Hella Stella

It's fall!!!! I am so relieved this summer is behind me. It's been a big one: we bought and renovated a house, my BH graduated, we got a second dog.... But MAN am I glad to move forward.

Mostly I'm just glad I don't have lay any more wood floors. Never again.

This weekend we're going to try canning for the first time. I don't know what to start with, and I only have a book to guide me, but I'm really excited. Maybe apple sauce is nice and easy? Does anyone out there have advice for a first time canner?

We've also managed to save enough money to buy ourselves a television. You know, after we gave our other one away so we didn't have to move it. In hindsight, we might have been a little hasty with our desire to de-clutter.... But now we get a fancy new TV! I'm going to celebrate by setting it up and watching some Harry Potter.

It's funny, but I never really grew up with much TV. We didn't have cable, and the reception sucked, so we opted for other activities.... And yet, I am stupidly excited for something fancy and big. And flat! With great resolution! Okay, I'll stop. For now. BUT I'M EXCITED.

This month seems to be the Month of Babies. We know so many pregnant people, and everyone is due soon. Guess I'll have to start stalking Etsy for adorable onesies again.

What are you doing to celebrate fall? Are you happy, or sad that summer is (nearly) over?

Today I found out what my work schedule will look like over the next six months, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a mini panic attack right there in the board room.

The days of saying I have a pretty chill job are OVAH, my dear readers. Bring the crazy. This may kill my songwriting mojo for good.

In order to distract myself from the impending meltdown, I'd like to direct you all to my good friend XUP's blog. She needs help with a letter from a reader, and it's really too good not to check out. That's not gay talk, that's natural talk. (You'll have to read the post to get it) (It's really worth it, I promise)

Isn't the internet amazing? All the psychos you try to avoid in everyday life, funneled into your inbox.

But seriously, speaking of the internets, I'm starting to notice a trend. I've got more and more friends dropping off Facebook, leaving their blogs, unplugging themselves from the world wide web. At the same time, sites like Twitter are exploding (admittedly, I still don't get the appeal of this one), and iPhones / Blackberries see to it that people are never more than a click away from their mail.

Where's the balance? Where are we headed?

I think I could go either way. Right now, I love me some technology. I like having access to my e-mail, my blog, my other sites and my friends with the touch of a button or two.

However, if I ever felt that I had one too many trolls, or one too many psychotic e-mails, I would consider changing my lifestyle dramatically. Kill the sites, shut down the account, and get by with the basics. I've done it before in the face of The Crazy, and I would do it again. No regrets.

I know that I've been warned of certain creeps by my friends online, and I've warned others. Generally, it's manageable with a good community and a beefy stat counter.

What about you? Stalkers and creeps are an unfortunate part of the internet... But how much is too much? What would make you unplug? Where is your line between funny / strange / scary?