PURGE!

This is NOT my house, thank goodness. This is what I'm trying to avoid.

Oh my word. I am sitting here, a sweaty hot mess after digging through closets and cupboards and drawers, piling up clothes and utensils and random tchotchkes. But MAN, does it feel good to purge! I have had almost a singular focus the past few weeks to simplify, minimize, and clean. And this is highly unusual, as I am not the neatest of folks and there are about a million other things I would rather do than sit and sort through (and part with) old stuff. I'm not sure where this obsession came from, but my theories are:

1. This is your typical Spring Cleaning spree.

2. This is just a manifestation of my frustration over living in a teeny tiny condo with two grown men and two psychotic (and really furry) kitties. My work space has been whittled down from an entire spare room to a 3 foot wide space in the corner of our bedroom. So I could be purging out of necessity, in order to free up some additional space.

3. I am unemployed, and therefore might be spending an embarrassing amount of time watching "Hoarders" on TV. For the uninitiated, "Hoarders" is a show that features people that have a mental disorder where they stockpile massive amounts of junk and garbage in their house to the point that it is affecting their health and livelihood. I find this show absolutely HORRIFYING. Yes, most people find the show horrifying (because it's totally GROSS), but I actually had a grandmother that was a hoarder much like the people on the show. I remember hating going over to her house because there was so much stuff stacked up all over the house that I could barely get into the living room, much less find a place to sit, and it smelled and I was afraid to use the bathroom the entire time I was there (and if I did, I had to hover-pee as if I was in a public restroom). So "Hoarders" triggers this TERROR inside me that I might have some genetic predisposition to turning into my grandmother and ending up on the show, sobbing hysterically as someone tries to pry 18 identical porcelain cat statues out of my arms. So this purging spree is definitely a preventative measure to ensure that I NEVER EVER get to that point.

4. I am becoming more and more attracted to the minimalist and voluntary simplicity movements as of late. I'll go into more details later, but these movements are all about how we can actually create so much freedom in our lives by reducing the STUFF and the clutter, which often does not contribute any real value to our lives. With a more simplified existence, we are more free to pursue dream jobs (such as working for yourself), travel or relocate at will, and live in a way that makes less of an impact on the environment... all because you are not stuck in the cycle of work, buy, consume, work more. I think it's a wonderful and freeing philosophy. Some great resources are here, if you are interested: Zen Habits, Mnmlst, Far Beyond the Stars, Rowdy Kittens.

So far I have gathered two huge boxes and three large shopping bags full of stuff, and I still think I can do better. I'll continue to ask myself if I've used an item within the last year, and if not, it's GONE. I'll be making a donation to Goodwill this week! Now, the key for me to maintain a clutter-free lifestyle is to keep all that extraneous STUFF from coming into the house in the first place. So I ask myself when shopping if I really truly NEED something. If not, it doesn't come home with me. And if I want it, I'll let myself think about it for a day or two to make sure. Some people might feel this style of living isn't fun because it seems like I'm depriving myself, but I think that it really enables me to live in a way that is more in line with my values and dreams.

FYI - I updated the blog design a little bit, including my logo on the header of the blog. So if you're reading this in Google Reader, click through if you'd like to see! My Twitter background is also looking spiffy and new.

I Love : Puppies!

Specifically Boston terriers as of late. I'm not sure where this interest came from, since I've been around a total of one Boston terrier in my life, and that one was a total booger with a defective personality. But these days, I think they are adorable and fun (or at least they appear that way). Which is extremely obvious from looking at my Flickr favorites, where I came across about 1934987 pictures of of Bostons that I had favorited. Here are some of them. SO CUTE. The one with the mask is kind of Amelie-esque, don't you think?


Images from Flickr: 1. diggy, 2. ivan in disguise, 3. Baby it's cold outside, 4. Jetta the Boston Terrier, 5. i play ball, 6. Untitled

And now that I'm not working 9+ hour days, I'm slowly trying to convince my hubby that it would be a wonderful idea to get a dog. We have to wait until the roommate and his cat move out, because 3 grown people and two psycho cats is already too much in a 750 square foot condo. But that won't stop me from stalking Petfinder, sending Mark pictures of puppies and making lists of puppy names. For now though, I'll have to "settle" for cuddling with Misfit the kitty--which isn't such a bad thing at all.



PS- I tried to install a new commenting system that will allow me to respond to comments as threaded conversations, but if anyone is unable to leave comments or it takes a ridiculously long time to load or something, please let me know - my contact info is on the Contact page. Thank you! :)

Indie Biz Talk : My Favorite Indie Biz Books

Even before I was laid off from my previous position, I had books like The Anti 9-to-5 Guide and The Boss of You stacked on my nightstand for easy reference. I made lists in my little Moleskine journal (while on the job) titled "Things I would do if I quit working in an office." I think the desire to run my own design business has long been brewing, but honestly, it was easier to remain exactly where I was, even if I wasn't happy or satisfied.

The synchronicity of my previous unhappiness and my layoff did not go unnoticed. The layoff was like a kick in the butt from the Universe to DO SOMETHING--there's nothing holding me back at this point. In addition to taking the wonderful Indie Biz class, I have been turning back to the many books I have acquired through the years. Many of these are wonderful resources for Indie Business aspirants, and I highly recommend checking them out.

1. The Anti 9-to-5 Guide: Practical Career Advice for Women who Think Outside the Cube by Michelle Goodman. This book walks you through the process of identifying what it is you are passionate or what it is you want to explore, and then deals with various situations like "I want to break into my dream industry and I'm not sure how" or "I want to do work that helps others." The end of each section contains an action plan of incremental steps that you can take to get closer to creating that dream job. I appreciate how practical this book is, and how Ms. Goodman reminds us that taking a crappy/temp job is not the end of the world if it gives you the means to support your true dreams. [Amazon link]

2. The Handmade Marketplace: How to Sell Your Crafts Locally, Globally and Online by Kari Chapin. This book was released just a month or two ago, but I have heard a lot of people in the crafting world already talking about it. This is an excellent overview of what it takes to run a craft business, with tips about everything from pricing to social media to applying to local craft fairs. I also read Craft, Inc. by Meg Mateo Ilasco a few years ago, and I think The Handmade Marketplace better covers the logistics of becoming a crafty entrepreneur. The book also contains a number of interviews with prominent crafters, bloggers and Etsy executives. [Amazon link]

3. The Boss of You: Everything a Woman Needs to Know to Start, Run and Maintain Her Own Business by Lauren Bacon and Emira Mears. Written by the successful owners of Raised Eyebrow Web Studios, Inc., The Boss of You is a practical guide to running a business. It's not specifically craft-focused, but it covers very useful information including how to write a business plan, identifying your goals (so that you have an idea of what success looks like for you), how to budget, the importance of paying yourself, the ins and outs of customer service, etc. The back of the book contains a list of useful resources and links for government websites, networking resources, and other business books. [Amazon link]

4. Escape from Cubicle Nation: From Corporate Prisoner to Thriving Entrepreneur by Pamela Slim. I confess that I'm not yet through reading this book since I just got it from the library recently. I expected it to be much more "slimy," as in "This is how you can go from a computer drone to a multi-millionaire in six easy steps!" But I'm finding that it is a REALLY great book, especially for those who haven't yet taken the plunge of quitting their day-jobs (or in my case, been shoved out the door). The best thing about this book is that it focuses a great deal on how you can overcome the FEAR that comes with taking the risk of running your own show. I love the psychological aspect of the book and feel that this is not something that is dealt with in many other books. [Amazon link]

5. Style Statement: Live by Your Own Design by Carrie McCarthy and Danielle LaPorte. This isn't your traditional business book by any means, and I know many people who have read it and completed the exercises for their own benefit. However, if you are in the process of establishing a business, this book can bring a great deal of insight to the way that you brand yourself or your company. Completing the exercises in the book will lead you to establish two words to capture your essence, the first being your 80%--your "foundation," and the second word being 20% and representing your creative edge--what distinguishes you. There are beautifully photographed profiles of others' personal artifacts and Style Statements, such as "Simply Crafted," "Organic Treasure," and "Classic Harmony." I think having such a clear picture of who you are is invaluable in the process of starting a business, and it is a simple way for you to assess whether your products and brand are consistent and representative of you. [Amazon link]

6. The Creative Entrepreneur: A DIY Visual Guidebook for Making Business Ideas Real by Lisa Sonora Beam. For those who might feel icky about sitting down and dealing with things like "business plans" and "strategic objectives" and "SWOT Analysis," this book is meant to make you feel more comfortable with business planning by approaching it from an artistic standpoint. Rather than focusing on Word documents and Excel sheets, the projects use art journals and creative exercises to assess your strengths, set goals, and determine the way you want to operate your business. [Amazon link]

If anyone has read any other entrepreneur/crafty business/creativity books that you would recommend, I'd love to hear about them!

Joy Playlist

Back when I began The Courageous Year e-course, we were encouraged to share what brings us joy. One of my classmates suggested putting together a "Joy Playlist" in iTunes of those songs that you just can't listen to without feeling a bit happier, without wanting to dance in your seat. And I loved the idea. I definitely have many songs that give me that feeling, but I had never gathered them all in one place. It's such a simple and instantaneous way to make me feel a little happier. I wish I had done this back when I was working at my not-so-fun job.

When I mentioned my Joy Playlist on Twitter this morning, a few people wanted to know what music was on there, so I decided to take a screen shot of my tunes. I have a very eclectic taste in music, so this includes everything from indie bands to hip hop. I'm sure this list will be rearranged, added to and songs deleted if I get sick of them. But for now, these are the songs that currently make me smile or bounce or tap my toes. (I wish I was tech savvy enough to know how to embed a music player for this post, but alas I am not. And those auto-music players on blogs make me feel completely STABBY, so I don't want to risk having an embedded player start the music automatically and annoying the crap out of any of my dear readers). So here you go! Happy happy, joy joy!

What songs make you feel happy?

New Shoes

My personal shopping ban has not been completely successful. I have been wanting to buy some cute black flats for a few years now, but had been challenged to find ones that had some cute detailing but didn't rub the skin off my tooties like most non-gym shoes do.

And while I would love to say that I spent days scouring thrift stores to find these cute vintage-y ones, the reality was more like I had been lured into Target by the Liberty of London line and found myself in the shoe department where I found these flats. Much less exciting. But still cute.

I am proud, however, that I made it out of Target without any of the aforementioned Liberty of London items. I thought I would have to completely avoid the store until the line's conclusion, but I made it through without going crazy and spending an entire paycheck unemployment check on floral goodies. Honestly, with the exception of the adorable pink-trimmed rain boots, I wasn't totally thrilled by anything in the line. I guess my love of vintage floral patterns makes the thought of buying mass-market, conveniently and perfectly mismatched florals feel just a little too easy. Shoes are one thing, especially when it is so hard for me to find ones that fit and don't hurt, so I'll give myself some lenience there. But I think if I'm going to buy eclectic little bowls or cookie jars or serving platters, I want there to be a story behind the item, a little history.

Well Said : Jack Kerouac

Friday Randomness

Randomness #1:
So. Excited. For. This. Eeeee!


Randomness #2:

I pilfered these chipboard coins from my grandmother's house the last time I was there. I have the feeling that there are about a million possibilities for what I could do with these, so I'd love to hear any suggestions you have! Note: If anyone says "pogs" I'm going to put a pencil in my eye. No pogs, people. So far, I was thinking about covering them in fun scrapbook paper and turning them into magnets for the fridge, decorating and then drilling a hole in them to make jewelery, making some sort of kid's memory game like this. What else?

Randomness #3:
So today is obviously Friday (yay!), and maybe some of you are wondering what happened to my "Foodie Friday" feature. (See the first few Foodie Fridays here: 1, 2, 3, 4). (Whoa, too much alliteration.) I put some thinking into whether food really has a place here on my creative blog. While I do think cooking as an outlet for my creativity, and see both cooking and crafting as ways for me to celebrate my home life, I'm not so sure it has the place on this blog at this time. I'm really passionate about the environment and I see how closely this ties in to the food I choose to eat, but I think my passion might come across as too preachy compared to my regular posts.

So, I think over the next few weeks I might be developing a blog specifically for my cooking adventures, tips on more sustainable and healthier eating, and general adventures in keeping a "split kitchen" with my husband being a meat-eater and myself eating almost all vegetarian (thanks to Kyla Roma for the split-kitchen term!). I might be appealing to a different audience with those topics, so I am thinking that a separate blog could be the solution. Or, maybe I just need to think about the way in which I write those posts if I want to keep them on here. I'm obviously a very decisive person.

That is all.

Happy Friday, people!

Make It! : iPod Cozy

I'm "that" girl. You know, the one who's so clumsy she manages to drop her cell phone on the concrete four times in one night (and thankfully, the phone still manages to work despite the abuse--knock on wood) or loses a necklace in a split-second by flushing it down the toilet because she somehow got it caught on her fingers while in the act of flushing. That actually happened. I couldn't make this stuff up.

So, when my honey surprised me with a shiny new iPod touch, I knew my options were to either A) never use the thing because I'm too scared of dropping it and cracking its perfect, pretty screen or B) encase it in some sort of majorly impact resistant enclosure. So off to Best Buy I went. And What.The.H. Why are iPod cases $32??? Granted, am trying to protect a device that costs a few hundred dollars, but REALLY? Some of those plastic ones can't cost more than $0.05 for materials. Highway robbery, I tell you.

Being the thrifty, crafty girl that I am, I decided to crochet a case for Penelope. (The iPod. Have I not mentioned that I name all my electronic devices? Totally normal.) But the problem was that I had previously quit attempting to crochet when I couldn't figure things out past the chain stitch. (See previous post for more on my accomplished history of quitting stuff).

Then my GENIUS husband suggested I look up how to crochet on YouTube. "Wait, you think someone would have posted something on how to crochet?" I said. Then he smacked me in the face and welcomed me to 2010. Not really, but he should have.

After a night of sitting in front of the computer and yelling "SLOW DOWN!" and "You're putting the hook WHERE?" at the videos, I finally figured things out. And, I'll be damned, crocheting is kind of fun! It gives me something to do while watching a movie, since it's virtually impossible for me to do only one thing at a time.

So here are my cozies. I won't call this a tutorial because I don't think it would sound very eloquent to say, "You put the hook-y thing into one side, and then you put it in the other, and then do this thing with the yarn..." And this is one of the most basic things EVER, so most of you are probably like, duh, we can already make cozies-- my CAT can make cozies, GET ON WITH YOUR LIFE. So here are some photos. Ask questions if you happen to have them, but until then I'll be off getting on with my life, which probably currently involves testing whether yarn is shock absorbent or not.

Pots and Perseverance

Once upon a time, I was a jazz dancer. Once upon another time, I was an equestrian. And a gymnast, and an oil painter, and a ballerina. I think each year of my childhood I came up with a new activity I wanted to try. Some of this had to do with what my friends were doing at the time. As much as we were there for the lessons, dance classes were also about sitting on the wooden studio floors after class, gossiping and laughing while we waited for our parents to pick us up. But I abandoned these lessons when the next thing struck my fancy.

Other activities seemed to stretch my limits just a little too far. I quickly stopped horseback-riding when I reached the point of cantering with my horse. I couldn't shake the uncomfortable feeling of being just a little too out of control, even though I really loved the horses and taking care of them.

I wonder if maybe I learned to give up a little too easily, whether it was from boredom or from the challenges I faced. I sometimes find myself, as an adult, abandoning things like books and movies very easily if they don't pique my interest immediately, or wanting to up and quit a job that I don't like.


Most recently, I found myself adding "potter/wheelthrower" to my life list. I signed up for a throwing class through the park district on a whim, right after I had been laid off and was in need of something fun to perk my spirits. And while I was taken by the feel of the wet clay running through my fingers and the way I was able to quiet my thoughts while spinning on the wheel, wheel-throwing is far from easy. I found it to be kind of a pain in the butt, actually. Centering the clay alone seemed to be an impossible feat, jerking my body around, forcing knots in my shoulders and rubbing the sides of my hands raw. And in typical "me" fashion, I wanted to quit. I couldn't do what I was supposed to. It didn't feel good, or fun. So I skipped class. I was ready to chalk it up as just another thing that didn't work out for me.

Then the next week came around. I stared at the clock at 6:50pm on Thursday, before my 7:00 class, contemplating what to do. I thought about watching The Office and 30 Rock. I thought about how I'd probably be behind since I missed a class, and how I didn't want to bother the teacher to help me catch up. I sighed, then I got in the car and went anyways.

Last week, I brought home my first pot, seen in the photos above. It's not perfect--the rim is rough and it's not quite circular, and there's a big dent on one side where I accidentally hit the wet clay with one of my tools. But I have to say I am proud of this pot. I love the "Grey Spice" glaze and the gentle curves of the sides. I am proud that I finished something, even though I didn't want to. After this week, the class will be done, and I will come away with a total of five pots. And those are likely the last five pots I will ever throw. But the most important thing to me is that I stuck it out until the end.

Thoughts on: Marketing, Branding and Authenticity

I am knee-deep in e-courses and online classes right now, one of which is the Indie Business 2.0 class offered by Elsie Flannigan from Red Velvet Art / A Beautiful Mess, Leigh Ann from Freckled Nest, and Jill from Lune Vintage. And while I'm finding that keeping up with the forum is a completely overwhelming endeavor, not to mention doing work for my other two e-courses, it's incredibly inspiring to see all these crafters and artisans who are so passionate about what they do.

As a result of a several of the sessions we have had so far, I have been thinking a great deal about branding and marketing. Some of you might know that several of my former day-jobs have been in marketing/advertising. So I know that ball game. And to be honest, I hated that ball game. I disliked the players, I disliked the rules of the game, I even disliked the shape of the ball. What? I've lost myself on my own metaphor. Anyways, I am noticing how I'm having to face my beliefs about my previous experiences with marketing as I start to establish a little design business of my own.

What I'm realizing is that I had so much trouble with working for other companies because I was so separate from what I was marketing. I could do the work, but there wasn't any heart behind it because I couldn't be passionate about medical products or engineering services. I mean, dude, I was designing packaging for breastfeeding pads for a while. Thrilling, huh? (Ok, I admit that although sore nipples are probably nothing to laugh at, it did make me giggle every time I had to look at the application instructions). Perhaps my lack of enthusiasm was my "own fault" and should have been something I expected entering the field, or at least gotten used to. BUT...

Reflecting on the past now, I am happy for the perspective it gave me. I am realizing that what I want--and crave--is authenticity, more than anything. I want a life full of passion and inspiration and creativity. And I want to connect with like-minded people. I don't want there to be a separation, with me as a person over here and my work over there. Some people like that kind of separation. They want to have a professional identity and a personal identity.

But for me, this is all a part of who I am--what I do, what I create, what I stand for. I so admire the people who are so clear about who they are and keep this central to their business, and who seem so dedicated to what they do--people like Elsie, Kelly Rae Roberts, and even powerhouses like Martha Stewart and Oprah.

And in doing all this thinking, I started to wonder how blogging fit into the picture, for me. I admit, I have been hesitant to get too personal, even with my desire for authenticity. I mentioned a few days ago that my fear is that people might be turned off by too many words, or might not identify with my personal stuff. (Note: this is probably some lingering guilt since I subscribe to far too many blogs and sometimes resort to scanning out of necessity). But, hello, this is my blog, my little corner of the internets to express my life and thoughts as I experience them. Kind of obvious, no?

I have reminded myself that this blog is first-and-foremost a way for me to document my creative journey and about me finding an honest way to connect with other creative souls in the blog world. I'm just beginning to see how supportive and amazing the online community can be, sometimes more so than the people in my real life, and I want to more fully embrace honesty and authenticity while trusting that others will be attracted to and resonate with my words. And if they're not, so be it. Women like Denise from Boho Girl, Susannah Conway, and my Indie Biz classmate Kyla Roma are endlessly inspiring in the way their blogs and their voices have become such an important part of a community and an ongoing conversation.

So this is all about so much more than just starting a business, or the particulars of marketing or branding. I think that the more I open to sharing I am, the better I will be able to connect with people, as both an aspiring Indie Biz owner and as a creative person, because I'm realizing I want to celebrate it all as a part of my journey.

New Music : Mumford & Sons

Band: Mumford & Sons. Song: Little Lion Man. Album: Sigh No More.
Note: If you have delicate ears, you are forewarned that they drop the f-bomb a few times.

Holy cow. I need to go pick my socks up from across the room, because these guys just BLEW THEM OFF. Why have I not heard about Mumford & Sons until now? And why do all of my favorite bands hail from the UK? I need to move there, stat.

And P.S., for anyone in Chicagoland, Mumford & Sons will be playing at Lincoln Hall on May 24. I am hugely proud that I am actually hearing about a concert BEFORE it occurs for once. I regularly check band's tour schedules to find that they were in Chicago, like, last night. Not even kidding. My concert timing sucks.

Thursday Things : Random Etsy Love

I really wish that I were able to support all the indie artists and businesses that I love, but alas, I do not have the money or the space to buy every little thing that I tickles my fancy. So I decided to share the bits of love here, in hopes that I can aid these crafters in getting a little more exposure-- because there are so many amazing products and artisans out there and I think we all benefit from spreading the word and supporting each other.


This morning, Lillyella posted about storage containers, and I fell in love with this hanging fruit basket from vesselsandwares on Etsy. I love how the lemons look in there. Beautiful colors.


I'm also really enjoying these pottery shard necklaces from Polished Two. These necklaces are quite stylish--a little bit vintage yet still hip, which matches my own style perfectly-- and I love how materials like pottery and china can be repurposed in this beautiful way.


And here's something I actually have purchased, and use quite often. Wayside Voilet creates cozy knit sleeves for your coffee mugs and to-go cups. Pair one of these with a "This is Not a Paper Cup," and enjoy your regular tea and coffee in eco-friendly style.

I'm sure I will be posting more Etsy finds soon!

Things I'm Thinking about Today...

... That if I write more personally here, in this blog space, rather than simply using it as a place for bits of visual inspiration and creativity, I will bore you readers to tears. But there are words that want to come out. So I've been thinking a lot about the purpose of a blog to me, what I want to create in this space, what and HOW MUCH I want to share, and what my unique perspective is.

... That if I was so desirous of creating that I would actually find the space to DO IT rather than whine and complain about the unemployed roommate-friend we took in who is residing in my studio space and stopping me from working.

... That, at the same time I feel I shouldn't be making excuses, the aforementioned unemployed roommate-friend really needs to get a move on, especially given my own newly unemployed status. That there is a point when our generosity in letting him live here rent-free, for months, comes at the expense of my own creative pursuits (and my relationship with my husband, for that matter. Ahem. You can all imagine what I'm referring to.)

... That I need to start taking bigger risks to put myself out there into the world. My world feels so small right now, and I know this has been self-imposed. I'm learning more everyday about how amazingly supportive the online community is, but I'm realizing how, in addition to this, I need a more substantial local community of kindreds to connect with. This post, Who is in Your Tribe? gave me some food for thought as to how I view and connect with people around me, and how I could allow myself to be more open to connection, even from people who might not seem like part of my "tribe."

... That I'm not a bad designer, no matter what I think sometimes. (And I have good news related to this, but I can't spill the beans quite yet).

... That maybe signing up for three e-courses running at approximately the same time (Courageous Year, Unravelling and Indie Business 2.0) was a bit of an overcommitment on my part, even if I am unemployed at the time. I feel like I'm in school and need an assignment notebook again to keep track of everything.

... That I could really stand to stop thinking so much.

Well Said.

Meet the newest member of my family.

Meet Amber. She is beautiful, isn't she? I bet my parents would laugh at my excitement over a camera from 1974. Heck, I probably should have checked with them first to see if they have one buried in their basements somewhere.

For the uninitiated, Amber is a SX-70 Polaroid camera, a camera that is known for taking dreamy photos that capture a particularly soft quality of light. For this reason, they have become the apples of many camera collectors' eyes, and you can often find quite the bidding war on Ebay over these babies. Unless you are me, and skip your pottery class so that you can stalk an auction and strategically bid at the last moment to secure a good price. I WIN.


My interest in Polaroid photography and SX-70 cameras has been growing ever since Squam, where many of my cabinmates raved about Susannah from Ink On My Fingers, whose blog I had yet to explore at the time. Since then, I have not only become quite the fan of Susannah, but I also determined that I NEED a SX-70.

Then I happened to win a giveaway from my Courageous Year e-course leader, Kate, for a pack of Polaroid film and a filter for an SX-70 camera. A minor problem: I don't own an SX-70. IT'S A SIGN! I thought. Time for me to finally bid on one of these babies.

So after anxiously waiting a week for my package to arrive, including a one-day delay because my doorbell failed to work when the mailman tried to deliver it the first time (CURSES!), I now have Amber safe in my hands. And a free pack of film from Kate! And now I just need to get over the fear of taking pictures with it. But, come on, it works out to be like $2.00 per photo, so of course I'm going to try to make sure they're good! So, until I get up the courage to load Amber up with my lone pack of film, here are some of my Flickr favorites of SX-70 images.


And in case you are wondering why I picked the name Amber, it is really a fantastically dorky story. I wish I could say that I picked the name because her lovely tawny hue, but alas, I am much more ridiculous than that. A website that Kate pointed out to me on Twitter revealed that my particular SX-70 had been "born" on March 15, 1974 (during the A Shift, in fact). And the nerd that I am, I looked up top baby names from 1974, and Amber is on the list. [Hmm, it's amazing that I have friends in real life, actually.]

Photo Credits: Images from my Flickr favorites 1. ., 2. Polaroid SX-70, 3. LILOU, 4. ., 5. SX 70 Polaroid, 6. Mystery film

Inspired

I read this 2008 story from NPR a few months ago, and I was tearing up by the time I finished reading it. It is so inspiring, and spoke to the part of me that truly believes in the good in people, in humanity. So if you haven't read this story, I highly recommend it. It's a great reminder of the power in actions as simple as reaching out to someone and treating them with compassion, respect and empathy.

A Victim Treats His Mugger Right

Julio Diaz has a daily routine. Every night, the 31-year-old social worker ends his hour-long subway commute to the Bronx one stop early, just so he can eat at his favorite diner.

But one night last month, as Diaz stepped off the No. 6 train and onto a nearly empty platform, his evening took an unexpected turn.

He was walking toward the stairs when a teenage boy approached and pulled out a knife.

"He wants my money, so I just gave him my wallet and told him, 'Here you go,'" Diaz says.

As the teen began to walk away, Diaz told him, "Hey, wait a minute. You forgot something. If you're going to be robbing people for the rest of the night, you might as well take my coat to keep you warm."

The would-be robber looked at his would-be victim, "like what's going on here?" Diaz says. "He asked me, 'Why are you doing this?'"

Diaz replied: "If you're willing to risk your freedom for a few dollars, then I guess you must really need the money. I mean, all I wanted to do was get dinner and if you really want to join me ... hey, you're more than welcome.

"You know, I just felt maybe he really needs help," Diaz says.

Diaz says he and the teen went into the diner and sat in a booth.

"The manager comes by, the dishwashers come by, the waiters come by to say hi," Diaz says. "The kid was like, 'You know everybody here. Do you own this place?'"

"No, I just eat here a lot," Diaz says he told the teen. "He says, 'But you're even nice to the dishwasher.'"

Diaz replied, "Well, haven't you been taught you should be nice to everybody?"

"Yea, but I didn't think people actually behaved that way," the teen said.

Diaz asked him what he wanted out of life. "He just had almost a sad face," Diaz says.

The teen couldn't answer Diaz — or he didn't want to.

When the bill arrived, Diaz told the teen, "Look, I guess you're going to have to pay for this bill 'cause you have my money and I can't pay for this. So if you give me my wallet back, I'll gladly treat you."

The teen "didn't even think about it" and returned the wallet, Diaz says. "I gave him $20 ... I figure maybe it'll help him. I don't know."

Diaz says he asked for something in return — the teen's knife — "and he gave it to me."

Afterward, when Diaz told his mother what happened, she said, "You're the type of kid that if someone asked you for the time, you gave them your watch."

"I figure, you know, if you treat people right, you can only hope that they treat you right. It's as simple as it gets in this complicated world."

Produced for Morning Edition by Michael Garofalo.

Link to original NPR story.

The end of winter could not come sooner.

I have spent the entire winter feeling like this little guy in the video. With just my poor little head peeking out from piles of snow. Except he looks like he's enjoying himself. Needless to say, I'm ready for winter to be DONE. Like, now. I'm hesitant to celebrate the 40- and 50-degree weather that is expected over the next few days for fear that I'll anger the weather gods and they will dump a foot of snow on us, but I will say that I think spring is not too far away.

"Funemployment."

Inspired by an exchange I had tonight on Twitter with my new Twitter-friend PoachedKumquats, I bring you The Upsides / Downsides of Unemployment.

Upsides
- The gym is fantastically empty at 10:00 am.
- Never having to trek through Chicago-winter weather.
- All the Food Network tv a girl could desire.
- No panty hoes. EVER. That alone is worth 38298392 points.

Downsides
- My sorry state of a wardrobe. Let's just say it's strikingly similar to a college student's. Putting on jeans feels "fancy."
- The tendency to carry on extended conversations with my cat. So what if it's a little one-sided?
- And those rare times I do venture out in public, I end up talking the ear off my grocery checker. Or anyone else who will listen.
- I have completely lost touch with what a "busy week" entails. Having four activities/appointments feels like I'm totally booked.
- Making the bed is an accomplishment.
- Illinois Department of Employment Security. Enough said.

Now, anyone who knows me in real life knows that I always offer a healthy dose of sarcasm and snark in any given situation. But being the paradox that I am, I also want to recognize how grateful I am to have this time. My friend dubbed it "funemployment," and while he was being sarcastic, I took a liking to the term. It IS kind of fun. Maybe not the looking for jobs part, but it certainly is a sabbatical from the stress and frustrations of my previous job. I'm making a priority out of creating, writing, taking photographs and cooking. I get to wear my pj's, and nobody cares. I can take a nap if I feel like it. So while it lasts, I am determined to make the most of my funemployment. After all, I feel so, so incredibly grateful that I am in a situation where money isn't an immediate worry. I don't have to worry about a lack of food, I have a comfortable place to live, and family and friends who care about me. So I'm doing just fine.

Weekend Recap

There's a lot I could say about this weekend. It was amazingly fun--with lots of hockey, sushi, family time, seeing old friends--but there were also a number of teachable moments. For various reasons, I have become more and more aware of the way our words and actions affect each other. And this weekend showed me that not all people think this way. Some people thrive on drama, and even bond over drama. (Perhaps they are bored with their own lives, so they stir up drama in other people's lives.) Some people make assumptions about relationships and situations that they have no real knowledge of, leaving rumors and hurt feelings among those involved. And some people drink far more than they can handle, which aids in blowing these types of situations even more out of proportion.

So after this weekend, I have become more committed to approaching every situation from a loving and gentle place. I want people to be happy. When they have struggles, I want to do what I can to be a shoulder for them, if needed, or help solve these problems, if needed. I do not want to make assumptions, feed the drama, or do anything that might drive people apart. Because...

You don't want no drama.
No, no drama.

(And that is the last time I will ever quote the Black Eyed Peas.)