I’m listening to James Brown – not the “I Feel Good” stuff, his other, more soulful stuff. It makes me feel like I was born in the wrong era, like I should really be lounging on a plush avocado and orange couch, wearing corduoroy bell bottoms and tossing back my Fawcett curls. I could pull off the Farrah Fawcett, but I don’t have the figure for bell bottoms. At all. Please don’t even try to visualize it. But here I am with Farrah Fawcett hair. Blonde… is not so much my color.

Chere and I are going up to San Francisco for the weekend, and I’m excited for the trip. I want to go up the coast at my own pace, stopping when I want to, not worrying about someone else’s schedule. I bought tickets for the Alcatraz tour, because I’ve always wanted to go and it’s always too expensive with other people. I’m excited for cold, windy ferry ride, and the manufactured thrills of the audio tour. I’m not excited for seagulls though. They freak me out.

Mostly, though, I’m excited to get out of my routine, to stretch my legs and to think in some other terms than work. I feel a little tapped out. When people find out what I do for work, well – no, when they see my work, they always say the same thing – “Where do you get your ideas?”

Honestly, I have no idea. It just comes, and the more I work, the more ideas I have.  I’m not sure about the science of it, they just do. Lately, though, I’ve been feeling like I need a change of scenery. Something new. I know that I actually move around a lot. I was thinking about all the traveling I did last year – and while it was all within the United States, I did travel a fair amount. I moved from one coast to the other for one thing, and then spent a considerable amount of time traveling for work and to see family. So I really shouldn’t be complaining, but I feel like I need something Fresh.

I’m taking my camera on this trip, and I’m excited to take loads of pictures. I might even post some, because my blog – it is neglected. I haven’t felt like writing at all. I have four or five drafts of posts that all have a few lines written, and then I get distracted, or give up. The only reason this one is being posted is because people need proof that I’m still alive – with or without proper editing or plot point.

Going back to James Brown though, I’m making a playlist for the trip – kind of like Jack Nicholson. I need my mood music, my soundtrack. I’ll come back with stories and pictures, and I’ll be able to play it back in my head with the songs I had going. It’s like a movie. But no bell bottoms. Please.

Dude. I have been so bad at blogging lately that I’m resorting to a tag to restart this engine. But first, this totally awesome and random picture of a hilarious baby. I don’t know who this baby is, but man, I wish I did.

Mood:
Optimistic.

Sippin’ on:
Water with those fizzy vitamin-c packets into it. The 5 calorie ones.

Listening to:
Chelsea Lee, Madeline Peyroux, Kings of Leon.

Fragrance:
Jo Malone Red Roses. I’m a little obsessed with roses right now, and yes, I know that makes me sound like an old lady, but I swear they’re making a comeback.

Current obsessions:
YouTube makeup videos, anything lychee flavored, Ika Sansai (a squid salad), brushes (makeup and painting), q-tips, and the color orange.

Best moment of the week:
Coming up with a design concept I actually really liked, and successfully pitching it at work.

Outfit:
Black hoodie, black slacks, my specs, and a large comforter. I’ve been cold all week. Yes, I live in California.

Mascara:
I’m currently rocking Rimmel’s new Sexy Curves mascara – which is a lame name for a mascara. But it does curl my eyelashes, and it doesn’t clump at ALL. It makes me look like I have naturally long lashes, not like I’ve smudge on a bunch of mascara.

_____ makes me happy:
Blush, Japanese food, eucalyptus trees.

Weekly goals:
Uh, to blog more? And to not snarl when certain people say that Democrats are socialists.

I’m tagging Vanessa, Katy, Whitney, JQ, and whoever else hasn’t given up on this blog for dead.