Creative juices started trickling

Every time I know that I'm moving to a new city I always join some of the local groups online. Some of these groups are about support while others are informational. Right after I moved to Savannah I started looking for some sort of creative/artistic group to join, it was either that or get rid of all of the art supplies that I've been lugging around from place to place.

Several weeks ago I joined a local group and have traded emails with the group and individual members. Normally one can be quite suspect as people generally don't come off as friendly as they sound in words and after reading several times "they are a great group of gals" one only had to think that I was entering a den of piranha's and I was that day's unsuspecting meal. One of the ladies offered to pick me up and drive me to the meeting so that I would know how to get there and back. I can really appreciate someone who is self confident enough to write that they don't want to come off as a "crazy person", even jokingly.

I must say that K, the lady I met first was as nice and friendly as a person could hope for. Sometimes when you meet someone initially there is this halted silence where no one knows what to say next. That didn't happen. The ladies that I did meet today were all super friendly and not mis-represented at all. I will remember a few people from today, L, the two J's, K, B, D and a few others. I can't wait until next month. Funnily enough, they all think I'm quiet. That is just because I was trying to be productive and think. Just wait until they get to know be better. Hehehehehe

Anyway, I made a couple of Christmas cards and a couple of birthday cards. I really need to streamline what I want to make and then make sure I get stamps and papers to make those and then go from there. I am somewhat happy with the cards that I made today, I still have a few bits of tinkering and sprucing up to do but I will leave that for tomorrow or the next day. Depending on how comfortable I feel, I may take some photos of my work. Hopefully over a period of time I'll be able to see some improvement.

Hello 2009

I guess I can't complain too much really about 2008. 2008 was brought in with family and friends (and a lot of food) although not exactly how I expected it and saw 2008 out with family and friends (and didn't eat as much as I did the last NYE).

The last year has seen a lot of ups and downs (more than your average rollercoaster ride) and I am thankful that it is over with. Far too much money was spent on travelling. Between going back and forth to see my father since his release from the hospital after his stroke and accompanying him to FL for his checkups and a couple of side trips here and there (Amsterdam, I'm coming back to see you). But in retrospect I wouldn't have changed a dime of it. It just means that I'm broke and have to go back to work, not to mention that I am sure my brain has shriveled up with not having been working. I am hoping that will change soon enough.

I made some new friends last year, got reaquainted with some old ones and managed to see others I hadn't seen in what feels like forever. That isn't to say that I haven't lost touch with some, whether that is good or bad is still yet to be determined, but some of those have been quite painful for one reason or another. Deep down I'm not ready analyse why that is.

One thing I will equate with 2008 is loss. I don't know if it is because I've been paying more attention or whether it was just that profound because they were so close together but more than any other year it's been a rather painful year for me with friends dying.

So while I'm clearing out the remnants of 2008, I am hoping that 2009 will be better.

Books I read in 2008 (100):
More than a mistress - Mary Balogh
The Broker - John Grisham
Infidel - Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Second Chance - Danielle Steel
No Humans Involved - Kelley Armstrong
Haunted - Kelley Armstrong
Charmed and Dangerous - Candace Havens
A Man to call my own - Johanna Lindsey
Marriage most Scandalous - Johanna Lindsey
Christmas Wishes - Debbie Macomber
Dead Girls are Easy - Terri Garey
Every Which way but dead - Kim Harrison
72 Hour Hold - Bebe Moore Campbell
A Darker Shade of Crimson - Pamela Thomas-Graham
Lilith's Dream - Whitley Strieber
Bitten - Kelley Armstrong
Target Underwear and a Vera Wang Gown - Adena Halpern
The Golden Compass - Philip Pullman
The Ravenscar Dynasty - Barbara Taylor Bradford
Catering to Nobody - Diane Mott Davidson
Dime Store Magic - Kelley Armstrong
Consent to Kill - Vince Flynn
You've been warned - James Patterson
Industrial Magic - Kelley Armstrong
Never Seduce a Scoundrel - Sabrina Jeffries
A Year of Pleasures - Elizabeth Berg
A Fistful of Charms - Kim Harrison
The Interruption of Everything - Terry McMillan
Dead until Dark - Charlaine Harris
Carpe Demon - Julie Kenner
The Dark River - John Twelve Hawks
The Devil who tamed her - Johanna Lindsey
The Fifth Vial - Michael Palmer
Broken - Kelley Armstrong
Living Dead in Dallas - Charlaine Harris
I Heard that song before - Mary Higgins Clark
The Hindi-Bindi Club - Monica Pradham
Pandora's Daughter - Iris Johansen
Do you promise not to tell - Carol Higgins Clark
The Oath - John Lescroart
The Wedding Night of an English Rogue - Jillian Hunter
Trace - Patricia Cornwell
Origin - Diana Abu-Jaber
Venus - Jane Feather
Bungalow 2 - Danielle Steel
Shadow Prey - John Sandford
Chosen Prey - John Sandford
The Hanged Man's song - John Sandford
The Appeal - John Grisham
Sizzle and Burn - Jayne Ann Krentz
Strangers in Death - JD Robb
Personal Demon - Kelley Armstrong
The Outlaw Demon Wails - Kim Harrison
Second Sight - Amanda Quick
The Accidental Pope - Raymond Flynn
White Lies - Jayne Ann Krentz
Unnatural Exposure - Patricia Cornwell
The Last Precinct - Patricia Cornwell
Yours Until Dawn - Teresa Medeiros
Quicksand - Iris Johansen
Blood Noir - Laurell K Hamilton
A Lick of Frost - Laurell K Hamilton
Blow Fly - Patricia Cornwell
Veil of Roses - Laura Fitzgerald
The Accidental Vampire - Lynsay Sands
Vampires are Forever - Lynsay Sands
Nobody's Baby - Jane Toombs
Millionaire and the Mom - Patricia Kay
The Kiss - Elda Minger
Hot Stuff - Janet Evanovich
Mine Till Midnight - Lisa Kleypas
Firestorm - Iris Johansen
Too Many Brothers - Roz Denny Fox
Lord of Sin - Madeline Hunter
Bloodlines - Dinah McCall
Behind Closed Doors - Shannon McKenna
Edge of Midnight - Shannon McKenna
Who Wants to be a Sex Goddess - Gemma Bruce
Who Loves Ya, Baby? - Gemma Bruce
Twilight - Stephenie Meyer
New Moon - Stephenie Meyer
Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer
Engaging Men - Lynda Curnyn
All I want for Christmas is a Vampire - Kerrelyn Sparks
Lost Lady - Jude Devereaux
Night's Master - Amanda Ashley
Unleash the Night - Sherrilyn Kenyon
The Dream-Hunter - Sherrilyn Kenyon
A Bite to Remember - Lynsay Sands
Vampire, Interrupted - Lynsay Sands
The Alexandria Link - Steve Berry
Standing in Shadows - Shannon McKenna
One Silent Night - Sherrilyn Kenyon
Acheron - Sherrilyn Kenyon
Devil May Cry - Sherrilyn Kenyon
Blood Brothers - Nora Roberts
Hotter Than Hell - Kim Harrison
Once Bitten, Twice Shy - Jennifer Rardin
The Hollow - Nora Roberts
The Becoming - Jeanne C. Stein