Silly Simple Status Spree

It’s been a couple weeks, but I promise you, I haven’t forgotten about you!

It’s been eventful and not in the all good things way, nor the “I really don’t want to talk about it” bad way either. It was a nice even mix of losing my mind and making progress in life.

For starters, I really did lose my mind for a moment. I tend to be a functioning manic depressive, much the same way I was a functioning alcoholic. Unfortunately, manic depression isn’t something I can quit easily. Brain chemistry management is a lot different from deciding you won’t drink alcohol anymore. For some it might be far more difficult than making a decision, but luckily for me, it was that simple. It helps that no one else in the house drinks either.

In the good news column, I took the time to flesh out 90% of The Feminine Quirk blog, getting it completely ready for linking to podcasts... after we get equipment... after we record... after we learn the art of editing the files. ☺️

Back in the tough to handle column... there was a situation at my father’s house that is ongoing, messy, and emotionally draining. Right up until I managed to decide that the person causing the upset was no longer going to bother me. The person is gone, and once they pick up the rest of their stuff off the front porch, or it goes in the dumpster if they can’t be bothered to make it a priority, I will be free to fix the problems that festered under the surface and finish my father’s remodeling in the space the person vacated. Fresh start. Always feels so good.

And finally, Bullet Journalling has become therapeutic and a nearly daily thing. I’m rarely forgetting things that need done, I’m remembering to record my son’s school hours for his online school, plus help him study, and we’re learning more recipes. There’s even sections for podcast research notes and cleaning schedules. We’re staying on top of things a little better.

So all in all a growing experience. And in down time that I make sure I get every so often, I’m back to playing Wajas and having quite a bit of fun with it.

~^..^~

Busy Little Bee

I know I said one of my goals is to blog more, and I still intend to hold to that. This past week has been a little busy.

I spent a shift at another of our local stores helping out to prepare for inventory. I was sick the day after. Then there's planning for the podcast. I ordered The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan from Barnes & Noble, using the rest of my Christmas gift card. I restarted my Bujo and finally got around to fleshing some tracking pages for television watching and book reading. I deep cleaned the shower and been trying to keep up on dishes. I also filed our taxes. I also set up a reading journal where I can keep track of notes and thoughts I have while reading books for fun, for my son and I's mini book club, and for the podcast.

Really, all the little things we do in a day. All the little things that need done. All the little things we want to do. The projects that need to be done to keep a home going and the little projects we do to keep us sane.

I'm also tossing around an idea for a The Feminine Quirk logo. And debating on an accompanying blog. When the taxes come in, I'm going to have to look into sharing the cost with Becca on a few things for recording. I can't let her shoulder the cost; she's in school for her Master's after all.

And of course tags are due for the vehicles this month. Nothing quite like living paycheck to paycheck and having big dreams at the same time.

So this was just a little update to let you know I'm still around and alive.

P.S. The other resolution, to game more? Yup. Doing just fine with that one. Finished off Wysteria in Wizard101. What I love about these games, besides that they are designed for kids, with internet safety in mind, is that every player is so helpful to others. I 'made a friend' a couple of weeks ago, who is a much higher level than I am who swooped in to help me out on a couple of rough tasks. Wouldn't have made it through them without him. Why is it that we treat our online worlds as a community, where it takes a village to survive, but we fail to treat our offline worlds the same? That may be a good topic for a podcast...

Contemplating a Podcast Gig and How it Came to Be

So it has been a hot minute since I posted, but I have taken the time during this inclement weather we are having in the northeast corner of Indiana to catch up on some television binge-watching. I'm nearly caught up with all of the currently airing US shows, and holding off on some Canadian programming until the full seasons are aired. There's just something about Canadian programming. I cannot just watch it one episode at a time. I gorge myself on a full season because I cannot seem to just wait for the next week's airing.

Since I have to be in the mood for certain shows when I watch them, such as Madam Secretary and Blindspot, I scroll through my available videos and came across a tile for an animated television show called Carmen Sandiego on Netflix.

Wait just a red hot minute!! Did you just say 'Carmen Sandiego'?

Netflix's Carmen Sandiego

Yes. Yes, I most certainly did. If you ever played the Carmen Sandiego games on computer or game console in the late 80s to early 90s, or watched the game show in the mid 90s starring Lynn Thigpen as the Chief, the show will bring back nostalgic memories in no time. I want to do an in depth profile on the Carmen Sandiego property at a later time, but if you hadn't yet heard of it, go watch it now. Seriously, I mean right now.

Unless you want to finish reading this then go watch it, by all means.

In this fandom vein, I have come across a conundrum of the highest order. I have too many interests. Here's the story behind that:

The History Chicks

Several years ago I became bored with my Spotify playlists and went in search of something else to listen to. The music was monotonous and I wanted to find something else to enrich my mind. Enter Beckett Graham and Susan Vollenweider, better known as The History Chicks. I started with their very first podcast and was pleasantly amazed at this amazing list of historical women who deserve their stories told again and again. However, I quickly forgot all about The History Chicks as real life got away from me, and it wasn't until the past few months as I began to research becoming a YouTuber that I revisited the Chicks. I am currently caught up to their 'Season 3' and enjoyed the heck out of their Teeny Tiny Tudor Tutorial. (LOL) But then again, I watched Showtime's The Tudors religiously. I love Jonathan Rhys Meyers and watch as much of his work as I can get my eyes on.

So in the grander scheme of things, I am up to their published podcasts circa 2012. Just 7 more years to catch up on. Hee Hee!

The History Chicks found a niche, a concept on which Kong and Jesse at Jumpcut have based their entire formula for creating a successful YouTube channel. So at the very beginning of the process, the Jumpcut guys walk you through a formula for creating a magical channel idea.

In attempting to nail down that idea for myself, I quickly realized I have too many interests, and not enough of an idea on how to rate what the public is truly interested in. At the very heart of the issue is this: I have no idea what topic to center a YouTube channel on. Plus, I have to work full time to make money, which limits the amount of time I can dedicate toward filming for YouTube in the first place.

Oh! And let us not forget about the near crippling stage fright condition I have suffered from since childhood.

Now it just doesn't seem to make any sense whatsoever. For those who know me personally, I'm the wacky and quirky person who always laughs and cracks jokes. I'm an absolutely card, a shock jock, funny, gregarious, friendly. I am everything any of the successful YouTubers seem to be... Right up until you turn a still or video camera my way.

Suddenly my palms get sweaty, my heartbeat races, my vision goes down to a pinpointed red and black tunnel, and my mouth gets dry. And when the video plays back, I am hypercritical of how I look and how I sound. I don't even like my recorded voice.

Jump forward to the past few months at work, all the while the internal struggle regarding a YouTube channel, do I or don't I, continues, I'm making more work friends and finding that people actually do like me. I won't say they love me, as that is definitely an acquired taste and it is for them to say, not me. But people genuinely like me and my personality.

Now we back track to The History Chicks. What do they have that I don't? Other than successful careers and podcasting equipment to actually pull off a successful podcast, even if it nets them no money other than to offset their operating costs. (For the record, I am simply spitballing here; I do not know if The History Chicks make money off their podcast, nor what it actually takes to produce a podcast. I am currently researching that information with a friend of mine, Becca.)

I have tons of 'useless' knowledge in my head and love to share it with others. I love to research new people, places, things, and events all the time. My Google search history is filled with such oddball and diverse topics and questions, it boggles my mind sometimes. But as I listened more and more to Beckett and Susan, I was reminded of my friend from work Becca and how often our conversations in the break room at work are back and forth, consistent, and others often cannot get a word in edgewise. We are so different, Becca and I, and yet so, so, so similar.

I was clocked out and getting ready to leave when I noticed her turning in her equipment, signalling she too was leaving for the day. Before my better judgement could silence me, I boldly asked her if she'd ever heard of The History Chicks. Her reply was sooo typical Becca (which you perhaps will get to hear soon enough) and quickly produced a 25 minute conversation that also included her clocking out, and us walking out of the building, pausing by her car, and ending when I headed to mine. Twenty-five solid minutes of non-stop conversation. It started out with our love for the Chicks' podcast, went through several mutations of ideas, and ended with "Let's do a Podcast!!!"

What?!?

Yeah. I know. You really had to be there to watch the completely organic development of this idea. There's no other way to describe something like this.

We'll keep you posted. This may take some time. lol

And to think, this blog post started with the realization that in order to keep warm, I am wearing articles of clothing that are from several fandoms. Her Universe Superman leggings under my jeans. A tie-dyed 'Country Rocks My Soul, Est. 1977' tank, under a tie-dyed Pirates of the Caribbean tee, under a long sleeved Green Bay Packers quarter zip Dri-fit style shirt, under an embroidered sweatshirt bearing the symbol of my alma mater, Concordia Lutheran High School. I mean really. How can one be sane and normal while at the same time this diverse?

Who says I am sane? I certainly never said I was normal.