Dreaming of Spring

It seems the older I get, the more difficult winter gets. I’m not talking about cleaning off my car or shoveling snow—which are both a pain in the butt by the way. I’m talking about the bitter cold getting into my bones and the seemingly endless days of unabating snow and dreariness. Maybe it’s part of getting older or maybe I’m suffering from S.A.D. (seasonal affective disorder) but I feel like winter will never end—and we’re not even to February yet! Snow is supposed to be pretty and magical. And the first snow usually is. 

But after that, I’m over it. I’m sick of white. I want color—green and blue and yellow! I want sunshine and blue skies and green grass. No more solid, oppressive whites and grays. I want foliage and flowers and birds. I’m sick of bundling up under three layers of clothes just to leave the house. I want to wear skirts and dresses and sandals again. I want to be able to go for walks. I want the sun to stay out past five o’clock! More than anything, I want to breathe in that smell of spring—rain, earth and warmth. 

I don’t want a tropical vacation. I just want spring.

Sweet dreams,

          Krissy

A Room of My Own

"A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is going to write fiction . . ."

~Virginia Woolf, A Room of One's Own

For the last year and a half--ever since the boyfriend and I moved in together--the living room couch and coffee table have acted as my work space. This is where I not only pay bills and do paperwork but perform all my writing--articles, books, and just playing around with story ideas. Our apartment has two bedrooms, but I insisted that the boyfriend take the second bedroom as his "office" (really it's his game room). He's a computer geek and I love him dearly for it (especially when my computer begins to misbehave) but that also means he has got a bunch of heavy technical books, random cords and spare parts. He spends his free time playing video games, watching youtube videos and anime, and doing a bunch of other stuff that would drive me crazy if I had to listen to it all day long. Him having his own room (along with each of us having our own separate bathroom) has done wonders for our relationship. However, I work from home. I do a lot of writing. Though most of this takes place on a laptop, I still somehow accumulate an enormous amount of paper. I have books I regularly reference. Plus, I'd like to enjoy my living room as a place to relax--not work. I would really love to have my own home office.

But a room of my own is not going to happen any time soon. I have thought about cramming a desk in the dining area or bedroom, but the dining area is already a little tight with the kitchen table and buffet table. The bedroom has plenty of extra space, but it's our sanctuary. I'd hate to disturb the zen vibe in there by bringing in my work and clutter.

Today I had an epiphany. The apartment has a ton of closet storage and we don't come close to using it all. I could turn one of the closets into my work space. A small desk, a cork board, maybe a small bookcase or at least some shelves and I'd be all set to go. I could get my work done then close the space off and relax in the living room. So the search for a desk has begun.

Just something small, simple and sweet . . .

And chairs . . .

 

Finding a desk with a small enough width to fit in the closet may prove to be a challenge, but I am determined to have my own work space!

Sweet dreams,

          Krissy

New York, New York

Six months from today, I turn 30. Normally on my birthday, I get all prettied up and spend the afternoon by myself—shopping, taking a walk, enjoying the sunshine and warmth and me-time. I treat myself to a new book and a bouquet of freshly cut flowers every year. In the evening, I've gone out with friends to celebrate, had a surprise party thrown for me or a boyfriend took me out for dinner. On the birthdays that I stayed in, I splurged on ingredients that were a little out of my price range and tested out a new recipe I’d been dying to try. It’s a nice little ritual.

But I want to usher the next decade of my life by doing something different and a little more exciting. I love to travel and I haven’t been on an out-of-state vacation in nearly three years. I’ve pretty much decided I want to spend my 30^th birthday in New York City. 

I spent two days in the city with friends about six years ago. We spent the first day shopping on Fifth Ave, sightseeing—the Empire State Building, Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Time Squares, and Central Park—had dinner in Little Italy and went bar hopping in Midtown. The second day was cold and rainy but we ventured out to the Statute of Liberty and Ground Zero before taking the train back to our vacation home base in Rhode Island. But there was so much more I wanted to see and do! Soho, Greenwich Village, Chinatown, The Met, the Museum of Natural History, a Broadway show, more of Central Park . . .

  

 

So I found a deal on www.travelocity.com (my favorite online dreaming site) for a five day/four night stay at the Wellington Hotel in Midtown, flight and hotel just $529. That's definitely in my price range.

My birthday's in July. I know the city’s probably going to be sweltering and that’s why I’m finding such great prices on airfare and hotels. Plus, my birthday is the day after the Fourth of July which means my boyfriend and friends probably won’t be able to get the time off from work. But I can take pleasure in dreaming and planning. And who knows, my mom and dad are going to Las Vegas this year for my mom's 60th birthday (their very first vacation outside of Michigan); maybe I'll make it to New York for my 30th. 

Sweet dreams,

          Krissy

New Endeavors

My very first blog . . .

I’ve been playing with the idea of starting a blog for a couple of years now. I’m a freelance writer and novelist, so having a blog seems somewhat appropriate and a bit overdue. But I had no idea what to write about. My personal life isn’t particularly fascinating (at least not to me) and I have fifty million different interests—reading, writing, cooking, photography, fashion, interior design, yoga, religion, history, psychology, architecture, art, traveling and just plain learning. Then it dawned on me. Why not start a blog about what I spend most of my time doing online (when I’m not researching articles for work, that is)—online dreaming.

The internet takes daydreaming to a whole new level. It’s snowing and cold outside and I wish I was on a beach, so I visit Travelocity and plan a vacation to the Caribbean or Florida or California, even though it’s never going to happen. I really can’t afford a new pair of shoes and I don’t really need a new pair, but why not do a little online browsing? Online dreaming can be about something I really want, something I’m interested in, or just a different type of life I’d like to live—if only for a day. My online dreams sometimes evolve into reality—like the trip to the Virgin Islands three years ago, become goals like owning a pet, and other times it’s just an escape—like becoming an English teacher in Spain.  

So this is a journal of my online dreams. 

Sweet dreams,

         Krissy