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Most of today was spent prepping dinner for Jenny Weinbloom and Jenny Lim to share dinner at my house. I cleaned everything up, bought ingredients (I made japchae and Korean spicy soup), and made everything. It was a lot of fun, although I'm a little jealous that they seem to have a stronger network here than I did when I moved here and still do. But I supposed they've been in the industry longer than me and are also working in person. Well, Jenny Lim isn't, so I suppose I should check in on her from time to time.  We spend the night sharing, oo-ing, and awe-ing over horror stories that have happened to us: Jenny Weinbloom about human trafficking tenants and me about my crawlspace creep. I feel bad because apparently it was really cold in the house and I didn't even notice, and then the house refused to warm up until AFTER they had left. Now it's cold again... I also spent almost 3 hours on the phone with Jamie, AND I completed the block document for chapters 17-21 ...

Twice a year the big flea market in Mt. Dora does a really big version. The event (or location?) is called Rennigers. Today was the first day of it's first event (it's a 3-day event). Bryan invited me to go up with him, and we left around 9:45am. It was fun, even though it started raining again in the afternoon; and I bought a pair of earrings, elephant planter, and 9x9 baking pan for Oma's apple cake. This was a table I really liked at the market. If I had a wood shop, I could make it. The elephant planter, looking fabulous. It's the same one we had growing up! Then we went to Mt. Dora and got drinks at an upstairs cafe. He got a lavender latte, which he didn't like, and I got a lavender steamer, which was delicious. We wandered over to the park with the boardwalk and lighthouse. It's the smallest lighthouse I've ever seen. Not sure if it was ever functional, but it's on a "port" where boats dock, so maybe. We saw an anhinga eating a big fish ...

Sitting at The Whiskey on Sand Lake, waiting for Bryan. I took myself to Epcot, where it rained, and spent the entire day on the phone. Sea World Nick's finally hit wall with his Jeff problems and has accepted that he needs to see a counselor. That's good. Hopefully, Melody and I can become friends in the process.  We'll go go Magic Kingdom next to see the Country Bears before they're gone, but it feels good to not be at Disney for a second, even if it meant having to drive all the way back to Sand Lake and then drive back again.  No photos today.  LATER ADDITION: Despite it being really damp, rainy, cold, and puddly; and despite Bryan and I both being really tired (possibly because of drinking whiskey and wine, but also possibly because I was emotionally drained), Bryan and I somehow went on 10 rides at Magic Kingdom in 3 hours and closed out the park.  We didn't realize this until we were talking in the car later because we weren't rushing or even aiming to do...

The last time I posted was last year in January, sheesh. And I remember that day vividly. I was inside a little cafe off Colonial and Mills, writing on my iPad. I swear that was only a few months ago, not a year.  I keep oscillating between writing in my physical journal or online, and the result is that I write in neither. So although I'd like to write in my tangible journal (and not on this outdated P.O.S.), something is better than nothing.  This is a simple update. Today (on my 18th [week]day of unemployment), I cut the pieces for the stained glass work I'm making in class (I signed up for a 4-week class at The Stained Glass House in off Virginia in Orlando. This was week 2), I went to Epcot with Bryan and Luka during the day (it's the first week of the Festival of the Arts -- or FARTS, as I like to call it), and (almost) finished the 21st chapter of my book. I've been stuck in revision mode for the past few months; but I've been making myself write a few pages ...