2 minute update

Car: got it back on Friday (thanks for the lift teachinfourth!) and couldn't help being excited to have my wheels again. I was smart enough to wait until after I'd left the dealership to lay a kiss on it seeing as the guys were already laughing at me about running my hands along the car and saying "I am so glad to have you back in one piece" to it. The bumper is new and looks great and the car is, indeed, purring like a kitten. When its really cold out it does lug a little until it warms up more but the guys said that's not an issue and the final story they can come up with was I had ice in my gas line. I've been chastised to keep at least a half tank of gas in the car during the winter and they tossed a bottle of Heet in there for good measure.

Camera: (sigh) I've posted an ad on ksl.com but don't think anything will come of it. I looked around Teach's place last night and its not there either. I have officially declared it good and lost and will start looking around for a new one to buy next year. Ten months wasn't nearly enough time but now I know I would like a camera with manual focus ability. And I did get some really amazing shots from that camera while I had it.....I just wish I still had it. Guess that will teach me to not leave expensive things in my car.

Christmas: hooray! Its nearly here! I've been making several batches of fimo dough "cookies" as ornaments and they turned out darling. I gave a set to my friend Cynthia in a clear bag tied with a ribbon and they looked like the most delicious sugar cookies...I'm happy they've turned out so well. In fact, they turned out so well that I am going to start working on them throughout next year and start selling on Etsy in the fall (when crafters start seriously thinking about Christmas). So far I've made sugar cookie stars (with bright colored bead "sprinkles"), snowflakes in blue and white icing and brown gingerbread men. I need to pick up a tree cookie cutter as well...I thought I had one but I think it was with all of those cookie cutters I gave away when I moved down here. No biggie....at least cookie cutters are cheap.

Winter in general: I've enjoyed the lull we've had in snow and its actually been decently warm in the day so my fleece-lined hoodie is all I've needed. Today is supposed to be a bit of snow and rain mixed but the news last night thinks we may end up with 4-6" here in town. There is a very fine snow just starting outside but it'll be awhile before that accumulates into anything. It may be more of a White Christmas after all...of course, I DO like it when it stays off the roads!

Other in general: I am thinking I seriously am in need of a haircut. It'll probably have to be tomorrow after work though....I have too much I need to get done tonight, and I didn't grab the picture I found for her to style it like. I won't lose much hair, it'll just have some shape to it since its at that mess-stage where you want to grow it out but can't do anything with it. I also want to see James Cameron's Avatar but that will be a treat for Thursday since I believe I have the entire day off.

Oh, and I didn't get around to the Christmas cards in time. I will instead be sending out homemade Valentines cards to everyone, so keep an eye out for yours.

And last but not least I think Stephanie Meyer is now a subject I won't be writing about....I wrote a blog nearly a year ago about her final book "Breaking Dawn" and dang if I am not still getting peeved-off-fangirl comments about it. Todays was particularly scathing about her how dare I berate her beloved Stephanie (equating SM's sales figures as a sign of how exemplary her writing skills are) I can honestly say it was a surprise to see that nasty thing in my inbox and it hardly sets the mood for a good day. Shame on me for giving my critique in the first place on such a cult phenomenon (bad, bad Shawna!) You know what, I admit I have re-read the book recently and still found it to be seriously lacking. Take THAT fangirl! I understand the reason for the huge following and our feminine desires for decent fantasy without a lot of excessive Harlequin-style porn tossed in....but that still doesn't excuse a poor finish to what could have been a decent series. Dream or no dream (and fans are hot over that whole "its based on a dream" thing) I still think she let us down in the end. Yes, that really is MY opinion little fangirl and if YOU don't like it you freaking did not have to read it in the first place. Its not like I held a gun to your little teenybopper head and cram my opinion down your throat. Honestly people, its not as if my opinion really makes a difference in the world of literature anyway.