LOOKED UP: book stores in Tampa area

Get a map. Plan route.

Creative Loafing’s list of indie bookstores

Another list of book stores

Small Joys — pretty stamps

Day 255

Rabdom #: 27

Order new stamps

Fone. Nothing to photograph until they get here. I ordered Jimmy Carter, snow globe, and SpongeBob stamps, as well as sail boat stamps for post cards.

Small Joys — food similar to other food

Day 254

Random # 303

Try a new cuisine

Went to a Ukrainian restaurant last night. Had Russian meat dumplings and Ukrainian potato dumplings and a Georgian soda (like Sprite) and a honey cake. Shared with Nora. Good to catch up with her.

Small Joys — catch up yet again

Day 249

Rando #494

Support local music

Went to concert by two jazz ensembles at USF. Delightful. Also walked around campus, enjoyed a sunset.

Day 250

Rando #495

dinner at Barbara’s

Always a delight to get together with the Willetts. We had a yummy and healthy fish dish. Plus a fun cooperative game called Fate of the Lord of The Rings.

Day 251

Rando #409

Enjoy a Flamingocon

I wasn’t in charge. I volunteered and helped out, but mostly just chilled. I had agreed to promote a game called Dice Words. It was stupid. I gotta stop doing those. All in all it was fun. I’m excited to be part of Flamingocon and part of future plans. Got to see Mark and a Peter and Yves and Zack and Fred & Sara and Joe and Jessica briefly. And met lots of newcomers!

Day 252

Rando #416

Toast Bob Stevens

Remembering Bob on anniversary of his death. A good guy.

Small Joys — Memories

Day 253

Rando #349

Go through treasures from the attic 

Found a small treasure trove in my attic. Thank god for good plastic boxes with lids — kept these guys safe a long time in a Florida attic. I probably put them away so my kids wouldn’t touch them! I also probably didn’t intend for it to be 15+ years!

Left to Right:

1. Tigger. Given to me in my early 20s by a dear British friend who designated all her friends as 100 Acre Woods characters. She was Kanga; her husband really seemed like a grown-up Christopher Robin. I was bubbly and annoyingly energetic, so I was easily named. And I think a few years later, I used the Tigger nickname for my first email address! Hadn’t thought of that in years.

2. The small bunny in blue — aka Mr Blue Jeans — is 55 years old at a minimum. I don’t remember life before him. He’s named after Mr Green Jeans from Captain Kangaroo. I may have teared up when I found him. I vaguely knew these guys were in attic but it’s been a long time.

3. This is NOT just a Raggedy Ann doll, but a *hand-made* Raggedy Ann doll. Made by my mom’s friend Becky. For my 8th birthday I believe. Always wish I could’ve tracked down Becky, but her last name was too common. I should sew Ann a dress, poor thing. Probably has been naked 40 years or so!

4. Small brown bear is Pookie. From the Garfield comic strip. I acquired him late in college, probablybat the Waah U bookstore, but I don’t remember details. Pookie was my companion on a three-month post-graduation road trip through the American Southwest. In days before phone selfies, Pookie stood in for me in many photos. We will always have Taos, me and Pookie.

5. Orange bear, named Teddy. He’s same age as Mr Blue Jeans. Teddy bears were so much simpler in the ‘60s! He used to have a ribbon at his neck, but it got tattered, so it was cut off. Teddy and Mr Blue Jeans could’ve suffered smoke damage in a house fire in ‘75, but a bigger bear covered them. That bear, Peter Panda, had to go away. *sniff*

Recipes: British flapjacks

I want to try making flapjacks, from UK.

basic British flapjacks

I love oat cookies. This might be fun.

Earl Grey Flapjack with lemon from GBBO

Ins and Outs October

Ins:

1. adding good foods to diet: esp apples, roasted broccoli
2. drinking more water
3. sleeping
4. Busch Gardens walks
5. fuzzy socks
6. tea on the balcony
7. mailing out birthday cards
8. walking 2 miles a day with audio books
9. fiber
10. planning vacations with friends
11. reading
12. meditation
13. sourdough bread
14. flamingocon #30 and planning new things
15. Getting out and about in Tampa
16. financial planning
17. peter driving on his own
18. house hunting

Outs

1. political doom scrolling
2. processed sugar
3. John Hancock 401k
4. job stress
5. complicated clothes or Halloween costumes

UPDATE 10/1

Already accomplishing several today: Zoom meeting with financial planner; friend started vacation house hunt for a New Years get together; and I am going to a jazz concert tonight at the college (getting out and about in Tampa). Maybe I will go have tea on the balcony and read my book right this minute.

UPDATE 11/2:

Too many goals!

1. adding good foods to diet: esp apples, roasted broccoli — NOT ENOUGH
2. drinking more water — LESS THAN USUAL
3. sleeping — NO BETTER
4. Busch Gardens walks — NOT ONCE
5. fuzzy socks — NOPE
6. tea on the balcony — ok, one time
7. mailing out birthday cards — NOTHING NEW FROM PRIOR MONTH
8. walking 2 miles a day with audio books — NOT ONCE
9. fiber — LESS THAN USUAL
10. planning vacations with friends — DONE ✔️
11. reading — DONE ✔️
12. meditation — NOT MORE THAN PRIOR
13. sourdough bread — DONE ✔️
14. flamingocon #30 and planning new things — DONE ✔️
15. Getting out and about in Tampa — A LITTLE BIT
16. financial planning — DONE ✔️
17. peter driving on his own — NOPE
18. house hunting — YES! DONE ✔️ This took uk most of the focus of the month, so I forgive myself. Didn’t realize it’d be so successful so fast.

Outs

1. political doom scrolling — NOPE
2. processed sugar — WORSE
3. John Hancock 401k — NOT RESOLVED
4. job stress — WELL, less work than ever, and a decision to let go, so DONE ✔️
5. complicated clothes or Halloween costumes — DONE ✔️