So my mother has been on a mission to replace the permanent flower arrangements and so we've been to Pat Catan's several times browsing through aisles of fake flowers (there was even a trip to Michael's). But somehow on the latest trip Monday night, despite the ridiculous rain from hurricane Sandy which I didn't want to do, since well it was raining sideways and gray and murky and who wants to do errands in that kind of weather? I stumbled upon a group meeting.
Earlier in the rounds we had been making, I noticed one of the workers walking out of the back storage with a clear bag (think garbage bag size) filled with skeins of yarn, and I thought, "oh man, did she horde all that from the shelves and keep it all for herself? Damn girl." As we neared the front of the store, I notice that very same worker sitting with a few others at the few tables that were set out.
So after plucking up a bit of courage, I bumbled through a conversation, to find that they were a group that got together from 6-9 Monday nights to share and talk about projects and work on them. I was invited to join and confirmed as a true crocheter [apparently due to having several projects going on at the same time at various stages of completion - take that Kristine :P - though I still appreciate the occasional push ^_^].
Though somehow... I'm a little worried for myself... why? Well, let's just say, I'll be joining a group of much older women who like watching dancing with the stars live [I'm sorry my opinion of that show has dropped considerably in the past few years]... So does the fact that I'm kinda excited to join this group of old biddies make me one too?
So continuing on in the spirit of logging my positive points in life...
Clearly I have too few crochet projects on the table, and I need more. So I've added on an additional project (already a tenth or an eighth of the way through). What makes this seem alright? Well, the cute project is almost done. Just the tassels and knotting/tucking the stray ends in left to do which some would consider the hardest part of the project...
I am now finally a VIP member at Pat Catan's. Free membership complete. Now the only problem? All the yarn is always marked down with a red tag... which equates to no discounts. Joy. Well, at least it's tax exempt and there's the beads and wiring for the project I'm working on with the temple...
Physical exercise is a go. Yoga was Wednesday and Friday nights this week, and will be repeated the same next week. Now given that each day has been followed by a recovery day, maybe I should carry on the spirit of working out (in my own this time) to ensure there is no repetition of the slacker days. Positive thinking, motivation activating... ok, let's try that when it really counts like not 1:30am ^_^.
Tomorrow will hopefully be the first in the long series of attempts to learn Sanskrit. Now, where is that notebook I'd say I'd procure? Well, there's always computer paper :D.
As a few of you know, I've been trying this thing called Friday Night Wine Nights (FNWN for short). First 2 Fridays went along without a hiccup. The following 2 were somehow made up later the same weekend, though differing in species of poison and brand of company. But this week, by some miracle of serendipity, not only did FNWN proceed without a hitch, but a new red wine was savored (fruity, not very dry, inexpensive, and with potential for use in a variety of situations), there was vibrant company and delicious food, and I learned that wine nights need not happen in the wee hours of the night ^_^.
So maybe progress? Only time will tell ^_^.
But of course this is not yet the end. A few things to share with you, for your hearing pleasure, the songs of this post (2 cuz the last one didn't have a song ^_^):
Now many singing/music collaborators (a Capella, solo composers, DJs, showchoir, glee clubs, etc) have taken it upon themselves to combine two or more songs in a medley or mashup. And frankly, to me it's very easy to fail. Sure it's easy to find songs that come together wonderfully or follow such similar paths that joining their melodies can be found. (Though it's the ones you don't expect could be combined that amaze you ^_^). But the biggest criticism I've had is that the songs are not mixed well enough. Aside from highlighting each song, what really makes the mashup shine is when both songs are juxtaposed frequently (having lines from both songs come together several times not just once in transition). One of the best examples of a mashup I've ever heard (the full version, and if you can, pay attention to all the voices/lines sung):
The first thing that drew me about this next song? The ukulele sounding stringed instrument at the start ^_^. Well that and the name of the band, Imagine Dragons. At first it was shock since I felt they were kind of ripping off I Fight Dragons. Yet somehow the name brought this sort of rising, hopeful feeling inside, something fantastical (ok, not a word, but the one that came to mind ^_^), and it meshed with the song, making it grow into this happiness monster. But by all means, let me not get carried away, for it is indeed time to begin listening to the song:
I hope you enjoyed this slightly longer than usual Little Scratch ^_^. Goodnight and sweet dreams [of pineapples].
I figured that maybe if I document progress, I'll stick to progress, and not regress back to where I was before.
I've gotten back to crocheting, a big project, a challenging project, and a cute project are all on the work table. And add to that, I can get a VIP card from Pat Catan's for free before Oct 25th, and I'll get more discounts on yarn, and I might even tackle a 2 yr old project that never seems to get finished.
I'm going to learn Sanskrit, plans include learning from my brother with the side positives: I'll be able to use that to see him more often, I'd get out of the house on the weekends, and we'll be able to share his textbook. And on top of that, it's practice for him, since he's taking the course as we speak. Now just to pick a dedicated notebook...
Today, I volunteered at the temple, decorating the tent/carrier thing used for tonight's Navrathri puja. And I have been given the chance to make a more lasting decoration that can be reused year after year. Community/volunteering/spiritual work that'll be good for the mind and soul ^_^.
I helped out by tutoring a bad mouthing, back talking (or so I was told) nine year old who I actually didn't think was much worse than the usual distracted, curious nine year old. And not only did I manage to help him finish his homework, but I also apparently managed to get him to act more civilized/respectful than he's ever been.
(I'm getting vibes of déjà vu... is this my grade school journal again? ^_^)
All in all, it's been a good few days. I've gotten out of the house (even if it's just to get a bit more yarn), and I feel like I'm doing something proactive. So after all that, why do I just want to curl up into a ball and stay there listening to my "Blah" playlist?
Well... maybe I do know why. But that's for me to brood about and you to puzzle over.
There are many kinds of hurt. There's the physical kind - the boo-boos, the cuts and scraps, the accidents, the cancerous, the inflicted - those that register as bodily damage. There is another category, the emotional.
To quantify these, well, you'd have to be an expert. Or, you could experience them all. And somehow as time goes, I seem to be racking up quite a repertoire.
There is a serious and fatal mental condition affecting the population of the globe, both young and old - the onset unpredictable. It is a serious disease, causing loss of memory, oblivion to the surrounding environment, and even sudden loss of coherence mid-thought.
And so when you find yourself with these symptoms, it's time to get serious.