Just Call Me Rabbit

Sound the trumpets! I have my laptop complete with new powercord!

But now...
No time. No time.
I'm late, I'm late for a very important date! I'm late!

I've begun my class with Traci, but aside from accessing downloads, I've not had time to DO anything! I've had little details--like work--slowing me down!

Oh, look at the time!
I feel like Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland.

I'd love to visit longer, but a little girl needs to go to school and I have to go to work.
Again!

(addendum: in light of the current economical situation, please know that I am incredibly grateful for my job and the busyness God has provided me at work. I, like every one else, struggle with a longing to do everything I love and sometimes I just lament the lack of time to "do it all".)

The Making of a Weekend

I've been following Harper's every breath.



You know how you're not supposed to carry your social security card on your person? Yeah, well, since I don't and I've put mine in a very secure place, I spent a portion of my day off here (but in my local office and may I just say, the people who hang out there are a bit unsettling..."I need my money! Where's my check? I'm on dialysis!") so I could finally get this:

Am still cruising the internet on hubby's good graces. Although I have my laptop, the cord is STILL not here so I had limited battery power which is now depleted. Three hours only SOUNDS like a lot of time to be on the computer. When trying to pull it back to the land of the living, it's more like the twinkling of an eye.

Was so excited to receive my new subscription issue of ReadyMade. This may be my new fave. The decor projects look like things you find in domino which is my current favorite decorating magazine. Great. More magazines to save. I seriously need to show you the bin (a literal plastic bin) FULL of magazines. Other people stash fabric or craft supplies (and I do a bit of that too) but I stash magazines for inspiration. I could paper my house with all the mags I have. The scary thing is, I've weeded out a bunch. What can I say. I love a lot of things and I'm a decorating schitzo.

I also discovered yoville on facebook. It's a fun way to waste time.

Lest you think I piddled away another weekend, I must hasten to say that I found time in my busy play schedule to clean the bathroom and vacuum the whole house. (Which by this point was less vacuuming and more beating dust bunnies to death with the vacuum hose. They had grown large enough to fight back.)

And I'm spent. It may take me all week to recover from my indulgences.

Defamiliarization

The heat surrounded me. My eyes felt gritty and it seemed light was coming from everywhere. I squinted, trying to think some sort of coherent thought. Where do I go from here?
I could feel sweat trickling, tickling. "Odd." I remember thinking. "The very process that is designed to cool me is only making me feel hotter." I gasped for breath, licking my parched lips which only served to make them sticky.
How did I get to this place?
On the horizon in the shimmering distance, I thought I could make out some sort of shelter. I pushed on. My body felt liquid. I dragged my limbs along feeling as if I were slinging them ahead of me as I pulled my body to join them.
There was a pounding in my ears; part maddening, yet serving to drive me on. I tried to take each step on beat. Bam. Bam. Step. Step. How much farther could I go before I collapsed?
Faintly, I heard a sound. I tried to sort out what I had heard. There it was again. Was that a voice? What were they saying? I made a supreme effort to concentrate. The pounding in my head was overwhelming. I paused.
Yes. It was unmistakable now.
My name.
I heard my name.
Startled, I turned.
I see a figure standing beside me.
I'm disoriented for a moment, then my eyes regain their focus.

"Oh, hi." I say smoothly, turning to snatch up my water bottle. The pounding ceases abruptly as the music overhead changes and I slow to a walk.

Branching out...

...Which in my case means, going out on a limb.

I have taken a deep breath and signed up for my very first online class of any kind. Anything that sounds like it might have anything to do with higher learning makes me hyperventilate. (That deep breath was the very beginning symptom.)

Not only have I signed up to stretch my brain, I'm stretching my right brain with the coaching of a very creative girl: Traci Bautista. When I'm not petrified, I'm very excited. I love Traci's colorful work which has a sense of freedom. I'm looking to release my inner artist and give myself permission to break the rules and go with the flow.

I'm going to sling paint, scratch, scribble, cut and paste. It'll be just like kindergarten all over again.

Except that paper bag won't be for my lunch.
(Breathe in and out...slowly now...)
Collage Unleashed aRt! workshops

Oh Happy Day...

Oh glorious delight.

It's 17 degrees outside this morning which, to me, is as cold as the North Pole. At least, it feels that way to my southern bones, where anything below 32 degrees calls for staying in the house and hibernating like a bear. My current giddy state is due, not to the weather --we have nothing to show for our popscicle-ey temperatures--but to the fact that my schedule has opened up and I have no obligations to take me from my warm, snuggly home. As the rest of the family slumbers under their cocoon of blankets, I have slipped to the computer to catch up on the latest. I've brewed some coffee to which I added vanilla flavoring and ground cinnamon to the grounds before brewing. Speaking of coffee, has anyone else discovered Truvia?

Morning has to be my favorite part of the day. It's as if even the sun throws off a light that is promising. There's the opportunity of things to be done, fun to be had.

So, if you will excuse me, I need another cup of coffee to sip on while I read your blogs and find inspiration for my day...

All Boring Blog...All the Time

*Side note... although I may have been remarkably efficient in getting the Christmas decor down, I'm finding little things I forgot. Like the little plastic greenery that spruces (pun alert!) up a pillar candle or the place mats on the table...which I JUST noticed today. Big clue there as to how often we sit around the table.

This post has nothing to do with the above sentence.
Just wanted you to know.
In case you were confused.

My sweet hubby spent part of his morning running around town trying to find a power cord for my laptop. This is because the cord the people ordered --what? --two weeks ago?-- is STILL not here.

They've had my computer a month. This is getting ridiculous. I'm really looking forward to the part where it gets funny. You know, when we'll all look back on this and laugh. (Or thank God that I'm not talking about how I don't have a computer.) It's really sad that all I blog about now is a whining post on not having a computer or the fact that I ran three miles.

Did I mention I ran three miles TWICE last week?

Gosh, I certainly wouldn't want you to miss anything.

Wonders upon Wonders

Two miracles have happened in my home in the last 24 hours.

Considering I've always considered miracles to be one of those once-in-a-lifetime type of events, I feel very fortunate indeed.

January 9th will forever live in my memory as the day all the Christmas decor came down.

Wait.
What?
You don't think that's a miracle?

You obviously don't realize what this means. Mine is the house you drive by loooong after Christmas is over and make bets to see if they'll take it down by Valentine's Day.

Move on to the next suburban redneck, cuz I ain't playin' this year.

Miraculous event #2:
While preparing some leftover spaghetti for my girl tonight, she called from the other room, "...and I want broccoli and meat sauce and noodles. Just like yesterday!"

Honestly, how often does a child REQUEST broccoli?!

See? Miracle after miracle...

Where Something that's None of My Business Makes Me Really Mad.

O.k., would you tell me if I was crazy and coming from out in left field? (Hold your answer. That was a rhetorical question.)

Here it is...

In the last two days, I've come to realize that I have very strong opinions when it comes to cutting a small person's hair. I know what makes sense to me when I approach a child to cut his or her hair. Watching someone else in the salon cut a child's hair yesterday and then again today made me realize that not everyone apparently shares my views. Their way included sitting the child (of maybe 1 year to 18 mos. old) in the chair and begin clipping away. Mom stands nearby. Cue child howling. This was punkin's first time haircut.

I was tempted to howl myself.

I feel strongly that a haircut should not be a traumatic experience.

And the kid shouldn't be traumatized either.

Here's a rundown of how I like to do it:
I think that if a child seems unsure, then it's important that mom be as close as possible even if it means she holds him/her in the chair on her lap. If they don't want to wear the cape--toss it aside.
Show the child the comb and how it works. Introduce the spray bottle and show them how it sprays. Show them how it rains on their head. Hand it to them and let them spray the mirror. If they aren't interested in that, show them a toy you have stashed. (I have a drawer with a few kid friendly trinkets for just such an occasion. Kids who have been coming to me awhile head straight for it before climbing up into the chair.)
Cut the hair that is presented to you, asking mom to turn the child around to make the back of the head more convenient. Move with the child. Asking them to be still (when they are rather young) is pointless. They have no concept.
Using trimmers on young boys can be tricky. The noise can be a little disconcerting but when I show them how they work, they seem a little better about it. When they get older, I let them push the button to turn on the trimmers. I tell them the trimmers are going to kiss them and we count---1,2,3, and KISS. We are done.

This method has worked well for me and I hardly ever have an inconsolable child. I just about won't cut their hair if they seem really upset and/or scared.

I do have a couple of child clients who have special needs. They both have autism. The younger one actually was calmer and successfully distracted when he stood by a window playing with some cars on a chair. With the older child we worked out a routine where she put on one of our color robes in lieu of a cape and we told her she was a princess. She would vocalize loudly at some points, but her parents would remind her of her reward after her haircut and she would settle down.

You know, now that I think about it, cutting hair for a child is not a whole lot different than cutting hair for an adult client:
Assess the client.
Consider his/her needs and desires.
Do your best to meet their expectations.
Roll with it.

Thanks. I feel better now that I've gotten that off my chest.

4?!

I circle the number like a wrestler gauging his foe, contemplating it's magnitude.



It has honestly not occured to me to even consider 4 because I've been so focused on my accomplishment. I mean, running 3 miles is major for a non-runner like me.



4?!



Honestly, FastLane! Are you kidding me? You're going to make a runner of me yet!!!

ALERT THE MEDIA

So yesterday, I mosey up to the gym; amazed that it was not packed with New Year resoluters hot to trot.



I jumped on the treadmill and decided to see how long I could run. Feeling optimistic, I started off at an easy jog. I usually walk a few minutes and then run a few minutes increasing my pace each time I run. This time, instead of walking, I kept running as I increased and slowed my pace.



Honestly, I ran faster to cover more acreage more quickly. (Like you can cover acreage on a treadmill...) Before I knew it a mile had flown by and once I got to 2 miles I sorely (pun intended) wanted to call it a day. But I figured if I could get to 2 miles, what was one more?



Well, whaddaya know?!



I ran 3 miles and no one was surprised--except me.



See, I'm not a runner. I've always hated running and said if you saw me running, look to see who's chasing me. My husband ran regularly when we first got married and encouraged me to run with him. I didn't think I could run and would always beg off.



After waking up one day and finding middle-age breathing down my neck, I decided to see if I could out run it. So I got a personal trainer who helps keep me accountable and helps motivate me. I also have a friend who began running and she really has been my inspiration in her consistency and determination. We hardly ever run together, but I follow her updates like a lovesick fan. If it weren't for her, I probably wouldn't be considering running as seriously as I do now.



Which leads me to consider...we all influence/inspire each other. Whether we are aware of it or not.



Who are you? The inspiring or the inspired?

How to Cut Your Own Hair...Or Not.

"I have too much hair on my head." says me.




I know where the scissors are." says I.




"Are you sure that's such a good idea? Maybe you should wait and let one of the girls at work cut it for you." says me.







"They're always busy or I'm busy when they aren't. Besides, I cut hair all day long! Surely I can cut my own hair!" says I.




"You've always said you turn into a mere mortal when you apply the scissors to your own head..." says me.




"Shhh!" says I, "Don't confuse me with the facts, my mind's made up!"



"Pass the scissors!!"


***********************************************




How to cut your own hair--that is, if you want it to look like someone stuck your head in a blender, which, fortunately is my signature look.







Working systematically around the head, (which, coincidentally, is the ONLY logical thing about this whole situation) pick up thin vertical sections of the hair. Starting from the shortest layer (or determine how short you want your shortest layer) begin cutting, sliding down to the longest layer. This will create choppy short-to-long layers.



If your hair is dense (no dense jokes here, please) like mine is; use your hands to find the thick spots and cut from underneath beginning closer to the head and cutting/sliding outward to the ends of the hair. This will "air out" your haircut, removing bulk. Use small sections-- you can always cut more, but you can't put it back!



Use a cream paste styling product to accentuate the disheveled choppiness.







*Note: this haircut is not for someone who leans toward neat and tidy hair and symmetrical layering.

P.S. My haircut is a combination between the two photos you see here. Longer around the face, shorter through the crown and interior. When I get my laptop back, (GEEESH!) maybe I'll get some photos of my actual hair posted. What a novel idea.

Will This Be The Year?

Will it be this year?

Will this be the year that I accomplish the dreams I hope and wish for daily?

Will this be the year that I "get the lead out" and get things done that I have procrastinated over thus far?

Will we have our financial house in order by the end of this year?

Will there be a difference in me as a person? What spiritual lessons will I learn?

I'm sailing from the harbor. I've charted my course, but I have no idea if storms may blow me off my carefully planned itinerary.

But I'm looking to the horizon as 2009 begins.

Let's go!

Well, I seem to be accomplishing the first goal I set for 2009: to spend the day on the couch relaxing.

Only it's not going exactly as I had originally evisioned it.

I woke up at 3 am feeling as if someone had skewered my eyeballs and was playing "criss-cross applesauce" with ice picks in my skull. I took some Tylenol 3 and laid on the couch awhile dozing fitfully.

I finally went to bed, but upon arising, realizing I hadn't shaken my foe. After a little breakfast and some over the counter headache relief (I hoped), I hit the couch again. There's nothing worse than having to lay around, yet being unable to do anything else like read or watch t.v.. After 8 hours of wrestling, I've gotten it down to practically nothing.

Lemme tell ya. There's nothing better than the relief of no pain after a headache stops hurting.

I am still without my laptop which really sips because I can't do the personal business I want to take care of, I can't find photos I want to share and I always feel like I'm standing in line to use the computer and once I get on, feel I should hurry and get off.

We called the guru guys last week to check on the computer and they informed us that we need a new power cord before they can do anything. "O.K." we said. On Monday we call to see if it's ready and they inform us that they haven't ordered the power cord yet, because we need to pay for it up front.

Grrr.

Why did no one mention that before?!

Factor in the holidays and we are still waiting. Apparently, my first lesson of 2009 is learning patience.

I'm failing miserably.