Its been a while

Well, Steve and I got married almost two years ago now! It's been fun, the wedding was awesome and full of drama (not on my part this time!)

I've been using my time since to try and launch my business with the Illustration, doing shows with the amazing and talented Katie, selling online and currently helping out with a fellow Etsy shop owner running a laser cutter!

Since I posted we've been to Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Mexico 2x, Iceland and Japan! Hot damn!

Cooper Gerbil Sidekick has passed over the rainbow bridge, as have Tamale and Fajita. I also had a super sweet blazed girl named Nacho who departed, but still have the naked Chalupa, Torta and Quest the rex. Sweet sweet girls! Pickles and Castor Troy Nicoli Tesla are doing well, being jerks and what not. The garden got severely neglected, but I have been resurrecting it recently and Bam! More spider plants then ever! I nearly lost the fern but have some shoots, lost the wondering Jew, but I had given cuttings to Teri and Don, who gave Cuttings to mom, who gave me new cuttings! Jen's plant lives!!! Joann's beasts are still going strong.

I'm actually happy :3 like for realsies. It's kinda nice. I need to post more happy shit!

Happy Near Year!

What a year it has been! my first year since I was 18 that was retail management free! Holy cow. Handsome Gentleman Friend and I have been on so many adventures (which you can check out at Dr Mookie Loves Blog) and I have never been so grateful. My family is amazing and helped me through school and helping me not be devistated by debt of said school and that also falls into my gratefullness. (not a well constructed sentence but what ever!)

I bought a goldfish, his name is Tuttle and he is adorable. I started him a blog (the old goldfish experiment blog) and it has ruffled some feathers. People are so quick to assume that someone has no idea what their doing or is out for evil without even reading or looking into the matter. /its amazing and would have been devastating to me before but now I guess I'm finally growing up because they can all suck a huge bag of dicks. Anywho, Tuttle is adorable and Im watching his growth, and posting pictures to show how fast a cute little comet can grow out of a 10 gallon tank. Why a 10 gallon? Well 10 is the most common sized tank available. This also makes it the cheapest tank to get. The common lore is goldfish live in bowls, which I'm sorry is wrong. get a betta.*bettas do better in bigger tanks too but will be much less of a hassel and fewer tears then a goldie*

Many goldfish enthusiasts and keepers go by 2 gallons of water per inch of goldfish. This is the school I tend to subscribe to, and have had many goldies live to be over 10 years and over 10 inches long. Now many keepers spout the "Goldfish love 20+ years and grow over 12 inches".I have quoted this. But in my experience and in polling true goldie keepers, this isn't the truth. I'm not saying it CAN'T happen, it totally can and you need to be prepared for it, especially is the fish you won at the carnival ended being a koi hybrid, but if your a pet owner who's PET passes away at 6 or 7 years and was only 7 inches long you may feel like a failure, and this is far from the truth. You are a great keeper and honestly your pet had ordinary genetics.

This leads back to the 10 gallon tank. I recently heard a smart man say "If you have a solution and people aren't willing to do it then its not a solution." So true, People scream at new fish owners "You need a pond!""!00 gallon tank per fish!!" "Its just gunna die anyway" and this is a horrible way to try and educate people about the MOST POPULAR PET IN THE WORLD. I agree the bowl is not a way to go, but perhaps I can convince a bowl person to switch to a 10 gallon tank and see how beautiful and healthy their pet can be!and yes, most of the fish will grow out of it. but by then their owners will hopefully be hooked on the hobby and be ready for more tank space. Or they find them a pond to live in, Either way a 10 gallon tank is cheaper then many of the critter keepers and so is easier to convince an owner to get, and is more space for the pet.Win win? I think so.

Anyways, after that pet rant.This year has already been awesome! We went rang it in with an N64 showdown. On the first went to a fantastic party at Leo and Michaels, On the second saw Heather Cesar and KJ, and yesterday saw Dinosaurs with the Aunts and Teri and Don! Im a spoiled rotten girl and am so happy

Pet Update, and Pictures from Academ of Science

Meet Phillip J Fry. I was bad and splurged on a betta boy. He's really pretty, and so fiesty which is uncommon anymore with the petshop guys. He's in my 2Lfor quarentine since the last 4 poor guys I picked up from evil corporate petshop all died from velvet and infections. Im not dealing with velvet in a bigger tank.That is velvet? a parasitic infestation, kinda like fish fleas but deadly.. and so microscopic they look like orangy velvet on the fish. Its a pain to get rid of. But anyway, I had a Facebook poll to name him and Phil just seemed right, Captain Purplesides was also a big contender. Pickles is great, though not pictured. Castor is a jerk and healthy, but loving, and the girls have started playing and digging at night which is keeping me up, so I will have to play with them more during the day. I took their hidey house, punched some holes in it and secured it to the roof of the cage, for their enjoyment, which they really do enjoy. 

While mom was staying I made Pancake muffins. The joy of these muffins is they have the syrup already mixed in, and you can add any mix ins you want in the muffin tins. I made berry, coconut, chocolate chip and pumpkin spice. So yummy. 

Easy Baked Pancake Muffins

Make about 16-18 muffins

Ingredients

2 cups pancake mix

2/3 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup maple  syrup

optional mix-ins (1-2 TBLS per muffin)

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Super easy!

So I had posted before that Handsome took Mom and I to the Academy of Sciences for Nightlife a bit ago, so here are some pictures!! 

The bear is Monarch, the male bear who posed for the California State Flag. Also shown an extinct passenger pigeon and extinct Carolina Parakeet

Pet Update-With Pictures!

First I'll start off with the new girls, Fajita and Tamale!!

Fajita is a black birkshire, aka she's all black with white paws and belly. She's shy but sweet and is the nest builder. Tamale is a hooded and is much bolder and seems to enjoy my company more at the moment. She's also the chewer, and will be the destroyer of hammocks. 

Castor and Pickles

They are good. Wait, they are HEALTHY, and SATISFIED with themselves, mostly about destroying my house. Also all last night Pickles was clawing at my door because he goes through moments of obsession about the rats then, like now, he doesnt care at all. Castor is currently curled up on my lap, but his dumpster diving Im about done with.... But I love them.

Goldie Hawn doesnt have any current pictures, but she's good. I love Bettas so much!!

Garden, Pets, IBC

So much life has been happening! Phew! My cousin Jeff got married on 2 week notice, Handsome and I: hung out with my mama, planted the hop rhizomes, went to the IBC-International Betta Congress, went to San Jose for the 4th, went to Sac to Fleas Bday, and this weekend are headed to Tahoe for my Aunts Bday :3 holy sniznits!!!

My Small Spaces garden is going nuts! Potatoes are should signs of.. Potatoes.. Radishes are edible (actually really good) tomatoes are green and strong, and my Basket of Fire peppers are hot a nom nom good! 

Baby hops!!

Goldie Han my baby gold cellophane betta girl :3

Oh ya, he got a dehyrdator as well :3

Hale Bop... 

Ok! More to come!!