As promised.......

The redness should fade in a day or so. I'll have to post another picture then. For now, I couldn't be happier with it. She's once again clawing at my leg!

Show us your tats!

OK. I will tomorrow!

I did it. I crossed 'get a tattoo' off my bucket list. The appointment was for 12:30 today. By 1:30, I was.....elated. Excited. Thrilled. My beloved Dakota's paw print, is resting in one of her favorite places. On my right calf. Dakota would lay her head on my right leg at night, sometimes looking for pets and love, sometimes just staring at me. Now she's there again.

I feel better. I haven't really thought about the impact that losing her had on my life, my spirit, my attitude. Now I feel like I have her back - oh, not that she ever left my heart or my mind - but now there's the physical part of her back. Resting comfortably on my leg while I go through my day to day.

And my mother will probably fall off her chair when she sees it! An added bonus. I'm sure her first question will be 'How much did it cost?'

It didn't really hurt. It stung a bit - particularly the outline! - and it burned a little, but certainly nothing like some of the other things I've done or had done over the years.

And it leads to the next question....

What will my next one be?

That damn Carly Simon song!

Ok. So, since last night, it's been playing non stop on my mind tape machine! But there's another one playing too. I think it's on the same album - does calling it an album date me? So I went on out to YouTube...

What is the stuff dreams are made of?

Coming Around Again

I think it was the title of a Carly Simon song.

My life seems to be monopolized by either my job or Lancaster. I'm going to do what I can to put the breaks on both items. I want, I NEED, to complete myself somehow. Define the passions. Break my balls free. I think about another dog quite often - but just haven't felt it yet while looking. I feel myself drool when I think about travel. Particularly north. Adirondacks. Maine. Canada. They are passionate, private thoughts now.
But I want them to be public actions.
And I am totally, absolutely enthralled with the idea of vandwelling.
But more on that later.

I'm writing. It's a passion. Words are a passion. And it feels GOOD.

Another passionate thought

No, not that! Although it is Valentine's Day. Love is difficult these days, so I am electing not to go there and opt to discuss another passion on my quest for discovery.

Privacy.

Yes, privacy. I value the peace and quiet time for private thoughts on a Sunday morning. Peace and quiet until others invade and begin the daily grind. That would be the daily grind on my nerves....it's like they do not understand the value of a quiet voice, a separation of self. My favorite part of the day is when the door closes and I do not have to deal with the noise, the questions, the ignorance and the stupidity. The place where my private thoughts and actions are not questioned, scrutinized, ridiculed and dismissed.

It's categorized as brusqueness, or aloofness, by some. For me, it's a full blown need to be alone.
To think, to dream, to wonder.

Joints

So........ I didn't factor in falling and spraining my right knee. Sprain. Not a tear. That was awful good news. So I'm sitting around, doing nothing. Nothing except boring myself silly. Playing Facebook games. Hoping it heals soon, hoping that part of the PT will be a stationary bike..... see, I'd gotten on mine and started. Started oh so slowly, trying to get myself to the point where it would help the weight.
Yeah, the weight.
OK. So one of my passions needs to be............ me. Taking care of me. More good stuff in, less bad stuff in. Good thoughts. Time to be physical. I need to make sure that me is closer to being in the top 10........... hey, I might even get to the point where I'm #1!

Passions and Balls

Or balls and passions? I sort of want to talk about both. But first......
OK, so the Lancaster trip wasn't that horrible. It was nice to lay around, read, watch TV by candlelight - thanks again, Yankee Candle, for putting Autumn Lodge back out - and really have nothing to do. 24 hours isn't that long of a time.

Passions. What are my passions? I like lots of stuff, but what do I truly love? That's part of what I want to explore here over the coming months. Work out what they are and work though what it will take to pursue those passions. In my heart, I know that I need those passions to help me through the day to day drudgery and bull manure that I endure.

Balls. What happened to mine? Here of late, I've become meek. Quiet. I'd gone through a period of time where I was ready, anxious to try new experiences. Now, I want to crawl in a hole and wait for the world to pass. I need those balls back. And I need 'em now.

It's become apparent that here and now just isn't for me.