Let's Reboot - Happy 2013!

Life was a bit challenging during the latter half of 2012, and no blogging took place (as you can see from the date of my prior post).  June thru December took me on quite a roller coaster of good and bad and in-between, but since the Mayans were wrong and the Creator let me wake up today to a new year, I can reboot life just like we reboot our computers.

2013 will bring different topics to this blog.  I won NaNoWriMo 2012 and will be in edit mode for my book.  I still enjoy crafting and this year marks Stampin Up!'s 25th Anniversary, so I'll share some projects (if I remember to take pictures--I made some cute things for Halloween and Christmas for my office mates and didn't remember I wanted photos until after they were boxed up for mailing).

And you will see posts on healthy eating.  I lost my younger brother to a heart attack in 2012 and my physical showed high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, so I intend to use this blog to help hold me accountable. 

Finally, I didn't get the pleasure reading done that I had planned--but hope springs eternal LOL.  I will read more this year, and not only about the Civil War and health/nutrition, but also politics and fantasy and mysteries and...you get the picture.  Actually, I'm loving Audible--Tim Curry did a wonderful narration of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and since I need to be walking/exercising more and sitting less, Audible will make the exercise much more fun.

And in honor of the new year, here's my first project--a totally digital piece because one goal for the year is to learn MDS2, the digital design software from Stampin' Up!

World Book Day

Today is World Book Day, a celebration of reading that is a part of UNESCO (soon be followed by World Book Night on April 23, 2012).  Hooray for reading!  Whether physical books or e-reads, reading is the most frugal way I continue my education, plus the cheapest entertainment I know (I subscribe to both the Kindle Daily Deal and the NOOK Daily Find since I have both a Kindle and the NOOK Tablet, so I find new reading for very little cost).  Paperback Swap is still a favorite place to find great books, and I cannot say enough about my wonderful local library.

I have a TBR mountain of physical books, plus loads on I-Books, Kindle, NOOK, and let's not forget Audible, LOL.  My 2012 Reading list is already way too full, but I am enjoying the challenge of working thru mystery, fantasy, history, politics, self-help, current events--you name it.  Outside of sports, childcare, horror and a few other genres, I read a bit of everything, and encourage others to do so as well. 

Do you enjoy reading?  What genres?  Have you succumbed yet to e-reading?  Do your children enjoy reading?  I cannot imagine a life without the written word...

Honored By One of My Mentors

Liebster, in German,means "darling" or "beloved" but I gather that in the blogging world, it is an award given from one small blogger to another in an effort to spread friendship, knowledge, and readership.  I couldn't find the exact start of the tradition, but receiving this award is an honor.  It evidently is designed to be passed to bloggers with less than 200 followers and since I currently have less than 20, I feel even more Blessed to have been chosen.

My crafting mentor over at GottHeartArt for some unknown reason decided today to honor my blog.  Beverly, I appreciate the thought very much.  Watching you develop your blog and enter challenges and become a member of various design teams has been a true inspiration to me.

By accepting this award, I am to link back to Beverly's blog and thank her for choosing me. Now, I need to choose five other bloggers I follow who each have under 200 followers and provide them with their own Liebster.  I follow about fifty blogs on different subjects (although I tend to lurk on virtually all of them), and some bloggers I follow choose not to accept or pass on these types of awards.  I've tried to choose bloggers who have not published that restriction on their blog, but if any of my awardees choose not to pass this on, please know I have chosen you for your inspiration and there are no strings attached.

1. Sue at random.on purpose.  Inspiring crafting and more inspiring thought process.  She posts on many different topics and is truly a Renaissance soul.
2. C. W. Gortner at Historical Boys: Historical Fiction for Men and Women.   This is a great blog for readers of historical fiction--lots of guest posts from authors of the genre.
3. Kim at Jenkins Journal.  This is a super Stampin' Up! blog, and Kim barely makes it under the 200 followers wire (she's at 198 right now, LOL).
4. Neet, Von and Zoe at Just for Fun.  A UK-based artsy challenge blog with tons of inspiration (all three ladies also have individual blogs that are cool to read too).
5. Suzanne at The British are Coming, Y'all!  Not only does Suzanne write fantastic historical mysteries set during the American Revolution, but she also hosts other writers who discuss relevant history.

These five blogs are only some of my favorites and are listed in no particular order.  I'd love to honor more bloggers--writers, crafters,  historians, cooks, readers--check out the blogs listed on my sidebars if you want to see the many paths my mind travels (that is, if you enjoy eclectic LOL)

2012 Word of the Year = FOCUS

Main Entry: focus  
Function: intransitive verb
: to concentrate attention or effort -- "she was already focusing on her next role"

"focus." Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged. 

Merriam-Webster, 2002. 

http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com (1 Jan. 2012)

The last 56 years have taught me that I am not a person who needs to make a lot of New Year's resolutions (see yesterday's post to understand some of the reasons why).  I do need to set yearly goals or guidelines so that I'm not floundering around willy-nilly for the next 365 days.  When I recently read somewhere of the idea that a single word could help me concentrate my efforts, I decided my word for 2012 would be "FOCUS".

In 2012, I want to focus on:

• My Blessings more and my disappointments less
• Creating items, not collecting supplies--even though the new Stampin' Up! Occasions Mini that starts January 4th is the best Mini ever, and 2012 Sale-A-Bration begins on January 24th, LOL
• Shrinking my TBR mountain, not increasing it--and as I complete a book, I want to post reviews in appropriate places
• Writing more and researching less--the first TGAN draft needs to be completed by July
• Blogging more consistently--this blog will continue its multiple purposes (crafting, writing, and my life in general)
• Networking more with other writers
• Eating healthy foods in smaller portions
• Increasing my retirement savings as I decrease my debt

And now a caveat for my readers:  2012 is an election year in the United States, and my friends know I'm a political junkie.  So far, I have kept politics off this blog primarily because I feel the election cycle has become way too drawn out.  Although I will try to maintain a balance here, part of learning the art of focus means also that I must be even more true to my inner self than I have been in the past.  Hopefully, any discussion occurring here as a result of a post will be respectful and calm.  I do reserve the right to edit or delete comments containing any form of hate speech or excessive expletives.  I don't expect all my readers to agree--I do expect them to be respectful of others' opinions.

I may or may not post specific goals as the year progresses, but I will keep track of my need to focus on the subjects listed above.  Do you have a focus for 2012?

Letting Go and Starting Over

"Letting go is an act of strength and courage.

It helps healing begin, frees you of the weight of the past,

and opens doors to a new future." 

~~Stephanie Tourles, Lift Me Up

My mother's voice is screaming in my subconscious, trying to strangle me into the belief that I failed miserably in 2011.  I did not complete my reading challenges.  I did not get 50K written during either Camp NaNoWriMo session, nor during November--in fact, I don't believe I got 50K written on my novel this year.  I did not make, much less post, a lot of cards--even my best friends did not receive handmade birthday greetings (some were lucky to get a quick e-mail acknowledging their big day).  I did not lose weight.  I did not pay off all my debt.  

Mother, I loved you, but your unrealistic expectations for me while you lived damn near drove me into insanity and helped encourage some really bad behaviors for years, so please allow me to kindly (but firmly) tell you to be quiet.  I'm grown and I make my own decisions (and accept the consequences of those decisions).

I hereby let go of the unfinished idealized list of accomplishments I had set for myself for 2011.  No more weighing myself down with regret or negative self-talk.  No more wallowing in what did not happen the way I wanted it to.

I did accomplish many things in 2011:

• Attended on-site training at my job (which helped me stay actively employed all year)
• Paid off one of five student loans
• Kept my Stampin' Up! demonstrator status active (and increased my customer base)
• Learned multiple new software programs
• Set up a complete wireless network in my apartment to maximize the connectivity of my work equipment to the company network (allowing me to continue to work remotely)
• Decreased my carbon footprint by decreasing my electrical usage in my home (even with record Texas summer heat)
• Replaced my microwave after accidentally almost starting a fire in it one night while I was busily writing
• Upgraded my laptop after managing to fry the hard drive in the old one

I also read for pleasure--primarily on my Kindle or my Kindle for Android app.  Between Paperback Swap and donations to my local public library, I succeeded in moving over 300 books out of my apartment.  On the other hand, I  brought in about 150 physical volumes because I still cannot seem to do historical research without actually highlighting passages and making margin notes LOL.

Speaking of historical research, I did a lot of it--and read quite a bit about the craft of writing and publishing (and about marketing yourself).  I didn't reach my goal of 100 complete books in this year, but I did manage to read portions of over 100--see, research to me doesn't always mean reading from beginning to end; some of the Civil War material I have accumulated may never be read cover-to-cover, but it is being read as necessary to help with accuracy for a specific scene.  The same with various texts on using software programs--most of these texts are getting used weekly and marked accordingly, yet only as the information is required.

Was I a success in 2011?  Why, yes--I may not be rich monetarily, or have a managerial position at my job.  I don't own a home or a car.  But none of these things define success for me.  I have friends.  I have a comfortable apartment and a lease until 2014.  I have a wonderful job with nice benefits.  I have my health.  I have a slowly increasing retirement savings account and a slowly decreasing debt load.  I have hope for both my future and the future of this great land (still the best place in the world to live). 

What else could a woman hope for?  My Blessings are many and my regrets for the past are very few.  With that attitude toward my future, my end of year message to my Mother's ghost is simply this--I am indeed a successful, happy human being full of delight in the present and ideas for the future. 

Here's to opening doors of wonder and delight for 2012!

Lessons Learned

To all those on the East Coast affected (however slightly) by Hurricane Irene, our thoughts and prayers are with you...

Six years ago today, I was sitting in a home in Picayune, Mississippi with my boss and her husband, watching Katrina in all her glory uproot pine trees that were over a hundred years old as if they were saplings.  We lost power and were unable to clear roads for several days--but we lived through the destruction.  I'm alive today in great part because folks who did not know me well insisted I evacuate with them rather than stay alone in my New Orleans apartment.  Many in New Orleans Parish and other areas of the Gulf Coast were not so Blessed.

It was interesting to me as I watched the various government agencies react to this weekend's weather.  As Catherine Aird once said, "If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to serve as a horrible warning."  We all saw (especially in hindsight) many mistakes before, during and after Katrina six years ago this very weekend.  Some things worked back then (the good examples) and other simply became horrible warnings...

I was pleasantly surprised to see FEMA and local and state officials show they learned lessons from Katrina:

1. Mandatory (and early) evacuations of low-lying areas prior to the closing of mass transit
2. Early deployment of National Guard and other emergency personnel to ensure as rapid a response to emergency that weather would allow
3. Shelters set up in advance with supplies available to house evacuees
4. Coordination of every level of government to allow each level to handle its own responsibility with the knowledge that the next level up is already prepared to step in and take over if necessary

The hindsight pundits that today are saying this weekend was "much ado about nothing" are entitled to their opinion.  Frankly, though, I would rather see a coordinated, timely, forewarned response than the devastation in lives and property that occurs when we simply sit back and hope for the best and then scramble to react after the fact.

To those of you experiencing the horrific flooding, stay strong.  It may not look like you will recover now, but recovery is possible.  Things can be replaced.  The quotation on my desk calendar today is from Buddha and seems most appropriate:

"Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful."

My Muse is MIA

Try as I might this past week, no creating with paper was done :-(

Lots of general living occurred--work (of course LOL), the cleaning and bill-paying and shopping that had not happened recently due to illness, and the beginnings of a slight rearrangement of my crafting area.  For me, organization and creativity only co-exist when outlining chapters for my novel (and I did manage to roughly sketch out a couple of chapters this week, so all is not lost).

I was Blessed to receive a tax refund this year and chose to use a portion for Stampin' Up! products during Sale-A-Bration, primarily because of the great free product available with every $50 purchase.  The down side to ordering cardstock and stamps and ribbons and embellishments comes when you have to find a place to put all the goodies LOL.  So, instead of using the creative side of my brain (the part that was MIA anyway), I organized my dies and stamps and paper.  My brain stayed incapable of designing cards--what's up with that??  I even watched a few videos on You Tube to inspire creative thought, but all I could find was a blank slate...

That's not entirely true--I did conclude I had a few needs.  I need ribbon storage.  I need to find the instructions to my sewing machine (it has been unused so long, I can no longer remember how to set it for a zigzag stitch, much less use any of the more decorative stitches).  I need to find my muse...

I am Wealthy

No, I did not win the lottery, or even get a raise...here's what I mean by wealth:

"The greatest wealth is health." ~~Virgil

Sure, I'm 55 (both AARP and IHOP consider me a senior citizen) and about eighty pounds overweight, but I am in pretty good health--no daily medications, fair eyesight, decent hearing, my own teeth and only the occasional ache/pain.  Maybe a migraine once in a while, and a few sinus headaches in the average year.  Sometimes a cold or a bit of stomach flu--all in all, a very Blessed life health-wise.

That is not to say I cannot do something to improve my health.  I know I need to lose the excess weight and I know it can be done because I've done it before.  Working from home took away my daily walks--to/from the apartment or the office to the bus stop.  But I can walk daily to the mailbox.  I can stretch and exercise here in the apartment (no jumping jacks or running in place--I'd scare the downstairs neighbors to death thinking an elephant was about to come crashing thru their ceiling LOL).  Exercise is possible.

And I can change my eating habits.  I have already cut back on ordering pizza--that has also improved my budget immensely--imagine that ;-)

So far, I have removed soft drinks from my life (the first thing I always do when starting a healthy eating regimen) and have started eating more vegetables and fruits.  Whole grains and beans have replaced "white" foods (rice, pasta, bread).  No more French fries.  Salt actually is not an issue because I haven't added it to food in years and don't eat salty foods (I actually don't even like salty foods LOL).

And I found a great series of books that will help...The entire "Eat This, Not That" series of books is awesome and easy to follow (who cares if Men's Health magazine sponsors the whole website?  Good information is good information no matter what the source and these books are helping me choose food items that are better for me). 

My biggest issue (oh, that was a bad pun LOL) is the fact that I simply love the taste of food and I am horrid at portion size.  Sure, I could blame the food packaging and super-sized portions on restaurant menus, but the ultimate problem is the amount of food I eat in a day.  I cannot blame other factors because they do not hold my mouth open and force food into it, now do they???  Of course not--I am responsible.

So--a public confession...I eat way too much.  12-Step programs all say that admission of the problem is the first step, so I admit the problem and am actively working the solution one meal at a time. 

If I want to keep my wealth, I need to work on my health.  I'll keep you posted...

Reading is for Everyone...

One of the blogs I frequent posted this not long ago, and I just have to share (go visit Karen when you get a chance--her Wordless Wednesdays are wonderful as well...)

I have been so very Blessed to always be able to find books--even when I was recovering from various less-than-pleasant periods of my life and moving around a lot, I would continually find the closest library. Of course, without an address, you cannot have a library card, so how do you get reading material to carry with you?

This book club is such a cool idea--as I remodeled, I donated books to Goodwill and to my local Friends of the Library group (and of course, listed and traded many on Paperback Swap).  My next stack may go to our local homeless shelters (Dallas actually has several...the need for them makes me sad, but the fact they are there is a good thing).  Another place that may need books would be our local shelters for abused women and children (again, our area has several but I wish the need for them could be eradicated).

What about you?  What do you do with the books you no longer wish to keep but which could still be read and enjoyed?  Are there shelters in your area that could use them?  The holidays are over--many of us are reorganizing our lives and our homes...perhaps our library shelves could be cleared and shared?  After all, words are food for the mind and soul...

(off to call some shelters and see if they could use some books...)

"The Times...They are a Changin'"

 I looked everywhere for a still photo of my favorite scene in John Water's Hairspray where Divine as Edna Turnblad is sitting with her husband Wilbur (played by the wonderful Jerry Stiller).  As much as I love the remake starring John Travolta as Edna, I miss what seems to me to be the signature line from the whole movie--"It's the times...they are a changin'".

That's my motto for 2011--the times are changing, and I need to be flexible enough to embrace those changes.  Changes at work are a certainty--a positive attitude regarding those changes helps the company realize I am an asset.  Changes are needed in my eating habits--that saying, "You are what you eat" should not mean I am fast, easy and cheap LOL.

Changes are needed here on my blog as well--a more disciplined approach to posting is forthcoming.  My intent is to post each Sunday at the very least, even if it is only what I shall call a "Sunday Snippet".  That snippet may be a quote, an interesting website I've found, a short book review, or perhaps a (totally unsolicited) product recommendation.

Stampin' Up! has given us a great opportunity to have a blog directly on our website, so my cards and other projects will often be featured there beginning this year (although I may post a picture here as well).  I intend to make my paper crafting more of a priority this year as it is the cheapest form of therapy I know other than reading.

Speaking of reading, we can tell from the list at the bottom of my blog that I failed to meet the 100+ book challenge for 2010...I did read a few more books than those listed, but rather than go back and try to recreate the list, I'm giving myself permission to move on.  Here is the link to sign up for 2011 and as I am an incurable optimist with these challenges, I'm heading over when I finish this post and signing up for this year.  Thank Heavens for my Kindle (and for Kindle for Android)!!

Finally--I am forging ahead with my writing.  Much of today was spent organizing research notes that had been stacked in various spots throughout the apartment, and a trip to the library is on the schedule for tomorrow.  As I found out during NaNoWriMo 2009, I do not write well when I am not organized, so I'm giving my OCD tendencies more control over my writing life.  I'll post pictures soon of my writing corner as I intend to spend many productive hours there this year.

If you have read this far, I thank you.  It was a long post but expressing goals and dreams becomes wordy at times.  To all of you--A Blessed New Year and may you experience many positive changes in this new decade...I wish love and happiness to you all!

What a Decade it Has Been...And a Glimpse of What's Ahead

First..the glimpse (if you haven't already noticed LOL)--I've remodeled my blog!  Since the apartment got remodeled this year, I felt I could do no less for my blog.  For the moment, the changes are mainly cosmetic, but my post tomorrow will outline some plans and ideas I have to improve Multicoloured Imagery...as they say on more traditional media, "stay tuned"...

Now, a look back--a bit of reflection on where I've been...

Ten years ago, I was in a loving, committed relationship and working for a major metropolitan city.  We were anxiously awaiting whether or not the entire computer world would come crashing down on our shoulders due to Y2K.  It didn't.  We survived.  Then came 9/11/2001.  I'm a native Dallasite who was in fourth-grade music class when JFK was assassinated; I was a housewife shopping for groceries when Challenger crashed.  Neither prepared me for the tragedy of 9/11, but neither brought up from the core of my being a love of the United States of America that the aftermath of 9/11 stirred from my unconscious self.  That intense patriotism lives to this day.

On a personal level in the first half of the decade, I realized commitment from one party in a partnership is not enough to sustain the relationship.  I left (he was grateful).  I changed jobs after hitting the glass ceiling repeatedly (I was happy).  Looking back, there was a year or two when the outside world may have thought I was floundering a bit.  I certainly realize now that while I was reinventing myself as a single woman in my late forties, I was also suffering from depression.  I tried a geographic cure, thinking that a complete change of scenery would do me good--and it did.  New Orleans gave me strength and a sense of self I had never experienced.  I fell in love with the people and the character of the city--it was quirky enough that I could allow myself to simply be me.  Sure, I didn't like much of the social inequity I saw, but I also understood its roots and was accepted into the lifestyle and community in a way I had never before experienced.

Then came August 29, 2005 and a hurricane named Katrina.  Once more, I faced a crossroad.  Rebuilding my life from scratch back in Dallas just seemed logical at the time simply because I still had friends and family here.

Fast forward five years--I'm single and loving it.  I have a great job that supplies all my needs and many of my wants.  I live in a fantastic apartment in a decent section of town.  My friends and family ebb and flow in and out of my life as we grow as individuals--some stay for a season, some for a reason, and a few for a lifetime.  All is as it should be.  I salute the challenges and accomplishments of the last decade and I give thanks to the Creator who made all this living of life possible.

And I look forward into a future filled with hopes, dream and possibilities...Welcome to the world, 2011!

Merry Christmas!

Today is Christmas--some folks celebrate the day as a religious one and others celebrate home, hearth and family while still more observe the commercialism of the season.

Whatever you do on the 25th of December, I hope you enjoy it with all the wide-eyed wonder of a child...and if you have health, hearth, food, family and friends, consider expressing gratitude for all the Blessings that are manifest in your life...

Patriot's Day 2011

Since I live half my life in 1862 these days as I progress with my novel, I thought I'd share a quote from the Civil War era that is just as apropos today as it was when it was written:

"It is well that war is so terrible, or we should grow too fond of it"  ~~~~~  (Robert E. Lee, at Fredericksburg, Virginia, in 1862)

In memory of those lost during the attacks on 9/11/2001, and those brave soldiers lost since then as they defend our right to live free in the United States.  May the Creator of the Universe Bless this country and its leadership.

The Single Life

I love being single--I can eat breakfast at dinner time (Chocolate Cheerios, anyone?) or dinner at breakfast (Domino's pizza is even better cold out of the refrigerator LOL).  And I need not tout the advantage of having only one person's laundry to do, right?

Yet, there are times when a second strong back (or even a second set of hands) would come in handy.  Take yesterday, for instance.  I was running coaxial cable from one room to the other through a hole punched in the wall.  Had a person been in the other room, all the coax would not have mysteriously vanished into the wall cavity and somehow tangled itself around the already present Ethernet cable.  Hence, I now have a much larger hole in the wall and a smashed up finger to boot.

Then let's talk furniture assembly.  I've been Blessed.  I am now in the position to replace the bargain-basement and dumpster-dived furniture from the early post-Katrina days with real wood pieces (albeit the RTA type).  My cherry-finish TV stand for the bedroom was time consuming to assemble but looks fabulous.  The oak bookcases for the bedroom (yes, I know--two different finishes, but the oak finish has a decided reddish tint and they coordinate well; when you are needing free shipping to your second-floor apartment, you sometimes make those compromises)--well, let's just say, they aren't particle board LOL.  I had to open the box in the living room and carry the individual pieces into the bedroom.  And, due to the fact the edges are finished the way they are, you need tons of assembly room--the pieces slide into one another (think tongue and groove assembly).  I still need to nail the backing this morning, then I get the honor of trying to pick up and position a 100-pound bookcase against the wall so I can attach it to a stud (there is not a single wall in my bedroom that is level). 

It's times like these that a man could prove useful LOL.  I have several male friends--most of whom are single.  One of my girlfriends suggested I cultivate at least one of those males and for the price of a home-cooked meal (or two) a month, I would have a personal handyman.  The thought rolled around in my head for a while last night, and again this morning as I nurse my various muscle aches and pains.  Would it work?  Possibly.  Is it worth it?  Probably not.  I don't do well with the whole "damsel-in-distress needs knight in shining armor" thing, primarily because I am lousy at asking for help.  And I really don't want the care and feeding of another human being (see first paragraph above LOL).  Besides, once I do manage all the assembly work and the revamping/redecorating of the apartment, I will have the great sense of personal satisfaction that comes from a job well done.

Yeppers, it's the single life for me...now, where did I put that blasted screwdriver?

The Blessings of Being "One"

This month is a reflection month for me since experiencing Hurricane Katrina five years ago (I have other reflection months for other reasons--November for instance because of my birthday).  When I returned to Dallas on the waves of Katrina, I knew the city well--it is, after all, my native locale.  But, I was raw inside:  vulnerable, in need of emotional shelter, wanting comfort, wanting someone else to be the strong one, wanting to follow rather than lead...

I had tried various forms of communal living from 2002-2005.  I had tried living with my daughter's family (that turned into a multi-generational mess).  I had been a live-in nanny for a dear friend (TMI on way too many levels and a great way to lose a best friend).  I had a roommate to share expenses (a necessity for living decently in New Orleans without being rich).  When Katrina struck, friends and family really pitched in to get me to Dallas and help me get back on my feet.  The independent, stubborn, Scorpio side of me wanted to ensure I was employed and housed and fed without charity as soon as possible.  That was the easy part--I had an apartment by September, a job in October, and life moved on.  The emotional, needy Scorpio side of me ran into an old acquaintance who on the surface was everything I always knew he could be and I chose to give him another chance.  Thankfully, I lost only possessions, time, and the respect of others who knew I had made a poor choice of partner.  The scars which could so easily have been physical were only emotional, and they have taught me many lessons. 

That's all background.  The here and now is a Blessed Singleness.  I cherish my friends and even most of my acquaintances.  I cherish more my ability to live life alone--picking and choosing my companion of the day based on the event; knowing that many times my most loving companion is myself.  My circle of friends narrows as I age simply because I choose to have only positive thinkers surround me.  We need not agree on politics or religion or any other topic, but we need to respect one another and support each other in our goals in this second third of our lives.

It's Sunday morning.  I'm not finished rearranging my apartment.  There are dishes and laundry to do, meals to cook, bills to pay.  I could get overwhelmed with general living yet I sit here basking in the knowledge that

Man can starve from a lack of self-realization as much as... from a lack of bread.  ~Richard Wright, Native Son, 1940

I found this video this morning on 52-Card Pickup, a card challenge blog I follow faithfully for her wonderful challenges to be more self aware.   I want to instill enough self-discipline to start participating in her challenge, but for now, I need to just publicly thank her for her inspiration on a weekly basis.  Thank you, Sue.

Office Relocation

Here's what I did this past weekend (with tons of help from a BFF who brought her hubby and son along to manhandle furniture)...you can see the before pictures on a prior post. 

Here's my new office desk.  The small table to the right shows where the studio part of the room begins--it holds my die-cut machine on top with various accessories and my current Stampin' Up! wood mount stamps are in that cart as well.  The desk itself is from Staples and the husband/son combo mentioned above were my knights in shining armor to put it--and its twin--together.  I love my balance ball chair!  The ergonomics are superb and I can also use the ball separately for quick stretching sessions on my breaks ;-)  The small cart to the left is under the window and holds my paper shredder, my "to be filed" papers, and my boom box (gotta have classic rock while I work LOL).

Then, here's my "personal" side of the room, where I handle household business.  It is set up in such a way that I can easily do research for my novel and also work my SU! business.  Since the room is bigger, the claustrophobia is gone and I no longer want to run from the room when my work shift is over LOL.  It is also amazing what having matching furniture in this room is doing for my self-confidence.  I already feel more professional about both my writing and Stampin' Up! as a part-time job.  And I have to mention the printer--it duplexes!  I've posted before that I am an old-fashioned researcher who highlights research materials and rough drafts.  Well, being able to print in draft mode and auto-duplex is a great way to save paper and ink! 

In case you are wondering, the network cabling went off without a hitch--I still need to hide it under the carpet as it runs through my bedroom and the living room, but the distance from the modem to the router was no problem after all, which was such a Blessing!

The part of the room to the left of my personal desk will eventually hold my sewing table (I hope to get that part of the room organized next weekend).  Then comes a shelf unit with various crafting supplies.  The closet is a walk-in and is currently transitioning from my clothes to general storage so may be photographed later but certainly not yet ;-)  Between the closet and the bathroom door (this room was designed to be the master bedroom), I have placed a shelving unit and my fan.  I'll add those pictures to my next post so I can show off the studio side of the room...

Pollyanna Positive versus Nellie Negative

I have truly come to believe I live in a land far away from reality.  This land is a land where something good happens every day--a land of job and housework and bills and laundry and a never-ending "to-do" list.  A land where having to do dishes means there was food to cook.  A land where even if a punk from the neighborhood comes through and turns off the A/C unit outside as a prank, I still have fans and electricity to run them while waiting for maintenance to find and solve the problem.  Yes, I live in a dream world--a world where it is easier to count Blessings than complain about challenges...

I stopped watching newscasts several years ago--journalism has taken a giant leap away from Who, What, When, Where and How and stands mainly in the ever-enlarging camp of Why.  "Straight" newscasts--without opinion and slanted commentary--are so few and far between, they are almost non-existent.  Doomsayers and gloom-casters dominate the media.  The relative ease of commenting semi-anonymously on stories broadcast on the Web seems to encourage what my parents used to call "open mouth, insert foot".  If negativity isn't broadcast on the news or on You Tube, it is Tweeted, blogged or Facebooked.  Is it simply because these things are not being said directly to someone's face, or have we as a culture lost the ability to be cordial and mannerly to each other, even if we disagree?

I have always felt I had a fairly balanced view of life.  Now, I watch the world spinning past and read of bullying in schools causing teen suicides or peruse the comments on news articles where total strangers call each other names unfit for print.  If that is balanced, I want no part of it.  I was raised in the era of "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."  That did not encourage lying, but it did carry the expectation that I would always try to find a silver lining in any person or situation.

Since I still choose that way of viewing the world, I welcome the title some friends have bestowed upon me--the nickname of Pollyanna Positive.  I'd much rather see the world through rose-colored glasses and look for the good in everyone. Positive thinking is not a new concept by any means, but it does seem to have fallen out of favor.

I pledge to do what I can to bring positive thinking back to the world--does anybody care to join me?  Anybody at all?

Keep On The Sunny Side of Life

Written by Ada Blenkhorn in 1899.
Music by J. Howard Entwisle.

There's a dark and a troubled side of life
There's a bright and a sunny side, too
Tho' we meet with the darkness and strife
The sunny side we also may view

[chorus]
Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side,
Keep on the sunny side of life
It will help us every day, it will brighten all the way
If we'll keep on the sunny side of life

Tho' the storm in its fury broke today,
Crushing hopes that we cherished so dear;
Storm and cloud will in time pass away
The sun again will shine bright and clear.

Let us greet with a song of hope each day
Tho' the moments be cloudy or fair
Let us trust in our Saviour alway
Who keepeth everyone in His care

A Ray of Sunshine ends a Cloudy Week

This has not been one of my best weeks of 2010.  I am trying quite hard to get well after being exposed to several sick people last weekend (one had strep throat) and so have muddled through in spite of the aches, upset stomach and sinus headaches.  No cards made; minimal writing done on TGAN; bare bones cleaning and cooking; no laundry...the best part (until now) of my week has been that I continued my perfect attendance streak at work by not calling in even though my body said "stay in bed".  The weather hasn't helped as it has been dreary, cold and wet much of the week.

Then, I open up my blog to post a review of Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol and what do I find?

I got this really cool award from my friend Beverly over at GottHeartArt!  I feel a bit like I won the lottery!  She and I met shortly after Hurricane Katrina sent me back home to D/FW from New Orleans.  The stamping group we met through is now defunct, but we clicked from almost the first day we met--and I feel Blessed to call her a friend.  Thanks for my first blog award, Beverly!

If I understand how this works (and if I get it wrong, blame the headache LOL), I am to list ten of my favorite things and then pass the award to five people who inspire me...

1)    Chocolate--tied for #1 with coffee (there's a reason my avatar has a coffee cup LOL)

2)    Reading--my TBR mountain has over 500 very eclectic titles

3)    Writing--even if it sometimes slogs along at a snail's pace, I can no longer imagine life without writing

4)    Cardmaking and stamping--and crafting in general, especially eco-crafting

5)    Mexican food--I love food in general, but Tex-Mex has my heart ;-)

6)    Research--sounds crazy, but I must have been a librarian in at least one former life

7)    "Green" living--not as green as I want to be, but hope springs eternal; it is a passion

8)    The History Channel/History International--that's what reality TV means to me

9)    Star Wars--tied with Lord of the Rings; I have probably 75% of the movies' dialogue memorized

10)  Vintage 40's (before me, but not by much LOL) and 50's decor (see #7 above); ADORE thrift stores

And now to my Awardees (in alphabetical order)...these ladies' blogs are awesomely inspiring to me as a writer, as a reader, as a crafter, as a "greenie"--I wish I could award more ;-)

• Christi
• Julia
• Michele
• Susan
• Taylor

Standing in the Shadow of Greatness

I know few writers personally but need to surround myself with intelligent, supportive, creative people who constantly strive to make positive changes in their personal life and who also attempt to positively affect others.  Some of my friends scrap, some know and understand gems, virtually all are voracious readers, and some make cards (as I do whenever I have "spare" time).

I was Blessed to meet one such person almost two years ago, and she is a crafter extraordinaire.  That has now been proven as she was just notified one of her cards is being published in the April 2010 issue of Scrap & Stamp Arts.

Go over to GottHeartArt and see some wonderous eye candy!   Beverly has been a talented crafter her entire life and her card designs run the gamut from cute and cuddly to clean and simple and into the lavish and elegant depending on her mood.  She's also been a featured/guest designer on several card making blogs, and is the current guest designer of the month at Creative Inspirations.

During NaNoWriMo last November, when I honestly wondered how I could ever accomplish 50K in 30 days, she was the best cheerleader a friend could ever desire.  Even now, when I worry about the direction my novel is taking or the time it is taking to finish, no matter how busy (or how sick) she is, she makes sure I know I have someone in my creative corner cheering me to the finish line.

In an age when so many seem to interpret the Golden Rule as "Let me get them before they get me", it is very refreshing to have honest, supportive friends, and it is wondrous to see those friends be recognized for the quality of their work...

Congratulations, Beverly--here's to greater success in the future for you and your cards!

Merry White Christmas!

It's snowing here in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, and in some sections of the Metroplex, it is actually sticking!  I'm as giddy as a schoolgirl--I love snow!  And there is nothing more fun than watching "White Christmas" on Christmas Eve with it snowing outside LOL!

Of course, I've rescheduled my Christmas plans with friends due to the weather; I may love snow but it puts a crimp in traveling, even with public transportation.  No youngsters are involved with our plans, so we can see "Sherlock Holmes" on Sunday after the weather clears.  I also can watch a "Star Wars" marathon on Spike TV if I tire of AMC and "White Christmas".  I have food in the house and am off work tonight and tomorrow.  What else could someone ask for at Christmas?  (Well, I could ask for a lot actually--like world peace and increased participation in green living and better treatment for the mentally ill among us and increased literacy in Appalachia and other depressed areas of our country and the world, and--well, I am sure you get the drift LOL).

The gist of it all I guess wraps around the fact that I can ask for nothing more for Christmas than I already have--good friends, a home, food, my health, a job--and the ability to make healthy decisions in my life today.  Some folks don't have those things.  I am truly Blessed.

So again, to all you reading this--Have a Merry Christmas and may you be surrounded this holiday season by all you hold dear...