My childhood obsession with ancient Egypt.

Recently found another piece of home decor for my strange 'Ancient Cultures' collection. $10 at Goodwill. Picture doesn't do it justice, seriously. It's longer than my entire arm.

Little background on my obsession with all things Ancient Egypt: Shortly after starting Kindergarten I was tested for gifted classes. I got into trouble a lot in class and was immensely bored with the work that was being provided. I remember that there wasn't a thing the teacher could put in front of me that I didn't immediately know how to do without instruction. I entertained myself by doing things like trying to bring a dead fly from the window sill back to life by placing it inside of a bottle cap with a bit of water, and making prongs from metal gum wrappers and a paperclip that was bent under the fly and came out and up like a two pronged fork.
Then, I stuck it in an electrical outlet.
Spoiler: It didn't resurrect as hypothesized, I however had my ass lit up when I got home.
When I was told I would be going to a different classroom a few times a week for an hour a day, I thought it was going to be some sort of detention for bad kids. They explained to me that it wasn't because I was bad but I was bright and there would be older kids there too that can teach me things. My first day was one I'll never forget... I walked into the room and there were 5 other kids sitting at a table with a teacher, and all over the table was Egyptian items. Little miniature figures and clay that kids were carving strange symbols into with tools. I'd never heard of Egypt before, and this place looked like so much fun! I was sad when I learned that it wasn't like this today there. I remember when I learned about hieroglyphics I told the teacher I was going to learn it all and that would be the only way I would write! Ancient Egypt was the theme of the month, and I was starving to learn everything I could about this amazing place. I talked nonstop about Ancient Egypt to everyone and anyone who would listen. I actually was banned from my mother to even mention it the house, by threat of ass whooping. I had to stand in the corner a lot as a kid, and I spent hours day dreaming about living in Ancient Egypt as a historian. I devoured every book I could on Ancient Egypt.

Good and Cheap Cookbook - Eat well on $4 a day

OUAC Haul and some Dollar Tree 'slamming deals'!

If you know me, you know I'm thrifty af. Seriously I couldn't buy something full price if my life depended on it.

Occasionally I'll be sharing some of my 'slamming deals' so other people can get an idea of how easy it is to be frugal, especially if you have kids. Sebastian just turned 16 months old and the kid grew out of his sandals faster than he could wear the few pairs he had. Desperate need for new but cheap sandals called for a quick trip to Once Upon a Child today, where they were having a clearance sale of 50% off all items marked with a red star.
That means we only look at items marked with a red star, got it?

Ended up finding 2 pairs of sandals that were never worn, plus 3 outfits for about $11.50.

Was it the best deal ever? No; but I'm still pretty happy with it considering it would've been twice as much for their original price and an ungodly amount if you would've bought it all in the store brand new. (Friends, don't do that please. Buy used or deep clearance.)

 The black cargo shorts are very well made and he'll be able to grow with them for quite a while. I'm pretty lazy at times and Aaron can't match clothes, so the 2 'all in 1' outfits were great finds. I love having those around. The shoes match the outfits and when we went by Dollar Tree later we even found a blue Fedora that matches them all. (My kid is obsessed with accessories. He's walked out of the bathroom wearing an arm full of hair bands, and just this morning I came into the living room and found him watching TV while wearing his suspenders AND a gold leaf head band on his head.)

Look who had their first ring pop today...

Quick run to the dollar tree discovered a few good finds... I have to show great restraint in this place btw because as an artist/crafter I can find so many uses for so many great things. The struggle is real.

Greetings, Earthlings.

It is I, your fellow human/alien/mermaid hybrid friend; and I've decided to take a swing at journaling again.

This time though, I'm 27.
What.
Where has the time gone?
I've decided to set the majority of my older posts to private, as a lot are painfully embarrassing and honestly cringe inducing. Can't stomach the much younger me, waaaay too emo.
Just like before there will be no real rhyme or reason to my posts, very 'message in a bottle' style.
At least my grammar will be a bit better this time, but probably not.

Oh and hey I have a kid now. No, seriously, he's mine. I made him.
Speaking of which, I must depart for now my parental duties call.

bye.

Dream: Kolbolgs and Orphans

((This is the first part of a dream I had last night, enjoy.))

Title: Kolbolgs and Orphans (Part I)

An old, large brick mansion that houses orphans. An infinite forest surrounds the nearly decrepit building.

Young girl (possibly myself, no known name) is searching for something. The shotgun style weapon she carries can only hold 3 bullets at a time, and tends to jam a lot. She crawls quietly to a closet, digging through piles of dust covered clothes and trash. Ammo litters the floors of the orphanage.

She grasps a handful of the red tubes and quickly loads the gun. 

An adult male with navy blue hair and a lab style coat is pushing a refrigerator in front of the entrance of the room. He left enough space for the girl to slide the metal nose of her weapon through. She positions herself and aims at the wolf type creature on the opposite end, tearing his way through an old mattress that two frightened children have sandwiched against a wall as an impromptu shield. 

Deep Breath. Squint. Fire.

Laser beams squeal from the weapon. An undulating neon red glow beams toward the creatures back. The beast emits a loud howl as it raises off its hind legs, then collapses with a thud onto the debris covered floor. 

The noise attracts more of them.

She's suddenly on the roof, over looking the vast endlessness of the surrounding forest. The thick fog and darkness of the night seems to play tricks on her eyes. A black, ink-like substance begins to cover the ground, pouring out of the forest towards the building.

The black river gets closer, and the girl is able to make out individual creatures. Beasts. The Kolbolgs.

What was once hundreds has multiplied by the thousand. Unknown wolf type creatures with rattish faces, and humanoid bodies begin scaling the side of the building, pouring from the darkness with an eerie silence.  People shuffle around the rooftop in an almost synchronized manner, grabbing weapons from the piles in the middle, and returning swiftly to their positions along the edge of the roof, continuing with the onslaught of the creatures emerging from below. The hiss from a landmine goes off, followed by a loud explosion as a large group of Kolbolgs in the distance are exterminated, only to quickly be replaced - almost like a shadow - by a new, even larger group. 

It is known to the girl that this is a war, but it is also known that this needs to end. There was to be a treaty! 

Treaty?!

Just as the thought happens - the war ends. She's now inside the building, a treaty has been signed by both parties, and the Kolbolgs have retreated back into the forest.

She stands in a bathroom now, daylight shines through an open window, framing the newly banned forest in the distance. Articles of clothing are piled in a corner, but the girl can still make out the wiry, matted fur of the abandoned creature attempting to hide itself. There's blood, but the beast is still breathing. Her heart falls with the memory of the moments before, the seemingly timeless, bloody war held between two races.

"How can I help you?!" The girl thinks desperately. Was she dreaming she said that? She isn't sure, but the animal assures her he's heard by turning his long nose and beady eyes in her direction. He's small, probably not much taller than a young child when fully extended on his hind legs. Despite his child like size, his features express a much older soul. 

He is hurt badly, dark liquid spills from his side.  She bends down and begins to push aside the fabric he tried to hide with, attempting to get a better look at the source of the wound. 

"I'm not here to hurt you, I want to help. How can I help you sir, please?" 

Months have passed. The scruffy looking Kolbolg is best friends with the girl orphan, and she enjoys listening to his fantastic stories from the life he once knew. A life no longer viable since the declaration of the treaty that sealed the forest and all it's inhabitants from the outside world. Mister Leach is viewed as nothing more than a pet, sometimes even invisible, to the other people in the building.  

And then, just as quickly as he arrived, Mr. Leach is gone.