A delightful animated film about a young boy and and an old man who fly away to an exotic place in a balloon house...

...in other words, what's up.

I've been...

~Reading

Just finished Christy by Catherine Marshall (SO good, though not recommended for younger readers as it has some mature themes), am still plugging away in The Count of Monte Cristo, and just delved into Captain Wentworth's Diary by Amanda Grange.  It's quite lovely so far-- I really enjoyed her Mr. Knightley's Diary, so I'm hoping this will be as good.  (Got any book recommendations for me, friends?  This time of year is when I read the most, it seems...)  I keep track of all my reading on Goodreads, which I'd recommend (I've used that word three times now... ugh, I need a synonym) to any bookworm.  Yay for book-sharing and bluestockings!

~Listening

Well, I'll tell you what I'm NOT listening to just yet, and that's Christmas music.... just pretend you can see me scowling.  (If you know me in real life that won't be hard to imagine.) I'm a stickler for Waiting Until After Thanksgiving, and this year is no exception.  Instead I'm listening to Audra McDonald whenever I get the chance, and remembering how much I love The High Kings.  Oh, and the Sherlock soundtrack. :D

(this is 3-year-old's and my special song-- well, one of them)

~Working

I've been at my nanny job for two years now... hard to believe the little munchkin who wasn't even walking yet when I started is now running around talking a mile a minute because he's THREE now and definitely not a baby anymore.  (Well... depends when you ask him.)  We're a close-knit pair, we are.  I'm also beginning a volunteer position at my library next week, so that's fun.  ;)

~Sewing

A lavender Civil War dress as a somewhat late fifteenth birthday present for Molly-- HOW IS SHE FIFTEEN ALREADY.  Visions of sugarplums a new Regency dress for a Jane Austen Christmas tea are dancing in my head but I'm determined to stick to just one project at a time.

~Watching

Anne-girl and I just began the BBC Robin Hood together, and though it's not really my usual cup of tea, I'm enjoying it heartily.  Much is my favorite character.  Also Will Scarlet.  Because, y'know, Harry Lloyd.  Do I really need to explain that.  Didn't think so.  I'm also loving In Earnest, a new independent web series based on Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest-- which is one of my favorite plays ever, so it's quite fun seeing it adapted into a clean and hilarious modern-day vlog series.

~Traveling

Recently returned from a jaunt to Kansas City (again!).  It was lovely to see my Rovirosa peeps again and I miss Ally and her siblings already... but we have a plethora of new inside jokes to console ourselves with.  Since none of them are blogging much anymore I could probably say whatever I want about them on here... but I'll refrain from sharing mor'ifying anecdotes :P and simply say that we had a splendid time and made idiots of ourselves and stayed up really late every night and played games and roasted marshmallows and went to play rehearsals and watched movies and the like.  It was quite good fun.

~Anticipating

Christmas, duh.  BUT THANKSGIVING FIRST.  Basically the entire holiday season.  *rapturous sigh*  And seeing relatives I haven't seen in ages.  And my first voice recital, because I'm really excited about that.  And seeing Cinderella (the musical!), our Christmas present from my grandmother.  And baking a ton of treats because that's what we do this time of year.  And the Victorian Christmas ball we're going to!!  Oh, and the new Night at the Museum movie.  No shame.  :D

(random quote I like)

~Planning

Melody and I have a really delightful project we're currently working on... which I should devote some time to this morning, haha.  What I'd love to be planning is a trip to go visit Melody, but hey, she was just here, so I need to bide my time.  And save my money.  Heh.

~Writing

Well, y'all know about Masked now.  :D  That's been keeping me pretty busy.  I've also been plugging away at a couple of movie reviews for this blog, which still haven't materialized.... but life goes on and things will be okay.  Yada yada.  Tomorrow is a brand new dayyyyy...

~Laughing

I'm always laughing over something because I'm a little too easily amused, but this song has had me in stitches recently.  For all you fellow low-pitched women out there...

(The chorus bit from I Feel Pretty is the best, IMHO.  And as a girl who can rock the Bishop's low notes in Les Mis and then be told by a young friend that I sound JUST LIKE his older brother, I can identify with that.  Haha.)

~Wondering

Soooooo is Sophie Hunter going to become Sophie Cumberbatch?  Isn't that the uppermost question in everyone's minds? :D  Personally if I had the opportunity to take on a name as unique and hilarious as that one, I'd grab it.  Despite having to spell and explain it to everyone for the rest of my life...  (HUGE congratulations to the happy couple, by the way, and NO I'm not in deep mourning or anything, to answer the solicitous inquiries of half my friends.  Snort.)

~Learning

That this crazy thing we call life is happening right here and not now-- that I'm not waiting for anything, but instead just discovering how to enjoy and accept each day as it comes without constantly worrying about the future.  Now is the time to seize the day, stare down the odds and seeeeeeeeize the day... you don't get anywhere by staying stuck in a rut fearing what's to come and worrying over what's already happened.  The God who controls the universe controls every aspect of it, including my own uncertain and small existence, and He has a perfect plan for each and every part of it.  Someday I'll fully grasp that.  Hopefully. :D

How's it been with you lately?