i loved my little roadtrip... we actually didn't see the car museum at all lol but we did enjoy the antique mall next door! i got a really nice <a href="/journal2025/images/moonstonebracelet.jpg" target="_blank">moonstone bracelet</a>. all of my accessories, besides my earrings, over the years have been broken, or lost, so i'm building up my little collection again.<br>
i have a rule when i go antiquing... i only buy something if i remember it before i'm about to leave. if i leave it alone and forget about it... i'll forget about it when i bring it home too! but this bracelet i remembered. moonstone is one of my favorite gemstones, and i really liked the simple but elegant design of the bracelet. i wear it daily now.<br>
after we went antiquing we went for a walk in the fields. D took a nice <a href="/journal2025/images/barn.jpg" target="_blank">picture.</a> it was freezing out, but refreshing.
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we slept over at Ks house, then went for another hike in the woods nearby the next morning. i loved how much time i got to spend outside. really, i think if everything went downhill, and i lost everything i ever loved, i would just try and spend as much time in nature as possible. 
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i signed up for a portrait drawing class recently. very excited to improve my skills and get some feedback, i've been long overdue. the biggest downside to trying to self-teach is just i feel like you hit a plateau in being able to criticize yourself. either cuz you become complacent (won't deny being guilty of that) or your observation skills haven't yet exceeded your technical skills.
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i'm also really overdue to make some friends in this city. i do love the circle of friends i have D has introduced me to, but it'd be nice to make some of my own, instead of just being "adopted" into a friendgroup haha.
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and, it'll give me some quality time with D. we've been long overdue to reinvigorate our relationship. we've been going through the motions the last couple years, me being busy with work, school, trying to get my life together. my early 20s were either depressingly boring or extremely stressful. it's hard to have fun when you don't have money... or time. sure hiking is free. but it's not social, and not cheap if you have to rent a car. my friend K observed that, although hiking a lot is wonderful, we mostly did it a ton because we didn't have many other options when we were still living in the suburbs. 
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i've been feeling closer to D. today things are boring, but happily, and peacefully boring, a lucky kind of boring. we're following our life-scripts. up til now, i've neglected my relationship. but really, i've had to neglect everything regarding my personal life the last couple years. i've still been able to take breaks and have fun, but i've had too many days that were *just* work, school, chores. it's dry. all work and no play... i definetely feel like i stunted my unalienated self. it's painful to come back to drawing and realize i'm not quite as good as i remember. oh well, one day at a time.
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what else.. i need to make plans to see my family. my mom will be selling the house this year. which sucks, but is frankly a relief, as beautiful as it is it's quite the burden upon her financially (and it was a bad idea, from the very beginning unfortunately). so i'd like to see it one last time before it's sold off and live-laugh-loved. it was hard when my childhood home was sold, and i saw it on zillow. they painted all the walls that ugly marketable grey that didn't match the hardwood floor at all. i've become jaded to the idea of being attached to a home, having experienced that and, having moved like 12+ times over the last 7 years.
<br> i'll also be visiting mexico with D's family for the first time this march. i had to put it off last year because i had just started my intership and didn't want to risk making a bad impression taking off so much time, so that really sucked. but i'm super excited, i can actually take off time now.
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