Where shall I start?

"When in doubt, I find that retracing my steps to be a wise place to begin..." ~ Albus Dumbledore

I have been finishing up a custom guinea pig charm, and the dog charm is still being worked on and perfected.  Its almost the end of July, I haven't had a chance to start any holiday charms, which means I've fallen behind.  I've also had this idea rolling around in my head for a few weeks now, and I would like to get started on it.  Not sure what the world will think about it when its unveiled, but I think that it will be beautiful.  I'm excited to get started, but uncontrollable forces may hinder my efforts to truck along on with it.  More on that in a bit.

Today I stabbed myself with a rake.  Yes.  A rake.  There are raccoons in my neighborhood.  I love them, but they like to pull the siding back on the garage to climb in and hide.  I normally wouldn't care, and really I still don't mind, but today was hot, muggy, and I had just taken a shower before work.  I tried to pop the panels back in with the rake, and ended up dropping it and it stabbed me right in the thigh.  So there is a scratch and a bruise AND a welt.  Fun.  :P
A week ago today, I bit a great big hole in my cheek by my molars while eating dinner.  I thought it would just turn into a canker sore, and then heal as usual.  I was wrong.  It ended up becoming very painful.  It must have also become infected or something because my lymph node, cheek and jaw on that side of my face are swollen.  More swollen a few days ago, less swollen today, but my jaw aches, and cheek hurts inside and out.  OH! And my ear hurts too, so the whole right side of my face.  Tons of fun!  :P
Now, I'm sure you are all asking, "Jen, why haven't you just gone to the doctors???"  Well, I have no insurance.  I haven't had any for a few years now.  Its okay.  I have paid out of pocket for some things, but this time, well, aside from not really being in the budget, I feel like I can wait it out.  But, a week later now, I might be eating my words soon if things don't change dramatically for the better. 

The last few weeks of work have been wicked busy.  I've been working late a lot of nights.  It doesn't bother me.  I've just been tired, more tired than usual.  Its not like I don't get enough sleep though.  However, a friend of mine, has brought it to my attention that I might have an iron deficiency.  So, I have decided to start taking a multivitamin.  I know I could use it.  I don't exactly eat right all the time.
Still working on balancing work with my shop.  Its been hard.  I hope the vitamins help boost my energy, and I will be able to catch back up on things.

Besides work and illness keeping me from my shop there has also been car troubles.  My little car just had new brakes, new rotors, new wipers, and an oil change and new oil filter all put on.  Things were looking better for it.  Well, then I discovered I had the beginnings of a flat the other day.  I took it to the tire shop and it turns out that the tire was probably the same tire it rolled out of the factory with back in 1999/98.  So, now it has one new tire.  There will be another new one in a couple months hopefully.  The flat tire was so old, they no longer make them, in fact, the company doesn't exist anymore.  As for the other tires?  Also discontinued. But, it now has one nice new one.  :)  Hooray for more car expenses.  Can you feel my sarcasm?  ;)

Speaking of expenses.  I decided to replace my old camera with a new one.  My old Canon only had 4 measly MP.  Now my new Canon has 14 MP!  Its incredible!  :)  I decided its now or never, and bit the bullet.  I picked it up over a week ago.  I had a gift card from my brother and that helped take the edge off.  I justified this purchase in a pretty reasonable way, unlike when I justify things so I don't feel guilty when I buy them.  I use this camera for all my shop stuff.  My old camera's batteries no longer held a charge, and rather than investing in an old cam, I decided to just upgrade.  The old Canon is about 7ish years old.  Pretty long life in camera years.  I'd have to say that's about 92 in people years.  It's been a good friend and companion.  Documenting many many good times.  I'm sure its predecessor will be a worthy replacement.  :)

Yes, I did see Harry Potter 7.2.  Yes, it was awesome.  Yes, I am sad its over.  Yes, I did cry.  I wont go into much more than that.  I don't want to spoil anything for anyone.  :)

And now, unfortunately I will be ending this on a sad note.  If you haven't yet heard, and I'm pretty sure you would have to be living under a rock to not know, and if you are under said rock, you probably don't have internet connection, but what do I know.  Anyway, if you haven't heard yet, Borders is closing.  I bring this up because once upon a time, I worked at Borders for about 5 years.  Borders is where I met my Sweetheart.  Borders is where my Sweetheart works currently.  Its sad news that they are liquidating.  It breaks my heart to see them go.  Not only because we are staring down the barrel of the unemployment shotgun, but because I feel like books are disappearing. 
I love books.  I have many.  I cant imagine a world without them.  I'm not saying that there will never be books, but there is something to be loved about holding a brand new book in your hands, being the first to open its pages, to bend its binding.  The smell of a new book can't be replicated with e-readers.  The feeling of accomplishment when I see how many pages I've passed, while marking my place for next time.  The absolute excitement of the Harry Potter release nights will always stay with me.  A memory I cherish.  It wouldn't exist if it weren't for the actual physical books.  I have many technical craft books, and I like being able to flip between pages referencing what I need.  I don't see myself using an ebook for that.  On my shelf, wedged between children's picture books, is a book I was given by my first grade teacher when she retired.  Its Ed Emberly's Drawing book of Animals.  I have a copy of a Tale of Two Cities that was my Grandmother's when she was in school, inside which she has written her profession of love of a certain actor.  :)
I could go on and on.  I love technology as much as the next person.  I don't think that ebooks and e-readers are useless.  I can see where they can be nice and convenient, but books, real, actual, ink on paper books, will always have a special place in my heart.