Week, Next and Last

Next week, I've got to get ready for my 4 days of BlogHer. I've got things going on each day! (whew! I will run myself silly! baseball game, cocktail parties, microphone wrangling, live blogging, CHRISTINE CANE, CHLOE DAO!! Take a peak at some of the activities being offered.. and this doesn't show the private parties or the baseball game. ) Gee, and they think that a blogger conference will be nerds in dark rooms!

I leave Wednesday evening for a red-eye flight to Chicago and get home about midnight Sunday night. I'm pretty sure that Monday will be nothing but sleeping and chillin'.

BTW, I've gotten a small hint that next year, BlogHer08 may be in Atlanta.

Ah well. Maybe that's why I've been so laid back this week. I remember sitting on the porch swing, reading my books, and doing some research on articles.

Today:

I'm taking the dogs to Cesar Chavez park down in Berkeley. We haven't been there since 12/31 and I usually get some good photos down there. Like the boat above. We'll see what a summer walk offers.

Grocery shopping follows, then work on my sewing project. A couple weeks ago I cut out all the pattern pieces, now I can't find half of them. Re-drafting is in order! I'm hoping I finish up this project this weekend.

I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.

BlogHer07

Week, Next and Last

Next week, I've got to get ready for my 4 days of BlogHer. I've got things going on each day! (whew! I will run myself silly! baseball game, cocktail parties, microphone wrangling, live blogging, CHRISTINE CANE, CHLOE DAO!! Take a peak at some of the activities being offered.. and this doesn't it all!) Gee, and they think that a blogger conference will be nerds in dark rooms!

I leave Wednesday evening for a red-eye flight to Chicago and get home about midnight Sunday night. I'm pretty sure that Monday will be nothing but sleeping and chillin'.

Ah well. Maybe that's why I've been so laid back this week. I remember sitting on the porch swing, reading my books, and doing some research on articles. Ah well.

Today:

I'm taking the dogs to Cesar Chavez park down in Berkeley. We haven't been there since 12/31 and I usually get some good photos down there. Like the boat above. We'll see what a summer walk offers.

Grocery shopping follows, then work on my sewing project. A couple weeks ago I cut out all the pattern pieces, now I can't find half of them. Re-drafting is in order! I'm hoping I finish up this project this weekend.

I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.

BlogHer07

Dreams

I had this strange dream last night... well, I woke up because of it, so I guess it was this morning.

I had just moved into a condo or apartment. I was happy with the situation. There were boxes still all over the living room, but I was building a computer work desk and putting some shelves up, when there was a knock at the door.

I answered opened the door to a man that the-me-in-the-dream knew, but I didn't recognize. He stood at the doorway peeking in around me. When he saw something about the shelving and desk, he said: Well, we can fix that later.

I got pissed and woke up.

I know I was angry that this guy thought he knew better how to organize my own living space than I did. But the more I thought about the dream, the more I saw it as a positive thing. I was building my own space. It might be a place to live... or it might be my LIFE. I was making my own way and my own decisions.

And (because I apparently never let the guy in) I was willing to defend my life against the interference of others. THEY might think that things needed to be arranged differently; but I was having none of that.

Also. If I was putting up shelves and building a desk (I'm thinking it was from IKEA)... it probably meant that when I moved into this space, I knew to buy my own drill.

I don't know why that is important, but it made it very happy when I realized it.

I'm just hoping I bought a level, too. Or I'm so screwed.

I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.

Still No Head Shot.

Still no useable headshot. It's amazing what exists in backgrounds that you just don't see until look at the shot in an editing program. And lighting? Shouldn't be so hard.

Today we're driving to Bodega Bay. Ignore the thought of 2 hours with a convertible blowing my hair around. I'm hoping an oceany background will work some magic on creating one or two (or 10) usable shots. Of course those multiple shots mean a cooperative photographer. We'll see.

I didn't get any work done on my project.. and with the spouse home through Tuesday, it might be Wednesday before I can get to work. Sigh.

But I'm making plans. I'm thinking about (another) whole series of articles for BlogHer where I (gasp) demonstrate some of the art/craft I things I do. One of the first articles will be on discharging stained t-shirts to extend their life. Part two of this will be how to paint or dye over these discharged pieces to completely change to look of the shirt.

If you have a blogpost on either of these topics, and wouldn't mind a link back to what you've said/shown, would you please send me the link Thanks.

In the future, I'll be writing about DNA beading, felted bags from sweaters, and maybe t-shirt quilts.

I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.

Tags: BlogHer, Crafty-fun, Fiber, hobbies, recycled art

This is going to Take All Day!!

I have a simple goal for today: get a couple new "head shots" taken. Me, bright and smiley.. a background that is not bland... and one with me sleeveless and showing my arms (there is this Dove-sponsored cocktail party at BlogHer in 2 weeks and they want these...).

Unfortunately, all the walls in the house are pale off-white. NOT what I want. Moving outside I'm in shadow (at the moment) and the backgrounds are lit. NOT what I want. When I check them, the backgrounds still have elements that are not desirable. NOT what I want.

And my photographer seems reluctant to participate in the process, quickly snapping 2 or 3 shots then wanting to leave. Also, he was brought up on the stand-em-straight-ahead-and-shoot-'em philosophy. Quick, painless and the ugliest pictures of humans one can take.

I have a tripod, but can't find my instruction book to know how to take timed photos. What I'm trying ain't working.

sigh.

Wonder how to accomplish what should be a fun and slightly goody fifteen minute experience. At the moment, it feels like it's going to take all day. Where is a creative photography friend when I need one?

If I ever get a photo I like, my Saturday ToDos:

Farmer's Market
Walk the dogs
Play with PhotoShop
Finish constructing pieces for my project.
Grilled Animal Flesh and Farmer's Market veggies for supper.

I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.

Did I mention that last week I got a copy of A Writer's Coach by Jack Hart? It was recommended by Roy Peter Clark at Poynter Online. Since one of my goals for this year is to work on my writing skills, this was an easy call!!

Now this week I've been analyzing my daily schedule and thinking that it isn't working as well as I'd like. I want to try and switch things around a bit in what remains of this month and give a new schedule a real try starting in August.

What does the book have to do with the schedule? Simple. Part of the schedule will be to polish skills I've had in the past and add a few more. Spending 2 hours each week day seriously working at studying stuff. Writing will be one of those skills. Hence the Jack Hart book. (the other skills? Finally teach myself PhotoShop and become more comfortable with all the things one can do with MS Office).

This week, I've begun reading A Writer's Coach; think of it as part of my summer reading list for school. Just nine pages in, the book already has given me a clue that is starting to work. Hart wrote:

Nothing generates ideas like getting your hands on the keyboard...

Writing generates ideas by encouraging the kind of sequential, cause-and-effect thinking that leads your mind into new territory.

About the time I read that, I started searching blogs for posts about color. How do different crafters choose the palette they use in a piece? How do approaches differ? It's an interesting topic and will make a nice little post both here and on Blogher. And while I was reading for color inspiration, I found several other ideas: why do crafters craft and blog (what's our motivation?), what makes me envious of craft/art blogs (who has really pretty design features?), atleast 2 recycled craft projects.

This is a good thing!

While I have always been contracted to submit 8 articles/month to BlogHer, starting in August I will have to submit those articles on a predetermined schedule (every Saturday and Wednesday). While it won't be hard to comply, the schedule started freaking me out a bit. But thinking about Hart's suggestion to simply start the work and know that one thing will lead to another... I'm building a fine little reserve of ideas that I can grow into articles in small bits of time.

I'm also reassured that researching these topics will lead me to many others. Only nine pages in, and part of my life is easier already.

It's harder, I think, to use this technique for my daily blogs. When other bloggers slowed or stopped blogging in the last year, we talked a lot about how they stopped "thinking like a blogger." That ability to observe one's life like a third party and find the moment of magic that the world will appreciate? That's a much different talent to both develop and refine. My life at the moment is a fairly solitary affair which also doesn't provide much fodder.

Some bloggers will leave notes by their computer of small ideas that they plumb during dry spells. DebR. uses these notes for her Random Items.... Since I store everything online (notes are usually written in ScribeFox with any links I need right there), this would work if I remembered to enter items when I was working online. Alas, that isn't always a possibility.

Two techniques I've used successfully in the past were a)making myself take a photo each day and b)narrating my day to myself. Both of these techniques worked because they made me an observer in my own life. I've contemplating searching out a "creative non-fiction writing" class to help me find the groove again. But, who knows? maybe Hart will have a few more tips that get me moving in the right direction.

One thing that I know will help a lot: I'm getting an itch to do some more soy-wax batik and shibori work.

ToDo this weekend:

Continue working on my sewing project. Hopefully finish it up Sunday.
Weed gardens.
Measure family room for potential new sectional couch.
Walk dogs.
Start organizing/cleaning the drawers in the kitchen.

What will you be doing??

I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.

Just a Hint...

Just a sweet little taste of what I've been doing...



Sewing and stitching.

ToDo Thursday:

Walk the dogs.
Work out with trainer.
Sew a Little.
Go to Mall for a Bra Fitting??
Dinner and a Play with Friends. (the original Nunsense, directed by the playwright and with several of the original cast members.)

Debra also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.

Recycled Geek Jewelry

If you're reading this, you use a computer. And odds are that you, like me, have a closet where you've stored broken computer pieces until you find the time to run them to a recycler.

You might want to rethink that move.

In articles that turn Geek into Chic (what? it does too rhyme!), you can use the keys from a now-defunct keyboard to make bracelets and necklaces.

DIY gives details. from Michele Beshen's program B.Original. In other articles, she uses a defunct USB port and internal computer pieces to make other jewelry pieces.

I like the take on this that Mixxtape riot shared with the cute earrings and bracelet she crafted at Craftster. She brilliantly used a heated pin to melt holes into the keys, rather than the drilling suggested at DIY. I like that gal!!

I'm curious to see how these feel and work on both skin and clothing. My instinct says they need something to fill the back, though neither artist mentions this. I wonder what would work?

Now if you'll excuse me I think I'll (accidently) pour some soft drink on a keyboard that's been giving me fits! Then you can all instantly know me at BlogHer07 by the stylin' necklace I wear!! What do you think? My name as a drop from a simple cord?
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This is one in a series of posts on "found object" and Recycling crafts. Coming up: recycling sweaters (both unknitting them and felting them), a review of a new book on making beautiful quilts from t-shirts, and soy wax batiking with found objects.

What other found/recycled art/craft would you like to see?
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When Debra isn't destroying computers for embellishments, she her life at Deb's Daily Distractions and all things arts and crafts at BlogHer. This is republish of a BlogHer article.


Check out my other blog: Deb's Daily Distractions

Catching Up.. next Comments!

Man in a Pink Boat: The island of Burano, Venice, Italy.

I finally spent this evening catching up on all the blogs in my feed. (did you see that Gabrielle actually blogged again?) While I took a quick moment to comment on a couple blogs, most of the time it was a quick read in my feedreader then on to the next one. Not that I didn't want to comment!! But given the choice of catching up almost completely or commenting and only getting part way through? Sorry, but I chose reading over writing tonight.

I promise that I'll try to comment on blogs within the next few days. You all deserve some love.

Friday's To Dos:

1. Grocery shop? First I have to check to see what's stashed in our freezer. if not, then vacuum and dust.

2. Write an article for BlogHer. What on?

I'm tempted to expand upon Sharon B.'s post this past week about child labor and inexpensive beaded goods. I need to have my writing brain working to get it right, though.

I can do a round up of the fun projects on knitting blogs, or quilting blogs. Is it just me, or do there seem to be fewer really fun projects and challenges being written about on quilting blogs? Please say I'm just missing them. I see lots of finished projects, but little real discussion of the process.. or things that make me believe it will be interesting to casual or non-quilter readers. (my audience at blogher).

I can write a round up of all the crafty podcasts.

I can try to find some of the charitable activities for crafters, quilters, and knitters (like Afghans for Afghans... which I've written about twice already!)

Hmm. other ideas? It's sad when I make a silent prayer to find something inspiring before I open up my feed reader. It usually works, but it's sad. (fingers crossed it will work again).

3. Begin my quarterly closet clean up.

This might shock some of you. Every 3 months I go through most of the clothes in my closet: if something doesn't fit (too large or too small) or if it's stained (more likely) or damaged, it gets tossed into the donation bin. I do not keep clothes for a "some day" that is anything more than someday I may need a dress instead of jeans. No "some day I'll fit into this again, or someday it may come back into fashion." It's wearable NOW or it's gone.

That's enough work for one day...

This weekend, if it cools, I'll be working in the garden and sewing a new purse I'm working on. Will there be photos by Monday??

Check out my other blog: Deb's Daily Distractions where I review (sadly, not favorably) a new website.

Tags: BloggityGoodness, ToDo,BlogHer, work

Babbling about Books

Occasionally I step out of my "normal reading" zone (alternating mysteries and sci-fi) and pick up something different. Frequently, these are books that speak to me, or books that someone specifically tells me I should read. Last year, it was Twyla Tharp's and Linda Ellerbee's. This June, it was EAT, PRAY, LOVE.
I consumed this book while on vacation, and I've decided to revist it immediately again to more slowly savor it. If you're looking for a good read, pick this book up.

Elizabeth Gilbert was 32 when she decided to divorce her husband. The 2 year experience was emotionally and physically devastating to her, except that she found "her" guru and began to meditate and practice yoga. A professional travel writer (oh, to have such a job), she was offered the chance to travel to Bali to report on yoga vacations. There she met an ancient medicine man who predicted that soon she would come and study with him.

Now I'm the kind of person who, when a ninth-generation Indonesian medicine man tells you that you're destined to move to Bali and live with him for four monhts, thinks you should make evry effort to do that. And this, finally, was how my whole idea about this year of traveling began to gel.

(snip) But what about the benefits of living harmoniously amid extremes?... My truth was exactly what I'd said to the medicine man in Bali - I wanted to experience both. I wanted worldly enjoyment and divine trascendence - the dual glories of a human life.

(snip) So I stopped trying to choose ---Italy? India? or Indonesia?? -- and eventually admitted that I wanted to travel to all of them. (pgs.28-29).

That's what most of this book is about. Gilbert spent 4 months in Italy learning to speak Italian and experience PLEASURE. She spent 4 months in India living on an Ashram and learning to meditate and PRAY. Then finally 4 months in Bali learning how to live in balance with both extremes.

She shares her experiences is a way that is personal, hysterical and touching. I enjoyed almost every word (OK, she went on a bit too long about divorcing her husband and breaking up with her lover. But that's what pushed her to writing the book.)

Check out my other blog: Deb's Daily Distractions for this week's Tale of the Scale.

Ragged Rooftop in Old Dubrovnik. I love this photo!


It appears that my comments are broken at the moment. (2 pm edit: comments are working now! Haloscan was down for a while this morning, now everything is fine.) I'm trying to fix it, but if you feel the need to leave a comment, I'd suggest that you email me!

Check out my other blog: Deb's Daily Distractions

Art and New Social Media

Blogumenta describes itself as the possibly the first art gallery/art fair group on Facebook. Running officially from June 16th, 2007 until July 16, 2007 the group encourages members to submit artwork.

The opening of the ceremony was announced by Michelle Kasprzak at Rhizome.org. where she described the event as an online reaction to the "Grand Tour" of large art festivals taking place throughout Europe this summer:

Blogumenta is more than that - it is a different kind of art event entirely. It has no physical gallery to visit, but there is an image repository on the website and in Facebook, one of the most popular social networking websites. It has no curator, but it was initiated by Robert and he is also the “Admin” of the Facebook group. The work itself is not for sale, but in the “Shopumenta” online store, you can purchase a Blogumenta ringer tee.

There is a companion blog to the Facebook space.

What is becoming interesting to watch are the other art activities springing up on Facebook, too.
There is a group that is discussing the connection between visual arts and language, there are museums and galleries...

So if MySpace is the home of all things pertaining to "bands and music".. will Facebook become the home to other aspects of the arts? And will this demonstrate further the perceived divide between the two?
Check out my other blog: Deb's Daily Distractions

Goal Checking (CAC)

I'm home, which means it's time to start catching up on the fun at Create A Connection. Today, Julie ZS made a great point:

Are we accomplishing our goals? Let's check in!

Last December 30th, I wrote:

I WILL:

-get strong physically. It helps me feel healthy.

-control the "siren song" of the laptop and the TV. (I'll admit it, I'm
addicted, but more later)

-get out among people more (volunteer? work?) .

-continue working on my writing.

-learn photo shop.

-get back into the workroom.

#1:
When I checked the year-long prediction from the new astrologer at BlogHer, KT's major theme for we Crabs was: develop a diet and exercise program that you will maintain for life. Seems that the universe was pushing that idea on me. Yes, it succeeded. I am 30# lighter, eating more healthfully (most of the time), and actually miss it when I don't work out. My moods are better too.

#2
Control time on the computer and background TV: Not so much. I'm going to revise this for the 2nd half of the year to make it more specific: Turn off the TV and close the laptop for 4 hours a day. The way the original was written was too vague.

#3
Slightly successful. I've started trying to get out more. It's baby steps for me, though. Perhaps another more specific goal: have 3 occasions (an hour longer or more) each week where I am out interacting with people in some planned activity. (and no, spouse, taking the dog to the vets or seeing the dentist does not count). Acceptable activities: luncheons/evening lectures, Geek Breakfasts, docent at a museum, movie with a friend.

#4
Not successful. My writing has suffered this year because of personal distractions. Often I simply crank something out, barely proof it, and press "publish". I have, however, started several blogs about great writing. And I'm slowly beginning to integrate those ideas into my work. And this summer, with most of the evening entertainment in repeats, I will spend some time each evening sharpening those skills.

#5
Nope. Haven't done it yet. The only positive step I took was buying a photo shop elements tutorial book.

#6
Nope. Pretty much a failure there, too. But I'm beginning to think that I need to redefine what I expect from the workroom. Before I get in there to work, I need to define the work I'll be doing there. I have ideas. I don't have a clean and uncluttered place in which to expand upon it.

In January I proclaimed: I see the possibility for big change this year but it won't happen if I don't work at it. So 2007: The Year of Living Pro-Actively. And I believe that I am taking that position most of the time.

In review, my I am only moderately successful at achieving my goals for this year. But I've still got half a year to become more successful. And thanks to Julie, I've been reminded of the commitments I made at the beginning of the year to refocus the rest of the year.

Check out my other blog: Deb's Daily Distractions

Tags: CAC, plans, work

Ok, I've my sidebar.

DO NOT PANIC!! (I hope).

I got the sidebar working before, and the text is there in my template. Somehow I've got to finish the stupid Blogger that it need to publish this information.

However, with it missing, I do have a nice clean layout. A little sparse, true... but clean.

(grumble, mumble, stupid clean...)


Check out my other blog: Deb's Daily Distractions

Zodiac-Whacky, I Miss CAP...

Alas, it just isn't as much fun since Laurie of Crazy Aunt Purl has stopped writing her monthly horror-scopes. I understand get her book published takes up the time.. I'm not complaining.. it's just...

Remember how much fun her predictions for the month were?? January for example! OK, I'm quoting my monthly message. Yours was probably different, and if it wasn't Happy Birthday, Soon!!

And your To-Do is equally simple, but very satisfying: Use this month to exercise your future-tense daydream muscles. In place of all that time you spend in your head trying to fix or re-live the past, now just actively focus on daydreaming your future. See it in your mind, down to the shoes you'll wear. Be whoever you want to be in your futures, your fantasies, your imagination. Us crabs never fully live in the present, so if you have to choose between obsessing over the past (which you can never change) or daydreaming a beautiful future... always, always pick the future. (And yes, my daydreams include what shoes I will be wearing. Indeed!)

So Laurie found a substitute to take over. She did not leave us in the learch, un-horrorscoped! And Phyllis Firak-Mitz is a fine writer. Just not quite as quirky as Laurie. My prediction for this month:

Idea! Contracts! Realizations! Your mind and your phone will be buzzing all month as Mercury and other planets stimulate your thoughts and communications. Sure Mercury retrograde through July 10th can cause some snafus in your plans. But it’s also buying you time to think more deeply about what you really want. And it’s attracting others to think more about you, too! Expect some good ideas and offers around July 1st, 5th, 14th, 28th, and 29th. Friendships will also be active during July, as Mars gives you courage and sex appeal to strike up new alliances. It will also help you climb out of your Cancerian shell and assert yourself in existing relationships. That’s a good thing, since it might be time to hash out some value or financial differences you’ve been experiencing with others, especially between July 23rd through August 2nd. Remember: As rocky as matters can sometimes get this month, you can ultimately gain greater security by standing up for yourself and by letting go of projects and relationships that don’t support you. In doing so, you’ll realize what’s worth cultivating with that wonderful nurturing energy of yours, and what (or who!) is just draining your energy.

Let's just imagine what Laurie would have done with that. Guess I should get back to editing those photos...

Check out my other blog: Deb's Daily Distractions

Freaking Out A Little...

(I believe this is Hagia Sophia. Anyway, it's Istanbul, Turkey)

Somewhere in the second half of our vacation, I realized I was happy. Happy for no obvious reason.

Just plain and simply happy.

That emotion has carried over to this week, too.

Now happy isn't an emotion that I'm used to, and when I am happy, I expect it to be for a specific reason. I'm because _________________.

I'll admit it: this happy-for-no-reason thing is freaking me out a little. I'm suspicious of it.

Yet I'm still happy enough that even that isn't too sad.

=============================
Now for all those waiting for trip photos to appear... I'm slowly adding them to Flickr, one folder for each city, so you can see them as I'm working on them. My goal for today is to go through the photos from the Acropolis and maybe Dubrovnik. You'll notice that I mainly take detail shots of buildings. I hope the spouser took some of the more "touristy" photos!!

Check out my other blog: Deb's Daily Distractions where I mourn my limited Geek score.

Home Again... Home Again...

Sorry, no photos yet.

Yes, I have arrived home safely from my 2 weeks vacation. I am rested and relaxed. Yesterday afternoon I found myself walking around the house and feeling very happy for no reason. So I'm guessing that the vacation took.

The dogs are back from the boarder's (and bathed); the computer is back from the computer spa (and should last me until 4/5/08 when the warrenty expires!). I'm almost back to living on Pacific time!

Later today I'm going to upload the 180 some photos onto the computer and start editing and organizing them to upload to Flickr. Maybe by tomorrow or Thursday I'll be able to send you to the links. Each city will have it's own folder. I'm not sure if there are any photos of people.. but you will get a visual "taste" of the beautiful in historic sites and European cities.


Check out my other blog: Deb's Daily Distractions

Laughing All The Way

The Last Second of Sunset, 5/21/07. Most likely the last post before my trip.

Thursday was the last workout with my trainer, Guido, before my vacation. I don't know if it was the upcoming break or our moods, but we laughed through the entire hour.

It started as soon as we began talking.

I joked that Roger Clements (overpaid, aging pitcher soon to start for those Damn Yankees) has a "tired groin" because scar tissue from an earlier injury is starting to break up. Scar tissue from my foot surgery last January is breaking up, too, so I wanted to be excused from doing some moves because I have a "tired toe." Yeah, that didn't get me as far as it's getting Roger.

I whined. I still had to do the moves.

During bench presses (I'm using two twenty-pound dumbbells!! Twenty Freaking Pounds!!), I got a new nickname: The Debinator. I like it as much as a name the kids gave me when I was a substitute teacher: Roby-wan Kenobi. I was always teaching them stuff that went beyond the lesson plans...

The laughs continued through funny stories about earlier workout session: the Jim Brown story while we did wall squats; the time I threw a fit about an exercise; the time I almost fainted:

I breathe poorly while working out, gulping air like a guppy then holding my breath. Not a good thing. Guido can spend a third of my workout telling me to breathe. (Breathe in, Deb. Now out. Now you have to remember to breathe back in again...) I was doing lunges across the basketball floor and apparently gulping and holding my breath. When I turned to start back, it was time to stop and catch my breath or time to faint. I chose catching my breath.

"We stopped and went on to something else at that point then, right?" Guido asked Thursday.

I gave him "that" look. "No. You let me rest for 30 seconds then told me I still owed you eight lunges."

He couldn't believe that he made me continue and that I did.

Well, yes, he could. That's the relationship we have. He pushes me a lot further than I'd ever push myself. And afterward he marvels that I do it all (with a minimum of whining). We always surprise each other. Makes it worthwhile doing the work.

While we did the weight and measure thing, he asked me for details about my trip. I told him we were flying into Istanbul and staying at a hotel with a view of the Bosphorus Straits.

"That sounds beautiful, Deb..."

"Um, Guido, you haven't the faintest idea what the Bosphorus is, do you?"

"Nope. Not a clue! But it does sound beautiful!!"

Yes, a geography lesson followed. I earned that Roby-wan name long ago for a reason!

Tags: life, fitness, 24HourFitness

Check out my other blog: Deb's Daily Distractions

Look What We Found...

After a great final workout at the gym, I came home, inhaled some lunch and took the dogs for a walk. It was a nicely paced 2 mile walk along Pinole Creek. As we approached the last part of the walk, we found this basketball in the weeds along the side of the path.

Basketballs are Jake's favorite toy.

So the rest of the walk, he happily chased the ball along the path and carried it with him back to the car.

Free toys!! Gotta love it!

Check out my other blog: Deb's Daily Distractions

Busy, busy day...

Had a busy, busy day today.

This morning I stopped at the post office, walked the dogs, picked up a reserved book at the library, did some dishes, made several appointments and still got to lunch with my friend Janice early. (Every year I get a $25 certificate from Pear Street Bistro for my birthday month, and I love to take a friend there to celebrate. This year it was my bud Janice.) No well-wishing yet, my birthday isn't until the end of the month...)

Anyway, I got there as she was leaving her house, so I had a little time to wait on her. I stood out on the sidewalk (so she would know exactly where to turn) and worked on knitting a sock. I may not be making much art, but I'm still whacking away with the needles on occasions. Ala the Yarn Harlot (though not as skillfully) I decided to take a quick shot to memorialize the case today.

(I can take a photo on my phone and email it to flickr! complete with it's title. Doncha love technology??)

Anyway, I had my standard dish: a romaine salad with balsamic dressing, topping with Gorgonzola cheese, candied walnuts and slices of bosc pears. I added a bit of grilled salmon to the side. It was yum.

After lunch, it was turn around JoAnne's, a stop at the PetSmart for dog food and bird seed, some cardio workout at the gym, an annual exam for Jake at the vets, and I was finally home and ready to stay here about 4:15 in the afternoon.

This evening? Working some more on that sock (it's a Jaywalker in a tropical punch kind of colorway (#205) of Katia's Mississippi 3 print. A nice all cotton sock yarn.) Next will be the same pair in the blue colors (#207).

Supper: grilled vegetable frittata with whole wheat toast.
So what did you do today?

Check out my other blog: Deb's Daily Distractions for Thursday afternoon's Tale of the Scale.

tags: fitness, life, fiber

BlogHer Now with More Action...

Ya'll know I that write about things hobby-related for BlogHer.org. I'm honored to be part of this group even though I mainly live in the quiet little hobby corner.

Anyway, today Lisa, Elisa and Jory... three of my personal heroines and the sweetest gals you'd every want to spend an afternoon with... announced the next step for BlogHer:

BLOGHER ACTS:

According to the announcement:

We're introducing BlogHers Act. And just like the BlogHer Conference is the conference the community built, we want BlogHers Act to take on a cause the community develops.

We're starting today: We have asked the incredible duo of Cooper Munroe and Emily McKhann, from the Been There Hurricane Clearinghouse Blog, to lead this effort for us, by helping us work together to identify both:

1. The global issue that the BlogHer community wants to support

2. A voter manifesto identifying the top issues that the community wants addressed during the American presidential election in 2008

I'm encouraging you to go over the BlogHer and let Cooper and Emily know what you think (and register your blog if you haven't already). Or leave a comment here and I'll pass your messages along.

For myself, I'm considering the following:

1. Global Warming and the Environment. This is one issue that we can benefit from grassroots activism. And if women can't work to protect Mother Earth for our own children and future generations.. who should?

2. Top voter issues for the 2008 election:

Health Care. The whole enchilada: prescription drug costs, universal health care, preventative care.

Protection of Retirement Benefits. Stop allowing companies to cancel retirement plans that employees have paid into for years. If they must, make sure that all management loses EVERYTHING they've been promised from the corporation first.

Environmental Issues. From freeing ourselves from the "corn cartel", to making it economically possible for consumers to "go green" to reducing greenhouse gases. Again the whole enchilada please.

One that I feel strongly about, but that won't make the list:
Infrastructure redevelopment (I see the threat of infrastructure collapse in the next 10-20 years as a major concern. Yet nobody is willing to completely rebuild our power structures, our water supply system, or our roads.)

Are you surprised that the Iraq War, the economy, terrorism didn't make the list? While these might be important issues to discuss, I really have little faith that much can be done to impact these issues.

And why am I excited about being part of this?

Britt Bravo shares this appropriate quote with us CEs:

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. Margaret Mead.

And I added to the quote-fest with:

Before something happens in the world, it must happen in your mind. CS Lewis

So what do you think?

Check out my other blog: Deb's Daily Distractions where I wrote about green grocery bags, and Thursday will write my Tale of the Scale.. with good news!

Tags: BlogHersAct, Bloghers Act, BlogHer

Doing Better...

Well, the visit with the pros left things temporarily undecided. Just before going out of the country on a cruise is NOT the time to be playing with better living through chemistry. So I'm sticking with my old prescription and hoping that it works for getting me through the severe time-adjusting reset.

Ya know how they make Lunestra sound like a really simple nice drug with no side effects? Take it, fall asleep quickly, sleep for 8 hours and wake up. Limited chance for addiction. Sounds great, right?

Yeah.

For me, I took it and fell asleep over an hour later (so about midnight). Woke up at 3:30 am and never fell asleep again, though I stayed in bed and prone until 7 am. (it's one of the suggestions.. if you're not sleeping through .. fake it. Sometimes you make it.) And I was severely depressed and weepy throughout the day.

Bad, bad reaction. or bad, bad drug for me.

Check out my other blog: Deb's Daily Distractions
for my Tale of the Scale... or my new grocery shopping bags.. who knows?

Just keep drumming along...

This is an image from the Bay to Breakers that I never uploaded. Women drummers in Golden Gate Park who drummed their support for us. It was fabulous.

(Truthfully I'd love to learn how to join these gals. Drumming would be a great stress relief and social activity. Don't we all have times when we'd like to beat the living daylights safely out of something? Oh.. that's just me?? Nevermind.)

When I walked by these ladies I was so tempted to stop and soak in the rhythm from them. But it wasn't quite the strong soul beat that I needed. It was slightly off from what my cells were seeking, so rather than fight with alternate rhythms, I walked on.

Lately, I've been struck by the realization that when the rhythm of something is "right" then the action is effortless. Walking, sewing, painting, breathing, living. It's all about finding that effortless rhythm. And it's amazing what a good night's sleep and remembering to eat every 3 hours can do for me! It's my part of my rhythm, part that I have been missing the last couple days. The part that tripped me down into a well.

I'm not perfect today, but I'm better. I've got some of my rhythm back; I can feel it beating in my muscle fibers. Thanks for all your kind comments and emails over the last day or so. (Heck, thank you for every comment you've ever made! Every email you've sent! Every connection we've made.)

You, too, are the drummer women of my lives. And you rock!

Check out my other blog: Deb's Daily Distractions
where I'll be a bit about Twitter. (after I eat something...)

Just So's Ya Know...

(sailboats on San Pablo Bay. Taken with full zoom. Have I mentioned lately that I love my camera?? I do!)


Just so's ya know, I'm still here.

Looking at the last month, I haven't taken many photos (and have shown even fewer); I haven't written many blog posts; I haven't done much of anything worth blogging about.

Monday I'm talking to the pros about better living through chemistry. Sure seems to me that mine must be outta whack.

And also so's ya know...

Friday or Saturday I'm dropping off my laptop for a trip to the computer spa.

Next Sunday (6/10) I'm leaving for a 2 week vacation.

So whatever you hear from me this week will be it until sometime after 6/24.

God, I'm going to have a readership of about 10 by then!! But I'll love each and every 10 of ya!

Craft In America

Did you catch it?

I settled in to watch the 3 hour airing of CRAFT IN AMERICA, ready to be inspired and educated. I was not disappointed. I love to watch artists working! I love to hear them talk about their process. I want to know what drew them to a specific craft. For three hours I felt like I was sitting at the feet of these artists, drinking in their lives.

It was wonderful.

It is the best part of my job as BlogHer's Contributing Editor for hobbies. Many professional craftspersons and artists reject the category when listing their blogs, yet there are many bloggers who began their craft blogs as hobbyists and have grown to professionals in part because of their blogs. They build community online, support each other and regularly give us glimpses of their process.

And I "have to" read their words to share them. I tell ya, sometimes life is hard.

I'm working on a list of some of the best "process sharing" bloggers I read. I'll try to get that posted here before the weekend.

Check out my other blog: Deb's Daily Distractions

"Inside You Is the Power To Do Anything"

Blogging Books.

I was sent the first two books in the juvenile series: The Fairy Chronicles, by J. H. Sweet to review. While it's been a while since I was an 8 year old reader, it was enjoyable to sit for a afternoon and remember the joy of simple reading.

Imagine finding out one day that you are more than you seem to be: that you are a fairy. That what happens to nine-year old Beth Parish in Marigold and the Feather of Hope. Book one of The Fairy Chronicles follows Beth as she learns about being a fairy. She makes new fairy friends and is important part in the adventure of recovering the Feather of Hope. At just over 100 pages, it's a perfect summertime read for a child.

Book Two of the series, DragonFly and the Web of Dreams, continues the story with a new challenge. And it appears that the other books in the series will fit into this formula.

I love the line that heads these books: Inside you is the Power to do Anything. I love that each book includes extras at the end such as natural history lessons or an apppropriate craft project. And I think the length of these books are perfect for a short trip to the beach or a rainy weekend indoors.

However, like much juvenile literature, the responsibility of solving every problem falls to the youngest and newest members of the group. In this case, Beth/Marigold and her fellow young fairies. Adults serve their roles as mentors, but children are charged with acting in each mission. While I understand that the child reader needs to feel empowered and capable, it still bother me that adults become impotent and children must "save the day." Seems like a lot to ask.

Still, a 7-9 year old girl would probably love these books. And I'm eagerly going to pass them on to one.

Check out my other blog: Deb's Daily Distractions

Stitch and Pitch, Year Two. Play Ball!!

I love baseball!!

So I'm thrilled to post that Stitch and Pitch is returning to baseball stadiums around the country. There have already been five stadiums to host the excitement: The Diamondbacks, Rangers, Reds, Nationals and Dodgers. Three teams will host in June: Royals, Indians and Phillies. Eight teams will be fiber rich in July, and six final stadiums in August.

Even if your game is scheduled late, do try to participate in CRAFT's Stitch N' Pitch Design contest.

Are you planning on attending one of the games??

Crazy Aunt Purl and The DivaKnits already attended the fun at a Dodgers game, while Wicked Stitches attended the Reds game and shares photos of the swag. Nittany Knits (lucky gal!) not only attended the Nationals game on May 15th, but will be at the Pirates game in July!

Knitting Without Dog Hair Is Not An Option has her tickets for the Braves game and she is not a sports fan.

Pooch announced that Interweave Press is working to organize a blog meet-up and bring a huge crowd to the Rockies game in July.

And I will be present to experience the fun when Stitch and Pitch comes to Giants Game!!

If you're planning on attending one of these games and blog about it, please send me the link. I'd like to create a round-up of all the fun and would hate to miss you!!

Crossposted at BlogHer.

Check out my other blog: Deb's Daily Distractions

Tags: baseball, StitchNPitch, BloggityGoodness, blogging, fiber

Wednesday's Wanderings

Don't these pigeons roosting in an archway look terribly European?

They are not. This is a house the dogs and I regularly pass when we're out walking. It was a nice house before the pigeons showed up.

I am still not doing much creatively, but it's OK. I was focused a bit on the Bay to Breakers, and now I'm planning summer activities (we go on our cruise in just a couple weeks, then there are a couple plays to see, Stitch and Pitch to attend, BlogHer in Chicago.. and that just gets me through July!).

Oh, and my computer is going into the "computer spa" while we're cruising, and the dogs are boarded... so the whole house gets a vacation!! Something about using a laptop on your lap that slowly (or quickly) kills it! Thank goodness I bought a warrenty with this baby!! Still it means I need to back up files just incase they disappear in the whole spa experience!

But I'm catching up on reading everyone's blogs (yes, I am way behind, I admit it!) and I'm planning a dye-day with some friends when I get back to the US. So creative things are on the horizon.

While I'm not making anything interesting, is there anything new you've found that I should be sure not to miss??
Check out my other blog: Deb's Daily Distractions

You Never Walk Alone

Sunday I participated in the 2007 version of the Bay to Breakers Race. I walked the 12K course in the middle of walking about 10 miles. After leaving BART in the city, I walked about a mile to the staging area where we waited for the horn that signalled our race began. As I stepped over the START line, the chip I was wearing on my shoe began keeping my time.

While I did not walk with any friends, when you do this race you NEVER walk alone.



The challenge of the race, whether running or walking, happens at the 2.5 mile mark: heading up the Hayes Street Hill, which tops off at 215 feet and has a 11.15% incline. Look closely, several of the naked racers made it into this shot.


From the crest of the hill, it's basically all downhill through the city and into Golden Gate Park. You know you are nearing the end when you see the Breakers.

Turn the corner to walk down Highway 1 to the Finish Line:


After crossing the line, we continued walking.... about another mile to the place where they magically read our chips. I did the race (7.5 miles) in 2:22:32. Considering that I stopped twice to stretch out a crampy left hamstring, and to live Twitter the race (a feat that impressed several friends!!), that isn't a bad time. I believe I walked most of the time at my fairly normal 3.25 MPH.

At the end of the "walking" was the party zone:


There was a beer garden, lots of food, bands, and general party-themed activities. This is also where I need to be to a) get my t-shirt and b) stand in line for the bus ride back to BART.

The tents with the t-shirts are across the field... more walking. And the line to catch the bus?? Well, I waited about an hour while walking in a slowly moving line almost another mile to get to the bus.

Then MUNI chose to give us all a scenic 45 minute tour of the city while trying to get us all back to BART. Folks might complain about BART, but it was fast, on time and didn't ask me to walk miles.

The entire experience was wonderful, and I'm hoping to do it again next year. All the extra walking was a pain.. but the truly sad thing was that MAKER FAIRE was also being held in the city this weekend; and my poor legs could only choose to do one of the two activities.
Check out my other blog: Deb's Daily Distractions

Tags: BayToBreakers, Bay to Breakers, fitness, walking, life

The Art of Travel

Somewhere on the innernets this past week, I came upon an essayist named Alain de Botton. Don't know where, and does it really matter?

No.

In looking through his list of books, I found a small work titled The Art of Travel. As I am in anticipation mode for our big travel next month, I checked with the library system and picked it up!

I'm only 20 pages into it and I'm already telling ya... if you're thinking about travelling, read him.

The first chapter of the book is a section on the Anticipation of travel. Just where I'm at now.

He has arrived at his planned winter destination (Barbados), when it suddenly hits him. He anticipated arriving at the airport and arriving in his bungalow. "In my anticipation, there had simply been a vacuum between the airport and my hotel." His mind conveniantly skipped over the nuts and bolts of the time in between. (and don't we all??)

So he considers:

If we are inclined to forget how much there is in the world besides that which we anticipate, then works of art are perhaps a little to blame, for in them we find at work the same process of simplification or selection as in the imagination. Artistic accounts involve severe abbreviations of what reality will force upon us. A travel book may tell us, for example, that the narrator journeyed through the countryside for an afternoon to reach the hill town of X and after a night in its medieval monastery awoke to a misty dawn. But we never simply 'journey through an afternoon We sit on a train. Lunch digests awkwardly. We look out the window at a field. .....

A storyteller who provided us with such profusion of details would rapidly grow maddening. Unfortunately, life itself often subscribes to this mode of storytelling, wearing us out with repetitions, misleading emphases and inconsequential plot lines.

Which explains the curious phenomenon whereby valuable elements may be easier to experience in art and in anticipation than in reality.

With the venues I'm visiting, I'm certain that the anticipation is much tighter than the reality will be. Walking the old town of Dubrovnik... sounds simple and slightly romantic. Walking around a strange city with a foreign language for 5-6 hours? Sounds a lot more strenuous. But heck, I'm preparing for it already this weekend!

In other travelling news, do you read Moby's blog?? (and did you notice how hip I am being not even trying to 'splain who Moby is?? Yes, I am that hip and with it!! Actually, the guy is just a writer I enjoy!!)

Today he admitted:

in other news: cannes was nuts. i'd never been there during the film festival.

it's, uh, o.t.t(a contemporary acronym meaning, i believe, 'over the top'. see, that's me trying to stay contemporary. awesome, right?).

so, this morning in cannes i woke up and stumbled to the french doors of my hotel room, flung them open to look at the nice mediterranean sea and the rich people's yachts thereon, and then realized that there were about 500 tourists and photographers looking at the front of the hotel(and, by default, me)to see if they could spot any movie stars.

so for a brief second the tourists and photographers were subjected to me in my bleary eyed morning naked-ness.

i'm hoping(more for their sake than mine)that no one saw anything(not much to see, unless you like bald white guys looking like they just woke up, which i just had, actually).

it was a brief moment of unintended nudity, and i can only assume that anyone who saw me probably wondered 'huh, i wonder what that naked bald guy is doing in the movie star hotel? maybe he's norah jones' assistant, possibly from a work-release program?'

or something similar.

and now it's 6 a.m in montpellier(did i spell it right?)and i should go to sleep, for tomorrow we go to barcelona, which i love(it's a hard city not to love).

ok, goodnight.

mobyTomorrow

I travel to the city early in the morning on BART for the express purpose of walking across it. One water way to the other.

Next month I travel to Asia Minor to begin a 2 week adventure of walking all over the Mediterranean.

July I travel to Chicago to meet up all the BlogHer Babes and even take in a baseball game.

Anticipation is what I'm all about.



Check out my other blog: Deb's Daily Distractions

Before something happens in the world, it must happen in your mind. CS Lewis

Damn. I haven't posted since Monday? I swear that in my mind I was writing posts! There was some disconnect between my mind and the keyboard, though. What possibly could it have been? Could it have been the realization this past weekend that I leave for a 2 weeks cruise in less than a month? And I don't know exactly what I'm packing? And I'm not sure I have what I need?

I have become distracted with thoughts of supportive walking shoes that will be comfortable in hot, humid weather (Turkey, Greece, Italy). Today I ordered an pair of Keen Rosarita's from Zappos to cover this. They didn't have the more neutral carmel color, so I chose the neutral garnet instead. What?? Red is a neutral!!

I have been distracted by the skirts I started sewing a couple months ago for this cruise. They are still unhemmed. I will playing with marking a straight hem on them tonight. Keep your fingers crossed.

I have been distracted with writing an "skills based" resume. I figure that I want to do some volunteering to get out of the house a bit (and maybe polish my skills for some paying work to cover workshops and fun things like shoes..). Being able to accurately represent what I've done and what I can do is important. Unfortunately for me, I tend to downplay my skills; fortunately for me, I have friends who won't let me get away with that.

I have been distracted with an idea for a short story. Not yet to the stage where I can write anything; I'm enjoying developing the structure. It's based in part on a line that Sonji wrote about when she was dating Townsend... part on my idea about learning how to score a baseball game... part on my belief that Baseball is a metaphor for life. But it's mainly about how a small shift in one's perspective can change your life.

oh.. that belief about scoring a baseball game? I believe it is something that one learns from a person (not a book or website). It's a tradition thing, I guess. Anyway, I'm still waiting for someone to teach me how to do it.

Guess this post could have gone my other blog: Deb's Daily Distractions

New Week Restart...

First, thank you all who commented (or tried) over the weekend. Haloscan had a server go down; many comments completely disappeared and the rest were cut short. Still several persevered.

Karoda.. about my writing/reading talent. I believe this was something hard-wired when I was born. I noticed it in elementary school; used it to cheat on one test (read the Gettysburg Address from the teacher's copy), but found no real use for it. I thought everybody could do it! So far I've only found a few people with the talent.

This weekend I got the surfaces cleared my workroom. This week I need to clear off the shelves and bookcase, toss a lot of stuff, donate a lot more and decide what I'm going to use in the next year. Not use it? Then it it's either being stored in the garage, given away, or sold somehow.

After this visible stuff is organized the drawers of stuff need to be gone through too.

In the meantime, I've written notes for blogposts, started (gasp) mind-mapping notes for a series, started journalling some important ideas (like the fear of success). I've written (on a white board) my goals for this week in several parts of my life.

Finding a Balance.

The lilacs have faded to brown now, but in their prime they were so pretty!
===========================

This past week I was thinking about lists on blogs.

Looking at my own blog, I don’t have any!! I do occasionally write an entry that’s a list of thing to accomplish, or a meme that's a list of things, but no other lists extant on the page. Do lists make us more interesting to others or more mundane? Would I share something truly revealing about myself on a list? Would anything there work to make me for productive, more interesting, more "ME"?

Nope, I don't think so.

I do have my del.icio.us tag cloud.. which is a more sophisticated kind of list. I have my Amazon wishlist (which I forget to update)... and lists of blogs. Would anything more just be more noise and clutter? Do I just need to clean up the sidebar and make it pretty again? Or maybe have the whole blog redesigned?

Too many questions for a Saturday morning.

While I think there is some potentially interesting lists on other blogs, I guess I don't want anything more on this one. Maybe paring it down to less. Cleaner. Quieter. Calmer.

I've started to notice an emotional disconnect between myself and the words on the screen. They used to feel more real to me than the words I'd put down on a page; more attached to the person I am at the moment. I would often write with little self-editing, then go back and polish for grammar and spelling, but not for truth or emotion. I don't feel that now.

Now there is a lot going on in my head that I don't want to share. That I hold back, keep private. And in doing so I'm holding back too much of me to connect to the screen. I'm developing a taste for wood pulp and ink. White boards and erasable markers. Calendars. Things I can touch and keep private.

I'm holding back too much and losing my balance between the real and cyber worlds, toppling first to one side then the other. I need to find my balance between my public me and my way too private side.

For next week: Work On Balance.

Check out my other blog: Deb's Daily Distractions

Seven Things

Gerrie tagged me to do the Seven Things meme. I'm going to do it, but I'm NOT tagging anyone. If you haven't been tagged yet and need something to blog about, feel free to leave a comment telling me that you've done it. I'll recap any meme's this weekend.

Seven Things You May Not Know About Me:

1. When I was four I took baton lessons. They tended to have the beginners stand next to the "not quite beginners".. and I was always watching them and trying to do what THEY did. Even at that age I always wanted to skip the boring basics and get to the more interesting stuff.

2. I color my hair. But I color it what was my natural color. (btw, it's dark ash blonde/lightest ash brown. Loreal Preference 6.5 A I think is the perfect color!).

3. I can read upside down and backwards. So if the text is facing you, I can read it almost as quickly as if it were facing me.

4. I sang first alto in choir from 6th grade on. When I got past the fall "find your voice" exercises, my range was E below middle C to a hard-push to G above high C. Didn't like those high notes, though. One year my teacher asked me to move to 2nd soprano; I hated it and begged to be moved back. Alto makes me very happy.

5. I was an alpha-tester for New Math back in the late '60s. So I can talk set theory with the best of them, but I cannot divide anything harder than 6 divided by 6 without a calculator (it's those 7s and 8s x table things that confuse me.).

6. I am almost always moving: rocking, swinging, jiggling something. done so all my life. Why? I don't know.

7. I have broken several bones but never had a cast. Yes, that means toes (4) and fingers (2). When I broke a knuckle on my left hand (walking our dog, Prince), I played 6 sets of tennis the next day even though the joint dislocated every time I tossed a serve.

That's seven. Who else wants to play???

Check out my other blog: Deb's Daily Distractions

Debra Needs...A Meme

Fellow "travelling skinny pants" blogger Kris published a fun and simple meme Monday. Since I'm working on a big honking serious post about my Fear Of Success, and since I'm organizing (and so far not at a "lookie what I found!!" state), I thought I'd share this with you. OH, yeah.. (Rayna)... I'm kind of "mind mapping" some ideas for several of the pieces from your class. AFTER I get a workable work room.

Until then, Distraction is my Modus Operandi.

google your name + needs and see what comes up. I found that I need to change to one that needs a little fun...

Debra Needs....

• a tutor to help her read and write about work materials.
• oxygen.
• to view a pile of directories on a large system or server.
• your financial support.
• to go in early.
• a photo to post. (I can help me there...)
• to see a specialist
• to work on election integrity.
• to ask the question: "what moves me?"... hey this was from my own blog!!!!
• stockings because the week or so before I bought a garter belt.... (this is not from my blog!)

So, what do you need??

Check out my other blog: Deb's Daily Distractions for this week's Tale of the Scale.

Tags: meme, Debra Needs

Clouds: May 2nd.

I had plans for a very different post today; I had had plans to go to the De Young on Sunday to see the Vivienne Westwood exhibit. Alas, our plans had to be postponed. My take on this exhibit will have to wait a couple weeks. (sigh)...

Last week I did a bit a dyeing... some light pieces that I'll eventually use as the basis for some more play based on Rayna's class.

I think, though, that before I do that, I should finally unpack from that class. Which means I need to spend time this week, pulling lots of stuff out of my workroom, deciding what will go somewhere else and what will go back into the room, and getting it put away. Then putting away the supplies.

I mean, how long can a frying pan with soy wax in the bottom sit sideways on a chair in the living room?? It's getting hot outside!!

While this task is mundane, it gives me an opportunity to really think about what I want to be working on, if anything. Weed out the unlikely paths, focus my future. Dream and contemplate a bit.

And, I'm determined to find other space for me in this house, so I don't drop shopping bags, magazines, books, laundry and other stuff in this "my" room.


Check out my other blog: Deb's Daily Distractions

1970, A Hard Spring To Forget. When Campus Shootings Were A New Thing.

You know, you see these bums, you know, blowin' up the campuses. Listen, the boys that are on the college campuses today are the luckiest people in the world, going to the greatest universities, and here they are, burnin' up the books, I mean, stormin' around about this issue, I mean, you name it - get rid of the war, there'll be another one.

Richard Nixon, New York Times, May 2, 1970.



It was a spring that was hard to forget:

First, it was my senior year in High School; I could not wait to leave that place. I fitted in not at all with my classmates and had all my hopes pegged on finding a more suitable crowd in college.

Second, have you seen Apollo 13? It happened that April.

And then there was May 4th.

Kent State.

I grew up in Northeastern Ohio, less than 40 miles from Kent State University. It was time when there were protests on every campus, but shootings were not a common thing. The first time it happened was May 4th, 1970. Many of my teachers that fall transferred to Cleveland State from Kent. It was a defining experience in my life, much like the other generational shootings: JFK, RFK, Malcolm X, or MLK.

I found an interesting first-hand account of the morning from one of the students who was shot and injured that day.

Spend a couple minutes today remembering the innocent time before this all happened.

Edited about noon: Ok, it's been pointed out to me that two episodes preceded Kent State. First was the The Orangeburg Massacre (thank you, Karoda) and the Jackson State shootings. This actually makes me feel better. When Kent happened, I had this distinct feeling that something similar had happened before, but everyone told me "NO".. this is the first time. Now I know I wasn't mistaken.

Tags: Kent State University May4th 1970

High Tech Tools and Dangerous Doings...

Warning, Will Robinson!! Deb will be taking up (gasp) chemicals and tools to demonstrate her patented (well, in her mind!) bubble-wrap discharge technique.

Left Handed!
Just show how difficult it is! (I mean, how else am I going to take the pictures??)
First: The Supplies

A cotton Tshirt that you want to change or fabric you're not quite fond of. My shirts usually have food or grease stains on them and this let's me extend their wearability for a season. But maybe it's fabric I dyed and wasn't quite happy with.
Second: A plastic plate or meat-tray, some discharge paste, a foam brush and a firm brayer.
Third: Bubblewrap. This time I'm using the big stuff that wrapped the journal I just received.
The Actual Process:
Gloop some discharge paste into the plate, and pick some up with your foam brush.
Then casually brush the discharge paste over the rough side of the bubblewrap. Just do it quickly and don't be too concerned about coverage. This is afterall just creating texture on the work. It doesn't have to be perfect.
Then turn the bubblewrap over and place on the fabric. If it's smaller than the fabric, you'll just need to do it in sections. That's cool. It gives lots more texture.

Brayer the bubblewrap to make sure that contact is made between paste and the fabric. You can press hard and break the bubblewrap!! It's fun! Yes, you may scare dogs or cats! That just adds to the fun!
When the fiber/shirt is completely covered (or covered as much you wish) let it dry. I often hang these pieces outside on the line in the sun. They begin changing within minutes.. well worth hanging out and watching.

After the paste is dry, steam the entire piece with a hot iron. Be sure NOT to press the iron down especially over seams or you will get marks. Treat dry ironed fabric with any of the bleach stop chemical soaks (anti-chlor, Ph+ or the stuff from Dharma). Then wash, dry and wear.

Check out my other blog: Deb's Daily Distractions for this week's Tale of the Scale.

Tags: fiber, howto