December 31st

It's that time of the year again! The end part!

In rereading my entries from 2017, I noticed some things. Some were good, and some were bad. 2017 certainly had its fair share of burdens for me. I went through a difficult breakup. My dad was diagnosed with cancer. My dog passed away. My mental health struggles were, well...they were around.

But two things stood out to me. I have been noticing for awhile now that my blog entries just seem pretty boring and repetitive, especially in the past year. I thought that was because of mental health issues, lack of motivation, being tired a lot...and that's certainly part of it. But what I didn't realize until just recently is that the reason a lot of my entries are so nondescript is because of my job. In the past, I would happily share tales from work. I talk about customers, products, busy days, slow days...in a decent amount of detail. Nothing incriminating of course, but I often had something to say. Here's the thing, though - my current job makes it very hard for me to come home and discuss my work day. I don't talk about where I work. I don't even talk about what I do at work, other than the fact that it's retail. It's because of the nature of the company I work for, and for my own safety as well. I have to be very careful about what I say, so I end up really not saying anything at all. And this is detrimental to documenting my day-to-day life. I have countless entries from 2017 that read like, "Work was good/bad/long/easy and now I'm tired." I'm able to go into a little more detail about my second job, which is dog walking (I got emotional when I realized I'd blogged about my very first walk with Ace), because there are really no stakes. I can talk endlessly about the dogs if I want. I'm obviously not going to say a client's address, but other than that, it's fair game. But I don't walk dogs as often as I work at my other job. And I have so, so much to say about my other job.

Let me tell you about my job. As stressful as it can be, it's a company that I genuinely love. Not only that, but I have the best coworkers I've ever had. At Gilly Hicks I had great coworkers too, but my current coworkers...we call each other family. We actually care about each other. If someone needs a shift covered, people actually want to help out. We celebrate birthdays. A lot of us are friends. It's really special.

I think that, with caution, I want to blog more about work in 2018. It will have to be somewhat vague at times, and I know that, but it's such a big part of my life. Not blogging about it seems a bit silly. I know everything on the internet is forever and you can never be too cautious, but really, I do want to actually blog about my daily life, not just what I do in my downtime.

So, I said last year that 2016 had been a bit of a dumpster fire in terms of world events. 2017 was also pretty rough. And like I said earlier, I had my own struggles to contend with. But I want to talk about some of the positives from this year, and I also want to set out some goals and resolutions for 2018!

Some cool shit that happened in 2017:

• I went to my second MAGFest
• I got a second job where I get to walk dogs, and I really like it
• I celebrated my one-year anniversary at my primary job
• I got accepted into a university
• I am six years self-harm free
• My dad no longer has cancer
• I went to two amazing concerts
• I spent quality time with my mom, dad, sister, and great-aunt
• I finally got my teeth fixed
• I went on exciting adventures in a city I'm still getting to know

Now let's talk about 2018. I've got plans, goals and resolutions.

1. I will find a new psychiatrist, therapist and primary care phyisican
2. I will finally get off of Klonopin
3. I will try new medications in order to help my depression and anxiety
4. I will get outside more, especially to exercise
5. I will start university again
6. I will do more dog walks
7. I will move into a new apartment
8. I will be more financially conscious, especially when it comes to non-necessity purchases
9. I will learn to prepare meals in my home that aren't just something I put in the microwave
10. I will keep my apartment more clean
11. I will go to DisneyWorld
12. I will take at least one trip back home to Minnesota
13. I will make new, local friends
14. I will read more books
15. I will go on dates
16. I will improve my blog entries by making them longer and/or more descriptive
17. I will actually start volunteering at the wildlife center
18. I will spend more time doing things I love with people I love

Yes, I came up with eighteen because I'm into clichés like that. But I think it's good to come up with quite a few plans and goals, even if you have to think hard about it. I'm sure there are plenty more thing I want to do. (I mean, I know there are. I want to go to the zoo! But like...that's something I know I'm gonna do anyway.) 

I will try my best not to be too hard on myself if there are days when these goals seem daunting. But I will also try to push past those feelings so that 2018 can be a fulfilling year for me. I want 2018 to be an important year, and I want to do big things. So I'm going to do my best to make that happen. Let's do this!

December 30th

Well, after doing literally nothing that my urgent care doctor from yesterday recommended, my arm actually feels better today. This is possibly because I simply didn't do much today, but still. Fuck steroids and muscle relaxants. I'm not taking that stuff. I write an even longer, more rant-y version of my post from yesterday in Discord because I needed to vent, but it seems redundant to post that here. The shorter version from yesterday should be just fine.

So, tomorrow concludes another year of blogging. Yes, I will still be daily blogging in 2018! I've been tossing around the idea of when I might stop blogging, because like...I can't blog every single day forever. I was thinking of doing it until 2020, which is ten (!!!) years total, and then possibly doing non-daily blogging after that. But that's still awhile away! Tomorrow I'll do some end-of-year reflection as per usual (I swear I just did that), and I also want to post some of my goals and resolutions for 2018. Hooray!

December 29th

Apparently it's impossible to see a primary care physician in is city. Honestly, how can no doctors be accepting new patients? I literally had to go back to urgent care today because I spent ages this morning calling around trying to find a doctor, any doctor who could see me. The best response was "He has openings in April, would that work?" Um, no, I cannot wait four months to be seen. And then of course one of the biggest care provider networks just isn't scheduling people right now. Their scheduling department is straight up closed until Tuesday. I need to see a primary care physician. I'm going to have new insurance in 2018 so I need a new PCP. On top of that, I can only get into a neurologist with a referral from a PCP. And my left arm, with its messed up nerves (which apparently might actually be a different nerve than I was told at my first urgent care appointment but WHO KNOWS because apparently I can't see a fucking neurologist until hell freezes over) need attention. I'm so fucking frustrated. This whole healthcare system is messed up.

December 28th

Ahh, sleeping in is nice. Work with a painful wrist is less nice, but I have a long weekend! Hooray! I'm gonna watch some YouTube and try to stay warm because it sure is chilly here.

December 27th

Ahh, a long work day. And it’s cold out too, really cold! I’m just happy to be done with Christmas music for now.

December 26th

So, acupuncture was actually pretty cool. My left wrist genuinely feels better. I'm impressed. Plus my acupuncturist was so friendly, super nice, just like...the coolest person. So that was good! I'm actually typing this without my brace on! (I'll probably sleep in it though, just in case.) I'm going back next week too. Maybe I'll get my chakras all sorted out or something.

December 25th

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful day, maybe got some snow, saw your friends and/or family, ate good food...whatever it is that makes your Christmas special. I watched Slap the Dickens and The Snowman, talked to my family on the phone, ate leftover pizza and hung out with Brad. (I also napped, but let's face it, I do that like...every day.) It was a good Christmas.

December 24th

I have a cat on me who is preventing me from getting to my laptop. He’s sprawled across my stomach and chest, and he just started taking a bath. I smell kitty breath.

Of course as I write that, he decides to get up. Now he’s making biscuits on my stomach.

Merry Christmas Eve, everyone. :)

December 23rd

Typing with a wrist brace on sure is awkward. I can't say I'm particularly enjoying this thing, although it did get rid of the numbness and tingling in my fingers. Funnily enough, my wrist is now the part with the most pain; my arm and shoulder aren't as bad. It's just annoying. I've got acupuncture on Tuesday though, and then hopefully on Tuesday I'll also be able to schedule my EMG test. Then I can get a proper doctor's note for work, find out a little more about what's going on with my nerve, all that jazz. I could use some pain management suggestions. Popping Advil every few hours isn't really a long-term/sustainable option. (So hopefully the acupuncture helps!)

Tomorrow is an early morning again! Though I'm much happier to be working the morning of Christmas Eve than the eve...although now that I think about it, I actually think the evening would be less busy. That's almost never the case, but this seems like about the one day where it would be. Oh well. I might just be greeting people the whole day anyway since my urgent care doctor's note says I gotta refrain from using my wrist and arm. I don't mind greeting people!

December 22nd

"Hey Kate, weren't you supposed to have a really long work day?" Well friend, I sure was until after three hours at work the pain in my left arm was so bad that I couldn't do anything with it. I've had what felt like mild nerve pain in that arm for two-ish weeks, but the past two days it was impeding my ability to sleep. Today at work, I could barely lift anything. So I took myself to urgent care, and lo and behold I have injured my median nerve. (It's the same one that's affected when you have carpal tunnel syndrome.) So my arm, from shoulder to elbow to hand, hurts. My thumb hurts. I have it in a brace right now so as to move my wrist as little as possible (especially when sleeping - did you know you can get carpal tunnel from sleeping with your wrists in a certain way?) and I'm just kinda annoyed by it all. I am very grateful that it's my non-dominant hand though. Tomorrow (if anyone's open) I need to call around to schedule an EMG with a neurologist, which will help determine the state of the nerve, and also see if I have to make any special work arrangements. (I'm already not allowed to use the arm at work for the next few days. I'm also hoping to see an acupuncturist, funnily enough. I'll keep you guys updated!

December 21st

Thank goodness for a day off. I needed some sleep. Sure, I have to leave my house before 6:30 AM tomorrow in order to get to work at a reasonable time but like...at least today I could sleep in. Watch someone else play DDLC on YouTube. (That game is so wild.) But I do have to sleep...due to the whole eight hour work day tomorrow and whatnot. Oh, the holiday season!

December 20th

So I played Doki Doki Literature Club today. I think that'd about all you need to know, really. Wowzers.

December 19th

Hi friends! Work was short and not too bad and it's not even that cold here. But I have to get up early tomorrow, of course. But hopefully tomorrow is an easy day! I'm gonna cuddle some Pua plush now.

December 18th

Hello all! I actually had a really productive day today. Laundry, cleaning, paying bills...all this after going to work at 6:45 AM! I also got my gifts from my Reddit Secret Santa, which was so cool! It was my first year doing it, and now I want to do secret exchanges all the time. Apparently there was a Disney one earlier this year, so I hope there's another one next year! Get me Mulan and/or Moana things and my heart is yours!

December 17th

Yet again I find myself blogging way too late. Totally my fault this time. I almost forgot. I need to pay attention! And get up at 5:30 AM!

December 16th

I’m pretty sure it’ll be midnight before I get home, so have a holly jolly hello from the shopping mall parking lot!

December 15th

Guess who thought she blogged last night and then suddenly it was 11:58 and there had to be a hella quick blog? Yeaaah. Yesterday was really good though! I did two dog walks, I spent some time at Target, and returned some deodorant that was so strongly scented that it was giving me a headache. It was a good day overall! And today was good too! Work wasn't bad, I got some mail, and now I'm gonna have some good sleep!

December 14th

Good day, bad deodorant.

December 13th

Work was good, but the rest of today was kinda meh. Sorry for a short entry. I love you guys.

December 12th

So I'm pretty sure this is the first time in like four days I've blogged on my computer and not from my phone. I have been so utterly exhausted and sleepy around this time lately. Today was a really cold day so I didn't exactly do as much as I wanted. Way too chilly and snowy. And despite being from Minnesota, I don't particularly love the cold. When it drops below thirty degrees, I'm less than thrilled. I tried to take a nice nap today but I think I must have slept in a weird way to accommodate wherever Cas was in the bed, because my legs are super sore. Either that or work is just catching up with my legs. Tomorrow's shift is a long one, so hopefully it's fairly laid back.

I do have some perfume reviews I want to do soon, all from the brand Ellis Brooklyn. I ordered their discovery set back in November and I've tried a few of the scents so far. Still two more to test.So far I'm not blown away, but some of the scents have been unique at least.

Time for dessert, I think.

December 11th

Dear rude people: please do all your shopping online, thanks. Tonight is a sleepy night so long post tomorrow! Look forward to it!

December 10th

I keep blogging when I’m super tired. I’m sorry. I’m kind of tired most of the time lately. But today I made a bird friend! I’ve also got some perfume reviews coming up. And I really need to watch the ISU Grand Prix.

December 9th

Sleepy time tonight. Perfume reviews tomorrow, I hope! And frozen blueberries.

December 8th

Ya girl right right here is exhausted and in pain from work, so it’s bedtime here. I need dinner at some point but this bed is so nice. I can just cuddle up. No standing. Good times.

December 7th

Okay, so not feeling the greatest tonight. Dinner didn't sit totally right. My sleep schedule is still messed up. Mental health is just kinda blah in general. And the next two days of work are gonna be tough. December can be a bit of a doozy. Hell, let's be honest here, 2017 wasn't exactly a great year for the world in general. (I realize lots of amazing things happened but also, like...a lot of bad stuff.) Friends, stay safe and I love you all. We can finish out this year strong.

December 6th

Work was surprisingly manageable today. However, I had oatmeal twice and I’m pretty sure my body was less than keen on that. I need groceries! But that’s what tomorrow is for. Doing chores. Hooray!

December 5th

So, I don't tend to delete the spam comments on this blog because I hardly get any, and they're usually quite funny. I got one today about a roofing company, conveniently located in nearby Saudi Arabia. So if any of you guys are looking for the best roofing company in Dammam, uhh...check the link in yesterday's post comments? (Don't do that.)

Today was a sleepy day and a stressful day but I'm hoping the fact that I have to get up before the sun tomorrow will somehow help fix my weird sleep schedule. My sleep schedule is always bad in the winter because of how little daylight there is, but I feel like it's been extra weird this week. I'm just tired! Might as well wake up at 4:30 AM tomorrow right? Gotta be at work by 6:00, so...that'll be fun. Very good.

December 4th

Ahh, my back hurts. Luckily tomorrow shouldn't be too stressful. Just gotta do laundry and get groceries. And then work gets crazy. Thankfully I have some shorter shifts mixed in with my crazy long ones, but I don't have a "short" shift until next week. ...When am I going to get my work pants hemmed? And when am I going to take my car in to get looked at/get my oil changed/tires rotated/probably more stuff? I'm feeling a little tired and burnt out lately. Kinda overwhelmed. And tis the season for a healthy dose of Seasonal Affective Disorder mixed in with all the holiday joy. It gets better.

December 3rd

I had a monstrously unhealthy dinner tonight (but I had some blueberries to counteract it), so I'm kind of thinking I want to just go to sleep. I hadn't had mini corn dogs in ages and I'm not sure my body is totally cool with how super-processed/fatty/etc they are. And then I had a Pop Tart for dessert because I'm an asshole.

Gotta get some good sleep for my long work day tomorrow. This week isn't quite as crazy as next week but it's still gonna be pretty intense. This holiday season is way busier for me than last year.

December 2nd

All right friends, guess who saw Coco? This girl! Honestly, the bottom line is that if you like Disney/Pixar films, you'll probably like this. Great character design, beautiful colors, wonderful music...it's got all the goods. Is it the best Pixar film I've ever seen? No, but it was a.) very hyped up for me and b.) I knew a lot about it going in. I think my main complaint is that while a lot of the characters are well-rounded, developed and interesting...none of them made me go, "Wow, that character is super unique/one of my new favorites/etc." Miguel is a great protagonist who follows are pretty good story but there's no real trait about him that makes me go, "Wow, cool main character!" His thing is that he wants to play music but he's not allowed to. But his personality is just sort of generic child-protagonist. I guess Imelda is my favorite character, but again...she's not incredible. I just like her because she's kinda sassy. I can see a lot of people enjoying Hector, but again...his story is quite trope-y and his personality has no stand-out traits. So...good film. I'd recommend it to a Disney/Pixar fan for sure. But I think the best parts of the film are the artistic elements, not so much the plot. I must say though, the casting was impeccable. Oh, and Dante is a lovable doofy dog, and that makes me happy.

December 1st

It's December, there was frost on my car this morning, it may actually be winter soon. Who knows?

I'm gonna go to a cat show this weekend. And I'm gonna see Coco. I am very excited. I'll update you guys on how they are!

November 30th

Okay, so today was less productive than anticipated. But um...I bought some deodorant? It's always good to smell nice, right? This is probably weird TMI but my current deodorant just doesn't work as well as it did like, a month ago. I don't know if my body chemistry changed or what. I'd been using that stuff for...I dunno, a good year or two and then in the last month my body is like, Have you met our Lord and Savior Pit Sweat? Who knows, man.

November 29th

Well, despite not getting to bed until and absurd hour of the night (morning), work wasn't too bad. And then I got to walk Ace! And then I went to Target at 10:00 PM because there's never a wrong time to go to Target. Also the Christmas section there was really beautiful and they had nice Christmas music playing and it was the first time I was genuinely excited about the holiday season this year. So that was actually really nice.

November 28th

Helllll yeah Skate America is online! I've watch the Pairs SP and now I'm on to Ladies SP. Honestly though, I didn't do much else today. Just slept in for the first time in forever, ate breakfast at like 4 PM...all that good stuff.

November 27th

La Violette by Annick Goutal

Notes: Violet, violet leaf, rose

I hadn't worn a violet scent in awhile, so I wanted to wear this one today! It's really lovely and gentle. It's a soft blend of sweet, candied violets and a bit of powdery rose. It doesn't last ages and it's not terribly strong, it's just a nice little scent. Vaguely aquatic and green from the violet leaf but all in all it's just a simple violet scent with a bit of rose for some depth. If you like violets - which I definitely do - this is a pretty safe bet. And I say this as someone who doesn't typically like rose. The rose adds texture, softness and powder but there's not strong rose scent. Definitely no sharpness or bitterness in this scent. I don't wear this one often, but I am glad to have it.

November 26th

Oh hey, another sleepy day. I did finally buy a coat though! And earmuffs and gloves! I'm kinda ready for winter! One more day of work until I have a day off. I'm so ready for a day off. I want to sleep in with no hesitations. Just like...have a real good, stress-free sleep. And eat some oatmeal.

November 25th

So I didn't get to sleep until like...5:30 AM today. And then I worked a long shift. I work tomorrow. I am tired. And I am going to sleep. Love you guys.

November 24th

On the bright side, I have nothing to report in the way of terrible customers. However, I am very tired. And I have a long shift tomorrow. But I made it through today, long as it was. Yay!

November 23rd

Today has been a sleepy day indeed! On purpose! Because I have to be at work at 2:00 AM! I'm kind of thinking of taking a nap (again) now because like...a nine hour shift on Black Friday is never easy, especially when it starts in the middle of the night. I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! Be nice to retail and service workers!

November 22nd

Wow, so today was a long day. I'm in pain. My head and neck/shoulders hurt. I'm also extremely tired. I had terrifying dreams last night, and then I kept waking up thinking I'd overslept. This Thanksgiving I'm gonna be grateful that I have the day off before the ridiculousness of the weekend.

November 21st

I'm in a bit of a pickle. I'm really quite tired. I worked earlier, and had a walk with Ace tonight, and normally I'd just go to sleep right about now. But I need to clean my apartment. Another unit in my building had bedbugs and now they need to check everyone's unit to make sure we're all good. Now, I know I don't have bedbugs. And the way my building is set up, it'd be incredibly hard to bedbugs to travel from one unit to another. But they still have to check. And my apartment is not clean. And I work a very long shift tomorrow. I've also got a headache. So I'm not entirely sure what to do. Oh, and it's chilly too!

November 20th

Guess who's totally out of it? It's me! I don't even feel like I worked today. Likely because I took a four hour nap when I got home. Not totally sure what I'm going to be doing tonight...maybe YouTube? I do need to catch up on Grand Prix skating stuff. I was feeling pretty unwell earlier but oddly enough, Papa John's pizza helped. I guess I was just hungry. I can't believe I bought a whole pizza though. And cinnamon pull-aparts! I couldn't resist! They're so good!

November 19th

This sure is turning out to be a sleepy week already. I'm so sorry for the consistently subpar blog entries. I know it's something I need to work on! Sometimes it's a little hard though, since I work but I'm really not able to talk about my job on here. And that's usually what I'm doing with my day! Also I sometimes get a case of the lazies. Or sleepies. I can't believe how much I slept today!

November 18th

Well I was a sleepy fool when I blogged yesterday. Like really tired. I fell so asleep. And I'm pretty ready to do the same tonight, if I'm honest. It's been a sleepy week. And hey, this upcoming week is gonna be even crazier! Hellooooo Black Friday!

November 17th

Hi friends, this is your captain speaking. Cruising altitude today is sleepy. Work was good. My brain is a Christmas playlist.

November 16th

All right, so today ended up being a sleepy day after all. And I'm okay with that. Staying a BB-8 onesie all day is okay. I even wore it to go get milk because I am an adult who does adult things. I also like naps and being cozy.

November 15th

All right, so I definitely stayed up too late last night watching a documentary series, but I mae it through work just fine. Depending on the weather (and my mood - read: sleepiness levels) tomorrow, I may go try to hunt down a winter coat, but I also may just like...not do much. My nails look really nice and long right now so I'm oddly tempted to get a manicure even though I never do anything with my nails. But pampering is always nice.

November 14th

I got to walk my buddy Ace tonight! It was chilly, and I hurt my foot stepping on a pin earlier today, but it was still a good walk. I only wish I didn't have to get up early tomorrow, because I have really been enjoying sleeping in. Ah well! Hopefully work is nice tomorrow. And hopefully I can find a nice new winter coat!

November 13th

I had such a sleepy day today! It would have been nicer if I didn't have terrible nightmares at one point, but otherwise it was pretty pleasant. Tomorrow I've got a dog walk for a new client which is always exciting, and then I'm gonna go try and find a coat because apparently I completely lost my winter coat. It's straight up gone. I'm so baffled and frustrated by this. But...I really am gonna need a good coat coming up here soon. The one I've been using in the meantime just isn't going to cut it. How do I lose a giant puffy shiny red coat? I do not know.

November 12th

I did it! I did the long work day! Now I’m under multiple blankets and I’m pretty ready for a day off tomorrow. There’s not much more to say for today!

November 11th

Work wasn't bad today! Tomorrow is a long day though. I can do it!

I want to go to more hockey games please!

November 10th

Work was absolutely crazy today, but I went to a hockey game with Brad afterwards! We lost, but it was still really fun. I miss going to hockey games! Hopefully I can go to more this season. 

Work tomorrow is going to be busy but it's not a long shift. Sunday, however, is going to be a little wild. Pretty long shift, but of course I've got something to do in the morning before hand (baby shower) so I can't even sleep in. And I won't get home from work tomorrow until like...11:00 PM or so. This is all nothing compared to my insane Thanksgiving week schedule, but still. Crazy.

November 9th

Guess what? I get to walk Ace again tonight!! I'm so happy. Not too excited about how cold it is outside, but it's all right. I get to see my little dude. And then I have three busy days ahead of me. Especially Sunday. Boy oh boy I am going to be tired Sunday night. Remind me not to make any plans for Monday.

November 8th

Ahh, my jaw hurts and my throat is sore, but guess what? I got to walk my most favorite dog tonight! It's true friends, I got to go see Ace and even though it was a chilly night we still had fun (and saw a cat, possum and another dog) and we had great snuggles afterwards too. I really love that little guy.

November 7th

Not a bad day at work, but it's still quite gloomy and chilly here. On top of that, my body temperature doesn't seem to know what it's doing. It doesn't feel like a fever though, just swinging between warm and cold quite quickly. And it's not all that chilly in my apartment, but when I leave my bedroom I get cold. In my bedroom under the covers, I'm slightly too warm. And, hooray hooray, I have weird tiny bug bites on my hand and ankle. Slightly paranoid that Cas somehow has fleas despite being a strictly indoor cat. It's one of those days.

November 6th

Hi friends! Guess who had a weird, sleepy, mildly depressed sort of day? This girl! I've got a busy week ahead though so hopefully that will take my mind off of this good ol' Seasonal Extra Depression bullshit.

November 5th

So it's been pretty stormy tonight. Like, so stormy that I was late for work because I couldn't see the road in front of me. Definitely a bit scary. Now I'm home and I know I should probably eat dinner since it is literally almost midnight but I'm only a little hungry. The holiday work meeting was pretty chill this year though. It's time to get festive!

November 4th

Today was fun! As was last night! I've had a fun, busy past few days and I'm into it! Tomorrow is definitely going to be a sleeping in sort of day though.

So date night was good! We got taco and then hit up a bar and happened to run into one of Date's colleagues at the bar, so it was really chill. And today Brad and I went thrifting and adventured around the huge bookstore in Columbus called the Book Loft which was really fucking cool.

And now, friends, I am sleepy! I hope you're all having a great weekend!

November 3rd

Wow, okay, so work this morning was pretty rough. I am not destined to work shipment. My back hurts.

On the plus side, I'm going on a date(?!) tonight. I don't fucking remember how to do that. How do first dates work? Wish me luck!

November 2nd

The Revenge of Lady Blanche by Penhaligon's

Notes: Hyacinth, iris, narcissus

I'm completely enamored with this collection from Penhaligon's. The bottles are stunning, the depth they've put into the story is great, and in my sampling, I've liked what I've smelled.
Here's the thing about Lady Blanche. This fragrance is undoubtedly lovely. It's very green, but also powdery. It would be too sharp for my taste if it didn't have the iris note. But...despite its beauty, both in scent and bottle, it's simply not worth the price unless you are absolutely in love with this scent.
When I wear fragrances, I do it with purpose. I feel like the purpose for which I would wear this fragrance can already be achieved by another scent in my collection. Now, if handed a bottle of this for free I would gladly accept and would certainly wear it. But I personally can't justify this one. However, I do feel like this is a signature scent type of perfume. It's just got something about that makes it unique enough to be memorable without being over the top.
The bottom line is, I have a lot of respect for this scent and I would love to be in the presence of it, but I won't be purchasing it for myself.

November 1st

Happy November! I had a stressful morning (toilet overflow, hooray) but the rest of the day was pretty chill. Just watched a bunch of YouTube and ate some ice cream. Good stuff. Took a nap. Cuddled Cas. I'm expecting a similar day tomorrow.

October 31st

Happy Halloween! I went to work and then I napped. And now I am tired. Am I super lame? I was gonna watch a scary movie buuut I think I'd rather sleep. Tomorrow is my first day off in what feels like forever. I'm so ready.

October 30th

Work was manageable! I’m tired though...sleep time.

October 29th

Ahh, I did indeed mess with my sleep schedule. I could sure go for some sleep right now, in fact, except I'm about to go to work. Not too much to report from today - honestly, I just watched YouTube and ate leftover Chinese food. Ahh, Sundays.

October 28th

Sometimes you finally get good quality sleep...after you get home from work. Bah. I felt sick all morning, felt sick at work, got home, had some cereal and slept. This was no nap. This was real sleep. So, you know, good for my sleep schedule and all that. Work was good though, even though it was crazy busy.

October 27th

I walked such a wonderful dog today! He was a super fluffy white Samoyed and I love him.

I also went to one of those in-mall "oriental massage" places. Kinda feel like I got beat up by a Chinese man but my feet feel pretty good at least.

Lots of work in the next four days! Whoop!

October 26th

I successfully slept all night, and then all day! I mean, pretty much. I also had not one, not two, but three work-related dreams. All of them were weird and stressful. And now I am wanting some dinner. It's gonna be a bean burrito. And I'm really excited.

This is the story of a really uneventful Thursday. I mean...at least I left the house to check my mail. On the other hand, I have a terrible head/neck ache. I need an ice pack.

October 25th

Today wasn't actually too bad. I am very ready for two days off in a row. It's like having a weekend! Except my actual weekend will be me working a lot! Ah, well. I think it should be just fine.

October 24th

Okay, time for dinner! Or maybe it's lunch...I truly did sleep all day. I've just been exhausted from the sudden shift in work hours. And tomorrow is going to be another long day, as is Sunday night. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the hours. And obviously I love this job so going to work isn't some terrible thing. It's more that I went from 15 hours a week to 15 hours in two days and my brain (and my sore feet) are still adjusting. Cheers to the holiday season!

October 23rd

I am so glad I have tomorrow off. I had a long weekend. And Wednesday is another really long shift. My feet are hurting! And it's so rainy!

...The Kat Von D Saint and Sinner palette is so beautiful. I actually go to see it in person today and I am in love.

October 22nd

All right friends, it's time to...go to work! Oh yes! Who's excited to work until midnight? Not me! But I'm gonna do it! And hopefully it's easy stuff tonight!

October 21st

Biting into things with my front teeth is so weird. I had to avoid it for over a month and I feel like I've totally forgotten that it's an okay and normal things to do. I was literally having a mini Rice Crispy bar and was tearing off pieces before it clicked that I could just...put it in my mouth and bite off a piece. It's funny how quickly habits form.

Anyway, I am completely exhausted. Work was loooong and it's gonna be long tomorrow too. But hey, the good thing about working a ton during the holiday season is you end up with a little extra money. And I'm always okay with that.

October 20th

Oh my god you guys, I got Cas a little kitty bed hut thing and he loves it. He's sleeping in it. It is the most precious thing! And he likes his new scratching post and his new crinkle tube too! I just want to have a house full of things for him so he is happy and cute all the time.

October 19th

I have new teefies! I love having new teeth! They're so smooth! And they're not gonna pop off on me! And I'm so happy! And I get my whitening trays in just a few weeks! Yaaaay!

October 18th

I didn't sleep super well last night and then I didn't feel super well, but I was okay and work was okay and now I'm just chilling. Dentist tomorrow! Pretty teeth! And then lots and lots of work. It's that time of the year.

October 17th

Why did I buy my plane ticket for MAGFest early this year? It's nonrefundable and MAGFest is a literal dumpster fire. Despite the fact that I was in the first group to preregistered for the convention - also nonrefundable - not only did the convention hotel sell out but so did literally every other hotel in the area. Because they just randomized the booking system. And then even people who got through to make reservations go screwed. Cards got charged for obscene amounts instead of the deposit. Websites were crashing. People were getting directed to two different sites.

Maybe I'll just go on vacation during that time. I'll go to Washington D.C., I already have the damn plane ticket.

October 16th

Yessss new hair. It's more of a dirty blonde now. I'm into it!

Aaand I'm sleepy. Is it bedtime now?

October 15th

I went down to visit my mom and great aunt today! My sister was there visiting too! So it was a nice family day. I am very sleepy. And I get my hair done tomorrow! Whee!

October 14th

Today was a much better day! I got my tooth fixed, I stopped by a cat adoption shelter and played with cats, I hung out with Brad...good stuff. Now I'm here with my own cat and I'm ready for some snuggles.

October 13th

If you're wondering how my day went, just know that my temporary crown popped off and my dentist's office is closed all weekend. It hurts a lot. It also looks very freaky. Happy Friday the 13th y'all!

October 12th

Testing another Imaginary Authors scent today, Memoirs of a Trespasser. I tested this one probably a year or so ago and liked it, and I still like it, but I don't feel like I need it or anything. It's quite similar to Diptyque's Eau Duelle, which I do own. Vanilla woody goodness. Definitely good for fall and winter!

Today I did a whole lot of sleeping. Tomorrow I've got work and I'm not sure how busy it's going to be. It's always hard to tell around this time of year. Sure, kids are in school, but it's Halloween-Christmas season which means it's just getting busier and busier. Once November comes I'm sure it'll get a little crazy.

So, I would like a Moana collection of Ufufy please. How cute would Pua and Heihei be? Even Tamatoa and the Kakamora would be cool. I wonder what they'd smell like. I would guess something like plumeria/frangipani which would be amazing. Disney, please make this collection!

October 11th

I received my generous sample collection from the Imaginary Authors team this week, so I've been doing some testing. So far, I've enjoyed two of the three that I've worn. In lieu of that...let's do a review, shall we?

Violet Disguise by Imaginary Authors

Notes: Plum, violet, dried fruits, balsam, amber

I went into testing this with a word from Josh Meyer (the creator) himself, who told me that a.) the scent was more plum than violet and b.) it had the same dusty feeling as Yesterday Haze, which I had mentioned to him that I enjoy.
I agree on all counts. This is rich, dark fruits that have been dried and left in an old wooden chest. If you're familiar with the depth of the fruit notes in Slumberhouse's Kiste, that's how these fruits felt to me. Now, I normally don't go near plum-heavy scents nor am I typically keen on dried fruit scents. However, the "dusty" accord absolutely makes this great. It takes away the cloying feeling, it tempers the sweetness to a more reasonable level, and it brings a cozy feeling, like antique wood. As for the violet, I really don't get any sort of typical violet smell form this. Perhaps the inherent powdery-ness of violet lends itself to the dustiness of this scent, but I get no real violet. And I actually quite like that.
I can absolutely see this being an amazing fall of winter fragrance. I own Yesterday Haze and find them similar enough that I don't necessarily need both, but I will be happy to use my sample of Violet Disguise again.
Like all Imaginary Authors scents, this is a try-before-you-buy kind of scents. It's hard to grasp the scent from looking at the notes alone. All in all, I'm pleasantly surprised with this one.

October 10th

You know when you go into the dentist after wearing your temporary veneers for a month and then find out that one of your permanent ones has a tiny crack in it so they can't place them? Yeah, that's good stuff. I go back next week though. I'm so ready for this dental ordeal to be over. I've spent so many hours there. (Though many of those hours I was sedated so I don't necessarily remember them.) But I've had to take time off from work, reconfigure my sleep schedule, eat with caution...for many months now. I literally don't even know what all I've had done because I was sedated for half the time. I'm getting closer to having an awesome smile though, so I'm super excited.

October 9th

I am frustrated. I'm frustrated with my medication, my financial situation, my phone, my pet insurance, just...so many things. It's really overwhelming. But I did get to hold a ferret today.

October 8th

What a rainy day! And on top of that, work was crazy busy. Like, nonstop people for a good three hours straight. It's not even the holiday rush yet, who are these people?

I did hella laundry last night. I was doing laundry til after midnight. And it feels so good to have clean clothes, let me tell you. But amidst all of this laundry, I somehow forgot to wash my bras. I did not wash a single bra. Well, I washed two sports bras. But I mean real bras. How could I do this?

Cas has been extra cute and fluffy and cuddly today, so I'm going to take advantage of that by giving him some good snuggles before (or as) I fall asleep.

October 7th

Ahh, just waiting for my laundry to be done. In my mind I started it earlier than I did...but it's actually going to be done close to 11:00 PM. Oh well. At least I'm getting it done.

My iPhone has been an absolute wreck since the newest update. It's constantly freezing, apps are crashing, everything is lagging, speakerphone doesn't work half the time...it's ridiculous. Not sure what to do.

I'm working 3:00 PM - close tomorrow, which will be a change of pace for me. I can't even remember the last time I closed. At least it's a Sunday so closing is much earlier than it is on a weekday!

October 6th

As a treat from my dad, I got a massage/body scrub treatment today. Unfortunately, it was really subpar. Fortunately, the spa I go to is amazing and they were able to help me out. I was originally scheduled with my main massage therapist but it had to get switched to someone else...who was new and not good and VERY talkative. Like, I’m trying to relax here. I don’t need to hear about your divorce and your five kids. The staff was so helpful though so I’ll be able to rebook with my regular therapist at no charge. I mean...at least I smell kinda good?

October 5th

I got to walk my buddy Ace again tonight! He was so good, as usual. Sometimes I can't even believe how small and fluffy he is.

I really want to meet Keyboard Cat someday.

October 4th

I am so sleepy tonight! I am also in need of a massage. I have so much tension in my shoulders!

Work was good today, but I'm off until Sunday. What do I do? I gotta walk some nice doggos!

October 3rd

I just got home from a walk with my buddy Ace! We had a bit of a longer walk tonight just for fun, and because I just love hanging out with him. He's like a slow little puff cloud. Now it's time for pizza!

October 2nd

When "the largest mass shooting in recent history" happens every year or two, something really needs to change. Unbelievable. It's just so fucking sad. I don't even know what to do.

October 1st

Happy first day of Halloween! I still have some cleaning yet to do tonight. Cas is all rolled up like a cinnamon bun. It's that autumn time of year!

September 30th

Okay, somehow September ended up going by a lot more quickly than I expected. I walked some good dogs, met some great cats, had fun at work, got used to my temporary veneers which are gonna be switched for permanent veneers in just ten days...and the weather is starting to feel like autumn! I really love this weather.

September 29th

Well work was easy today. And then I walked two dogs. I also did some much-needed homeward shopping at Target. Today was a pretty successful day overall, so I’m gonna have some oatmeal.

September 28th

henlo frend dis is cas
I do blog tooday
I sleept, ate fud and pläyed game tooday
I lov my hooman mom
hav a gud nite frends

September 27th

Today was slightly more productive! I mailed a package, took out some trash...nothing hardcore. But we have an apartment inspection on Monday (mostly to check for like, illegal pets or extra occupants) but I do still need to do a good solid clean.

September 26th

Guess who's doing a perfume swap? This girl! I'm super excited, I have done one is so long. I'll be getting Donna by Valentino, which is a blind swap for me, but if nothing else the bottle is freaking amazing. I'm pretty pumped.

September 25th

Well, last night's dinner didn't agree with me. So I did a lot of sleeping and feeling not super great today. There's really not much else to report, other than I've really been enjoying the mobile version of Pokémon Shuffle.

September 24th

Well I did a whole lot of nothing today. Laundry? It can wait, apparently. I even got food delivered to my house from GrubHub. Like I really did not do anything today. I guess tonight it just going to be cat cuddle and YouTube videos (or more Netflix) because lazy Sundays are the best.

September 23rd

So last night I was poking around on Netflix and decided to watch the new Lady Gaga documentary. It was fine, I watched the whole thing, but like...not really my style of filmmaking, and also not a subject I'm super interested in, so I was feeling a little unsatisfied afterwards. What did I do? Oh, just watched Moana. I cried. I was up until 3:30 AM. It was wonderful.

September 22nd

I've been listening to a bunch of songs from Kristina Från Duvemåla tonight, and I gotta say, I think hearing Du måste finnas performed live (in Swedish of course; the English translation doesn't do it justice) would be so brilliant. I'm in a bit of a musical mood, really. I heard Those You've Known from Spring Awakening on the radio the other day and I was nearly in tears. Even though I have some issues with that musical, Those You've Known is a really incredible song. I need to go to the theatre.

September 21st

Y'all, I have got too many bug bites on my legs. I think I've been getting them when I'm out walking dogs. They itch.

Today was super extra chill, other than the fact that it is too damn warm outside. And it's supposed to be even warmer as the weekend progresses. I'm gonna be hanging out in as many air conditioned places as possible.

September 20th

I walked so many dogs today! Five of them! And they were all great! Now I’m very tired so I’m eating oatmeal, watching YouTube, and then it’s time for some good sleep!

September 19th

Happy birthday to my dad, and happy six years to me!

I'm off to walk a dog! His name is Sam and I like him a lot!

September 18th

Ahh, my darling cat has crystals in his bladder again. Luckily this time I didn't have to go to the emergency vet, which means I quite literally saved $500. He's going to be going on some good old prescription food, both wet and dry...which is expensive, and not covered by my pet insurance...but if it keeps him from having to go to the vet, that's good. Hopefully the food lasts awhile. He also got some antibiotics because he may have a minor UTI as well, and I'd like to get that cleared up if he has one. He was really good at the vet though! He's such a good boy.

September 17th

Conclusion to my perfume sampling last night: Sunny Side Up by Juliette Has a Gun smells incredibly similar to Bois Farine by Serge Lutens. I can't tell if I like it. The Iso E Super is throwing me off.

September 16th

I walked two awesome dogs today! First was Wally, a goldendoodle puppy who mostly just wanted to play. He was only twelve weeks old but he was super obedient and he also enjoyed squirrels. Then just recently I had an on-demand walk for George, who was a beagle mix. He kept getting spooked by dogs barking from inside their houses, and also we both got spooked by a very large, aggressive dog whose entire face came through the fence and my goodness, when it's dark and you don't see that shit coming and suddenly there's a big, barking dog near you, it'll startle you. George was a total sweetheart though, and we did some cuddling after our walk.

The less good animal news is that Cas likely has another UTI. Good thing I did that expensive PU surgery. This is now his second UTI in the year since getting that done. I'm not made of money, my goodness.

September 15th

I've got a pretty chill weekend ahead, and honestly a pretty chill week too. I need to do laundry, but otherwise...nothing too crazy. Just gonna spend some quality time with Cas.

September 14th

I just got back from walking my buddy Ace! He's such a good boy. Slow, and kinda old, but very good. I also went and saw cats again today. Because...well, I like cats. I saw my girl Freckles! She was just as friendly as last time, and I think she remembered me! Either that or she's just drawn to people who are chill around cats instead of like...screaming children or rogue teens.

September 13th

So the past few nights I've had my sleep schedule fairly sorted. I've slept decently well through the night, gotten up, and then stayed up...no naps. This is quite unusual for me. The past two nights, I've gotten tired very early, like around 8:00 PM. I've also been experiencing anxiety symptoms around 6:00-9:00 PM, like restlessness and agitation. Are all of these things connected? I'm guessing so. I can barely fathom the fact that I got up at a normal human hour this morning, didn't have to be at work until 5:00 PM, but still stayed up the entire time. It's just making me feel quite uneasy and unwell, and there's not any good reason for it. My body and my brain are just a little funny sometimes, I guess.

September 12th

Long day, but I met a whole lot of cats! And I walked Ace, one of the best dogs ever!

So, I'm super tired. Marriland started a new LP and I'm watching that while eating oatmeal/falling asleep.

September 11th

I went to the zoo with Brad today, but we opted not to take many pictures because we didn't want to be so distracted by getting a good photo that we ignored the experience of meeting rad animals. And I must say, we met some really cool animals today. I also had ice cream with sprinkles on top.

So, in lieu of zoo pictures, have a picture of Winnie the potato dog!

September 10th

All right, time to review some perfume!

Woman by Ralph Lauren

Notes: Tuberose, orange blossom, pear, hazelnut, rhubarb, woody notes

It seems like it's fallen out of fashion in the fragrance community to be interested in mass market designer fragrances, but I have to say, I do actually enjoy this. I don't think every scent has to be unique to the point of strangeness or so finely made that there's no hint of synthetic notes. Enjoyable fragrances come in all forms, and I think this is enjoyable. But of course, you'd want to know why!
Pear is a tricky note. It does often come off as very synthetic I've found, but it's blended so nicely with the white florals in this that I can actually say that I like it. When I read the card that came with my sample of this scent, it said to expect tuberose and woods. What I got when I sprayed it was a bright, fruity white floral - and a unique one. I think there are a lot of standard pairings among the white floral + fruit scents (think coconut and gardenia) but this works so well. It's comforting and smooth, but it's also quite bright and sparkly. Sparkly is hard to achieve without aldehydes or citrus, but this pear absolutely sparkles. For me, as the drydown progresses, the pear stays as the standout note. Because it becomes soloed out, it does feel slightly more synthetic, but not to a fault. As for woody notes, I really don't get any. Perhaps some sandalwood in the base, but not the woodiness I was expecting, which I like. This still has mass market appeal, but it doesn't smell like generic fragrance counter perfume. So yes, I enjoy this.

September 9th

Hi friends! My sleep schedule is so bad right now. Was it this bad last time I was recovering? I'll have to see if I blogged about it.

I met the most precious potato of a dog today. She was a daschund-chihuahua mix and oh my god she was truly round. I love her.

September 8th

Today was productive and then very sleepy. I actually went to the grocery store! And got mail! And then I napped. I knew my sleep schedule was gonna be weird again but I'm still all messed up. I'm sure I'll wake up around 5:00 AM again. My teeth are looking good though, yaaay!

September 7th

Tooth day! Tooth day! The sedation was weird (again), I kept waking up and feeling like, "Well shit, that only got me to close my eyes for a few minutes, do I need more?" and yet somehow I was there for 6-7 hours. No, I don't remember a lot of it. I remember the assistants and hygienists gossiping about their coworkers and a new hire, because apparently if I'm sedated, I won't remember anything, or care, right? I mean, honestly, it's not a huge deal. They did their job. Now I have some sweet temporary veneers that I get to wear for a whopping three weeks, which feels insane. They're obviously a slightly different shape and size to my old ones so I'm still trying to figure out how my tongue fits in my mouth and all that. But no, I don't have crazy horse teeth. I'm so, so excited to get the permanent ones! The color on these is great and I assume the permanent ones will look just as good if not better. My mouth is a bit sore (they did some fillings while I was in there) and kinda fuzzy feeling, like where they put in the novocaine and whatnot. But they got the IV on the second try this time, which is wildly better than last time. All in all, today went well. And I am very sleepy.

September 6th

Dang y'all, I almost straight up forgot to blog. I was cleaning, then I was having my last food before I gotta start fasting, and then I realized it was probably pretty close to midnight and alas, it is! No more food for me until after the dentist tomorrow, and then I gotta stop drinking fluids in like six hours which I'm not excited about. I get thirsty! I'm very ready for tomorrow to be all done though. New teeth hype!

September 5th

My dad sent me a text today that said "2 days until tooth day." How ominous does that sound? It's true though, dentist day is Thursday and I'm honestly just about as nervous as last time. I know what to expect (mostly) but the feeling of being sedated and losing track of time and forgetting things is actually kind of freaky. However, I'm so ready to finally get this stuff done.

September 4th

Today's question: do I want to try and fix my sleep schedule before I go and mess it up again on Thursday? That's my dentist day, complete with sedation and all that jazz. Last time I did that my sleep schedule got kind of wonky, so it may just stay a little off until then I think.

September 3rd

Today was a pretty no-fuss day. We had some excitement here at home because Cas saw a squirrel on the deck and absolutely went wild, it was hilarious. The squirrel visited a few times, and each time Cas would get all huffy and start pawing at the sliding door. Speaking of which, I can't wait to work with squirrels at the wildlife rehab center. They just look so soft.

September 2nd

I met an awesome dog and an awesome cat today. It was dusk/evening for my walk and it was also lightly drizzling, but it did feel good to be outside for a bit. I also saw a whole lot of ducks. Like...so many ducks.

I finally know the struggle of liking the discontinued version of a fragrance better than its reformulation. Thank goodness for rollerballs, am I right?

September 1st

It's September, it dropped into the 50's today, everything is autumn and I love it.

I'm having that feeling of wanting to change up my hair. (It's partially Rachel Whitehurst's fault, honestly.) I just...want to have something different. I just don't know exactly what. Bangs? Brown hair? Who knows!

August 31st

Cas is not doing the best at respecting my space and allowing me to blog tonight. I just went through a good ten minutes of him getting between me and my computer so I couldn't type, and if I tried to he's just rub all over my hands because he wanted to be pet. So I pet him. A lot. Did that stop him? No. There is no stopping Cas when he's doing something like this, unless you literally remove him from the room and shut the door. Luckily he decided to just...rub his face on the corner of the laptop instead. Gotta leave your scent everywhere, you know?

Work was really good today, despite going there on only two hours of sleep! I met so many nice people, which always brightens my day. And my long-ish shift went by surprisingly quickly!

And now, I need to eat dinner.

August 30th

The ever-present conundrum: Do I shower now and sleep in later, or sleep now and wake up earlier to shower? Why can't I just...sleep now, but also sleep in? Long work day tomorrow as well, so I'd better figure it out! Gotta be up bright and early!

August 29th

I got to hang out with not one, not two, but three awesome dogs today! One I'd met before, he's a little old bichon frise. He walks super slowly but he is a precious tiny dog. The other two were new friends! There was a lab/retriever who was really old (14 years old!) and deaf and she lived with her other dog friend named Shiloh who was a beagle mix. Beagle mixed with what, I could not tell you, but I can say that he was partially hairless. It was like a beagle face and hairless dog body. Kinda bizarre, but interesting! I do really love meeting new animals.

August 28th

I love shredded cheese so much. This is the conclusion I've made about today. Not much else, really.

August 27th

Okay friends, we're gonna do a fragrance review today.

Tonka by Commodity

Notes: Tonka bean, cardamom, sandalwood, benzoin, artemisia, almond

I have to say, I tried this without expecting much. I didn't look at the notes first, I just assumed it would be a vanilla-esque scent. Pretty standard fare. But no, this one surprised me. I sprayed it and was greeted with a delicious, milky chai tea latte scent. I find tonka on its own to be pretty so-so, and I usually see it as a base note or one used to complement the others notes in the fragrances, but I'm so pleased with how it smells here. It's definitely the focal point, but the cardamom adds a perfect spice to it. The sandalwood and benzoin make the base super warm and fluffy and cozy as well. This is a real hidden gem of a winter scent. If you like scents like Diptyque's Eau Duelle, this may be a new love for you.

August 26th

Work was short and then I napped! Now Cas is being my little spoon. No plans tomorrow, other than laundry! What a weekend!

August 25th

Work was pretty easy breezy today! I have to get up earlier than I'd like tomorrow, but it's not a long work day so it'll be fine.

When will my allergies stop being so obnoxious?

Also I would just like to say that I had some amazing strawberry shortcake today.

August 24th

Ooh girl, I am salty tonight. Sometimes work (not my main job) is just...not good. It's a shame when the job you're doing is something you love but the company is not reliable or communicative to the point where you suffer. It just bums me out, honestly. But luckily I have another job, one that is amazing, with great coworkers, great management, and is oftentimes super fun.

August 23rd

Today I slept a lot. I ate some junk food. I browsed the internet. Was it a productive day? Not at all. But it was a much needed day of relaxation.

I'm currently testing The Lion Cupboard by 4160 Tuesdays. I can't figure it out. But I think I like it, just not on me. It might smell better on a guy. It's very unisex though.

August 22nd

Work was weird today. I gradually started feeling more and more off throughout my shift, and when I left I was really dizzy and lightheaded, and anxious as well. Not sure if the lightheadedness caused the anxiety or the other way around, but I felt pretty uneasy. Dinner helped and I was able to drive home okay, but I just slept after that. I'm just now getting myself out of bed to eat something. I should be able to relax a bit tomorrow though.

August 21st

Work tomorrow! In the afternoon though, so I can sleep in.

Today was exciting! The eclipse was pretty neat, I ate good food, I fed a tortoise...cool stuff. I'm tired though! Also hungry. But...I want to sleep. Cas is on my pillow with me.

August 20th

Work was busy today and I'm glad to be home, and to have tomorrow off for some sweet eclipse viewing! Other than that, there's not much to report. I'm just having a chill Sunday night.

August 19th

I beat Magikarp Jump! I still have to get 100% completion - or at least get all the patterns - but in terms of story goals, I'm all done! I'm really excited about my newest fish. And all my other fish. Magikarps are great friends.

August 18th

I decided I probably need to wear the perfumes I sampled again in order to give a better review. So that might come somewhere down the line, depending on when I get around to trying them again.

I am super jazzed that I've got absolutely nothing planned for tomorrow. Yes, a dog walk may come up...but I'm really enjoying the idea of a day all to myself, doing a whole lot of relaxing. Sunday is gonna be pretty chill as well - I do work, but not for too terribly long. And then I have Monday off as well!

Cas is here making biscuits and purring, which is a great alternative to what he often does while I'm blogging, which is trying to eat my fingers. He's being super snuggly and good tonight! I love him!

August 17th

Well, I ended up walking two dogs today. It kind of messed up my sleep schedule though. I had to get up early after staying up lately, then I slept during the day...not great. I guess I'm going to sleep now? I already know I'm going to wake up in the middle of the night. And then I gotta get up early for work! Ah, what a week!

I test two perfumes today as well, so I'll try and review at least one of them tomorrow!

August 16th

Wowie wow the first three hours of work felt like an eternity today. It was fine after that but for some reason I just felt like time was going extra slow and it was not particularly great. Not a work issue, just a me issue. I think between my two jobs I got a little burnt out and it came to a head today. No work at all tomorrow though!

Cas is interfering with my typing. He keeps nibbling and rubbing on my fingers. He needs some attention.

August 15th

Work felt really long today. And tomorrow is an even longer shift, so hooray! It may be super fun though, who knows. Work is unpredictable!

I think I would like a coloring book and a big ol' box of crayons.

August 14th

Ahh, gotta love when your cat tries to make biscuits on your leg but you haven't trimmed his claws recently so he straight up scratches the hell out of you.

Let's talk fragrance, shall we?

Unknown Pleasures by Kerosene

Lemon, caramel, earl grey tea, vanilla, honey, bergamot

This was an interesting one for sure. Upon first spray, I got so many notes and scents and ups and downs and I didn't know which way this fragrance was going. After about thirty seconds, it started to settle into a really interesting gourmand. It was sweet and lemony, of course, but it was also herbal from the tea. The addition of honey made this smell like...well, like honeyed lemon tea. That's probably awesome for a lot of people. I'm sure it's very comforting. But for me, it smelled like the sort of comfort you get when you have a cold. Ricola lozenges, warm tea, all that jazz. So yes, this scent is very unique, well-blended and lovely. But it's not for me.

Goodbye Piccadilly by 4160 Tuesdays

Violet, iris, leather, lavender, patchouli, vanilla

This one isn't in the Fragrantica database, so I apologize for the picture I got from Google Images. So, if you know me, something in that note list should be making you say, "Kate, what the hell?" And you're not wrong. I do not like lavender. Not in any form. It gives me terrible headaches. However, once upon a time I tried a different 4160 Tuesdays scent with lavender in it and I managed okay, so I thought I'd give this a chance. I didn't pick out this sample. I ordered three samples from IndieScents, and they included one of this as well. I was very hesitant to try something featuring some of my absolute favorite notes combined with a note I dread seeing.
But I have to give another round of applause to 4160 Tuesdays, because this was not a bad scent. I'm honestly not even sure how to describe it. Candied violet and iris are at the forefront, but at the beginning I did catch some lavender - but it was okay. It sort of remained throughout, but not necessarily in smell, more in the way it added to the composition. It kept things from getting too cloying. It made everything a little earthier. (As did the leather and patchouli of course.) Will I be rushing out to get this? No, I have other violet/iris scents that I enjoy more. But this was super interesting and I can absolutely see someone loving this. This is signature scent material right here. Bravo.

August 13th

Allll riiiight. So totally excited to go into work at 6:00 PM and not get done until whenever we finish. Gotta blog first, because I don't know what my break situation is going to be like.

I might do another perfume review tomorrow - I'm testing Unknown Pleasures from Kerosene today and it's super interesting!

August 12th

Whooo what a long day! Tomorrow's gonna be a long one too. Thank goodness I can sleep in on Monday!

I've been sampling a few scents from 4160 Tuesdays lately but haven't had any luck. I tried The Buddhawood Box and Sunshine and Pancakes but neither were that great on me. The former smelled like curry, the later like strange citrusy wood. I'll try something else tonight, I think.

August 11th

Today, the new versions Saint and Sinner from Kat Von D.

Saint (2017) by Kat Von D

Vanilla, peach, almond blossom, mirabelle, white florals, musk

I'm usually wary of sweet fragrances, as my skin tend to make things EXTRA sweet. However, this fragrance surprised me! Despite the gourmand notes, this is actually very pleasant. Now, it is sweet, don't get me wrong. But it's not toothache sweet. I got a lot of peach for the first few hours, then in the end of the drydown the mirabelle really came out, which was beautiful! My only complaint is that the opening is pretty...standard. I don't feel like this is terribly unique until the very end when the smell is so faint that I have to put my wrist to my nose to smell it.

It's a good fragrance. I like it. But it's very safe, which isn't what I've come to expect from Kat Von D. However, I feel like this would make an exquisite gift for gourmand lovers.

Sinner (2017) by Kat Von D

Vanilla, plum, patchouli, cinnamon, musk, vetiver, white florals

This smells VERY similar to the original! I know some people have had issues with projection and longevity but on me it lasts very nicely. It's a little more subtle in its projection, but I actually enjoy that. The original could be a bit overbearing.

So for those unfamiliar with the original, what does this smell like? To me it is spiced plums and vanilla, with a sumptuous patchouli base. It's quite heady, not really a summertime scent but perfect for parties on winter nights or a walk on a crisp autumn afternoon. The cinnamon and plum create such a cozy feeling, this whole scent is like a heavy dream. If you like your scents rich, absolutely give this a try.

August 10th

Wooo long work day! The first of many this week! I say that like today is a Monday...it's Thursday, but I work every day for the next week. And Sunday is an after hour rearrange-the-store kind of shift that will probably go into Monday...so that's fun. Hopefully we'll get everything done quickly.

August 9th

Hi friends! I am overly stressed about having to get up early tomorrow. I'm not sleepy. I also have a stomachache. I am anxious. I don't like being stressed about this sort of thing, because then I get like not enough sleep and I feel bad. Gotta get sleepy. Gotta sleep well. Gotta get up and shower and go to work like a good normal adult!

August 8th

I just got back from the most chill dog walk ever. He was a little bichon frise and he was just the slooowest walker ever. So we literally just meandered around. Sniffed a few things. Went in the grass. It was really calm and peaceful, and he was so nice! I haven't had any bad walks yet, which is great. Some have definitely been harder than others for one reason or another, but the dogs have all been pretty good. That makes me super happy.

August 7th

Well, I almost had a dog walk today, but it got cancelled. But I did a whole bunch of cleaning today! My kitchen and bathroom look so much better! I need to do like a deep clean of the kitchen floor, but it does look a lot better. I'm so happy!

August 6th

Yaaaaay it was so nice to have a lazy day today! Nothing to do at either job so I just got to relax. I actually got kind of bored, funnily enough. But tomorrow I'll see if there's any dog walking to be done and try to pick up a walk or two if I can. No other plans!

August 5th

Yoooo there is a David's Tea at the mall now and it is awesome.

I'm watching compilations from America's Got Talent right now. I'm on that part of YouTube. Will I be up all night? Possibly.

August 4th

Please let this sore throat be gone by the morning. I don't have time for this.

I walked some pretty neat dogs today. I also got groomed by a bird. Not a bad day.

August 3rd

I walked a dog named Beans today. He was a good and happy boy. Tomorrow I'm walking a dog named Hank!

I am wildly sleepy right now. Time for some good rest and kitty cuddles.

August 2nd

So on Sunday I shaved my legs. Not terribly interesting. However, since then they have been CRAZY itchy and I have no idea why. I didn't do anything differently. I've been diligent with my moisturizer. And yet, the itching persists. Anyone had this happen to them?

August 1st

I am mentally and physically exhausted tonight. Now, it's for a good reason - I worked my butt off. In the past three days alone I've walked about ten miles, nearly half of which were today while at my second job. But today was hot and sunny and I am by no means in shape, so all this sudden physical activity, while it feels good when I get home and think, "yeah, I can do laundry at 3:00 pm instead of 9:00!" is also coming as a bit of a shock to my body. It'll get easier though.

July 31st

Sorry for such a short entry yesterday! I couldn't find my "natural" Dramamine (the ginger pill) so I had to take the regular "less drowsy" formula which completely knocked me out. The worst thing about the "less drowsy" formula is that not only is it totally sleep-inducing, it's a 24-hour formula. And the sleep you get on it is far from quality sleep.

All that said, I did have a good time at the fair yesterday. I saw the tallest horse I've ever seen in my life which was rad. I didn't go on a single damn ride because oh my god fair rides are even worse than regular rides and I already don't like 90% of rides.

I only just got back from a dog walk about half an hour ago (he was just a little puppy, only 12 weeks old!) so my evening is a little wonky, but I've got another dog walk in the morning so I gotta get some good rest. Hopefully Cas won't decide to literally try and bite my scalp again. He knows that's an effective way to wake me up though. Just yank out my hair.

July 30th

Full report tomorrow, but I went to the fair today! It's been probably eight years since I've gone to one. So many animals!

July 29th

I love do-nothing Saturdays! They are extra relaxing. I hope I get to walk another dog soon! Gotta get my fitness on, or something! I'm so out of shape. I may be eating ice cream right now. Hell yeah.

July 28th

My sleepless ass definitely decided it was a good idea to walk a dog this morning. Now, I love my job and I love walking dogs. However, going for an hour long walk on basically no sleep and no breakfast was maybe not my best idea ever. Gotta pay those bills though, yo. On the plus side, the dog I walked was an absolutely sweetheart. He was a weimaraner (which I have trouble spelling and pronouncing) and he was just the happiest dog ever. He was cool with just having a relaxing walk and even though he was a strong doggo he didn't try to like, drag me into another dimension. He got a little excited about a stick once but he was so good around other dogs, cats, rabbits, birds...we ran into a lot of animals outside. I would be so happy to walk him again! Maybe if I'm feeling a bit more well-rested and well-fed. I'm still so glad though! Look at me, going for walks! Being outside! Befriending animals! I'm a superhero!

July 27th

I was supposed to fly home today. That didn't get to happen. So not only am I missing out on ConBravo, where a large portion of my friend group is, I also am not at home right now, seeing my dad and sister. Last night I was feeling so lonely, and I've been so homesick lately, so when I was at the pharmacy today picking up my prescription and realized I should be on my way to the airport, I about broke down. I just feel very alone right now, and not super happy or energetic. More like dejected and down. Things just feel off and all I want is to be surrounded by people who enjoy my company and whose company I enjoy, and we can all be happy together. Sorry to be such a major bummer today. I just need something more right now.

July 26th

Long day. Short entry. Sorry friends. I'll post a proper update tomorrow. Right now I'm just sleepy.

July 25th

Not feeling super great this evening. I had a headache last night and just could not fall asleep, and I was so frustrated and exhausted by the time I finally did. I think it must have been sometime after 9 AM. So I slept basically all day, and now I feel like garbage. I'm quite anxious, a bit lightheaded and all that. Probably because I've been in bed for too long, and I've been staring at too many screens. I'm going to try and do a bit of stretching to wake up my body, and then hopefully have a decent night of sleep. I work tomorrow but I'm flying back home on Thursday! I'm so excited!

July 24th

"Play Dream Daddy!" they said. "It'll be fun!" they said.

WELL IT IS. IT IS FUN AND I LOVE IT. AND I'M GONNA PLAY IT SOME MORE, SO THERE.

July 23rd

Okay, when you eat food and it makes you feel sick...that's not fun. Doing better now but I need some rest.

Brad got me Dream Daddy and so far it is a hilarious game. I must resist staying up all night playing.

July 22nd

I am in love with my hair! The damage has been remedied! And it's so smooth! My hairdresser is such a sweetheart. 

Brad and I got dinner at IKEA and then wandered around for awhile. Now I'm really tired. So excited to work closing shift on a Sunday...yeah!

July 21st

Cas was hovering around the keyboard acting like he was gonna help me blog, but then he ran off on some adventure instead. What a bummer.

It is so stupidly hot and humid here, and with an occasional dash of rain (read: thunderstorms) as well. Gonna get my hair cut tomorrow because my ends are as dry as, well, the opposite of the weather here.

July 20th

So sad to hear about Linkin Park's lead singer's passing. I'd recently really gotten back into Linkin Park - I was never a super mega fan or anything, but I do really like their music.

Cas would much rather me be petting him than blogging so he's rubbing all over my fingers while I'm trying to type. I've got to go attend to his needs, I think.

July 19th

Three years ago today, I adopted a wonderful cat. Now he's sitting near me, as perfect as the day I got him, and I love him so unbelievably much. I feel so lucky to have such a great little orange man in my life.

July 18th

So I did end up staying up until about 3 AM doing laundry. Not bad, but I wasn't able to fall asleep afterwards so I didn't get nearly as much sleep as I wanted before work, and today was a long work day. Right now I'm hungry but I'm honestly too tired to like...prepare food. I had an early dinner just before 5 PM so I do need to eat something but my eyelids are heavy and my brain is kinda just...in sleepy mode. I'm sure I'll wake up at some weird hour feeling very awake and hungry.

July 17th

Is it too late to get some more laundry done? Because like...I know it's almost midnight, but I don't work until 2:00 tomorrow...and technically the laundry facility on property is still open...I might do some laundry.

Sorry for a boring post, but I really didn't do much of note today!

July 16th

Today was a sleepy day and I'm 100% okay with that. I did sort of need to get some groceries but...that can happen tomorrow. Laundry, groceries, adulting. Good stuff.

Tonight's gonna be documentaries and other miscellaneous goodies that I find on YouTube.

July 15th

Today was kinda crazy, as it turns out. I had completely forgotten that I had volunteer training for my wildlife hospital work, and then I was only able to submit my paperwork yesterday so I was pretty sure I wasn't going to be able to attend. That plus already not being able to sleep meant I stayed up very late. Then my paperwork and fee got processed super early in the morning, which meant I was able to go! However, it also meant that I ended up getting no sleep beforehand! Literally, didn't sleep this morning. It was a tired day, but I dragged my ass there and it was absolutely worth it. I was definitely fading near the end (and I slept for six hours when I got home) but meeting animals and getting to know the facility was great. I've done similar work, but just with baby and juvenile songbirds, so I am super excited to not only be able to work with bigger birds like owls and hawks, but also waterfowl, mammals, and reptiles! (And if I want to shell out a bunch of money, I can work with the rabies vector animals...though I don't think I'll be doing that. Raccoons are amazing but they carry plenty of other stuff besides potentially rabies, and bats...bats actually do get rabies more often than I care to think about. Not super often, but even one confirmed case a year is kinda freaky.)

So that's that! I'm officially a volunteer again!

July 14th

I got straight up yelled at while at work today. (Not by a coworker, by a customer.) It was actually really bad, this guy was legitimately mean. And for something completely out of my control, too. (Of course.) I don't understand why people feel the need to yell at employees for like...anything. Unless that employee attacks you or something. But can people not have a conversation these days? Why do we need to raise our voices or call people names? It's not winning you any favors, people of the world who do this.

July 13th

Pretty sure I'm gonna have to start building the next ark because it has been raining like crazy today. Also there were some really rad lightning bolts that were super close.

Surprisingly sleepy tonight. I ain't mad. I'mma cuddle this blanket.

July 12th

Magikarp Jump is truly a joy. Even though I'm apparently unable to catch two of the patterns. Come on RNG, give me the patterns I need!

My cat is such a great cat. I adore him. Castamere is the best.

July 11th

Teeth: Crowned. Prescriptions: Updated. Kate: Sleepy.

It's a good thing I don't have to wake up extra early tomo---oh wait. I do. That's great.

September 7th is the official date for getting my veneers redone. I wanted it to be much sooner, but I also go to a very busy dental office and see a dentist who is pretty in-demand. Also, since I'm doing it sedation-style again, he needs to have like...no other patients that day, because he's gotta spend most of it in my mouth so I can be sedated for as little time as possible.

I'm super duper excited though. I've wanted this for so long!

July 10th

Tomorrow I get to go to the dentist and see my doctor. Aren't I in for a treat? It'll be nice to get permanent crowns on my two teeth with the temporaries, but I would really just like to be done going to the dentist. I still need to get my veneers replaced though, so that's another lengthy appointment to look forward to.

Today has been very rainy and stormy, so I've been kinda sleepy/napping on and off all day. Send good vibes out into the universe that I can actually get some good sleep tonight because I'm gonna need it. I gotta wake up early tomorrow...and the next day...and naturally I work quite a bit this week as well and I don't want to be tired for that.

I also really ought to do laundry tomorrow.

July 9th

Guys, I'm on Reddit now. What kind of person have I become?

Cas in sitting on my lap right now. I feel so loved!

July 8th

Thank goodness for long weekends. I barely slept last night, felt ill this morning, etc. I am very much enjoying snoozing in my bed right now.

July 7th

What a sleepy, rainy day today was. And I'm not complaining. This week was kind of a doozy, so it was nice to just have a mostly-nothing day. There was a lot of Magikarp Jump involved this evening though, I must admit.

I'm gonna do birthday stuff this weekend! Like go out for pizza and maybe go to the zoo or a topiary garden or...something else!

July 6th

Happy birthday to meee! Hooray! Work was kinda long, but my coworkers were all really nice and Brad brought in cupcakes so it's all good. I have also discovered Magikarp Jump, so that's been fun. I might play some HuniePop later as well. What a day!

July 5th

Happy birthday to my mom! I love that lady, she's pretty darn rad. And kudos to her for popping out a baby the day after her birthday. (Hint: That's me.)

Work was slow and long but hopefully it'll be more fun tomorrow. It's gotta be fun, right? Can I make a sign saying people can't yell at me because it's my birthday and they have to be nice? Because I will. I will wear a sash that says "don't be mean" and everything. Also I wanna wear a little tiara because I'm ~extra~ like that.

July 4th

boom

boom boom

bang boom bang whiiiiiiz

Happy 4th of July, everybody.

July 3rd

My neighbors are being loud. There are fireworks going off. And I'm sure so many people have the day off tomorrow but I don't and I'mma need y'all to be quiet please, thank you. At least at my current job I do get some holidays off. That was one of the worst things about working at the hotel- there are literally no holidays. And there has to be staff 24/7 as well, so it's not like "Oh yeah I have to work on Christmas but I get off early." Nope. (Reminder to please tip the hotel staff, which includes maintenance, front desk and housekeeping employees. They are putting in work, especially the front desk which literally has to be staffed at every hour of every day. Housekeeping and maintenance are off by midnight typically. This also means that if you need maintenance or housekeeping after hours, a front desk employee might have to do it. Please be nice to hotel staff, please.)

Anyway, Cas is curled up into a little kitty donut and it's adorable so I think I'm just gonna ooh and ahh over him until bedtime.

July 2nd

I've been watching some insane HuniePop videos about Alpha Mode. I've been struggling around date #15 but apparently it's possibly to get to #100 - I had no idea. Turns out about half of my strategy is actually pretty good, but I learned a bunch and now I wanna see how far I can get. It's all about those percentages, baby.

July 1st

HAPPY JULY!

I got some goodies for my dad today, including a fortune cookie chocolate bar. I kinda wanna try it though. I should have gotten two.

I'm so happy it's July!

June 30th

You guys ever fall asleep on your arm and wake up with the inability to move it even a little? I seem to be sleeping in really odd positions lately, not limited to last night wherein I slept with my entire arm underneath me. Why would I do that? That's not comfortable.

Shower now and sleep in a little, or sleep now and wake up earlier to shower? I'm still undecided.

June 29th

It's almost my birthday~

I'm thinking of doing a "this day in history" type of thing for the blog, where I look back at what I was doing on a particular day in years past and give an update or comment on it. Not every day, but it might be a fun little thing to include every now and then, right? For example...

June 29th, 2011: I got my driver's license! And yes, I did take it well after I turned 16. But I guess I've been able to legally drive by myself for awhile now, so go me.

June 28th

So I thought today was Friday for a bit...working every other day, including weekends, can get confusing. Gotta be up bright and early again tomorrow! I always find it funny that I say that though, because when I was working at the hotel I would work 7-3 shifts all the time, and somehow that was manageable...but waking up at 7:00 is hard now. I guess with the hotel I could like...eat my breakfast once I got to work, and there was almost no traffic so my commute was literally half of what it is now...then again, scraping ice off of my car at 6:45 AM in the freezing Minnesota winters wasn't exactly great.

I could go for like a really long shower. Deep cleansed and all that. Sometimes I just wanna feel extra squeaky clean!

June 27th

I only got like four hours of sleep last night! That was a great time! I laid in bed for ages trying to sleep and it just wasn't happening. I tried so damn hard. So I definitely took a nap after work. And I still kinda need to eat a proper dinner.

June 26th

Work tomorrow bright and early tomorrow! I need to try to get to sleep early but I slept a lot today because I've been inexplicably tired all week, so my sleep schedule is all messed up.

I want some fro-yo, you guys.

June 25th

I've been playing a lot of HuniePop lately. In fact, I started a new save file and beat it already. I think I'm gonna mess around in Alpha Mode for a bit, actually. And possibly try to get another file back to 100% completion, since all my saves got wiped for some reason. At least I kept all of my achievements! I need to finish up the achievements in HunieCam Studio but I'm super out of practice. Maybe I'll try for that though.

June 24th

Okay guys, I am mega tired. I feel like I slept all day. And evening. I have no idea why. But I do know that I can finally eat without pain which is awesome.

June 23rd

Today was very long and very stressful. The good news is that my dad's surgery went well and he's just recovering in the hospital for right now. The less good news is that even though today is Cas' birthday, he spent most of it at the vet because he has FLUTD, which is the cat version of a UTI. That was less than fun, and also expensive.

June 22nd

I'm so tired y'all. I barely got any sleep last night, had a super stressful and long day at work, and then napped for ages when I got home. I have to get up early again tomorrow, and I'm a little worried that since I took such a long nap earlier, I won't be able to get good rest. On the other hand, I do feel pretty lethargic. Thank goodness I have a three day weekend. No idea what I'm going to do, but I'm gonna enjoy it.

June 21st

I saw so many cats today! Like at least fifty cats! And no, I didn't adopt any of them, but I made some good friends! There was a beautiful chocolate brown Siamese mix with the brightest blue eyes and its name was Sam. Such a sweetheart! I also made friends with Cupcake and Q-Tip and Clematis and Trabue and many more whose names I don't know. I do know that I would like to go visit them again, though. Also Q-Tip is a great name for a cat.

June 20th

Hi friends! Work was a little hectic today, but today was chill and my mouth is feeling better, which is really encouraging. I have the day off tomorrow so I might go visit some shelter animals. There's a place near here that's currently housing two pigs! I hope I can go see them.

June 19th

Whee, I got my hair done today and it looks so fab! And it's curled all nicely and whatnot as well. I'm pretty stoked about the ability to leave the house for work tomorrow with minimal effort put in.

A very happy Pokémon Go day for this girl: I caught a Lapras, and I finally have a Typhlosion! This "fire and ice" event is the best.

June 18th

Not much to say about today! Just a lazy Sunday, pretty much. I tried to play HuniePop last night and found out all of my saves are inexplicably gone. So that's super duper awesome. I started a new one though. (I miss the one that was 100% complete though.) I might also try and get back into HunieCam Studio to get the last two achievements.

June 17th

My mouth is actually kinda a little less sore! Work was kinda stressful, but I get a nice long day off tomorrow, hallelujah. Also, I'm hungry! And I want to be able to eat normal food again. Please?

June 16th

Hey friends, it's me! The one with the sore mouth!

So I spent about seven hours at the dentist yesterday. The first hour was them getting me all set up and trying very hard to find a vein to put my sweet, sweet sedatives in...it took eight tries. My arms and hands and wrists are...kinda bruised. That part wasn't very fun. After they got it working though, things went pretty smoothly. I don't have a great memory of it, I remember a few things here and there but mostly I was just really tired and zoned out. I'd close my eyes and open them what felt like a few minutes later when it was actually probably like half and hour later. But I didn't feel anxious about not "being in control" or any of that stuff I was worried about. I just kinda let myself be chill. The problem came in the last hour when they were easing me out of the sedatives...and the Novocaine was wearing off. Along with my dentist there were two assistants, one of whom was not the gentle sort of person. She took my temporary crowns on and off so many tines and she did so very aggressively. I was literally cringing in pain and she didn't say anything to me or ask if I was okay. She did tell me to "keep my mouth open" a lot. You know, your jaw gets tired when it's been forced open for six hours. I was trying.

So on the plus side, a majority of my fillings and crowns are done. I still need to get my veneers redone and my two temporary crowns (from my root canal teeth) replaced with permanent ones. I also have my upper right teeth to get filled. So I have another long-ish appointment ahead of me, though I don't think I'll need or want sedation for it.

The downside to the sedation is that stuff will stay in you for awhile and you'll be a sleepy sheep for like an entire 24 hours. Hell, I'm still kinda tired and I've napped today. And my mouth hurts a lot. Mostly where aggressive-assistant was jamming temporary crowns down into my gums, but also my jaw from my mouth being propped open for so long. I can only eat very soft foods, and even trying to chew things like bread can be painful.

Once I get my work schedule tomorrow, I'll be able to get my next appointment(s) set up. I am so ready to be done with all of this. I know it'll be worth it by my goodness, this is a lot! At least I have a wonderful kitty to keep me company.

June 15th

Good morning friends! I got a little worried that my sedation would mess me up and I'd forget to blog so I'm just doing it now! I'm such a forward thinker. Wish me well today!

June 14th

Today has been a very sleepy day, probably because I was stressed out and in pain yesterday, and I'm stressed out about tomorrow. Funnily, I learned that eight years ago tomorrow is the day I had my wisdom teeth out. June 15th must just be that sort of day. But considering how well that went, it kind of makes me hopeful that tomorrow will go just as well. I even printed off a list of questions to ask my dentist about the sedation process because I am an anxious mess/a prepared human. I just had dinner which means no more eating until tomorrow after everything is done, which suuucks because I'm such a breakfast person. I'm also dreading the point where I have to stop drinking water, which is 6 AM. I'm gonna be so thirsty. Do you suppose chewing gum is okay?

June 13th

How many times did I inexplicably write the date as 9/13 on my dental paperwork today? Two. Two times. What month am I living in?

This root canal hurt more than the last one, and it's still quite sore. So I'm going to have some ice cream, even though I already had a Frosty from Wendy's earlier. Eating soft foods and only chewing with my non-dominant side is very weird to me. But I'll get all sorted out on Thursday, I hope, and the sedation will be fine, and like 70% of my teeth with be all good to go! The rest will be my upper right side and my front four veneers, and I am so ready for that. I can't wait to have a nice smile again. It will be such a confidence boost.

June 12th

Tomorrow: Root canal! Thursday: Crowns! Oh boy, how exciting! I'm actually going to be doing sedation dentistry on Thursday so I'm gonna be all out of it and whatnot. I'm honestly more nervous about the sedation than the dental work at this point, just because I don't know how it will affect me. I think everything will be okay though!

June 11th

Happy Sunday! I spent the day relaxing with Cas. It was very nice.

Hello to Ali who has been commenting lately! Nice to have you here!

June 10th

I really do love my work family. They're such great people and I feel so darn lucky to work there.

I have a free day tomorrow...what should I do?

June 9th

Today was really nice until I got a headache! I have been so tense in my left shoulder area lately, it's affecting my neck and head as well. I'm thinking of getting a different sort of pillow to see if that helps.

I'm not super sleepy just yet so I'm thinking I'll watch something...maybe Netflix, maybe YouTube? I need to catch up on Orange is the New Black. Oh, and I want to continue my re-watch of Akame ga Kill! as well.

Tomorrow calls for a nice long shower and then hopefully not having to leave too early to get to work on time because the threat of really bad traffic is real. Thanks, IKEA.

June 8th

I'm a bit chilly and a bit sleepy. I blame the ice cream. So I'm just gonna have a super chill - no pun intended - evening with Cas. Gonna watch some YouTube, catch some Pokémon, snuggle up under a blanket...I don't work tomorrow, so I'm gonna pretend it's cozy weekend evening.

June 7th

Dear Universe: I would please like money to pay my electric bill, and also to get a massage. And other things I need, but like mostly those first two right now. Also I would please like for Saturday to be a fun day even though I have to go to work instead of the Pride Parade and also that my dentist appointments next week go well. Thanks. Love, Kate.

June 6th

Oh hey, it's a month until my birthday. Do I have any plans? Nope, just existential dread!

My neck is hella messed up. I think I pinched a nerve somewhere in my shoulder, maybe? My sinuses are also kinda weird. Oh, and my commute tomorrow is probably gonna be like two hours. Gotta love road closures and high traffic and all that.

Time to put frozen veggies on my face.

June 5th

All you really need to know is that I fell in love with a Frenchie puppy today and I am infinitely happy.