It's been quite awhile since I really wrote anything. Laziness? Possibly. I do think of things to write. Then something else distracts me. For instance, I am still working on a post for Thursday Thirteen. Kind of sad that is it now Saturday in some places in the world, 11:48 PM here. I'm trying to work on an article about rural exploration, which I actually wrote last year, wrote again a few months ago and have spinning around in my head again this week. I'd be so proud to see not only my article but my photos appear in one of our nationally well known Canadian publications, Canadian Living or Chatelaine. It's a lofty goal perhaps.

I went out on a couple of dates and didn't mention a thing about him. The first date was nice and I had hope for good things to come. I was wrong. He is ok but did not really show an interest in getting to know me. I asked about himself and he really only talked about a few special interests and did not answer about little things (not so little to me) that I wanted to know. Then we had a second date where he had to end it early for work, which was fine as he works on call. But then there was nothing except an email invite for kinky play.

I really want a relationship where I don't feel I'm alone, again. What is the point if you don't have someone you can talk to and know he is listening and actually cares about what you say? Maybe I will just never find anyone at this late stage in the dating game. All of the men I have tried to meet seem to end up in the same boat. None of them want to get to know me. I really want a guy I can spend time with, out of a bedroom. Don't men want that too? Sure I like sex and in past relationships (all two of them) I have lead in that area. But, I want more! I want romance! I want to be courted and have flowers brought when I get picked up. Yes, Eric did that once and that was lovely. But... it ended with me alone, abandoned without explanation. I had to tell him I was giving up on him and then he said something about why he had given up on me.

Anyway, relationships and dating posts are boring. Really. Aren't they all about the same? Do you really expect to find some great long lasting insight among all this space sucking babble? Good luck! I don't have anything figured out. When my life is perfect I'll get back to you with all those omniscient answers.

Tomorrow we are off early (early for me) to Elmvale. The town is a giant street/ garage sale. We are on the hunt for a summer bike for Zack, the 12 year old giant nephew. The boy is taller than I am now. Not right to call him a boy but he still has that boyishness and since he won't ever be in my age generation without the use of a time machine... he is stuck being the boy for awhile more at least.

Of course, I'd like to find another abandoned farm house during the trip.

Sadly, I am pretty much unemployed and having to watch my dollars. I found a $20 I had forgotten in my wallet yesterday so that was kind of sweet.

I do not want to get another job. I am sick of working. I just want to sit here and blog, write, watch brain killing TV (soap opera afternoons) and take road trips. Well, a few other things too but that's about it. I'm sick of customer service type junk. I'm so tired of obeying rules. How did old fashioned women stand taking the marriage vows knowing they were owned and had no rights. Even their children did not belong to them. I think it is strange that women went from primitive (though I think primitive is in doubt if they were bright enough to have a Matriarch) matriarchal societies to being servants in their own homes. How did we allow men to have the upper hand like that?

Doesn't it seem that women really do have a lot of power, in life. In the space of approximately nice months we cart around a new life. In that time we can decide to keep that life or let it go. Drastic yes. But, in some cases a woman should think of her own self preservation and that of the child to be born into the same world she lives in.

Although, I really don't think things between men and women should be about power. Or who is greater, etc. We need each other. In cases where men and women understand that I think the relationship can really flourish. So, here we are back to that dating thing again. Ick!

I should be shutting the computer down. It's been making more noise than it should be. I keep wondering what it is that is running against my wishes or directions. Windows has really evolved into a little monster. You never really know what the MS creature inside your computer is doing. Likely eating sections of my hard drive on a whim.

It is getting hotter tonight. I thought it was decent all day. Warm and muggy outside but I hid in here under the fan all day and it just seemed breezy to me. Now it is after midnight and it seems the heat has leaked into my sanctuary. I'm anti summer when it comes to heat and humidity. I'd rather have a snowstorm, a blizzard would be just peachy too. The only redeeming feature of summer is the greenery and edibles, peaches come to mind right away. I was thinking of peach pie yesterday. Nothing like peach pie made at home.

Well, this should be enough babble for anyone to read. Likely you are all drooling over your keyboards or shaking your head in an effort to keep your eyes from closing. Wake up and get a fresh coffee or get to bed. Nightie night blogging people.

One thing I do know about drawing a comic is that it can't be too detailed if you hope to get them out there on a regular basis. Maybe it's different for those who aren't hand drawing each one.

Thursday Thirteen: 13 things I have used for blog doodles:

A pink breast cancer floaty pen (it has a great fine point).

A pack of pencil crayons.

A pack of felt tipped markers.

A Lotus pen I found in a backpack I bought at the thrift store.

My HP Photo Scanner, my treat to myself after getting divorced.

Microsoft Image Composer (It came with FrontPage).

Plain, blank, unlined white paper bought at Zellers.

Napkins from the coffee shops and fast food places around Ontario.

My Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3 digital camera.

A black fine tip marker which I bought at Walmart, it ended up leaking all over me each time I used it so it was soon retired.

A set of colourful gel pens which are a bit too much on the light side to be used often.

An official doodle pad with coloured paper which is fun to draw on but scans on the dark and dreary side.

Post It note pads, yellow and blue.

Zack is here, just after I posted my list. He says he should be on my list cause he gives me ideas.

Just pucker up and blow… if you want to go with some kind of spray paint doodle. I don’t think the paint tastes that great so I just stick to a semi-ordinary pen and blank, white paper. I scan my doodles then plaster them to my personal blog. The odd thing is that people like them. Thank you to those who have sent kind and encouraging comments.

Claire and I began Doodle Week this year. I think I came up with the plan but I know it would not have gotten as far as it did without Claire. She doodles too.

I draw my stick figure grrls in pen and ink. I use a small photo scanner to turn them digital. Then I use software to turn them the right way around, resize them and erase smudges and little lines I regret. Claire uses software to create her doodles. Her doodles are very different from mine in appearance. You can also draw your doodle or use some other art skills such as collage and take a digital photo of your creation. I’ve learned to make sure I don’t get my own shadow or any other in the way when I take the digital photo. Also, if you scan your drawing, place a sheet of unblemished white paper behind it. Makes it come out sharper.

Claire and I have different styles for creating our digital images but the really odd thing is how we both have some kind of queen/ diva of the world feeling. I think drawing something for your blog does that. When are you taking more of a risk than drawing something for your blog, to publish out there in the big, wide, digital world? Typing a journal entry is not the same. Your letters are perfectly formed and spaced. It’s only when your hand is unsupported by your keyboard that you realize just how imperfect and down right skillful you really are. Let’s just say each one is very original.

There are some resources and groups for bloggers who want to get into this more creative aspect with their own blogs. I wrote a post to the EntreCard blog about this and will carry over the links from that post. (I’m lazy that way).

Flickr Groups:

• Journal Junk
• Drawing Journal
• Visual Journals
• Drawing Diary
• Hand Drawn Type
• Handwritten Blogs
• Doodlegang

Join us for Doodle Week, July 14th – 20th.