Missing Music Stores

 You all know that I love music.  All kinds of music.  I mostly listen to things that were recorded decades ago, shocking I know, but I do enjoy some contemporary music as well.  To me, good music is good music, and a good artist is timeless.  I almost always have music playing in the background when I'm at home whether it be a record or a cd or the radio.  I like having it a part of my daily life.

Anyway, the other night I sat in bed and put a cd in my cd walkman.  Yes, I have one of those thanks to a Christmas gift from Michael and I still use it.  I was listening to Barbra Streisand's Just For the Record Highlights cd.  It has some wonderful tracks on it and maybe one day I'll find the full album at a good price.  I just stayed in bed and listened to the cd without any distractions.  It's been a long time since I have done that.

It got me thinking about music stores and how I miss them.  I'm not even sure if there are any around anymore because everything is online these days. Now, I'm not talking about Ed McKay's where I can find plenty of used cds and records.  I mean an actual new music store.  Growing up, there was one in the Monroe Mall.  I can't remember than name of it to save my life, but I spent many hours in there looking through all of the music.  And you didn't even have to buy anything.  It really was a good way to kill time at the mall. 

It also made me think of how I miss the old cd packaging.  Yes, it was really completely useless and a waste of cardboard, but I always found it much easier to sort through the cds when they were in those long boxes.  They were a bitch to get into though LOL Sometimes the artwork on the cover box was totally different than the album covers and that was fun. I remember going to Cocoanuts in Raleigh to buy cds when we would visit the city.  I always enjoyed that.

While I am grateful for the used music stores in my area and I do frequent them as much as I can, I miss going to the new music stores. It's a piece of the past that kids today will never have the privilege of experiencing.  And that makes me sorry for them. While there is a convenience to streaming music, it's just not the same as waiting for an artist's new album to come out and scrambling to get to the store to buy it before it was sold out.  Ah, good times. 

My next class

 I only have two classes left to take for my degree.  One will be this coming fall and the other one will be next summer.  The one next summer will be my capstone project.  I just did not have it in me to get everything together that I needed to get it done this summer so it will be next year.  And I am completely ok with that.  The capstone project is really the only hands-on experience that I will get in this degree program, and I do not want to waste that opportunity.  

So, I am looking at taking my other class this fall.  The one that I am interested in is a class on Elder Law.  I actually started the class my first semester, but it was too much for me. The class itself was not too much but it was my first semester in school, and I was getting used to the online class format.  I was also taking a required course in theory.  That was a very tough class, and it was just too much for my brain to handle at the time. I made the decision to drop the elder law course in hopes that I would be able to take it again.  And now, the opportunity has presented itself and I look forward to it!

I have always been interested in estate law, which is part of elder law. But I know there is so much more to it than that and I am excited to learn. In senior living, we do keep a handful of legal documents on file for our residents in independent living.  I know what they are for, but I am hoping this class will better teach me as to how exactly they are used.  I know some things but here's a lot more out there for me to learn.  It's been a while since I have been excited about a class, so this is going to be great for me!  And then only one thing left.  Yippee!!!!  I see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Let's just hope I get into the class before it fills up LOL

Checking another item off of my antiques bucket list

 

Several years ago, I wrote a blog entry listing 10 antiques I wanted to own someday.  With the purchase of my soup tureen, I can now check one more item off of my list.  Only seven items left to go LOL I just fell in love with this piece.  I saw it the weekend before last when Travis and I went to Twin Deer Antiques Mall in High Point.  I kept coming back to it and then ultimately decided not to buy it.  I was checking the piece out and felt what I thought was a chip in the lid.  So, I left it behind. 

But all week I could not get it out of my head.  I kept thinking about it.  I looked it up on Ebay when I just searched for "vintage yellow soup tureen".  This actually popped up along with a lot of other tureens.  When I saw it was California pottery, I added that to my search as well.  The ones just like this that showed in the results were often incomplete.  Usually, it was the underplate that was missing.  I did find it in several different colors:  white, green, orange, teal.  I loved the shape of it.  Interestingly, another style of tureen that came up in the results was the one that Grandmother had that started my desire to have one.  So that was an unexpected connection for me. Several years ago, I would have bought the one that was just like hers in order to recreate that memory of hers sitting on the dining room table.  But my tastes have evolved some and I decided that having a tureen was enough of a similarity and I should go with what I loved.  Hence, this beautiful yellow soup tureen.

So, now it's time to start searching for the next item to check off of my antiques bucket list.  I'm interested to see what presents itself to me at the right time...just like the tureen did.

That is all. 

Working Outside

 It takes a lot to run a household by oneself.  It takes a lot of energy and a lot of planning.  I will admit that I have not quite gotten there yet LOL.  And I say that because one of the areas that I realized this weekend I am lacking in is outside the house.  I'm pretty good at doing the interior chores and keeping up with domestic duties.  Even then there are areas inside I need to do better with.  But, I rarely do anything out in the yard or on the patio or on the porch.

I just don't think about it that often.  Michael comes and mows the grass every other week or so.  I know he loves to work outside, so he offered, and I am more than happy to let him do it. But I really need to get out and do some yard work.  There are areas that need to be cleaned up that are looking pretty bad.  And I don't want my house to look like that.  It's a matter of planning on my end.  My patio is not a very usable space right now and I'd like to be able to sit out here sometime and enjoy it.

When you have to do it all by yourself, it's very easy to get behind.  Hell, I'm behind without even really starting outside yet.  I have a lot of catching up to do.  Mainly, I want to do it for myself and show myself that I have the abilities to take care of things as needed.  I have proved it in other areas of my life and now it's time to get outdoors and prove it to myself.

We shall see. 

Mother's Day

 

Today is Mother's Day.  It's the official day each year that we celebrate the wonderful women who are our mothers. Not that we don't celebrate them all year long, but it is nice to have a day of worldwide recognition. It is a day to remember not only the women who gave us life, but all of the other mother figures we have had in our lives.  I have been blessed to have many in my life.  I have had many wonderful people who have taken on a maternal role with me at one time or another.  While no one will ever replace Mary B. in my heart, it's been a comfort to have the support and love of so many other women in my life.

I am part of a very special group of people.  We all had or have the best mom in the world.  The older I become the more I realize how important and unique this is.  Lots of people out there were not fortunate to have the greatest mom and those of us who experienced the unconditional love of a mother are truly blessed.  I often talk about growing up on Brookgreen Drive and what a group of Mother's we had as kids.  Mary B., Kay Goodson, Ann Arnold, Kay Parker, Judy Davis, Gail Derrick. This was an extraordinary group of women that set amazing examples for all of us.  We may not have known it at the time, but we can look back and see the wisdom in their hearts. Throughout my life there have been many other amazing mothers that I have encountered, too many to name.  And now many of my friends are mothers.  That just blows my mind.  But I watch them in their journeys of motherhood and see the love and care they exude, and I know how comforting that is to all that receive it. 

Today is the 29th Mother's Day I have spent without Mom. While that number seems large, it feels just like yesterday that she was here with us.  And I am truly thankful for the 20 Mother's Days I did get to spend with her.  While I would give anything for one more day, I would not trade the ones I had with her for anything in the world.  I have had no truer inspiration in my life, and I carry her in my heart every day. 

Happy Mother's Day to all!

One Drawer at a Time - Working on my bathroom shelves

 

Today I have been working on and off in my bathroom going through the shelves and cabinets.  It really is amazing how much stuff accumulates in there.  Things that I buy thinking I will need it or even use it and it normally ends up sitting there by itself until its expiration date.  I feel bad that not only have I wasted money on these things, but I wasted something that someone else might have actually used or needed.  So far I have filled up about half of the kitchen trash can with outdated things from my bathroom.

On the plus side, the shelves are beginning to look better, and I now have room to be better at organizing them.  They actually were not that badly organized before but now there is more room to really see what's there LOL Another thing that this streamlining of the bathroom is going to help me with is not wasting more money on products.  I know we all say that kind of thing and never really do it.  I don't know if I will really do it or not but at least I have said it LOL  But I will hopefully really consider what I need before putting it in my cart. 

Working my way through the house one drawer at a time has been a great experience for me.  And while other people will not be able to look and see the changes, I definitely know that they are there and it makes me feel a lot better!  

Daily Challenge Update

 Even though it has only been a few days since I established my challenge for May, I can already tell a difference in the way the house looks day to day and the way I feel about that.  Like I mentioned in my initial post, a clean looking kitchen in the morning is a beautiful thing.  Not that it's spotless by any means, but it is definitely an improvement. Now each night after dinner I make sure that the dirty dishes are either in the dishwasher or washed by hand. Sometimes I have let a few dishes soak overnight in the sink because they really need it and that's fine by me. It's just nice to get up and make my coffee without looking at all of that clutter spread across the counters!

I have also started putting away my work things when I come each day from work. I used to just fling everything on the dining room table and leave it there til the next morning.  While it was not really in the way, it made the table look pretty messy.  And you all know how much I love how my dining room table looks!  So, that has been a plus.  And it's good for me, when I get home, to make sure I put my work stuff away before doing anything else once I'm home.  It's a good routine for me. So, so far so good on the challenge front.  Let's hope I can keep it up!  That is all. 

They Don't Let You in the Opera - Kelli O'Hara

 I was listening to Kelli O'Hara's cd "Always" the other day.  It's a wonderful cd full of beautiful tracks that show off her voice.  There are many Broadway standards like "I Could Have Danced All Night" and "The Party's Over" and then there was this.  "They Don't Let You in the Opera" is a hoot and a half and it really shows off both Ms. O'Hara's vocal abilities and her comic timing.  Enjoy!

I spend too much time on the internet

 

I spend too much time on the internet.  While I do enjoy it, it is definitely something that I need to cut down on.  I do not feel badly about the amount of time I am on there, but I want to go in a different direction with my life right now.  When class was in session, going online was my social interaction.  And it filled a gap that I needed at the moment.  Now that class is over, I need to change the vehicle of my social interactions into something real. I am not saying that social interaction online is a bad thing by any means, it is simply that for a time it was my only form of social interaction and I want something more concrete in life.

It is not as if I am going to start going out every night.  I do not have the time, money or energy for that anymore.  But I would like to make some meaningful relationships appear in my life and give me something to do and look forward to.  I can use the social interactions that I have developed online and make them into something real.  I just do not want to rely solely on the internet for my socialization. Last night, as I was chatting online with people, I realized that I was not enjoying myself.  I did not get depressed about it, but I did get disillusioned over it.  I did not like how that felt. It definitely could have gotten me depressed but I did bring myself out of that before it started really.  Whew.

While I have no clear plan on how to make this kind of socializing happen, it is time for me to start working on a plan.  Today I will begin to cut back on my internet time.  Even then, I will have some more time for things that I enjoy even if it is by myself.  Who knows how this will go.  But it's a start anyhow! That is all. 

Going outside to play

 With the return of spring comes the return of memories. The other day when I got home from work, I got out of my car and the warm breeze hit me like a ton of bricks.  I do not mean hot air, but that warm spring breeze that we've been waiting for all winter.  The one that is perfumed with honeysuckle. The one that wanted to make us go inside as fast as we could and change out of our school clothes and get back outside to play.  I often wonder, with so many children wrapped up in their devices, do they even think about going outside?  Is there a difference in school clothes and play clothes anymore?  Oh, what they are missing!

I remember the fun it was to play after school.  We would come home, grab a snack and get together to do something.  Riding a bike, playing a game, roller skating. It was just important to get together and not think about the homework that we had to do.  Yes, there were times when I stayed in to watch tv.  We all did.  But it's those times of excitement of going down to explore the creek together or playing tennis in the Griffin's private tennis court that sat behind the Derrick's house. We would often take rocks and draw art in the street.  By the way, we lived on a dead-end street so that was pretty safe for us. 

And we played until dinner.  That was the cue. Listening for our names to be called to come home for supper.  Play time was over.  And if we didn't respond, there was always the dreaded full name call using our middle names that meant we were late and would get in trouble if we did not get home right away. That always did the trick.  And another day of play came to an end.  

I miss the excitement of coming home and going outside to play.  I miss having that little group of constant people to do things with.  It's one of the parts of childhood I miss the most.  Yes, we were kids and definitely acted like kids.  We weren't always nice to each other, but it always passed and was forgotten.  And we had each other's backs when times were tough.  It was a good place to grow up and I am thankful for it. Maybe today when I get home from work, I will change my clothes and go outside and play.  You never know!

Daily Challenge for May

 Now that the semester is over, I can go back to focusing on some things to work on around here.  As I have talked about before, I am wanting to incorporate some different things into my everyday life.  I have been moderately successful at this so far but I know that I can do better.  So, it's time to set myself another challenge for May.

This one is based on a phrase I have talked about before: don't put it down, put it away.  I am notorious, as I believe we all are, in just setting something down and thinking that I'll get to it later. Guess what?  It really doesn't work that way LOL  I end up with piles of stuff all over the house.  Then I get overwhelmed when I try to do something about it because it's just too much. Nothing gets accomplished that way. 

I need to take a moment before I just set something down on a random surface.  I need to think about where it actually needs to go. If I do it now, that will save time later.  I won't feel so stuck in piles everywhere. I've already started this in the kitchen with dirty dishes and I can tell a difference. It's so nice to wake up and go to make my coffee in a kitchen that is relatively clean because I took the time to put things away.  I want that feeling all over the house!

I can do this!  Now, time to go find something and put it away.  That is all. 

I did learn stuff after all

 In the end, I did learn something from my "Health and Aging" class.  Yes, it was very frustrating.  I will go several years now before I watch Up again any time soon.  But the actual learning materials of the class were very good.  I just hated the format.  It grew tiresome and I was honestly writing the same paper every week.  Oh well. When we did our strategic plan for Carl, our group project, you know that was frustrating as well.  Sometimes group projects can be like that, but we did work through it and got an A on it, so I will let that go. The good part about the project, even though I had never done an assessment or strategic plan before, is that I knew what I was talking about.  The material we had been covering was there in my brain and I was able to call on it and use when I needed to.  There's something to be said for that. Here's the graphic I created for our plan:

Now, it's time to relax for a while and look to the future, both my future classes and my actual future.  I can do that! 

Desserts I want to make

The other day at work while I was on my lunch break, I watched a Youtube video on vintage desserts that you rarely see anymore.  Several of them really caught my interest and I started a list.  Go figure, another list LOL But that got me to thinking about desserts that are on my cooking bucket list. Some of these are very basic desserts that are still popular today, I just have never made them.  Some are inspired by recipes in cookbooks I have.  Of course, there are many more out there but here are 10 of them:

 1. Chiffon Cake

Chiffon cake is a light cake that is made with vegetable oil instead of traditional butter or other heavy fats

2. Harvey Wallbanger Cake

A delightful yellow cake flavored with oranges and Galliano Liquer

3. Grasshopper Pie

A creamy no-bake pie mixing chocolate, mint and whipping cream

4. German Chocolate Cake

A layered chocolate cake filled and topped with coconut-pecan frosting

5. Lady Baltimore Cake

A white layer cake with fluffy frosting and fruit and nut filling

6. Apple Pie

A double crusted pie filled with apples, often served with whipped cream or ice cream

7. Pecan Pie

A pie filled with pecans, eggs, sugar and butter.  What could be better?

8. Tiramisu

A layered Italian dessert of lady fingers dipped in coffee and a whipped mixture of eggs, sugar and mascarpone and dusted with cocoa

9. Lemon Meringue Pie

A pie filled with lemon curd filling and topped with meringue

10. Black Forest Cake

A chocolate and cream cake with a rich cherry filling

We shall see how many of these I can check off of my bucket list this year.  Of course, I can only make them when I have people to share them with!  Any takers?

A weekend with no expectations

 It feels so different having a weekend with no expectations.  It definitely feels good, just different.  This is the first time in a long time that I don't have homework.  Specifically, that I don't have a paper to write. Maybe I should just pick a topic and write a paper for old time's sake?  LOL  NO, that's not going to happen. I am going to thoroughly enjoy this respite and freedom from the old college try!

While I do have things I need to get done, I am in no rush to get them done.  It's not that I am unmotivated, it's simply that I do not have a required time frame in which to get them done this weekend for the first time. That is so glorious.  And, knowing myself, I will probably get more done than I expected simply because of that. When there's no pressure, there's more productivity.  At least in my world.

I will make some time for fun things this weekend.  Of course, fun to me may not be what others consider fun but that is fine because this isn't about other people.  It's about me.  And that's not selfish, that's self-care. Hopefully I will see a few people.  Might even venture out of the house for a non-errand excursion. Who knows.  The possibilities are endless.  It's a nice place to be in for the first time in months.  I'm very proud of the hard work I put into class and my efforts with school.  But now it is time to get back to me for a while and I am totally fine with that.  

Now I am going to finish up my coffee and get started on my weekend list.  Not because I have to but because I want to.  There's a major difference and I am relishing that!  See you on the other side!

That is all. 

It's time to mop the kitchen!

 I really need to mop my kitchen floor this weekend. And the odd thing is that I am looking forward to it.  It's been way too long.  And by way too long I mean long enough that I'm not going to tell you.  While I do keep it swept as best as I can, I just have not had the motivation to get the old mop bucket out and clean the floor.  Between work and school, the last thing I wanted to do was move everything out of the kitchen, wait a few hours for the floor to dry then move everything back.  I know, it's an excuse.  Not a good one but there you go.

I bought a new mop set last year.  I really do like it.  You know when you're an adult when buying a new mop is a highlight in life. When Michael lived here we had a Swiffer but we felt that would serve him better in his new space.  So, I went for the more traditional, old fashioned kind of mop.  I guess it's that vintage guy in me that likes that style.  It may be a little more work than the new steam kinds you see today, but I have much more of a sense of accomplishment once I'm done.

So, my plan is sometime this weekend to block a few hours off and mop my kitchen.  Maybe I can relax with a movie in between dismantling and resetting the kitchen. Or maybe find something to do in the front of the house or even outside.  Who knows.  Welcome to the fun of adulthood!

Time to start Christmas shopping

 Now that Christmas is less than 8 months away, not that I'm counting down the days, it's time for me to start looking at my Christmas list.  And not the list for me but for other people.  As you know I love giving gifts. I love to find the perfect gift for someone else.  And by the perfect gift, I simply mean one that has had some thought put into it.  I am always filing little details away when people mention things that they like, or they share memories of things that meant something to them.  It gives me a good idea of where to start. That often leads to other ideas and so forth. 

Starting this early gives me plenty of time to find fun gifts.  I didn't buy many gifts last year because my life had changed so much.  My friends that get together each Christmas decided to forego it last year and just get together and have a good time, which we did.  And other than family, I didn't really buy much for anyone.  And that is ok.  It is where I was last year.  But this year I'm ready for more.  I am going to edit my list and see who needs to be added. The thing about gifts, at least for me, is that they don't have to be extravagant or ridiculously expensive. It truly is the thought.  Whenever I'm given a gift or a card, it makes me feel good because someone was thinking of me.  Someone took the time to make sure I was remembered and that's important.  That is the true gift.

Sometime over the next week I will organize my list and start my shopping.  By the way, spreading out your shopping is much easier on the budget!  And I will rediscover the joy of gift giving at Christmas.  It's as much about the joy it brings me as it is about the joy it hopefully brings others.

That is all. 

The Lusty Month of May

 I thought I would start the month with a song about May.  I turned to one of my favorite theater scores of all time, Camelot, and the amazing original cast performance by the legendary Julie Andrews.  I know that the show suffered from book problems, but what a cast.  Sadly, I have never seen it live on stage.  I've seen the movie, which is beautifully filmed but I find it boring LOL  If I could go back in time and see any original cast, this would be right up there on the list.  Enjoy!

Recipe of the Week - Corn Casserole

 With trying to finish up with class this semester, I have not been writing on my blog but now that it is done it's time for me to catch up.  I've decided to end the month of April with a recipe.  This recipe is for corn casserole.  Something similar popped up in one of my Facebook groups.  I forgot to save the link but it lingered in my mind.  I found this on the "12 Tomatoes" website and it sounded good. I decided that I would try it this past Sunday and really enjoyed it.  And like most comfort food, it's better the next day!  And I will admit that in my 30 plus years of making casseroles, I have never used Ritz crackers as a topping until now. Now I have learned what I've been missing!  Yum!  Hope you enjoy!

Corn Casserole

1 large stalk of celery, chopped

Half of a yellow onion, chopped

Half of a red pepper, chopped

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

11oz can shoepeg corn, drained

14oz can french cut green beans, drained

10.75 oz can condensed cream of celery soup

8oz Sour cream

Salt and pepper to taste

1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed

1/2 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together celery, onion, red pepper, cheese, corn, green beans, soup and sour cream. Mix well and season to taste.  Pour into an 8x8 pyrex. Combine the crackers and butter and spread over the top of the casserole. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes.

Someone pointed out that my meal matched my plate.  Love that!

One More Project Left for This Class

 My week will be a busy one.  I have one more project left in my current class and then I'm done until next fall.  Yes, I am counting down the days until it's over!  This one is a group project, which can be tricky trying to coordinate everyone's schedules and get it done.  It's really not going to be as hard as I first thought.  It's just a matter of doing it.

As you know, we have had to write paper after paper about the film Up. We have been doing wellness assessments on the main character, Carl.  While these papers have had their usefulness in some ways, it has been a very frustrating process.  And I know from my meeting with my group yesterday that I am not the only one who feels this way.  We've only gotten two out of the six papers back. And no one has gotten any feedback at all. For someone who has never done an assessment in his life, I have no idea if I'm doing it correctly or not.  Of course, there is no set way to do assessments, but it would be nice to know if what I have been doing is heading in the right direction. 

Anyway, we have to come up with a strategic wellness plan based on the overall assessment for Carl.  It won't be hard because we can use our previous papers.  It will just be time consuming this week. And I'll be counting down the hours until it is done.  The sooner the better!

That is all. 

Quote of the Week

 Looking to build my tribe here in Greensboro! 

A Reason for the Household Inventory

 I try to work on my household inventory at least once a week.  It doesn't always happen right now with work and school, but I do try. Oddly enough, it relaxes me.  One of the reasons that I do this is because it brings back good memories to me.  I remember the first time I read Aunt Sara's household inventory.  And if you knew Aunt Sara, you will appreciate that it was in that sweet first grade teacher handwriting that she had.  It is unmistakable. But it fascinated me to see what was listed and put many pictures into my head. It was helpful to Mom to have it while she was working on Sara's estate. Several of the inventories I did since then were also helpful with some estates and I am proud of that.

One of the main reasons I believe doing this kind of work is important is, for many people, it's an important historical document.  Seeing how people lived during a certain time and the things they had in their homes is a very interesting part of history. You get a pretty good sense of how they lived.  You learn the kinds of pieces they used.  And, with the ones I do thanks to Aunt Sara's example, you will learn where things came from.  My household is a combination of many family pieces and I believe it is important for future generations to know their history.  And I truly believe that the importance of things like this will come back into fashion for upcoming generations.  Many things will disappear in the world, but family legacy is something that should be in the forefront. At least in my opinion. 

So, hopefully one day long into the future, someone will look at my work and, if nothing else, enjoy reading what I had in my house and get a sense of how I lived.  That is all. 

Going through the bedroom stuff

 I have finished up what little there was to go through in the guest bathroom and now am moving on to the bedroom.  This will be a pretty large task because my bedroom is stuffed with things all around LOL This will be a good opportunity to get it better organized and to get rid of some things.  And mostly that will be clothes.  I will hold onto clothes until they fall apart.  If it's wearable and still has some life in it, I will keep it.  But I know that there are items that I do not wear and no longer fit.  Those need to be donated to someone else who will benefit from its use. I can handle that.

I also have several chests and trunks in the bedroom that I honestly have no idea what is inside of them.  That ought to be interesting. Whatever it is, going forward the chests need to be used for things that I do not use very often.  Perhaps seasonal items.  Simply because there is stuff on top of each and it takes a lot to get everything off to get inside the chests.  It's doable and an easy task but not if I'm looking for something that I will use on a frequent basis. 

I now use this chest of drawers to house my clothes!

This room will definitely be one of those experiences in which it is going to look a lot worse before it gets better.  I have to keep reminding myself of this so that I do not give up on the experience.  I can handle that.  One drawer at a time. 

The Wellness Wheel

 One of the assignments we had to do in the class I'm currently in is a wellness wheel assessment on ourselves. A wellness wheel, if you've never done one before, is basically divided into eight different categories and you are assessed on each category. In our particular assessment, we had five Likert scale questions in each category to answer about ourselves. Then we would fill in each segment of the wheel based on the percentages of our answers.  

Mine was a big bust.  I did not completely fill in any one entire section of the wheel.  And this really affected me.  I realize that this is just one particular kind of wellness assessment, but it really did do a number on my spirit.  I thought that my life was going pretty well and to look at a piece of paper and realize how much I am lacking in my life...well, that was not good for me.  Honestly, I spent about three days going through life like an automaton. I got extremely depressed about it. 

I could have gone back and redone the assignment and made myself look good, but I did not.  I told the professor that I chose to turn in my initial assessment and reaction to it.  The honesty was appreciated, and I got full credit for the assignment. Still, it has lingered in my mind and heart. So, I have decided to make a positive out of this experience.  The main reason that I am ready to be done with this class and this semester is that I want to take the time off to work on things about myself that I want to improve. I'm not a very well-rounded person these days.  I'm not sure if I ever was, but in my mind, I was at some point and I have let that go by the wayside. I want to get that back.  I want my life to have some purpose and meaning and fun and happiness in it.  It's been a long time. We shall see how it goes, but that is my hope anyway.

That is all. 

It's Her Or Me - Miss Saigon

 

I sat in bed last night listening to the original London cast recording of Miss Saigon.  It brough back a lot of good memories for me. This was one of the first cd's I ever bought in the early 90's.  And it's the 3rd Broadway show that I saw.  I had forgotten how really good this score is.  It's got some excellent material in it for most of the characters.  Lea Salonga is beyond brilliant as Kim.  Jonathan Pryce is amazing as The Engineer even though he would never get cast in the role today. Claire Moore plays the character of Ellen, the wife of Kim's former lover and father of her child, Chris. After Ellen and Kim meet and have a confrontation, Ellen sings this song alone in her hotel room. The song was rewritten with the lyrics "now that I've seen her" replacing every place "it's her or me" was.  I do not like that version.  I think the song has now been replaced entirely but that's another story for another time.

I like this version because Ellen is caught up in a situation that she had no clue even existed just days prior to her being in Saigon. She is faced with this other woman in her husband's life and the fact that he has a child. In this song, she is building up the strength to force her husband to make a choice.  I think it shows great depth of character.  I can see how the song could come across as making Ellen look like a selfish bitch, but with the right direction and portrayal, which I believe Claire Moore does, it's really a very powerful piece from an extremely vulnerable woman.

Enjoy!

Workout on the Heavy Bag

 In my quest to get into better shape and shed some of the weight I have gained in the last year, I decided that I need to look at the equipment that I have already that has sat unused for way too long.  For two people who didn't really use exercise equipment that much, Michael and I sure did accumulate a nice handful of it.  Technically, we should have been in very good shape for years.  Just like the house should be always spotless with all of the cleaning supplies everywhere!  But, I digress.

About 15 years ago, I bought a punching bag and stand. I had just started working out with a trainer. At the time, the gym I was going to was in Kernersville, so daily trips were not going to happen and I wanted to be able to keep up my routines at home. So, I bought the bag.  I have actually used it before.  It has just been a long time. Now it is out in the garage sadly hanging in the corner being lonely.  I need to change that.

If you've never done a punching bag routine, it's really a great workout.  It helps with technique and is great for cardio.  It is also an excellent way to let off some steam and get rid of stress. I used it a lot when I was catering LOL But it's time for me to get back into the garage and work up a good sweat. It will be a good way for me to get back into exercising regularly.  And it will be fun, too.  I've always enjoyed workouts on the bag and having a good time makes exercising so much more doable!

That is all. 

I love this little lamp

 This lamp belonged to my Great Aunt Billie or Granny B as she was affectionately called. It always sat in her living room. When I first saw it in the 80's (about the time I really started loving antiques) it was on a card table on the front side of the living room.  She liked to move things around and when I saw it again it was across the room on a chest of drawers. You just never knew with her!  Which is fantastic, by the way!

After she passed, the lamp came to my mother.  It was in our living room. I think it was by the chair that Mom sat in every night to make her phone calls. The shade came from Grandmother.  Mom bought it once for Grandmother's birthday and this is where it ended up.  It's a fun little lamp and I love it.  I think I need to rewire it, like I do with several other lamps. But it's so much fun to have and I cherish it. 

That is all.

The Medicine Cabinet

 

Yesterday, in between loads of laundry and writing a paper, I cleaned out the medicine cabinet in the guest bathroom. Yes, my life is that exciting! But that's where I am in my "one drawer at a time" project. It really was not bad just a lot of stuff. It really is amazing how stuff just accumulates...especially when it is behind the doors of a cabinet.  I often will shove stuff in there and say I'll get to it later.  Well, later is now LOL

This process did not take very long because, after all, it's a medicine cabinet but it was still full of stuff.  Cold medicine, allergy medicine, blood pressure cuff, cough drops, etc. The hardest part was finding the dates on everything and getting rid of what is out of date.  Amazingly enough, nothing was out of date and that's pretty good for me.  I will keep things until they're done but apparently, I've been keeping up with this rather well. I do have two open bottles of pepto but didn't feel like trying to combine them LOL

It's good to know where things are, especially when it comes to medication.  It's reassuring knowing it's there. Let's just hope I don't have to use it any time soon! 

Class Discussion Groups

 

We have discussion groups in every class that I have had in one form or another.  My current class is no different.  I don't mind the discussion groups at all.  Sometimes they are actually very helpful and educational. The major problem for me is trying to keep up with the conversation while there are so many other things we have to do for the week. Most of the time in these groups, we have to make an initial post on the topic and then respond to at least two other posts from classmates.  That is easy enough but often I will do that and then leave it alone because I've done the required work for it.  I don't necessarily like that I do that, but when I've got several papers to work on, it happens.

I try to go in each time I log on to do homework and respond to someone's post or reply to responds on my post in an effort to have some kind of flowing conversation. I also will respond to someone's post that has not been replied to yet.  I think that it is important that everyone in class feels heard.  Even if I respond with something brief like "I agree" and then say back to them what they have said. At least they know that someone took the time to listen to their opinion.  Being heard is important at any age.

I do wish, though, that the instructors would actually divide us up into smaller groups for discussion.  When you are in a class with twenty plus people, trying to keep up with what everyone is saying just ain't going to happen!  I think that if we had smaller groups, then it would be easier to keep up with the conversation. But that's just me.  Still, overall, I have enjoyed the groups and often surprise myself with my own insights.  Just shows that sometimes I'm actually picking up on things we have learned and that is good.  Well, time to go contribute to this week's discussions! 

That is all. 

Coloring

 I need more coloring in my adult life. I am not an artistic person when it comes to drawing and painting and such.  But coloring I can do. Whenever I see a coloring book, I am often taken back to many fun times of childhood when engaging in a coloring book would take up whole afternoons.  They definitely could be a good babysitting tool for Mom and Grandmother. Sometimes I would be coloring alone sometimes with friends.  We could spend hours laying on the floor with our coloring books, lost in another world of wax color magnificence.  Oh, those were the days.  

Before trying to keep your crayons in the box they came in became a thing, we kept ours in an old cigar box in our toy closet. Most of the papers had fallen off of the crayons. So, sometimes with the dark colors, you had to test them out to see exactly what color it was. A good reason to always have a piece of scratch paper nearby to test it out! Then sometimes we would get new crayons for birthday or Christmas gifts. A box of 24 or 64 or 128.  And sometimes we even got the fancy built in crayon sharpener.  Heaven!

I bought myself a few adult coloring books several years ago.  Let me tell you, those are hard.  I had gotten a few Christmas ones because, well you know I love Christmas.  That did not pan out at all.  The designs were so intricate that I just couldn't keep the crayon in the lines LOL Luckily, one day out in the garage...go figure...I came across my old coloring books from childhood.  Bingo!!  Those were perfect for me.  Not only did they bring back wonderful memories, but they were also much easier.  It's always important to feel some sense of accomplishment when coloring and this was my speed!

I have now spent several occasions with my old coloring books.  I will clear off space on the dining room table, put some records on, and take myself on a journey of artistic beauty. I cannot lay on the floor anymore and do it so the table works just fine for me! It's very relaxing and I do feel proud of myself whenever I finish a page. It's nice to reconnect with my past in a fun, relaxing way.

That is all. 

The Very Thought of You - Nancy Wilson

 Starting today with the smooth, beautiful voice of Nancy Wilson. I think she's one of the best vocalists of the all-time.  She's one of the artists that I regret loving too late to see her in concert.  Thank goodness for recordings and videos!  Enjoy her version of this Ray Noble standard!

Dating

 Now that I have been single for over a year and living on my own, and making it on my own by the way, I am getting the urge to really start dating again. I actually have been out on a few dates here and there and had a very nice time. And I would like more of that. I'm not ready to commit to another relationship any time soon.  I have had two very good relationships in my adult life and so if there's not another one in my future, I will be ok.  But I would enjoy dating.  And by dating, I mean not hooking up but actually going out on real, old-fashioned dates. You all know my love of the old-fashioned!

The dating I have done, and yes there have been second dates, were just that. Time spent doing things together and getting to know one another. Just spending time with someone doing something we both enjoy. Going out and having a good time.  It's been nice.  And a kiss at the end of the date was much more special because it wasn't going to lead to an impromptu hook up that usually ends with never seeing the person again.  Not always, but usually. 

Once I get through my current class, I will have some time to myself.  I would like to get out there and go on some dates and just enjoy myself.  I think I have earned that at this point in my life.  But is it rude to state upfront withe someone that it's just a date. I'm not looking for sex.  I don't want to offend anyone or make them feel like I'm not attracted to them.  I just don't want to start off that way.  I really want old fashioned dating experiences this time around. We'll see how that goes!  Wish me luck.

That is all. 

Quote of the Week

 In my search for a good quote for the week, I came across this one and it really resonated with me. I hope you find it inspiring as well! 

And it is Monday!

 

Here I am and it is Monday again.  I am glad I have lived to see another one!  I'm working a slightly later shift today, so I did sleep in some this morning.  I didn't stay up too late last night and managed to get around 8 hours of sleep which is good for me!  Now I am having my coffee, enjoying an episode of Behind the Curtain, a theatre podcast, and getting ready to start my day.

I am looking forward to this week.  There isn't anything in particular planned, but I am still looking forward to it. I had a really nice weekend. I managed to get things done and not be overwhelmed.  I wrote yet another paper, did laundry, cleaned, polished silver, etc. Typical weekend chores.  But I paced myself a little differently. I would sit down and write for a while then get up and do something and so on and so on. That way I did not get myself stressed over my assignments. 

My hope is to carry that feeling of accomplishment into my week. I want to be productive. I want to start finding that balance in my life that has been missing.  I talked about this in one of my group discussions for class. In order for me to have a good life balance, I need to incorporate a few more things to level the playing field. Being social is one of them.  Not that I want to go out every night, but it would be nice to get out of the house and spend some time with someone. Or even have someone come over and hang out.  Motivation to continue cleaning!!  Thank God for Lois, my next-door neighbor and one of my best friends. We get together every Sunday afternoon to visit and catch up with each other.  It's nice to have that each week and I would like more of that sort of thing.

We'll see how it goes.  In the meantime, I'm going to finish my coffee and enjoy listening to some theatre talk. That is all. 

My Eternal King - Jane Marshall

 I have not listened to this anthem in a long time.  In some ways, that is a good thing because that means I'm feeling good.  I normally listen to this when I'm sad and missing Mom. But today, I wanted to listen to it.  It's an amazingly beautiful anthem and deserves to be heard. And it reminds me of all of the good things about church. I miss that. One day I would like to have that back again.  Music will be my bridge back into church and one day I hope to find it.  That is all. 

One Drawer at a Time - Den Update

 I am about halfway around the den at this point in my process. This room is different than the kitchen and laundry room because there really aren't many pieces of furniture that are storage.  There's a chest of drawers, a record cabinet/shelf and a desk.  Otherwise, things are just place around the room. But I'm still going through everything. Oh, it's also where I put boxes to fill up for donation or the garage etc. Still, I have enjoyed it and it always makes me feel better. 

I have not gotten rid of many things because, as I said, there are not a whole lot of drawers in the room. But I have gotten things better organized.  The chest of drawers was fun to go through.  There's a drawer with extra candles for whatever use.  I did actually have to throw a few of those away.  There were decks of cards, lots of Mom's jewelry and jewelry from other family members and lots of vintage linens.  It was fun to go through and see what could be saved and what could not. Some of the linens were well passed being remotely usable so they had to go.

Not my closet, by the way. Just an example LOL

Next up in the room is the closet.  Not looking forward to that one but it must be done.  It will be the first closet I've done in this process.  I hope that this does not overwhelm me and make me want to give up.  But it could be fun because God only knows what is in there! It will be a challenge, but I will rise to the occasion and power through it.  However, if you don't hear from me in a few weeks, send a search party!

That is all. 

Favorite Bette Davis Films

The other week I watched Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte.  It's one of my favorite films.  I am a big fan of Bette Davis and have several of her films in my collection. Here are my favorites of hers, in no particular order. If you haven't seen any of them, check them out! Descriptions are from IMDb.com

1. Now, Voyager

A frumpy spinster blossoms under therapy and becomes an elegant, independent woman.

2. Death on the Nile

As Hercule Poirot enjoys a luxurious cruise down the Nile, a newlywed heiress is found murdered on board. Can Poirot identify the killer before the ship reaches the end of its journey?

3. Whatever Happened To Baby Jane

A former child star torments her paraplegic sister in their decaying Hollywood mansion.

4. The Little Foxes

The ruthless, moneyed Hubbard clan lives in, and poisons, their part of the Deep South at the turn of the twentieth century.

5. Pocketful of Miracles

A New York gangster and his girlfriend attempt to turn street beggar Apple Annie into a society lady when the peddler learns her daughter is marrying royalty.

6. The Whales of August

Two aged sisters reflect on life and the past during a late summer day in Maine.

7. Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte

An aging, reclusive Southern belle plagued by a horrifying family secret descends into madness after the arrival of a lost relative.

8. All About Eve

A seemingly timid but secretly ruthless ingénue insinuates herself into the lives of an aging Broadway star and her circle of theater friends.

9. Burnt Offerings

A family moves into a large old mansion in the countryside which seems to have a mysterious and sinister power over its new residents.

10. The Man Who Came To Dinner

An acerbic critic wreaks havoc when a hip injury forces him to move in with a Midwestern family.