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June 2008
June 06, 2008
Friday Roundup: Letting a client go, Houston, 4400 & garden delight
It's Friday and time for a roundup of what is happening in my little Moxie Life:
- I had the tough call of letting a client go this week. She is fantastic, but the time vs. money equation wasn't working out. I can't spend two hours and get paid $10... that just isn't going to work. I felt bad letting her go, but the life of a freelancer seems to be about finding the right balance.
- Houston, we have landed... I had a fly by night trip to Houston this week to meet with a client that I had been working with online. I had the shock, pleasant, but surprise to meet my 24 year old client. I suddenly felt both older and very experienced. As for Houston, it was well... not my kind of city. I have for the foreseeable future left my desire to live in large sprawling metropolises behind in favor of small towns and small gardens. I just don't see the advantage to living in a big city unless you are young, no children, take advantage of all the arts and culture, and are willing to work constantly (making the arts and culture part hard to fit in.) I admire those who love it, it just isn't for me anymore... or at least not right now.
- I did love the space age feel of Houston with it's chrome light polls, large orb sign posts, and George Jetson bus stops. Very fun. You can see the impact of NASA in many places, more so then the oil industry that I thought would be dominate.
- Came home from Houston and family is totally involved in 4400 show.. season 3 I think. I am completely confused, but then again I didn't stay up till midnight watching three episodes in a row.
- My garden is doing quite well! I put up chicken blocking fence this year and they have stayed out! Thank goodness. I have peas, cucumber, beans, lettuce, hot peppers, bell peppers, tomatoes, watermelon, cantaloupe, and winter squash all bursting forth. It is an exciting place to be! Oh and more gray water gourds and pumpkins, as well. Gardening is working... well we shall see, but it looks great so far!
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June 03, 2008
Four Baby Chicks
At my fathers memorial service we were brought a baby chick. (An odd gift for a memorial, but a welcome one.) A Barred Rock chick to be exact. After much discussion we decided that it would be better if she had some friends so we went over to the family that brought us the chick and asked for three more.
We picked out a little white one (species undetermined), a Arracuna (they lay green eggs), and a Bufff Orpington. Respectively they are named, Comet, The Shy One and Buttercup. The original gift chick is Bess.
After the memorial, that week, my sister, daughter and I cleaned out my dad's house. In it were several paintings that my mom did in the early sixties. One was of my brother where he looked like an alien. I think I know where she was going, but the execution wasn't fabulous.
So, it was decided that we would paint over my brother... he wouldn't care. My sister and daughter chose to paint a little ode to the four new chicks.
The frame is cracked and old, there is a painting underneath, but it is now something completely new and part of life today. That is a wonderful thing... and so are the four baby chicks.
We picked out a little white one (species undetermined), a Arracuna (they lay green eggs), and a Bufff Orpington. Respectively they are named, Comet, The Shy One and Buttercup. The original gift chick is Bess.
After the memorial, that week, my sister, daughter and I cleaned out my dad's house. In it were several paintings that my mom did in the early sixties. One was of my brother where he looked like an alien. I think I know where she was going, but the execution wasn't fabulous.
So, it was decided that we would paint over my brother... he wouldn't care. My sister and daughter chose to paint a little ode to the four new chicks.
The frame is cracked and old, there is a painting underneath, but it is now something completely new and part of life today. That is a wonderful thing... and so are the four baby chicks.
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June 02, 2008
Hickety Pickety
Last week when my sister was here we did the tourist thing downtown and went into one of my favorite folk art stores. She had these amazing button and cloth wall hangings and I though, "Oh I can do that!"
The next day my sister and I chose the fabric from our stash, cut out the pieces and sewed them to the background. Then we dug through the wood pile where my husband had put pieces from a Victorian home that he gutted last year. We chose the blue flooring for him to put a rustic frame together.
Then it was my job to draw the chicken, embroider it, then sew on the over 50 buttons that make up the body. I ended last night with the start of the nursery rhyme "Hickety Pickety, my black hen.
A four day art project that looks fantastic in my living room. It is a large (3x5') piece that really helps a corner stand out. I'll take some photos of that too.
The most fun though was seeing the idea, thinking of my own, and getting it finished in under a week. Now I have to make a black cat one for my sister!
The next day my sister and I chose the fabric from our stash, cut out the pieces and sewed them to the background. Then we dug through the wood pile where my husband had put pieces from a Victorian home that he gutted last year. We chose the blue flooring for him to put a rustic frame together.
Then it was my job to draw the chicken, embroider it, then sew on the over 50 buttons that make up the body. I ended last night with the start of the nursery rhyme "Hickety Pickety, my black hen.
A four day art project that looks fantastic in my living room. It is a large (3x5') piece that really helps a corner stand out. I'll take some photos of that too.
The most fun though was seeing the idea, thinking of my own, and getting it finished in under a week. Now I have to make a black cat one for my sister!
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Cursed or Just Clumsy
Do you ever feel like you are clumsy as a clown? In the last week I have dropped ice all over the floor, shattered a large picture frame, set a vase on top of the fridge that fell, created a popcorn geyser when the top of the air popper fell off, and basically felt like I was all thumbs. I am sure it is because I am tired, stressed out, and emotionally ragged, but I still feel like that is no excuse.
It doesn't seem like slowing down is an option. It feels as if there are still a million little things to do and I have to rush around doing them all. This isn't a good way to live. It isn't how my natural state of being is. I like staying busy, but rushing feels horrible.
Perhaps I need to just force myself to slow down. Stop doing three things at once. Stop trying to be the hostess with the mostess to kids that drop by.
My real fear is that when I stop I start to feel sad all over again and that feeling is uncomfortable and so I rush around doing. Doing anything to not feel sad.
Well, I guess I figured that all out here... I just have to feel sad then I will stop dropping glasses... Hmmmm feel.
It doesn't seem like slowing down is an option. It feels as if there are still a million little things to do and I have to rush around doing them all. This isn't a good way to live. It isn't how my natural state of being is. I like staying busy, but rushing feels horrible.
Perhaps I need to just force myself to slow down. Stop doing three things at once. Stop trying to be the hostess with the mostess to kids that drop by.
My real fear is that when I stop I start to feel sad all over again and that feeling is uncomfortable and so I rush around doing. Doing anything to not feel sad.
Well, I guess I figured that all out here... I just have to feel sad then I will stop dropping glasses... Hmmmm feel.
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