Burlap Soultag:blog.burlapsoul.org,2008://12008-05-13T17:28:27ZThe Journey of AnnastaziaMovable Type 3.33It's painless reallytag:blog.burlapsoul.org,2008://1.15242008-05-13T17:27:06Z2008-05-13T17:28:27ZUpdate your links, people. Update. your. links....stazhttp://blog.burlapsoul.org
Update. your. links.]]>
See you over at the new placetag:blog.burlapsoul.org,2008://1.14792008-01-16T04:36:22Z2008-01-16T04:38:26ZHi All. This place is a bit broken right now and I wanted to simplify things anyway. So, until further notice, update your links and visit me here instead. Thanks and enjoy....stazhttp://blog.burlapsoul.org
visit me here instead. Thanks and enjoy.]]>
Newtag:blog.burlapsoul.org,2008://1.14742008-01-08T02:57:35Z2008-01-08T02:59:59ZThis blog may be undergoing a little facelift soon. In the meantime, you can find me writing over here. Plus, if you visit me over there, you can like leave comments without technical problems and stuff. I swear! What a...stazhttp://blog.burlapsoul.org
over here. Plus, if you visit me over there, you can like leave comments without technical problems and stuff. I swear! What a concept, I know! ;-)]]>
TTFNtag:blog.burlapsoul.org,2008://1.14702008-01-06T22:27:49Z2008-01-06T22:33:52ZYou may see some serious changes here for a while. I'm considering just taking everything down and starting over, even if I have to hire someone to help me. MT is useless as far support goes and I'm beyond ready...stazhttp://blog.burlapsoul.org
doesn't take up all the room on your hosted account.
In the meantime, while I need to do some serious writing, it won't be here. I'll keep you updated as to where I end up. (Hopefully, it's right back here but with some new clothes.) If you'd like to say hello, just email me or find me on AIM (crowluvsservo). Kisses and happy new year!]]>
So Donetag:blog.burlapsoul.org,2008://1.14692008-01-05T22:53:41Z2008-01-05T23:09:03ZGuys, I honestly have no idea why the comments are always so fucked up. I was trying to fix them and now suddenly they're all just GONE. Not only that, but you can't even leave a comment at all. I...stazhttp://blog.burlapsoul.org
at all. I can't stand this anymore. All I ever do is plug in a new banner photo with a new background, but something always goes wrong and fucks up and I'm just so tired of it. I love to re-design my site, but my god this is nuts. I love to write here, but I'm so just damned tired of having to give my fucking life over the computer for days on end for nothing. I can't figure this shit out, I leave endless queries and questions on the MT forums and no one EVER responds to me. I'm so tired of this shit. I'm so absolutely fucking tired of it.
I'm sure people think I'm being dramatic, but you should see how much of my week has been spent just trying to get my damned blog to work. That's time I could be working on my house or spending with my husband and the animals. But no, I spend it here getting nowhere and getting no answers from anyone anywhere. Not a single person answers questions on the forums? Then what the hell do we have them for? It just really pisses me off. I like my domain name, I want to keep it, but I can't keep doing this shit to myself every time I just want to change a banner photo or some colors. It becomes a DAYS LONG process that eventually puts me into tears. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it. I hate this version of MT, I hate having to pay people to install the software for me because I can't figure it out for myself, I hate that the forums talk to me like I am a fucking coding genius when I have stated again and again that I am not, I hate that I have no idea how to backup 4 YEARS of my life and just switch over to something easier. I don't want to take down my blog, but this is bullshit. I just want to write and I want to have my own domain name. I want to create my own banner photos and express myself. Why must that be so damned difficult? Seriously, what is the damned point of blogging software that doesn't work for you whenever you want to blog? I don't like to get this angry, but I just don't see the damned point anymore. I've lost time with my husband, time on my house, half my weekend and too much sleep because I changed a banner photo. Seriously, at this point, I just want to take the whole damned thing down and say fuck it.]]>
I wanna be your sledgehammertag:blog.burlapsoul.org,2008://1.14482008-01-05T06:59:24Z2008-01-05T07:02:17ZIt was time for something a little new. So what do you think? I'm sure it looks all jacked up in IE, but I don't know how to fix that and frankly, I don't care. You should be using Firefox...stazhttp://blog.burlapsoul.org
It was time for something a little new. So what do you think? I'm sure it looks all jacked up in IE, but I don't know how to fix that and frankly, I don't care. You should be using Firefox anyway. ;-)
Have I mentioned just how much I love sledgehammers? Because I do. And boots. Boots are awesome.
She's got a pointtag:blog.burlapsoul.org,2008://1.14472008-01-04T16:51:16Z2008-01-04T17:06:20ZA conversation with Rasee this morning via my newly re-discovered AIM: CrowLuvsServo : I'm okay. It's nice not having to work and being able to wake up on your own clock. capricornras : I bet. And you're still working on...stazhttp://blog.burlapsoul.org
Rasee this morning via my newly re-discovered AIM:
CrowLuvsServo : I'm okay. It's nice not having to work and being able to wake up on your own clock.
capricornras : I bet. And you're still working on the house.
capricornras : And raising a puppy.
CrowLuvsServo : Yes, I am a full time house fixer upper and puppy owner.
CrowLuvsServo : He just ate poop by the way.
capricornras : Hee. And cat-mommy.
capricornras : And ew.
capricornras : Bad Bogey.
CrowLuvsServo : Very Bad Bogey. He got half a bag full of carrots and was sent outside.
CrowLuvsServo : My glamorous life.
capricornras : I know!
capricornras : Fur. And staples. And poop.
CrowLuvsServo : With Bogey, it seems to be more a stream of steady destruction.
CrowLuvsServo : And the barking, my god the barking!
capricornras : He's just expressing his many opinions!
capricornras : Sharing.
capricornras : Connecting. Etc.
CrowLuvsServo : He has more opinions than a political talk show host, I think.
capricornras : He is your pup. :-)]]>
Home and back againtag:blog.burlapsoul.org,2008://1.14432008-01-01T05:44:58Z2008-01-01T08:43:49ZThe wind is blowing fiercely outside and I can hear fireworks going off all over the city. We're thoroughly enjoying the Twilight Zone Marathon on Sci-Fi and the dogs are snoring peacefully in the glow of the Christmas tree. We've...stazhttp://blog.burlapsoul.org
we had our first date that turned into our first weekend that turned into something I never imagined would be so lovely. It's 2008, we're home, we're happy and we're finally married. It's the best beginning to a new year I could ever think of.
All the best to you and yours in the year ahead.]]>
Happy Birthday Rasee!tag:blog.burlapsoul.org,2007://1.14452007-12-31T17:48:48Z2008-01-01T08:51:51ZI just want to wish a wonderful and happy birthday to the ever-so-wonderful Rasee! May 2008 be all you ever wanted and then some, beautiful girl! xoxo...stazhttp://blog.burlapsoul.org
Rasee! May 2008 be all you ever wanted and then some, beautiful girl! xoxo
]]>
2007 Year in Reviewtag:blog.burlapsoul.org,2008://1.14442007-12-31T06:13:52Z2008-01-01T08:48:29Z2007 was easily one of the most chaotic and difficult yet joyous and transforming years of my entire life. Read on and you'll see why. January: Spent New Year's Eve on Mackinac Island, but without snow and stuck in an...stazhttp://blog.burlapsoul.org
Began leaning further toward a child-free life. Tried to begin understanding the coding madness that is MT 3.33. Finally found a house that we could agree on and afford and better yet, they accepted our offer. Weighed the pros and cons of a fixer-upper endlessly but finally decided we could do it. ]]>
first bridal dress fitting and damn near walked out on my job all in the same week. Had a four-and-a-half hour commute home thanks to an ice storm. Began the insane process of trying to close on a house that keeps having its closing date moved back - twice. Became alarmed when our little chocolate kitty suddenly became very ill and then nearly lost ourselves in grief when she passed away two days later. Closed on our first house and began the strange process of moving into a fixer-upper home when one of our little family members was so suddenly gone.
March:
Visited my mother in the hospital for a week after she had a full knee replacement at the age of 49. Lost my maid of honor and consequently best friend of 20 years because of her asshole behavior, experienced the terror of a voice mail stating "your mom has fallen down the stairs and she's unconscious, come to the hospital NOW," and lost our heat all in a space of 48 hours. Found a bright spot inside some new bling. Finally just had it out with my maid of honor and decided that our friendship was officially over and done.
April:
Finally decided that school bus yellow and a brown ceiling were not going to help me sleep at night and began the insane process that was painting our upstairs bedroom. Went home for Easter and was rewarded with a surprise couples' shower, my sister as my new maid of honor and her daughter as a flower girl. Got strep throat for the first time and had an asthma flare-up for what felt like the 100th time. Became comfortable with the idea of being "resilient." Finally finished painting the upstairs! Let the wedding stress dreams begin.
May:
Stuck to my guns on the wedding music despite protests from family. Decided to make our own wedding invitations and paid the price in pure frustration. Discovered the final phase of Bridal Zen known simply as "Thanks and fuck off." Began birth control and started to explore the meaning of marriage and being a "spouse."
June:
Became thoroughly fed up with planning a wedding all by ourselves. Damn near killed my family over all their wedding criticisms and got the Crack Whore Treatment from the worst bridal salon ever two weeks before my wedding. Found redemption from a wonderful girl at Sephora and a brilliant stylist at a different salon. Ended up having an awesome wedding full of glitches and loads of personality. Got strep for the second time the day we left for our honeymoon. Headed off to Mackinac for a wonderful vacation we both needed.
July:
Decided that weddings weren't chaotic enough and adopted a new godless killing machinebeagle puppy. Finally decided that my job was just not what I wanted to do anymore and gave notice. Also decided that I wasn't going to take my mother's selfish addictive shit anymore and it changed our relationship for the rest of the year. Expected a little newlywed relaxation, but got stress instead. Tried to make Bogey a water beagle while simultaneously turning 30.
August:
Explored what it means to go through so many endings while trying to limp through my last week of employment. Got my professional wedding photos in and rejoiced in the fact that they were so absolutely awesome. Also got my first true haircut in 30 years and decided on some nice long layers (which I still really love). Became proud of myself for figuring out how to make a nice template in MT 3.33. Being jobless, it was time to delve deep into home repair. Turned down a potentially amazing animal job and decided I was going to take a break from the job world for a while. Had to replace the fuel pump in our car, right when I had quit my job. Went to patch a hole in a hall and made one of the most disgusting discoveries of my life. But then, we fixed it. Also, finally got the horribly dark hunter green walls primed and discovered why people only use orange as an "accent color."
September:
Created my own definition of "marriage" and "husband." Created a beagle Rorschach blot. Finally created separation between the rooms and created my own paint color. Started to become truly fed up with MT.
October:
Pulled all of our Halloween decorations out of storage only to not use them. Tackled 13 of my 43 Things. Decided to try Art Everyday Month but with a little twist. Realized that for all my hard work, I am still not truly healed. Nursed sick animals. Confirmed that I am not alone in my child-free choices and loved it.
November:
Participated in Art Everyday Month and really enjoyed it. Went away to see an amazing Tori show in Indy and had a wonderful weekend with my husband. Spent time making funny movies of us and beagles. Discovered my inner Donna Reed, only with less pearls and lots messier. Cooked my butt off for Thanksgiving and enjoyed it. Began to realize that the house itself is what's making me sick.
December:
Decided to build an arch with built-in bookshelves and wrote my 1000th entry. Finished the arch and became really proud of our hard work. Drove myself nuts shopping for insignificant gifts while losing my patience with pushy shoppers. Got strep throat for the third time in less than a year. Eagerly awaited the arrival of the bun right along with Laura. Embarked on a truly insane amount of traveling for the holidays and basically went AWOL the last week of December as a result. Discovered what it's like to drive through "lake effect snow" at 3am in Michigan. Got a new wide angle lens and a new zoom lens from Santa. Celebrated eight years together and our first NYE as husband and wife just how we wanted - sacked out on the couch with animals and good tv.
I hope that January is nothing but happy and peaceful and completely boring. Don't you?]]>
Christmas Pausetag:blog.burlapsoul.org,2007://1.14422007-12-27T06:21:22Z2007-12-27T07:14:51ZWe're back from Eastern Kentucky and Christmas with my family. All in all, it was nice. We had fun, we ate good food, we got lots of good stuff, we had fun with family. Isn't that all you ever really...stazhttp://blog.burlapsoul.org
three days later. Of course my chiropractor is closed this week. *le sigh*
It was a good time though. The holidays with my family are always loud and chaotic because there are so many of us and we all talk at once, but in the end it was nice. On Friday, we leave bright and early for Christmas with J.'s family in Northern Michigan. (Yes, we spend the holidays in our car. We should really just invest in an RV and be done with it.) This will be Bogey's first trip "up nort, eh" and I just hope that a 10 hour car ride with two beagles doesn't make us want to kill them or each other. Mostly though, I just want all of us to be safe. That's really the best Christmas present I could ask for.
As my little gift to you, I give you this shot taken with my new wide angle lens from Santa:
Hope yours was merry and happy. Say a safe travel prayer or two for us and we'll have a cup of cocoa for all of you. :-)]]>
Oops, I forgot solsticetag:blog.burlapsoul.org,2007://1.14412007-12-24T06:39:17Z2007-12-24T06:43:05ZWe're off on our holiday travels starting tomorrow morning (well, actually today). Have a safe and happy holiday and may you all be warm, healthy and safe. Happy Chrismahanakwanzakah to you and all of yours!...stazhttp://blog.burlapsoul.org
We're off on our holiday travels starting tomorrow morning (well, actually today). Have a safe and happy holiday and may you all be warm, healthy and safe.
Happy Chrismahanakwanzakah to you and all of yours!
The bun is bakedtag:blog.burlapsoul.org,2007://1.14402007-12-22T15:40:55Z2007-12-22T15:44:50ZMy most heartfelt congratulations and best wishes go out to Laura and Kyle on the arrival of their bun! He's beautiful! :-)...stazhttp://blog.burlapsoul.org
arrival of their bun! He's beautiful! :-)]]>
Of Streptococcal and Successtag:blog.burlapsoul.org,2007://1.14382007-12-20T14:09:46Z2007-12-20T15:30:45ZI have strep throat for the third time in less than a year. Three days before Christmas. What is it about the marriage of major holidays and personal illness for me? Am I allergic to special occasions? What. the. hell....stazhttp://blog.burlapsoul.org
J. like I wanted. Then, in an ironic twist even I couldn't have planned, I tested positive for strep the day we left for our honeymoon. Not to mention that J. caught it halfway into the honeymoon as well. (The first three days were a romantic escapade in tissue buying, laying in bed coughing, and sucking throat lozenges like candy in the middle of June - ooooh, the romance!) A doctor did once tell me that if I contract strep too often within a year, it could indicate or lead to heart problems. I don't remember exactly how that works, but that was kind of a scary thing to hear. Thanks random doc!
Anyway, I'm armed with antibiotics and cough syrup. Hopefully I'll be able to just stay home today and have everyone shopped and bought for already. No more excursions out into Germ Land for me, I'm afraid. Although I will be making desserts and other food gifts for family, so maybe I should invest in a gas mask and gloves anyway?
I keep meaning to post pictures of the arch, now that it's mostly finished. It truly amazes us how well it came out and it makes the house feel so much more like a home now rather than a random (and ugly) box. Hmmm, let me see if I can find those pics... hold on.
Okay. If you'll remember our living room started out like this:
View into the "office" area that was basically just attached to the living room because they had opened it up entirely too much.
View into the actual living room from the office. Notice the giant metal beam they left and just painted - that was really great with the low ceilings. NOT.
View of the hallway from the kitchen (you can see the complete lack of separation and how the bathroom - on the left - is so easily visible from everywhere in the house).
Now (although it's way more cluttered) it looks like this:
The cutouts on either side of the arch are for the built-in bookshelves we plan on making after the holidays. You can see how much we need them.
Once it's sanded and finished, the entire arch will be painted the same brown as that front living room wall. (We know that color looks weird with the door. That's because we plan to change that into a white door with a window in it to let in more light.)
We can't believe how much looooonger our hallway feels now. Even the dogs love to sneak up on each other around it.
Impressive, yes?
Since the orange wall is no longer just one large wall anymore (but we still like the color), we're going to leave the orange accent in the living room and just paint the other side of the orange wall (the part that's in the office) the same as the blue-gray color you see here. (Did that make any sense?)
Right now it's all still a little odd because it's not yet painted and looks like a rainbow room in here. Plus, we had to move the furniture to accommodate this year's tree location and that makes it kind of cramped as well. Still, you wouldn't believe how much more comfy and cozy it feels in here now. It's like we have a real living room and a place to get away and snuggle in front of the TV all at the same time. Woohoo, go us!
Okay, I have presents to wrap and antibiotics to take. Yay holidays!]]>
Remindertag:blog.burlapsoul.org,2007://1.14372007-12-18T19:59:25Z2007-12-18T20:00:00ZA little reminder for you over at the photoblog. Enjoy....stazhttp://blog.burlapsoul.org
photoblog. Enjoy.]]>
Hope yours was merry and happy. Say a safe travel prayer or two for us and we'll have a cup of cocoa for all of you. :-)]]>
View into the "office" area that was basically just attached to the living room because they had opened it up entirely too much.
View into the actual living room from the office. Notice the giant metal beam they left and just painted - that was really great with the low ceilings. NOT.
View of the hallway from the kitchen (you can see the complete lack of separation and how the bathroom - on the left - is so easily visible from everywhere in the house).
Now (although it's way more cluttered) it looks like this:
The cutouts on either side of the arch are for the built-in bookshelves we plan on making after the holidays. You can see how much we need them.
Once it's sanded and finished, the entire arch will be painted the same brown as that front living room wall. (We know that color looks weird with the door. That's because we plan to change that into a white door with a window in it to let in more light.)
We can't believe how much looooonger our hallway feels now. Even the dogs love to sneak up on each other around it.
Impressive, yes?
Since the orange wall is no longer just one large wall anymore (but we still like the color), we're going to leave the orange accent in the living room and just paint the other side of the orange wall (the part that's in the office) the same as the blue-gray color you see here. (Did that make any sense?)
Right now it's all still a little odd because it's not yet painted and looks like a rainbow room in here. Plus, we had to move the furniture to accommodate this year's tree location and that makes it kind of cramped as well. Still, you wouldn't believe how much more comfy and cozy it feels in here now. It's like we have a real living room and a place to get away and snuggle in front of the TV all at the same time. Woohoo, go us!
Okay, I have presents to wrap and antibiotics to take. Yay holidays!]]>