*insert dirty "cyber" joke here*

I don't know about you, but for me Cyber Monday is a bigger deal than Black Friday, literally and figuratively. You can do all your shopping at home (pants optional) without fear of getting into a fist fight with a 62 year old woman with a mean right hook over the last $5 rice cooker, and you're more likely to actually get the stuff you want. Since my friends and I have a wide variety of interests, I keep an eye on range of items so that we all get the best prices on whatever we've been eyeing for far too long. I've been dishing out some recommendations to people who are in the market for some items I'm familiar with, as well as coordinating recommendations between friends. With all the info flying around everywhere, I thought I'd share some of the good deals here!

(To be clear, these are all just suggestions based on personal experience or the trusted words of friends. Nobody is being paid anything for recommending these products; we just really like them!)

With all of my little projects and cosplay adventures, a good sewing machine has been vital. I needed something that could easily deal with a wide variety of materials from sheer fabrics to thick leather-like pieces, but I also needed something affordable for casual use. After consulting with my fellow creatives, I settled on the Brother CS5055PRW. That was 4 years ago, and this baby is still going strong and is perfect for everything I've needed to do. Adjustments are easy to make, it has automatic needle threading, and the wide range of programed stitch options mean I can switch from stretch fabrics to sheers to denim in a snap. This machine is perfect for people new to the world of sewing, and I'd dare say it's a good choice for those who are familiar with the practice but are in the market for a new machine. There are newer versions of it, which with Cyber Monday deals are at prices just as good, but I can personally vouch for this iteration!

I am incredibly fortunate that I have so many talented artists as friends. One of said friends is in the market for their first drawing tablet, so I tapped my Twitter followers for recommendations for them. Overwhelmingly the Wacom brand was recommended, with the Bamboo/Intuos being the common theme (I've been told Wacom discontinued the Bamboo, and Intuos is the replacement line so they're pretty much the same thing). After some more digging and approvals by the crew, the Wacom Intuos Draw is the favorite to get you started in the drawing tablet world. Well priced and supplemented with a suite of software and tutorials, it's a great option to transition from paper to digital.

For streaming, conference calls, videos, voice over work, and any other task in between, the integrated microphone that comes built in to your computer just isn't going to cut it. A good microphone is imperative, but the sheer number of types and specification variations can be ridiculously daunting. If you're dabbling in the world of voice or are on a budget, you can get a very easy to set up and good quality mic in the form of the Blue Snowball. It's a great entry level microphone, and is what I have been using for two years. It's durable, easy to install, easily portable, great quality, and best of all it's not expensive! Add in the Cyber Monday deals, and you have the perfect way to get your feet wet.

I do a lot of stuff. A lot of stuff.  Between contract jobs, substitute teaching, video production, streaming, and collaborative projects, my time is a patchwork quilt of "I feel oddly relaxed, what responsibility have I forgotten?" As of 2016, my phone was no longer an effective way to manage my ever-growing to-do list, so I splurged and picked up a nice planner to fulfill my new need for organization. I had tried to use planners in the past, but just couldn't stick to the habit. Not this time! I picked up an Erin Condren Life Planner, and something about it kept me using it all year long. It's super customizable, (allowing you to choose from a large number of covers (they're interchangable too, so you can switch them out!) and pick your own internal format (vertical vs horizontal)), a great size to have all of your entries fit without having to write tiny, and thick enough paper that pens don't bleed through. Right now the entire site is 30% off, and if you go through this referral link you can get an additional $10 off your order (it'll email you a code to use).

I know this seems random, but hear me out. Exploding Kittens is a game I found on accident, and it's great. Absolutely great. It's easy to pick up, easily scalable for any number of people if you have more decks, kid friendly, and short. There's an NSFW version as well for the adults, which is equally hilarious and great. Both decks are on sale today, and I cannot stress enough how awesome it is to have this on hand for friendly gatherings.

To those celebrating today, Happy Thanksgiving! To the rest of you, happy Thursday!

I hope your day is filled with food, fun, family, and love. If you are unable to spend it with those you hold dear, I hope you are able to at least tell them how much you value them.

I'm grateful for you, my awesome community, especially in light of my current situation. I'll be back to hanging out with you guys in no time <3

I'm well on the road to recovery following the surgery 10 days ago. LoLink has been home to make sure I'm taken care of, and LoMom has arrived to help out around the house as well. It's strange to have to give up control over basic things like grocery shopping and laundry. I feel like I should be able to do them, but then certain movements remind me that no, I shouldn't do them and there's technically a hole in my stomach. I can't wait til I'm back to normal!

I released part 3 of the Cancer Sux series the morning of the procedure, covering more of the mental and emotional aspect of the experience. Part 4 will be coming sometime this week, recapping some info from the procedure itself as well as the recovery process. Hopefully I'll be back to streaming soon! In the meantime, keep an eye on YouTube :)