Trap Queen of Heaven (original) (raw)

I'm not dead!

Staying busy and radio-silent, but not dead.

Americorps life, doula life, doula TRAINER life, artist-building-a-collective-of-artists life, busy damn life. I keep having to set reminders on my phone to do things like put the trash out, take a shower, clean the catbox--I've never experienced this level of management ever in my life. Toooo muuuuuch but it's ok, I shall stay on my grind and help Tupelo be more awesome \o/

I am currently enjoying myself because my 2 friends who just had a baby together want friends to make audio recordings of themselves reading stories for their son, and I am ABOUT THAT LIFE. YAAAAAAAAS I LOVE READING STORIIIIIIIIIIIIIIES. I called mad dibs on recording the Beatrix Potter stories that I've had since I was a little baby, it was special to me that I get to record those stories down for their sweet son.

I feel that at this point in my life, my performance art (hooping, juggling, bellydance) has more depth and expression than my painted art. I'm not sure if it's related to skill or just the lack of time I have to devote to practicing with my acrylics. These are all brain panderings I have going on due to this Tupelo Artist Collective that we're working on forming (we have the leadership formed and we've met several times now, we're still working on how to involve other artists).

This is all sort of brain vomit, I'm at work right now and I just felt like hollerin at yall. Be excellent to each other!!

Bien venidos, Mississippi.

anne bonny

captkatsparrow

May 4th, 2013

I'm writing this from a Motel 6 in Van Buren, Arkansas, but I am Mississippi-bound once more in the morning.

That was...an experience. Very fast & furious, living with Biba. It didn't get much better once we got moved in. Biba has been in such a state the likes of which Dale, Biba's daughter, has never seen.

I had to come back home, I couldn't do it anymore. I gave it my best shot and I learned valuable lessons, but right now, Mississippi is where I belong.

Lately it occurs to me: what a long, strange trip it's been.

Albuquerque!

Pirate penguins

captkatsparrow

April 23rd, 2013

I live in Albuquerque now! We finally moved into the new house today, after a 5 day sojourn that began in Brandon, MS last Thursday morning.

I'm living with my friends' grandmother, Biba (a word meaning "beloved", from a North African sub-Saharan dialect). Biba has borderline personality disorder, hearing loss and some dementia--but as of this writing, it is a lot better than it was on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. We spent Friday through Monday in Corona, NM, where Biba's daughter has a cabin that she & her husband will be retiring to in about a year. Actually, I left the cabin Sunday night because Biba was doing her damnedest to destroy me so one of her grandaughters made the hour-half drive to rescue me and take me to Albuquerque so Biba & I could have some time apart.

Now that we're in the house together and have more space (the cabin in Corona is rather small), I feel like we have a better chance at learning one another and getting along well. I'm more of a companion than a caregiver, so it's not difficult in theory, but rolling with Biba's mood swings can be more difficult than it sounds sometimes.

Biba's grandaughter Sarah & I are splitting the companion role so that neither of us gets burnt out. Luckily, Sarah & I are great friends and get along famously (Sarah owns the house which I stay at every time I visit ABQ), so her being immediately next door is a great morale booster and I know that I have a place to escape to if Biba really flips her lid.

That's all the news that's fit to print for now :) Looking for hoop groups, bellydance troupes, and desert roots!

Influenster review: Palmolive Fresh Infusions

Pirate penguins

captkatsparrow

January 22nd, 2013

I received my second Influenster box today, it contained the new Palmolive Fresh Infusions dish detergent line from Colgate-Palmolive. All 3 of them were sent to me free of charge for review.

When I opened the box they came in, they were individually wrapped in bubble wrap. As I took the bubblewrap off (and popped the hell out of those bubbles, wheeee), I noticed that 2 out of the 3 bottles had cracked caps and had leaked a small amount of detergent. The 2 bottles felt unpleasantly sticky to touch due to the leak, but I washed them off and carried on with my first impressions review.

(My stepson's girlfriend stole the un-leaky Lime Basil, she talked about drinking it like a cool tropical concoction. I can't deny it does smell refreshingly Caribbean, but I told her to slow her roll & reclaimed it long enough to snap some pictures)

( Pictures behind the cutCollapse )

The 3 scents are Lime Basil, Lemon Thyme, and Ginger White Tea. They smell very nice, yes (my favorite scent is the Ginger White Tea, it's warm & foody w/ floral notes); I'm sure they're good and sudsy but...

Colgate-Palmolive still tests on animals. They claim they're moving towards phasing it out, but until that actually *happens*, I'm going to try to support Colgate-Palmolive as little as possible. (Source http://www.peta.org/mediacenter/news-releases/Colgate-Palmolive-Company-Tops-PETA-s-New-List-Recognizing-Companies-Working-to-End-Government-Mandated-Tests.aspx I know it's PETA, but that news release is void of batshittery])

You can find the Fresh Infusions at Walmart, but until Colgate-Palmolive figures out an alternative, I would suggest purchasing a brand like Seventh Generation. Preferably at a store that is NOT Walmart.

Find more reviews on the Influenster review page.

My only Yuletime Wish!

Pirate penguins

captkatsparrow

November 29th, 2012

This super-duper blog post will contain my only wish for Yule: for my friends to contribute, in whatever amounts big or small, to my community doula training.

Here in Tupelo, the North Mississippi Birthing Project is doing wonderful things for mothers & mothers-to-be in the community! Pregnancy/childbirth classes, breastfeeding classes, a baby supply closet stocked with diapers, clothes, toys; time & money management classes--it is an excellent non-religious resource for mothers who can't find the help and support they need. You can read about our local chapter of the Birthing Project here on Wordpress: Northeast MS Birthing Project or, for the social media inclined, on Facebook: NEMSBP on Facebook.

In addition to the care, education, and support that the Birthing Project provides to mamas, the local coordinator Toni Hill is now offering training as a doula to interested applicants (of which I am one). What the fresh hell is a doula, exactly? A doula, as opposed to a midwife, acts as a non-medical support system for expecting mothers, fathers, siblings & family. Doulas provide physical assistance, information about alternative methods of birthing, and emotional support to women who might not have family to confide in, or who might feel uncomfortable speaking openly with their family.

Those who know me well can imagine that my background in massage therapy, energywork, and my empathy would be well-suited to the position of a doula for women in my own community. I care enough about women & babies that I believe every possible option should be made available to them to choose from. I believe that women who do write birth plans must have those plans honored unless a critical medical necessity arises--for example, an obstetrician's vacation cruise to the Bahamas is not a medical necessity for early induction. Just an example.

With this passion in my heart & humility in my spirit, I ask that my friends help me raise the $400 asked of me to fund my training that I can give of myself into my community. I would very much like to be the change that I wish to see in the world.

If you're not sure of what to gift me with for Yule/Christmas, a contribution to this ChipIn would make me happy as could be!

http://zola.chipin.com/zolas-doula-fund

Influenster! Bath & Body Works Fall Mini Candle

lostmustard, Goren--by my e-wifey

captkatsparrow

November 5th, 2012

My Beauty Blogger voxbox arrived back around the middle of October, and I was rather impressed! I'm going to go through the products one by one and let yall know what I think after the LJ-cut.

( B&B Nutmeg & Spice candleCollapse )

My candle was free for review through Influenster's VoxBox program. The candles are available for purchase at http://www.bathandbodyworks.com fo' tree-fitty ($3.50).

Influenster update!

Pirate penguins

captkatsparrow

October 8th, 2012

Oh boy! I've pre-qualified for a beauty "VoxBox", which will have goodies for me to review if I'm selected to receive one. Pretty stoked, no lie. (I also wanted to make another *public* entry so the Influenster team will know that yes, I post here, though most of my real-life thangs are friend-locked.)

Perhaps I should make a different blog to review things in, but for now I'll just cross the streams here and if the situation warrants it, I'll start a Wordpress or somesuch. Public entries on LJ get so much spam, argh.

From Twitter 08-15-2009

anne bonny

captkatsparrow

August 16th, 2009

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From Twitter 08-14-2009

anne bonny

captkatsparrow

August 15th, 2009

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From Twitter 08-13-2009

anne bonny

captkatsparrow

August 14th, 2009

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