Friday, October 31, 2008

Scrapbooking and Crafting

I've been working on a scrapbook for grandparents I rarely see. I've been working on it for some time now. It's the first one I've ever done and while I do find it enjoyable for the most part I have to admit that scrapbooking is definitely much more fun when you are doing it with at least one other person.

It's not enough that someone else is there. They must also be scrapbooking. Unfortunately there's no craft store in my immediate area that I could go to for the get-togethers those places offer at different times.

I'm always seeing craft projects I want to try but then the reality ends up being so much more complicated than I thought. (Not to mention more expensive.) As much as I wish I could just be creative and come up with ideas on my own I can't. At least not ones that work.

I wonder where my artistic genes went? Many others in my family got them. My mother and aunt can both draw and my aunt can paint, too. Both of them can also make clothes and crochet. My sister has a creative hand with cooking. I've none of those talents.

:) My grandparents at least will love the scrapbook because it features photos of their grandchildren and great grandchild and because I took the time and effort to make it myself.

I will learn to be satisfied without perfection. I will!


Some craft ideas I've seen that I like:


Those are just some I saw at a quick glance. I like to share neat (at least to me) ideas I come across so you'll probably come across them time and again.

Speaking of crafts. . . I'll be attending what is usually a pretty excellent craft show tomorrow. It's held by the local Social Services League at the local elementary school. Admission is free and they do serve food, which isn't free but tends to also be excellent, if you get there soon enough. There's a homemade chicken and noodles . . . yum.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Fantastic Contraption

It's a different kind of game but still rather addicting. I'm not sure how far I will get or how strange my solutions will be! I'll post the solutions I manage to get as I go through. Try your own and then compare! It's rather interesting to see how different people have different ideas.

Reach Up - One of the earliest levels. It basically tells you what to do.

Mind The Gap - I had a solution earlier that wasn't quite so ugly but I couldn't remember it.

Junkyard


I think I'm going to stop for now.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Politics (Warning: this is a bit rantful)

Ok, technically I guess I am a Democrat. By technically I mean I am registered as such. My beliefs, views and values actually fall more along the centrist line. I have never voted based on party, always based on candidate.

I'm tired of the finger pointing, name calling and spinning. And I'm not really talking about the politicians. Granted they all do that. (Yes ALL of them do.) But, see that's expected of them.

I'm talking about the citizens of our country. All the above happen both generally and personally. Both sides will label someone as a "conservative" or a "liberal" based on the slightest inclination. And labeling is one thing, if it's as factual and innocuous as saying "female." (Which I am.) But it isn't; the opposing sides use the terms like a sledgehammer, an insult to rally their friends and supporters.

It's even found in the political ads now. Not only the context in which it is used but the tone of voice. (Here I'm assuming it's gone both ways. I typically fast forward through commercials but happened to catch a McCain/Palin supporting ad. While it is entirely possible only one side of the fence did it; it is unlikely.) It's slightly amusing to me that based on how they're currently being used these political terms could be considered politically incorrect.

By the way, don't assume just because I am female, live in a certain area, etc that I will vote a certain way. It certainly doesn't help your cause, especially when you verbalize it.

Don't believe everything you see and hear these politicians say. Check it out for yourself. Look deeper into the history, what actually happened. If it was actually a good or bad thing, what alternatives there were. Stop accepting face value.

Some things to ponder.
  1. They can promise whatever they want. But rarely can they actually get it done on their own. (And sometimes I'm not sure if they even plan to do so.) Remember the system of checks and balances?
  2. Speaking of those checks and balances . . . It's actually a good thing to have more than one party taking care of our government; it balances things. If you'd quit thinking along party lines you'd realize people you were trashing actually agree on some of the same things you do!
  3. Did you know there are more than two parties out there? Don't forget to check out ALL available candidates. Why limit yourself unnecessarily?
  4. If you don't vote; shut up. It's bad enough you aren't doing a simple civic duty but then to complain about things? When you didn't do anything to try and shape them? And no lame excuses. Polling centers tend to be very accommodating. Incidentally, "I was in the middle of the desert getting shot at" is NOT a lame excuse. I'm not sure how the whole voting thing works for our military personnel overseas, especially in a war zone. I do know that absentee ballots are available for those who are away from home, whether it be at college, on business or are in the military and are based elsewhere.
  5. Nevermind, I'm going to stop now. I think I feel my blood pressure rising.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Supernatural Season Premiere cont.

Whoa.

I won't post any spoilers but this season definitely started off with a spectacular bang! Some things were expected, others were not. Questions were answered; others remained.

I will say this, while it did niggle at the back of my mind once, the reason Dean was given at least for his being brought back was not expected. I dismissed the niggle as ridiculous. I'll say no more for fear of giving away too much.

Next week, I'll talk more about this week's episode. Hopefully, everyone will have watched it by then. If not, that's your sad fault. You don't know what you missed.

Supernatural Season Premiere TONIGHT!!!

I'm loving it already! I'm so happy it's back and so far it's goooood!!!


(And the guys are as hot as ever!)


More later . . .

Monday, September 8, 2008

One little thing

Ok, like I admitted previously I didn't complete the full training circuit. I think I made up for it this evening. I went geocaching. Finding this particular cache involved hiking a little over half a mile uphill! (At least it wasn't in the snow, barefoot and uphill both ways, right?) Just a note: While I knew this, I was dumb enough to do it anyway. Caching in the woods, state gamelands to be exact in capris and flip flops is stupid.

My lower legs look like they were in a fight with a cat and it's just possible the cat won. I'm tired and a little sore now, but I feel good. We were first to find. I exercised in the morning and in the evening. I'm rather proud of myself.

Ok first day

Ok so it wasn't great but it could have been worse. I wasn't/am not ready even for the basic beginning training but I'll work to get there. I definitely have the time to get there. I'm wishing now I had started earlier there is a 5K coming up for my college homecoming. I'll be nowhere near ready in time. (Less than a month away.) But it can be a future goal. Maybe I will aim to reduce my time from the Rain Day 5K. (See? Positive thinking! I am going to do this!)

I think too I'm going to join the Pilates class at the fairgrounds. I've always wanted to do Pilates and even bought a book on it but I need to know I'm doing it right too.

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Tomorrow it is

Tomorrow's the big day. I can't let myself chicken out or get lazy. Which reminds me to look up that training schedule again. I'm nervous but excited. I keep reminding myself that while it's going to hurt and be kinda sucky, especially at first, eventually it won't be as bad and according to the lore I might actually come to enjoy it. Besides, I definitely need those feel good endorphins! I think too of the little nieces and nephews I want to be here for and smile at the thought of them cheering for me at the finish line.

Okay, so some of them won't even really know what's going on and the majority (if not all) won't even remember, but I will. And so will the other adult members of my family. Perhaps I can even be a good example to the other adults. While I do take full responsibility for my part in my lack of fitness and weight I can't bear the full brunt of it. I fully believe genetics plays a role and I definitely received the genetic short stick when it comes to athletic ability and weight issues. Even with a healthy diet and plenty of activity as a child I was a chunk.

I'll also accept, perhaps due to that in part, I will likely never be thin but I can at least be fit and healthy. I don't equate fit with thin. Studies have proven that plenty of fat people are healthy and more fit than many of their thin counterparts. Yes, I said "fat." It's how I see myself. If you are offended by my usage of it then you need to ask yourself how you see yourself. I don't think of the word itself as derogatory. It only becomes so by the person using it and the meaning they are trying to convey.

I guess I could just say "excess of adipose tissue." Look it up though (if you don't already know) and you'll find that it's just a fancy way of saying "excess of fat." Again, the word itself isn't derogatory. After all, many would be well pleased to have a fat bank account. I will grant that there are those who use it in a nasty manner, but I can't help that. I know who and what I am. My fat is a part of the whole, but it is not me.

Saturday, September 6, 2008

I'm going to try to run

I'm going to try and train for a 5K. I'm a horrible runner and always have been but suddenly I was just inspired. I need to be healthy and I need to have a goal. While I won't be ridiculous and hope to finish as a top place I will be well pleased to finish somewhere in the middle of the pack. To do that I need to get a time around 25 minutes using last year's times as a frame of reference.

I found a schedule previously that was meant to take one from "couch to 5K" in 2 months. Considering how out of shape I am, that I am a smoker, a sprained ankle earlier this year that still pains me and I've never been a runner I'm going to try and take it slower but still work for it. The event I want to run in isn't until the end of July. I plan to start this coming Monday so I should have plenty of time to get up to par before then. I figure if the average person can do it in 2 months I can certainly do it in a little over 10 months!

I haven't yet been able to locate a map of the route but I am hoping desperately that the huge, huge hill we all refer to as town hill is not included. I think it could take me a lot longer to be ready for that!

Wish me luck!!

Saturday, August 9, 2008

*sigh*

I'm trying to learn how to design a web page, sell on eBay (and everything I want to sell), write, figure out how to get back to school (and fund it), along with sundry other little life chores. It would truly be wonderful if one didn't need to sleep, never felt tired and could simply get all the nutrients and such needed to support one's health through vitamins.

Anything I try to remember just slips through. If I do remember it, it tends to be at odd times when I can't do anything about it. When I'm driving for instance, I practically had composed the whole next chapter of my story on the drive to Pittsburgh Thursday. Now I can't remember anything.

The nieces and nephews are all doing wonderfully at least. :) Growing taller and more rambunctious every day. (And in some instances, more mouthy.) And they'll come up with the oddest things at the oddest times. (Or for their parents, at the most inconvenient times. But the rest of us usually enjoy it.)

Do you ever feel like you just don't know enough about anything? I think I know a little bit about quite a bit; there isn't any subject I would consider myself well versed in. Is that a lack in me or in my education? I like who I am but I still envy those who have their niche in life.

I don't just mean the people who do what they are good at and love it either. I include those who have the expertise and hate what they do. Success is success whether one likes what one does or not. One at least has the satisfaction of having the talent.

I suppose I'll find out what mine is someday.

Monday, August 4, 2008

Just trying this out for now. I'm not a good blogger.