Holy Moly! SB's Blogging Again?

2014 Belle the Cat recap:

View from Ishnala

I started this year in the same way I've started pretty much every other page in my adult life - reflecting on the past, forecasting the future, shoring myself up with good words and inspiration in the form of quotes from great people, ("Help others. - D. Lama)... and getting it all wrong.

By the end of 2014, I told myself, I wanted to have a professional head shot. I wanted to have an IMBD credit.

I actually had three head shots taken. None turned out looking anything like me.

I embarked on a path to help a friend with a personal creative endeavor. In January we met for coffee and a first discussion. In April we started fundraising. In June we started shooting. We continued filming in July, August, then on into September, October and November, and despite having this in my head as a "summer project" we are still not done. (So no credit, yet.) 

I thought I wanted to run charity races: the Zoo run, the Depot to Depot, the Fruit Loop. I wanted to learn to bow hunt - to harvest my own meat.

Maybe I should have tried the walk.

I wanted to make songs with my husband in a silly band we called Kittens On Roombas. I wanted to have more backyard parties. I wanted to go to the State Fair. I wanted to go to conventions.

I did none of this.

I did garden, very lackadaisically, which is how I think I am going to garden from now on. Whatever grows, grows. I spent a lot on the water, which was nice, although I will think twice before floating an 11 ft. rowboat 25 miles downstream again (even in summer, it gets dark eventually). I donated to places I believed in, and set out a plan for 2015 donations.

As much as I plan as much as I think as much as I pontificate, I realized I will never have "extra" time.

I get high off of being the master of my own destiny, so I will be content with the enjoyment of deciding not to go to the state fair other than rearranging my schedule or sacrificing another event (in this case, a film shoot in the fabled Pabst brewery tunnels) to have the experience of going.

I tried some new restaurants: Sardine, Ishnala, Samba.

I ate a lot of fish fry.

I watched a lot of football.

I attended Fireball with the remnants of the Dane101 crew, a house burn, Scaryland, a 75th bday party, Fruitsfest, Irishfest, Focus on Goats, The Wisconsin Film Fest, a Roller Derby bout, a hockey game, the Zoo (2x in Madison, 1 in Chicago), Vegan Fest, a 5th bday party for twins at a pizza place, a Hawaiian BBQ work picnic, and The Amazing Acrocats.

I volunteered for the local library's 115th anniversary.

I wrote a blog post for a friend's blog.

I visited Cleveland, Disneyland, Sybaris, Portland, Aldo Leopald's shack, listened to Honky Tonk at the Shitty Barn with my aunt.

I made a reflective vest.

Got new car ties.

My cat Jackie chan died.

My sister's friend Danny was murdered by someone he was trying to sell his Playstation to.

I didn't go to APT.

I saw Warhorse, Naked in Amazo, Dorthy in Wonderland, The Dixie Swim Club and How to Train Your Dragon 2.


I visited my 102 year old great aunt (she was only 101 then).

I swam a lot - at the Y, at the gym, in the ocean, at hotel pools.

Ocean took my glasses; got new glasses

Got Lance.

Lancelot

Got a new job.

I ate John West Kippers.

I updated my passport.


So what am I doing now? Reflecting on the past, forecasting the future, shoring myself up with good words and inspirationin the form of quotes from great people ("Make good art." - N.Gaiman)... in preparation for getting it all wrong again. Apparently it's what I do.

R.I.P, Jackie.