I’d to give some kind of glamorous update to why I’ve been quiet the last few weeks, like, some kind of salacious caravan to a bohemian colony in Cali, but alas, I’ve been working.  And writing.  And I started my “2019 Half-Marathon Training Program” by buying fleece lined pants and a headband.  So, that’s going well.  It’s hard to get the ol’ motor going when it’s 28 degrees outside and you’re camped out under a heated blanket.  I did go for a run the other day to test out said pants and it wasn’t bad.  In fact, it was my 3rd fastest run for that distance namely because my lips were getting chapped and my nose was running.

It’s progress and I’ll take it.

Meanwhile, I got the “official” diagnosis that I’m depressed.  Yeah.  I wasn’t surprised either.  So, now I’m depressed and anxious.  Basically I’m Squidward.  In all seriousness, it was really bad there for awhile: I would get off work, lay in bed, and cry.  I cried when I had to leave the house because I didn’t want to talk to people.  I didn’t want to run or workout.  I’d sleep during my lunch breaks at work.  I made a doctor’s appointment and got put on more medication, which I really feel was the right choice for me, because I need to snap out of it.  The ONLY PROBLEM with meds for mental health is that they can take 3-4 weeks to kick in.

Soooooo, then I went from being depressed and anxious, to paranoid and anxious.  Boy was that a trip.  I was perky, but kind of….well, kind of like a Chihuahua.  You know, shaky, small, and mean.  Spoiler: I’m fine now.  It kicked in after four weeks and I AM ME AGAIN!  You know, just weird now.  Not depressed and weird.  Regular weird.

Anyway, I’d discovered that my iPhone has a podcast app on it.  I mean, I’ve only had an iPhone for like, eight years, and I’ve just now figured out podcasts.  I know.  As my kids point out, I WAS born in the last century, after all, so forgive my slow adaptation to technology.  I’d been listening to a fabulous true crime podcast and I loved it.  Until I got depressed.  Then I got paranoid and was afraid to go out running because someone might be hiding in the woods just waiting for me to lumber past.  Or a Squatch.  You never know.
And then I found the greatest podcast ever.

The Brothers Commonplace.  I was trying to find a podcast about the Dyatlov Pass incident (more on that later, but I’m infatuated with this and NEED TO SOLVE IT) and looked it up on iTunes.  These dudes showed up with an episode.
If you’re looking for serious, true crime, this is not the podcast for you.  This is dark humor.  This is literally laughing hysterically at the dark stuff.  Would my Sunday School teacher in third grade approve of this?  No she would not.  She also did not approve of me because I talked/ran in church BUT I TURNED OUT FINE, MRS. HARDY.  This is dropping the F bomb like it’s a comma and laughing and things you probably shouldn’t.  But you do.  Because it’s hilarious.

And they’re from Ohio, which is sweet, because I too once lived in Ohio (what’s up, Ashtabula County??!).  Plus, they’re roughly my age (probably younger, ahem), so I understand and relate to their references and it makes me unreasonably happy.  Examples for my fellow 90s kids: Family Matters.  the Sandlot, Boy Meets World.  Pogs.  Okay, that’s four examples, but look, I know you all were watching TGIF with me.  You know what I’m talking about.  YOU MISS IT TOO.

These guys rock.  Do yourself a favor (unless you are easily offended, then you might want to skip it…) and look them up on iTunes.  Or whatever podcast app you use; I am unlearned in this and have no idea what’s out there.  Look, I’m an only child.  I have claim these guys as my brothers and you need to check them out.  You’ll laugh at the dark stuff.  #wildman  #thankyoumark #tbronutsack #laughatthedarkstuff

I guess that’s about it from this side of the looney bin.  Who all is with me in waiting for Avengers: Endgame???  I’m underwhelmed by Captain Marvel.  I’m overly anxious to see what happens to Tony in space.  Cap shaved his beard; that’s a damn shame.  Black Widow is still blonde; also a damn shame.  Wake me up when Bucky Barnes shows up.  I bought myself an Avengers Advent Calendar, upon which I get a new pair of Avengers socks each day leading up to Christmas.  Ho ho ho.  I had on pink Iron Man socks today.  Revolutionary.

Things I’m behind in: my newsletter, my diet, going to the dentist, and blogging

Things I’m not behind in: writing, wearing cute socks, avoiding the dentist, hair care.

I’m going to try to get back on, you know, that big fancy writing schedule I set up in October and then promptly put down and covered up with junk mail.  I mean, the New Year is right around the corner and what do I have to show for it???  No new tattoos!  No book almost ready to publish!!  The only thing I can think of at this point is “gotta catch ’em all” which…well, that’s kind of appropriate.  Time to get stuff done!!

Or I’ll just listen to The Brothers Commonplace.  Seriously, Tim’s “holy shit” has become the soundtrack to my life.  #wildman