Dec Update #2

Merry (almost) Christmas! This little guy keeps me in line while I work...

Knitting

I am happy to report that I have completed my second knitting project! I won't announce what it is or post pictures *just yet,* since it might spoil certain followers' Christmas presents! I will say that it involves cables. And that I'm awfully proud of myself, and delighted to have learned a new skill this season. Up next for me is figuring out how to pattern and combine colors correctly. (See my "W" fail above.)

Running:

There is a reason you haven't heard much from me in this area -- it's because I'm not doing it. I'm not proud of myself, but J has graciously defended my failure, saying I was a bit far-reaching in my hopes to become a regular runner in the month of December. He's right: not only has my busy schedule made it practically impossible to find time to run in the daylight hours, when I finally do find the time it's either freezing cold or rainy. Or, in the case of this morning, sleeting. I suppose exercise is something like the creative process: you've gotta pump past the less desirable parts if you want to see any results. Sadly, I have a yuppie and/or dancer preference to do my exercising indoors. Nevertheless, I intend to keep with my practice as much as I deem possible. Especially if I'm going to buy anymore Dryer's slow-churned Peppermint Ice Cream....

Makeup:

I haven't had a chance to practice much make-upping. I did manage to pull off a Minnie Mouse face for my last party gig:

I also made a trip to the mall last weekend and asked one of the Clinique ladies to help me find a red that would suit my skin tone. I told her I didn't want anything berry-y, but couldn't really pull off anything too orange. She gave me "Red Red Red," which she said looked nice with my fair skin. I felt silly wearing the stuff around the mall with my maroon sweater, but with a little mascara and a black dress, this is probably just the tone!

Excuse the selfie shot. Just evaluate at the colors, k?

Funny thing is, I told my dressing room buddy I was searching for a red lipstick better than the ones I already had, and when I put on my Revlon shade -- "Temptation" -- she said it looked smashing. Under the warm dressing room lights, it did look rather nice. So my perfect red might already be right under my nose (literally, in this case!)

Other than that, I'm wearing theater makeup 5 days a week for my performances, so all I want to do on my days off is be my makeup-free self!

I have a Secret Santa who's making rehearsal so much fun! Giggles galore. She gave me this creepy-cute doll:

In regards to Christmas, I can't wait to get home. Seattle's miserable and yucky, as it always is this time of year (and too much of the rest of it), and ever since the tragic news Friday, I've been wanting to hug my whole family. In true Christmas tradition, I'm going to watch White Christmas with my mom and have coffee with my Dad and wake up my brothers by bursting into their room yelling -- like they did to me so many years in our youth. I wonder sometimes how many more years we have before we're spending the holidays in different locations. I don't like to think about things like that. I guess there's no reason we can't be the kind of family that all gets together for Christmas Eve or something, even though that's never how we did it ourselves.

Other things to do:

-Bake Triple Ginger Chocolate Chunk Cookies (I'll be sure to post the recipe!)

-Visit Auntie's and my favorite shopkeeper

-See the lights downtown*
-Watch Downton Abbey Christmas Special

-Take a ride in one of those carriages, maybe? I've always wanted to do that.

-Knit. More.

-Hang out with our dog-that-isn't-really-our-dog-anymore -- we have him "on loan" for Christmas -- what a laugh!!

-See Les Miserables and The Hobbit

-Post-Christmas sale shop for clothes I need to replace (in preparation for minimalism month! Get ready!!)

Okay, enough boring you with my personal agenda. Hopefully the world doesn't end before I'm able to get home and have a gol' dern hot toddy.

*Whenever I write "downtown" anymore, my finger seems to skip over the second "w" in favor of "Downton." Hence, the following to-do.