In keeping with yesterdays post I am trying to remain positive when in all reality my body and the outside conditions are calling me to fall into a deep dark depression. So.... consider this:
No matter who you are, there are moments when you will feel the world is too much -- days when you want to pull up the covers and stay half-asleep in bed until nightfall.
This is normal. It’s an integral part of building anything remarkable, whether a business, a relationship, or a life. Expanding your sphere of comfort and abilities comes with a cost: repeated self-doubt.
The above video may put things in perspective. In your moments of self-doubt, watch it and meditate on all of the things you’ve done that you once considering impossible.
Get back up. Bigger and better things are waiting for you.
Again, I have been blessed. Polly at sotto voce brightened my glum winter day with a ray of sunshine. The Superior Scribbler Award.
I started this humble little blog as a gift to my friend, a Christmas present. Hoping to entertain her I found so much more. What has surprised me most is that you all have found me and have also enjoyed reading along with me - with my "aimless ramblings from a friend". I continue to write as if I am speaking only to Amy, however , I try to keep in mind that others are reading; explaining and incorporate details to help everyone else follow along.
I am so blessed with the people I have "met" through this network I call blogatopia. Please continue reading, commenting, and refering your bloggy friends and I will continue to ramble on aimlessly!
So onto the award at hand:
The rules for the award are as follows:
* Each Superior Scribbler must in turn pass the Award on to 5 most-deserving Blog Friends. * You must link to the author and name of the blog from where he/she has received the award. * You must display the Award on your blog and link to THIS POST, which explains the Award. * Each blogger who wins The Superior Scribbler Award must visit this post and add your name to the Mr. Linky List. That way, they will be able to keep up-to-date on everyone who receives this prestigious honor.You must post these rules on your blog. * Each recipient must post these rules on his/her blog.
Therefore , I will pass this award onto some fine bloggers I have started to visit lately. People who will benefit from such inspiration, folks who seem to write for themselves, but don't mind people "peeking" in. So, with respect I pass on the joy that comes with this award -
In the depth of the Minnesota winter it is very easy to be overtaken by the winter blues. Realistically, it is easy to fall into a deep dark despair/depression.
This depression has a name -S.A.D. Seasonal Affective Disorder. It is a true blue(get the pun?) studied disorder backed by science. See, we lack enough sunlight to fill the bodies' need of Vitamin D. Plus it is too cold to be outside for long amounts of time. This limits our amount of fresh air and exercise, and really, the amount of things available to do are also limited by both the snow and cold. (We couldn't go outside yesterday because it didn't get above +5 degrees)
Being an incredibly social person and a stay at home mom on a limited budget only adds to problem. I am around people under 4 feet tall who have a limited vocabulary. My outings typically include preschool and the grocery. Not the ideal situation for my personality type.
To battle these feelings I am going to post something fabulouslypositive and sunny(literally)
Why I love my job (today):
My "office" has a great view Our morning "meeting" is usually very low key. The level of creativity my employees show is astounding! "It's a wobot" I have worked in a variety of job environments - including (but not limited to) a bank, gas company office, flower shops, greenhouses, dance line coach, nanny, hostessing/serving and bar tending, teaching elementary school, cheer leading coach, and insurance sales. But, this job has been the most challenging, tiresome, and frustrating. But at the same time, it has been the job with the most long term rewards.
"Oh Cwap" that is what my four year old repeated as he came up behind me... I dropped the spaghetti noodles on the floor. Between the dog hair, dust from the furnace blowing all day long, and general lack of ambition lately there is no way those noodles were salvagable. So dinner had to switch gears and quickly. Ahh ha, yeah you betcha I got an idea!
HOTDISH! A long standing Minnesota Tradition. Now, to make hotdish you need one mainstay - cream soup. Pick your type - most prefer cream of mushroom. I myself am more of a cream of chicken gal. (Now my mom gets all sorts of crazy and uses 1 can cream of chicken and one can cream of celery) From there you can alter the recipe in uncountable ways. Today I made a rice hotdish. 1) Start rice cooking ( I "cheated" and used a rice cooker instead the stove) 2) Sautee onions, celery, and carrots in pan (wit a lil' oil) 3) Add cream 2 cans cream soup and 1 can milk - cook on low and whisk together. 4) Brown ground beef (to keep it truly traditional you should use ground venison) note - I did not include a pic of this, because there is NOTHING pretty about ground beef 5) Mix meat and cream mixture together in pan - for extra flavor simmer for a few minutes. 6) When rice is done mix together cream mixture and rice in a "casserole dish" or cake pan. 7) I mixed in a little shredded cheese today (gettin' crazy!) 8) Put into oven and bake for about an hour, or until it gets hot n' bubbly. (this will go into the 'fridge until an hour before supper) 9) Serve with bread and butter, pickles, and milk.
Tip: Use hotdish to get rid of left overs. Chicken from last night - make chix/broc. hotdish. Left over veggies - throw them in dar!...
I will leave you with my Dearest's favorite supper/hotdish Tator Tot Casserole 1) brown ground beef (add onions if ya wanta) 2) drain beef 3) add 2 cans cream soup (mix in 1 can milk) 4) add 1 or 2 cans of mixed vegetables (I actually prefer green beans) 5) mix together and pour into bottom of cake pan 6) top mixture with frozen tator tots - line them all up nice and even 7) throw a few extra tots on top for testing (his instructions, not mine) 8) bake 350 degrees for around an hour. (until hot and bubbly) 9) serve with bread and grape jelly (don't ask!), pickles, and milk
I just woke from a dream that left me wondering ---> Do you ever feel like you have come from another time, another place. You have a memory or dream that isn't from this life - you wake thinking, "where did that come from? ...probably a movie I saw, or a book I read...." Does a certain type of music pull at your heart or pictures of a far off land feel like home? Have you met someone new that you are instantly connected to?Deep? Silly? I don't know. I do know that I continually think about the kitchen of a house I have never been in, not in this life time anyway. Yet I know each cupboard as if it was my own now. (that was my dream - again) I also can't hear a song from Ireland that doesn't make me want to either dance or cry. Yes, I have lineage in Ireland -"Black Irish" my genealogy searching aunt tells me, but, I have never been there myself.
How about a child who seems to be wise beyond their years. It is like they know things that their years could not allow for.....
This post will probably only serve as proof for my family to use later when they institutionalize me. Am I claiming I was reincarnated? (gasp I said the word...) No. Do I believe in it? I don't know. But, sometimes... I wonder.
"It is Nature's Kindness that we do not remember past births. Where is the good either in knowing in detail the numberless births we have gone through? ...a wise man deliberately forgets many things" -Ghandi
It is still cold, gray, and slightly miserable here today. We had another weekend plagued by temps below zero day and night. Needing a ray of sunshine I sent out a request to my friend A. Nelson. Please, please, please, send me some of your fabulous photos to post .... I need a ray of sunshine on an otherwise gray day. Because she loves me, she did! Enjoy:
Gerber Daisy
Loons w/ baby (MN state bird) Water Lily Lake Movil in the Fall
I was blog surfing - going from one blog to the next - clicking on pictures of followers and then clicking of pictures of their followers. It was fun to see all the different blogs and topics, as well as the vast locations across the world. I ended up on one particular blog. This girl is around 21 years old. She was spilling out a drama that only a young 20's woman can - men, friends, dating, disasters.... at the end she was wondering where to meet men other than a bar. I left a comment. As I was about to leave this comment I realized my 21 year old self would slap my 35 year old self for the advice I was about to give. I told her to go to a church and sit in on their singles or young professionals/college group (what ever the church called it). Or, go to some community ed classes - cooking, photography, a class where guys might also attend.
So, all of this left me thinking last night. What would I tell MYSELF? What would I tell my 21 year old self now that I am 35? (Man I was bar tending then and I thought the 30 somethings were soooo old!) I asked myself, my dearest, and my friends.... This is what we came up with
Myself - ~Figure out a way to go for the guy and finish school ~Doctors don't know everything ~You know yourself better than anyone else does ~Don't play hard to get, be so busy you are hard to get ~Your boyfriend's friends should not be your friends ~Have adventures now - it will be harder later ~Learn more - about more ~If your car can get you there - go, don't sit home ~Ask people to do things, stop waiting for an invite ~You won't wear that sweater in 6 months,but, if you charge it you will still be paying for it then ~If you think you can't afford to do things now, wait until you have a mortgage and kids ~Show off your body a little more, kids will ruin any chance of a bikini later ~Going out with friends needs to be just as important as going out with "the" one (guy) ~There will be another guy. He will be better and you will eventually shake your head at the last. My dearest (Who had less time to think) ~Don't drink so much beer ~Work out more ~Have it in your mind that your wife should stay home with your kids ~Save money while you can ~Don't use credit cards unless you can pay them off ~Do what you enjoy and enjoy what you do Mom, don't read this next one... ~Have sex now (yeah, he said it!) A survey of friends ~ Don't care so much about what other people think ~ Do the things that you enjoy, stop trying to please other people ~ Enjoy spontaneity and live as much as you can. Go as many places and see as many things as you can ~ You don't know what busy is - take advantage of your free time
While interviewing friends I was told there is a song that is called Letter To Me by Brad Paisley that was fitting for this post. I agree.
What is the advice you would give to your younger self? Think about it and then leave me a comment please.
Last night I dug to the back of my closet. I was able to pull together a dress shirt I had bought for a New Year's Party we never got to go to, a pair of pants that would pass for dressy, and dusted off a jacket to keep from freezing to death. I even took the time to curl my hair and attempt more of a make up routine than a bit of lip gloss and mascara.The babysitter was scheduled and arrived on time. We were heading "out"! (Those of you with kids of your own will understand what a big deal dress clothes, make up, and a ticket to an event can be!)We were off to see the Bemidji "Volcolmotive"Show Choir Dinner Show/Fundraiser.
Bemidji, MN has an unbelievable chorale program. It is led by award winning director (and friend of ours) Chris Fettig. These kids travel around the Midwest competing (and winning) through out the winter and early Spring. Their dedication and talent is unbelievable! Did I mention that the music is live, performed by young men and women from the High School as well.
As we sat and watched this two hour long program I had to keep reminding myself that these were High School students, and this is an extra curricular activity for them. Also, even though you tend to hear about teens in trouble there are just as many High Schoolers out there doing amazing things. These show choir kids are a lead example of the good teens can do. Other than that, as always, I was left uttering only one word ....WOW....!
Do to the fact that I have been either gone or snoozing today with the plan to leave again for the evening... (Unbelievable, I KNOW! If I am not careful some may think I have a life :)
Ok, so, for these reasons, I am going to link to another blog today. I also don't want to forget this idea come Valentine's Day.
CindyLou at Skip to My Lou has a great EASY idea for these cute V-Day treats. Think teachers, classmates, friends, or crushes .....
I am so excited. I got to go rock climbing on Wednesday night. Well, on a rock wall... best I can do this time of year."Anything I've ever done that ultimately was worthwhile initially scared me to death."Anonymous
In fact, I am so excited I will do the Dance of Joy -( from Perfect Strangers.... circa early 90's)
O.K., well, back to where we were.... Dearest and I took wee one #3 to the college rec center for a little one on one time. If you want to turn heads at a college strap a 6 year old to a rock wall and say "go ahead buddy!" and go he did... It took a little encouraging from mom and dad (and a well timed tow or two on the rope) for him to get as high as he wanted to."Art flourishes when there is a sense of adventure" Alfred North Whitehead
One of our goals is to instill a sense of adventure into our children...
"Rocks make no compromise for sex... rock climbing is not like some sports, where it is made easier for women; or sports like, say, softball, which is only baseball for soft people. On a rock, everything is equal."
Plus, I have a lot of work to do around the house today and figured it would be a quick post for the day...
4th picture meme - you take the 4th picture in the 4th folder on your computer and post it and explain it. no editing, no selecting another picture. Here is what I came up with. I like almost everyone else broke the rules a bit. I eliminated a wedding folder and our business folder and came up with our Spring 2008 picture folder. Here is the fourth picture from our fourth personal folder. Ok, so this picture needs an explanation (and quick huh?!) This last summer we made an outhouse for the garden. Our yard is just under 2 acres. The garden, raspberries, strawberries, garden shed, most level area of yard suitable for playing on, and firepit (where you see the chairs) are all in the back of the yard; It is quite a jaunt to the house. For this reason (and because they look so neat) I wanted an outhouse back there. With four wee ones and myself outside most of the summer someone is always having to run in to use the bathroom(when you are three that is a looooong way to make it).
PLUS, in July we celebrated three things - our 10 year anniversary, my beloved's masters degree, and my 35th birthday. We invited 100 of our closest friends and family. All I could think about was everyone tromping through the house to use the facilities. I really hated the idea of renting one of those icky port-a-johns.... ANYWAY... My dearest made us an outhouse. (You can see the finished picture on my Flickr, stage right)
We built the frame in the garage and moved it with the lawn tractor to the back of the yard. To weigh it down and keep it from tipping (and to entertain my friend Amy who was there to help us plan the party) Dearest jumped in weighed it down. We had to wait until the wee one's were in bed (which is why I am in my p.j.s) , so off we rode into the sunset :)
Thank you Julie from Julochkafor the memory! As Julie put it..."I'd love to see the 4th picture in your 4th folder and hear your story, so if you'd like to share, consider yourself tagged."
Part of the fun of the whole "interview me" thing I took part in with Julochka and Tangobaby was then putting out the offer to interview other people. Two people responded. Alex from Brainy and Beautiful notified me that her answers to my 5 questions are up in a post labeled Just Jules and Me. Read how this one lady is helping to foster a positive self esteem in our young women and what has surprised her about married life, plus more.
SleddingHow fun a sled can be!Ready, Set, Go.... Stark colors against the gray background ofwinter As dark fell so did the snow Snow in motion-Enchanting
I think I found the words I was searching for - words to fit the way I am feeling today The words come from Heartbreak Tango
Excerpt from her blog: "Don't get me wrong. I'm just as excited to have a new president as you are... But what I'm really in love with, and always have been, is the United States of America. " Go check it out.
Take the time to see how San Fransisco and Tangobabyushered in the new president - she provided words that make you feel
"The canvas was turned and uplifted. And so were we."
Since there is indeed other things going on in the world I want to throw one last thing in - this amazing picture from Mike Terry from his blog What it all looks like. He is a photojournalist and to my completely untrained eye - amazing!
I may offend some people with this post... just let me rant, stick with me, come back tomorrow and all will be well ;) I am worried. I am worried that people are expecting so much from one man. One man can not change the world.
I am thrilled that people have found hope,the tide is changing, confidence is boosted, happiness is growing, however you want to say it.... But, to expect one man to walk into this new position and make it all right is CRAZY!
WE need to be the change we want to see. We as a nation can not sit back and expect things to turn on their own.(obviously you or I couldn't walk into the middle east and put a stop to the war, but, follow me here...) "God provides food for the birds, but, he doesn't throw it into their nests..."
What I hope happens is that we feel better as a whole. This will spark us, Americans, to go out and make changes, to help ourselves help the nation. After all this man is just that, a man - one human being taking on the world. Shouldering the weight of the world is for gods, not humans.
Today is a day off. The kids have an extended weekend (due to MLK day) and here I am still in my pj's drinking coffee. Dearest and wee one #1 are at the fish house showing a neighbor what "spearing" is all about. (I will have to do a post of fishing from a fish house soon!)
The possibilities are endless for me/us today. Yet, here I am in my p.j.'s. Maybe doing nothing on a day when you can do anything is better. Life is too rushed, we are always trying to DO something and not just BE.
I guess I won't plan the day - I will just let it unfold....
This is NOT me, I don't wake up with lipstick on :) Nor am I a blond- but you DO not want to see me right now (dearest said I looked like Medusa this morn'....yeah.... )
My Interview - Welcome to those here to see my interview.... To bring everyone else up to speed.... There is an Interview Me sort of thing going on in Blogatopia. I have been watching the questions and answers roll in on both julochka and tangobaby's blogs. I (with hesitation) threw my hat in as a possible interviewee. These questions come from tangobaby. (Advance to the next post to see the interview from julochka .) What follows are her 5 questions to me and my answers, at the end you will see the rules if you would like to have a go at this.
1) Tell us about where you live inMN (It looks very beautiful but also EXTREMELYfreezing cold right now-- as a Californian, I am a little worried about you). The name of your town is very interesting...what does it mean? Did you grow up there? I live in Bemidji MN(Now that you know where I am I would discourage any thought of a pilgrimage here to meet me, it's really cold right now! Wait until July when it is 80degrees) I was not born here, I was born in Detroit Lakes which is just to the south and west of Bemidji. There are a few things this town is known for a) we are the home of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox. (due to our logging industry) b) we are thefirst city on the Mississippi River c) the headwaters of the Missippi River is about 40 miles (by road) from here. d) the bronze medalists in curling for the winter 2006 Olympics are from Bemidji e) there are 11,842 lakes in Minnesota (10 acres or larger in size) There are several major rivers too. 1 in every 6 person owns a boat and water skiing was invented here in 1922. (we are not lacking in water) f) we make due in the winter by downhill skiing, ice fishing, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, dog sledding, snowmobiling, and seeking refuge at indoor water parks.
Bemidji - an Ojibwe term meaning "waters crossing waters". The mighty Mississippi crosses lake Bemidji and flows north before turning south and onward to communities to the East. Prior to 1880 a band of about fifty Leech Lake Indians lived along the south shore of a lake with their elder, Shaynowishkung. They called that lake Bemidjigumaug. 2) If you care to share a little bit of the past election season with us, what was the overall perception in your immediate part of the world to the last weeks of the election? Minnesota has had some interesting stuff going on, especially with the Senate election. Are people still engaged or are they over it? Let me start by saying I am one of the least political people you will meet. I voted democratic, republican, and independent on the same ballot this last election. The only candidates I am concerned about are the ones that directly impact the schools. With that said: I think that people outside of Minnesota may be more interested in what is going on then us. Probably because they don't have to live with the results. I think closer to the twin cities (Minneapolis/St.Paul) it is a hotter topic then it is in "the Greater North".
I won't be happy with either candidate so I lost interest long ago. I do worry if Franken gets in, he gives me a very unsettled feeling. This is probably due to the trickle of problems we are still as a state dealing with from the in-famous Jesse Venture (what an idiot!) However, Coleman is a nimrod too! He is only in office because Paul Wellstone's plane crash (what a sad loss for our state). Minnesota is a leader in so many areas - health research (mayo clinic), College research (U of M), and educational advances... but we seem to pick the best of the worst when it comes to election time, and then we gripe about it for the years that follow (Very Minnesotan of us)!
3) My perception of the Midwest comes primarily from A Prairie Home Companion. How close is my perception to reality?
I love Prairie Home Companion - to me there is something so calming about Garrison Keillor's voice. But, to say that it is a reality is to say that Lucille Ball's show truly epitomized the 50's. It is more like an exaggeration of what is real with a lot of imagination thrown in. There are some things that ring very true (especially the way he talks...that is how people around here talk, not quite as strong of an accent as the movies portray it). To me it seems more like the days of the past, more of a perfect world than could ever be true... Again to survive here we have to be able to laugh at ourselves!
If I was to pay a visit to you where you live, what would we do first for fun? That depends on your interest. If you are into shopping we have theMall of America(4 hrs from here), but my favorite place in our great state is the "North Shore" It is the Eastern peninsula that runs along Lake Superior. I would take you here for it's beauty. You would have to bring extra camera memory and batteries. Waterfalls, wildlife, the lake, cargo ships, variations in geography, the artists, small fun towns, and original people are just some of the things you would run into. It has such a large array of attractions, restaurants, shops, and things to do both outdoors and in.
4) If you were a beloved house guest, what is the basic care and feeding of Ms Jules? What makes you purr? I am so untraveled that to get away would be almost enough! I truly think I would need a day to settle down, acclimate, wind down enough to relax - just a day of sleeping in, quiet time, aimless wondering to center myself. THEN - I love to explore. I like to get an authentic feel for my locale -no big box stores and malls for me, I love little tucked away restaurants and shops, great company, a good dose of acting silly and very un-mom-like. I love coffee shops where you can sit outside and old book stores where you can find books long forgotten. I also find great comfort in being able to incorporate myself into my hosts life for the short visit (helping cook, kicking back and watching a DVD, wandering their yard and appreciating their "nest" if you will) These are things I have only been able to do a few times - once when I visited my friend Deb in Colorado (after I moved away), and when I visited your fine city SF- not the house part of course-but we did stay in a cool old hotel (the one with the red room bar)
5)Please tell us what that gorgeous photo is on the masthead of your blog? That my dear is Mt.Sneffels. It is in SW Colorado. It is part of the San Juan Mountains. We could see this beautiful peak from the town we lived in for 2.5 years. We had the LaSalle Mts on one side of us and the SanJuan Mts. on the other side of us. The view on the masthead is the view we had when we traveled from our town of Nucla to Ridgeway or beyond. It is taken at the Dallas Divide scenic overlook right before the road takes a steady drop down the side of the mt. It is the view that I would chose if I had only one thing left to look at on this earth - it makes you believe in all that there is to believe in.
My Interview - Welcome to those here to see my interview.... To bring everyone else up to speed.... There is an Interview Me sort of thing going on in Blogatopia. I have been watching the questions and answers roll in on both julochka and tangobaby's blogs. I (with hesitation) threw my hat in as a possible interviewee. I have finished the first set of questions. These come from julochka. What follows are her 5 questions to me and my answers, at the end you will see the rules if you would like to have a go at this. Also, stay posted for my answers to tangobaby's questions, coming soon to a blog near you!
1) 4 kids, small business owner, main doer of laundry and maker of dinner...how do you do it all and still have time to photograph beautiful woodpeckers and go to late night movies? I am very efficient. Really. It just doesn’t seem to take me as long to do things as it takes others. My friend Deb from Colorado always used to say “You don’t let the grass grow under your feet” I have a hard time relaxing (except for my daily ½ hour nap). Around the house I seem to be a supreme multi-tasker. I am a night person too, so that can be helpful. Once the house is quiet I work like the little elves in the shoe store and turn in around midnight. As my children age I am trying to get them to participate in the “chores”. My jewelry is a hobby it is not my business (Although I have sold them on a few occasions). Our business is called Boon-Docks it is a dock and boat lift business. It is a seasonal thing from early Spring until late Fall, it is one of the many reasons my dearest is gone soo much. He is a teacher during the day and then does the dock business after school and during the summer. We sell, install, repair, and remove docks and boat lifts on the many lakes and rivers in our area. My main job is on the phone with the sales end of it. I do have to say I have an unbelievable amount of time compared to the past several years. Our wee ones are 5 years apart (the oldest was exactly 5 yrs 1 month old when the fourth wee one was born!) All four kids were home for a year and they were all so little. I had also done daycare for three years prior to that – to help pay the grocery/diaper bill. To me I have so much idle time now…. Alright moving on.
2) As a Minnesotan and a self-professed movie lover, what do you think of the Coen brothers' movie Fargo? I imagine I feel the same way as locals in the tornado belt feel about the people news reporters pick out to interview.
(Why do they always seem to pick the biggest red necks?) When Fargo came out my dearest and I were living in SW Colorado. I had my fellow teachers convinced that it was based on a true story and that I remembered it from the news! I don’t know. I guess you have to be able to laugh at yourself! We do have a Scandinavian accent, we definitely say, “yah” or “yah sure” a lot, and to an outsider we may seem a little odd. I do get disgusted over the fact that they make us look so small…( Although, ya bet I watch'd it, Yah I liked it, and ya know I did laugh....ya ;)
I just saw a preview for the movie New In Town with Renee Zellweger set in New Ulm (closer to the cities) After watching it, I said to my friend… “Why do they make us look so dumb?” And she responded, “…and yet we are laughing.” I guess if people believe every perception of an area they get from movies they live in too small of a world for me.
3)When you get a little window of time for yourself, what do you do with it? It is interesting that you should ask this. For this is the area I am having the most trouble with lately. I have not had a chance for much "me time" for the past 9 years, most days I was so far over my head with the wee one's I couldn't sit down for the better part of the day – even to eat- someone always needed something. However, as the wee ones grow I am finding I have more down time. I have found after 9 years of living on survival mode, almost outside of myself, I don’t know what I like anymore. The things that interested me before no longer do. I am struggling to re-find myself. In the summer I try to spend as much time as possible outside. I work on our garden and in the yard. We enjoy the lakes and the forest and parks.
As a family we have been geo-caching the last couple of summers. (we go by the name FamilyCircus) It has been a great way to get the kids out, find new places, and learn/teach technology (GPS & mapping) combined with outdoor exploring, with a “treasure” at the end for the kids. As far as myself I enjoy movies, reading, and some crafty things. Other then that I am on a journey to discover what I really do like and what I can do with the limited amount of free time and extra money I have. I am also finding it hard to not feel guilty for doing something that isn’t work.
4) What made you start blogging and what do you feel it gives you? Short answer: my friend Amy. Extended answer: I talk to Amy several times a day on the phone. Every day I would get on my “soap box” about one thing or the other. After a while she told me I should have a blog – because she would actually read my blog, it would be real. I ignored her forever and instead would give her my blog on the phone everyday. I figured who would care what I had to say? The day that I told her my verbal blog about Being skinny because I was lazy, not because I was counting every calorie (I am often starving yet find it annoying to have to prepare and eat food, to me it is easier to be hungry…Lazy really!) This is the day she said she was just going to take my verbal blogs and use them as her own….So, for Christmas I figured the best gift I could give her was to actually start a blog, however, I had no idea what I was doing! Which is why I have to say that my blog is models of blogs I have enjoyed (I hope that serves as a complement) – mainly Modobjects at Home and Tangobaby’s with ideas from a few other random blogs, of course my own originality/personality come into play, I also took the time to review do's and don'ts I found online.
I am eternally grateful to her. I have found such joy in blogging. It is a great way to remember who I am, to release some frustration if need be, to reach out to other adults, to explore other people’s worlds (which I always find so interesting), it has given me something to think about (I am a depressive blob if my mind isn’t active) but, mainly, I find that it gives me a voice. I believe everyone wants to have a voice.
5)Do you feel the name "Julie" suits you? in other words, ARE you a Julie and what does it mean to be one? From one Julie to another… I have to say I used to not like my name. I felt like it was so dull. Plus, I could never find any key chains or pencils with my name on it when I was a kid. Growing up I didn’t really know any other Julie’s, yet, it wasn’t an exotically original name like Selena or Natasha (names that intrigued me when I was younger) For most of my life I have been known as Jules – my brothers called me that and then friends in Sr. High School/college. My parents were the only people to call me Julie. So, when I left school and entered my adult life it was hard to get used to being called Julie.
I like the name now. I feel like it is a strong enough name for me. Original without being soooo far out there, it is outdoorsy enough (you don’t think of an Alexandra rock climbing), yet I am taken serious when I state my name. I believe I have grown into my name, or has my name grown into who I am?
Here's "The Rules."
1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me." 2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. (I get to pick the questions). 3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions. 4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post. 5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions. Note: be sure to post your email address if it is not on your profile page. Thanks!
This is getting ridiculous! It just keeps getting colder and colder. I guess the cold weather wanted to go out with a grand finale. That reads -36.6. At a friend's house (she lives on one of many lakes) it was -40. Glad we have electric back up heat!
It is in the forcast to warm this weekend. By Sunday it could get up to 25 (above zero) It is crazy to think that is 61 degrees warmer! The largest temperature span from day to day I remember was when I was in college from noon on a Thursday to noon on a Friday the temperature was 80 degrees difference! It went from -20 one day to +60... Yet, I moved back here... sigh. I guess it is the summers that capture us.
I believe more in the scissor than I do the pencil - Truman Capote
Ok, so I am pondering my answers to julochka for my interview questions. I am so very excited to post my answers this afternoon. I am also waiting for my questions from tangobaby to find their way through the cyber world where they seem to have taken a wrong turn! Again, so excited at the possibility of that interview!!!! (it even gives me a tickle in my tummy). So, stay tuned for that.
In the mean time, let's chat about scissors. Yes scissors. You are an adult now, and you deserve a GOOD pair of scissors. I don't think we need to worry about you running with them or cutting pieces of your hand off (if we do, then ignore this post :) I would highly recommend the company Gingher scissors. They are an old time favorite thing. You can find them at most craft and sewing stores. I have had a faithful pair of Gingher sewing scissors for years now. A person can cut through three layers on material at one time with them.
For Christmas I recieved three more pairs to spread around my house (as I am always looking for them and am frustrated when I can't even cut paper with my old one!) They are a great investment. Once they start to dull you find a local sharpener and have them whipped back into shape and you are good to go. The power of a good scissor is a little like the power of a good sword!
