In Unison...

I love to bake. I like to bake, cookies, cakes, pies, muffins and whatever else I can think of. I have a rule of thumb; you either get flavor or presentation but usually not both. Specifically this means I tend to bake from scratch. I appreciate the process of starting with a bowl, adding flour and sugar, and making some spectacular creation. If it comes from a box, and I just add an egg, it’s not very enjoyable for me. Usually when baking from scratch, I don’t put a lot of thought into the beauty of the final product because so much effort has already gone into it.

On the other hand, I love to produce a beautiful work of art. I always thought I would enjoy being a culinary artist, but I don’t have the patience for the giant time-consuming creations I so often see on The Food Network. Every once in a while I attempt to make something that looks brilliant. For my brother-in-law’s birthday, I decided to make my version of the birthday cake cones that I’ve seen several times. The mix did indeed come from a box, but I knew I would spend a lot of time icing and sprinkling them, so presentation was the winner for the day.

For those of you who aren’t familiar, birthday cake cones are a mix between ice cream cones and cupcakes. I did a bit of research, and most recipes that I found suggested baking the cake batter in the ice cream cones. I was sort of leery of this, so I went with a less popular idea, which was making mini muffins of the cake batter, and then inserting the muffin into the unbaked cone. To my excitement, the muffins fit perfectly into the cones. I iced them as you would a cupcake, added sprinkles, and produced a quite scrumptious alternative to a typical birthday cake.

Suggestions:
• If you eat just one, you are consuming way less calories than a slice of cake or a regular-sized cupcake!
• Do bake mini cupcakes instead of baking cake in the cone. They fit perfectly in the cone, and you don’t have to worry about keeping the cones upright in the oven.
• If you wait to serve your cones too long, the cone itself will become stale and a bit soggy. If at all possible, put the cones together just before you are ready to serve them to preserve the crunch.
• Next time I might try adding ice cream to the bottom of the cone before adding the cupcake, etc.
• The nice thing about these is you can make them in any flavor and any color. The options are limitless! You could match the icing to your child’s school colors or someone’s wedding colors. You can make them all chocolate with a cherry on top or make carrot cake with cream cheese icing. You could make them for a baby shower with little baby duck sprinkles. You could even go as far as to dye the icing different colors and make a rainbow. Or you can go traditional, like I did, with chocolate cake, vanilla icing, colorful sprinkles, and a lit candle on top!

I tend to lean towards variety, but sometimes it’s nice to just have things in unison…

In Vain...

It’s been a real eye-opener living in the city. I live in a pretty rural area for this part of the state, but it’s nothing like the country town I grew up in, population around 1,000. The population here is around 6,000, but it is still pretty much an expansion of Dallas. I have about six or more Whataburgers within a 20 minute radius. The people here are different. As friendly as this state is supposed to be, sometimes I wonder…

We have our own definition for the ‘city people,’ which is pretty much people that are nice to you when they want to be but are really just self-absorbed. Now, of course, there are great people here, too. This is just an observation for the majority of the people we have encountered. We feel like people that grow up in the country stick to their upbringing and don’t change too much over time. They are genuinely kind, friendly, and look out for one another. People that grow up in the city (in general, of course) are somewhat judgmental and tend to look out for numero uno more than anything else. Now, I thought I would take this opportunity to lay out the major differences I have observed between country people and city people…

1. If you’re a kid growing up in the country, you get spanked when you do something bad and don’t ever do it again. If you are a kid growing up in the city, you get a time-out, and then call CPS on your parents.

2. If you’re a kid growing up in the country, you get a hand-me-down-piece-of-junk car when you turn 17 or 18 and are excited about it. If you are a kid growing up in the city, you get a brand new vehicle when you turn 15 and whine because it’s not fancy enough.

3. If you’re a kid growing up in the country, you go to festivals on holidays, which include church music, games, and hay rides. If you are a kid growing up in the city, you go on ski trips and trips abroad on holidays, which include plane rides and new clothes.

4. If you’re a kid growing up in the country, you wear whatever clothes your older sibling doesn’t want anymore. If you’re a kid growing up in the city, you go shopping for clothes and/or electronic gadgets every weekend that cost more than what most people pay for a month’s worth of groceries.

5. If you’re a kid growing up in the country, you get a job as soon as you graduate high school, if you don’t already have one. If you’re a kid growing up in the city, you get a job a few months after you graduate from college (this means your parents continue to support you monetarily until you decide to care).

6. If you’re an adult living in the country, you pull over onto the shoulder of the road if you are going 40 in a 60 to courteously let the cars behind you go around. If you’re an adult living in the city, you drive 50 in a 70 in the fast lane of the interstate because you just like that lane and don’t care who you’re holding up.

7. If you’re an adult living in the country, you work overtime at your job, so you can buy class pictures of your child. If you’re an adult living in the city, you’re so busy with your own life that you don’t even know that your child had class pictures.

8. If you’re an adult living in the country, you allow the lady with one item and two screaming kids at the grocery store to go ahead of you. If you’re an adult living in the city, you cut in line with your 25 items in the 10 item fast lane because you don’t want to wait your turn in the proper line.

9. If you’re an adult living in the country, you repay any and every favor that you owe somebody. If you’re an adult living in the city, you conveniently forget that you owe anybody anything.

10. If you’re an adult living in the country, you hold the door open for other patrons anywhere in your field of vision at any business establishment. If you’re an adult living in the city, you let the door slam in the face of the patrons whose hands are full because they take longer than two seconds to get to it.

11. If you’re an adult living in the country, you go to church and thank God for every blessing in your life. If you’re an adult living in the city, you sleep in on Sunday and easily take for granted the fact that you were given another day.

I hope no one takes offense. This is just my observation. Not to mention, the times have already changed dramatically since my childhood. This is definitely an instance of one extreme versus another extreme. I have honestly experienced in some form every idea I have written down. This is why Justin and I have problems living in the city. We just come from a different stock. I think it’s important to remember where you come from, so you can give thanks for how far you’ve come.

Who would’ve thought that life could be so different a couple hours down the road…

In the Flesh...

Every time I hear ICU, I think I see you, too. Today was Dad’s (father-in-law) heart surgery (see In God We Trust…). It went remarkably well. God was definitely watching over us all today. He came through the surgery like a super-hero, undeniably doing better than expected. We arrived at the hospital around 5:30 am and visited with Dad as long as we could before he had to go on back.

And, that, my friends, is where the real fun began. There is never a shortage of senior citizens that stare. I know they mean no harm, but I absolutely hate being stared at. I always wonder what’s going through their minds as they do this.

While explaining to us that the grandbabies could not come into the ICU, we had a nurse remind us that the sickest people in the city are in ICU. That’s a startling revelation. I was just grateful that as we went back to visit Dad we didn’t have to worry about putting on the paper gowns, masks, and gloves.

At first, I figured that I would keep myself occupied while playing the waiting game by reading a book, but those hopes were quickly diminished when all of the chit-chat among the different families waiting set in. There was chatter about how so-and-so was doing, what everyone was going to have for lunch, and talk at one point or another about just about every subject known to man. All of those voices in my head deterred my hopes of figuring out how to find God’s purpose for my life, which was the subject of the Debbie Macomber book I was attempting to read.

There are always at least two people in each family that don’t get along remarkably well. The tension is always a challenge, but playing Switzerland has its advantages. I shall leave it at that.

The day lasted until about 10 pm, which was about the end of the last visitation. It was the longest day ever, but I wouldn’t have chosen to be anywhere else. There is something heartwarming about having the opportunity to be there for your family.

Things funner than the ICU waiting room:

1. Plucking my eyebrows
2. Pilates
3. Grocery day
4. Cleaning the cat’s litter box
5. Avoiding telemarketers
6. Being stuck behind a truck going 40 in a 60

Bright side of the ICU waiting room:

1. Loving on that beautiful niece of mine
2. Convincing Justin that we were qualified to babysit our niece for an hour
3. The free coffee
4. Getting in the wrong elevator and riding down to the basement…scary but fun!
5. Having the opportunity to be there for folks who needed me
6. Being there to keep the peace ;)

Now, I have to say that the docs and nurses treated all of us superbly well; the nurses even let us break a couple rules…shhh. The pros did a great job of keeping us informed about Dad’s progress. The waiting was really not that bad with all of the dysfunctional entertainment going on. I, for one, enjoy the excitement of knowing things will always be interesting in our family. Dad is still doing well and on track for a quick, complete recovery! Praise be to God!

Strong faith in God is definitely my best advice for stress-relief…

In It to Win It...

I was sitting back thinking of some of the horrific things I went through in school. When I think back about how devastating these things were at the time, I remember that I was also stressed beyond belief, sleep-deprived, and eating a bunch of crap. My body and mind were pushed to the limit; it’s a wonder I never stroked out during those three years.

The Late Night Exam

One dark and chilly night during my first semester of Interior design classes, my teacher gave out a test in my CAD (Computer Aided Drafting) class. We had 3 hours to complete a set of computer-generated floor plans. Our class was so large that there weren’t enough computers for everyone, so several people volunteered to work on laptops. I was one of them. I plugged my laptop into an available outlet and waited for the handout of the plans to be passed to me. So, I got started in a nervous panic, working frantically on drawing plans for a house.

I was about halfway through the test, when my screen popped up an error message that my computer would shut down shortly due to my soon-to-be-dead battery. Apparently my computer was plugged into an inoperable outlet. At this point, I was frantically searching high and low for a working power outlet, any outlet, wasting precious time! I eventually found one and was able to finish my test. As if that wasn’t stressful enough, it came at the end of a 12 hour day of school. I was on my way home, finally, at 11:00 at night when I ran over and surely killed a little dog. It wasn’t my fault; he ran out into the road, and I tried to stop. But, nevertheless, I bawled the entire hour drive home.

The Route 44 Debacle

I was on my way home from class one day, when like a lot of days, I stopped by my local Sonic. I was super-thirsty, tired, and had an entire night’s work ahead of me. It seemed like it took them forever to make a Route 44 Dr. Pepper. Usually, I just get a large drink, but today was an exception. It called for the big guns…a Route 44. This drink was my equivalent to a stiff drink after a hard day.

One thing I have always hated about my car is the cup holders. They are jammed in the dashboard right underneath the control panel. I can barely fit a normal large drink in the cup holder. So, I held that huge drink all the way home, which was about 7 minutes or so. As I struggled to get my school supplies out of the car, I rested my Route 44 Dr. Pepper on the hood of the car. To my dismay, hurricane force winds came barreling through and knocked my drink onto the ground. I was completely devastated and bawling once again, as I picked up my tragically empty cup from the ground.

The Missing Staircase

It was a typical night at the Duffey household during my first semester of architecture studio. I was busy at my drawing table working on plans for a house. We had an ongoing exercise in that class that included drawing a set of plans for an existing historical house with several floors. When I chose my house, I just knew I chose the easiest one. Alas, I was wrong. I chose a house with a deck on top, balconies off the sides, a loft on the inside, and… (Gasp!) a spiral staircase.

I spent hours and hours on each drawing. The drawings were to be done perfectly in pencil, then inked, which ohmygosh is the worst thing ever‼ The staircase gave me fits, but eventually it was done enough for me. I completed the final touches, then headed to bed for maybe 3 hours of sleep. I woke up groggy with the feeling I had been ran over by a truck. That’s when Justin proceeded to ask about my drawing. The dialog is as follows (to my best recollection):

Justin: Did you finish your staircase?

Erica: …Yeah, why?

Justin: Cause you sat up in the bed in the middle of the night and started mumbling about not finishing your staircase.

Erica: What did I say?

Justin: I don’t know…Something like, “I have to finish my staircase. The staircase is incomplete… The staircase is incomplete‼”

That’s when I knew I had a long road ahead, because that was only the first semester of six very trying ones. Not a day goes by that I’m not grateful it is over.

By the way, I love spiral staircases, just not drawing them…

In My Defense...

Over the weekend, Justin boasted to me about this email he got from his mom (thanks for following by the way) entitled “Man Rules.” As he proceeded to read it to me, I told him I’d already read it. After sharing a few too many rules with me (that I’ve already heard before), and after a few cold stares, he says, “And I’ll read the rest quietly to myself.” I hate this email. It’s so rude. It’s not like women don’t already know the rules. Shoving them down our throats in such an insensitive and derogatory way is insulting. I’m going to enclose the “Man Rules” next, then share my rebuttal afterward.

MAN RULES
(These are all numbered ‘1’ on purpose.)
1. Men are not mind readers.
1. Learn to work the toilet seat. You’re a big girl. If it’s up, put it down. We need it up, you need it down. You don’t hear us complaining about you leaving it down.
1. Crying is blackmail.
1. Ask for what you want. Let us be clear on this one: Subtle hints do not work! Strong hints do not work! Obvious hints do not work! Just say it!
1. Yes and no are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.
1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That’s what we do. Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.
1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. In fact, all comments become null and void after 7 days.
1. If you think you’re fat, you probably are. Don’t ask us.
1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one.
1. You can either ask us to do something or tell us how you want it done. Not both. If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.
1. Whenever possible, please say whatever you have to say during commercials.
1. Christopher Columbus did not need directions and neither do we.
1. All men see in only 16 colors. Like windows default settings. Peach, for example, is a fruit, not a color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.
1. If we ask what is wrong and you say ‘nothing,’ we will act like nothing’s wrong. We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.
1. If you ask a question you don’t want an answer to, expect an answer you don’t want to hear.
1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine. Really.
1. Don’t ask us what we’re thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as baseball or motor sports.
1. You have enough clothes.
1. You have too many shoes.
1. I am in shape. Round is a shape!

WOMAN RULES by: Erica
(These are all numbered from ‘1’ to ‘20’ because we can count.)
1. Duh! If you were mind readers, you would be useful.
2. Learn to work the stove, the oven, the dishwasher, the washer, and the dryer. You’re a big boy. Yeah, that toilet seat doesn’t sound so difficult now does it?
3. Nope, the dancing-naked-while-drunk pictures I have of you in my underwear drawer are blackmail.
4. What’s the point in asking for what we want? Let us be clear on this one: You won’t do what we ask any way!
5. We’ll remember that yes and no are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question when you ask us, “What’s for dinner?” or “Where’s my green shirt?”
6. Don’t come to us for help solving your problems. That’s what your boyfriends are for.
7. You don’t remember anything you said 6 months ago. We’re probably just telling you that you said it and you believe us.
8. You probably don’t think that you’re fat, but you are.
9. You’re not intelligent enough to say anything but yes and no. That’s probably why we’re sad or angry.
10. It doesn’t matter if we ask you to do something or tell you how to do it; that selective hearing kicks in and you “forget”.
11. Whenever possible, please say whatever you have to say instead of staying silent and unresponsive.
12. Christopher Columbus did need directions. Leif Ericson wrote them down for him. Not to mention, Chris needed a woman to finance his voyage.
13. If asked, men probably couldn’t even list 16 colors.
14. If we ask what is wrong and you say ‘nothing,’ we will nag you to death until you tell us. Just tell us already, and you’ll avoid the hassle.
15. If you ask a stupid question, expect a stupid answer.
16. When we go somewhere, we don’t tell you when you look like an idiot because it’s just not worth the hassle. Really.
17. Don’t ask us what we’re thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss old boyfriends or all the money we spent while shopping yesterday. Then again, you don’t ever ask us what we’re thinking any way.
18. You have enough power tools.
19. You have too many hobbies.
20. I am in shape. I’m a trophy wife, and I’m too hot for you!

Writing is way cheaper than therapy…

In the Closet...

Today’s post is especially for those readers out there that have not yet signed up to be a follower. Now, I know it’s a pain in the neck, you don’t want anything sent to you, and you don’t have time. Well forget it…I’m not falling for it. It’s really not hard to sign up, it only takes a second, and they don’t send you anything at all!

Here’s the deal. I’ve been writing this blog for five weeks now, and I have a whopping 8 followers. I’m pouring my heart and soul out on here for you people…the least you can do is publicly follow me (read that with love and as a joke). Please come out of the closet and show everyone how much you love me. If I don’t have at least 100 followers by Monday, I will take that as a sign and will no longer post blog entries. Okay, I’m just kidding, but still, it would be nice to have an increasing number of followers. In addition, you cannot post comments to my blog unless you are a member. I would love to know what people (in addition to Cousin Barbara) are feeling in response to each post. If you feel like saying something, I would like for you to have that opportunity.

Thank you so much to everyone that has so avidly been following and letting me know how much you enjoy my blog. It means a lot to me, and I love hearing from you! I would really appreciate if everyone that hasn’t signed up to follow would do that. Please continue to pass the word along about the blog and share it with your friends. Thanks again!

Simple Following Instructions:
1. At the top right side of the page is a list of followers. Click on the gray “Follow” bar.
2. A new window will pop up. If you don’t have any of the listed accounts, click on “Create a New Google Account” at the bottom of the page. If you do have one of the listed accounts, click on the one that you do have, sign in, and skip down to step 4.
3. Enter the requested information in the next window, such as email address, password, and birthday. Click “Create my account.”
4. In the new window that pops up, click on “Follow this blog.” You have now made me the happiest person ever.
5. If you want to take it further, you can set up a profile and add a picture, etc. by going to www.blogger.com and entering your email and password.

Thank you so much for reading! I’ll meet you on the other side of the weekend with more humorous tales from my rather boring life…

In Plain Sight...

Everyone once in a while, I get sucked into the cyberspace black hole known as YouTube. Today, I needed a pick-me-up, so I thought I would jump online and listen to an upbeat song or two. When I have a specific song in mind, I go straight to YouTube. Most of the time one or two songs turn into 20. Often, I end up spending an hour or so on YouTube before I can pry my eyes from the screen. Sometimes, it’s YouTube’s fault because they “suggest” videos for you to watch next. Other times, one song reminds me of another one somehow, and my memories change the course of the journey. The best part is the journey. I love to see where I end up; like today, I started with a well-liked female pop artist and ended with a Grammy winning female Contemporary Christian artist. They both produce upbeat, catchy tunes but send way different messages to the world.

Today’s YouTube List:
1. Kesha: Tik Tok
2. Kesha: Blah Blah Blah
3. Kesha: Your Love is My Drug
4. Kesha: Kiss N Tell
5. Kesha: Take It Off
6. New Kids On The Block: Summertime
7. New Kids On The Block: Single
8. New Kids On The Block: I’ll Be Loving You (Forever)
9. Journey: Don’t Stop Believing
10. Journey: Any Way You Want It
11. Journey: Faithfully
12. One Republic: All the Right Moves
13. Darius Rucker: Alright
14. Zac Brown Band: Toes
15. Luke Bryan: We Rode in Trucks
16. Lady Antebellum: Lookin’ for a Good Time
17. Francesca Battistelli: Free to Be Me
18. Francesca Battistelli: Beautiful, Beautiful
19. Francesca Battistelli: I’m Letting Go
20. Francesca Battistelli: It’s Your Life

I know that God knew what He was doing today. He put me in my musical happy place; then, He sent me several messages I really needed to hear. It may sound crazy to some, but I feel like God sends me signs to let me know what He wants for my life. Today, through the words of Francesca Battistelli’s song Free to Be Me, He told me…

Perfection is my enemy...So, I decided that I’m letting go…

In Color...

Last weekend Justin and I took a trip to the Dallas World Aquarium with his dad, step-mom, sister-in-law and niece. It was great having a houseful. We don’t have company very often, so it is definitely nice to visit with family and not have to do all of the traveling. We really did have a wonderful time. We all got along great (which isn’t always the case) and really enjoyed the aquarium. However, let’s get real. The aquarium wasn’t all sunshine and roses…

The aquarium smelled like poo poo. I’m sure it was a combination of the stinky food that the animals and fish eat, as well as the stinky fish water, and the actual poo poo the animals produce. Plus, what’s up with all the random water all over the place? It kinda makes me paranoid, since it already smells like poo poo. I mean, who says it’s not pee pee?

Then, there are people all over the place. I’ve never been fond of crowds, much less crowds of screaming kids. Mama, Mama…Look at this…‼‼ Oh and there’s nothing better than being stuck behind a line of people that isn’t moving. What’s going on up there? Did someone pass out at the sight of the tarantula? Did a kid fall in the crocodile pit? I think maybe whoever was at the head of the line must have been put in a trance by the spider monkey.

The aquarium had about three levels, and of course, it was a wild and crazy maze…one way in, one way out. This has to be a fire hazard. One time, we went down the wrong elevator and ended up at an exit door. So, we ran back up the stairs and down the right side. Then, there’s always the weirdo in the elevator that wants to talk about how cool the three-toed sloth was and how it reminds him of some game he plays.

We got so lucky to be right in front when the super cool Mayans came out to perform. My luck, of course, waivered when the 13-yr-old boy that was taller than me, stopped right in front of me. I was so perturbed, but what was I supposed to do? Scold the kid at the aquarium? I was very upset with his mother, whoever she was, for not teaching him better manners. I’ve come to realize, I just shouldn’t go out in public, because people with manners no longer exist.

Luckily, we all survived! No one got lost in the rainforest or eaten by the jaguar. We have some wonderful memories of the stinky aquarium, and the fact that we survived the deep blue sea was a feat in itself.

Welcome to the jungle…

In a Rut...

Erica has taken a mental health day…Will return tomorrow!

Ok, seriously…it’s been a rough couple of days.

1. Finally got the modem in today to fix the internet…it was like pulling teeth to get it working! It resulted in a mental breakdown with hysterical crying. (see In My Shoes…)

2. Dad-in-law’s surgery is scheduled for next week, not this week. Changed some plans for no reason… (see In God We Trust…)

3. Justin had to pay $200 for a ticket he DID NOT deserve! An additional turning lane was taken away from an intersection. Justin turned in it unaware and got a ticket. He had no idea the change had taken place. No one else was around, except for the cop of course! Therefore, no one got hurt, except us! Shouldn’t this constitute a warning??

4. The Wii is not broken. It simply required unplugging to restart it. It seems that all of that yelling was for nothing. That was definitely the devil’s work! (see In My Shoes…)

5. Watching The Duchess was heartbreaking… Keira Knightley is The Duchess of Devonshire wed before she is 18 to Ralph Fiennes as The Duke. He is rather boring and unfeeling and is cold to her because she doesn’t bear him a son. He’s a jerky cheater, who ends up stealing her best friend away to his bed. Then, he slaps The Duchess in the face by allowing his mistress to live with them. The Duchess asks for a lover of her own and is raped by The Duke. She becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son. She has a short-term affair with the man she truly loves. She becomes pregnant with his child but is forced to give the child up once she is born. The Duke threatens The Duchess with the promise of taking all of her children from her if she doesn’t obey him. The Duchess is forced to return home to The Duke and his mistress with no allowances for love of her own.

6. My back still hurts from the stupid Pilates… (see In A Pinch…)

On the bright side:

1. The internet’s working.
2. Dad-in-law has not had a heart attack.
3. There is no bright side to the ticket!
4. The Wii is not broken.
5.The Duchess has 5 children who love her!
6.There is no bright side to the back pain!

Thank God I have a sense of humor...

In a Pinch...

It’s amazing the great lengths we will go to to get in shape. I’ve been doing Pilates for a while, but it dawned on me the other day that my body is not quite suited for it. Every time I lay down on my yoga mat (which really doesn’t provide much cushion), I feel fine. After I’m done, however, I feel like I’ve been kicked in the back and the stomach repeatedly. I push through the burning sensations remembering that there’s no gain without the pain.

I watch blankly as the skinny girls on the TV roll over backwards so that their shoulders are over their stomachs and their legs are behind their heads. I just have a little too much belly in the way to dream of doing that anytime soon. There really is nothing fun about shoving your knees into your chest, squeezing your abs, and holding it for 30 seconds. There are some exercises that could pass as positions on the game Twister. My short legs and waist really don’t help matters. I’m not really sure why I torture myself.

I guess the Pilates actually do some good; it’s just hard to tell when I spend most of my time yelling at the instructor. Good thing I’m in the privacy of my own home with a DVD. Otherwise, I’m sure I would get kicked out of the gym. I mean it’s so annoying when the skinny instructor in spandex with perfect hair and makeup tells me to hold the position while smiling bigger than a bride on her wedding day! As the instructor chants Inhale…Exhale..., I chant I hate you… I guess all that really matters is that I stick with it and try my best.

One day I’ll be able to flip my legs over my head, too…

In God We Trust...

God sure has turned my week upside-down. The week was supposed to be a simple, quiet birthday week. However, God decided that I didn’t have enough excitement in my life or things to worry about apparently. Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday all produced frantic running around with the whole canning process (see In a Pickle...). Also Tuesday evening, we went out and bought a new-to-us couch which was a process in itself. You know how much fun moving furniture is. I can’t complain too much because we got a great deal, and we absolutely love our new sectional!

Wednesday was full of hours talking on the phone about how awesome I am, because it was my birthday and all. I had the outlet shopping trip (see In the Zone...), and then Justin and I went out to eat for dinner. Thursday was spent being angry and searching for ways to fix the government plane/magnet conspiracy that knocked out my internet and Wii (see In My Shoes...). And, now, there’s today…

Justin’s dad went into the hospital this morning for what was supposed to be a simple exploratory day surgery. The surgery was indeed simple; however, the news we got was not. Justin’s dad has 7 blockages in his heart. We seem to be looking at 4 or 5 bypass heart surgery next week. The good news is that finding this was sort of a miracle. Justin’s dad worked for the Deepwater Horizon before it exploded in the Gulf. He found out about his heart problems due to a physical that needed to be passed so that he could go to work on another rig. Because heart problems run in his family, we are quite lucky that we found this early. Several family members were not so fortunate to find it in time for surgery. So, I guess we’ll all wait patiently as we trust God to get us to next week and take care of us all.

Sometimes, when you just glance at a situation, you only see the bad. But, sometimes if you look a little harder, you’ll see what God meant for you to see. I think it’s sort of like a sandwich. If you just glance at it, it’s a sandwich. But if you look harder, you’ll realize that it’s a freshly shaved honey turkey with red-rind cheddar cheese, slices of fresh garden tomatoes, leafs of crisp lettuce, and a couple dollops of Miracle Whip on a 7-grain whole wheat roll accompanied by a recently canned dill pickle on the side.

If you feel so inclined, prayers would be much appreciated…

In My Shoes...

The strangest, most frustrating things happen to me. I swear that I must be jinxed, have a hex on me, or just have plain bad luck. I’m not a superstitious person, but maybe I should be. Today was no exception, as I was unable to avoid this uninvited curse once again!

I get online this morning, just like I do most days. It is important I get on the internet today because for my birthday, Justin hooked me up with the goodies I needed for the 7-Eleven/Farmville promotion. For those who don’t know, Farmville is an online game that teamed up with 7-Eleven to offer products with codes that are redeemable for prizes within the game. If you get enough codes, and you plant the right crop on Farmville enough times, you get a super-huge prize!

So, I’m on Farmville, waiting to harvest my Goji berries, when I realize the internet is no longer connected. I’m on a deadline people! I go to check on things and the power is off on the modem/router. Everything is properly plugged in, and there’s no change after a few tests to try to get it back up and running. Justin and I find out that the modem/router has gone kaput with no warning. Lucky for us, this happens right before we hope to move and aren’t sure if whatever we replace it with will even work where we move to. Nothing makes me happier than wasting money (insert sarcasm). Like, really? Do these crazy things happen to other people?

Justin, being an electrician, comes home and begins investigating things. Come to find out, our Wii isn’t working either; as in, our very expensive, hardly used video game console just so happens not to be working at the same time the modem goes out. I begin to get very angry because this just ain’t right‼ We’re not certain that the Wii doesn’t work; it could just be the power pack, which is still odd. Sometime in the future, I guess we’ll get our hands on a functioning power pack to test it, but until then we’re more concerned with getting the internet working…

I’m sure I’ll go crazy trying to figure out why this has happened. You will never convince me this is a coincidence. I’m sure eventually I’ll just have to chalk it up to my bad luck. However, I have a theory that the government flew some kind of giant magnet over my house, surged the power in random plugged-in electronics, and ruined my day‼

Be happy you don’t have to walk in my shoes; I’m sure you’d blow out a flip-flop, step on a pop top, and cut your heel. Where’s my margarita?...

In the Zone...

I am a bargain shopper by necessity, a coupon clipper by choice. I love to save money, whether I’m grocery shopping, going out to eat, or buying clothes. I worked in retail for many years doing markdowns, so I know it is possible to get things at a really low price. I can’t stand to pay a high price for something when I know I can get it cheaper.

Today is my birthday and that means shopping. I allow myself this time every year to go crazy and shop ‘til I drop. I usually go to an outlet mall somewhere because bargains are my guilty pleasure. There is no better feeling than coming home with 6 bags full of stuff and having only spent $50. For some reason, today’s shopping trip proved less successful than usual, but I am not done yet.



My most favorite store in the world is IKEA. Justin will suffer through my bargain shopping addiction with me on Saturday; he has to be there in case there is any heavy lifting. I can go into IKEA, come out with well-designed chairs, candles, plates, plants, wrapping paper, pillows, cheese graters, and lunch for less than $100. Just thinking about it makes me giddy with joy! I can always find something new, different, and unique. Plus, their extremely exceptional one-way showroom is window shopping for champions.


If I could one day design products for IKEA, God would have granted me my dream job...

In a Pickle...

I’ve spent the last three days pickling and canning. It was a bittersweet experience. The best advice I can give is: If you are not allowed to ride a rollercoaster for a medical reason, you probably shouldn’t be canning either! I’m sure given the strenuousness of the process, you could keel over at any moment from a heart attack.

First, you have to make sure you have everything you need, like the right size jars, all the necessary ingredients, and lots of time! I was venturing into some unfamiliar territory, so I re-read all of the instructions several times. Also, you must be able to multitask. If you are not quick on your feet and/or you feel you cannot meet all of the above requirements, this job is not for you.

Sunday: Pickled Okra

I begin the process by washing the fresh okra. While it soaks, I put the jars into some hot water to keep them warm because apparently, the soon-to-be hot liquid can break a cool jar. The jars rest on a beer can chicken device inside of the largest pot I own. You’re supposed to have a rack to keep the jars off the bottom of the pot, and that’s the best I could come up with. So, the jars are heating, the liquid is boiling, and I’m chopping down okra stems. The liquid is primarily vinegar, so I’m doing good to stay standing and not pass out due to the nose hair-burning aroma. I carefully pull out the warm jars, stuff them with okra, and add liquid to them. It seems as though I didn’t stuff the jars full enough because I’ve run out of liquid. I frantically start mixing ingredients for a new batch of liquid; I don’t want the liquid-less jars to cool off too much.

After the jars are filled with liquid, I wipe the rims of the jars with a wet paper towel to remove excess liquid, etc. It seems as though this simple step can keep your jars from sealing. I center the seal (which has also been in the hot water) on the jar with one hand, while I screw the cap on with the other trying not to burn myself in the process. Finally, all 5 jars are ready, so I add them to the boiling water in the beer can chicken pan to set and seal. I take a breath. I begin to clean up all of the stuff I’ve dirtied up in the kitchen for this process, which seems to be half of everything I own. After 10 minutes, I take the jars out of the pot to cool and impatiently hope for the pop of the seal that tells me I have succeeded in pickling my okra. I had intentions to make pickles and jelly as well, but one project is enough for me today. And after all of that, I still don’t know if the okra tastes any good…yet.

Monday: Dill Pickles

I’m feeling a little more confident about my canning abilities today. After all, I got my 5 jars of okra to seal on the first try! I rinse off all of my fresh cucumbers in my teeny tiny sink, which takes a while seeing as my dad grows the weirdest shaped cucumbers I’ve ever seen. I have one that is curled in half, one that is two feet long, and everything else you can think of in between. My biggest challenge today is that I’m using quart-size jars, and they don’t fit very well into the pot. I have no fear; I’m determined to make it work.

I boil the jars inside and out to sterilize because I’ve had these jars for a while. I start chopping my crazy-shaped cucumbers into spears. The bag of seasoning I’m using tells me ice water will make my cucumbers crispier, so I fill two giant bowls with cucumber spears, water, and ice. I start cooking the liquid, which is a bit easier than with the okra because I’m using a bag of seasoning instead of measuring out a bunch of ingredients. It still produces that nose burning smell however.

I proceed through the familiar process of stuffing, filling, wiping, sealing, and boiling. This time I’m a little more nervous about the seals because the jars are too big for the pot and the hot water doesn’t cover them as with the pint jars I used yesterday. Luckily, the experience proved successful; 5 more perfect seals later, I know these will taste good because I’ve tasted the exact product before. Once again, I had planned to make the jelly today but just couldn’t find the strength to go on.

Tuesday: Blackberry Jam

First of all, my intention was to make jelly. After reading through the instructions, I realize jam is much easier, and my patience is already wearing thin with this canning thing. Jelly requires draining the juice away from the berry pulp and seeds; I can’t handle taking the extra time for that process. I justify my decision with the fact that this is my first time and jam will definitely be acceptable!

I mash the fresh blackberries in layers with a potato masher until I have the desired amount for the recipe. I quickly realize this process will be the messiest of them all! As I heat the mashed berries, I add the pectin, which will help make the liquid gel. That continues to a boil, so I begin measuring sugar. I realize that I am adding more sugar than berries to this recipe. Note to self: must eat in moderation. I begin to add the sugar and realize that the stickiness has begun.

I begin filling the warm jars quite messily with super hot liquid. These jars are now smoking hot because there is no cold vegetable already in the jar to even out the heat. I can’t touch them because they’re too hot, so I use towels, pot holders, paper towels, now all stained with the color of berry. Berry liquid is running all down the sides of my pint-size jars. Did I mention this has become quite messy? I do my best to wipe the rims of the super sticky jars and then seal them. Using a pot holder, I drop the jars into the boiling hot water. As I wait for the jars to finish processing, I begin to clean up the enormous mess now in my super sticky kitchen.

After 3 days of canning, I am left with 5 pint-size jars of pickled okra, 5 quart-size jars of dill pickles, and 5 pint-size jars of blackberry jam. I am confident that I can do this again in the future, yet more efficiently. After all of this, I’m still not sure if the fruits of my labor will be edible.

After this experience, I will never take a homemade canned jar of anything for granted…

In a Bind...

According to Merriam-Webster, marriage is the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law. And divorce is the action or an instance of legally dissolving a marriage. You heard it; marriage is a contract. Most contracts that I know of, when signed, are binding and cannot be broken for any reason or without penalty. Divorce is the term used for dissolving a marriage. Sugar dissolves in coffee; salt dissolves in boiling water. Isn’t it sad that a marriage can dissolve just as easily if it is allowed?

Marriage is very, very important to me. Many people think it’s just a piece of paper that can be torn up and disposed of at any time. I think differently. I don’t take my marriage vows lightly. I think the promises Justin and I made to each other in front of God are sacred. I’m talking about this now because something happened today that made me very sad.

Justin and I are acquainted with a man and woman that seemed like a perfectly happy couple married for 30 years. The wife left the husband abruptly with no explanation in the middle of the day while he wasn’t home. There is no specific, apparent reason why she left. She took her things, their money, and got her own place in a matter of hours. You would think that someone married for so long would have enough respect for their spouse to talk about their issues or at least tell them their intentions to leave.

I’m not here to judge what is right or wrong in God’s eyes, but I know that as a young married woman, it is quite discouraging to be living in a country where the divorce rate is at an all-time high and just continues to soar. If couples that have been married for 30 years decide that they no longer want to be together, what motivation do young couples have to fight to stay together? I love my husband more than anything and feel that no matter what, divorce is not an option. So many people get married with every great intention, but something happens somewhere along the way that makes them change their minds.

Where have all the good couples gone? Most of the ones I know, I find in church. I know that putting God first is the key to a happy marriage, and these people probably didn’t do that. Our country has moved so far away from God that people fail to acknowledge the need for Him in our lives and marriages. I, for one, know that God is the reason why my marriage is such a happy one. Marriage is definitely not easy; it is something that must be worked at. I don’t have all of the answers, but I do know where to find them; and they all start with God.

Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate. (Mark 10:9) There’s a reason why this is spoken in every marriage ceremony…

In the Mix...

For the last couple of days, I’ve been watching the first season of Charles in Charge circa 1984 streamed live over the internet courtesy of Netflix. I enjoy it so much because it is clean entertainment and the ending is always happy. Experiencing this blast from the past has got me to thinking about technology and how much it has changed in just my lifetime. I’m going to write a series of stories about my experiences with evolving technology, beginning with the evolution of musical devices.





When I was very young, my parents were still listening to 8-track tapes (gigantic tapes the size of 3 CD cases stacked on top of each other with 8 songs on them) and had a no-longer-used collection of records. At this time, cassette tapes had begun to make their debut, and that is primarily what I listened to until I became a teenager. Cassette tapes were the size of a deck of cards cut in half. If you were lucky, you had a Walkman, which weighed like 5 pounds and used batteries (the kind you replace, not charge in the wall). You had enormous headphones, only one person could hear it at a time, and you could only play one tape at a time. If you wanted to re-wind, you had to wait a minute for the process to occur. If you wanted to skip some songs, you had to wait for the fast-forwarding to take place. There was no picking a track for quick playback. Of course, there was the conventional plug-in-the-wall device that played tapes. Sometimes you were lucky enough to have a dual-cassette player, which you could insert two tapes in at one time!





Seeing as the cassette had different recordings on each side, in the middle of the set of tracks, you had to flip the tape over to the other side. You had to be careful not to catch the actual tape inside of the cassette on anything because it would unravel, and you would have to patiently wind it back up with a pencil. Fun, fun…



If you wanted a free copy of a song, you could always record it from the radio, which took lots of time. You would sit and wait for hours listening to the radio. You would recognize your song after a few seconds, then press the record and play buttons at the same time. The beginning of the song was almost always cut off, but you wouldn’t care much. That’s just the way it was.



If you had a boyfriend/girlfriend, the cool thing to do was to make a mix tape for them of either your favorite songs or theirs. Sometimes you just wanted a certain collection of songs, kind of like the playlist of today. This could take a while, seeing as you had to collect all of the tapes that you wanted to record from. Then, you would re-wind or fast-forward to the song that you wanted from each tape. You had to have a dual cassette player because you recorded from the already recorded tape to a blank one. Then, you sat and waited until each song played all the way through. You had to be careful to stop the blank tape each time, or you would waste precious tape time with recorded silence. You would eject each tape and repeat the process until all songs were recorded.

Then, around the beginning of my teenager years, they came out with a CD (compact disc). Everybody thought this was the coolest thing since sliced bread. When using your CD player (which sometimes would hold 5 CDs at a time), you could skip songs. You no longer had to wait on re-winding and fast-forwarding. The biggest problem was figuring out what to do with all of the cassette tapes that had been accumulated. Most people still played them in their cars because most people didn't have new cars with the latest technology.



CDs often skipped a beat if the player was jostled or if there was some kind of scratch or smudge on the bottom of the disc. If you scratched your CD, the affected song would be damaged forever. Sometimes, the scratch would ruin the whole CD, so you would just hang it from the rearview mirror from your car for decoration. Recording a CD was hopeless unless you had a computer, which most people didn’t until about 5 years later. At that time, you were in limbo between cassette tapes and CDs because you still enjoyed listening to exactly what you wanted so you’d revert back to home-recorded tapes. The good thing about CDs is that they were much more portable. You could fit several into the same space two cassettes would take up.

About 5 years ago, mp3s became popular. This is now life as you know it. You can download whatever you want, whenever you want and put it together however you want. If you want just one song, you don’t have to buy the whole record. Playlists (mix tapes of old) can be assembled in the snap of a finger. If you want to burn a CD, that takes just a couple more seconds. Usually, you just hook your mp3 player into your computer and sync it. Most people have every song they own in a program on the computer and can access all of their music at one time. Your mp3 player can hold tons of music and can be played as quickly as you want.



While looking back on my youth, I realize how much time is saved these days. Listening to music could be such a process back then. At least having gone through all of that evolution, I can truly appreciate the simplicity of musical entertainment today.

What will they think of next?...

In Harm's Way...

Every once in a while, I experience ‘one of those days’. ‘One of those days’ refers to the kind of day where I’m sure the devil is sitting on my shoulder trying my patience. Nothing seems to go right and everything seems to go wrong. Today just so happened to be one of those days!

The day started off just like any other, except for the fact that I was super tired because it took me a while to fall asleep last night. I was so tired that Justin got a big bowl of leftover potato salad for lunch. I just didn’t feel like making the normal ham and lettuce sandwich I usually make. Throughout the rest of the morning, I went through the motions of my normal routine. I started my typical workout and for some reason, it felt like it was harder than usual. I thought I was gonna die or at least pass out. I made it through, had a little lunch, and then began a bit of tidying.

In an attempt to improve my mood, I decided to light a group of pillar candles. As I was vacuuming, I was surprised to discover a pile of dog poo in the kitchen. It wasn’t much longer after I finished the vacuuming when the dog became unruly. I thought I would be nice and open the blinds so she could see out. That was a mistake… She started barking at the bunny outside, and then the old man next door. I constantly tried to urge her to be quiet, but she just looked at me like I was crazy. I came after her with a newspaper and everything. No change. I closed the blinds, and shortly, she got quiet.

I was sorting through some papers when I heard a noise. I looked over toward where the candles were burning, and I noticed wax dribbling off the bar into a giant ant hill of a pile on the floor. The wax was bouncing off the pile and splattering everything within a 1 foot radius, including the cat, who was sitting there quietly watching. Frustrated, I thought, why didn’t she say anything? After blowing out the candles, I got on the floor with a paint scraper and scooped up all the wax, which took a minute. Then, I had to clean out the pets’ water bowl which also had wax on it and in it.

I knew a storm was brewing outside, so I sent the dog out to go potty. As soon as I let her go (unleashed), I noticed the teenage girl walking through my yard. That’s a whole different pet peeve right there. I hurriedly went to scoop up the dog knowing she would chase after the girl if she had the chance. Undoubtedly, since I’d been yelling at her earlier, she was afraid my hand coming down toward her was an attempt to knock the crap out of her. She responded by rolling over onto her back and peeing all over herself and onto her very long tail. Oh, joy…

I decided to try lighting just one of the candles in the group and went back to shuffling through some papers. Knowing Justin was on his way home, I went to start dinner. That’s when I noticed the eggplant I had plans to cook was very soft in some places. Oh, well…I was determined to use it anyway (it turned out pretty good). While in the kitchen running 3 burners at one time, I realized that the candle was bleeding wax all over the floor…again! I handled that problem…again, and then went back to cooking. I was burned profusely by some bacon grease and almost got a splatter in my eyeball. After a few deep breaths, I am now relaxing by writing about it. It’s interesting how so many negative things can turn into a very amusing story.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how God defeats the devil…

In a Hurry...

I’ve realized I shouldn’t be in such a hurry to get a job. I guess I do have the rest of my life to work. On the other hand, our society has a certain standard that everyone seems to be held to. If you don’t have a job, and you’re not raising kids, you’re some kind of deadbeat. Some days I feel like I’m not contributing, others I feel like I’m doing a great job at what I do. I’m so tired of being in this limbo game.

Justin and I have been together for 9 years; I’m ready to have a home and start a family. But, if I give up now and just have kids, then everything we have worked so hard for would be for nothing. It’s not like I haven’t thought about it though. We wouldn’t have two incomes; I wouldn’t have a career. We just planned that these things would be in place when we started having kids. I know, I know; sometimes things just don’t work out the way you planned. Don’t I know it. Everybody is driving me crazy with, “When are ya’ll going to have kids?” Sometimes people should stop and assess the situation. It’s not like my biological clock is going to stop ticking anytime soon! If I want to wait to have kids, then I should be able to.

If I had had a little more help in the ‘going to college department’, I’m sure I would have kids by now. My parents couldn’t help me go through school (something I want to be able to do for my kids). And, Uncle Sam thought my parents made too much money to help me out. So, I had to wait until my circumstances allowed me to do it. So, now here I am; I worked my butt off to get through school just to sit on it now.

I’ve probably submitted 100 resumes and/or job applications. I’m over-qualified for retail, under-qualified for most everything else. I’m so mad that the economy is in such terrible condition‼‼ I had nothing to do with this…yet I’m the one paying for it. Justin and I have no debt whatsoever other than my (go figure) student loans. We don’t live beyond our means. We don’t take anything from the government. We aren’t illegal aliens. We didn’t choose to go to war. We aren’t anything that contributed to this recession‼‼ Yet, our entire existence is affected by it.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m grateful everyday that things aren’t any worse. Some people are homeless and/or foodless due to the state of the economy. I know and appreciate how fortunate I am! At the same time, I know that me not having a job is the one thing between Justin and I having everything we ever wanted! That’s a lot of pressure that most people don’t understand. If I had to choose, I would have wanted this to happen now, whether than later, when we have a mortgage, car payments, and children to look after. But, at the same time, the last year was supposed to be the beginning of our payoff for all of our hard work.

Seeing as I know how God intervenes in my life, when I look back on these days, I’m sure I’m going to realize that that’s exactly what this was…

In Season...

Change the World Thought of the Day:

Maybe instead of giving out so many food stamps, the people that qualify could be hooked up with a garden or a fruit tree!

Pros:
• Less tax dollars spent overall
• Healthier food options
• Open 24 hours a day
• No worry over whether food stamps are accepted
• Don’t need a lot of space (a lot of plants can be grown in pots)
• A small farmer’s market could be set up for the participants to exchange what they’ve harvested
• If the right, willing participants are selected, this really could work
• Growing your own food is active, rewarding, and healthy for the tummy!

What brought this on: I have spent several hours today chopping up fruits and vegetables. That is not a complaint by the way! My dad has had a garden for several years now, and he always hooks me up with the latest and greatest crop. This trip, I probably came home with 30 lbs of produce. We brought home cantaloupes, okra, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, squash, zucchini, and an eggplant. My mom and dad also made some pickles and sent me home with a humongous jar.

Justin’s grandparents are also gardeners, so they keep us stocked up, too. This year we have gotten blackberries, green beans, potatoes, purple hull peas, and a few other varieties of peas from them. We are quite fortunate and very grateful. I’m looking forward to looking up healthy recipes for all these veggies, seeing as most recipes I know include frying everything. Plus, I have to cook them in different ways, so as not to tire of the same flavor.

One day, when I have a home and land to call my own, I plan to tend my own garden. I might even have some fruit trees. There is no better produce than the fresh, pesticide-free, grown-myself kind! Not to mention that fruits and veggies are a vital part to my new healthy lifestyle. Due to the fact that I am so excited about vegetables, I am confident that I am now an old lady. So, in the spirit of aging, I’m gonna go make pickles, pickled okra, and jelly!

Stay tuned for veggie tales produced by the fruits of my labor…

In a Perfect World...

In a perfect world, I would live in a town called Forks, and I would be in love with a vampire named Edward. Okay, well, not really. But, oh, how I am infatuated with The Twilight Saga… I’m not a Twihard, but I would call myself a Twisoft. I enjoyed the book series, and I’m enjoying the movies as they come out. I don’t have posters or t-shirts, and I don’t show up for the midnight showings of the movie premieres, but I do love the characters and the stories that Stephenie Meyer has dreamed up.

I just watched Eclipse today, and it blew my mind. It is, without a doubt, the best so far. There is something so mesmerizing about The Cullens. I love the way Stephenie Meyer has made vampires modern. She is a true genius, having created such an amazing collection of stories that can appeal to all ages. There is action, romance, and humor. Even sci-fi and horror fanatics can appreciate this saga.

I have been inspired to go re-read the saga from beginning to end and wait impatiently for the last movie installment of the series. I may even, for the first time in my life, go see a movie for the second time in the theater. Justin thinks I should work on writing a book series, so I can make us rich. I don’t think I have quite that much imagination, but maybe one day.

A Girl Can Dream…

In the Loop...

Just call me Susie Homemaker. I finally used my sewing machine tonight (see In Lieu of Flowers...). I had already taken a few steps towards the pincushion by watching part of the set-up DVD, reading through some pages of my sewing book, and clearing a workspace. But, tonight I made that pincushion a reality. It was harder than I thought it would be, but in the end, I’m quite happy with my finished product. Of course, no project is complete without a few bobbles along the way.

The pincushion journey started when I cracked open this book I bought a while back called Sew Everything Workshop by Diana Rupp. It’s a pretty cool book complete with a step-by-step guide to sewing for beginners as well as a set of patterns. The book is very thorough; it carefully describes how to set up a workspace, choose a machine, select fabrics, and much more.

I’m not sure why, but I thought a pincushion was the easiest project. Not so my friends. The easiest project is a white tea towel stitched with varying colorful stitches. That is where I should have started, but I promised you a pincushion. So, I skipped a few steps to get to the good stuff. Just for the record, my next project will be that tea towel. I intend to go back and read the book thoroughly cover-to-cover.

The actual sewing of the fabric wasn’t very hard. Setting up the machine took forever (like 40 minutes). I started by winding some thread on the bobbin that goes inside the machine, which serves as the bottom thread. I honestly had no idea that there were two different threads. After a little time and some searching, I got that bobbin inside the machine. Next, I started the top thread. After a bunch of twists and turns (a lot like a roller coaster), I threaded the needle. The top thread somehow loops down into the bottom thread. This is what caused me the most headache. I just couldn’t get that bottom thread to come up. After some probing, I realized I had taken too many twists and turns on that roller coaster. So, I back-tracked a minute and got it all straightened out. The thread was finally where it needed to be, so I poorly cut my 4” fabric squares and pinned them together inside-out. Next, I got to stitching, flipped that sucker inside out, and stuffed it. After a little hand stitching, my cute little pincushion was complete. I stabbed the pillow full of pins and admired my creation!

After all, if the pins are missing, it’s just a tiny pillow…

In a Funk...

I’ve been in a mood today. I meant to get around to setting up the sewing machine and making my pincushion, but I just haven’t. The day has been pretty boring; so, in an attempt to find some inspiration, I looked back to some old blogs from myspace. I decided to repost excerpts from a collection of them, because I think it shows how far I have come and how productive this last year has actually been!


On December 18, 2008, I wrote:

EDUCATION: something I believe in strongly, something I feel is valuable, something that sets you apart.

On that note, I do not, absolutely do not feel that a person should have to exchange that for dignity, sleep, health, good quality of life, sanity, affection, family and friends, happiness, a clean house, birthdays, holidays, fun, relaxation, shopping, a savings account, home cooked meals, wine and beer, nights on the town, tons of money, reading a good book for fun, or blogging on myspace. These are all things I haven’t had, haven’t had time to do, or have had to put on hold in the last three years since I’ve been at school at UTA.

My major is definitely harder than most. Only the people that go through design school truly get it. Design school is not getting sleep for days at a time, spending insane amounts of money on printing and building models, spending insane amounts of time on homework just to do it all over again, dealing with teachers that teach by not teaching, figuring everything out on your own, never knowing what is going on, dealing with technology problems and hours of lost work, being told over and over that it’s just like this in the real world, being criticized to no end, wondering all the time if you are right for this career, wondering if you are going to pass even though you worked as hard as you possibly could, sitting through hours of horrifying critiques after three days of no sleep, wondering every single day if you will ever be done, and knowing there is no turning back because you have already invested too much time, money, and effort to turn back now.

On January 28, 2009, I wrote:

I’m at a point in my life where I feel like I’m walking around in a cloud. I don’t know what’s up or down. I spend so much time trying to get through school that I feel like I am missing out on life. I keep telling myself that when May gets here everything’s going to change. What if it doesn’t? What if I don’t make it to May? Will this have been worth it? I just pray that I get the chance to make things feel right again.

On April 22, 2009, I wrote:

I am really low today. I’m just tired…so tired. I can’t do this school thing anymore. I have about two weeks left and know it’s going to be absolute torture. Assignments from every class are coming up due and they aren’t simple either. There is not enough time in the day to do everything well even without sleep. I hate school…plain and simple. It isn’t at all what I expected it to be. I have no life, no self-esteem, and am quickly forgetting who I was before I came here. For the past three years, I have been rejected every day. Just when I think I’ve done something well, I find out I’m mistaken. I haven’t found any aspect of design that I feel I’m good at. Of course there is the thought that it is all based on the opinions of my teachers, that other people may love what I’ve done. It’s just so hard to feel good about what you do when there is constant criticism of your personal work. Hopefully, I’ll get a great job that will change my mind about myself and show me all of the things I’m great at. I’m praying that I will pass this semester and finally be done with school. I need to be able to put this awful, regrettable chapter of my life behind me, so that I can move on and live the life I was meant to live. I know that this is not it.


How grateful I am for my life when I re-read these thoughts. The years I spent in school were hard, full of struggle and survival. School presented such a mental challenge. Sometimes, I have no idea how I made it through. Fortunately, God did give me the chance to feel right again! School took so much from me, physically and emotionally. I’m thankful that God gave me the strength to do it, because graduating is a very proud accomplishment.

I can’t wait to see what God has in store for me next! He sure has been keeping me waiting…