As I was (finally) posting the hobbit picture to the lasat post this morning I noticed that I was very near post 200. I missed my blogiversary this year (August 18th)thought I did post on the 19th. I was a tad distracted that day, I guess.
With the realization that I have been keeping this blog for almost 200 posts and over three years, I had to go back and re-read a lot of those posts. Some of them were obviously just me rambling, and some were more meaningful to me.
I also took a peek at my first post... Apparently my whole purpose in starting this blog was simply to keep my family and friendsup-to-date on what was going on in my life. It made sense because I lived 4.5 hours away from my Parents. Now I also use it to keep in touch with my cousins, aunts and uncles... and myself.
When I was in High School (right after we moved to TN) I started writing every night. It drove Laura nuts because she had to listen to me typing, but it was a deeply creative time for me. Even though I mostly wrote terrible poetry, I still feel like I was in a better place as an artist than I am now. Except for my blog. It keeps me writing and thinking.
What I write about has evolved over the last 199 posts. I don't feel as obligated to post every single day (though, ironically I still do post more often than I did early on), and I don't post as much meaningless drivel on here. I try to talk about things that are important to me. So what is this blog about? Why do I post my thoughts here, now? I know it's not just to keep in touch with people I don't see often, though that is part of it. Why do my fair readers keep blogs???
The real question is why on earth do you read this? Ha ha!
I'm working on something fun for my next post so keep your eyes peeled!
Chara
Monday, October 30
Friday, October 27
Home Sweet Home
Josh and I have been talking a lot about buying a house, but houses in Nashville are WAY more expensive than in Johnson City. We could easily buy a house in johnson City with our current salaries. In nashville, however, it's a whole different story. The average home costs something like $160,000 -$180,000. Yikes.
So we've also been talking about green building (I especially like the idea of a green roof) and today I stumbled across a post on Neatorama about a Hobbit House. Yes, you read that right. Looks like a hobbit house from Lord of the Rings. Check out the website- it's not huge so it shouldn't take long, but it has plans and a layout of the house. It's so cute and probably much cheaper than a regular house.
Anyone want to build a hobbit village with us???
Friday, October 20
Seeking Balance
Lately I've had a bit of the Moody Blues. Sadly, no I am not talking about the band. It seems like the last two weeks have been a big blue funk for me. Maybe it's a combination of a lot of things. Several sad posts on some blogs, my car being in the shop, which has rendered me basically homebound, plus I burnt the toast this morning.
But then I read Stef's blog post this morning. My blue mood has been almost as unexplicable as Stef's bright yellow one.
So how do I get back there? I don't know. I've been trying to focus on balance this year, but the truth is that I feel more out of balance now than any other time this year. A lot of the time I take a make-do-with-what-you-have attitude, but I don't feel like making do right now. I feel like curling up in a ball and going to sleep until I can feel better.
Where is the balance in that?? How is this even remotely related to finding my center?
Well... it's not.
Back on the wagon, I guess.
But then I read Stef's blog post this morning. My blue mood has been almost as unexplicable as Stef's bright yellow one.
So how do I get back there? I don't know. I've been trying to focus on balance this year, but the truth is that I feel more out of balance now than any other time this year. A lot of the time I take a make-do-with-what-you-have attitude, but I don't feel like making do right now. I feel like curling up in a ball and going to sleep until I can feel better.
Where is the balance in that?? How is this even remotely related to finding my center?
Well... it's not.
Back on the wagon, I guess.
Monday, October 16
Red and Green
I love Christmas, but this kind of giving I can do without. I made a small still life to photograph to demonstrate the gift that the first frost has brought me. Josh wanted to "save" the tomatoes. The vines died, but now I have a kitchen counter (and there isn't a lot of space to begin with) covered in these festive gifts. Fried Green tomoteos and spagetti anyone??
Saturday, October 14
Happy Birthday Hadyn!!!
Once upon a time, Haydn had a 3rd Birthday. Her wonderful Aunt Chara had made her this wonderful felt dress-up book to keep her quiet during church. (See pattern here)
Haydn's Gran had made her a Barbie Cake. She was pretty excited about it, until...
...she realized they were going to set it on fire.
Oh Well! Instead she opened her presents with her Aunt Tara.
She got some sparkley Sunglasses that were really cool.
But she liked the Dress-up book her Aunt Chara had made her the best of all the gifts.
She played with it...
And played with it some more...
And wouldn't even eat cake because she was having so much fun!
And later, when she was napping, Daddy got to play!
Thursday, October 12
What can a proud Aunt do???
Haydn Turns Three on Sunday. It seems like it wasn't nearly three years ago that she was born on a wednesday night- I was on the phone with Tara and Laura outside the delivery room door while Christa gave birth- sadly I was in East TN about to teach a bible class rather than there with them. These are a few recent pictures of her.
Laura took the two on the slide and I took the other ones when I kept her at my house one day.
Happy birthday!
Laura took the two on the slide and I took the other ones when I kept her at my house one day.
Happy birthday!
Tuesday, October 10
Festival Report
Well, I guess I have a lot to say today, so bear with me.
I got back Sunday night from the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough. AS soon as we took down the stuff in our tent on Sunday and managed to get it unloaded in the office I took off. I drive straight home, changed my shirt and went to church. It was a long day.
However, backing up to the previous Sunday... I was sitting with Haydn in my lap during church and she sneezed. In my face. No big deal- children often share unwanted bodily fluids and if you're going to be a good aunt you just deal with it.
The next morning I woke up with a scratchy throat.
Tuesday I left town to head to Jonesborough to get everything in place for Thursday night- my most immediate concern. There wasn't as much to do as I thought there would be. I spent a lot of time checking and re-checking lists. Thursday was very much the same. I checked the lists and arrived really early- still feeling rather icky and sporting a pretty strong cold... also, probably a fever... but I had a job to do.
The Concert went swimmingly. Bill was fabulous as were Larry Kelley and Hannah Wynne. Hannah was adorable. I was very excited to give her the opportunity to tell to such a large national crowd, and she was very excited to take advantage of it.
AS soon as the concert was over and we started to pack everything up it began to rain. It had been sweltering, but the rain cooled things off... and made it a bit miserable to get out of the tent.
The next morning I had NO voice. I don't mean I had just lost my voice- I mean it left me entirely. I could whisper a bit but apparently that's pretty much like yelling when you have laryngitis. So I spent the day with a little note on my nametag that said: "I can't talk :( "
I didn't really get to see any storytellers, except the ones that came into the tent. Nancy Donoval came in and talked to me about the excercize I participated in with Dan Yashinsky at the conference and made me feel even better about it- hard to explain.
The workshops that I had ben working on came out pretty well. There was a time discrepancy in the festival book and that was annoying- and I'm pretty sure that I know how it got in there- but it was dealt with.
Despite the general apprehension that I felt about going it was basically uneventful. I had worried about some work stuff that has been awkward lately, but I set up some boundaries before I left that were (shockingly) actually respected.
It was all a bit bittersweet, though. Two weeks ago I got a phone call from a principal I had interviewed with and she wants me to take over a 5th grade class starting in january for a teacher who will be going on maternity leave. I have a new job starting and I have a big job wrapping up the one that I have now.
I applied in metro at the begining of the summer when NSN started to get wonkier than willy, and I didn't really think anything would come of it once the semester started and I still didn't have a job, but I am really excited about starting something new. I'm also terrified- but more excited than anything.
This is a big change and I really feel sad leaving NSN- especially the other office staff and my new boss- our interim ED Nancy Kavanaugh, who is absolutely wonderful!
**********************************
ON a totally different note, I've found this wonderful Indie singer I love- Brandi Carlile- and I think you should all take a listen. She's got a really soulful, Janis Joplin-esque kind of sound that make me melt inside.
I got back Sunday night from the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough. AS soon as we took down the stuff in our tent on Sunday and managed to get it unloaded in the office I took off. I drive straight home, changed my shirt and went to church. It was a long day.
However, backing up to the previous Sunday... I was sitting with Haydn in my lap during church and she sneezed. In my face. No big deal- children often share unwanted bodily fluids and if you're going to be a good aunt you just deal with it.
The next morning I woke up with a scratchy throat.
Tuesday I left town to head to Jonesborough to get everything in place for Thursday night- my most immediate concern. There wasn't as much to do as I thought there would be. I spent a lot of time checking and re-checking lists. Thursday was very much the same. I checked the lists and arrived really early- still feeling rather icky and sporting a pretty strong cold... also, probably a fever... but I had a job to do.
The Concert went swimmingly. Bill was fabulous as were Larry Kelley and Hannah Wynne. Hannah was adorable. I was very excited to give her the opportunity to tell to such a large national crowd, and she was very excited to take advantage of it.
AS soon as the concert was over and we started to pack everything up it began to rain. It had been sweltering, but the rain cooled things off... and made it a bit miserable to get out of the tent.
The next morning I had NO voice. I don't mean I had just lost my voice- I mean it left me entirely. I could whisper a bit but apparently that's pretty much like yelling when you have laryngitis. So I spent the day with a little note on my nametag that said: "I can't talk :( "
I didn't really get to see any storytellers, except the ones that came into the tent. Nancy Donoval came in and talked to me about the excercize I participated in with Dan Yashinsky at the conference and made me feel even better about it- hard to explain.
The workshops that I had ben working on came out pretty well. There was a time discrepancy in the festival book and that was annoying- and I'm pretty sure that I know how it got in there- but it was dealt with.
Despite the general apprehension that I felt about going it was basically uneventful. I had worried about some work stuff that has been awkward lately, but I set up some boundaries before I left that were (shockingly) actually respected.
It was all a bit bittersweet, though. Two weeks ago I got a phone call from a principal I had interviewed with and she wants me to take over a 5th grade class starting in january for a teacher who will be going on maternity leave. I have a new job starting and I have a big job wrapping up the one that I have now.
I applied in metro at the begining of the summer when NSN started to get wonkier than willy, and I didn't really think anything would come of it once the semester started and I still didn't have a job, but I am really excited about starting something new. I'm also terrified- but more excited than anything.
This is a big change and I really feel sad leaving NSN- especially the other office staff and my new boss- our interim ED Nancy Kavanaugh, who is absolutely wonderful!
**********************************
ON a totally different note, I've found this wonderful Indie singer I love- Brandi Carlile- and I think you should all take a listen. She's got a really soulful, Janis Joplin-esque kind of sound that make me melt inside.
Sunday, October 8
Dear People of the World:
I believe that I am taking a note from my cousin Audrey's weblog and I am going to post an open note to the people of the world.
Dear People of the World:
Just a reminder- yelling at people who can't do anyhting about the thing which upsets you is stupid. It makes them feel belittled and angry and it makes you look insensitive, self-involved and out-of control.
In the future, please try to limit your loss of temper to the people who are A. to blame or B. can do something about the thing which has upset you.
Thank you.
Dear People of the World:
Just a reminder- yelling at people who can't do anyhting about the thing which upsets you is stupid. It makes them feel belittled and angry and it makes you look insensitive, self-involved and out-of control.
In the future, please try to limit your loss of temper to the people who are A. to blame or B. can do something about the thing which has upset you.
Thank you.
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