The Good, The Bad, and the Totally Amazing
December Morning in Montana
It’s a new year, an unless you’ve been living in a cave up in the Cabinets of Montana and don’t have access to TV/Cable/Radio/Podcast/YouTube you’ve been bombarded with news reports of that. All sorts of things start to happen at the beginning of the year. For some insane reason, I always feel winter is half over, when in reality it’s only JUST started! I like my theory better, and I LOVE the winter season. Unfortunately this year in Montana, there has been little to no snow here in the Missoula Valley. I was kinda hoping there would be the reported 72” they had last year. It has been bitterly cold however, and that has made up for the 100F+ heat when we moved in! The typical January thaws begin and for those of us in the Great White North, we are insane enough to open up the house just long enough to push out the stale air and bring in a few moments of cool, clean fresh air. I love this, and when I did my First Day of the New Year Cleaning Session, all the windows were wide open and I danced in every room, moving energy around. It was yummy. I highly suggest this to everyone. I also suggest that if there are others in the house, tell them to bundle up.
Break is over for all the various sized the School People, and everyone is headed back to the daily grind. I have to say I missed our routine of school; of course I didn’t have to study for any of the classes, just help out as needed. I’m also back at this again with Army Guy for the Winter Session (an intensive 3 weeks) and Spring Semester. I’m also stepping up my duties as needed besides Official Book Carrier and Destroyer of Non-Communicative Situations with Professors. There is a certain Math course I’m going to be helping with note taking and praying that he doesn’t get the same professor as last semester. Right now we are in Ethics, and Army Guys is having fun comparing the questions to the Ferringi Rules of Acquisitions. The really sad part? It flipping working! Platypus also made it into the retail market this January. I am now also selling at The Bookstore at The University of Montana! I’m learning as I go what to do and even what NOT to do, but this far the experience has been fun. I literally started to sob when I made my first invoice the other day.
UC Art Fair Spring
So where does this put Platypus? Right where I want it to be of course! The weekends are full of sewing and creating and making beautiful Pouches with way cool Gadget purposes. I had an amazing time at the UC Holiday Art Fair in December and for the first time actually made a profit and recouped all of my fees and fabric purchases. Squee! I have also been asked back to the UC Spring Art Fair, April 19-21! You ‘becha I’m going to this! I met the most amazing lady, Annette, from Build For Fun. She makes the most beautiful jewelry with a Victorian theme. Steampunk Platypie take note: this gal LOVES to with with you folks in making items for your costumes! So, after you work the Platypus Store over, be sure to stop by her place and help her out too!
Ingrid with her namesake Ingrid Smartphone Pouch
Later this year, I will be participating in two races. The first is the Warrior Dash in North Bend, Washington, on July 21. They sell this race as “A mud-crawling, fire-leaping, extreme 5k run from Hell.” Oh I’m so all in for that! Both Army Guy and I are going to do this together, mainly to prove to ourselves we can, as well as to prove to the VA doctors they are totally full of crap. The next race after that will be The Dirty Dash here in Missoula, Montana. What caught me? This line, “The Dirty Dash is a mud run obstacle course where a military boot camp meets your inner five-year-old’s fantasy and subsequently converts boy to man and then man to swine.” Yup, all over that too. They also allow spectators to purchase water balloons and pelt you as you run by. I’m going to do this on September 15. Also, as a good Platypus Person, I am running these for charity. The Warrior Dash I’m running for The American Cancer Association for my magnificent Auntie Ingrid, who ran her own races and has come out a warrior herself. Army Guy is running for The Fisher House in hopes of helping Vets and their families be a strong unit no matter where they are. I’m thinking I’ll run for an animal cause of some sort for the Dirty Dash, I’ve just not figured that part out yet. So please, if you feel like sponsoring or donating to either cause, please email me and I’ll send you the donation links! Pretty, pretty, pretty please?
Well, thus far 2012 has been good and in many cases amazing. Just like I used to tell my students and still tell Army Guy: you start every class with an A+. It’s up to you as to whether or not you want to keep it. Well, it’s up to me as to whether or not I decided to make Platypus Pouches even better. But it’s sure does help when I have amazing Platypie People like you cheering me on!
