RE-Connected

Ohhhhhhhhhh......shewwwwwwwwwwwww 

My household was without internet access for approximately 6 hours yesterday.  

Y'all.......the sheer panic.  I cannot tell you.  It was so bad, I'm speaking North Carolina-speak and I'm from the midwest.  

We called out the SWAT team, the Geek Squad, the fire department, my high school freshman detention hall monitor, Tigger, that baby from the eTrade ad, the Nasonex bee, Pinocchio, one of the Real Housewives, Kyle Chandler (yum), and the entire Gonzaga basketball team (except - they were a little busy, getting ready for March Madness and all).

So of course -  I was really on hold and answer, hold and answer for about 2.5 hours with the cable company and the 'national' headquarters for Roadrunner.  Which apparently, has been moved to Mumbai, where Christopher told me that yes, he's had very pleasant conversations with people like me since "Slumdog Millionare" was released.

And I came back to find that I'm in an Etsy treasury - OTT!  It's for the new Etsy team that I joined, the NCTriangle Etsy team - wooo hooooo!!!  Check us out! 

AND - another new cool table blogger - 'What were you thinking?'  Please check her out - I'm sure that I'll be outsourcing my blogging to her, and to Miss Yvonne, Insanity Kim and WendiWinn annnnny day now.  Because it will be funnier and cheaper.  BooYa.

Blogacessioning

Is there a difference to blogging before the recession and now, during it?  Could we call it blogacessioning, in a nod to making a verb out of every noun?

I originally started my blog as a way to jump into mixed media art, to promote my Etsy store and to find other artists and crafters.  But I've grown to like blogging for the sake of the writing process and for the act of trying to find just the right topic or story that will resonate with other blogsters.

So (with a nod to Carrie Bradshaw) I have to wonder - is it ok to blog about non-recession topics or should I be a blogacessioner?

Blogging is by definition, a bit selfish.  We all put our bits of information, stories, and thoughts out with the hope that someone, somewhere, will like us and will want to follow us.   And I know only too well how the recession has negatively impacted so many people, so logically, if I want to drive traffic to my blog, I should be blogacessioning.  

Unfortunately, some days it is all I can do to get through the news and the talk shows, even those with positive, grit-your-teeth, coupon-clip, saving-not-spending stories. But I'm trying to follow all the advice.... I cheered on this week's Wall Street rally, I'm hoping with all the hope that is in me that the country guts this out and turns it around and that our politicians and leaders actually work together.  I'm remaining upbeat at work, giving my team pep talks and working hard to make my boss look good.  I'm updating my resume, reaching out to my professional networks to find new contacts and putting money aside for a plan B and plan C in the event that cuts are made.

In short, paying my dues to the economy karma police.

I do appreciate the difficulties that everyone is experiencing and will cheerfully, willingly read and comment where others do blogacession.

So I've decided that my blog is my escape.  Just fun, bacony, treadmilling, reality TV, crafty, arty, silly topics.  That's my promise.  Hopefully you'll send some peeps my way.

  

New Bloggy Friends

Hey - Check out Insanity Kim!  She's at the cool table, and I haven't even finished reading all of her blog posts yet - just her comments crack me up.

CEO of Craftyworld

Ahem.  Quiet down, people.  CEO of Craftyworld here.  I'm trying to start the conference call regarding the new collection for Lulu's Sandbar Etsy store....

Check me out!  I have lots of new stuff in my store - I'm really inspired by lots of color, fabric (as if you didn't know that) and vintage 60's / 70's ads.

Oh yeah and I want to do a blog giveaway - I hear all the cool kids are doing it.  What's popular?  What's cool, what kind of giveaways are the hipsters into these days?  Ideas?  Thoughts?

Here's one of my new ATC button cards - Sailor Girl.   I'm liking the sewing stuff these days too, even though I'm teaching myself to work the machine, the needles and the threads.  I'm not doing too bad....most of the time.  My pin cushions aren't quite ready for primetime yet, but I'm thinking of making one that looks like Miss Smuggy's workout thong - wooot!  OTT!!  That would make a great giveaway!!

Ummm...First Time in the Gym, Lady???

So.  A workout tale.

Once upon a time, there was a girl.   Uh - a mature-ish girl. Ok - a woman.  Once upon a time there was a woman....let's call her Lulu.  Our ummmm..."friend" Lulu.  Ok - it's me.

And I went to the gym to do a 30 minute, high-energy interval workout on the treadmill. (OH and I saw Miss Smuggy McWorkout Pants in the locker room who turns out to be a TRAINER at the gym but that's another story). 

I was so focused on my workout that I didn't even notice the people on the treadmills around me.  (Except for maybe the guy in front of me, who was really working it but whose butt looked a bit like two bulldogs fighting to get out of a sack, but really - it was more a wardrobe malfunction with some skeevy shorts than him being out of shape but AGAIN with the digressing....sorry).  

I was focused because at higher speeds, I can sometimes trip on the treadmill and I really REALLY didn't want to do a face plant on the treadmill, in front of all of the people running in tandem on the treadmills.  (.....tandem treadmills....new business venture? -STOP WITH THE SIDE NOTES!)

So.  Focus.  

I finished my workout, and I'm feeling kind of smuggy myself, because I ran a good solid workout and surely - the people tandem treadmilling all around are inpressed!  Not that I work out competitively or anything... but still.

So I hop off the treadmill and walk about four treadmill rows ahead of mine to get a wet wipe out of the wall canister to wipe down the treadmill handles.  When I came back, this guy had jumped on the treadmill and was already running hard.  So I smiled, and said "Hey, let me wipe this down for you," and start trying to wipe the handles and he said "No problem, don't worry about it," and I said "Cool...," I grab my towel, wipe my face, nod, smile, and leave.  

I get to the stairs and realize that I've left my workout jacket with my locker key in it just by my treadmill, so I walk back over in front of the treadmill and start looking around it.  I ask the guy - who's totally into his run by now - if he's seen my jacket.  He looks around his feet, says that he hasn't seen it, shrugs, keep running.

I'm ticked at myself, I'm thinking "Crap - now I  have to find an employee, get to the lost and found, etc."  As I start to walk away, the guy on the OTHER side of my treadmill guy motions to me and points to the treadmill to his left.

Yup.  There's my jacket and my towel.  On my treadmill.  With no one else on it.  At all.

I have just tried to wipe down the treadmill of a strange guy while he's running and solicited his help to find my jacket - who has been working out FOR THE ENTIRE TIME that I've been there.

We all kind of chuckle, I wipe down my treadmill, grab my towel and jacket and leave.

As I pass the clean towels just before the stairs, I reach to wipe off my sweaty brow and realize.....I have two towels. 

My towel.  And the guy's towel.  Which I have grabbed out of the little holder on his treadmill and used to wipe my face after I tried to wipe his treadmill off and look for my jacket - all while he's trying to just finish his damn run.

And allll of this is witnessed by the now completely unimpressed, but highly entertained, tandeming treadmillers.

So I got a clean towel, walked over to the guy - AGAIN - tucked the towel into the slot and said, "Yeah....not really my first time at the gym rodeo...." and got out of there, leaving a trail of laughter behind me.

It's all Miss Smuggy's fault somehow, I'm sure.

I'm a Filly-A-Chick

Chick-Fil-A.....only the best fast food restaurant ever.  Yes - ever. Check this out - I pulled into the drive-through today at 12:30 pm - obviously lunchtime rush - to get lunch for the crew, and I was out of the driveway less than 5 minutes later, with 7 classic chicken sandwiches, 4 fries and 3 coleslaws, plus one chicken salad with spicy southwest dressing.  (Just so you know, Bob and Jillian - the salad was for me).

The prices are good, the food is hot, the order is correct, they're fast and always ALWAYS friendly.  I guarantee that no one will ever call 911 on the Chickster.

My favorite...until someone opens a "Bacony bacon - chow on the bacon here" fast food.  

So here are some pictures snapped from the window of my media room / studio.  The snowiest picture was taken on March 2, the rosy sundown picture was taken on January 20, and the two springy pictures were taken on March 8.  Crazy seasons this year!  I have multiple images of this tree during the year, and I'm looking forward to using Photoshop Elements to create with them.  Stay tuned! 

I'm utilizing very good posture while I type this....my neck is severely strained and I have an ice pack wrapped around it to try to reduce the inflammation.  Of course, I think the strain is from working out - a lot - and crafting - a lot - and blogging - a lot - and my posture during the typing is horrible so I know that it's my own fault.  I slump forward and stare at the screen while sitting on the edge of the chair with my legs crossed.  Not good, I know.  

But the really crazy sucky thing - is that I'm still having a hot flash while this ice is on my neck.   C'mon Hormone Goddess!!  Seriously?  

It's TV, people!

Ok - confession time from the queen of reality TV.  I actually know the family of one of the lovely lady contestants on a certain Monday night reality show that may have had its finale last night.  So some of my colleagues are mad at me today for the outcome and keep making snippy remarks about the moral nature of someone who would propose on TV and then take it back.

Look, peeps....I may like to watch the shows but I don't write/produce/film them, 'ight?  It's scripted and it's cheesy and it's the best example of an oxymoron that we have, get it?  Reality TV...get it?  Ok.

Sheesh.  Now that we have THAT settled, I'm posting my picture as tagged by Amber. 

This is the sixth picture....that I took yesterday morning from my studio window.  I've been documenting the view from this window for about 8 months now, and I'm hoping to do a creative mixed media adventure something with all of these pictures.  I love the stark view of the icy blues and whites against the sky.  

So now, Angie and Amy Kate - you're tagged.  Pick the sixth photo out of your sixth photo file and blog about it.  Or pick a random photo that you like.  Or pick a friend.  Or pick your nose.  (Ok, not really on that last one.)

The.Longest.Winter.Ever

Two posts for me in one day is a bit unusual.  But I've been reading some of my regulars on the blogroll, and it just seems like this is the longest winter we've all experienced in many many years.  And everyone is trying not to complain, and to be appreciative for what we have, and hopeful for the future and blah blah blah.  

But no one seems to be in a good place.  Seriously - no one seems to be happy or even just content.

Is it the weather?  The dismal economy?  The fear that seems to be hanging over all, the fear of losing what we have that keeps us from taking risks?  The continued media harping on the nonexistent feud between Jennijohn and Brangelina?  Being happy for Kate Winslet while being over her at the same time?  The "can't look but can't look away from the car crash" that is the Octuplet Mom?

Ok, I'm being a bit facetious.  I know that people are genuinely down and depressed and a bit flat, and I certainly have my moments.  In fact, I don't talk about those moments - many of them at Huge McNormous - specifically because I'm a bit fearful and superstitious and careful. 

But to all of my blogger friends - and I think you all know who you are - I'm reading and I care about you and hope for the best for all y'all.  I might not always comment - although I intend to start doing so much more often - but I hear you.  Hang in....

Fat Quarters

As opposed to Fat Tuesday.  Which feels like every day for me, really, not just this week - even though I've been working out and eating right and trying to reduce my cholesterol.  But this message is not about the 'I'm so fat' voice in my head.  And I digress.

I'm obsessed with these little quarters of fabric goodness!!  It is a rainy gloomy icky day and I have cascades of material to cut and sew and glue.....OTT!