La la la PACKING...

And suddenly I'm FREE!!

It's an odd sensation the opposing emotions that come with packing for a big move. You are at once excited about the prospects of a new place, but saddened when you think of all that will be left behind. Especially friends.

But the thing that is striking me the most this weekend as I prepare for the westward move all the way across the country to California (!) is that as I work to shed at least 60% of my belongings, I'm at first overwhelmed and upset at all the things that I should leave behind. But, then, I reorganize my thoughts. I think about the possible uses someone else might get from that stuffed animal/book/picture frame/shirt/CD/pot/pan and I am excited for my belonging's new adventure that lies ahead. And, you know what, once I say "goodbye" it's such a FREEING feeling!

I mean, that's less weight I'm carrying around. The next time I move, I won't have to ponder whether or not to take that sentimental-yet-lives-in-a-box-stuffed-animal. I can remember the person who gave it to me, and when I run across a photo of me with that little stuffed lion, I can smile with fond memories, in a much lighter form. Really, how often do we sit down with our "stuff" and re-live memories in the course of our life time? Probably as often as we move, unless we are looking at pictures or the item(s) is out on display. So, my new rule is - if it's not functioning regularly or it's lived in a box since the last move...it's out the door.

Think of all the room I have for new stuff now!!! ;-)

(Okay, I admit...I'm stilling storing some sentimental items. I'm not that strong-willed! But I'm trying to scan most of the written goods! It's the hand-crafted items that are too good to part with, but too bulky to move across the nation!)

Today is the Day...

...My sister comes to town!

All I can say is that I'm very excited. Originally we weren't going to see one another for Thanksgiving or Christmas. But my sister is BRILLIANT and was able to schedule a business trip for Monday and fly in a few days before for some Family Fun Time!! She's bringing her son with her, too!!! Which is bonus fun times! My nephew is two and he's adorable and he's started talking but I haven't seen him in person since he really started talking..so I'm excited! (I'll call him "EJ".)

Plus, EJ likes LIONS! I love LIONS! EJ likes to ROAR like a lion! I LOVE EJ!

EJ left me the cutest message on my phone a few months ago. It was simply him roaring like a lion. But, man, is it ever a good solid Roar! I've been trying to figure out how to grab it off my phone and add an audio clip to my blog. I think the first step is to buy a connector cable for my phone to connect to my computer. And since I haven't begun to even look at what kind of cable I will need...I suppose I really haven't been "trying to figure out" anything. But in my head, I have made some noble efforts. In my head, once I get off my butt and teach myself some technology, it is going to be brilliant! Everyone will hear the wondrous EJ's ROOOAAAAR!

Oh, I'm can't wait until they get here!! *jumping up and down in anticipation*

Knit This!

It's been a year..but I've done it!

I've returned to that scarf my sister-in-law taught me how to knit so long ago
...and FINISHED IT!

Andy wears the completed scarf as a
Rambo-inspired headband.
He may not knit, but he sure is inventive!

I was so amazed at how much I remembered. In fact, I was faster, less tense and generally just BETTER! See what abandoning a project will do?

Okay, you know what I mean. Sometimes, you get so stuck on a word, a design, how to get that one walk-on line just right so you'll catch the eye of an agent, or how get your pizza dough to rise like that guy on TV. You get so frustrated that you just want to scream, punch a wall or throw the pizza dough at the TV! But if you just walk away, do something different for a little while and then come back to the project - all of a sudden everything seems so simple and clear!

That's what happened with my knitting. It used to hurt my wrist so badly that I'd have to stop after two rows of twenty stitches (not even 10 minutes of work, for those of you non-knitters). And my needles were constantly slipping out from the work, my yarn would fall out of my lap and roll half-way across the room. I couldn't get anything to go right for me and my knitting. Then...out of the blue - when I returned to that same scarf - everything just flowed.

And now I'm a knitting maniac! I've got two projects going at once and both patterns I created!

Me and my knitting projects!

Talk about a much needed break!

File Making, Heart Breaking

I keep thinking how I need to educate myself more. I don't want to spend the rest of my life organizing files for Managers, Vice Presidents and Executives at different corporate offices

I need to take a course to expand my skills. I want to be able to dive deeper into areas that already interest me, but I don't know enough about. The problem here is that I have too many interests. Should I take a course in business? or English? Should I go back to school for theater? Maybe a directing course? stage management? I did print out a Screen Writing course that I found on-line. I followed the first lesson, and that was it. I never looked at the second lesson. I'm not for screen writing. I'd rather take basket weaving, it's nearly as precise. Perhaps I should try something almost totally new and foreign, like graphic design?

My co-worker suggested fashion design. "Fashion Design?!", says I, "Why fashion design?"

I don't really consider myself very fashion forward. So I get a bit of a rush whenever anyone compliments me on my attire or accessories. As you can imagine, when my co-worker, I'll call her "Rica", suggested I take some fashion design courses at FIT, I was rather blushed. She said I had a knack for throwing things together to make an outfit. This is the outfit I wore that prompted Rica to compliment me:

I took the belt from the skirt, tied it around the t-shirt and added a decorative floral hair-pin for flair. I have to give credit to my friend Robyn for the using a belt as an accent idea. Therefore, could I really go to design school? I mean, truly it may be that I am just inspired by those around me. But then I began thinking and I did design a new shirt in my head that I believe, had I actually sewn it together, could be a really nice, curvaceous top for some woman...maybe even me.

Maybe I do have a knack? With the right training...some focus and discipline...could I be the next "Project Runway" winner?

Then I think, nah. I can't believe the hype. If dressing funky turned into an expectation, rather than a surprise and delight. It would cease to be enjoyable to me. I like to experiment with clothing to shake things up and put a little skip in my step. I don't want to have a near heart attack every morning because I can't decide what to wear and the whole world is watching.

Nah, I guess that's why I've stuck to file making. It's helpful to others. It's all neat and pretty. And, for the most part, my creativity stays out of it. My creativity remains my own. It remains personal.

Kunda-what-now?

I took my first kundalini yoga class last Thursday night.

A friend of mine is training to become a yoga teacher and needed a few interested volunteers with whom to practice. She forewarned all interested parties that kundalini yoga is not the typical yoga we may be use to. "It's weird," she said.

Turns out, it is a little weird. Not as weird as I thought it was going to be...not by a long shot. Still, I could see where some people would be a little put off by it. Like the breath of fire where you pant like a dog.

I learned a lesson, though. I learned that believing in anything can make it work. (Generally speaking.) It works the same with entertainment as it does with religion and fitness and health. In nearly all mediums, it is the willingness to suspend your disbelief that gives them power. If I believe chanting and stretching and panting will strengthen and purify me...then it will. Or at least it will do more good than if I go through the motions while thinking "this is a bunch of hooey."