love candles. I truly do. I have them all over my house. I have vanilla, cinnamon, clove, spice, sugar cookie, warm scents that simply hover and don't crawl up inside my nose and create sneezes just by lighting them. Floral scents are my worst enemy. I simply can't do them. Yet those are the ones that are the strongest and those are the ones that seem to stand out - filling the section with their heady fragrance and ultimately forcing me to choose between shopping at this chosen store or leaving.

Today's air freshners are also pretty wicked for me. I'm sure that for many the light florals and fresh meadows and airy citrus scents are wonderful and lovely. Give me a plain old fashioned can of Lysol any day. It may not be the prettiest scent ever but atleast I'm not staggering, trying to draw air in without coughing.

Therefore, I am eternally grateful that where I work, my manager and our housekeeper are very cognizant of my difficulty with scents and try hard not to unwittingly cause a problem. Air freshners and cleaning supplies are generally neutral scents that are fresh, not heavy and they don't linger long. Heavier scents of florals and fruits, if they are used at all, are kept away from my particular area. The women's restroom closest to my office has an automatic device that freshens with a light, spicy orange (not fresh!) scent that you can barely catch.

So, you can imagine my dismay today. I began the day already tight and then, without thinking, just simply sleepily enjoying the fresh air on my drive to work this morning, I realize that the cough in my chest is because my allergies have full-on kicked in. I think to myself that that is okay ... I'll be at work and safe and then will keep the windows up on my drive home from the office and I won't open the windows at home this evening. No worries.

Unfortunately, best laid plans often go awry and there is an emergency with a resident and I have to go to their apartment. The one that smells of lilacs and roses from the scented candles lit throughout the living room. After 20 minutes, I wondered if I held my breath - would she notice my face turning blue and blow out the candle? Probably not.

Once all is taken care of, I head back to my office to relax and breathe the clean air. However I don't get far before getting sidetracked by yet another resident who leads me upstairs ... away from my comfort zone, away from my office and into another area of our building to show me a problem. Once the problem has been cared for, necessity has kicked in. I don't think, I head to the nearest restroom. The women's is busy, but that's alright - I head next to the men's open door (don't laugh - they're actually exactly the same!), I close the door, turn on the light and then it happens ... the automatic air freshner poofs out it's magical blast of scent designed to "freshen the bathroom". However this one is on the wrong floor and is the wrong scent for me and all my mind can do as my lungs take in their next breath of air is think of what the headlines might read:

"Woman Dies By Hacking Up Lung After Inhaling

Fresh Roses & Lemon Scent in Men's Bathroom."

Some days are just like that, I suppose.

Chocolate Thoughts

For Forrest Gump, life was like a box of chocolates.

While I enjoy the occasional chocolate that comes in one of those special boxes, I find that my life is more like a bag of M&Ms.


There are plain, milk chocolate M&Ms for those days that are regular, simply ordinary, the ones where I simply need a little something sweet to help get me through them.

There are peanut M&Ms for those days that are just a bit nuttier than usual, the ones where things are just a bit more stressful and a bit of added protein can go a long way.

There are almond M&Ms for those days that require a bit of juggling to get things done, the ones where I balance a bit of "good fat" fiber with the sugar of the chocolate I'm sure that I require.

There are peanutbutter M&Ms for those days when outside forces converge on life with all the appearances of being regular yet hiding a surprise, the ones where I need the comfort of my favorite chocolate and the comfortable surprise of something creamy and smooth.

There are dark chocolate M&Ms for those days filled with secrets and politics, the ones where I need a rich dark secret of my own to enjoy.

There are mini M&Ms for those days that are sublime, filled with laughter and joy, the ones where I simply enjoy feeling like a young girl again.

There are big M&Ms for those days when everything seems to be overwhelming, the ones where I need something more to shore up my personal defenses and keep from being run over by the thing called life.

There are baking bit M&Ms for those days that I need to occupy my mind and keep my hands busy, those days when time spent in the kitchen teaching a young child to cook are a blessing.

and

There are ice cream M&Ms for those days that are gleeful and full of sinful pleasures, those days when something cold and sweet reminds us that happiness can be found in something simple.

Yes, Forrest, life can be like a box of chocolates. But when you're on a budget like mine ... M&Ms will do just fine.

Now ... who wants to hear about how to get through the week with one bag of M&Ms by deciding on one color each day? Oh ... and don't get me started on the "special holiday" bags - shades of pinks & reds for Valentine's Day, pastels for Easter, red/white/blue for patriotic, orange/black/brown for Halloween or the green/red/white for Christmas. Or ... if you prefer ... I can show you where to go to get your own color selection.

Maybe I should stop now.

Anyone want to hear my theories on Hershey Kisses?

A Morning in October

October is one of those months that I have always enjoyed. The air in the morning is always crisp and cool. When the days are filled with sunshine, then the sky is a magnificent color of blue - the shocking kind that makes the white clouds scattering across it even more white. When the days are rainy, they are dark and gray and gloomy. Instead of freshening up everything and cleaning, the rain and wind brings down more of the rust and orange and yellow and red leaves, littering the ground with them so that when the sun comes out once more and dries they they are free to blow and whisk around in the air.

Today brought a sunshine filled morning ... as I stood in my kitchen window waiting for my water to boil and my tea to steep (blueberry this morning - which is wonderful with a slice of blueberry crumble bread spread with a thin layer of cream cheese - yum!) I enjoyed the slight chill of my kitchen due to the windows being left open during the night. The air was fresh. The sky was once again that blue that simply can't be captured by film or color. The sun was bright, casting it's shiny rays around my kitchen and sparkling off of the glass pumpkin resting on the countertop. I could hear the Oklahoma wind "sweeping across the plain" rustling the leaves in the trees and blowing them into little mini tunnels of colors.

October is here and fall is truly begun. One of my favorite days is just around the corner, but more on that later. Right now it's simply time to drink my tea, eat my toast and enjoy the morning.

Won't you join me?

Title Card Glee!

Can you see it? Isn't it awesome? I swear when it flashed on my screen, I literally jumped up and screamed with glee and delight. The title card has been changed and my theory has been proven! Can I get a woo and a hoo???



There is something so incredibly telling about the title shots that The Kripke has chosen for each season of this show.



During the summer, I did a Supernatural Summer Session blog at the TVGuide site about the two seasons of episode introductions. This is an excerpt of the ending of that blog:



Now it’s time to get ready for Season Three and here’s my question/theory …



Season One began with a flash of lightning. A strike that dealt a blow, the damage of which sent the Winchester men into the storm.



Season Two began with a rush of flaming fire. A fire from hell that chased them, pursued them, that rushed down upon the Winchester men burning them even as they battled it.



Will Season Three continue with the same rush of flaming fire or will it begin with something different, signifying that each season truly does have its own theme? Just a theory … something to consider … however, if the beginning flash of SUPERNATURAL is something other than lightning or fire, such as a rush of inky black smoke, just remember … you heard it here first.



So, it wasn't a rush of inky black smoke, it was a flash of a devil's trap before SUPERNATURAL flashes throught the inky black smoke complete with demonic tendrils and the hellfire red lighting up the center. It is the start of Season Three, and it is ominous and foreboding, just as the title card signifies. Samuel Colt's devil's trap was breached and there has been a legion of demons unleashed. A war has begun and the Winchester boys are right in the middle of it.

What does this intro shot mean, I have no idea yet. But I'm thrilled that there is a new theme to the season, that we are past the fire and into the war. And I can't wait to watch.

The Day After

After a seemingly endless wait, October 4th arrived yesterday. My anticipation had this grin on my face most of the day. Even stressful, serious moments had the grin, it was just tucked inside - not showing on the outside.

Supernatural Thursday has returned full force and I can't yet begin to find the words to describe my complete happiness at it's arrival. Not yet anyways. I have a ramble to write. My fingers are itching to get started. I have lots to say, my thoughts are swirling and starting to form.

However, for right now, I'm simply going to continue to grin. I'm going to savor the entertainment pleasure. I'm going to watch it again. And then? Yep. Watch it again.

My normal Thursday routine is back and I couldn't be happier. I've only got six days to wait for another one.

Visiting the Sanitarium

For those who always wondered what all The Keeper keeps in her storage closets and what it takes to run the virtual Supernatural Obsessive Supporting Enabler's Sanitarium, here's a little something I came up with to share. I have yet to get the hang of adding music but hopefully someone will find it as entertaining to watch as it was for me to put together.

Considering that last year at this time I was just getting started blogging and now I'm running a Sanitarium for the Supernaturally Obsessed ... who knows where I'll be next year at this time as I wait for the fourth season premiere of the best show on television.

Hope you enjoy ...

The Keeper's Supply Closet

A New Definition for Hot Tea

I have a little ritual. Each morning I wake up, switch off the alarm, put on the water to boil and brew a cup of hot tea. The flavor will vary, depending on my mood for that morning and the level of caffeine I think I might need to get going on the day. My mug will vary - I have three favorites, although Thursday is ALWAYS the Supernatural mug. That's just a given. On Saturdays I use my sweet little teapot, enjoying the relaxing time that Saturday affords.

The first cup is usually by itself. Just a warm drink of "wake up" that I truly enjoy.

After brewing my cup, I will wander sleepily over to my computer and logon. I enjoy spending a few minutes waking up and chatting with virtual friends - through emails sent and received. All the while, I am sipping and enjoying my hot tea.

I will usually have a second cup with my breakfast or if time doesn't allow breakfast (meaning I have once again played too long and now am late), that second cup wanders the house with me as I hurridly try to get ready for work.

Whether it is while waking up, relaxing on a quiet morning, or rushing to get off to work, I simply love and enjoy my hot tea. I realize that it might not be for everyone, but it is something that makes me happy. Lately I have been trying some new blends that have added to my enjoyment.

Last night I was working on a project and searching for a picture of hot tea to use. Imagine my surprise when I came upon this picture ...





Yes ... Supernatural geek that I am just sat and giggled.

It's an interesting blend, don't you think?