I have returned, my friends. I have returned...to haunt you.

Wow.  It's been more than a month since I posted, and considering that I never wrote one of my typical "I'm taking a blogging break" posts, I'm afraid it may have seemed as if I'd fallen off the face of the earth.  (Ouch.  That would have hurt.)  No worries though.  That phenomenon did not happen to me.  My feet are still firmly planted on the good old ground.  And I am here, my friends.  Here to relate to you all the marvelous and exciting things that have been going on in my life lately.  (Yes.  This is a "Lately I've been" post.  And no, I'm not really going to tell you everything that's been going on with me the past couple months.  That would take far too long.  Be far too boring.  And...it just can't be done, okay?)

 

Right.  So.

 

Lately I've been:

 

 

~Working~

 

Business picked up this past month at the motel (due to the changing seasons) so I was suddenly a great deal busier than I had been since December.  Between work at the motel and work at the café I've been feeling pretty exhausted.  (Okay, maybe keeping late hours and watching too many movies and a few other factors play into that as well, but we're not talking about that right now, we're talking about work.)  Yes, and speaking of work, I did it again.  I quit another job.  (Because that's what Miss Marches do best!)  No but seriously, it was a responsible, clear-headed decision.  It really was.  In short,  I am no longer working at the café.  I decided to pick up more hours at the motel instead and focus on just one job.  And I think it's going to prove to have been a good decision.  I have high hopes for finally getting into a more regular, consistent schedule.  And that's huge for me.  I do better when I have a consistent routine.

 

 

~Watching~

 

The Dick Van Dyke Show:  Yup.  This has been regular evening viewing for the past several weeks now.  Ever since I went and bought all five seasons on eBay.  (Yes, it was worth it.  No, it was not a waste of money.  Why would you even ask such a silly question?)

 

 

 

Boy Meets World:  My brother-in-law introduced us to this show and we're currently watching through it at my brother's house on our weekly Monday night visit.  It's surprisingly good.  Better than I had expected.  Not that I would recommend it unreservedly because I don't like everything about it, but in my opinion it's a cute show, and I am growing quite fond of the characters. 

 

Thumbs up?  Sure, Cory.

 

War and Peace:  O-kaaay.  So this movie was really quite something.  And by something I mean good somethings and bad somethings and...yeah.  To be brief, it had some highly inappropriate scenes and I wouldn't feel comfortable actually recommending it to anyone.  But...it also had some really powerful moments, some great character development, and some very moving storylines.  Also a really good ending.  So yeah, I admit, by the time it was over I was totally invested in a lot of the characters, and I might watch it again (provided of course that the handy-dandy remote is, well, handy.  You know.  ;))

 

 

The Good Doctor:  I rarely ever watch current TV shows, but my brother saw part of this while staying with my grandparents during the fall, and the two of us decided we'd like to watch it together.  So we got a free month's trial on Hulu and watched all eighteen episodes in a week and a half.   We just finished it last night and ohhh!  The last episode was so good, but so emotional.  I was close to tears, okay?  (Disclaimer:  I'm not really recommending this show.  I mean, I enjoyed it, but I feel like it should definitely be viewed with caution.  It's not for everyone.  First off it's a doctor show so there are lots of surgeries and blood and all that--honestly, I had to look away at some parts--and secondly they deal with some very adult topics, as well as some of the typical social issues of our day--coming of course to the politically correct conclusions on those topics, which happen not to my conclusions, so yeah.  That's kind of annoying.  It's definitely not a show for kids and, like I said, definitely to be viewed with caution.  That's my opinion anyway.) But aside from that, I really did enjoy this show.  And there are some really cool characters in it.  The main character, Shaun Murphy is of course my favorite.  He's such a unique character!  He's autistic, ridiculously smart, and brutally honest, which makes for some very interesting interactions with other people.  He's also just super sweet and very loveable.  And I like him a lot.  :D 

 

And yeah.  I'm feeling kind of sad now because it's all over and there's no more to watch for another year.  :( 

Still, there's an upside to it.  I won't have to be staying up till 1:00 and 2:00am anymore to watch it.  I'm pretty sure that's a good thing.  Would you agree?  (Haha.)

 

 

 

When Calls the Heart season five sneak peaks:  When you don't have TV and you can't watch the actual episodes, you watch the sneak peaks and the previews.  Not because they're necessarily worth watching but because you must have something to distract you from what you should be doing.   Isn't that how it works?

 

 

~Reading~

 

Jane Eyre: Started it.  Got distracted by other things.  Haven't read it for weeks.  Typical, typical, typical.  (I do want to get back to it sometime though.)

 

Jane Austen's Minor Works:  I've been making my way through these very slowly.  Her minor works are not like her novels.  Not so easy to get into.  However, I've still got my bookmark in place and I plan to finish them eventually.  Howsoever long it may take me.  What I really wanted to do was read her unfinished novels again, but they're at the end of the book so...must wait.  Gotta do things in order.

 

War and Peace:  Okay, so I was inspired to read this after watching the movie.  I mean, it's sort of been on my to-read list ever since my dad and brother read it the other year, but it's a daunting task, and I never quite got around to it.  Well, now I have.  And what do you know?  I am officially daunted.  Even more so as my older sister started reading it soon after I did, and had the audacity to read at a fast pace that I was reading.  I mean, that's not fair!  I started it first, I should finish it first.  But no.  She's way ahead of me now and there's no way I'm gonna catch her and...it's hurting my ego, guys.  I quit.  Okay, not exactly quit.  I mean, I am going to try and read the book still.  I just quit the race.  The race that really wasn't a race but which I made into a race out of pure selfish silliness--or silly selfishness--or whatever you want to call it.  Yeah, that one.  I own myself defeated and go and pout in a corner.  The end.

 

~Thinking~

 

...Exactly what else am I supposed to include in a "Lately I've been" post?  I mean, I've covered books and movies and work...what else is there?

 

Oh that's right!  I forgot!

 

~Writing~

 

*Dun, dun, dun, dun*

 

*cough*

 

Not much.

 

"Now, now.  If you can't think of anything better to say than that!"

Sorry, Percy, but it's the truth.  I've just not been doing much writing lately.  Unless you want to count emails.  But even those I'm starting to fall behind on.  They're piling up on me again and...OH NO!

 

Help, help!!  I'm drowning!!  Someone save me!  I can't write.  I can't think.  I can't...



"Do calm down.  There's no need to get flustered.  Sink me!  Just take a deep breath, and a pinch of snuff, and you'll be right as rain in a moment."

Did you say "sink me"?  Wow, that wasn't very sensitive of you, was it?  Right after I tell you I'm drowning, and you have to go and say "sink me".  Is that your idea of a joke?

 

"Odds fish, my dear fellow.  How you do talk!  You really are making very little sense just now. 
But don't worry!  I have a plan!"

 

Oh yeah?  And what would that be, pray?

 

"Go to bed, Miss March.  Just go to bed."

 

And she did.

 

*signing off at 1:37 am*