This month was not an easy month and I'm glad it's finally over. I've talked about a lot of things this month and so I'm going to focus on the stuff that was left out.
Oh Brown. It was (mostly) easy wearing brown. After the bright yellow and with the down turn this month took for me, brown was a little respite. I really blended in with brown. Most of my brown clothes were very casual so I did have a bit of a hard time when it came to dressing up for things like interviews and going out. Now that I've reached the end of the month, I'm glad to be down with it. I look forward to getting back to something delicious and green will be perfect.
Some brown things I loved this month: all the beautiful brown leaves, meggy's brown shoes, a brown beaver at the zoo, max's brown striped sweater, the rich brown color of the piano in our living room.
Moving on......(i'm a bit exhausted this evening).......
Did you know we went to the zoo not once but twice this month? It's true and it was LOVELY. We love the zoo. A lot. Particularly Max. It was nice because the second time we went he remembered the experience from before and knew exactly what we were doing and was very excited about it. Max has a great love of animals and really enjoyed them all. However his most favorite Zoo things are the Train, the carousal and the Bronze Ape Statues the simulate the sounds they make. My favorite animals? Always, Always, Always the Warthog and the Hippo.
I've mentioned before that Max is having a problem audibly and verbally distinguishing B,C,D & E. I think they all sound the same to him. He gets them about 50% of the time. He does know square really well and the color brown. He's got 2 down pretty well and has been know to count the steps he walks down up to the number 10 (He's brilliant, I know!)
We did a terrible, terrible job at making the beds. We failed so miserably that I'm sad to say that we probably only made the beds a handful of times. Although, to be fair , this month was kind of rough and getting out of bed each day was considered a small miracle.
Finally, I've wrote so much about the classical music, I will say little more. Except to say, a month gave me just enough time to barely scratch the surface of this lovely genre and I look forward to revisting it when I can.
Now.....on to green.....
Monday, November 30, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Explanation - E!
So, today I started a new job. Is it a dream job? No. Is it a job that matches my current skills and experience? No. Is it a job in my field? Yes. Am I incredibly grateful for ANY job? Yes.
This job requires me to dress all in black. (No, I will not be working in a Funeral Home. ) As mentioned, any paid gig allows me to deviate from the color of the month. This is definitely a paid gig. Will I wear brown (almost green) before work? Yes. Will I wear Brown (almost green) after work? Yes.
Moving on to E!
Every elite endeavor exacts extraordinary energy.
"EEEK!", exclaimed Eva.
Early each evening, Edgar eats eggs.
Enormous elephant ears escaped Ethiopia's evil.
Envious Emily Examined Ella's Exquisite Earrings.
Enough.
This job requires me to dress all in black. (No, I will not be working in a Funeral Home. ) As mentioned, any paid gig allows me to deviate from the color of the month. This is definitely a paid gig. Will I wear brown (almost green) before work? Yes. Will I wear Brown (almost green) after work? Yes.
Moving on to E!
Every elite endeavor exacts extraordinary energy.
"EEEK!", exclaimed Eva.
Early each evening, Edgar eats eggs.
Enormous elephant ears escaped Ethiopia's evil.
Envious Emily Examined Ella's Exquisite Earrings.
Enough.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Still Processing....
By Inches -Maya Stein
You want it here and now, a remedy for everything
gone wrong. A magic wand, perhaps, alighted
on your shoulders. An angel whispering
sweet nothings while you sleep so you wake benighted
with certainty that you are whole once again. You realize
your patience is diminishing, and yet what's required is the reverse.
This will not be some biblical miracle before your eyes,
a transformation of movie star proportions. No, healing is a slow nurse,
pausing bedside with drips of water, a hot cloth, a murmur of a touch.
By inches, a change sneaks into you, even if it doesn’t look like much.
You want it here and now, a remedy for everything
gone wrong. A magic wand, perhaps, alighted
on your shoulders. An angel whispering
sweet nothings while you sleep so you wake benighted
with certainty that you are whole once again. You realize
your patience is diminishing, and yet what's required is the reverse.
This will not be some biblical miracle before your eyes,
a transformation of movie star proportions. No, healing is a slow nurse,
pausing bedside with drips of water, a hot cloth, a murmur of a touch.
By inches, a change sneaks into you, even if it doesn’t look like much.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Things that come in twos:
Socks
Mittens
Shoes
Turtledoves
Chopsticks
Earrings
Peanutbutter Cups
Twins
Boobs
Twinkies
Spectacles
Peanutbutter and Jelly
Salt and Pepper
The animals on Noah's Ark
Tom and Jerry
Testicles
Arms
Legs
Eyes
Batman and Robin
Handcuffs
Skiis
Headphones
Scissors
Lungs
Knitting Needles
You and Me
Mittens
Shoes
Turtledoves
Chopsticks
Earrings
Peanutbutter Cups
Twins
Boobs
Twinkies
Spectacles
Peanutbutter and Jelly
Salt and Pepper
The animals on Noah's Ark
Tom and Jerry
Testicles
Arms
Legs
Eyes
Batman and Robin
Handcuffs
Skiis
Headphones
Scissors
Lungs
Knitting Needles
You and Me
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
And Now Back To Our Regularly Scheduled Programming: Is it really Hip to be Square?
We all know (or should know) that a square is composed up of 4 right (or 90 degree) angles. That's important but not as interesting as the slang that as evolved from the term "square".
What's a square you say?
Well are you asking for a square? If so, you're likely asking for a cigarette.
How about saying: "Lemme give you the $20. I owe you. Now we're all square" . You would be using "square" to say that we're even.
Also, commonly used - I won that hat fair and square! Which has an element of honesty to it.
Now here's a little spiel taken from Wikipedia:
In the parlance of jazz, a square was a person who failed to appreciate the medium, more broadly someone who was out of date or out of touch, hence the saying "be there or be square". In the counterculture movements that started in the 1940s and took momentum in the 1960s a "square" referred to someone who clung to repressive, traditional, stereotypical, one-sided, or "in the box" ways of thinking. The term was used by hipsters in the 1940s, beatniks in the 1950s, hippies in the 1960s, yippies in the 1970s, and other individuals who took part in the movements which emerged to contest the more conservative national, political, religious, philosophical, musical and social trends
Then there was the Huey Lewis video in the 80s "Hip to be Square". This song was also used in American Psycho which portrayed the scariest square guy in the history of man.
Do I think it's "hip to be square"? Well, I would have to say that although I do not seem very square at all, deep down inside I do have some old fashioned tendencies. I also tend to really rather like "square" people. (ie: Meg and her strict adherence to rules.). However, I never really think of myself as a square. I'm more of an octagon but we won't talk about THAT until February!
What's a square you say?
Well are you asking for a square? If so, you're likely asking for a cigarette.
How about saying: "Lemme give you the $20. I owe you. Now we're all square" . You would be using "square" to say that we're even.
Also, commonly used - I won that hat fair and square! Which has an element of honesty to it.
Now here's a little spiel taken from Wikipedia:
In the parlance of jazz, a square was a person who failed to appreciate the medium, more broadly someone who was out of date or out of touch, hence the saying "be there or be square". In the counterculture movements that started in the 1940s and took momentum in the 1960s a "square" referred to someone who clung to repressive, traditional, stereotypical, one-sided, or "in the box" ways of thinking. The term was used by hipsters in the 1940s, beatniks in the 1950s, hippies in the 1960s, yippies in the 1970s, and other individuals who took part in the movements which emerged to contest the more conservative national, political, religious, philosophical, musical and social trends
Then there was the Huey Lewis video in the 80s "Hip to be Square". This song was also used in American Psycho which portrayed the scariest square guy in the history of man.
Do I think it's "hip to be square"? Well, I would have to say that although I do not seem very square at all, deep down inside I do have some old fashioned tendencies. I also tend to really rather like "square" people. (ie: Meg and her strict adherence to rules.). However, I never really think of myself as a square. I'm more of an octagon but we won't talk about THAT until February!
Barns burnt down. Now I can see the moon.
I've cried. I've wallowed. I've asked "Why?". I've been angry. I've laid in bed too much.
I think it's o.k. to "be where I am at". I think it's important that I processed what was happening to my body both physically and emotionally. I'm not over it but I'm ready to move on.
Which is great because you and I? We have a lot to talk about!
Such as:
Our trip to the zoo
Brown (with pictures!)
Clay Adventures
Square
E
With two short weeks left of this month, you can guarantee in the next few days I will definitely be picking up the blogging pace!
In fact, there MAY (hint, hint) even be a day or two of double postings! Double Postings?!?!?!? Yes, Indeed.
(P.S. Remember that fancy little gallery job I mentioned?! Totally got it! I'm definitely starting to see that moon!)
I think it's o.k. to "be where I am at". I think it's important that I processed what was happening to my body both physically and emotionally. I'm not over it but I'm ready to move on.
Which is great because you and I? We have a lot to talk about!
Such as:
Our trip to the zoo
Brown (with pictures!)
Clay Adventures
Square
E
With two short weeks left of this month, you can guarantee in the next few days I will definitely be picking up the blogging pace!
In fact, there MAY (hint, hint) even be a day or two of double postings! Double Postings?!?!?!? Yes, Indeed.
(P.S. Remember that fancy little gallery job I mentioned?! Totally got it! I'm definitely starting to see that moon!)
Friday, November 13, 2009
Keep Calm and Carry On.
You know, the beauty of writing here is that there is the possibility of no one and everyone reading this blog all at the same time. This is great because it gives me a supposed audience. Although the exact quote escapes me right this moment, one of my favorite writers, Margaret Atwood wrote in the Handmaid's Tale about how she wrote her audience into existence. The simple act of of my writing this down creates a reader.
So, I feel that when I sit down to write I need to give that reader something of value. I also feel, due to the nature of this blog, I have a semi-commitment to staying "on topic". Finally, I'm not sure how much of my personal life I want to impart.
Where am I going with all of this? You see, while the project HAS been continuing on, I've been struggling with something and it's taking up all of my resources and I've been debating whether or not to share it.
Here goes;
I've been rather sick lately and have been recently diagnosed with a disease that would fall under the topic of "Women's Issues" (a term my 76 year old German Mother-in-Law likes to use). Although most of the symptoms are basically discomforts it does have some larger ramifications that I'm dealing with both physically and emotionally.
It is a difficult thing when the thing we most rely on to function properly, our bodies, betrays us. There are people far sicker and with far more serious diseases than I and I do not know how they deal with the idea that their body simply let them down. I placed my faith in my body that it would work when I wanted it to work for as long as I wanted it to work (which I hope will still be for many, many years). It's a shocking slap in the face when I need to look at my lifestyle and the things I chose to put in and do to my body to see that maybe this was a two-sided relationship and I was just a "taker" and mostly not a "giver". That this was likely an abusive relationship. Although, my "issue" is not something I created and something I had absolutely no control over, I can't help but feel that maybe my body feels like I betrayed it too.
So, this is where I am at.
I am also this very second (and all the other seconds of this month) wearing brown Tomorrow is my husbands birthday and I made him a little clay heart. As I type this I'm listening to Sarah Brightman sing "Vide cor Meum" (and it's a heartbreakingly beautiful salve to body). Max can tell you when something is Brown and when something is square. He's still working on D and E. I think it's because B, C, D & E all sound kind of the same to him. We've gone to the Zoo already and hope to go again. He's long been able to count to the # 2. Beds are mostly being made, but you see, I'm just having a hard time getting out of bed these days. I hope you understand.
November is all about taking it all in, savoring what's beautiful and carrying on bit by bit.
So, I feel that when I sit down to write I need to give that reader something of value. I also feel, due to the nature of this blog, I have a semi-commitment to staying "on topic". Finally, I'm not sure how much of my personal life I want to impart.
Where am I going with all of this? You see, while the project HAS been continuing on, I've been struggling with something and it's taking up all of my resources and I've been debating whether or not to share it.
Here goes;
I've been rather sick lately and have been recently diagnosed with a disease that would fall under the topic of "Women's Issues" (a term my 76 year old German Mother-in-Law likes to use). Although most of the symptoms are basically discomforts it does have some larger ramifications that I'm dealing with both physically and emotionally.
It is a difficult thing when the thing we most rely on to function properly, our bodies, betrays us. There are people far sicker and with far more serious diseases than I and I do not know how they deal with the idea that their body simply let them down. I placed my faith in my body that it would work when I wanted it to work for as long as I wanted it to work (which I hope will still be for many, many years). It's a shocking slap in the face when I need to look at my lifestyle and the things I chose to put in and do to my body to see that maybe this was a two-sided relationship and I was just a "taker" and mostly not a "giver". That this was likely an abusive relationship. Although, my "issue" is not something I created and something I had absolutely no control over, I can't help but feel that maybe my body feels like I betrayed it too.
So, this is where I am at.
I am also this very second (and all the other seconds of this month) wearing brown Tomorrow is my husbands birthday and I made him a little clay heart. As I type this I'm listening to Sarah Brightman sing "Vide cor Meum" (and it's a heartbreakingly beautiful salve to body). Max can tell you when something is Brown and when something is square. He's still working on D and E. I think it's because B, C, D & E all sound kind of the same to him. We've gone to the Zoo already and hope to go again. He's long been able to count to the # 2. Beds are mostly being made, but you see, I'm just having a hard time getting out of bed these days. I hope you understand.
November is all about taking it all in, savoring what's beautiful and carrying on bit by bit.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Low.
As a part of my classical music listening this month I wanted to include some opera. My grandmother loved opera and would often blast Pavarotti throughout the house. I've been listening to a lot of Puccini's Turandot today. "Nessun Dorma" has long been my favorite from that opera. I've been feeling rather low these days. This song has really helped soothe my soul.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
I'd Love To....
.....write all about our really fun and amazing zoo trip yesterday, I'd love to talk about the Letter D and all its divine and delicious delights. I'd love to talk about how it's hip to be square or how making the bed in the morning is coming along quite naturally.
But I can't. Because I'm sick. Sick in more ways than one. Also, one of my dearest friends who I haven't seen in a year and a half is coming to Chicago tomorrow and I'm too busy being giddy about her arrival (and pretending not to be sick) to articulate on anything else. Finally, I've been interviewing for a small little gig at a fun little gallery and I really want this job and I'd love to talk all about it but I don't want to jinx it.
Instead, I WILL say that I can't find a single brown thing I"m willing to interview in so I'm announcing that I"m taking my Free Day tomorrow.
And I'd love to have some witty end to tie this whole post together but really? I've got nothing for ya today.
But I can't. Because I'm sick. Sick in more ways than one. Also, one of my dearest friends who I haven't seen in a year and a half is coming to Chicago tomorrow and I'm too busy being giddy about her arrival (and pretending not to be sick) to articulate on anything else. Finally, I've been interviewing for a small little gig at a fun little gallery and I really want this job and I'd love to talk all about it but I don't want to jinx it.
Instead, I WILL say that I can't find a single brown thing I"m willing to interview in so I'm announcing that I"m taking my Free Day tomorrow.
And I'd love to have some witty end to tie this whole post together but really? I've got nothing for ya today.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Play-Dough is Clay for Toddlers.
So, today I made play-dough. When I said that to a friend on the phone just now she was impressed, but it really wasn't hard at all.
Do YOU want to make play-dough? Here's how:
1 cup (250ml) boiling water
1/2 cup (125ml) salt
1 cup (250ml) flour
1 tbsp. (15ml) each oil , cream of tartar (a preservative), and food coloring.
Boil the water, add the salt, and bring back to the boil. Remove from heat, add the flour, oil, cream of tartar and food coloring. When the mixture is cool enough to handle, knead until it's smooth.
(This recipe was taken from www.makeplaydough.com an AMAZING website that has all kinds of fun crafty things for kids!)
My playdough is a bright and vivid blue (I simply couldn't/wouldn't make brown play-dough.). It was really malleable and when it was warm, it was really quite nice. Max liked it too and he only tried to eat it once (it's pretty salty so I think he was deterred by that). He kept grabbing an indistinct mass and exclaiming, "LOOK, KITTY" or "LOOK, DINOSAUR"! Clearly he's as easily entertained as I am.
I'm thinking this would be a really nice christmas gift for toddlers/younger kids. Different colored balls of play-dough each in their own little mason jar.
Do YOU want to make play-dough? Here's how:
1 cup (250ml) boiling water
1/2 cup (125ml) salt
1 cup (250ml) flour
1 tbsp. (15ml) each oil , cream of tartar (a preservative), and food coloring.
Boil the water, add the salt, and bring back to the boil. Remove from heat, add the flour, oil, cream of tartar and food coloring. When the mixture is cool enough to handle, knead until it's smooth.
(This recipe was taken from www.makeplaydough.com an AMAZING website that has all kinds of fun crafty things for kids!)
My playdough is a bright and vivid blue (I simply couldn't/wouldn't make brown play-dough.). It was really malleable and when it was warm, it was really quite nice. Max liked it too and he only tried to eat it once (it's pretty salty so I think he was deterred by that). He kept grabbing an indistinct mass and exclaiming, "LOOK, KITTY" or "LOOK, DINOSAUR"! Clearly he's as easily entertained as I am.
I'm thinking this would be a really nice christmas gift for toddlers/younger kids. Different colored balls of play-dough each in their own little mason jar.
Monday, November 2, 2009
How Now Brown Cow?
NOVEMBER is:
Number: 2
Letters: D, E
Color: Brown
Shape: Square
Music: Classical
Medium: Clay
Location: Zoo
Habit: Make the bed every morning
After all the excitement of last month, this month feels like I'm falling into a nice soft (brown) pillow. My initial experiences with this months categories is that they are rather soothing. Brown is a soothing color. It lacks the bright joy of Yellow. I don't feel like I stand out in brown. The Classical music I listened to all morning had a very soothing quality to it. Pushing your hands into some clay has a very relaxing quality to it. There is something very nurturing about all of this.
Just like the blues, classical music is something I have very little experience with. (I have to admit, iIm not going to miss the blues.) So, I'd be grateful for any great recommendations. There are so many subcategories to Classical music. Do you want to listen to Baroque? How about Restoration? Opera? Romantic? Celtic? Medieval? Classical Crossover? It goes on and on. I could really use some direction. So today, I found this amazing website based out of Boston. Not only does it have great podcasts of Classical performances (with little stories about the performers) but it also livestreams classical music 24 hours a day. YES! I turned it up loud and it seemed to fill up all the nooks and crannies in the apartment. I think I'm going to like this.
Changing my life over from Yellow to Brown has not been as horrible as I thought. I loved the Yellow. I'm really glad the project started with yellow because it was a bit of a challenge and a major life change. Wearing Yellow everyday is kind of special. Wearing brown every day? Not a big deal. In fact, I think this might be a little too easy. However, I think it's nice that some colors will be hard and some will be a bit simpler. I'm not much of a brown person, I prefer black over brown. I DO have brown clothes though and they all are kind of cozy comfy clothes. Like today, I'm wearing a some brown cotton pants (the kind with a lot of pockets) and a pink and brown striped thermal and tan socks and my brown doc marten shoes I've had since I was 19. (In fact, I WAS a brown person in my teens!) Yesterday, I wore a brown long-sleeved t-shirt with some detailing, jeans and my brown mary jane doc martens. Do you see a pattern forming here? I do.
I have to admit that I haven't really started working on the other categories because the baby has been at his Oma's but he comes back tomorrow and we will begin in earnest then.
The last thing I'd like to talk about is the New Habits. I used the word "Habit" because I wanted to pick things that I felt would be good for us to try and if it works; to maintain. So, I'm definitely going to keep exercising. I have to say that I didn't see a lot of visible results with my daily exercising from last month but it did make me feel good. Hopefully, as I progress perhaps 20 mins a day can turn into 30, etc.
The bed making habit is something we tried when we first moved into this apartment and it kind of fell off the map. I've really come to appreciate the value of getting into a bed that's been made at night. I don't think we'll have to much of a problem with this.
Finally, I know I've not been very cohesive in this post and my writing has been spotty at best. So, please accept my apologies. I'm a little under the weather but I wanted to get this month started officially. The comments and encouragement from this blog really helped carry me through this month. Thanks for that.
Number: 2
Letters: D, E
Color: Brown
Shape: Square
Music: Classical
Medium: Clay
Location: Zoo
Habit: Make the bed every morning
After all the excitement of last month, this month feels like I'm falling into a nice soft (brown) pillow. My initial experiences with this months categories is that they are rather soothing. Brown is a soothing color. It lacks the bright joy of Yellow. I don't feel like I stand out in brown. The Classical music I listened to all morning had a very soothing quality to it. Pushing your hands into some clay has a very relaxing quality to it. There is something very nurturing about all of this.
Just like the blues, classical music is something I have very little experience with. (I have to admit, iIm not going to miss the blues.) So, I'd be grateful for any great recommendations. There are so many subcategories to Classical music. Do you want to listen to Baroque? How about Restoration? Opera? Romantic? Celtic? Medieval? Classical Crossover? It goes on and on. I could really use some direction. So today, I found this amazing website based out of Boston. Not only does it have great podcasts of Classical performances (with little stories about the performers) but it also livestreams classical music 24 hours a day. YES! I turned it up loud and it seemed to fill up all the nooks and crannies in the apartment. I think I'm going to like this.
Changing my life over from Yellow to Brown has not been as horrible as I thought. I loved the Yellow. I'm really glad the project started with yellow because it was a bit of a challenge and a major life change. Wearing Yellow everyday is kind of special. Wearing brown every day? Not a big deal. In fact, I think this might be a little too easy. However, I think it's nice that some colors will be hard and some will be a bit simpler. I'm not much of a brown person, I prefer black over brown. I DO have brown clothes though and they all are kind of cozy comfy clothes. Like today, I'm wearing a some brown cotton pants (the kind with a lot of pockets) and a pink and brown striped thermal and tan socks and my brown doc marten shoes I've had since I was 19. (In fact, I WAS a brown person in my teens!) Yesterday, I wore a brown long-sleeved t-shirt with some detailing, jeans and my brown mary jane doc martens. Do you see a pattern forming here? I do.
I have to admit that I haven't really started working on the other categories because the baby has been at his Oma's but he comes back tomorrow and we will begin in earnest then.
The last thing I'd like to talk about is the New Habits. I used the word "Habit" because I wanted to pick things that I felt would be good for us to try and if it works; to maintain. So, I'm definitely going to keep exercising. I have to say that I didn't see a lot of visible results with my daily exercising from last month but it did make me feel good. Hopefully, as I progress perhaps 20 mins a day can turn into 30, etc.
The bed making habit is something we tried when we first moved into this apartment and it kind of fell off the map. I've really come to appreciate the value of getting into a bed that's been made at night. I don't think we'll have to much of a problem with this.
Finally, I know I've not been very cohesive in this post and my writing has been spotty at best. So, please accept my apologies. I'm a little under the weather but I wanted to get this month started officially. The comments and encouragement from this blog really helped carry me through this month. Thanks for that.
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