Chatterbox: Chirp at Cricket

I'm back!

Hello. It's me. I was "disappeared"...but now I'm not disappeared. 

*attempts to throw confetti* 

I could have titled that something better or more summing-up-y (I know that is not a word) of everything I want to say....but I figured that was the most attention-grabbing thing I could write without leading you to think I was leaving or something.

Wow. So....I have a lot to say. Like a lot. If you know me, you know I tend to just start writing from the heart and go on for forever...and well, it's been a very long time (I guess I basically missed the late 80's! *wink at Hamilfans), so I am warning you right now, this will probably be very long. I might end up getting all serious in some parts of this thread...but know that I am ending this on the most positive, excited note possible because I am overjoyed and excited to be back.

Where to start?

I guess first I need to say...I checked the CB yesterday and was truly touched when I saw I was on the *Missing* thread. It made my heart swell to see that people were genuinely concerned, that it was noticed that I was gone. And Dandelion, you made a thread on DtE...you guys are just so incredibly sweet. Sometimes without meaning to, even. The atmosphere, safety, and bond within this community are just some of the things I love about the CB.

Before I get to talking about how I am right now, my optimism for being on the CB, etc, I'll go back in time (rewind wind wind). Because I really, really, really owe you guys an explanation. Explain why I temporarily left the CB, although it was originally meant to be a brief, 2-week hiatus. What happened in between, and what didn't.

----here ye here ye, begineth a very long explanation. eth.----

There'll be 2 ideas I bring up...the CB in general, and my ski lodge, Island Paradise Resort which *cringe* is on page 5 right now.

To right after winter break ended. Yes, it's been that long, unfortunately.

Over the break, I had been extremely active. I posted on my ski lodge almost daily, and was pretty close to finishing it. My mom told me, however, that she wanted me off "blogging" as she calls it, for two weeks. She said this because she wanted me to get back on track, to get used to school again, regain my bearings. I was annoyed of course, but I understood. (Also, there's not really any point in arguing.)

So I made a thread saying all this. Around January 6 I think. And a similar one on my Island Paradise Resort thread, on which I assured everyone that don't worry, it would get finished. I didn't say when, so I technically haven't broken that promise but *ugh* that when was put off waaaaaaaay longer than I, or anyone else, expected it to.

So school started again. It's been a terrific school year....though I won't go too in-depth on this thread. But also busy. Unbelievably busy. This is not an excuse....it's an explanation. Because I feel really, really guilty about it.

School started, and things were really busy right away. After the 2 weeks came, I might have posted a couple things, but I was already getting so absorbed into the school world again, and the homework...I knew I couldn't come back full-force to the CB. At first, the CB, and writing new parts for the ski lodge was something that just kept getting pushed back. Oh no, I have [insert school-related thing here] to do, I don't have time. I'll try to do it [insert day here]. And it just kept happening like that. Then I stopped trying to plan, and the CB just wasn't something I thought of. Ack, I know how ehh that sounds. Maybe once in a while, but always at a time when I had something to do. Homework every night of course...always a project or test or quiz from at least one or two of my 8 classes, sometimes from a lot of them at once. Projects, tests, quizzes, essays, classwork, homework...even outside of school, voice classes, choir, acting, rehearsals, auditions.

So a combination of busy-ness and procrastination has kept me from being on the CB and writing more on the ski lodge. 

Note: I said "busy-ness" because I realized that if I put a real word, business, it looks like business as in running a business. Which is more confusing than this note.

---long history ends-----

So. Now I'm back.

I need to get one more thing out of the way....and that's how guilty I feel. Mostly about the ski lodge. I mean, not posting during school is understandable, but I feel really bad about not updating my story. Not even drafting. I'm still invested in it, and love it dearly, I just was too lazy to work on it for a while. I reread it yesterday, and right now I'm gathering my thoughts and ideas so I can start drafting again.

I'm really sorry for disappearing off the face of the CB without saying anything. I hope you're not mad at me. I am so so sorry.

Also: sorry for not posting this earlier. I waited for when I would be able to make a thread to start being on the CB again. I don't know, maybe that was a bad idea, because being reluctant to just "pop on" and start posting has delayed my "return." Although that sounds so dramatic.

In case you got bored and skipped all my heartfelt but ramble-like paragraphs of stuff, here's a summary: Hi, I was busy and didn't post for four months, I'm sorry about that, and I'm back!

And I'm incredibly glad about that. I'm really happy summer's begun, and that I'm back from travelling too. I hope to be active. I'm excited for the summer CB activity to start again! Because I can tell it was less active during the spring semester, what with people being at school and all...and I know some of you are sad that certain CBers aren't here this summer. But I think they'd want us to be happy, and I definitely know that it's going to be a blast this year!

For those of you who know me: *HUGS* Luv you!!!!!! So happy to be here!!!!!!!

For those of you who don't know me: Hello!!! I'm Owlgirl, and it's veeeeery nice to meet you! I have been on the CB for....maybe almost two years now? One year? I don't know. I'm slightly younger than some of the "oldies" but I've been here long enough to have seen a lot, and to have fallen in love with this corner of the Internet and the people who occupy it. I love love love reading, and read quite a range of books, in topic and also age/reading level. I'm a writer too, though I haven't been writing as much as I've hoped to. And I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE singing! And acting! And musical theatre......name a musical and I most likely know it and can nerd out with you! Including Hamilton, as you may have been able to tell from my references. Other likes of mine include food, violin, listening to music, and now, being on the CB. 

*last-minute correction: I have been a CBer since February 7, 2015. So, two years! I might have a delayed CBversary party. 

For my Island Paradise Resort people:

Shadowmoon, September, HAB, Danie, Marie, Mirax, Brookeira, Hermione A, Clouded Leopard, Bumblebuddy, Kate the Great, and other readers like Riddler and Kestrel.....hi! 

As I said before, I am rereading and regaining my ideas and evil writer plotting, to get back in the groove. I promised to finish it, and I shall! Unless I fall off a cliff tomorrow or get magically sucked into the world of a book and stuck there forever.

I'll be making a thread with more details, maybe even celebrate the ski lodge's one year anniversary! That's right my friends, it was posted June 6, 2016! More details will be found on a thread on Pudding's Place. Oh, and I'll try to get Island Paradise Resort topped.

The ski lodge is officially being revived! For the second time. 

For everyone:

What'd I miss? I know it can be tedious to update people on happenings, but it would be lovely if you take a bit of time to tell me what's happened since....well, like, January? Or at least some of it? Maybe that's asking too much.

Did anyone rename themselves? If so, let me know so I don't get confused? Also, CBers who left, permanently or temporarily? Skirmishes/Admin decisions/changes? 

And of course, new CBers! Anyone who's come since January? I'd love to meet you. 

Any cool new threads, trends.....notable ski lodges, solo writes, CB stories, RPs, games? 

I hope I didn't make any too-terrible typos....I'll paste it on a Word Document to check, but just to change red-underlined words....typos that are typing the wrong word (like hat's instead of that's) might not be picked up. Oh well. *shrug* Also, I don't want to think this over too much, or edit it....I want this to be 100% from the heart.

Oh my gosh I just love you guys so much!!! This is the greatest city--sorry, CB in the world. (I rhymed and referenced at once!)

I will do my best to respond to every comment here.

*jumping up and down happily* 

Sincerely (me),

Owlgirl :) 

P.S. I'm off to watch the Tony's now!