7.26.2011
7.24.2011
30 books
So you know how I'm always asking, which book is this now? How many have I read this year? How despite the fact that I keep track right here, I can't seem to tally them up? You know what works really well for that? Goodreads.com
So? Are you dying to know?
Well, no, you aren't. Because it's the title of this post. But maybe, just maybe, you were until you read that.
You're welcome :D
Wow. That's a lot! Aaaannnd, I've also managed to complete several knitting projects, and maintain a hefty social life! I'm quite impressed with myself!
(p.s. Do you know we are only 29 weeks into this year? That means I'm trending ahead of 1 book/week! I'm so proud of myself!)
(p.p.s. This probably means I'm reading a lot of fluff) (Damn.)
So? Are you dying to know?
Well, no, you aren't. Because it's the title of this post. But maybe, just maybe, you were until you read that.
You're welcome :D
Wow. That's a lot! Aaaannnd, I've also managed to complete several knitting projects, and maintain a hefty social life! I'm quite impressed with myself!
(p.s. Do you know we are only 29 weeks into this year? That means I'm trending ahead of 1 book/week! I'm so proud of myself!)
(p.p.s. This probably means I'm reading a lot of fluff) (Damn.)
7.23.2011
knitting and other news:
I loved my first spiral scarf that I'm making another one just like it, if only to use of the rest of the yarn. P.s. 1 hank =$10=3 projects=hours and hours and hours of knitting= lots and lots of cheap entertainment. bonus? My mom has the same yarn left over from a project in two additional colors. Someone is going to spending a lot of time on upcoming Christmas gifts!
In other knitting news, I'm so unhappy with my Chain mail scarf. It's lumpy and hard to see, and I although I generally like crocheting, I don't appear to like tunisian crochet. So I'm going to frog it (that's knitter's speak for rip it and start over)(Hey! Look at me using knitter's speak!) and make a scarf made up of different rip patterns. There was one in the library book I just returned. There's a wrap in there that I wanted to make as well, but I think that I'll just use the general idea of it (the shape and texture) and try and knit it instead.
In reading news, I finised Loving Frank. It was excellent, and moving, and wonderful. Seeing as that I'm probably the only 12 year old in the world who CHOSE to do a huge project on Frank Lloyd Wright, and have actually been to Taliesin, I found it that much more interesting. Wright was clearly a brilliant man, but he was not without his faults.
Right now I'm reading Candace Bushnell's One Fifth Avenue. There are so many characters, I actually had to go back and make myself a cheat sheet after getting 100 pages. But now I'm doing much better with it. It's fun and silly and the perfect summer read. Plus, I find her to be an astute observationalist, which makes her less frothy than I expect from Chic Lit.
And on a final note, we are deep into the Bed Bug War. Everything except our bedding was removed from our bedroom and put in plastic bags. Everything that was fabric in the whole apt was bagged, along with any "clutter" (yeah, good thing we don't have any of THAT lying around). So as you might suspect, our apartment is basically empty. Becuase all the fabric items are supposed to be put in the dryer for 20 mins, we decided we'd head to a laundromat. We could only fit the laundry and half of the fabric items in the car, so we have clean laundry and half of the items debugged. We still have to vacuum the whole place, but other than that, we did pretty well for one day. I'll tell you one thing, it will make me a lot more cautious about what we bring into the house, and how we handle it.
The most surprising thing? Spending your whole Saturday cleaning isn't so bad when you get to do it with your loving husband.
In other knitting news, I'm so unhappy with my Chain mail scarf. It's lumpy and hard to see, and I although I generally like crocheting, I don't appear to like tunisian crochet. So I'm going to frog it (that's knitter's speak for rip it and start over)(Hey! Look at me using knitter's speak!) and make a scarf made up of different rip patterns. There was one in the library book I just returned. There's a wrap in there that I wanted to make as well, but I think that I'll just use the general idea of it (the shape and texture) and try and knit it instead.
In reading news, I finised Loving Frank. It was excellent, and moving, and wonderful. Seeing as that I'm probably the only 12 year old in the world who CHOSE to do a huge project on Frank Lloyd Wright, and have actually been to Taliesin, I found it that much more interesting. Wright was clearly a brilliant man, but he was not without his faults.
Right now I'm reading Candace Bushnell's One Fifth Avenue. There are so many characters, I actually had to go back and make myself a cheat sheet after getting 100 pages. But now I'm doing much better with it. It's fun and silly and the perfect summer read. Plus, I find her to be an astute observationalist, which makes her less frothy than I expect from Chic Lit.
And on a final note, we are deep into the Bed Bug War. Everything except our bedding was removed from our bedroom and put in plastic bags. Everything that was fabric in the whole apt was bagged, along with any "clutter" (yeah, good thing we don't have any of THAT lying around). So as you might suspect, our apartment is basically empty. Becuase all the fabric items are supposed to be put in the dryer for 20 mins, we decided we'd head to a laundromat. We could only fit the laundry and half of the fabric items in the car, so we have clean laundry and half of the items debugged. We still have to vacuum the whole place, but other than that, we did pretty well for one day. I'll tell you one thing, it will make me a lot more cautious about what we bring into the house, and how we handle it.
The most surprising thing? Spending your whole Saturday cleaning isn't so bad when you get to do it with your loving husband.
7.22.2011
In other news . .
we have bed bugs. This is officially the worst weekend of the summer. It will all be spent preparing for the exterminators.
Plus side? We only have 400+ sq ft to prep. I can't even imagine doing this for my parent's house. Yuck.
Plus side? We only have 400+ sq ft to prep. I can't even imagine doing this for my parent's house. Yuck.
thoughts on taste
After coming home from a long week this week, I decided to do something different. I normally spend my time in the apartment alone in blessed silence. But this time, I walked over to our extensive CD rack, and picked up a disc I probably haven't listed to in 10 years.
Backstree Boys.
And, despite supposedly being more sophisticated and more cultured than I was when I first listened to this album, my musical tastes haven't changed that much. I still dislike the songs I disliked then. And I still like the same songs I liked then.
I guess there really is no hope for me changing my tastes.
Backstree Boys.
And, despite supposedly being more sophisticated and more cultured than I was when I first listened to this album, my musical tastes haven't changed that much. I still dislike the songs I disliked then. And I still like the same songs I liked then.
I guess there really is no hope for me changing my tastes.
7.17.2011
worth it?
Just last night my friend asked me what my top 5 choices for traveling would be. It wasn't hard since I've never been outside North America (and Canada barely counts) (sorry hubby). But instead of the enlightening, goal-inducing experience she was going for. I just felt discouraged. I feel like I'll never get there, never have the time & money to go.
And then I found this: http://travelhacking.org/
For a minimum of $15/month, it promises to help pad you mileage balance, let you know first about super deals, and basically make all your travel dreams come true.
But the question is, is it worth it?
I fully believe in paying for worthwhile info, but right now, even if we could get the trip for nothing, we still have no funds for hotels, food, sightseeing.
Hopefully, I'll have paid off my debts in 2 years. And hopefully by then, this program will still be around. I think i'm going to hold onto my $15 dollars a month til then.
7.12.2011
I can has? I can knit?
In other news, I just discovered one of my best friends knits ( on occassion). And I finally bought circular needles (so I can return the wooden ones to my mom) and a tunisian hook for the scarf I've been planning on knitting for awhile. Here goes nada!
Books update: Still working on Loving Frank. I really like it when I'm reading it, but as soon as I put it down, there's no pull for me to keep going. Very odd in deed.
and I just picked up about three more books at the library today. I'ts a sickness, I tell you.
7.08.2011
transcription notes
resources:
http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/04/how-to-work-from-home-as-a-transcriptionist.html
http://www.freebiefindingmom.com/category/tips-to-save-earn-money/earn-a-buck/home-based-transcription-earn-a-buck/
Must look into this further.
And maybe these other WAH strategies
http://thecouponproject.com/getting-started/post-series
http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/04/how-to-work-from-home-as-a-transcriptionist.html
http://www.freebiefindingmom.com/category/tips-to-save-earn-money/earn-a-buck/home-based-transcription-earn-a-buck/
Must look into this further.
And maybe these other WAH strategies
http://thecouponproject.com/getting-started/post-series
7.06.2011
book numbers 29 &30
Curse of the spellmans did not disappoint
Talking to Girls About Duran Duran was Durlightful.
Pace is dwindlimg some, but still steady. On to Loving Frank.
Talking to Girls About Duran Duran was Durlightful.
Pace is dwindlimg some, but still steady. On to Loving Frank.
7.05.2011
Condolence letters and children becoming the parent role
I did two things this weekend that felt very adult. This is a feeling that's awfully fleeting for me. Considering I'm in my late 20's and married, it seems like I oscilate between feeling like an old, married lady and an ingenue.
1) Condolence letters
A friend (of a friend) of mine lost her mother last month. And although she and I aren't super close, we exchange greetings via Facebook and have each other programmed into our cellphones. I never knew her mother, and I don't attend funerals if I can help it (long story). But I do write letters. I write Christmas cards, mother's day cards, birthday cards and condolence cards. Possibly the hardest things to write, and yet the most appreciated. I'll admit; I don't have all the answers. I often have to peruse some letter-writting books on how to write such a letter. But I believe they are important. I believe they reinforce our own thoughts on life, love and family. I believe they remind us that each day is precious. I believe they show the recipient that you care enough to put pen to paper, track down an address, and put it in a mail box. I got a call a few days later from my friend. She was so moved that I had written her. I expected she had received lots of these kinds of letters, but I was wrong. I think reaching out to people, however you can, is vital. But I think there are specific occasions that require a letter. And I think condolences top the list.
2) Role reversal
Last week, I visited some family out of state. As I worked on a project in the kitchen, my Aunt sent my 15 year old cousin so I could "show him the ropes".
"I"m a baby, after all." he said sarcastically.
"You always will be" I smiled back.
Being an only child, as we both are, you are always the baby, the child, the young one. So it's rare when I find that the shoe is on the other foot, and know I'm the one directing my parents, especially my mother. But with the events of the last year, it's an experience I've been getting to know quite well. And yet, it's always a bit unsettling. It surely doesn't reassure me that I'm ready for parenthood. I actually quite enjoy feeling like I'm still 22; adult enough for everything to be within reach and yet, young enough for me to not be completely responsible. Here's hoping I still have a few of those years left.
1) Condolence letters
A friend (of a friend) of mine lost her mother last month. And although she and I aren't super close, we exchange greetings via Facebook and have each other programmed into our cellphones. I never knew her mother, and I don't attend funerals if I can help it (long story). But I do write letters. I write Christmas cards, mother's day cards, birthday cards and condolence cards. Possibly the hardest things to write, and yet the most appreciated. I'll admit; I don't have all the answers. I often have to peruse some letter-writting books on how to write such a letter. But I believe they are important. I believe they reinforce our own thoughts on life, love and family. I believe they remind us that each day is precious. I believe they show the recipient that you care enough to put pen to paper, track down an address, and put it in a mail box. I got a call a few days later from my friend. She was so moved that I had written her. I expected she had received lots of these kinds of letters, but I was wrong. I think reaching out to people, however you can, is vital. But I think there are specific occasions that require a letter. And I think condolences top the list.
2) Role reversal
Last week, I visited some family out of state. As I worked on a project in the kitchen, my Aunt sent my 15 year old cousin so I could "show him the ropes".
"I"m a baby, after all." he said sarcastically.
"You always will be" I smiled back.
Being an only child, as we both are, you are always the baby, the child, the young one. So it's rare when I find that the shoe is on the other foot, and know I'm the one directing my parents, especially my mother. But with the events of the last year, it's an experience I've been getting to know quite well. And yet, it's always a bit unsettling. It surely doesn't reassure me that I'm ready for parenthood. I actually quite enjoy feeling like I'm still 22; adult enough for everything to be within reach and yet, young enough for me to not be completely responsible. Here's hoping I still have a few of those years left.
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