I am Amanda, a bullet journal junkie (in case you were still unsure), and I have been using the bullet journal system for over 2 years now. I started officially in January of 2016, I believe. The years blur together. I love the flexible nature of the system. It is the only type of planning I have ever been able to stick with. I also love that I can make it my own. The fact that from page to page I can change everything up completely has given me the freedom to express myself while still being productive.
I have other passions, though. I love all things art. I love to watercolor. I recently started oil painting and kinda loved it also. I did a Bob Ross tutorial as a challenge, and just sort of fell in love with the medium. I was quite impressed that my first attempt came out as well as it did, but my second attempt at the same painting came out so much better! After that, I was hooked. I plan on making oil painting something I do quite regularly.
On a more personal note…
I am a mother of 4 boys. They are Devon 20, Damon 19, Chase 17, and Carter 15. They have encompassed the last two decades of my life. They are my biggest accomplishments. They are all respectful young men who are making their own paths in life. Two have graduated high school and are attending colleges. One will graduate at the end of this school year (2019). He is awaiting acceptance to his colleges. Finally, my baby boy is a nineth-grader in high school and making sure I remember how to do math. 🙂
I live with my partner, Andy. He brought with him a daughter. We blended our two families officially over the summer this year. Brittany is also 15 and a nineth-grader. She and Carter are only a couple of months apart in age. She is settling right in as part of our family.
How about a few random tidbits about me:
- I have lived within a 10 miles radius of my current home for 99% of my life. I only moved away to stay on base with my first husband for a short time while we were married.
- I have been married twice, previously, which means I have also been divorced twice.
- I have the nature of a hoarder. I like collecting things.
- If it is an art supply, good luck borrowing one from me. I don’t like to share.
- I am working through my hoarding nature with Andy’s help. We are starting inside the house and far far away from my studio.
- I used to be a really picky eater, but as I get older, I will try more new things and revisit some old things.
- I have one sister. She is younger and crazier than me.
- As a result, I have one niece whom I call Monkey. Her name is Kyra. I named her.
- I love to sing. I love all things related to music. I used to be in the National Honors Chorus when I was young.
- My kids have always been surrounded by music and love it also. I have something playing almost constantly.
- I have worked for myself since I was 18 and graduated high school. I have taken a few jobs on the side, but I always wanted to make sure I was home for my kids.
- I have degrees in Advertising and Graphic Design, Web Design and Photography. I have worked in all of those fields.
- I was diagnosed with inoperable brain tumors about 8 years ago, and have dealt with them ever since. I go in and out of treatment and remission.
- No matter what I have done for careers I have always been drawn back to art.
- I am as simple and small town as it gets. It does not take much to please me.
- I am most comfortable in jeans and a comfy shirt. I own maybe 2 dresses and zero pairs of shorts. I did branch out and get some capris this year.
- I love my dogs and they are treated more like my children than my pets. They sleep in bed with me, enjoy “people food” and get treated better than a lot of humans.
- I am not really a people person. I am shy and reserved until I get to know someone. Then, all bets are off.
- In addition to tumors floating in my head, I have been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Fibromyalgia, and Chronic Migraines. I also have somehow damaged nerves surrounding a bulged disc in by lower back, tendenitis in both wrists, and rheumatoid arthritis. Life’s a bitch. C’est la vie!
- I hope one day my kids realize the sacrifices I have made for them as a single mother, over the years, and are proud to call me mom.