Web Updates & Recent News
Life has been nonstop for the past few years and I have fallen behind on my usual sharing, be it on one of my many websites or social media channels. These days I primarily make videos because it’s the only medium that can seem to keep up with me, but I’m trying to slow down and return to writing and blogging. The slower process helps me to reflect, clear my mind, organize my thoughts and memories, plus it’s so much easier to reference when I want to revisit something from the past. So here I am, currently working on major website renovations for this blog and several others.
Website News
I’m in the process of reimaging and reorganizing this blog. A lot of things have changed and will change as I continue to simplify, archive, and update almost two decades of content. At the moment I’m planning for the main focus of this blog to be a Travel & Lifestyle blog. This site has served as an online scrapbook of sorts for many years but the main things I like to post about are my travel adventures, special memories, house projects, and misc. writings and reflections.
General News
- Too many projects to list, but I’m focusing mostly on house, website, and game development projects at the moment.
- My next digital photography class starts in July so I’m working on a few changes to my course.
- I’m collaborating on a Photo Ethics game project. We just received notification that our presentation proposal was accepted for the 2025 IVLA conference in Mexico this October. Exciting!
House Projects
Karl and I are still split between two homes. We are expecting that we will most likely continue residing in Ohio but we don’t want to sell our home in Anniston, Alabama so I’ve been working on fixing it up to rent as a short term rental when we’re not in town. The work has taken a lot longer than expected but we NEED to start renting our Alabama house before the end of the year so we’re trying our best to prioritize getting work done. It’s been slow because of all my traveling and Karl’s work schedule and location. Thus far it seems like he works in Alabama almost half the year but when he’s in Alabama he’s always incredibly busy with work.
Rec Room Tiki Transformation
I recently finished all the major painting in our Rec Rom Tiki Room transformation. The most recent touched were painting the ceiling and adding window cling to the side windows. I love how it turned out. Here’s a peek at home it turned out.
@asongofjoy Just finished the ceiling in my tiki room. What an improvement! #cktikiroom #tiki #dance #shiatra #interiordesign #fyp
Space Room Updates
I’m currently painting our space themed guest room’s walls. We’ve had a giant stick-on space mural on one wall for several years but I wanted to make the room extra special by painting the rest of the walls to go with the theme. I am mostly done but have a little more detail to do and some color matching. Check out the following video for a look at home it’s coming along.
@mistnlove Space Room painting fun. Day 2. 5/24/25 | Anniston, Alabama. #dance #ckspaceroom #interiorartist #art #artist #fyp
Recent Events
Beach Getaway with Alex to Panama City Beach (June)
My heart was so happy to run away to Panama City Beach, Florida for about a week. The vacation started of rough. I was sick for the first four days, my car broke down on the way down and I had to spend $400 to replace some parts, and I had a few really rough days with Alex who’s PTSD was triggered by the car stress, but the last few days were lovely. PCB has become one of my favorite places to go to relax and this was my first time getting to share my favorite places with Alex. Some highlights included spotting dolphins on a sunset cruise, playing with critters on a private beach in the bay, animal fun at Zooworld, camping at St. Andrews State Park, and making dance videos with a crab.
Georgia Renaissance Festival with Karl and Alex (May)
The three of us attended the Georgia Renaissance Festival together on May 25. Karl and I have been countless times, and I took Alex for the first time last year, but this was our first time going together so it was a special memory for me. I was on a mission to replace a teal Goddess Dress that was lost while traveling earlier in the year. The vendor sadly did not have the color I was hoping for but they did have the same dress style in red. I still really want a teal one but the red dress will go with my pirate costume, and I am also planning to use it for a fire goddess/phoenix outfit. Our highlights from the festival were the food (turkey leg, gazpacho, chocolate covered banana, roasted corn, etc) and a Birds of Prey show.
ICB (Institute for Conscious Being) Intensive Retreat (May)
In May, Karl and I attended his first, and my fourth, ICB Intensive Retreat, a 3 day spiritual retreat at Camp McDowell in Navoo, Alabama. We had a great time and I was super happy to get to share the experience with Karl.
Roadtrip/Spiritual Pilgrimage Out West (March-April)
I spent the months of March and April on a major road trip/spiritual pilgrimage out west. Karl and I drove from Bellefontaine, Ohio to Reno, Nevada for the national Society for Photographic Education conference where I was a presenter, exhibitor, and officer. I led a game-based learning workshop, and Karl manned the Blackwater Buccaneers booth where we were selling Lumen and showing off a few other game projects. Afterwards we drove down to Vegas where Karl and I celebrated my birthday together a bit early before he flew home to Ohio to return to work. Afterwards I headed south to Sedona, Arizona for a Spiritual Conference I treated myself to for my birthday. About a week later Alex drove out to join me for the remainder of the trip. Alex had been dreaming of getting me out to Arizona, specifically Payson and Apache Junction–two of his favorite places, since I first met him so it was very special to get to complete that objective.
I’ll eventually post photos and blogs about the trip once I get caught up on more pressing matters but here are a few of the highlights:
- I visited 15 states during my 2 months and 3 days on the road! Most of my time was spent in Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and New Mexico.
- First time in Arizona and New Mexico
- Nevada
- Presenting & exhibiting at SPE National Conference in Reno, Nevada with Karl
- Celebrating my birthday early with Karl in Las Vegas. We stayed at the Luxor and attended a show at the Sphere.
- Red Rock Conservation Area (It was beautiful, but my car was broken into and my pro camera stolen so that was a huge bummer.)
- Arizona (Arizona was by far my favorite state out of the ones I visited.)
- Attending my first spiritual conference–Sedona Ascension Retreat in Sedona, Arizona. I was especially excited to see Daryll Anka channel Bashar.
- Desert camping in Apache Junction
- Saguaro National Park
- Grand Canyon
- Several other national monuments, Lowell Observatory, a private sound healing session, Oak Creek Canyon, and more.
- Utah
- Zion National Park & Bryce Canyon National Park
- Accidentally booked a room in a hotel that used to be a Mormon Cult Leaders mansion. 😅
- New Mexico
- Meow Wolf Santa Fe
- Visiting Karl’s sister Amy in Socorro
- Petroglyph National Monument
- Texas
- Meow Wolf Grapevine (Fort Worth)
- Meow Wolf Houston
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