Seven Miles!

...Accidentally!!

Last weekend I was lucky and it was a "rest" week for the runners that are on-track for their race training. This week I thought I was lucky that the first water stop was 3.25 miles in -- so I could run for the water, and turn tail and get back to the car.

I was happy to discover, once I reached the water stop, that it was actually closer to 3.7 miles in!

Hooray!

So, today's NEW is running 7 miles -- something I've never done before.

I also ran in the rain... which although it's not my preferred weather was not so bad.

Next week everyone runs 12 miles -- including me. I thought it was smart (and necessary) for me to try the distance before the race so I knew what I was getting into and could set some reasonable expectations.

Oh, and have 2 weeks to recover -- and re-attach my legs if necessary. :)

Giving Is Awesome!

I just had the most fun ever shopping for the "Stamp Out Hunger" Postal Service food drive.

A few weeks ago the Boy Scouts were doing something similar, but I totally spaced it. So, maybe my enjoyment was due in part to my getting to squelch the guilt of missing out on that opportunity.

In any case, instead of pawing through my (not very stocked) cupboards -- I hit the local grocery store to buy all kinds of wonderfulness. I couldn't help but be reminded of the South Park Episode where Kenny wins a can of creamed corn to feed his family. I also vaguely remember elementary school food drives where we seemed to always donate the stuff we didn't want to eat ourselves. (Canned green beans were one of my favorite things to inflict on the needy.)

So in my bag: enriched penne and rotini, Kraft Mac 'n' Cheese, pineapple tidbits, tuna, garbonzo beans... and some more things I have forgotten.

Here's hoping I don't forget to put it out tomorrow!!

One Mile!

Okay, so today's NEW was a one-mile race.

Some people may know that my experience with one-mile races is both short and traumatic. When I was younger, perhaps 10 or 12, I participated in a St. Patrick's Day Fun Run on Summit Avenue.

I came in dead last.

I like to blame this experience for my hatred of running... but I think I'd just be looking for a scapegoat.

In any case, I and a gaggle of friends decided to try our hand (feet?) at the TC Marathon 1-mile. We got a tech shirt and 1,000 finishers will be drawn at random and given the opportunity to participate in the 10-mile race associated with the Twin Cities Marathon in the fall. The weather was a bit gross... damp, a little sprinkly, and cool.

(At this point you say to yourself... wait. It's cold and wet, I had to drive and park in Downtown Minneapolis, and I'm running this just so I might be able to run 10 more miles in the fall? WTH?)

Aside from a little chilliness, the experience was pretty awesome! We all finished within about a minute of each other. One of my friends finished under 10-minutes, which is awesome for her, and I finished in 10:34! Afterward we stopped at the car for more layers, and then watched the "real" runners. Who were incredible.

The lead male runner finished in under 4:00, the lead woman at 4:30.

I'm not saying they made it look effortless, but it certainly looked like they were working a lot less hard for their 4-minute mile than I was for my 10.5.

Just saying.

Then we celebrated with delicious food at The Local, and I had the most delicious cheesecake of my recent memory.

A faboo day.

Mmmm... Pasta.

My family isn't great at holidays. I mean, the major ones (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, for example) are set -- but the smaller ones (Birthdays, Mother's Day, etc.) are a little more fluid. If we can gather to celebrate these events in the same moth in which they occur, we are doing really well.

Anyway, we celebrated Mother's Day on Tuesday -- a two-day delay being nearly unheard of!

We celebrated at the Olive Garden, a much-anticipated meal because I was hoping to partake in the pear gorgonzola pasta I'd seen advertised on the telly a few months ago. Of course, it was no longer on the menu. However, the Olive Garden doesn't disappoint! Their new Four Cheese Pastachettis (with italian sausage or chicken) are delicious. And because I enjoyed so many breadsticks, I was able to take the leftovers for lunch for two days! A great value.

Topping it off with a mini-dessert (Limoncello) was darn near perfect. I know that the whole "dessert shot" thing was hot a while ago, but the more often I'm given the option to NOT get a full slice of pie, or cake, or what have you... the more I realize that I only really require a couple bites of dessert. Give me a whole serving and I will eat it -- but I will be just as satisfied with less.

A lesson I think a lot of us could benefit from in all kinds of situations!

The runner's high...

...fades so quickly.

...and all you're left is the memory of the run...and the aching, aching muscles.

As you cozy up to various ice packs and frozen vegetables, unable to traverse the simplest of obstacles: be they stairs, or chairs, or putting your pants on...

...and you wonder, "is it worth it?"

...I'm not sure. But I am afeared about what tomorrow will bring.

:)

Going the Distance

Today's NEW... Running 6 miles.

I know, right?

According to the established half-marathon training schedule, it's a "rest week" and the run is 6 miles. According to MY awesome training place -- I'm just finally reaching 6 miles. So, it allowed me to partake in a group run with a good friend. We totally got lost, but we also got to run by a very scenic cemetery and check out some buff guy turkeys trying to mack on a girl turkey.

And the weather was perfect.

IKEA Superstar!!!

Today I was in the same room as IKEA North America President, Mike Ward.

He talked to us for over an hour!

It was AWESOME!

Strangely, he kind of reminded me of a subdued Henry Rollins.

Yeah, I'm gonna sleep on that.

Gambling.

...or rather, I shouldn't explore gambling.

We had a team dinner tonight at Dave & Buster's, along with alcohol (which I didn't partake in) and pre-loaded game cards!!

Apparently it was also half-priced gaming night or something, so I would have lost my arm playing all that Whack-a-Mole.

So, I decided to try one of those games where you drop coins to try to make other coins fall off the cliff which in turn gives you tickets. Not usually my gig -- I'm more likely to blow all my bucks playing Time Crisis or something.

Anyway... Strangely addicting.

So Many New Faces!

Today's NEW has to be meeting (most of) the people who do my same job at the IKEA stores across the country. I can probably say I've got 6-8 names down solid... but there are almost 40 overall (plus trying to remember which store they work in.)

Thankfully(?) we have another 13-hour day of training ahead of us today!

Know what another NEW is that I particularly like about a new place? New places. Grocery stores like Rite Aid and Giant. Restaurants like Friendly's. "Competitors" like Bob's Discount Furniture and Sleepy's - The Mattress Professionals.

And what the heck is a Wawa?!

Obviously I don't have any time to actually see them at all, but I've driven by!

Ugh. Directions.

I pride myself on a fairly innate sense of direction, as well as a fairly honed skill at reading maps.

This morning was not a shining moment for me.

Thankfully, I always try to be early. Because of that, I was still able to be precisely on time. And the last to arrive.

*sigh*

I was also surprised to discover that though it was my first day on the job, there was another woman who was experiencing her first day of IKEA as well! I was uber impressed with her ability to speak about IKEA product and concept during the mock interviews we went through. Big kudos! Talk about NEW!

I did try to maintain a little of my old routines here... Today on the way back to the hotel I picked up groceries to make my lunches for the rest of the week. A little structure in an otherwise whirlwind of a week! I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings.

Unstructured Awesomeness!

I never did pick a theme, and here it is the first of the month.

So... I celebration of today being my FIRST day of my NEW job, and I'm currently in a NEW city ready to start all kinds of NEW learnings in training this week... I guess it will be a month all about new.

So, let's see what's new today...

MSP airport now has US Bank ATMs, instead of Wells Fargo... It also sports a Surdyk's Wine Bar.

I happened to fly with a nice gentleman who is ALSO starting a new job tomorrow, and will be commuting from AZ to DC to do it. (Crazy.) However, I think I did convince him to look at IKEA when he and his wife consider redoing their kitchen.

Though rental car upgrades can be awesome, having to spend 5 minutes trying to figure out how to move the seat forward so you can reach the pedals is a little embarrassing. It would be nice if they would keep the car manual in the glove box.

Driving in the dark can be exciting, but I would prefer to drive in new places in the light.

...I anticipate all kinds of new tomorrow!!

It's a Pancake!

Made of eggs and oats!

I know, weird right?

But delicious!!

I was given this recipe by my fab friend Kristin, who found it online here.

I haven't tried it with the banana or pumpkin, but Kristin prepares it that way all the time and says it's yummy. I'm just glad to have found another use for the applesauce I love to make!

It's really impressive... You know it's just oats and egg whites... but it becomes a pancake! It's like magic! Delicious, delicious magic. Plus it's hearty and keeps the hunger at bay for a good while.

Highly recommended!

OMG, it's nearly May!

And I have no idea what to choose!  I feel like it should be running-related, since I have a mere 6 weeks until my half-marathon debut... but BO-ring.  Maybe another UFO month would be helpful.  (I have this very sad story about how I folded up and priced a TON of my many fabrics to donate for the annual Textiles Center garage sale, only to discover that I hadn't written down the donation date, but the date of the actual SALE.  Needless to say, I still have all of that fabric. *sigh*)

I've been in kind of a cross-stitching mood lately, so I've made some headway on a piece (for me!) that I think I would like to enter into the State Fair this year!  So then I would have a plan 'b' when my photo is inevitably rejected from the art building.  Plus it would be done!

There are also suddenly many people in my life expecting children, so there are a ton of creative options there... but maybe a bit closer to the due dates.

So many options!

5 more miles.

..I was hoping to do six today, but I think 5 was a good choice. (by the last mile and a half I was definitely feeling specific muscles in my legs. It was not cool.)

What a gorgeous day! If weather like this would stick around, I don't think I would have any problems getting my runs in. I took a route along Summit avenue again today. Started at the Cathedral, and then ran by a TON of churches along the way. Got to see a bunch of people in their Easter Best, which was really fun.

Tonight I'll be attending my first "Hoopla" at Lake Harriet. I made my very own Hula Hoop last night, and I look forward to being able to keep it off the ground for more than 5 seconds at a time. :)

Hoop It Up!

So tonight I made a hula hoop!

Apparently, the hoop arts are making a pretty strong comeback. In addition, it would seem that going out and buying a hoop from your local store is NOT recommended if you're a grown-up. Bigger folk require bigger hoops! It makes sense, right?

Finding the "correct" irrigation tubing was a bit of a challenge... I went to two Menard's and a Lowe's... and actually I went to one of the Menard's twice... However, the actual making of the hoop was not too hard! I followed he tutorial here.

My only regret is that I didn't have a bunch of cool tapes to decorate with.

But it's just my first hoop! I plan on making one for my mom, and a weighted "fitness" hoop which somehow involves water... I think it will be fun!

Summit! Summit!

So I work for this fine children's theatre. Occasionally, for about a week and a half at a stretch, I am at tech rehearsals nightly. This is often my opportunity to complain about losing sleep and having to sit in the dark (on the internet) for hours at a time.

No more.

Tonight was my inaugural Tech Run... I show up an hour early in my running gear, suit up and run along Summit Avenue. It's a mere block away, and conveniently has stop lights every half-mile.

Tonight I was taking it easy, since it's only my second run since I've been recuperated from my injury... I was only going to go two miles -- but I hit mile 1 and thought, "hey, I can totally see the next light! I can get there!" So just like that, I got another half mile on my out -- leaving me with a full 3 mile run today.

This is very good, because as I might have mentioned -- I am less than 2 months away from my first half-marathon... and an extra half mile of effort will not get me 13.1 miles.

It was an enjoyable run full of people and dogs and I can't wait for the next one!

W.T.H.

That is all.

Winter returns with a Vengeance

Okay, so I haven"t been biking. First, the weather has been uber-gross. Second, I've had a lot going on! A couple of production meetings, plus prepping for the biggest job interviews of my life (thus far) and to cap it off -- Trivia!

AND it snowed last night.

Snow.

Gross.

But fear not... It's just a mid-month slip. One day the sun will return, and I will ride my lovely again.

Speaking of which, I need to come up for a name for my glorious steed.

Nice Weather Brings Everyone Out

Short post today, mainly to share that on my short outdoor jaunt today I saw a man walking his monkey around Como Lake.

And not a teeny, cute monkey like in Raiders of the Lost Ark... This one was e size of a toddler.

Also, it didn't really want to walk, so he was carrying it a lot.

A monkey.

Nice weather is a powerful thing.

Hills.

Wow. Arlington hill is way fun to go down.

Not at all fun to come back up.

Also, is there EVER a time when it's not ridiculously busy at the Rice Street post office? I mean, seriously. The line was out BOTH sets of doors. It sucks to wait in line for mail that you don't even want.

But the weather is lovely, and I'm wearing my KEEN sandals and one of my summer dresses!

I hear rumors of snow on Friday, but I will close my ears to them.

Off to the market...

...or the grocery store, I guess.

Wheeled over to the local foodstuff emporium to get some supplies for this week's lunch selection. (Taco salad... featuring my favorite: Pinko de Gallo, and soy crumbles! Nom.)

...as a side note, El Paso low-sodium taco seasoning has MSG. I went with Ortega.

Today was pretty flippin' gorgeous. Partly cloudy, a little breeze but no real wind. The hard-working road crews were nice enough to patch up the block north of my house so the beginning and end of my ride was SO much more pleasant.

My butt is still a little sore... guess I have to build up callouses or something. I'm still figuring out how my bike works... 2 times out of 10 I'll downshift when I mean to upshift. At least I remembered my review mirror this time -- I get wicked paranoid about traffic when I can't see behind me!

Here's hoping that the rest of the month's weather follows this example!

A pleasure to meet you, Gordman's...

A few weeks ago I was tooling around Woodbury and saw some new signage going up -- "Gordman's."

I remembered seeing a Gordman's in Cedar Rapids last fall when I was down for Homecoming, but didn't know much else beyond that. As far as I can tell it's kind of like a Marshall's or TJ Maxx... Discounted apparel, home goods, some foods... I was impressed by their selection of wall art, for sure. I also picked up an adorable bag I didn't need and some adorable earrings that I probably did. (I don't show much variety in my ear jewelry selections, so any additions are probably welcome.)

In addition, I saw a variety of U of MN apparel items featuring Hello Kitty.

I'm not sure how that would have come to be.

Nor do I understand why.

I love you, Ax-Man.

What's that? Could it be a LIFE-SIZE JESUS BOBBLE-HEAD??

Yes. Yes it is.

(And yes, I pushed on his head to see if it would wiggle.)

Today I hit the local awesome surplus store, Ax-Man. I was in search of bamboo, fake fish, and a steering wheel. I didn't walk out with any of those things (though the first thing I saw walking in was bamboo. Huge bamboo. But too short for what I needed.) I did get some adhesive-backed foam strips and a roll of masking tape.

I nearly walked out with a couple Japanese notepads, featuring "Happy Burger." They had an adorable engrish phrase on the front, which I have since forgotten... but I was able to resist.

As a props person, I can't believe how invaluable a resource Ax-Man is. I mean sure -- sometimes it's a complete strikeout for what you're actually looking for. But other times it has just what you need, and sometimes things you didn't even know you needed!

The Carrot, or the Stick

What absolutely fabulous weather today!! I was totally decked out with my properly padded bike shorts, neon rainbow argyle knee-highs, and my polar/panda bear woot shirt. A rainbow of fun!

So today I gave myself a choice... 6 miles on the treadmill at the gym (which at the speed I've been able to do meant about 3 HOURS) OR a fabulous bike ride to Best Buy!

Obviously, it was all about Best Buy.

Some learnings... My water bottle is too tall to fit in my bottle cage. (Those of you who know me best will know what a hardship it is for me to have to buy another water bottle.) Also, the paint job on my rack is not going to survive. I'm sad about that, but at least I have pictures.

PLUS it sounds like there won't be rain tomorrow! Oh, where will my bike take me?

We shall see...

That's what I'm talking about!

Sunshine, almost 60, puffy white clouds...

(My outside light actually works! It usually stops functioning around Halloween... Sad news for the Trick-or-Treaters.)

I picked up some padded short liners the other day... Apparently these miraculous items will turn regular clothing into fantabulously comfortable biking clothes.

Will they work? This is yet to be determined... But if the weather stays this way, I will have plenty of opportunity!!!

Great Finds!

Today is $1.49 tag day at Goodwill, and being a props person on a budget I try not to miss it.

Today was a mediocre day for the show, but a good day for me! I scored a $2 book, a pair of work jeans for $1.49 and the most fantastic handmade dress which will make its public debut this Saturday with some adjustments.

It might have been a little ambitious to ride my bike to Goodwill... but I dressed a little better and the wind was much less harsh. I'm still hoping that the rumors of 60 degrees on Thursday are true! I need a little more heat to be comfortable riding, I think.

What? No kick stand?

Did you know that bikes don't come with kick stands?
I didn't know that bikes don't come with kick stands.
I can only assume that is because if you're buying an awesome speedy steed, as I did, you would never stop riding and then never need to prop it up.
That, or most people don't have cats who like to knock it over.
(And perhaps most people don't store their bikes in their dining room.)

Anyway, I had this issue. And let's face it -- I may feel comfortable painting a bike rack a wild color, but I was going to have to do some major research on what kick stand is appropriate for my bike.

OR... I could find another solution entirely!

I don't even remember what it's called! But it folds up, and can fit in your pocket! And then it gets all unfoldy and fits over your pedal stem. This was designed for very specific models (not mine) but it works reasonably well!

Day Three!

W00T! Check out the super-sweet custom rack! In all honesty, it was a bit too cold to spray paint yesterday. It took very long to dry. In fact, I was a concerned it never would. I also could have really given it another coat, but I was too impatient -- and who's really going to look closely, anyway?

Went for a ride this morning... it was mostly cloudy, about 46 degrees, and the wind was blowing at about 20 mph. The wind was kind of a bummer. Other learnings included: if you're going to the library, make sure to remember it's Sunday and it's not open until noon. Also, if this is your first longer ride after a winter of sitting on cushy chairs and couches, maybe you should wear some actual padded bike shorts.

Aside from those bumps in the road (and the literal bumps, too. Can't wait for the street sweepers to clear off all the sketchy sand on the roadsides) it was a good start to the month o' riding. Rain is on the way for today and tomorrow, but Tuesday is looking good for another trek!

Biking, Day Two!

It's supposed to get to 50 today, and I'm hoping that's warm enough for a short ride.  The thing about biking is that you're going so awesomely fast that you create your own wind chill -- so I hope April decided to stay average at the least and preferably unseasonably warm.
...Not that I am at all in a rush to get to the hot, humid days of summer.  I am a big fan of spring and hope it sticks around for a while!

--

My plan for a long ride was foiled by the temporary misplacement of my wallet. Instead of zipping along wet, pot-hole strewn avenues, I was driving frantically around Roseville trying to find my wallet. It is found. I ended up taking a short hop over to my parents' house to acquire my old bike rack, and will hopefully get it painted and installed before the weekend is through!

30 Days of Biking!

No riding today! It was too cold and a bit damp. So instead I decided I should check my tire pressure in preparation for (hopefully) a ride tomorrow! In my infinite wisdom, I did remember that I would need to buy a special bike pump for my tires. However, I coudn't for the life of me remember how to use it. There were no instructions. It didn't even occur to me to check the handbook for my bike to confirm that I was trying the right type of valve! *sigh* For a while I had a front tire with NO air pressure at all. Thankfully, I still had the pump on loan from last year (thanks, sis!) so I got everything squared away. I'm hoping that tomorrow I can go out for a short spin and maybe get some paint on my bike rack!

(Also, as promised -- a picture of my new ride! It's awesome!)

Unsure...

Just... not... sure. I mean, they are delicious. But really? I mean, I still think it's wrong to have Peeps any time other than Easter -- so I can't really support other candy horning in on the Easter action...

...but then again, I love Starburst jelly beans.

Okay, you did it!

The Current finally sold me on someone.

In my defense, I'd been thinking that I would enjoy Jeremy Messersmith for a whie now. However, the only time I would ever seem to think of it would be while I was at Best Buy -- and Best Buy does not carry Jeremy Messersmith albums.

Anyway, I was cruising along, minding my own business when... WHAM. It's on, and I love it. I don't even know what song it is so I fly to get some internets and thank heaven that the Current posts their playlist online.

So it's not there... but I figure it's just over, so there must be some kind of delay.

So I hit refresh.

Still nothing.

Now I'm feeling a bit like when I'm getting my oil changed, or some other time when I have internet access but not a lot to keep me occupied and I keep hitting refresh on Facebook and wondering why no one else is posting on Friday/Saturday night. (Why not, indeed?)

Frustration is mounting, so I Google what little I can remember from the lyrics.

FOUND!

Except... apparently this song is only available on a special album. For free. At "local CD stores."

...So the long of it is that I still don't have that song.

But the short of it is that I now have all 3 of Jeremy's albums... and the Current to thank for it.

30-Day Win!

Totally Blowing the Whistle on This One...

I was so positive that when I looked for this on Google I would find it. Some expose about awkward IKEA toys. Something featuring the likes of the Nipple Cat (taken off the shelves and gone without a trace!)

Guess it's just me on this one.

Picture an adorable garden playset. Felt, cutouts... greenhouse, trees, carrots. It folds up into a cute little house shape with an adorable rainbow carrying strap... Idyllic. Then picture the pooping bunny. And this bunny is serious about his contribution to the gardening "circle of life." Maybe he's allergic to carrots?

Anyway... the playset is still adorable. Check out the bucket -- full of rabbit pellets that the gardener will use to fertilize the carrots, which the rabbit will then eat. A great teaching opportunity -- but avoid discussing the bunny.

I *heart* Accessories!

(Oooo... looks like a sneak preview post for April: 30 Days of Biking returns!)

Today I received my super-awesome bike bell! I didn't think that it would be such a challenge to pick a bike bell... and let's be honest -- for most people it probably wouldn't be. However, once I knew there were choices available I couldn't settle for one until I'd really researched my options.

Besides, I want something that coordinates. This is the same reason why I will take my standard black-finished rack and paint it yellow. Who ever heard of a yellow bike rack? You all will see one, soon!

I'm not convinced that I will be riding my bike on April first -- I'm wanting a little more pavement and a little less snow. Also, I'd like to give road crews some more time to fill some of the more cavernous pot holes. But I will do something!

Making Lemonade Out of Lemons

Last Saturday I had the second in my series of Team Ortho races: The Get Lucky 7k.

One of the cool things about Team Ortho Races is that they give you awesome swag. For example, this time we had a faboo full-zip hoodie. After the race you get goodies (this time in a paper sack) which usually include a small Salted Nut Roll. Nom. This time around, I got LOW SODIUM CHIPS! (I know, right? What do you need low sodium for? In fact, you should have sodium! Post-race replenishment!)

(Also, some of the people got ripple Dill chips and I was super jealous about that.)

Of course, the chips are sitting out on my counter... calling to me... 300 calories of low-sodium nonsense... So what do you do?

DIP THEM IN CHOCOLATE!!!

So that's what I did. They were delicious.

Mid-Month Check-in

Okay, so I'm still kind of on the fence about the whole Current experience so far.

On the plus side, I can tolerate it better now. By tolerate, I mean I have fewer impulses to switch to something else.

Anything else.

I am gaining some familiarity with songs... and I'm sad to admit that the next time I heard "Socialite Death Squad" I not only didn't scream (as I had previously threatened) but was excited to hear it because I knew it.

Now, on St. Patrick's day the Current had a GREAT run, as far as I'm concerned, with Cake, U2, The Decemberists, and Thin Lizzy. But I am still missing that something something that makes me want to jump in my car and run to my local CD store to buy an album.

I'm still waiting.

Look what I MADE!!!

Another UFO done!

I wanted to get one of my very own photographs professionally framed and hung in my house. And here it is.

This photo of the Bryant Lake Bowl in Minneapolis is one of my favorites I've every taken. I was a little disappointed, because I got the enlargement from an online source and they had specific dimensions available -- so it got cropped a little from the original.

However, I think it looks sharp. I think I might enter it in the fair this year!

You can crush my finger...

...but you will never crush my spirit!!

I really whaled on my finger today. The picture doesn't really do it justice. I mean, the colors --- eggplant, teal, some green and yellow... pink... it's really something to behold.

Don't worry... it's not broken. At least, I don't think it is. What? Doctor, shmoctor!

Egg-In-Hole, but better!

Though I don't think I've ever had them, I have seen recipes for the traditional egg-in-hole (an egg fried in a bread "ring.") I found this recipe for "Bell Pepper Egg-In-Hole" and thought it sounded great. Plus, after a few months of oatmeal for breakfast I was looking for a change and something a little more "Springy."

I'm struggling a little with getting the whites done, but also having the yolk be a little runny. (I love yolk and toast!) However, I think I've given up and decided that peanut butter is just fine. It's really yummy and looks so cute in the pan!

(Too bad you have to flip it over.)

Also, my juice is super happy, too!

Getting Geared Up!

Session One of 30 Days of Biking starts April first!!

I just signed up, I'm totally psyched!

(Appropriately, I bought cycling socks at REI tonight...they have pirate cats on them.)

I am still equipped thanks to the generosity of my sister, but I am hopeful that I will have my own set of wheels n the coming weeks.

Hooray for spring!!!

Pizza Time!

I love pizza. I was going to make some adorable food, but realized I had some pizza dough that had been chilling in the freezer for a long time.

This pizza features veggie sausage (also from the freezer) mushrooms, onions, and "leftover" bell pepper (from my awesome breakfasts -- to be detailed later.)

Feeling Better!

Today has been a good day of listening to The Current. I have been mostly pleased all day!

I'm pretty excited about tomorrow's "The Current Presents." It's all covers (titled, appropriately, "Under the Covers") and PLUS it is " including a Doobie Brothers cover recorded entirely on toy instruments."

Sounds right up my alley... except it starts at 9pm.

Know what I'm doing at 9pm on Sunday night?

Sleeping. Or at least in bed.

(Especially the Sunday after "Spring Forward!")

We shall see if I make it... or if I find some way to tape it.

...I think I have a tape player.

Mid-Week Check-In

So I'm feeling a bit better about the Current so far this week.

First, they started off my Monday with "Monday, Monday" by the Mamas & Papas. I can dig it.

Otherwise, I am digging the new REM single (though they are playing it pretty frequently... I may tire of it soon.)

Other songs I have enjoyed thus far:

• The Dandy Warhols, "All the Money"

• Old 97's, "Rollerskate Skinny"

• The Twilight Hours, "Queen of Tomorrow"

...incidentally, I have not heard "Socialite Death Squad" since I threatened the screaming.

A Real February Follow-Up

I finally got around to reconciling my computer register with my February bank statement.  I only missed 18 out of a total of 42 transactions... Which sounds abysmal at 33%.  However, 8 of those transactions were online bill pay, which doesn't automatically generate a paper receipt.  SO I just need to figure out some kind of process to keep track of that.

Taking that into account, my missing receipt rate drops to around 15% and I think that's pretty darn good.

I'm trying again in March!

Cute Food!

Cute food is kind of a sort of craft, right? In any case, at BORDERS the other day I picked up Cute Yummy Time, a bento recipe book. I have oh so much bento things squirreled away, and I've kind of been lax in my "adorable lunch" making. So, one of the recipes sounded way yummy, and the tiger looked adorable too... so I was on board!

Everything went pretty well! The cooking, and the converting of brown rice into sushi rice... then it came to the decorating of the tiger. Now, in the author's recipe the whole thing is put into a single dish -- therefore you only have to make one (relatively large) tiger. In MY plan, I had to make five (small) tigers.

I gave up after the first one.

And after a not particularly well-executed one at that. I needed darker greens, and apparently a set of tweezers to place the decorations, and the rice was really sticky and making his little paws was hard...

...I hope it's delicious.

But fear not! I will not be discouraged! Next week I'm going to try Panda Tofu Soba Noodles!

I may have made a mistake.

I find that 50-60% of the time I'm listening to the Current, I want to change the station.

Maybe it's time to face up to the fact that I am NOT hip?

(And seriously, if I have to hear "Socialite Death Squad" one more time I'm going to scream. I don't know why I thought the Current would be less likely to overplay a song. And I guess if I liked it I would't be complaining... but still.)

I did enjoy a little throwback Dee-lite the other day, and some Jayhawks. The Current is not all bad. I'll stick it out!

Banana LOAF!

Finally! I have made a banana bread product in a loaf shape. (Thanks to a dear friend's noble sacrifice. She has doomed herself to a loaf-free existence... for me! *sniff*)

It's really tasty! I was going to bring it in to work, because I didn't think I could trust myself to have it in the house... but I think it will be okay!

Cake...not just a great dessert!

Heard a nice interview with the frontman of Cake today. They've got a new album out and I caught the new single on the Current tonight. What I did learn, which I haven't noticed in the years I've been a fan, is the prevalence of the 'vibraslap' in their music.

I've been a fan of the vibraslap since we were introduced in elementary music class.

So now I want to re-listen to all my Cake albums and pick it out!

Now for my confession... I heard said interview while cheating on my30-day pledge of listening to The Current.

I heard the interview on NPR.

But see... Good this can come from broken promises. :)

(PS - the Monkees, minus Mike Nesbitt, will be in concert at the MN Zoo on Fourth of July weekend! I was excited until I saw the $75 price tag. Perhaps I should just pull out my 'Best of the Monkees' CD and be content with that.)

Really? With the Chipmunks?

I couldn't listen to confirm, but it looks as though the chipmunk Motown song was Ike and Tina Turner singing "Betcha Can't Kiss Me Just One Time."

Interesting.

I have also heard The Idle Hands sing "Socialist Death Club" far too many times, and I've only been on this kick for 3 days. I think what bugs me the most is that the intro to the song sounds familiar, and I think it's a song I like -- but then it isn't.

I am really glad that the Current updates its playlist all day long, and I can go back and look at days past too. Then I can make note of a time and not have to worry about catching the chorus to Google later on. (And remember the lyrics.)

More Photos!

I finally acquired a picture ledge from IKEA, and now the no-man's land above my TV is full of photos! Hooray! I also FINALLY got a frame for the 5x7 cat prints I bought after Christmas. Finally my pictures are getting off hard-drives and out of boxes, and onto shelves and walls where I can appreciate them!

All I have left to square away is the BIG print I bought. One of these days I'll take it out to get it framed. It's just a bit more effort and planning!

March 1

I decided that one of my goals/efforts of the month was going to be to not rely on NPR News for my entertainment, but instead to switch to The Current.  There was a time (back when I was in college radio) that I had a handle on what was hip and happening in new music.  I feel like more recently I've been relying on bands and music that I already know.  So... The Current is my new driving companion!

Today's Observations:
This morning I heard a song with a Motown vibe that I swear had backup vocals by Alvin and the Chipmunks.  Then this afternoon I heard a cover of Kenny Rogers' "Islands in the Stream."  Really, did that need to be covered?  (Here is where I confess that for most of my youth, I thought the lyrics were "Highland's Industry... That is what we are...")  Regardless... unnecessary.

I hope tomorrow's discoveries are better.

Belated, but delicious.

All aboard the Java Train!

My friend and I stopped for brunch the other day... what you see pictured is Java Train’s special cornmeal waffles topped with a wild rice, cranberry, pecan and cinnamon-apple compote.

So. Yum.

And there was seriously a lot of wild rice on there!

(Okay, the wild rice was kind of a weird texture to have in this dish. But it was still tasty!)

I really had a great post idea...

Seriously.

Now I don't remember what it was.

As for the month in review, I think it went pretty well. I still have one more shopping trip planned with coupons, and will diligently enter my info once I get my bank statement. (I guess then I will see how well I did entering my receipts.)

I'm not convinced that these are behaviors I will stick to 100% of the time, but perhaps I will be more mindful going forward.

Now, the question of March... It is, legitimately, National Craft Month. I think I can get behind that. It is also National Nutrition Month. I did check out the new NEW food pyramid and their eating recommendations -- but that just seems like a lot of work, honestly. And seriously, I know I shouldn't be baking and eating treats all the time. I am a smart girl. (Or so I've been told.). I also have my next race of the series -- a 7k in celebration of all things lucky.

Then I look ahead to the half marathon.

And that really scares the pants off me.

Taxes! Done! W00t!

I just barely made it in my February timeframe, but the papers and receipts and the numbers are over and done with for another year!

Awesome.

This leads me to think... Oh no -- that means March is nearly here.

What will March be?!

Delicious Cheesecake Noms.

I have tried making cheesecake before... (Maple Cheesecake with Baked Pears) It was lovely, and delicious, but these cheesecakes were SO GOOD. Thanks again, Everyday Food. The recipe called for ginger cookies, but I already had Nilla wafers (and can't follow a recipe to save my life) so I used those. My crust pressing could definitely use some work, and I promise to do better next time. The filling was almond-flavored and tasty! "Unfortunately" the recipe only makes 10 cakes, and I had some filling left over -- so I had to eat it. Off the spatula. My life is hard.

They went over great, and I even got to eat one of the final product! I will be making these again.

Falling off the wagon...

I've just been eating a lot of crap lately.

And no one to blame... just because there are treats at work doesn't mean I need to eat them.

I've also not gone running for a week -- and I can't blame it all on Sunday's "snow event," either. (Though shoveling 15" of snow is a workout in itself, for sure.)

To compound it all, what did I do this afternoon after work?

I baked cheesecakes.

Seriously, I am off the wagon and being dragged behind by the reins.

...

I don't want to point fingers, but I do suspect its due to an unusual amount of turmoil in my life right now. I need to reign in the snacking and what-not and get some more structure in my schedule. I will do these things.

(Though I confess I've been thinking I can wait until March 1st -- or at least February 28th, since it's a Monday.)

:)

Warehouse Club Shopping

So I had a very inexpensive food week last week, eating out of the freezer. In contrast, I think I spent $100 on groceries this week. In my defense, I was reacting to not only a bare fridge, but also a bare freezer. Also, it felt like everything I put in my cart at the ol' Sam's Club cost $6. $6 worth of bread loaves, $6 worth of string cheese, $6 worth of Laughing Cow cheese wheels... Plus an enormous bottle of ibuprofen and multivitamins. I was thinking about buying the beef I needed for this week's lunches... but even though I knew I'd be getting almost 4x as much beef for the same price -- I just couldn't bring myself to buy that much extra. I know I can freeze it, but I just don't eat that much meat -- It would be like it was looking over my shoulder all the time, demanding to be used.

Too much pressure.

I failed in my coupon efforts as well. I shopped Saturday because today we were supposed to be buried in snow all day long. I didn't wait for the weekly ads for sales or anything. So I only managed to save $4 at the grocery store.

...and I still haven't started my taxes yet.

The month is drawing to a close! It's time for that last-ditch effort (and to start racking my brains about what next month will be!)

Here comes the spring...

...doo do doo dooo...

I ran outside in the sun and almost 40-degree temperatures today.

It was invigorating.

I did see some folks in shorts. I do not support that.

Not yet.

It's been a week...

...and it's not like I haven't been spending, but I've been holding down the fort at home a bit, so it's not been very exciting.

My weekly shopping trip last week was small, because I decided to use another cost-saving measure called: Let's eat out of the freezer!

This is a good thing to do on occasion, because I love buying frozen veggies, and saving lunch servings, and buying Lean Cuisines... but sometimes I forget about them, and unfortunately they don't last forever!

So this week was Lean Cuisines, supplemented with frozen veggies, and then some homemade soup I'd been meaning to thaw.

Inexpensive and delicious!

A Spending Question...

...Can I feel good about spending $100, when I "saved" $200?

I mean, $100 is no small spending feat.  I went out yesterday to buy an outfit for an opening-night event next weekend.  I did find what I was looking for, and got everything I needed (and more) for less than $40.  I can live with that, because all I have to do is look and see that the original price of the dress was $60... Suddenly all that other stuff I got was almost "free!"

It's all about shopping the sales, I know.  I love clearance racks, and honestly have to be in a pretty serious situation to buy something at full price.

Partially I think this is because I work in retail and I have an idea about how markup works.  When it gets to be super-sale time, and a store is offering everything it owns for 50% off or more -- I know that it's still making enough in profit to keep their doors open.  And if that's the case, how can I ever pay full price?  The markup must be ridiculous!

So, yesterday.  $100 in purchases, $200 in savings.  I never would have spent $300 in the first place, but there was definitely a part of me that feels better about what I did spend.

It's a retail trick that works on me... and as more retailers decide to print that "You Have Saved: ______" on the bottom of the receipt, I guess I'll be feeling that way more often.

34 degrees and sunny!

I could NOT resist a run today!

Apparently today is the first day of the New Year above freezing. I was totally living it up.

I have confirmed that I am solar powered.

I also learned that I need to carry enough tissues to be able to blow my nose about every half mile.

(Probably an unnecessary anecdote, but hey -- it's my blog.)

It's going to be warm again tomorrow, but cloudy. We'll see if I can get myself out again, (I checked and I'm only averaging 1 workout per week. A far cry from my resolution to average 3 per week for the year!)

Augh. Check Registers.

I've never been good at them.  Especially now, in the digital age where I can log in and see my balance any time -- and check cards making near-immediate withdrawals... why bother?

I sense that in my case "why bother" is because it makes it just a little bit harder to make those unnecessary purchases. I make the decision to buy, and then I have to reconsider the purchase when I sit and enter my receipts for the day. (Hopefully the day.  After sitting down and entering all of January in one fell swoop, I would like to not have to do that again.)

Plus, once I get all my spending categories set up, I'll get to see where the bucks are really going.

Food and Finances!

So, this was a little bit of an unusual start... First, it's Wednesday and I usually do my shopping and cooking on Sunday. Also, I had Monday and Tuesday off of work this week PLUS I have tech rehearsals this week... so my standard food needs are all out of whack!

In any case, I sat down with my weekly circulars and decided that Rainbow Foods was this week's destination. (I'm not quite sure about going multiple places to shop -- I know I can save more, but the time and gas driving around is a little counter-intuitive.)

On The List:
Pepsi products (4/$8.88 otherwise I'd never need to buy 4 at a time)
Old-Fashioned Oatmeal (Running low! It's my standard breakfast)
Lean Cuisine (5/$10 -- a great solution for tech week)
Frozen Vegetables (2/$3 -- a great addition to the Lean Cuisines!)
Milk
Eggs (baking oatmeal cookies because I accidentally bought quick oats instead of old-fashioned and I have to do something with them)
Dried Apples (also for the cookies -- I have a couple coworkers that don't like raisins in their baked goods, and I have NO problem with apple cinnamon oatmeal cookies!)

The Process:
So the first thing I did was grab a cucumber for my daily salad... when I got home I discovered I already did that on my last trip, so my salads will be decidedly cucumber heavy going forward. I looked for dried apples in the bulk section, but didn't have any luck. This was probably the most expensive item I bought (and not on sale!) I found the oatmeal, and opted for Quaker, not the store brand, because Quaker cooks up in 2:30... and the other took 5 minutes. Worth .30 to me, because I'm impatient. Other than that, no surprises... I did buy a bag of cat food (on sale) because I always seem to run out at awkward times.

The result:
The trip was a little more expensive than usual, at $36, but I did pick up some specialty things and I shouldn't have to buy soda for a loooong time. However, I saved almost $22.

I think one of my goals should be a trip where I save more than I spend. I know this is possible, I've seen enough news stories and heard enough tales... but it sounds like a bit of work, too.

Recap!

So... let us recall what my goals for January were:

>Hemming the curtains in my bedroom
Done! I still have to get sheers (the ones I'm using now are borrowed from the living room) but I will take it!

>Filling my photo collage frame with awesome pictures
Done and done!

>Getting one of my oversized photo prints framed and hung in my house
Okay, so this one got partially done -- I got an oversized print, I just need to get it framed. And hung. So close!

>Sewing the curtains for my dining room (I bought the fabric Memorial Day weekend)
This was a fail... but I still have hope! I need a lot of room to lay out and cut/pin these, and the space I was planning on using was otherwise occupied on the days I wanted to use it. Soon it will happen.

>Finishing painting the trim in my bedroom - I think I'll save the doors for nicer weather
Yeah... painting in winter is not happening. A little too fumey. (Is that a word?)

>Plus a number of miscellaneous sewing projects that are half-done
I'm not sure that any other sewing stuff got finished... I did some aprons, but they weren't half-done to start with.

Off the list... I got my Disney World scrap book done from 2007, I caught my house scrapbook up to current times from Christmas of 2005, and I started my scrap book for my trip to Germany (2009!)

I also manged to get all the props done for the current play... but those weren't UFOs as much as they didn't exist to begin with.

All-In-All... Epic Win! This was a great 30-Day Challenge, and I will be planning on doing it again before year's end.

What to do, what to do?

Wow, January is coming to a close awfully quickly! What will I do for February? Right now I'm toying with a "Food and Finance" theme... Food, meaning a concentration on new recipes instead of failing back on old familiar ones... And Finances becaue (A) I'd like to get my taxes filed as soon as possible, and (B) I'd like to try the frugal coupon-clipping way of food shopping. (Or at the very least make my decisions based on what's on sale for the week, instead of what looks tasty at the store.)

So, look for a wrap-up of January (I'm feeling pretty good about my level of success this month) and goals for February coming soon!

New Recipe!

I really thought this was another recipe from my Everyday Foods light magazine... but now I can't seem to find it anywhere! Anyway, here's a link to almost exactly the same recipe from the Martha Stewart website: Pasta e Fagioli.

The only difference with mine was that I didn't use any parmesean initially (but will probably add some) and I threw in some Morningstar Sausage at the end because it just needed a little more substance to stand alone as a lunch food. Oh, and the recipe I looked at only specified "small pasta" which I wasn't really sure what to do with -- so I used small shells. I thought about doing ring pasta, but that just brings me right back to church picnics and tuna salad.

No new foods or methods this time (well, I'd never used the meatless sausage before -- tasty!) but it was pretty quick to throw together and I was glad the pasta cooked IN the broth so I didn't have to boil/drain it separately.

More finishing is happening!

....and to the relief of many, the things that are getting finished are for the show! Hooray! Still hitting a couple snags, but that is to be expected.

In other news, I got to go for another outside run today! The sun was out for a little bit, and aside from having very many unkind feelings for those responsible for the snow removal around North Dale, it was a nice little jaunt. The next three days look like they will be fabulous, and Friday will be ABOVE FREEZING I hear.

Many things to be excited about!

Who knew that 28 degrees is warm?

...I felt like I would be "wasting" nice weather if I didn't run outside yesterday. (That, compounded by the fact I'd been sitting in a chair at the court house all day... and also that I've been a workout slacker lately.)

It actually was pretty pleasant. I didn't cross paths with any other runners, but the walkers of dogs were out in force! (Again, very thankful that I have cats that don't demand I take them outside. Ever.) I surprised myself by electing to go the long route and run the full 5k... Usually I have a hard time committing to starting the run around the lake, because then I have to finish it. My neighborhood route can always be cut short at any time.

I'm not sure if I will be as compelled today, since it will be a bit cooler... But since I don't see myself doing any calisthenics in the Jury Selection Room today, I predict I'll feel like I have to do something.

Disney 2007

Is now forever immortalized in a scrap book. It's done. I had a few days there where I thought allllllll of my Disney photos had been lost/destroyed making the jump to my external hard drive. Thankfully, I found them last night. (While looking for pictures of my house. Did you know I made a mini scrap book about my house the first year I lived in it? Neither did I! I just found it in my basement this weekend.). I also had an AWEsome day at Archivers with Tina, my BFITWWW, where I was able to get 5 spreads from my Berlin scrap book done.

(Ask me how all the work I was going to do on the show props went this weekend? Meh? Not so good?)

The only downside to Jury Duty is that in spite of not being at work, and having a lot of free time -- they frown on you turning the Jury Assembly room into a Craft Room. Also, City Hall does not allow scissors. No stitching this week! Just me, and the internets.

UFO! UFO! UFO!

I hemmed the curtains in my bedroom! They've only been up since June. I also put down the rug I bought 'round that time. It was supposed to be a reward for finishing the painting in my room -- but we all know that's a UFO that will remain UF. (Also, you may have noticed that the curtains are a little bunched on top of the rug -- please direct your attention to the section that hangs beautifully NEXT to the rug over the hardwood floor.

(Another step in the right direction: I pulled the blue painter's tape off the wall yesterday. I mean, the painting on *that* wall is finished, but I have all the rest of the trim to do yet. And the doors. This spring/summer for sure.)

OMG!

...I forgot about the most important UFO of all!!

ME!

Yesterday I went back to the gym. I ran. It felt great! I felt great!

Let's all remember that we are all a work in progress, and anything you do for yourself is a good thing! I am re-committed to me!

Not a UFO...

...though I do have to conquer UFOs every time I work on a show -- but a hard deadline will do that for you.

Anyway, the show I'm working on is set in the 60s so I had to find a reasonable facsimile of a 60s camera (luckily the SLR design hasn't changed much.) Once I did -- the fun began! Obviously it needed a camera strap. I've been keeping my eyes peeled for a week or so while making the rounds to the fabric stores for something appropriate. I really like what I found! I may use it on my own camera if it survives the show.

...not really a UFO...

...because it's still not finished.

...but I did finally pull down the blue painter's tape in my bedroom.

From June.

I look forward to finishing the actual painting this spring.

Or summer.

Roasting! And Scallions!

For my most recent "new recipe" I chose Roasted Beef and Mushroom Soup -- another selection from Martha Stewart's "Everyday Foods" magazine. I was excited about it because (A) it involves roasting, and (B) I bought scallions for it! (There is also a fairly long and drawn out drama about trying to find Barley... but all that matters is that I DID find it.)

In hindsight, I think I would like to invest in a roasting pan. I was concerned that I'd get singing or something because I couldn't "toss" everything in the olive oil very well. (Though my cats would have certainly helped me clean up if anything ended up on the floor.)

I'm also thinking that my oven is hotter than it should be. The dial is set correctly, and my thermometer reads the right temp... but these roasted about 8 minutes quicker than they were supposed to, and the last time I made pizza I only left it in about 2/3 of the prescribed time.

Anyway. Yum.

Would the UFOs be in EPCOT?

It's not DONE done, but my Disney World scrapbook finally has all its photos nicely arranged and attached. All I have left is the infamous "journaling." ...It's been over 3 years, so it won't be easy. Usually I keep a "Trip Journal" for these things -- because I know I won't get to working on them right away. Case in point. However, this one is not as thorough as I have come to expect from... myself. I guess Kristin and I will have to have a sit-down and relive our trip!

Darn.

The only thing to worry about now is: do I hand-write it and potentially fall prey to horrific handwriting? ...OR do I type and print it, not knowing if the ink and paper will survive the years? (Yes, I expect my great-great-great grandchildren to reference this scrapbook... you know, for "history" papers and what-not.) :)

Moving Right Along...

No completed projects to show off today, but I did a little work on my Disney World scrapbook last night and organized my future scrapbooking ventures. Today I finally printed almost 200 photos from my trip to Berlin (in fall of 2008) and picked out the binder I want to use. This afternoon I have show-related goals that I have to meet (sew some pillows, make an apron, etc.) -- but then I'm going to let myself start laying out my Berlin Book.

I'm getting so excited about finishing projects that I'm having a hard time keeping myself on-task to finish OTHER things I'm supposed to be doing. Like laundry. :)

Okay. It was bad enough when cameras had actual print film. I would shoot the roll, take it in to be developed (maybe within a month if I was lucky) and then said photos would spend a blissful existence in their photo envelope. In a shoe box. Occasionally seeing daylight when I decided to "organize" or "reminisce"...

Now I've cut out the developing middle man... but all my photos now dwell in electronic form. Sure, you're saving money on developing (especially on photos you didn't even know were bad until you had them printed) but there's just something missing from the experience when you're showing your trip/birthday/fashion photos on a computer screen.

This is why I enjoy scrapbooking... and trust me, I could probably do a whole YEAR of UFO months getting all those books finished. Eep.

But anyway, I have wonderful friends and family, and wonderful photos of them as well! I decided to invest in a photo collage frame, to get as many photos out there as possible. Of course, that involves choosing the photos you want AND photos that prescribe to the strange shapes that the frame has decided you can use. Then you can't just pop over to Target or Walgreens and get these pictures printed to the size you need... oh, no. You've gotta edit them, and re-size them, and then buy new ink cartridges for your printer because your old ones dried out from disuse.

This was a bit more expensive of a UFO than I expected.

But it looks good! AND... the frosting on the cake... I actually got it HUNG UP, too! W00t!

PS - on an unrelated note... today I learned that when you're running outside in the winter, you may want to consider tucking your shirt in.

Scrapbook Win!

I've dubbed the upcoming summer as "The Summer of Run." I've signed up for a 5k, 7k, a Duathalon (5k run, 18 mile bike, 5k run) and two Half Marathons (13.1 miles each!) However, my first real year of running has just come to a close. Because I never throw anything away, I have my race bibs from all the 5k races I participated in. So, I decided to combine them with another something I have too much of -- scrap book binders.

Now I have a record of all my races -- a bib, my finish time, and a little blurb about what happened, who I ran with, how I was feeling, etc.

A Resolution!

Okay, so this isn't about a UFO, but it is about one of my New Year's Resolutions: cooking a new recipe once a month.

This month's recipe is from my Everyday Foods magazine... I just got their "light" issue and thought the Sweet and Sour Chicken with Peppers and Green Beans sounded nummy! (The link is for the non-light version... but it was the only one I could find on the website.)

I think it will be really delicious for lunch this week. I have a tendency to get tired of things that are too sweet -- I hope this isn't one of those things.

Neither a borrower nor a tailor be...

So one of my UFOs was a minor tailoring project. Years ago I purchased a skirt at the Guthrie Costume Sale (one of the rare objects that would fit a woman of my stature.) I wore it a few times, but it is now much too big. SO... I decided I would remove the elastic waistband and put in a zipper.

So, I took the waistband off.

And then I put it in a bag along with a zipper I found to sit in a corner of my craft room for a couple years.

SO... I finished it! First I got the zipper sewn in (in my own way, blatantly ignoring the instructions. Not too wise.) Then I realized I would need to make the waist smaller, and thankfully remembered a LITTLE bit of sewing terminology -- darts! Of course, I had no idea how to properly place or create darts. I do have a great little book, Sew What! Skirts, which gave me some direction. So I put some darts in there, and a waistband and... VOILA!

Once I put it on I realized that the darts probably should be about 2" longer, and I should have used 1/2" bias tape for the waistband.

I also realized that I am doubtful that my future lies in the tailoring arts. Another experience that makes me truly appreciate the skills of costumers everywhere!

Moving right along...

So now my craft room has a bunch of projects kind of scattered around. I discovered that I think I know better than the directions how to install a hidden zipper. (I can't confirm that... So far it's just pinned but it looks like it might be fine. Maybe.) I also tried to print pictures on my wicked-fast printer that I haven't really used in a year or so and was surprised to find that the ink might be a bit dry. (Duh.) So I'm having some setbacks. However, I have acquired a photo of my siblings and a frame to mail to my grandmother in AZ. Now, how long it will take to get it in the mail is another thing... But it's totally ready to go.

It occurs to me I have a show opening at the end of the month, so perhaps choosing an activity that is craft-focused was an unfortunate choice for a month that will inevitably be craftastuc already...

UFOs!

That's "UnFinished Objects."

Also known as those things you get started and then just fall to the wayside!

I'm tackling a few for my 30 Days in January.

Some projects I know I want to complete:

Hemming the curtains in my bedroom
Filling my photo collage frame with awesome pictures
Getting one of my oversized photo prints framed and hung in my house
Sewing the curtains for my dining room (I bought the fabric Memorial Day weekend)
Finishing painting the trim in my bedroom - I think I'll save the doors for nicer weather
Plus a number of miscellaneous sewing projects that are half-done

As for my 30 days of fitness... I think it was my least successful month as far as meeting goals. I didn't lose the weight I wanted to, but I think it went far to make sure I didn't gain any. I can totally do the girly pushups. I'm not doing the sit-up test 'cause my chiropractor told me not to. As for the 5 mile run -- I think I can do it (I did do 4.75 that last time) and I will try again for that this month now that my leg is better. I was also going to track changes in my measurements... But can't for the life of me remember where I wrote them down Dec 1st!

So... fail. But hey, it's a new year! So much ahead.