Category Archives: Thursday Things

Welcome to Thursday Things, where you might find a rant, a rave, a question, or just about anything else! Let’s scrounge around in the junk drawer of my brain and see what we can find!

What are you reading right now? It could be a book, a magazine, whatever! I’d love to know!

Let me know in the comments!

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Ashley O’Melia is an independent author and freelancer from Southern Illinois.  She holds her Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing and English from Southern New Hampshire University.  Her books include The Wanderer’s Guide to Dragon Keepingand The Graveside Detective.  Her short stories have been published in The Penmen Review, Siren’s Call, and Subcutaneous.  Ashley’s freelance work has spanned numerous genres for clients around the world.  You can find her on Facebook and Amazon.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please consider using my links to do your shopping and help me out at no extra cost to you!

Welcome to Thursday Things, where you might find a rant, a rave, a question, or just about anything else! Let’s scrounge around in the junk drawer of my brain and see what we can find!

Where’s your favorite place to read?

While I like to think I can read just about anywhere, I have two favorites. The first is the bathtub! There’s something so nice about sinking into a hot, steamy bath with a good book. I just have to make sure it’s one that I won’t be upset about if I accidentally drop in the tub! No vintage out-of-print sci-fi! (I may have sacrificed a few bookmarks this way…)

My other favorite place to read is curled up on the couch with my dog and my cat when it’s snowing or raining outside. There’s just something so cozy about having bad weather outside to make me appreciate not being in it!

Where do you like to read? Let me know in the comments!

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Ashley O’Melia is an independent author and freelancer from Southern Illinois.  She holds her Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing and English from Southern New Hampshire University.  Her books include The Wanderer’s Guide to Dragon Keepingand The Graveside Detective.  Her short stories have been published in The Penmen Review, Siren’s Call, and Subcutaneous.  Ashley’s freelance work has spanned numerous genres for clients around the world.  You can find her on Facebook and Amazon.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please consider using my links to do your shopping and help me out at no extra cost to you!

Welcome to Thursday Things, where you might find a rant, a rave, a question, or just about anything else! Let’s scrounge around in the junk drawer of my brain and see what we can find!

What do you wish you could do? And I’m not talking about flying, turning back time, or becoming invisbile. (Undoubtedly, these would be handy, but I think we’ll save those for another post.) I mean, what do you wish you could do that you haven’t had the time or the talent to develop?

I tend to be a collector of hobbies, and I’m often frustrated that I just can’t squeeze them in all the time. I love to read and write (obviously), but I also love to sew, hike, paint, take classes, watch movies, and cross stitch. I think there are even a few more of those that I can’t think of off the top of my head. Throw in a job, a house, kids, and pets, and I have more than enough to keep me occupied.

But then I think about how I’d love to be able to play guitar. Or open an antique store. Or travel more. Or spend time volunteering with the animal shelter. Actually, I’d like to volunteer with the historical society, too. The list goes on and on.

So what do you wish you could do? Let me know in the comments!

* * *

Ashley O’Melia is an independent author and freelancer from Southern Illinois.  She holds her Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing and English from Southern New Hampshire University.  Her books include The Wanderer’s Guide to Dragon Keepingand The Graveside Detective.  Her short stories have been published in The Penmen Review, Siren’s Call, and Subcutaneous.  Ashley’s freelance work has spanned numerous genres for clients around the world.  You can find her on Facebook and Amazon.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please consider using my links to do your shopping and help me out at no extra cost to you!

Welcome to Thursday Things, where you might find a rant, a rave, a question, or just about anything else! Let’s scrounge around in the junk drawer of my brain and see what we can find!

Do you have any office pets? I’ve got two fish tanks in my office, and I’m always looking to learn more about how to take the best care of them. FishyReview is a great YouTube channel for learning more about filters and fish care. I’m posting the link to their latest video below. Do you have a favorite YouTube channel you enjoy? Let me know!

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Ashley O’Melia is an independent author and freelancer from Southern Illinois.  She holds her Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing and English from Southern New Hampshire University.  Her books include The Wanderer’s Guide to Dragon Keepingand The Graveside Detective.  Her short stories have been published in The Penmen Review, Siren’s Call, and Subcutaneous.  Ashley’s freelance work has spanned numerous genres for clients around the world.  You can find her on Facebook and Amazon.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please consider using my links to do your shopping and help me out at no extra cost to you!

Welcome to Thursday Things, where you might find a rant, a rave, a question, or just about anything else! Let’s scrounge around in the junk drawer of my brain and see what we can find!

Did you know that Pablo Picasso was once accused of stealing the Mona Lisa? Or that, until the theft happened, the Mona Lisa wasn’t really all that famous? I ran across this fantastic little story (I swear it was all research for a book!) and I just had to share!

Side Note: I got to see some of Picasso’s works in person at an art exhibition recently. I’m glad I got to see them, because hey, it’s Picasso. But I can’t say that I was moved me at all. I was disappointed.

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Ashley O’Melia is an independent author and freelancer from Southern Illinois.  She holds her Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing and English from Southern New Hampshire University.  Her books include The Wanderer’s Guide to Dragon Keepingand The Graveside Detective.  Her short stories have been published in The Penmen Review, Siren’s Call, and Subcutaneous.  Ashley’s freelance work has spanned numerous genres for clients around the world.  You can find her on Facebook and Amazon.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please consider using my links to do your shopping and help me out at no extra cost to you!

Welcome to Thursday Things, where you might find a rant, a rave, a question, or just about anything else! Let’s scrounge around in the junk drawer of my brain and see what we can find!

I know everyone wants to talk about crypto, but I just want to talk about cryptids! Tell me what legendary creatures live in your neck of the woods. After some freelancing projects, I’ve gotten a little extra interested in the subject.

Here in Murphysboro, we have the Big Muddy Monster. A bigfoot-like creature, he’s been honored numerous times in the naming of products and festivals. Our city has even published his case file online, which includes all sorts of great old documents from the 70s.

So, tell me all about your local cryptids!

* * *

Ashley O’Melia is an independent author and freelancer from Southern Illinois.  She holds her Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing and English from Southern New Hampshire University.  Her books include The Wanderer’s Guide to Dragon Keepingand The Graveside Detective.  Her short stories have been published in The Penmen Review, Siren’s Call, and Subcutaneous.  Ashley’s freelance work has spanned numerous genres for clients around the world.  You can find her on Facebook and Amazon.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please consider using my links to do your shopping and help me out at no extra cost to you!

Welcome to Thursday Things, where you might find a rant, a rave, a question, or just about anything else! Let’s scrounge around in the junk drawer of my brain and see what we can find!

As I’ve been working over my current journaling and focus system (something I’ll be writing about at some point), I’ve come to realize that I have way too many hobbies! In fact, you could almost say that one of my hobbies is to collect more hobbies! The main ones that I spend the most time on are writing, and reading. But I also cross stitch, quilt, crochet, paint, draw, play guitar, hike, kayak, go thrifting, collect fountain pens, collect old sci-fi books, and work with tarot and oracle cards. I also like to learn new things, so sometimes I take online classes. I think there are actually a few more hobbies than that, but I can’t remember them. Hmm.

What are your hobbies?

* * *

Ashley O’Melia is an independent author and freelancer from Southern Illinois.  She holds her Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing and English from Southern New Hampshire University.  Her books include The Wanderer’s Guide to Dragon Keepingand The Graveside Detective.  Her short stories have been published in The Penmen Review, Siren’s Call, and Subcutaneous.  Ashley’s freelance work has spanned numerous genres for clients around the world.  You can find her on Facebook and Amazon.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please consider using my links to do your shopping and help me out at no extra cost to you!

Welcome to Thursday Things, where you might find a rant, a rave, a question, or just about anything else! Let’s scrounge around in the junk drawer of my brain and see what we can find!

There’s no getting around chores, at least not unless we want to end up on an episode of Hoarders. I don’t always feel like cleaning, but I definitely admit I like the result. Shows like The Home Edit are one of my favorite guilty pleasures.

However, one of my friends recently told me that her husband asked her when they got together what chore really overwhelmed her. She picked laundry (not a shocker), and he took it over completely. She hasn’t done a single bit of laundry in 15 years! (Definitely a shocker!)

So, what’s your least favorite chore? Not that I’m going to do it for you. 🙂

* * *

Ashley O’Melia is an independent author and freelancer from Southern Illinois.  She holds her Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing and English from Southern New Hampshire University.  Her books include The Wanderer’s Guide to Dragon Keepingand The Graveside Detective.  Her short stories have been published in The Penmen Review, Siren’s Call, and Subcutaneous.  Ashley’s freelance work has spanned numerous genres for clients around the world.  You can find her on Facebook and Amazon.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please consider using my links to do your shopping and help me out at no extra cost to you!