Foods

I need some foods for the soul. Right now Sanks is cooking me a fabulous (or so he PROMISES) meal of Indian food while watching the World Cup 3rd/4th place game. It's pretty good. I'm going for Germany, although I have some shame in that. Why? I don't know. Probably because they're so good it just doesn't seem fair to the other players, and probably because I also want to go out on a date with ALL OF THEM AT ONCE. Mmmm, don't tell Sanks.

I'm working on a craft project today. I was working on it last night during movie night as well, although it was difficult during both: during Drunken Angel because it's in Japanese, and I don't want to miss anything, and during The Diving Bell and the Butterfly because the cinematography is FASCINATING. And also because it's in French. Craft/movie nights are most successfully combined for me when movies are in English, I've found.

I also did yoga yesterday. It was great! I did a Sean Corne DVD, who usually makes me roll my eyes majorly when she starts talking about Spirit this, and the divine inside, and how lucky we are to be human, and stuff (seriously, Sean Corne, save it for the newspapers) but last night I almost started crying because it's so try. Life is for finding happiness for myself and others, and supporting myself and others and for love and appreciation. So yeah, I needed to hear that.

Right now I need to hear the rest of the game (it's tied now), so as weird as it is for me to express this: I need to go because the World Cup is on. Don't tell Sanks that, either. He'll get way too excited.

Ok, bye! Just say NO to vuvuzelas!!

Question:

What would you do if you had all the time in the world and money was only slightly an issue (i.e. you only made twice as much as me)?

Because I don't know what I would do, since I NEVER HAVE TIME TO DO ANYTHING ANYMORE.

Let me start with a list:

~ Learn how to sew, at least until I: make a skirt with my new sewing machine

[look at this fun skirt!]

~ Embroider my new skirt using my mad embroidery skillz

[No visual aid needed. Boo-yah!]

~ Take private swimming lessons, at least until I: can do that flippy thing at the end of the lane while I'm swimming laps

How To Do a Flip Turn - Freestyle Stroke on Howcast

~ Take a yoga class, at least until I: can do scorpion pose (yeah, ok, that will take a loooooooong time, but I really want to do that pose)

How To Do the Scorpion Pose on Howcast

~ Re-learn glass-blowing and lampwork, at least until I: make a cat-masterpiece.



~ Learn acupressure, at least until I: can stop panic attacks with a single finger.



~ Learn massage, at least until I: can do BABY MASSAGE!!!



[TOO FREAKING CUTE.]

~ Write, write write! at least until I: get a literary agent.



~ Take a class in stand-up, at least until I: perform once.


~ Learn how to cut hair, at least until: Sanks lets me cut his hair!!


Lots to think about...

The point is, I'm having some mental health days lately. I need to get my life in order because this life is all I've got. I'm tired of spending time, wasting energy, losing sleep, and gaining weight because of shit that doesn't matter in the long run. Nothing is worth that.

It's hard to remember that I'm an adult, and that no one is looking out for me except me. I have to be the one who makes decisions about my future, and about how I spend my free time, and about the kinds of things and people I surround myself with. And I'M TIRED OF SETTLING.

The longest journey begins with a single step... And my journey is apparently only ten steps long.

Goals:
1) sew a skirt
2) embroider it
3) learn flip turn
4) take yoga (let's say, until headstand and extended leg wheel pose)
5) take a glass blowing class/workshop
6) take an acupressure class
7) learn baby massage? hmm, wonder if they have cat massage...
8) send something out to a literary agent
9) take a stand-up class
10)cut Sanks' hair

Sweet. This is awesome.

My revolutionary uterus.

Seriously. Ouch. I believe there might be a Little Big Horn type last stand going on in my reproductive system:

"I just want you to know, Charity, that WE ARE STILL NOT PREGNANT IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED. What, do you think we're a youngster?!! Do you think we have all the time in the bloody world?!? BECAUSE WE DON'T. We're running out of time and you better RECOGNIZE IT. Come this time next month, if there is not a baby/parasite up in here, I'm done. No more. This will be our LAST EGG. Do you hear me now?!?! GOOD."

Lighten up already!

I came home from work yesterday, fed the cats, drank a beer and ate some pineapple pizza, took a bath, did 30 minutes of Yin Yoga (it was too much to try to do "real" yoga), and was in bed by 9. I swallowed two Tylenol PMs on my way down, and although I woke up when my alarm rang at 6:30 this morning, I went back to sleep until 8:30. Yes, that is almost 12 hours of sleep. But until you have to deal with the riot in my belly, you are not allowed to judge.

Tonight is the first night of my embroidery class though! I'm very excited. I hope there are nice people there. It's at my favorite Atlanta fabric store, Whipstitch, and I'm hopeful about spending more time there in the future. I already made a coaster, dangit! And it is AWESOME.

OK, peace to you and also unto my uterus,
Charity :-)

PS-I'm re-reading Grendel, which was one of my favorite books from high school. It's even better than I remembered! I think my uterus has a new name.

Eye of the needle/hurricane

Wow. Remember how I said getting my sewing machine threaded was a reasonable goal for yesterday afternoon? I stick by that, but realize now that despite thinking it was a joke and a goal that I couldn't help but meet, it was DIFFICULT. That thread is tiny, and even having two separate diagrams and two different colors of thread (upper and lower threads), the act of getting them both to do what they are supposed to do, where they are supposed to do it and how, was surprisingly complicated!

After several hours of cursing and finagling, I am super proud to announce that: I MADE A COASTER!! And yes, that IS just two pieces of fabric sewn together, one of top of the other, but nonetheless, I'm impressed with myself. And deservedly so/sew.

My printer has not yet come at work, but I am pleased to announce that my orders from bluefly and anthropologie have! I also got a pair of shoes that is surprisingly ugly, but were also only $20. They're ugly, but they are comfortable, and they are practical, and they are professional (up to my standards, that is), and they are sandals, so they will be kept despite not being keepers. :-)

So anyway, after a marathon day of meeting (I count a two-hour meeting as a day-long marathon), and before I head to a post-work meeting about non-profit development (awesome - also two hours, by the way), I'm going to sign off. I'm sorry Mom has gone, but I look forward to alone time with Sam and Max tonight, too.

Perhaps I'll get crazy and make ANOTHER COASTER! WOAH! Somebody stop this sewing fanatic!! I'm sew crazy.

xox

PS. I'm setting a goal of doing yoga tonight. Just FYI. I need some centering. I got a new book about yoga and lifestyle. This week I'm supposed to eat 3 meals a day as much as possible (although I'm snacking on raisins right now since I have that meeting right after work), and drink warm water throughout the days. Like tea without tea leaves. I know, exciting! But I tell you what, getting up and getting my warm water DID provide a nice change of pace several times during that marathon meeting. So, thank you warm water diet. :-)

Weekend Warriors!

Mom has been here visiting this weekend. We've had a good time; we watched the fireworks from a distance, thus avoiding the crowds (YAY), we went to see two movies (Knight and Day, Please Give), we ate at La Fonda, Fellini's, AND the Olive Bistro, and Sanks and I took Seussie for a walk in Piedmont Park, too. Mom and I went to Petsmarts, which was NOT smart, because mom spent $225! We had a great time, though, and Seussie had fun going shopping with us--there aren't any dog-friendly stores in Asheboro, apparently.

Anyway, we've had a great time. I haven't gotten quite as much crafting done as I'd like... to have... gotten done... However I'm supposed to say that. Anyway, it's been fun. I think I'm going to try to get my sewing machine threaded. That seems like a reasonable goal for the afternoon.

YIKES! I just remembered I have to go back to work tomorrow. :-(

OMG LOL!!

Can-do condo? Can-don't.

I saw this cute CUTE condo right beside my work and it would be so awesome if I lived there and was able to walk to work every day!

Then I did an online rent calculator that said if I invest the difference in what I'm paying in rent now, I'd be better off to rent for the next 30 years. Now, what the hell and I supposed to do with this information?! Silly hoo-hahs.

I just want to be able to get a dog and paint my living room and have a craft room. WHY CAN'T I HAVE IT?!?!

I'm still going to look into it.

I WON'T BE DISCOURAGED THAT EASILY!!!!

Charity :-)

Ouchie.

My sinuses are killing me! Geez Louise.

Question:

Am I ever going to be able to breathe again? I have come down with a terrible sinus infection, and currently my ribs are hurting because of all my nose-blowing. Terrific.

Yesterday Sanks and I watched the World Cup at Manuel's. I felt like I was in a foreign country. Who are these people and why are they cheering and yelling and groaning at once?! On the other hand, I had a really tasty beer: Terrapin Boom Shakalager. It was as yummy as it was creatively named. It's also 9% ABV so I really shouldn't have had more than one. After a 2 hour nap post game (did I mention 9% alcohol?) Sanks and I got pizza and a few videos.

By 10 pm I was ready for a nice long sleep, but that's when the runny nose and allergies turned serious. After an unexpectedly and irritatingly fitful sleep, I woke up feeling kinda yucky. I'm tired, I'm dehydrated, I can't breathe through my nose at all, my throat hurts from all my mouth-breathing, my sinuses are squeezing my brains into a tiny ball, I've eaten a bunch of unhealthy foods and drunk too much, and I have done approximately 1% of the tasks I intended to do here at home.

BUT!

I washed the dishes. So, there.

Question:

What if we are all reeally extras in a natural disaster movie?

No, seriously!

What if, tonight, while we sleep, a comet comes into view that the government has been trying to hide, in the desperate attempt, however misguided, to prevent chaos?

And what if, tomorrow, it's on all of the newsstands and televisions, and all of the internet home pages...

And what if we go into work, and everyone's walking around in a daze, like, "Seriously?" and then, around lunchtime, important or rich people fill the sky in helicopters, on their way to Siberia because it is supposed to be best off environmentally and will recover the quickest, because they have known for years enough to build a giant eco-dome where they alone will survive on the earth?

What if, around 4:30, people go outside in Washington DC and stand in the streets staring into the sky, because the comet has come into view directly over the White House, and network news stations all over the US are playing a loop of people standing around looking up at the sky...

And what if Obama, around dinnertime, gives a final motivational message from the Oval Office because he's too noble to go hide in the eco-dome with the Bushes..

And what if we are standing around in our living rooms drinking wine and kissing our babies, flipping between that and watching the comet approach the Statue of Liberty on the network news, because of course the comet is visible over both simultaneously, and then, all of a sudden, an attractive young woman in a suit comes in, and she gives Obama a piece of paper, and he smiles, and announces that the problem is solved, because 5 very brave astronauts just flew into space and set nuclear warheads off on the comet and unfortunately they are all dead, but look. Look! LOOK!

What if they then cut to a looped video of the comet blasting apart taken on someone's home camera because apparently they are saving it for posterity?

What would I change the day after that?

How would I want to spend my days?

How might I try to leave a better legacy? To be the one everyone looks back on with tears in their eyes?

Would anyone else care?

Would it issue in a new era of peace and acceptance?

And... why was that one guy videotaping it?

Ooooh, yeah.

I got them internets at home this morning. Sho nuff. So I'm going to be posting from home base from now on. Sweet. I'll holla atcha later.

Not sure what's going on with my speech patterns this morning. I blame the coffee.

Wah, wah, wah...

See, is that a baby crying or a slide guitar? Who knows? It's all a matter of perception. Just saying.

Rehearsal last night was... ok. I'll probably write more about it in my improv blog, but maybe not! Maybe I'll just stuff it down, deep inside, where all my other non-memorable, disappointing and deflating experiences go. Yay! Feels better that way. ;-)

I finished the embroidery last night while I finished watching the last episode of Firefly. I love that series. I got it on sale at Borders recently and I'm really glad I got it. It's a subtly good show -- just consistently good quality, not using flashy stupid things to get your adrenaline going, but with enough exciting scrapes to keep the show fast-paced. It's really good. My favorite episode is definitely "Out of Gas" but "Heart of Gold" is a close second. The latter was never even aired! I hate when networks give up on brilliant shows just because they hate me and are out to get me. Another one I want is Jericho, but that ended tragically (i.e. with a huge unanswered cliffhanger). Firefly ended reasonably well, although the movie Serenity did a good job on some story lines and on others SUCKED. Anyway, moving on...

So the little embroidery thingy-do is done, but now I have to make it into a pillow or something. I don't know about that. I want to start a sewing project, actually, but 1) I'm nervous, and 2) I can't decide on any fabrics! This is totally a good thing for me. I need practice making safe (relatively inconsequential) decisions. It will build up my confidence for when I have to make big (real) decisions.

So I'm going back to work. Today I get to design things (newsletter, brochure) so I'm excited about that! This is the part of my job that I really love.

Charity :-)

New developments!

Can there be old developments? Just curious.

I am excited to announce that I have ordered internets at my house! Yay! They will be here Friday. This will be great because I will finally be able to do all my internets stuff at home, and not have to sneak around work to do it. I will be able to focus on one thing at a time, which will be nice.

In the interest of focusing, then, I'm focused on going home right now. I'm sorry that this entry is so lame, but that's how it has to be.

I started another embroidery project last night. Still having the same commitment issues with it, though. I don't want to start something because I might start hating it halfway through. This is a good exercise for me, I think.

Rehearsal at nine tonight. I'm already sleepy. That's a bad sign.

Collections

Well, I got my first letter from a Collection Agency today. I have officially joined the ranks of the debt-ridden and down-trodden, I guess. I feel so welcome.

Seriously, it's so funny because after almost an entire year (about 10 months) I had actually just finally paid it! Crazy. I wanted to call and be all irate, like "You sisterfuckers! I paid this LAST WEEK after I received your FIFTEENTH NOTICE. Do you really have to be such impatient jerkfaces? Or did you not even bother to get your shit together in time to let the Collection Agency know I already paid this shizzle?! Geez. Let me speak with your manager."

Tonight I'm not in the show (so sad) but I'm SO looking forward to staying at home with the cats, and perhaps even doing some CRAFTS! Hmm, but I guess I should be writing. Last night I wrote a joke. :-) I'm very proud of myself, actually. I'll try to write more tonight. I'm seriously considering the stand-up class. Who wants to give me $500? (Last time I asked for money, the universe provided it, so I thought I'd give it a chance.)

Oh! And also, I'm working lights this weekend at the theatre. All by myself!

I'm full of all kinds of new skills! Better than being chock full of nuts I guess. (The joke is a little better than that...)

xo,
Charity :-)

Hawaii Slideshow!

Enjoy!

ARE THOSE 1 MILLION PINEAPPLES?!

if this day were any longer i'd hit my head on it when i stood up.

i'd step on it when i walked up the stairs.

Back-ack-ack-ack!

I'm baaaaaack! We had too much of a good time, clearly. My job has been really difficult but I decided to take the rest of the week off from improv, too, which is good, since I'm exhausted after work, but wide awake by 2 am. My schedule is WAY off. It could also do with the fact that I finally started watching the Wire. See, the thing is, no one ever told me it has Dominic West in it! I would have been watching this shizzle from the get-gizzle!

I'm still working on posting photos. I uploaded them to my computer, but now I can't get my computer to go on them internets, so, you know -- speed bumps. I'll get to it eventually.

xoxox! Trying to keep the ALOHA SPIRIT alive!!

Charity :-)

Computer-schmuter

Sanks is going to work and taking his laptop. I'm not getting as much writing done as I'd hoped, since, you know, he has to take his laptop to work and when he's not at work we're doing something FUN! Anyway, I'm doing the best I can.


Aloha! Hugs!
Charity :-)

I will post more later.

I love Hawaii.

Sanks is in many ways ridiculous, and in many ways hilarious.

Beach...