Scrapbooking irl

Last night I wrote a long entry, then immediately chickened out and removed it, due to a combination of not wanting to jinx it, and a learnt-tendency to be wary of what I share in public. So it's time to do my best to sum it up and see if that helps. 

1. Most of the realistic things in my life are as good as can be. There's no world peace and I'm not in a healthy weight, but the realistic things that can make one's daily life either a misery or a smooth, lovely joy, are all on the good side and have been for a while. This is when, were I the type, I'd knock on wood. 
2. It's been almost a year of having this new love, and his kids, and his derpy cat, and all of those make me happy and relaxed, and give me meaning.
3. A toxic presence that's been in my life for a few decades is gone - probably the biggest, deepest negative influence on my life. It being gone feels like both winning the lottery and being on a relaxing vacation; there's nothing to fear. I've been afraid all my life and there's no need to be anymore. This is... it's wonderful. It's so good.
4. My current, surprising passtime is scrapbooking. I didn't mean to; I just wanted to get some sparkly stickers and suddenly there's enough washi tape here to wrap a castle. After a decade of being exclusively digital and in 3D, working with my actual fingers, with scissors and paint, feels oddly satisfying. 
5. The one thing I really miss is a regular excuse to do Warcraft-Blender art. Just like with writing and even scrapbooking, I enjoy the craft (the act of creating) but have nothing of my own to create; when someone pays be to do it I feel obligated, and free because it's not my concept that needs depicting (I hardly ever have 'concepts' worth depicting, scrapping or even writing). Having neglected by Blender art presence (and playing Warcraft), there's no commissions coming in - hence no drive to Blender - so no excuse to indulge in my hobby of playing with models in 3D, problem solving composition and lighting, wrestling with Eevee's transparency / depth of field adventure - and streaming; I wish I knew why I can't bring myself to do it, even though I miss it and love it. That's one for therapy, I guess.

Those are the updates. Very happy, very relaxed, free of stress or fear, lacking excuse to Blender. Mostly fulfilled ('fulfillment', it turns out, can be managing a 5-person household; but for me it's teaching Blender on streams, or doing commissions while teaching, and I really miss it). Still fat. Having daily bursts of bliss with the local cat. Scrapbooking mostly to use the pretty things I got, but (as usual) without a solid concept). Got back in regular touch with some real-life friends - the upside of living in the country I grew up in - and it feels alive and real and healthy and lovely. My man is the biggest Pratchett fan I've ever met, and Pratchett-themed pillow talk is the joy I never knew I wanted in my life, and it's been like that for a year. And I'm studying calligraphy and stock investments (yes, really). Life is... it's... I'd be very happy if it just went on like this, unchanged, for many years. 

One scrap for Jack, aka Nico the Cartographer, and one for a memory from 2003; all just an excuse to use cute stickers.