Today is the official launch of my website! I still can't believe that two weeks ago, coding in CSS/HTML wasn't even on my radar, and now I've built an entire website from scratch all by myself. Well, maybe not all by myself. The training I had at work was brief and basic. When I decided to learn more, www.w3schools.com and stackoverflow.com were amazing sources of how to code.

It's nice to have a little corner of the Internet all to myself. So far, I have stayed away from most social media because I didn't like not being in control of my content and how it was used. But this is my website and I get to decide what's on it and how it looks, and that makes me happy. And if I can bring a little more awareness about the plight of animals in shelters, that makes me even happier.

What's been most surprising about making my website has been how hard it is to be all things: web developer, designer, writer, and editor. As a copy editor, I copyedit and do little bits of the other jobs, but it's really hard to do them all at once! That text box is too wide; that one is too narrow! That gray isn't dark enough! Typos?!?! It's been challenging but a lot of fun.

Taking a moment out of my workday to celebrate marriage equality! It is so wonderful to know that all people in the United States will treated like...people. Love is love.

This is my punishment for not being on Facebook: I was two days behind in learning that Bloom County is back! I was beyond excited to learn that Berkeley Breathed (pronounced BREH-thed, which I've gotten wrong for thirty years) is resurrecting the gang. Looking at some of my Bloom County compilation books, I have no clue why I liked it so much as a ten-year-old. I couldn't have possibly understood most of it, though you don't need an amazing amount of age and wisdom to be amused by Bill the Cat and all his ACKs.

Breathed is quoted as saying, "Dead-tree media requires constancy and deadlines and guarantees," (washingtonpost.com, 7/14/15). He will be posting new Bloom County strips to his Facebook page only, presumably whenever the mood strikes him. When I created this website, I thought I'd be blogging almost daily and I just haven't. Being the boss of my own site means no deadlines, which is awesomely liberating seeing as I work in the dead-tree industry (i.e., book publishing) where weekly, daily, and sometimes hourly deadlines are the norm.

The new strip wasn't a disappointment. I can't wait to see what Breathed posts next. Hopefully I won't be two days behind again.

After living with my son, my boyfriend, two males cats, and Snuffles, I feel the need for some girl power. As my son prepares to move to college, I think now is the perfect time to add another canine to the family. I am scouring rescue organizations for the perfect sister for Snuffles.

I have daydreams of Snuffles and his potential sister frolicking in the backyard and then curling up for a nap together. The reality will probably be barkier; I am looking for another terrier, after all. I expect an adjustment period, but because Snuffles enjoys the dog park and has plenty of doggie friends, I have high hopes that, ultimately, everyone will get along and we will enjoy a harmonious two-dog house.

At the ripe old age of 36, I find myself an empty nester. My son has moved to college for his freshman year. I am so happy that he has moved on to the next phase of his life, but my apartment is awfully quiet now. I no longer have someone asking, "What's for dinner? Can you bring me to practice? Can I have $20 to go to the movies?" I am no longer saying, "Wash your dishes. Clean your room. Don't leave your homework all over the kitchen table."

Jake was born when I was 18, so I literally don't know adulthood without being a parent. This is the first time I can come home from work and truly relax, which is nice. And I know that Jake is happy and motivated and working hard. I miss the noise, but only a little.