This move has gone so smoothly. It is so nice to receive help in moves. Whenever I moved when I was single, it was always when everyone else in the ward was moving too, and so it wasn't a great time to ask other people to help. But this time I have been able to use tons of help. First on Saturday with people moving my stuff into storage, and then yesterday with people coming to help clean. It got done so quickly!
It is amazing to compare my two moves, and besides things being more organized, and that contributes to it as well, the main thing that made a difference here was that I felt prepared enough that I could ask other people to help. There was a plan of attack and I could ask them to do specific things. I had things packed, so people just had to move them to the car to the next place. Then the packed things were gone, so I made lists, so people could see what needed to be done as far as cleaning goes.
Had I not had the help I had, this move probably would have been slightly overwhelming, but instead it was not, because I could be prepared and plan ahead. In December, I got my family to help, but that was all, because I didn't really feel comfortable asking people to help me, and plus just moving itself was taking so much energy out of me that I didn't have any extra energy to ask people. And that is the real cruelty in only have two weeks notice.
29 April 2008
28 April 2008
A Quilt for Jason
So after I finished the rainbow quilt, I had a friend over (Jason) and he was like - "You should give me this quilt." I said, "NO!" But then was like, well....I could make you a quilt. Thus we began formulating a quilt, and so I said I would start working on it, and would try and finish it before I moved. So last week, I completed the quilt, designed by him, pieced and quilted by me, and paid for by his mom. So here are the results...
The name of the quilt is the Chinese word for Moon, which I hope the correlation should be obvious.
Here's a picture to see the quilting.
And there's the front. It's a very Jason quilt. Emily says that it just looked wrong when I would use it. She said it looked very right on him.
I think it's true.
The name of the quilt is the Chinese word for Moon, which I hope the correlation should be obvious.
Here's a picture to see the quilting.
And there's the front. It's a very Jason quilt. Emily says that it just looked wrong when I would use it. She said it looked very right on him.
I think it's true.17 April 2008
The Happiest Baby on the Block
So I have been a solid proponent of the 5 S's method, even though I have never read anything about it, and hadn't seen the movie. The other day, though, Emily and I saw two copies of the movie at the library, and we were both excited, so we each checked out a copy.
So I am so excited about it again. I like want there to be a fussy baby around so I can calm it. He was talking about it on the video, how it can be exciting to calm a baby. It is amazing. I think it is the best thing ever.
In conclusion, SWADDLE, SHUSH, SIDE, SWING, and SUCK!
So I am so excited about it again. I like want there to be a fussy baby around so I can calm it. He was talking about it on the video, how it can be exciting to calm a baby. It is amazing. I think it is the best thing ever.
In conclusion, SWADDLE, SHUSH, SIDE, SWING, and SUCK!
16 April 2008
Dinosaur Towel Thing
When my former roommate Carolyn had her baby shower, I made this for her, but didn't take any pictures then. She asked me to fix one of the spikes on the back of it, so I had it back, and decided I should take some pictures. I didn't really know how to get a good picture of it, so these will give you some idea, but not quite.
Oh, and I also came across some pictures of my rainbow quilt. But I still don't have any of it completed, but here is a partial top shot:
Oh, and I also came across some pictures of my rainbow quilt. But I still don't have any of it completed, but here is a partial top shot:
14 April 2008
Packing
I started packing today, and it is going really well. I started in Janardan's room, because I thought it would probably be the most depressing, but I looked around, and there was not much that needed to be packed. I think the place that I will need to pack up the most is the kitchen, but I probably won't want to do that for another week or so. So I've started dividing clothes to take to Texas, and clothes to leave here. I don't have many that I'm leaving here. Most that I don't want to take with me I decided I don't really need to keep. So I have been getting rid of a fair amount of stuff as well, which is always nice. So packing is going well. Just started today, but I feel like I have gotten a lot done. I feel like if I just do a little bit here and there, it will likely all get done without too much problem. So that is nice.
13 April 2008
Becoming A Bridge Builder
I was thinking today about my aspirations to be a writer, and just contemplating the meaning of that term, and the nuance that that term lacks. Well, it may have nuance, but just not as applies to what I actually want to be. I read some criticisms of J. K. Rowling, about how she is a storyteller and not a writer. I decided then that what was important to me was not be a writer, but a storyteller. However, that word to me has specific meaning of performing in front of people, as opposed to the written word. So I was thinking of how to describe myself.
The image that came to mind was of a story being on one side of a river, and my readers being on the other. My goal is simply to build a bridge between them. It is reaching the story that matters most, not the bridge. And while the bridge may be interesting and may be something to admire of its own merit, it would be of little importance if it did not connect the two. What is most important is making that connection possible.
I'll probably still use the term writer, because that is a common enough term that people understand, but when I think to myself of what I want to be - bridge builder just seems a much more appropriate term.
The image that came to mind was of a story being on one side of a river, and my readers being on the other. My goal is simply to build a bridge between them. It is reaching the story that matters most, not the bridge. And while the bridge may be interesting and may be something to admire of its own merit, it would be of little importance if it did not connect the two. What is most important is making that connection possible.
I'll probably still use the term writer, because that is a common enough term that people understand, but when I think to myself of what I want to be - bridge builder just seems a much more appropriate term.
11 April 2008
Samoas
If you read Emily's blog, don't read below, because I may give away details she doesn't want you to know. HA!
Anyway, so today we tried making homemade Samoas (you know, the girl scout cookie), and they ended up pretty tasty, but the carmel is rock hard. We want to make another attempt doing a few things differently to see if they would turn out.
I am also realizing that one of my favorite processes in the quilting process is designing quilts. I LOVE designing quilts. I enjoy many of the other parts (I like quilting on wall hangings -- because it is more of the creative part, and less of the work part heh), but I love to design. I love dreaming up quilts, and just thinking of making them, of pushing boundaries and trying out new things, of doing something that no one has ever done before. It brings me a lot of satisfaction. And on quilts that I design, I have a lot more patience and I want them to be perfect. When I am working with someone else's design, I am more like - let me just get this done (though I feel like that with my own designs that are meant to be whipitups anyway), but on my own designs, I don't care how long it takes, I am willing to take the effort to make it nice. Like my tree skirt, it took me a dang long time to make it, but it ended up just the way I wanted it. I waited weeks on quilting the desert sand, because I was not happy with any quilting design, and then finally when I thought of it, I was happy, and made it. Did I ever put a picture of that on here completed? I'll check after I post this, and maybe take a picture sometime if I don't have one. It is really pretty. My proudest piece yet.
Which reminds me - I always complain (to Emily) about the wall hanging I made that hangs in my living room, and really what bothers me about it is not just that i would do it differently now, but that I would have done it differently then had I not had time constraints. I probably would have done the quilting really nice on all the objects, but I didn't really have time at the time. I barely got it done on time (it was a project for a class) as it was. And the thing is - I don't like it enough to put the energy to take it from mediocre to decent when I see so much potential for how it could be better. Anyway...I went off on a quilting tangent. Emily was designing a quilt tonight, and I was jealous that I didn't get to be designing a quilt. She was jealous she didn't get to just be sewing up blocks. It is interesting to learn different things about us. We both like to sew, but enjoy very different aspects, and have our very own different strengths. It's cool.
Anyway, so today we tried making homemade Samoas (you know, the girl scout cookie), and they ended up pretty tasty, but the carmel is rock hard. We want to make another attempt doing a few things differently to see if they would turn out.
I am also realizing that one of my favorite processes in the quilting process is designing quilts. I LOVE designing quilts. I enjoy many of the other parts (I like quilting on wall hangings -- because it is more of the creative part, and less of the work part heh), but I love to design. I love dreaming up quilts, and just thinking of making them, of pushing boundaries and trying out new things, of doing something that no one has ever done before. It brings me a lot of satisfaction. And on quilts that I design, I have a lot more patience and I want them to be perfect. When I am working with someone else's design, I am more like - let me just get this done (though I feel like that with my own designs that are meant to be whipitups anyway), but on my own designs, I don't care how long it takes, I am willing to take the effort to make it nice. Like my tree skirt, it took me a dang long time to make it, but it ended up just the way I wanted it. I waited weeks on quilting the desert sand, because I was not happy with any quilting design, and then finally when I thought of it, I was happy, and made it. Did I ever put a picture of that on here completed? I'll check after I post this, and maybe take a picture sometime if I don't have one. It is really pretty. My proudest piece yet.
Which reminds me - I always complain (to Emily) about the wall hanging I made that hangs in my living room, and really what bothers me about it is not just that i would do it differently now, but that I would have done it differently then had I not had time constraints. I probably would have done the quilting really nice on all the objects, but I didn't really have time at the time. I barely got it done on time (it was a project for a class) as it was. And the thing is - I don't like it enough to put the energy to take it from mediocre to decent when I see so much potential for how it could be better. Anyway...I went off on a quilting tangent. Emily was designing a quilt tonight, and I was jealous that I didn't get to be designing a quilt. She was jealous she didn't get to just be sewing up blocks. It is interesting to learn different things about us. We both like to sew, but enjoy very different aspects, and have our very own different strengths. It's cool.
10 April 2008
My Writings
Hey y'all. I started yet another new blog over at http://flybyswritings.blogspot.com. If I know who you are, I'll add you - I'm keeping it private, just because it's my writings. I'll probably mainly just put on there any freewriting that I feel like transferring over to the computer or that I do on the computer in the first place. I envision that all of it will be fiction.
On another note, I am making progress on Jason's quilt. I finished the quilting today, but figured out as I was sewing the binding on that there are a few places (maybe 2-3) where the backing is not big enough, so I will have to piece on a little bit there before I finish sewing the binding on. But after that, I just have to tack it down, and that will be done!
My mom is coming in a few weeks, and I should be all done with that project so I can work on new projects (or old projects like my trees or my stack-n-whack). On another side note, I started hand quilting my winter tree. I haven't really talked about that project on here, so yeah. I am doing a tree in four seasons. I started with the winter, because that one would not involve leaves. I am going to try out different kinds of applique with each tree. So it should be fun. This first one I did a hand applique with batting behind it (but not really trupunto for those quilters out there). It is my first venture into hand quilting, beyond the four stitches I put into my aunt's quilt when I was four years old. It takes a long time, but it does look nice.
Anyway, so I am just getting that list done, and a lot faster than I thought I would. So kudos to me. :)
On another note, I am making progress on Jason's quilt. I finished the quilting today, but figured out as I was sewing the binding on that there are a few places (maybe 2-3) where the backing is not big enough, so I will have to piece on a little bit there before I finish sewing the binding on. But after that, I just have to tack it down, and that will be done!
My mom is coming in a few weeks, and I should be all done with that project so I can work on new projects (or old projects like my trees or my stack-n-whack). On another side note, I started hand quilting my winter tree. I haven't really talked about that project on here, so yeah. I am doing a tree in four seasons. I started with the winter, because that one would not involve leaves. I am going to try out different kinds of applique with each tree. So it should be fun. This first one I did a hand applique with batting behind it (but not really trupunto for those quilters out there). It is my first venture into hand quilting, beyond the four stitches I put into my aunt's quilt when I was four years old. It takes a long time, but it does look nice.
Anyway, so I am just getting that list done, and a lot faster than I thought I would. So kudos to me. :)
09 April 2008
Recycling Bandit
When we first moved into this apartment, I called to see if we could get a recycling bin. We could, but I would have to get the people upstairs to actually call and get it, so if you know me, you know that of course this never happened. So I had recycling piling up. I took the cardboard over to the Tanner building the day I was going out of town to see my grandpa, and just ended up with the rest in my trunk. Luckily there was a recycling place in Rexburg at the Walmart, so I got rid of the rest of it up there. But of course since then, my recycling has just been piling up once more. So one of my benchmarks for my incentives is taking the recycling out (for a place like the living room, where it practically had overtaken the room.
The way I figured I could do this was going out on the day before recycling day and siphoning off my recycling into other people's bins. It all seemed matter-of-fact in my mind when I came up with the idea, but tonight as I executed it, I felt like ~~~The Recycling Bandit~~~. I didn't want to get caught putting my recycling into other people's bins. I didn't stop at houses where the porch light was on. I got nervous every time a car passed me. It was really quite exciting. It reminded me of my freshman year of college again, just doing stupid things, but things that are exciting.
As I was driving home, I was reminded of a time freshman year when me and Amy had stayed 15 minutes past the end of visiting hours! Whoa! We were really breaking the rules! I wrote in my journal that night that I loved that such an innocent thing could be exciting, and that that was the sort of thing I was nervous and excited about. Tonight I felt that same feeling. I mean, I don't really know what I was worried about...someone saying, "Don't use our recycling bin"? I mean come on, the people who have recycling bins are the sort of people who want people to use recycling bins.
On an unrelated note, I am in such a nonfiction mode. This is something I was worried about, because I really want to write fiction too. So, the remedy to that of course is to...write fiction. I just haven't really been writing that much fiction lately, or trying to. Like I had an idea like a week ago for something I wanted to write, and I still haven't. Naturally because it would not earn me any fabric.
I bought most of my fabric today. I could not find either of the blue fabrics, and have not bought any of the blacks. Technically, I should not have bought the orange yet, but Emily and I needed a fun trip to the fabric store.
Anyway, so today I am the recycling bandit. Woot.
The way I figured I could do this was going out on the day before recycling day and siphoning off my recycling into other people's bins. It all seemed matter-of-fact in my mind when I came up with the idea, but tonight as I executed it, I felt like ~~~The Recycling Bandit~~~. I didn't want to get caught putting my recycling into other people's bins. I didn't stop at houses where the porch light was on. I got nervous every time a car passed me. It was really quite exciting. It reminded me of my freshman year of college again, just doing stupid things, but things that are exciting.
As I was driving home, I was reminded of a time freshman year when me and Amy had stayed 15 minutes past the end of visiting hours! Whoa! We were really breaking the rules! I wrote in my journal that night that I loved that such an innocent thing could be exciting, and that that was the sort of thing I was nervous and excited about. Tonight I felt that same feeling. I mean, I don't really know what I was worried about...someone saying, "Don't use our recycling bin"? I mean come on, the people who have recycling bins are the sort of people who want people to use recycling bins.
On an unrelated note, I am in such a nonfiction mode. This is something I was worried about, because I really want to write fiction too. So, the remedy to that of course is to...write fiction. I just haven't really been writing that much fiction lately, or trying to. Like I had an idea like a week ago for something I wanted to write, and I still haven't. Naturally because it would not earn me any fabric.
I bought most of my fabric today. I could not find either of the blue fabrics, and have not bought any of the blacks. Technically, I should not have bought the orange yet, but Emily and I needed a fun trip to the fabric store.
Anyway, so today I am the recycling bandit. Woot.
07 April 2008
Caffeine is Evil
I feel old. As in when I was younger, I could drink a coke or Mountain Dew right before bed and have no trouble falling alseep. I drank a Mountain Dew like 5 hours ago, and I still cannot get to sleep. I have been trying for the last three and a half hours at least. Conclusion: I am not drinking more caffeine.
I am realizing today how much the past influences our lives. And like, it seems sort of obvious, but I don't usually think about the past. But now that I am writing about it, I think about it a lot more. It is just interesting to see the different pieces of life that shape you, and those that you discard.
While I have been trying to sleep, I have been listening to tapes I have. My sister recorded stories for me maybe 11-12 years ago. There are just a few stories, and they are funny and enjoyable. And then I have a whole slew (maybe 5-6) tapes of recordings of my dad telling me stories at night when I first moved in with him in Maryland, about 9 years ago. It is odd remembering my motivation for recording the tapes. I was so happy to be living with my dad, and I loved him a lot, and I was worried that something would happen to him, and I would miss him, and I thought if he died in a car crash or something, I would enjoy listening to the stories. Well, even if he never died in a car crash, I am glad I have the tapes to listen to now. And glad he didn't have to die for me to appreciate them. Although...my grandpa died, and I had a tape of him telling stories, and I have really wanted to listen to it, but I don't know where it is. It might be in my room in Maryland, because it was not in my box of tapes that I have here. So I hope it is there, because I really would like to listen to it. I'm also on the tape counting to 10, and I think I was like 3-4 at the time. So it was cute.
It is fun to remember the past. It is an easy place to travel, because you know where it goes.
I am realizing today how much the past influences our lives. And like, it seems sort of obvious, but I don't usually think about the past. But now that I am writing about it, I think about it a lot more. It is just interesting to see the different pieces of life that shape you, and those that you discard.
While I have been trying to sleep, I have been listening to tapes I have. My sister recorded stories for me maybe 11-12 years ago. There are just a few stories, and they are funny and enjoyable. And then I have a whole slew (maybe 5-6) tapes of recordings of my dad telling me stories at night when I first moved in with him in Maryland, about 9 years ago. It is odd remembering my motivation for recording the tapes. I was so happy to be living with my dad, and I loved him a lot, and I was worried that something would happen to him, and I would miss him, and I thought if he died in a car crash or something, I would enjoy listening to the stories. Well, even if he never died in a car crash, I am glad I have the tapes to listen to now. And glad he didn't have to die for me to appreciate them. Although...my grandpa died, and I had a tape of him telling stories, and I have really wanted to listen to it, but I don't know where it is. It might be in my room in Maryland, because it was not in my box of tapes that I have here. So I hope it is there, because I really would like to listen to it. I'm also on the tape counting to 10, and I think I was like 3-4 at the time. So it was cute.
It is fun to remember the past. It is an easy place to travel, because you know where it goes.
Embarassing Writing
It is weird. While I am in Texas, I am hoping to be able to finish a first draft of my first book, a book setting up the background for how Janardan and I got together. I have written a very short memoirsy-type thing about this particular time of life. Anyway, and I figure I will try and get this book published or self-publish or whatever. Anyway, and I will disperse it to the world. I have these plans for it, but even the minutest details, I closely guard, because I revert back to the 12,13,14-year-old that I was when these events unfolded. I guess I figure the quick like a bandaid method is preferable to telling lots of people over time.
Anyway, and so it makes me less expressive about things going on. Like the progress I am making on research and stuff like that, because I don't want to talk about it, because it is my closely guarded secret. It is embarassing as all get out, but that is not why I am reticent to share. I spent so long guarding my secrets then, that is hard for me to not continue to keep them now.
As in the reason I haven't really written anything the past day or two is because the main things I would want to write about have to do with this stuff. Sometimes I surprise myself. I don't want to write little things on my blog, but I am willing to proclaim my entire story to the whole world. But it also makes sense to me in a way. It would take a lot of explaining for people to understand what the things I would say mean, because I have kept them secret for so long, and so anything short of a book is not enough to tell the story.
I am nervous even to post this post, because admitting that I have a secret or have had is a more appropriate term is weird. I have felt more in touch with my 14-year old self today. And I just think, oh man, that was a hard time. Since I've been married, I've always thought it has been the hardest thing that I have been through, especially the first part of marriage, but there were difficulties I had then that I do not have at all now. I cannot look at my life now and say that my 14-year-old self did not know what difficulties were, for life was difficult then, and life is difficult now.
I guess today I just really felt for myself then, just like admitting how hard a time it was. I think revisiting that time in my life, having this book to help me, will be good for me to understand my own teenagers, just to cut through and see the difficulties they are having, and I know I won't be able to do anything to change them, but I'll be able to validate them, and say yeah -- you really are having a tough time. It is so real.
And so I am somewhat embarassed, but I am also very proud. I am highly proud, that I did it. I got through those years victorious. Those years were great for the manageable pieces of pain--it was then that I came to truly enjoy that.
Life is weird.
Anyway, and so it makes me less expressive about things going on. Like the progress I am making on research and stuff like that, because I don't want to talk about it, because it is my closely guarded secret. It is embarassing as all get out, but that is not why I am reticent to share. I spent so long guarding my secrets then, that is hard for me to not continue to keep them now.
As in the reason I haven't really written anything the past day or two is because the main things I would want to write about have to do with this stuff. Sometimes I surprise myself. I don't want to write little things on my blog, but I am willing to proclaim my entire story to the whole world. But it also makes sense to me in a way. It would take a lot of explaining for people to understand what the things I would say mean, because I have kept them secret for so long, and so anything short of a book is not enough to tell the story.
I am nervous even to post this post, because admitting that I have a secret or have had is a more appropriate term is weird. I have felt more in touch with my 14-year old self today. And I just think, oh man, that was a hard time. Since I've been married, I've always thought it has been the hardest thing that I have been through, especially the first part of marriage, but there were difficulties I had then that I do not have at all now. I cannot look at my life now and say that my 14-year-old self did not know what difficulties were, for life was difficult then, and life is difficult now.
I guess today I just really felt for myself then, just like admitting how hard a time it was. I think revisiting that time in my life, having this book to help me, will be good for me to understand my own teenagers, just to cut through and see the difficulties they are having, and I know I won't be able to do anything to change them, but I'll be able to validate them, and say yeah -- you really are having a tough time. It is so real.
And so I am somewhat embarassed, but I am also very proud. I am highly proud, that I did it. I got through those years victorious. Those years were great for the manageable pieces of pain--it was then that I came to truly enjoy that.
Life is weird.
03 April 2008
The Curse of being a Writer
So I never really understood why whenever I read about writers, they almost always seem to be the type that write late into the night. The past few days I have begun to realize why. Even if I write during the day (or even if I don't), as soon as I lay down to go to sleep, all these ideas start buzzing through my mind - ideas of stories to write, of different ways of writing stories. Tonight I had so much going on that I gave up, and thought I needed to write something before I'll be able to actually go to sleep. So I am hoping that this will help...
The cool thing is all the ideas, how they just keep coming, and I keep on thinking of things from different angles, but this also interferes with the falling asleep process, so that is not so cool. I have really been wanting to wake up earlier. I got little sleep the night before last, and so stayed up all day yesterday with no nap so I could go to bed early and wake up earlier this morning. It worked fairly well, but it would be a waste if it only lasted one day. So I am hoping I can put on a movie and that will keep my mind occupied enough that it will not buzz with ideas, good as they are. I need my SLEEP!
The cool thing is all the ideas, how they just keep coming, and I keep on thinking of things from different angles, but this also interferes with the falling asleep process, so that is not so cool. I have really been wanting to wake up earlier. I got little sleep the night before last, and so stayed up all day yesterday with no nap so I could go to bed early and wake up earlier this morning. It worked fairly well, but it would be a waste if it only lasted one day. So I am hoping I can put on a movie and that will keep my mind occupied enough that it will not buzz with ideas, good as they are. I need my SLEEP!
My Progress
So my kitchen has been going well. I got the last round of dishes out of Janardan's room today, so I should be able to check that one off the list. I have also rounded up the laundry and been slowly putting away the laundry that is on top of the dryer, so I can start the laundry. And...I cleaned Janardan's room! So that is one thing done!
I've also been working on Jason's quilt and my NOYB project. So everything is going pretty well.
I've also been working on Jason's quilt and my NOYB project. So everything is going pretty well.
01 April 2008
Incentives
So, I have my kitchen pretty much clean, and have been making progress in the other areas. Yesterday as I was writing that list, I was like - oh, it's going to take me all the rest of the time to finish that stuff, and I'll be able to start sewing that quilt when I get to Texas. Today I look at that list, and I am like - I am doing pretty well on it - I could probably buy the fabric for the main part of the quilt by the end of the week. Woohoo incentives.
It is so great, because I feel so motivated, and I am actually getting things done, and my kitchen looks so nice and clean.
Some people may think that having incentives is so juvenile, but I say - hey I'd rather have incentives than have to be so self-disciplined. Incentives work for me, so I am happy to use them.
It is so great, because I feel so motivated, and I am actually getting things done, and my kitchen looks so nice and clean.
Some people may think that having incentives is so juvenile, but I say - hey I'd rather have incentives than have to be so self-disciplined. Incentives work for me, so I am happy to use them.
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