Officially declaring my “Creating Volumes” hiatus…

So obviously I’ve been a long time gone. I kept expecting to come back, to start watching k-dramas again, to start blogging again, to get back to normal. Thing is, “normal” is not going to happen. Not my previous definition of it, anyhow. (This should have been obvious but for some reason it took a while to sink in for me.)

It’s a good realization to have — that I’m seeking a new normal, I mean. It gets me moving, gives me permission to move in a completely new direction. There’s some excitement to it. An expectation of some sort of progress. But it also made me realize that I’m still a ways away from the sort of writing I’ve done here on this blog. I still expect to get back into k-dramas, again! Just, right now, for reasons I’ll admit I haven’t examined too closely, it’s not going to happen. Someday (I’m calling this a “hiatus” not a “goodbye”), but not today.

I want to thank all of you — fellow bloggers, loyal commenters, fly-by commenters, new commenters, lurkers — for the incredibly fun conversations and insights and just awesome, awesome support you’ve given me here. It’s meant a great deal. And the outflowing of care and kindness you gave me in my previous post… I was really, really touched. Thank you, guys. Seriously, thank you.

And I want to let you all know, I’ve started up another blog. It’s quieter, more personal. I’m doing a massive reorganization of my home — following the method in the book, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” by Marie Kondo — and blogging about it. The blog is called A Tidy Little Journey and if it sounds like something you might enjoy, please do come join me there. (For about half a minute I considered repurposing “Creating Volumes” and doing it here. But it’s such a completely different subject and such a different tone… I’d have to destroy what I’ve built here, which I definitely do not want to do. I love “Creating Volumes” — I want it to remain the happy, shiny place it is. I want it waiting patiently for me to come back.)

So this isn’t goodbye or so long or farewell. This is see you… maybe not soon, or even next year, but someday. Someday.

Four days ago, on June 10th, my husband passed away.

It was completely unexpected. It changes everything. I’m at my dad’s place (he lives right next door to us), and I’ve been getting a lot of love and a lot of support from family and friends. I am continuing to live. (My husband would be beyond pissed if I didn’t.) But I have no idea when I’ll be back in a place where I’m blogging again.

I… I don’t want to give this blog up. It’s brought me a lot of pleasure and my husband enjoyed reading my posts so I feel like I must return to it someday. But I’m going to need some time.

 

Not dead, yet!

Oh my gosh, it’s been far, far too long since I’ve last posted. And… it’s actually going to be a little more yet before I seriously post again. Under the heading of, “when it rains, it pours,” a family issue came up on top of all the work shenanigans. I won’t bore with details (mainly because the details are really not that exciting — nothing dramatic, just time consuming), but the key detail is this: I’m back in Kentucky.

I think the husband and I will be here, with his family, for the rest of the month. I know I won’t have any time for drama-watching, I seriously doubt I’ll have any time for posting. So the blog is on hold for the time being.

The good news is, it’s not me getting bored with either blogging or drama-watching. So once my routine goes back to normal I expect to be back with bells on — filled up full of opinions and ready to share. Until then, I’ll miss you all!

Secret Love Affair: episodes 11 and 12

These episodes put my poor, poor heart through the wringer. (Who knew you could sob to Billy Joel?) But I learned some things. And… I think I have some valid reasons to hope for a happy ending. I mean, I’ve had reasons; I want a happy ending for Sun-jae and Hye-won and I will grab at any straw that promises me such, no matter how frail and flimsy. But I think I’ve got some valid reasons now.

But let’s save that for the end. First to the learning!

Weekly Drama Check-in Post (no dramas!)

There has been a serious gap between posts around here. Almost a full week, people! And within that time period, zero dramas have been watched by me. Insane, right? I’ve honestly been that busy. Fortunately, not in a Sisyphus at his rock kind of way; every push at the boulder brings some progress. But it’s all been very mind-sapping and I just haven’t had the attention-span necessary for even the most frivolous of dramas.

I can’t think of a time I’ve gone this long without blogging or drama-watching. Not while still at home and in possession of a working internet. So it’s been a bit strange and I’ve made a couple of observations.

Miss Korea: episodes 1-6 (re-watch first impressions)

I’ve started re-watching Miss Korea with the husband (a slow watch — we’ve been at for a couple of weeks now) and it’s been interesting to revisit how the drama began. I loved it the first go around, but watching it with someone else I have to admit… the beginning is a bit shaky.

[Mild spoilers through episode 6. I do try and keep this to first impressions, but… reader beware.]

Weekly Drama Check-in Post (I learned something!)

Secret Love Affair is still on-going, so I am still clutched tight in its over-heated grip and loving every minute of it. (I am so thrilled for Yoo Ah-in, by the way. That his last drama before Military Duty is such a gooder, and that his acting is being so well remarked on. It makes me a very happy fan-girl.)

But! Other dramas do exist and I shall babble on about a couple of them now.

Secret Love Affair: Episodes 9 and 10

Well! The board has changed completely! Some motivations have become gloriously clear, while others have sunk deeper into murky. And that’s just the view from Hye-won’s head! We’re heading into the second half of the drama with the plot nicely thickened and I have no idea where we’re going to go from here. Pretty sure I’m going to love it, though. Even if it hurts. Spoilers for eps 9 & 10 below…

Secret Love Affair: Episodes 7 and 8 (my heart!)

I love this show! It gives me what I want in ways I didn’t even know I want it and if it fills me any fuller with feelings for Hye-won and Sun-jae my heart will explode!!

(Spoilers for 7 and 8 below…)

Weekly Drama Check-in Post (the non-SLA post… almost)

I will admit it. My drama-watching life has been almost fully engulfed by the awesomeness that is Secret Love Affair. But “almost” is the key word here. Other things are ticking along.

[No spoilers at all!]