Summer Winding Down

So, recently, it was my mom's 80th birthday.  We had a party for her.  Luckily, the weather was nice so people could be inside or outside depending on their preference.  We got her roses.

Been really tired today.  Did some laundry.  Our dryer broke, so my brother strung up a line in the garage.  I'm drying my stuff on the shower rod in my bathroom.  I watched Season 3:  Disc 1 of Project Runway this afternoon, the first two episodes.  Looks like there are a lot of egos this particular season. 

I started journaling in a journal, with colored pens, photos and collage.  I'm doing regular journaling, plus using prompts from two journaling books.  My practices are 1. to note the weather and temperature every day, plus any nature observations and 2. to draw a Tarot card daily and write it down plus the interpretation and if it relates to my life that day.  So far I love doing this journal!  It's my creative outlet for the moment, since I can't seem to buckle down to do crafts and writing right now.

Grad School news:  we are getting a new school catalog at the end of August and there will be some new programs and degrees.  I'm thinking I might switch programs, if allowed.  We'll see!  I'm not starting up again until Fall Semester, not sure the date that starts yet.

Critics

We (me and my family) are talking about restaurant reviews on Yelp and memorable meals, both good and bad.  We are talking about stores now.  My brother has had a few drinks and is very talkative.  This is unusual, not the talkative, but the drinks.  He drinks beer once in awhile, but that's it. 

Mom is trying to read now.  Good luck with that, Mom!

I fixed the barbeque chicken for dinner tonight.  It turned out good.  We had baked beans, coleslaw and stuffing.

I've been doing a 5 day "boot camp" for writers on Facebook.  It's really exciting, but I didn't write tonight.  Too much going on around the house.  Too much talking.  I guess I'd like a Friday night off, even if I'm not going out or anything.

My friend, J., decided not to go to the county fair with me tomorrow.  That's OK by me.  I'm a little disappointed.  I just wanted to get out of town for awhile.  She's just going to come over to visit.  I'll show her the new fabric I got in the mail and what I'm doing with embroidering my white summer jacket.  I won't finish it this summer, that's OK, just started it.

I have a headache tonight, plus I was very gassy all day, to the point of being uncomfortable.  Just burping and farting, not fit for human consumption.  :)  So, not the greatest day.  My friend K. has a cold and got food poisoning.  She sent me an email, but didn't reply to my reply.  I hope she's OK.

All for now.  AW

Early August

I had a party last week, but the guests of honor couldn't make it, M. had a sciatica attack, and E. took her to the ER.  J. and her boyfriend, W., showed up though.  I made chicken tacos for dinner and we had chips for an appetizer and pineapple cake for dessert.  It went well.

Then, the other day, we went over to the next lot for hamburgers, hot dogs, cake and pie with J. and S. our Canadian sometime-neighbors.  They bring their motor home down a few times a year to O.S.  That also went very well.

I haven't been doing much crafting lately, although I have been writing some.  I ordered 6 yards of batik (3 different ones) from Marshall Dry Goods.  I would like to make a couple skirts from my two favorite ones.  Here's one of the fabrics:

I've been making soup out of a soup cookbook;  this is my 10% project.  I'm making 10% of the recipes which works out to be about 18 recipes.  I only have four or five left to make.  I'll probably have to buy the ingredients for the next soup recipe.  Here is the cookbook I'm working from:

August is traditionally my play month, so I'm hoping to have fun this month.  We'll see!  I have writing goals this month, so there's going to be work involved too.

All for now!  AW

End of July

It feels like summer is winding down, in the low 60s here.  Wait!  There's a whole nother month of summer.  August is usually my play month.  This August I plan to write some flash fiction, even though I feel not up to the task.  I need more self-confidence, which I can only get by doing...

Here's the bib I finished for Little S.~

Here is the scarf I'm making for his mother...

Not a lot going on.  Well, that's not strictly true.  Change is afoot in my life, hopefully for the better, like The Wheel card.  I'm also thinking of doing something with my Rune poems, which I've finished, but have yet to compile into a book.  This is major, as I've been pretending I didn't have that project on the shelf.  Not to mention my other personal writing projects. 

All for now!  AW

Summertime

I made a little progress this week, made a bib for K.'s baby boy.  Will post a photo later.  Here is the apron I made with the flower embroidery, wore it tonight to fry eggs.

Here is my progress on the cross-stitch.  I've been avoiding doing it because I'm on one of the harder parts.  I made a few mistakes, but I'm plowing on.

Me and my brother, C., went to town today and went shopping.  It went pretty well.  I got supplies for a dinner party I'm hosting and doing the cooking for mid-week.  M. and E. and J. and her boyfriend are coming over.  I love using initials!  It's so funny to me.  Or at least I hope they are.  They've had us over twice so far.  It's our turn.  Mom has no say in this because she is not helping with the groceries although she is donating a bottle of wine. 

I'm pretty happy today.  My friend, J., is in Seattle with her son today.  They are going to the waterfront and the Aquarium.  I'm kind of jealous actually.  I haven't been to Seattle since last Spring and that was just the airport, Sea-Tac, which hardly counts. 

I'm going to start a crochet project tomorrow.  The starting is the hardest part, especially with crochet.  I'm making a scarf for my friend, K.  It's going to be red yarn and darker red yarn, 2 separate strands, crocheted together.  The green one I made turned out beautifully, so did the purple one.  I have to make sure the colors are a little different; it's harder to crochet when the 2 colors are really close together.

I might start a sewing project this week, napkins.  I'm not real sure what I'm doing this week, so I'll have to see.

All for now ~ AW

Halfway through 2013

I quit blogging last year except for the group blog (grog), the Poetic Muselings blog: http://poetic-muselings.net/

I'm ready to start up again.  This is "writing therapy" and is mostly for me.  If you get something out of it, feel free to comment. 

So, what have I been doing?  Very little for graduate school.  I took a leave of absence this Spring/Summer because my family was going through a v. rocky time.  I plan to start up again in the Fall.  As you may or may not know I'm doing a "creative"  Interfaith Studies program.  I think K. is calling it Interreligious now, but I tell most people it's Comparative Religion because that's what they "get." 

I've been doing lots of crafting, taking photos, embroidering, crocheting, etc.  I took up sewing in January, bought a sewing machine, and I do love it, although I'm still nervous about sewing.  I made a skirt and two aprons so far.  Wowzers!

I did a poetry challenge in September and April.  I think I even tried in November but didn't make it all the way through on writing a poem a day.  Other than that my writing has kind of fizzled. I am doing Morning Pages almost every day, though usually not in the morning.  :)

I will be posting more often.

All for now ~ AW

Winter Update

I'm still pretty behind in graduate school... bringing up the rear.  I'm working with DVR to get a job.  I'm not sure how all that will shake out.  I think we have divergent ideas about what would be good for me.

I joined the W1S1 website, that's write one submit one.  So I should be writing and subbing short stories.  Not really happening this week.  We'll see.  Since I've gotten published, I've gotten more into writing and submitting stuff.  It can be addictive!

It's been raining cats and dogs all day long.  Really windy out too.  Still winter!

December News

I'm actually caught up in my Shamanism course, just have to type everything up.  Caught up in Ecology too.  The rest I'll work on this week.

I'm almost ready for Christmas.  I am getting a few things in the mail, then it's time to wrap gifts!  We are putting up the (faux) tree and decorating it tomorrow.

I'm learning.  The question isn't "Will I create today?", but "What will I create today?"  Some difference!

"Lifelines" Book Party and updates

We had our "Lifelines" Book Party yesterday.  We only had five guests, but we had a great time anyway!  I sold two of my books and another one today.  One of my mom's friends told ghost stories (like on Coast to Coast radio) about UFO's.  Spooky!

I did Reading #6 for Runes Practicum and sent it off to the person who requested it.  I'm so behind in school I don't know if I'll ever catch up.  :(  We have a lot to do for Ancient Rites this month, meditations and papers, etc.  I did finish my embroidery for Buddhism, still have to write the play to go with it.  Still lost in Ecology, still haven't written my essay for Tarot. 

I've been doing so much marketing and chats, planning and blog writing for Lifelines, haven't had time for schoolwork.  Not only that, I had a three-day DVR class right before Thanksgiving.  I made a couple friends at least.  Jed has been watching football today, now he's going to watch The Two Towers, one of my favorite movies. 

Lifelines Poetry Anthology Released Today!

Lifelines poetry anthology by the Poetic Muselings, published by Inkspotter Publishing is available today on Amazon.com. The poets are Michele M. Graf, Margaret Fieland, Anne Westlund, Mary W. Jensen, Lin Neiswender and Kristen Howe.  The cover collage is by Lin Neiswender.

http://tinyurl.com/dy2z6wo

 

Fall Update

School:  I have the week off, fall break.  This is definitely a good thing for a number of reasons.  One, my computer is giving me grief.  Two, you'll see below under life.  Three, I've got to set up for the kiddies for Halloween at the Convention center tomorrow afternoon.  I'm thinking about dressing up as a kitty for Halloween.  I've just got to figure out the ears... 

I've been working on an embroidery project for Buddhism for a month now.  That's way too long.  All those french knots are really getting to me.  Ancient Rites, the Shamanism program I'm still in is going well; we're on the second year of that.  Tarot is going slowly.  Runes Practicum is going very slowly.  And I'm completely lost in Ecology.  Such is life!

Life:  I'm getting published!  The online poetry group I'm involved in is publishing a book of poetry with a small press out of Canada.  Not only that, I'm getting published in my grad school's journal, five poems and two or three pictures!  This is so awesome!  Mom says she wants to buy 15 copies of the poetry collection, hard copy.  Wonderful support!  Well, we are finalizing the book, should be out soon.  The journal is going to come out Mid-November.

My boyfriend is finally admitting he's my boyfriend, so that's a step in the right direction.  Of course it helped that I announced I was his girlfriend!  Life is strange.  :) 

Fair Pictures

Reggie, Benjamin, Mom and I went to the fair last weekend.  Here are some pictures!

The Doldrums

It's been a crappy couple of weeks.  I don't know exactly what's wrong.  Family tensions.  Obligations.  A garage sale.  I haven't done my homework for a couple weeks.  Just can't seem to concentrate.  I've done crafts and a little bit of writing, but that's about it.  And mindless surfing the web has been happening too.  :(  It's like I'm in the Doldrums with no wind and no direction.  Not that there hasn't been anything good.  I stayed up until 4am talking to my brother last night.  Mostly we talked about our extended family and school.  I started typing up a play that I thought I was never going to touch again.  It's called The Victorians. I'm not depressed, just very scattered.

May 4th

Today would have been my dad's birthday, if he was still around.  We toasted him tonight with cheap Rose.  He would have liked that.  I had a lazy day today.  I didn't get anything done homework wise.

Got my crafty stuff organized and purged.  Now I have some stuff to get rid of, not a lot.  Just some beads, embroidery floss, an iron-on pattern and a few other things ready to go.  I messaged a woman on coachcreativespace who needs craft supplies.  I found my papercrafting scissors tonight, which is really nice.  I've been finishing up old craft projects lately which is really unusual for me to do.  I mean, I usually let them languish. 

Haven't done much writing lately.  Went to the library and checked out a Stephen King short story book.  This is really brave of me as I read fiction very very slowly.  I'm going to reward myself every time I read two short stories.  I think I may have ADHD, but there's no way I'm going on more drugs just for that.  I'm on enough drugs (legal ones) already!

Imaginary Deadlines for Real Homework

Easter went well.  I had a rough couple of days on Friday and Saturday, family conflicts.  I'm shifting gears a little bit.  Starting an ecology class this week, self-study.  I think that makes all my courses self-study right now.  I'm doing better with the imaginary Friday (homework) and Sunday (response) deadlines.  I'm so tired today!  My cat threw up hairballs last night, 3 times!  I gave up sleeping after that.  I watched Lilo and Stitch and embroidered.  Went to bed at 5am.

We had our second Crafternoon at church.  This time two ladies joined me.  Last week it was just me and Mom.  It was OK.  I finished two motifs on my jacket of peacock feathers.  I wonder if it's a talent to know how to function when you can't really function.  I know now I can embroider for two hours on five hours of sleep!  I might have to bag the April PAD poems.  I hate giving up.  I've only written 6 and posted 5.  We'll see.

What's more interesting is what I'm not writing about.  Probably.  Not really.  Tease!

Good News

I'm completely finished with New Testament class!  All I'm waiting for is my final grade, then I can sign up for another class.  My best friend, Star, has just started taking classes in computers, online.  I'm so proud of her!  Tonight I finished revising all 24 Rune Poems.  Yay!  I'm planning on self-publishing a book of Rune Poems.  I still have more work to do on it.  I've made major headway. 

Spring Pictures

Some recent photos of my new neighborhood:

 

the neighborhood deer.

pussy willow bush, photo darkened with camera program

close up of a bush.

Spring Semester

I turned in my Luke homework, a poem, process notes and a photo of the Madonna and Child embroidery.  Waiting to hear back.  Shadow Work looks like it's going to be a good class.  I'm tempted to sign up for another class, but I guess I'll wait until I finish New Testament class.  I just have my homework for John to do now.  I read about half the Gospel today.  I'm also taking Ethics and Professional Practice for Divination and the Runes Practicum, but those won't start for awhile. 

I just want to learn everything!  I know I have to pace myself though.  If I take too many classes I get bogged down.  If I do too many go at your own pace classes I don't get much done either.  I've been looking into writing classes, but I'll have to take those in between semesters.  I'm considering doing some more Modern Rituals homework.  I've let that slide over the past year or so.  So not really sure if I should get back into that or not.  I just got stuck at a certain point.  Happens!

St. Patrick's Day

I already turned in part of the Shadow Work homework.  I'm thinking that I'm really going to like that class.  Finished the embroidery for Luke, but stuck for a short story idea based on that particular Gospel. 

It's St. Paddy's Day!  Not feeling so hot.  Stopped raining for awhile at least.  Jean Jeanie's birthday is today.  Her son is visiting from Wyoming.  Will probably spend some time with her tomorrow.  Waiting to hear back from Zinnia about the bake sale and youth group.  I'm having a really busy week.  Posted some Rune information on the Divination group.  I'm getting to be a faster typist.  Finally!

Coffee Fueled

I realize I haven't been blogging very much lately, well, at all.  Tonight I'm fueled by caffeine.  At McDonald's today I drank a tall iced coffee. Very strong, but tasty.  I don't usually have any caffeine at all, so I will probably be up late tonight.  Going through a stressful time right now.  The details won't make anyone feel any better, so I'll keep them to myself. 

I bought some cheap computer speakers today.  They seem to work pretty good so far.  I've been playing on the creativity website where I hang out.  Will probably go back and post some more there tonight. 

Grad school starts in a couple weeks.  I'm waiting to get some books in the mail.  Really looking forward to Spring semester.  I'm in a pretty good mood, but like I said, it's probably a caffeine high.  Better get better at turning homework in on time.

Not making much progress on the Luke gospel homework.  I'm almost finished with the Madonna and Child embroidery.  Can't seem to buckle down and do the reading.  I'm hoping to finish the reading and the writing by the time school starts.  Then all I'll have is John to do.

Well, that's all for now.