Erich and I arrived home around 6 tonight. Our bags landed about an hour ago on the later flight, thanks to our need to haul ass to catch our connection in Charlotte.
We're a bit sunburned, quite tired, extremely cat deprived, but we had a great time.
Stories and photos coming over the weekend, once I get through yet another round of unpacking my new cubicle space tomorrow.
:)
- Mel.
29 June 2006
22 June 2006
Year of Weddings, Take 3
And... we're off again. To a wedding (that is not mine. *grin*)
(hey... I'll get around to it. Really.)
Other than Canada, this will be my first time out of the U.S. I'm quite excited.
Nassau, here we come. One full week in paradise.
Erich and I leave tomorrow morning around 10, and get into the Bahamas around 3-ish. We'll be there a full day earlier than anyone else from the Providence crew of friends (about 10 people total).
I have a new bathing suit-- that actually fits! and looks good! and hides my icky spots (mostly!). For the $85 price tag, it damn well better. :)
Other than the wedding itself and the bachlorette party (a day long catamaran trip to an island for snorkeling, etc.) I have no schedule whatsoever. I plan to relax. A lot.
While I'm gone, however, I propose a challenge to you-- give me topics and questions. I want to have some good mind-chewing fodder to write about next month. Anything. Seriously. :)
I don't know how my access will be over the next week, but if I can't log in while on the trip, I'll see you all on June 30th.
Best,
Mel.
(hey... I'll get around to it. Really.)
Other than Canada, this will be my first time out of the U.S. I'm quite excited.
Nassau, here we come. One full week in paradise.
Erich and I leave tomorrow morning around 10, and get into the Bahamas around 3-ish. We'll be there a full day earlier than anyone else from the Providence crew of friends (about 10 people total).
I have a new bathing suit-- that actually fits! and looks good! and hides my icky spots (mostly!). For the $85 price tag, it damn well better. :)
Other than the wedding itself and the bachlorette party (a day long catamaran trip to an island for snorkeling, etc.) I have no schedule whatsoever. I plan to relax. A lot.
While I'm gone, however, I propose a challenge to you-- give me topics and questions. I want to have some good mind-chewing fodder to write about next month. Anything. Seriously. :)
I don't know how my access will be over the next week, but if I can't log in while on the trip, I'll see you all on June 30th.
Best,
Mel.
18 June 2006
The Castle
It's amazing to me, but I finally finished The Castle about a half-hour ago. It hasn't been cleaned yet-- it's still tacked to the stretcher bars I've used all weekend as I've been working the remaining backstitching. But it's done-- my first Teresa Wentzler piece, and the largest stitching piece I've completed to date.
It's been a long ten-year journey with this piece. I have lots of emotions tied into this one. I know where I was when I stitched particular areas of this piece. In some cases, I even know the state of mind I had. I've stitched areas of The Castle within a ritual circle, trying to clear my mind and regain focus. I've stitched through tears. I've stitched through cats. I've stitched on it at work. I've stitched on it on trains and planes. I've stitched on it curled up on the couch with one of a few of my sorority sisters, also stitching on their own pieces, laughing and creating comfy memories.
It has seen me from age 21, as a junior in college with no clue where she wanted to go in life, to age 31, engaged with several hopes and dreams for the future. I've moved five times since starting it. I've graduated college. My father remarried. My brother graduated from both high school and college. My grandmother passed away. My mother, ever supportive, watched me go through heartbreak and anger to falling in love. As each of these events (and more) happened, those emotions were blended into this piece stitch by stitch.
All of the rest of my stitching this year is just extra credit. I've reached a personal accomplishment goal, and now I just need to do some happy dancing for a while!
Wheee!!!!!
It's been a long ten-year journey with this piece. I have lots of emotions tied into this one. I know where I was when I stitched particular areas of this piece. In some cases, I even know the state of mind I had. I've stitched areas of The Castle within a ritual circle, trying to clear my mind and regain focus. I've stitched through tears. I've stitched through cats. I've stitched on it at work. I've stitched on it on trains and planes. I've stitched on it curled up on the couch with one of a few of my sorority sisters, also stitching on their own pieces, laughing and creating comfy memories.
It has seen me from age 21, as a junior in college with no clue where she wanted to go in life, to age 31, engaged with several hopes and dreams for the future. I've moved five times since starting it. I've graduated college. My father remarried. My brother graduated from both high school and college. My grandmother passed away. My mother, ever supportive, watched me go through heartbreak and anger to falling in love. As each of these events (and more) happened, those emotions were blended into this piece stitch by stitch.
All of the rest of my stitching this year is just extra credit. I've reached a personal accomplishment goal, and now I just need to do some happy dancing for a while!
Wheee!!!!!
17 June 2006
Heavily Cowffinated
A couple weeks ago, I did my normal trek from Back Bay station into Copley Square to begin my work day. But something had changed. In fact, a bunch of something had changed. Copley Square had been invaded by cows.
What I discovered later that morning is that many places Boston had been taken over by cows-- 117 of them, in fact - as part of a summer fundraiser for the Jimmy Fund. The Jimmy Fund is a long-standing ocal fundraising organization for cancer research. Bostonians normally encounter them at Red Sox games, and occasionally at the movie theaters when they do childrens' cancer research drives. This summer, they're working with a traveling art project called Cow Parade. The great thing about this project is that all of the artists are local, too. Great way for artists to get their names out there. :)
Yesterday, two of my workmates and I decided to take advantage of our early release from work (yay summer Fridays!) to go Cow Hunting. Armed with cameras and comfy shoes, we plodded all around Boston, capturing over 50 of them. Some of the end results are absolutely spectacular. I'll be uploading them and sharing them in batches over the next few weeks.
The first batch is of the cows located at South Station (Amtrak/commuter rail/bus/subway station), Copley Square, and the two cows on the Public Library grounds that face Copley Square. :)
Which of these is your favorite?
What I discovered later that morning is that many places Boston had been taken over by cows-- 117 of them, in fact - as part of a summer fundraiser for the Jimmy Fund. The Jimmy Fund is a long-standing ocal fundraising organization for cancer research. Bostonians normally encounter them at Red Sox games, and occasionally at the movie theaters when they do childrens' cancer research drives. This summer, they're working with a traveling art project called Cow Parade. The great thing about this project is that all of the artists are local, too. Great way for artists to get their names out there. :)
Yesterday, two of my workmates and I decided to take advantage of our early release from work (yay summer Fridays!) to go Cow Hunting. Armed with cameras and comfy shoes, we plodded all around Boston, capturing over 50 of them. Some of the end results are absolutely spectacular. I'll be uploading them and sharing them in batches over the next few weeks.
The first batch is of the cows located at South Station (Amtrak/commuter rail/bus/subway station), Copley Square, and the two cows on the Public Library grounds that face Copley Square. :)
Which of these is your favorite?
15 June 2006
3x Thursday
So here's the deal... I'm making a conscious effort to write every day. I used to, a few years ago. Now I've gotten lazy. So if it takes memes to get me back on track, dammit... I will get back on track.
I have the Stitcher's Blogging Question on Wednesdays, so Thursdays shall be 3xThursdays:
1. What are the top 3 things in your life that are most important to you? Not necessarily things..
1) Erich
2) My lifestyle
3) Having money to support myself
2. Do you take steps to facilitate the importance of those things? How so/how not so?
Most definitely-- Erich is most important. I make sure to say "I love you" at least once-- and normally several times a day. I cherish my relationship with him, always seeking to improve it, deepen it, and sustain it.
Money sadly makes the world go round. But I also can appreciate, having grown up very comfortably with money, that it isn't everything. As long as I can sustain the lifestyle I want, I'm happy. Having the freedom to live life the way I want, with the people I want, is happiness.
3. Would you ever think about changing the way you do things (priorities) so that you can pay more attention to the things that matter the most?
Absolutely. In fact, work-related changes are being discussed these days, for both Erich and me.
Bonus Question for Comments: What do you think of people who put their wants and needs at the back of the line? Do you think it's wise to do such a thing?
I think it depends on the situatio- what the balance of needs and wants are. Sometimes the list of needs for survival are so pressing that the wants absolutely have to fall by the wayside. It's also important to over-indulge on the wants from time to time to keep life balanced.
~ Mel.
I have the Stitcher's Blogging Question on Wednesdays, so Thursdays shall be 3xThursdays:
1. What are the top 3 things in your life that are most important to you? Not necessarily things..
1) Erich
2) My lifestyle
3) Having money to support myself
2. Do you take steps to facilitate the importance of those things? How so/how not so?
Most definitely-- Erich is most important. I make sure to say "I love you" at least once-- and normally several times a day. I cherish my relationship with him, always seeking to improve it, deepen it, and sustain it.
Money sadly makes the world go round. But I also can appreciate, having grown up very comfortably with money, that it isn't everything. As long as I can sustain the lifestyle I want, I'm happy. Having the freedom to live life the way I want, with the people I want, is happiness.
3. Would you ever think about changing the way you do things (priorities) so that you can pay more attention to the things that matter the most?
Absolutely. In fact, work-related changes are being discussed these days, for both Erich and me.
Bonus Question for Comments: What do you think of people who put their wants and needs at the back of the line? Do you think it's wise to do such a thing?
I think it depends on the situatio- what the balance of needs and wants are. Sometimes the list of needs for survival are so pressing that the wants absolutely have to fall by the wayside. It's also important to over-indulge on the wants from time to time to keep life balanced.
~ Mel.
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