The Latest Letters from Wonderland

Hello again, my lovely friends!

It has been quite a while since my last update on this reading challenge. The first… eight to nine months of this year were ass-kicking levels of depression. But I am slowly coming back and back o my books! So, tell me what you’re reading and if I should add it to my TBR?

Now, y’all know by now that I am nearly addicted to reading. I am an utter bibliophile and reading challenges, specifically this reading lunacy, is just up my alley.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the 13 Moons Reading Challenge for you, if you missed my first few posts about it:

     The Who started the 13 Moons Reading Challenge is:

User Read N Buried on Tumblr. As far as I can tell, they have been spearheading the 13 Moons Reading Challenge since 2024. Lucky year number three that I’m jumping in here!

The What of the 13 Moons Reading Challenge is:

     An online reading challenge that my darling friend Chele found and shared with me. There are a total of 104 prompts divided between categories that are separated by the names of the 13 Moons of the year.

The When of the 13 Moons Reading Challenge:

The when of this challenge is now! The year of somebody’s lord, Anno Mundi 5786, aka 2026 AD. I’m doing my best to rock through at least forty one books this year, one for each year I’ve been around! I thought it was clever.

The Where of how I plant to track the 13 Moons Reading Challenge:

     Postmark Wonderland already automatically cross-posts to Tumblr. So, between the blog here, my Tumblr account, and perhaps Instagram, I hope to be regularly updating for the 13 Moons Reading Challenge as of April. 

     The current plan, since it is a Moon-centered challenge, is to update on Moon’s Day. No, I am absolutely NOT sorry for the terrible wordplay. Not even in the slightest!

The Why of the 13 Moon Reading Challenge:

Is “because why not” enough of a reason for y’all?

     The How of the 13 Moon Reading Challenge:

The level of participation I have chosen to do is the Penumbral Lunar Eclipse. This translates to one book from each of the thirteen prompt lists divided by moon. However, I am aiming for fulfilling at least two prompts with each book for each monthly category. I could bend the rules a little bit, making multiple books meet the prompts for several months… but I have chosen not to do that (this year).

The rather massive prompt collection also has the general date information on each full moon taken from TimeAndDate.com. Here are the prompts I am trying to fulfill at least one of if not, two or three per month. It may get whittled down further, but right now these are the parameters I am sticking to:

Wolf Moon: 3rd January

Book chosen: Other Birds by Sara Addison Allen, one of my favorite writers

• Read a book in your Favorite place
  • 👉🏻My favorite place is the library
• Do Not read this book while sitting on the floor (This part was actually difficult!)
  • 👉🏻Reading it in my purple velvet reading chair!

Snow Moon: 1st February

Book chosen: The Mirror, book 2 of The Lost Bride Trilogy by Nora Roberts

• Book with a Mirror on the cover
• Read a book while sitting next to someone

Worm Moon: 3rd March

Book chosen: What Dreams May Come by Richard Matheson, which was turned into a beautiful, heartbreaking movie starring Robin Williams.

Total lunar eclipse for this moon!

• Book which has a Movie adaptation
• Read a book on a blanket
• Start a book after 5:00 PM/17:00

Pink Moon: 1st April

Book chosen: Every Heart a Doorway, book 1 of the Wayward Children series by Seanan McGuire

This was chosen from a pile of library books and comes highly recommended by Owl!

• A Friend recommendation 
• Choose a book Blindfolded

Flower Moon: 1st May

Book chosen: Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

• Book featuring a Castle
• Book with more than 5 colors on the cover

Blue Moon: 31st May

Book chosen: Inheritance, book 2 of the Lost Bride Trilogy by Nora Roberts

• Book in your Reading Challenge TBR
• Book featuring Inheritance
• Book you think will surprise you

Strawberry Moon: 29th June

Book chosen: Has yet to be determined

Micro full moon, one day after my birthday!

• Book has a Gothic setting
• Book which has a Series adaptation
• Read this book at a Desk

Buck Moon: 29th July

Book chosen: The Seven Rings, book 3 of the Lost Bride Trilogy by Nora Roberts

• Book with a Ghost character
• Start a book right after eating Lunch
• Book you wish turned into a Movie

Sturgeon Moon: 27th August

Book chosen: Has yet to be determined

There is a partial lunar eclipse this day!

• Book in which a character Dies
• Read a book from somebody’s Anti-TBR
• Book featuring Royalty
• An AI recommendation Hell no.

Harvest (or Full Corn) Moon: 26th September

Book chosen: Has yet to be determined

• A Horror book
• Roll a Dice and read a book corresponding to the number
• Read the First book you see on the Shelf

Hunter’s Moon: 25th October

Book chosen: Has yet to be determined

• Start a book after Midnight
• Book with the word ‘Road’ in the title
• Listen to a Free Audiobook
• Book written by an Indie Author and then taken by Publishers

Beaver Moon: 24th November

Book chosen: Has yet to be determined

• Book set in the Victorian Era
• Book Similar to your favorite book
• Book with British and American characters

Cold Moon: 23rd December

Book chosen: Has yet to be determined

A supermoon!

• Book featuring a Game
• Book with a Fantasy creature
• Book featuring an Egg

A Few Notes About This Idea

There is one thing that I should bother to point out about this whole challenge: since time is made up in the points, don’t matter, I don’t necessarily have to fulfill each month prompt in that month. I may bop around on the calendar or try vaguely to keep it in order. But I make no promises as to linear progress.

Since the world is sliced into thirty-seven possible time zones, you will notice that I have not put any times for the Full Moons. With the time differences, the International Date Line, and my own human fallibility, all information presented here is as accurate as I am currently able to offer it.

If you were counting, this update only hase seven out of twelve books chosen. Depression, life, yet another move, and a host of other reasons could be given for this. For now, I simply admit I am behind and doing my best.

Happy reading and take your meds, folks!

15,087 Days Alive

24 Pages Read of Seanan McGuire Every Heart a Doorway

1 Drawing Started

I am arting again! Drawing specifically, but getting some ideas out of my head and onto paper which is fantastic!

I am exhausted and out of spoons, so y’all are going to have to deal with a short post.

Take your meds, folks!

15,086 Days Alive

37° F Low Overnight

1 Bag of Laundry Left to Bring in from My Vehicle

Goblyn and Owl helped me sort through my clean clothes and get them put away this evening. I only have one more duffle bag of various garments to haul in from my vehicle before I can finally say I’ve got all my clothes in.

I still have a few boxes worth of stuff to bring in from the backseat, but that is a ‘not right now’ Theo problem. Maybe I will be up to bringing stuff in tomorrow or something.

Today was a lot, physically.  I tried to clean up my bedroom because the clutter was still driving me mad. The whole computer setup and my desk needs work, but it will get there. I still need to clean off my top shelf of my bookshelf for more books to be put out. That also means that I would be able to push the purple chair and ottoman closer to the wall. That would make the room flow better. And it would get the last boxes of books out of here.

I am really bummed that I didn’t get to see Practical Magic 2 while it was in the movie theaters. The first one is one of my favorite films, so maybe I’ll buy it on DVD or Blu-ray when it finally comes out in December (I did check when it comes out!).

One of the things I am very… contemplative about, I suppose you could call it, is that I have reached ‘Trusted Adult’ status with Goblyn. I am elated and terrified in equal measure. Owl thinks it’s great, as do I in all honesty, but I have never been a true parent before. I think there will be a bit of a honeymoon phase, and then some difficulties as boundaries are tested. But I have been researching step-parenting and the like; even requested a few books from the library that I am waiting for them to come in! Yay for books! And, of course, open communication with Owl, Goblyn, and Miah will be important as we grow together as a family unit.

Date night with Bear on Friday went really well. Good communication, a little fooling around, and some damn good chili. I seriously need to get the recipe from him.

Owl and I have a date night on Wednesday! We are going to make an acrylic and wood serving tray and I am super excited!

It’s getting really late so I think I will toddle off to bed now.

Take your meds, folks!

What’s the best online course you’ve ever taken?

Well, I think the best online course Ive taken is thr mathematics course I am in right now through the Modern States site.

15,084 Days Alive

16 Days Until Halloween

15 Items of my To-Do List Completed

4 Days Since My Interview with the Law Office

0 Responses on Any of My Job Applications This Week

Today was fairly productive. I am exhausted but a little upset I didn’t get more done. But, all I can do is my best.

The weather changes are making my body hurt. Either that or stress is throwing me into another fibromyalgia flare. Dunno, but I do need to give myself some grace. A lot of changes have been happening over the last few weeks and even positive change is stressful.

Another positive is that my to-do list did get a little shorter today, though. And that means less to do tomorrow and over the weekend.

Here’s the updated to-do list:

[X] Strip my bed
[X] Put on the new mattress topper on my bed
[X] Empty the dishwasher
[v] Email Damaris at the law office I interviewed at
[X] Bring the clean sheets and laundry upstairs
[X] Make advert copy for advertisements for the amazing Owl
[X] Put the clean sheets on my bed
[X] Put my dirty sheets and blanket into a laundry bag
[X] Put Star Quilt from Sparrow on my bed
[  ] Put away my clean laundry
[X] Bring in my other clothes from my vehicle
[  ] Bring in everything from the back seat of my vehicle
[  ] Bring everything from my vehicle upstairs
[  ] Haul the printer downstairs
[  ] Help Owl figure out where the printer can go?
[  ] Hang Florida Water, the painting by J on the wall (with help and a level)
[  ] Move the shower chair back into the shower
[  ] Move the second shower chair into the attic
[  ] Move the headboard into the attic (with help)
[  ] Possibly sweep the upstairs hallway
[  ] Sweep my room
[X] Get dirty clothes into a bag to bring downstairs this weekend to wash
[  ] Put away as much clothing as possible
[  ] Put away as many art supplies as possible
[  ] Clean off the top shelf of my bookshelf to put more books up there
[X] Meditation time
[X] Change over the calendar to October (I can barely reach the damn thing!)
[  ] Possibly relocate the calendar to somewhere easier to access
[  ] Clean up the bags in front of the bookshelf
[  ] Find a spot for the “spare” yarn thing
[  ] Ask Owl what to do with the rug or how to successfully put it down
[X] Set up small lamp on my desk
X] Apply to three more jobs
[  ] Get the box of boxes downstairs to go to Single Tail Soap’s office
[  ] Reconfigure the purple velvet chair space to make it work better in the room
[X] Cuddle Owl
[  ] Possibly make kielbasa and potato soup in the slow cooker
[X] Nap if I need it
[X] Work on Uncle Mark’s Two Tone Throw some more
[  ] Unpack at least one more box or bag and put everything away
[X] Shower
[X] Eat at least two meals
[  ] Debate on coloring hair red (with help)
[  ] Ask Owl if we have more hangers somewhere.    
     [  ] If not, possibly ask her to order more to put more clothes away
     [  ] Or, alternatively, add a bunch of hangers to the things to grab from Madison when we go up in a few weeks

Hopefully I will get a goodly amount done before I go hang out with Bear tomorrow afternoon. We plan to go to Portillo’s for lunch and maybe go chill at his place.

Well, I need sleep.

Take your meds, folks.

15,083 Days Alive

83 Applications Submitted

3 Days Since My Last Interview

My roommate Miah is away for another day or so and their dear kitty, Gracie, has decided I am an adequate substitute for affection. She’s a tiny, loud, adorable little ball of fluff and will head butt you for attention.

In other news, the yarn for Owl’s and my shawls came in today! Mad Scientist and Spooky Nightmare from Hobbii yarn. I have already found the perfect pattern to make the shawls out of; however, Uncle Mark’s two-tone throw really needs to be finished.

Unfortunately, I am utterly exhausted today. Bad pain day made everything just hard enough that I ended up needing a nap by three. It is likely a combination of the fibromyalgia flare, depression, and the goddamned anemia just all kicking my ass. I wish I was better.

No word yet from the law office I applied to be a legal assistant at. I plan to follow up with their HR person tomorrow morning via email.

I have a lot to do tomorrow and Friday. This includes, but is in no way limited to:

• Strip my bed
• Put on the new mattress topper on my bed
• Bring the clean sheets and laundry upstairs
• Make as copy for advertisements for the amazing Owl
• Put the clean sheets on my bed
• Put my dirty sheets and blanket into a laundry bag
• Put Star Quilt from Sparrow on my bed
• Put away my clean laundry
• Bring in my other clothes from my vehicle
• Bring in everything from the back seat of my vehicle
• Bring everything from my vehicle upstairs
• Haul the printer downstairs
• Help Owl figure out where the printer can go?
• Hang Florida Water, the painting by J on the wall (with help and a level)
• Move the shower chair into the attic
• Move the headboard into the attic (with help)
• Possibly sweep the upstairs hallway
• Sweep my room
• Get dirty clothes into a bag to bring downstairs this weekend to wash
• Put away as much clothing as possible
• Put away as many art supplies as possible
• Clean off the top shelf of my bookshelf to put more books up there
• Meditation time
• Change over the calendar to October (I can barely reach the damn thing!)
• Possibly relocate the calendar to somewhere easier to access
• Clean up the bags in front of the bookshelf
• Find a spot for the “spare” yarn thing
• Ask Owl what to do with the rug or how to successfully put it down
• Set up small lamp on my desk
• Apply to three more jobs
• Get the box of boxes downstairs to go to Single Tail Soap’s office
• Reconfigure the purple velvet chair space to make it work better in the room
• Cuddle Owl
• Possibly make kielbasa and potato soup in the slow cooker
• Nap if I need it
• Work on Uncle Mark’s Two Tone Throw some more
• Unpack at least one more box or bag and put everything away
• Shower
• Eat at least two meals
• Debate on coloring hair red (with help)
• Ask Owl if we have more hangers somewhere
  • If not, possibly ask her to order more to put more clothes away
  • Or, alternatively, add a bunch of hangers to the things to grab from Madison when we go up in a few weeks

Anyway, I am fighting to stay awake, so I am going to bed.

Take your meds, folks.

What’s a country that’s at the top of your bucket list?

The country at the top of my bucket list is Ireland. Also on the list are Scotland, Norway, Canada, England, Rome, and Mexico.

15,081 Days Alive

19 Minutes One Way to My Job Interview

3 Candles Lit in Prayer

My interview at a local law firm went excellent this morning. I should know by Wednesday if and where I would be working at this place. Everyone wish me luck!

One thing I would really like about this job is that it has a casual dress code. No crop tops, hair brushed, and no holes in one’s jeans seem to be the basic rules. They are very informal since they aren’t client-facing, which means I can have fun-colored hair.

We are going to the library this evening. Goblyn and their friends have a library-sponsored D&D game to attend and Owl and I will wander the stacks.

Anyone want to guess how many books I end up taking home with me, even though I already have half a dozen books at home from my visit to the same library yesterday with Bear? (Edit: another six books! Ha!)

I may just have soup for dinner if neither Owl nor I are up to cooking dinner tonight after the library visit. I am already tired and we haven’t even left yet!

I am getting close to finishing the third repeat of eight on Uncle Mark’s Two Tone Throw. It’s just taking me forever to finish.

Anyway, I am going to crochet before we leave for the library.

Take your meds, folks.

15,080 Days Alive

I have an interview tomorrow at a local law firm. I really hope I get the job. I dont do well without the structure a job provides. I feel at loose ends.

Owl and I took all three dogs, CJ, Kaylee, and the puppy Pippi, to the dog park today. Things I learned: I still am not a dog person, I still do not tolerate prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, and Owl and I give off hell gay vibes by accident. Heh.

The dogs loved getting to run around. I think it will be a nicer experience for me in winter, when there, theoretically at least, isn’t as much mud from freestanding water. Also, it was rather warm today and as my recent trip to Florida can attest, I don’t do well in very hot weather. I mean, with the climate changing as much as it is, I suppose I should get ready for some hellacious summers even here in the Midwest.

Well, I should head to bed now. I have to get up early enough to shower, put on makeup, get dressed, and leave by 0925-0930 or so.

Take your meds, folks.

15,079 Days Alive

6 Library Books Checked Out with My New Library Card

4 Glasses of Diet Coke at Lunch

1 Awesome Afternoon Date with Bear

I slept in a bit today. I knew I had the lu ch date with Bear at two p.m. so I kind of just… chilled with Owl.

For those who are new here, my partner Owl and I are a polyamorous. I haven’t really bothered to define our relationship beyond that we love one another, I consider her both my primary and nesting partner, and I really like cuddling with her. That is likely a conversation we should have soon. I know she has at least one other partner right now, but as of now we are dating separately. Darling Gobyln, her teenager, enjoys loudly, uh, whispering? Hissing? The word “lesbians” every time we do something affectionate. Teenagers are a riot.

I’m up a bit late this evening watching the Great British Baking Show. Owl and I are just sharing space, relaxing. I’m working on a new coloring page; I almost grabbed one of the pages from a book I found at Goodwill today.

Bear and I went to Denny’s for lunch today. It was really great to meet him offline. Conversation flowed naturally and he was hilarious. And, in a move straight into my good graces, he took me to the local library to get my library card! I only ended up checking out six books, which is a small amount for me, but it was still a total triple punch of dopamine, oxytocin, and endorphins. Between lunch, the library, and going to Goodwill with Bear, I had a blast. And he’s a great hugger, too!

The local library branch also has this awesome Stargate-looking sculpture outside of it. I’ll have to snap a picture next time I am there.

I do need to get some ruby chocolate and bookmarks here soon. Ruby chocolate to share with both Owl and with Bear, as I think they would both find it interesting in their own ways. Owl might like the fruity notes it naturally has and Bear enjoys white chocolate, so he’d probably like it. And I want bookmarks because I am trying to read more of my physical book collection, as well as use the library as often as I can.

I’m off to either crochet some more or color some more before bed.

Take your meds, folks.

Tell us about your morning routine.

My morning routine is to avoid the early morning as much as possible. I don’t like being awake before the sun at all. This morning was a bit different, what with an interview this morning and all that stuff. But, my standard morning is meds, hit snooze at least once, and eventually pull myself from bed.

15,077 Days Alive

>12 Hours Until My Interview

1 Very Bad Pain Day

I got up before seven this morning to make sure Owl was awake on time for a meeting she had at way too early in the morning. Then, I laid down to catch a little more sleep. And then a thunderclap headache ripped me from sleep.

I don’t know what prompted it. I tried hot tea, generic Tylenol, a Coke, zero, and a little bit of something to eat. But the thunderclap heading out of nowhere while I was asleep was pretty annoying. No one likes waking up to stabbing pain in the brain.

Hopefully, I will sleep better this evening. I have an interview in less than twelve hours with a local law office. Their location is only about twenty minutes door-to-door. I am also still putting in applications on the Indeed website, as well as Zip Recruiter. Monster seems to have gone the way of the dodo. And Glassdoor is just owned by Indeed now. Jobhunting is awful. The market is awful and gas prices are sky high.

Anyway, I need to get some sleep. One can hope that I am able to sleep through the night and not wake up to a stabbing brain pain.

Take your meds, folks!

15,076 Days Alive

Short entry tonight as I am still neck-deep in a fibromyalgia flare because of my trip.

Between the heat, the physical exertion, and the emotional exhaustion,  it make take me the better part of this week to stop fighting off mid day naps.

I spent some of today focused on work stuff. But honestly, I was basically just going through the motions o of trying to be functional. I did finish another page in the coloring book I received as a graduation gift.

I am for bed.

Take your meds, folks.