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Holiday baking time! With the batula that Kambriel very kindly gave me!
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I have two, actually. The first is completely obvious to anyone who even vaguely knows me: The Nightmare Before Christmas.
The second? It's not even a holiday movie. But when I was ten, my Mom was in the hospital undergoing chemotherapy. The night that Dad and I decorated the tree, I got to stay up WAY past my bedtime. We had the TV on for company, and the late-night movie was Arsenic and Old Lace. I adored it. I wanted to grow up to be one of the aunts. And so, forever more, that is a Holiday Movie for me.
I have two, actually. The first is completely obvious to anyone who even vaguely knows me: The Nightmare Before Christmas.
The second? It's not even a holiday movie. But when I was ten, my Mom was in the hospital undergoing chemotherapy. The night that Dad and I decorated the tree, I got to stay up WAY past my bedtime. We had the TV on for company, and the late-night movie was Arsenic and Old Lace. I adored it. I wanted to grow up to be one of the aunts. And so, forever more, that is a Holiday Movie for me.
So, the holiday season is going to be rough for me this year. In addition to the obvious pain of it being the first Christmas without Mom, there's the fact that things are tight this season. Plus we're not putting up the tree this year, as a decorated tree + two energetic and mischievous babycats = disaster and everything breaking. So, no tree.
But. I am doing everything I can to find my holiday cheer:
- Dad and I are going to keep our holiday tradition of the Father & Daughter shopping trip; we'll just be present-shopping for our other loved ones. (We always went shopping for Mom together, and it's been a tradition since I was five or six, I think.) It's an important thing for both of us, even if it will be emotionally-wrought for a while.
- On Saturday I went to Wight's Nursery with Thea and Eric. They are THE store of holiday decor around here, and have 31 different decorated holiday trees. Going to Wight's is kind of like mainlining Christmas decor and glitter into your brain, and going there always boosts my holiday spirit.
- Last night was the neighborhood Christmas caroling event at the park down from my house, put on by the local Salvation Army. While I DO NOT support their stance on a lot of issues (especially LGBT ones), the local group is full of nice people, and spending a cold, crisp evening singing carols (which I love) with my neighbors is fun. They make fresh donuts and hot cider, there are horse-drawn carriage rides, and the organizers are always genuinely happy to see me. One little girl looked at me (top hat, full skirts, red ringmaster jacket, stripy tights, glow-in-the-dark skeleton boots and gloves) and asked if I was from Halloweentown, which made my night.
- I spent today doing holiday baking. Two pans of marshmallows (rose and violet) are chilling in the 'fridge, there is a batch of Chex mix in the oven, and soon I will make the dough for the gingerbread bats.
So I'm slowly getting into a cheerier holiday state of mind. Soon will be the traditional watching of Nightmare Before Christmas, and the singing along to "Fairytale of New York", and those will help, too.
But. I am doing everything I can to find my holiday cheer:
- Dad and I are going to keep our holiday tradition of the Father & Daughter shopping trip; we'll just be present-shopping for our other loved ones. (We always went shopping for Mom together, and it's been a tradition since I was five or six, I think.) It's an important thing for both of us, even if it will be emotionally-wrought for a while.
- On Saturday I went to Wight's Nursery with Thea and Eric. They are THE store of holiday decor around here, and have 31 different decorated holiday trees. Going to Wight's is kind of like mainlining Christmas decor and glitter into your brain, and going there always boosts my holiday spirit.
- Last night was the neighborhood Christmas caroling event at the park down from my house, put on by the local Salvation Army. While I DO NOT support their stance on a lot of issues (especially LGBT ones), the local group is full of nice people, and spending a cold, crisp evening singing carols (which I love) with my neighbors is fun. They make fresh donuts and hot cider, there are horse-drawn carriage rides, and the organizers are always genuinely happy to see me. One little girl looked at me (top hat, full skirts, red ringmaster jacket, stripy tights, glow-in-the-dark skeleton boots and gloves) and asked if I was from Halloweentown, which made my night.
- I spent today doing holiday baking. Two pans of marshmallows (rose and violet) are chilling in the 'fridge, there is a batch of Chex mix in the oven, and soon I will make the dough for the gingerbread bats.
So I'm slowly getting into a cheerier holiday state of mind. Soon will be the traditional watching of Nightmare Before Christmas, and the singing along to "Fairytale of New York", and those will help, too.
Full of clicky-links as far as the eye can see, it's the Gothic Charm School Holiday Gift Guide!
My beta readers/sanity check people are awesome. Any problems with links are my fault, not theirs, and if there are any, please tell me so I can fix things!
Also, just like always, please help spread the word about the new post? Thank you!
My beta readers/sanity check people are awesome. Any problems with links are my fault, not theirs, and if there are any, please tell me so I can fix things!
Also, just like always, please help spread the word about the new post? Thank you!
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Happy Solstice, folks. Now the light comes back.
I did NOT get to see the lunar eclipse last night, thanks to the cloud cover. But it was nifty just knowing that it was happening. Instead, I did what I usually do on a Solstice: talked to Clovis about what I wanted the next six months to bring. (Yes, I'm serious. Just nod, and accept that my particular forms of magic and ritual are different than most.)
Today is chores, chores, chores. Tonight is the traditional Father & Daughter holiday shopping expedition, also known as "How many people will Jilli and her Dad confuse!" It's one of my favorite holiday traditions. This year, to ward off "Are you a caroler?" questions, I think I will wear a B&W striped blazer, fluffy skirts, and my skeleton Docs. And a top hat, of course.
I did NOT get to see the lunar eclipse last night, thanks to the cloud cover. But it was nifty just knowing that it was happening. Instead, I did what I usually do on a Solstice: talked to Clovis about what I wanted the next six months to bring. (Yes, I'm serious. Just nod, and accept that my particular forms of magic and ritual are different than most.)
Today is chores, chores, chores. Tonight is the traditional Father & Daughter holiday shopping expedition, also known as "How many people will Jilli and her Dad confuse!" It's one of my favorite holiday traditions. This year, to ward off "Are you a caroler?" questions, I think I will wear a B&W striped blazer, fluffy skirts, and my skeleton Docs. And a top hat, of course.
Today was Gingerbread Bats day. Oh yes.
The bats about to go in the oven.
Freshly-baked bats!
Now to go brew myself some herbal tea, nom some bats, and go over the comments from my beta readers for tomorrow's GCS post. (Hint: it has a recipe!)
And then later on, bundle up, walk down to the park, and join in the community Christmas caroling event. Yes, this time I will be a caroler, so the standard comment will be appropriate. ::grin::
The bats about to go in the oven.
Freshly-baked bats!
Now to go brew myself some herbal tea, nom some bats, and go over the comments from my beta readers for tomorrow's GCS post. (Hint: it has a recipe!)
And then later on, bundle up, walk down to the park, and join in the community Christmas caroling event. Yes, this time I will be a caroler, so the standard comment will be appropriate. ::grin::
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Yesterday I put on a smidge of makeup (concealer, eyebrows, eyeliner, mascara), proper clothing, and Left The House! To go to the doctor's office for a B12 + Other Stuff shot, to help me get over this Death Blarg Plague thing.
And I *am* getting over it. Slowly, but it's happening. I'm not constantly coughing and sniffling anymore, and my throat doesn't feel like I'm constantly swallowing shards of glass. The main thing I'm still dealing with is the exhaustion. Like, sleeping 11 hours a night, then maybe having a nap later -sort of exhaustion. Ugh. But today I have felt well enough to do a couple of loads of laundry, and am making a tiny bit of progress on writing. My big goal is to be well enough to go to Noc-Noc on Friday night for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sistawendy's transition party. I'm not going to dance, because that way lies exhaustion and a potential relapse, but by God, I AM GETTING DRESSED UP AND GOING OUT ON FRIDAY NIGHT.
My other goals are to put up and decorate the tree, and make gingerbread bats. I don't know if those are going to happen, because I am under orders from the doctor, the Stroppy One, andcupcakegothmom (hi Mom!) to not overdo things. I really WANT to do those things, because it's December 9th, for goodness sake, and I'd like to start feeling some holiday spirit ANY TIME NOW. But I don't want holiday spirit at the expense of, oh, being healthy and able to do things.
And I *am* getting over it. Slowly, but it's happening. I'm not constantly coughing and sniffling anymore, and my throat doesn't feel like I'm constantly swallowing shards of glass. The main thing I'm still dealing with is the exhaustion. Like, sleeping 11 hours a night, then maybe having a nap later -sort of exhaustion. Ugh. But today I have felt well enough to do a couple of loads of laundry, and am making a tiny bit of progress on writing. My big goal is to be well enough to go to Noc-Noc on Friday night for
sistawendy's transition party. I'm not going to dance, because that way lies exhaustion and a potential relapse, but by God, I AM GETTING DRESSED UP AND GOING OUT ON FRIDAY NIGHT.My other goals are to put up and decorate the tree, and make gingerbread bats. I don't know if those are going to happen, because I am under orders from the doctor, the Stroppy One, and
cupcakegothmom (hi Mom!) to not overdo things. I really WANT to do those things, because it's December 9th, for goodness sake, and I'd like to start feeling some holiday spirit ANY TIME NOW. But I don't want holiday spirit at the expense of, oh, being healthy and able to do things.Tags:
Tonight is the night of a family tradition: Dad and I go Christmas shopping. We have done this for ... well, since I was very small. We will go have dinner, try and figure out what the heck to get cupcakegothmom as presents, and generally hang out and have a good time. Yes, I deliberately wore my skelly Docs to try and ward off the inevitable "Are you a Christmas caroler?" questions that my top hat seems to inspire. Yeah yeah, I know, I'm still going to be asked that.
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I hope everyone had a good Solstice. I am looking forward to more light. Not because I like sunlight all that much, mind you, but because things have been dark for a lot of people lately.
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I need to take another bash at writing the post that will be the intro to the more informal reviews section on GCS. I would say maybe tomorrow night, but ahahahahaah. I need to wrap presents. I also need to email the delightful organizers of the Mourning Market and talk to them about a possible GCS reading at the next one.
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Okay, time for coffee (thank you, oh darling Stroppy One! The scone was very tasty, too.), and back to editing. For there being hardly anyone in the office, I have a surprising amount of work.
cupcakegothmom as presents, and generally hang out and have a good time. Yes, I deliberately wore my skelly Docs to try and ward off the inevitable "Are you a Christmas caroler?" questions that my top hat seems to inspire. Yeah yeah, I know, I'm still going to be asked that.
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Note To Self: you need to track down more silver kilt pins, because they work very well as a vaguely punk-ish way to turn pendants into brooches.---
I hope everyone had a good Solstice. I am looking forward to more light. Not because I like sunlight all that much, mind you, but because things have been dark for a lot of people lately.
---
I need to take another bash at writing the post that will be the intro to the more informal reviews section on GCS. I would say maybe tomorrow night, but ahahahahaah. I need to wrap presents. I also need to email the delightful organizers of the Mourning Market and talk to them about a possible GCS reading at the next one.
---
Okay, time for coffee (thank you, oh darling Stroppy One! The scone was very tasty, too.), and back to editing. For there being hardly anyone in the office, I have a surprising amount of work.
I give you Cupcake Goth Vs. Frosty The Snowman.
(Hint: I win.)
(Hint: I win.)
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Obey the Cupcake, Frosty. Don't argue. |
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Cupcake conquers Snowman The Snowpocalypse will happen according to MY wishes. |
I went to lunch with my team today, and we stopped by the booth that was offering photos with Frosty the Snowman. The photographer, apparently smitten with me, said he needed to get photos of me with Frosty, then he'd take the team photos. So there I was, standing on a big red velvet arm chair, one pointy-booted foot up on the arm, hands on hips, looking as if I had just conquered the poor guy in the Frosty costume. It was very fun. The photographer told me to stay there, and arranged the rest of the team around me. Yay, photos!
We waited around, and picked up our CD of the photos. I cart it back to my desk, put it in the computer, and ... discover that those are not our team photos. They are photos of some guy with a small child and Frosty. Woe! We are denied our photos!
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Tonight, we put up the Christmas tree. I sense hot cocoa in my future.
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Thanks to everyone who suggested phrases to embroider on gloves! I think I'm going to go with Cup ♥ Cake, Goth Cake, and maybe Love Cake. (Yes, I have pairs of gloves to do all of those. I just need to dig them out, and perhaps see how well one of the pairs does in a pot of pink RIT.)
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Another crafty/D.I.Y. project I'm contemplating is taking a piece of ruffled pink fabric (seriously, it's stretchy nylon covered in rows and rows of ruffles), cutting a large-ish heart out of it, and appliqueing that onto a skirt. I just don't know how well it would work. I'd fuse some interfacing onto it, but I don't know if that's possible with this sort of nylon knit. Time for experimenting, I guess.
We waited around, and picked up our CD of the photos. I cart it back to my desk, put it in the computer, and ... discover that those are not our team photos. They are photos of some guy with a small child and Frosty. Woe! We are denied our photos!
---
Tonight, we put up the Christmas tree. I sense hot cocoa in my future.
---
Thanks to everyone who suggested phrases to embroider on gloves! I think I'm going to go with Cup ♥ Cake, Goth Cake, and maybe Love Cake. (Yes, I have pairs of gloves to do all of those. I just need to dig them out, and perhaps see how well one of the pairs does in a pot of pink RIT.)
---
Another crafty/D.I.Y. project I'm contemplating is taking a piece of ruffled pink fabric (seriously, it's stretchy nylon covered in rows and rows of ruffles), cutting a large-ish heart out of it, and appliqueing that onto a skirt. I just don't know how well it would work. I'd fuse some interfacing onto it, but I don't know if that's possible with this sort of nylon knit. Time for experimenting, I guess.
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