Monday, August 02, 2010

Bring on the Color!

A couple of the comments on my last post made me laugh! I thought I'd share them. I was definitely in a gloomy funk the weekend before last and am feeling brighter.

KarenV said: Start something new, woman! and

LisaD said: We definitely have to get some color in your life...black, grey and fog - oh my!

Karen, I love your conviction and the whimsical Wizard of Oz twist that Lisa relayed. Both of the comments remind me of my sister, whose also a KarenV. My sister has always been this bright colorful person who wears red, teal and magenta more than she wears black. She is the optimist in the family along with my dad. Then there's me who loves fog and wears black, grey and denim the majority of the time. When I wear color, I think there have actually been gasps of astonishment. Yea, really! I wear more color now but I was borderline goth in my college/post-college years. I'm a pessimist. Surprise! Like you guys haven't figured that out already! My mother is the Queen of Pessimists. A couple of weeks ago, my sister told me I was like our mom! I think I died a little inside. Like mom...wonderful! The goal of the year was to be more positive in my thinking. It's hard when things have been crumbling around me but that's still the goal. I know I'm lucky and can recite all the reasons why...now I just need to act that way.

I wish my mom would be less like Chicken Little. Oh my Gosh, the sky is falling! Being the one whose been around the old folks the longest, I wonder if her negative thinking has rubbed off on me or are you just born that way. Just the other day, I talked to her on the phone and she told me to not go out after dark because the car might break down. *sigh* So I'm supposed to stay at home after dark because the car can break down and some rapist can come out of the bushes and attack me. She thinks this way. Ma, really...I can't live my life in fear! That's why we have cell phones and Gold AAA memberships and pepper spray! If she only knew I did so much online stuff...some things are better left unsaid.

It was always like this growing up. I was considered the difficult rebel child because I questioned every curfew. Curfew was at 10pm which as a teen/college student, was ridiculous. You can imagine the fighting. I wish my siblings had broken them in for me. If I left the house at 8pm to do something, I was repeatedly questioned. And having to go "oh my mom won't let me" when you're in college is you know...kind of lame...but sometimes, I was just too tired to fight. It definitely ruined my coolness factor. I think once she hit 75, mom mellowed out. Uhh, yea, that was only 5 years ago! If I still lived at home with the old folks, I'd have gone berserk by now.

***

Hmmm, got a little sidetracked there. Anyways, I pulled out something colorful to start and have been working on it all week. I probably didn't make the wisest choice of starting in the middle since it's not the most colorful area. I was too lazy to do the math to start at the border so the middle it is. I really like the goldenrod color of the house though. It feels like it's taking me forever to build this house.

I'm enjoying it since it's brainless. Very little counting once you build the foundation and I'm working on installing all the windows. After that, time to lay down the sod and plant some flowers. I figure I only have one more week to work on this before I have to move onto obligations. I have an ornament to stitch for the Attic Auction and also need to see if I can stitch up a little something for my mom's birthday. I also have to do the finishing on my blog giveaway gift from back in May...you know...when my life was imploding. Sharon and Lisa, I haven't forgotten. I'm still playing catch up on my stitching obligations.

Last week was all about getting back into yoga and finding a place that was reasonable and conducive to do so. I think I found it and did 2 classes. One relaxing (too relaxing; mind was a-racing) and the other was typical Hatha. The Hatha class kicked my ass...I was sore for 2 days afterwards! Apparently, I'm a tad (ok, a lot) out of shape. But I crashed and slept and I think this will help my sleep schedule and health tremendously. I'm actually excited about working out. Now to juggle the workouts and the social schedule. I think this will take a little finesse.

This weekend was a blur of busyness. Lots of errands and chores and there are still more chores to do. How did things get so messy?! There was great stuff though like seeing old friends and meeting their baby, crabcakes benedict at SeaSalt (new to me place...so yum!), the car show (see below) and getting together with new acquaintences. But the highlight was visiting NiaH at their new location and seeing the new digs. I got a tad lost going there because I thought I knew where it was and apparently not. The street just kind of sneaks by you! The ceiling in the new place is amazing! It took a little bit of time to find where the stuff was that I was looking for especially as I was able to find things in my sleep at the old space but things got found. I was good and only got a Mira pattern (like I need another!), a cut of BOAF fabric that is becoming almost extinct and a CHS tombie pattern. Not bad.

The best part of the trip was that I got to meet up with Lisa and Brandy! Yay! It was so nice to meet Brandy and see Lisa again. We shopped and then sat around and had a little Stitch 'n Bitch. It was so much fun! Time came when we had to part ways but maybe we can do it again sometime soon. Thanks Ladies! If anyone else lives in the Bay Area and wants to meet up at NiaH, drop me an email and let me know. I love meeting stitchy bloggers!

Online dating observations of the week: the old men leave you alone once you call them out on it and put a disclaimer on your profile telling them to not email/wink you. I can spot a juggler a mile away and just can't deal with it so I'm going to mellow out on even reading these profiles since I've established there isn't anyone I want to date. One guy emailed me saying he'd like to meet. I emailed him back inviting him to the car show (because what guy doesn't like cars?!) and he didn't even acknowledge my invitation. Umm, can you say rude?! Meeting was his idea! Considering we went to the same alma mater and we were practically forced into etiquette class...I think that's bad manners. I'm starting to think being single for life may be the way to go. I already have enough drama! I went to the car show anyways...should have taken photos instead of drooling all over the awesome cars!

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Until next time...

(Is anyone else having problems loading photos into Blogger? It's taken me an hour just to load the one photo! Photo for the last post has been uploaded.)

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Glad I could make you laugh! And glad to see that you've started Simple Joys :D I managed one length on mine last night before tiredness took over and I went to bed. Hope tonight will be more productive!

I'm a pessimist too - the glass is always half-empty LOL. Fortunately, my DH is the opposite and can usually talk me out of my doom and gloom mentality ;) Glad you had a good weekend and a nice visit to NiaH! I've used Paw Printings for BOAF fabric one time and was really pleased. I think they have 28-36ct listed and I didn't have to wait too long for it to be shipped.

Anonymous said...

Sorry Valerie - that should have been Paw Prints, not Printings as in Paw Prints Cross Stitch.

Danielle said...

Simple Joys looks great! And it sounds like you have a full, rich life. Enjoy being single!

Vonna Pfeiffer said...

Simply Joys is looking simply fabulous :)

My curfew in college was 1030 p.m. I just went with it, I never cared about being cool, either people liked me or they didn't. But I understand where you are coming from. I'm 40 years old and have a family of my own, and my mother still tells me not to go out alone after dark OR to never go out on New Year's Eve because drunks are on the road. I really think they (the drunks) are out all year long, not just this one night each year :) Anyway, they (our Moms) are just telling us this stuff because they love us. And to be honest...I say the same sort of things to my kids. It's genetic. As is, I think your pessimism. But that is who you are and what makes you, YOU and I think, just from reading your blog that you are a great, wonderful, fabulous person - and I mean that. Take each day as it comes....something great is in store for you, I just know it :)

Giovanna said...

Nice new start! Yeah, houses are brainless, that's why I like stitching them so much, lol!

Katrina said...

Love your new start!!!!

I'm sort of in between, a worrier, more pessimist with flashes of optimism :-).

Carol said...

Hi Valerie--Just got back from the beach on Sunday so I'm way behind on my blog reading! I REALLY loved LisaD's advice to you--some I could use myself! I'm very middle of the road as far as being a pessimist or optimist, but my youngest son, who is positively the most positive person I know is showing me the true value of thinking positively.

I love Simple Joys and can't wait to see yours grow...And, I always love reading about your adventures :)

Margaret said...

I tend to be the negative one as well. It's hard to work against one's nature. I don't know if pessimism can rub off on someone -- good question! Love your Simple Joys -- good choice for a project!

staci said...

Love your new start! I tend to wear a lot of black...so much so that my Youngest thinks it's my favorite color, LOL! Think of your wardrobe as "streamlined" and "efficient", I mean, everything mixes and matches right??? So that makes it smart, not depressing ;)

Pumpkin said...

Don't feel bad Valerie because I live with the same thing. I have tried most of my life not to be like my parents and it has done me good. It's hard work but I'm sure you can change if you really want to :o)

Great progress on your WIP :o)

That must have been so much fun to meet up with other stitchy Bloggers! How I would love to do this some day :o)

Julie said...

Nice new start, looking forward to seeing the flowers bloom

Pessimist here too ... although my daughter who has now left home is fed up with me moaning at her... maybe all mums turn pessimist when their offspring leave home??

Its great to meet up with other stitchers.

Melanie said...

I hear my mother's voice coming out of my mouth sometimes and it stops me cold, I tell ya. But then other times I catch myself using the same gestures that my father would have used and it makes me think of him. So it can be a love/hate thing.

Laura said...

My mother and yours would get along great. I could write a book of all the crazy things she has warned me about. The best was when I had eye surgery in my early 20s and was working in NYC. She didn't want me to go back to work because she said people in the subways "are just looking to poke you in the eye." But I agree with Vonna that moms do it because they love us. I'm sure my daughter will think I'm an old fart someday, too.

I'm glad you are enjoying getting back into yoga. I definitely want to start taking classes again when I have more time.

Branlaadee said...

Hi Valerie! I had a great time at NiaH with you and Lisa too. Sorry I babbled so much. I do that when I am nervous. :) Any time you want to meet up there again, just let me know. I am always up for a trip to NiaH.

Simple Joys looks great. You've made a bit of progress since Sunday! You were just starting the bottom of the door then.

Shelleen said...

I am also a worrier and drive my kids up the wall. They are 18 and 20 now and no longer have curfews. They just need to let me know where they are. That's what cell phones are for. Love the new start.
Maybe wearing brighter colors will spice up your life a little :-) try reds and purples.

Lisa said...

I am so glad that I made it out to NiaH to stitch-n-bitch with you and Brandy. And you were even wearing the color purple...very daring :)
My curfew in high school was 10pm...if I was even allowed to go out (although my parents tell me that I never really asked to go out). I went away to college...and almost failed out, so you can imagine the party girl I turned into.
Well, take care and hope we can get together again soon.
BTW...if you do go out after 8pm and chance the fact that your car might break down, don't forget to wear clean underware because you never know...

Meari said...

You would've loved "Cruise Night" that was here July 31st. It's an organized function now and kinda like a car show with a twist -- there's also music, carnival things for the little kids, and cars cruise around the "strip". What's funny to me is that as a teenager, we used to cruise the strip (downtown) for entertainment LOL. Now the kids hang out in parking lots.

I agree with you about online dating. It's a-w-f-u-l.