Away

I've been avoiding the computer more and more in my off hours. Not sure if it's that I'm technologically overloaded at work, or that, now that we keep my little brothers 3 nights a week, I'm simply too busy feeding and cleaning up after others. The little bit of time I have to relax, I'm spending crocheting on my ripple, snapping pictures , falling asleep at 10pm (!) or reading.
Yes, reading, real books! For the first time since moving (and leaving my fantastic multiple-branch library), I've really started reading again, mostly non-fiction. I'm searching for some summer novels; suggestions are welcome.
Today I've been really pondering a new word I just learned: zakka. Here's an article about it. I wonder if this zakka-fad is a reaction to the handmade/crafting movement. It's like giving non-crafters the same feeling crafters get when they make something special and full of meaning for themselves, right? Any thoughts?
My lack of blogging was causing guilt pangs, but to get over some life-related guilt/stress/fear, I'm seeking a more centered/ in-the-moment approach to my free time. Taking pictures and writing in my journal is keeping me present, but blogging, though not much more than that, feels like a chore. So for now (and I don't know for how long) I'm relegating the blog to when-I-feel-like-it time. No promises of pictures of every completed object, no running commentary of crafting and designing...I'm not going away, I'm just...freeing myself from the sense of obligation. I'll still be posting my picture-a-day here.
Have a happy Thursday!