Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Labor Day weekend (in the US of A) is approaching...what's something you've labored over this year?
I can't really think of anything. Nothing's been harder this year than any other. How about I labored over the answer to this question.
2. What is one word to describe your 'job' or career?
Busy. At least for the job I'm currently at and I hopoe it will continue that way for the rest of the time I'm there. For the library: interesting, maybe. I do a lot of the same things everyday, but I also run into a lot of new situations as well.
3. What was your worst or least favorite job ever? Why?
I'd have to say an office assistant. I don't even remember what I did there, but I remember sitting at a desk working by myself with no interaction.
4. How do you measure contentment?
Maybe when I'm doing something I want to and everything goes right, but when does that ever happen? Even when I'm doing my art, things don't always go the way I think they should, of course things in the end usually look better than I thought they would.
Sunday, I had a really good day. I was working at the bookstore, was at a different location in the bookstore, was working with people that were fun and it wasn't really busy. I also got to learn something new, that was nice.
5. Pickles-like or dislike? What is something you eat that requires a pickle? Dill, bread and butter, sweet gherkins...what's your favorite kind of pickle?
I love pickles. I'm actually looking for a way to make my lunch sandwich more exciting, so I bought pickles.
6. In your current house-town-state, what is it you like living close to?
I'm close to a grocery store, the library (even closer when we move back), and local shopping. I figure if I can walk places in under an hour, I'm close.
7. What is one thing on your 'want-to-do' list before summer draws to an official close?
I have a lot I want to do, none of it is going to get done. I'm working 9+ hour days the rest of this week and since the end of summer is Labor Day, it will be here before I know it. My mind keeps reminding me of past vacations, and I feel I should take one, but that's just not going to happen.
8. Insert your own random thought here.
I'm working temporarily at the university's bookstore. One of my co-workers was talking about how less and less people can write legibly and fill things out. As an exercise for me, I decided to write the ansers out to this first. I've always loved my hand writing, it's not the fanciest or nicest, but I love that it's a mixture of cursive and printing.

I love these memes. They're questions that make me think on a different level than I usally do at work, it's nice to stretch my brain.

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Recent finds

These past few weeks I have been working a lot and standing a ton, and it's going to continue the next two weeks. Last Saturday I had the day off but I was so exhausted from the week, I didn't do anything. Today, I have to work later, but going garage saleing totally helped my mood.
This first picture is what I've bought at stores.
 The ISU Alumni shirt is from the bookstore, I couldn't pass it up. The canvas circle tags are from a trip to Hobby Lobby when I needed carstock. The three stampers you see, I thought were Mike, Sully, and some other monster from Monsters Inc., unfortunately when I opened them and stamped them, they weren't. I love dot-to-dot books, so I had to get these and the puffer fish was just cute. I had read on Curtains In My Tree about some velvet pumpkins she picked up from Jo-Ann's, so I went there the other day, I didn't find those pumpkins but I did find the purchases above.
Today, I found a few sales I wanted to hit, some weren't interesting, but I did find some cool/interesting buys.
This was the second sale I hit, from the front of the house, it didn't look like much, but then you got to the back of the house and they had a ton of stuff.
 The background is an orange/brown scarf, I really need to stop buying elephants.
When I came up to this sale, the lady said everything was 1/2 off, who would pass that up? The wall paper at the top was the buy of the day, there was a whole box of it with 4 rolls all about 29 inches tall, I don't know how much of it there is, but it is beautiful. I bought the necklace to tear apart for crafts.
This was the last sale on my list, it's an annual church sale. I wanted to go yesterday, but life got in the way. Today, there was hardly anyone there and not much exciting stuff. The bells I thought would work in a swap. The spoon says it's a William Rogers original, I don't know what that means, but I really liked it

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. What's your worst food memory? How about one of your best?
I don't really have a worst one. My best one would be years ago when I went to Washington D.C. with my parents for one of my mother's conferences. My dad and I went to an open air market and we bought this napolean, which is layers of puff pastry and pudding. I remember us each eating from different ends and it was SOO good. I've spent years trying to find a napolean that tastes the same, at this point I'm not even sure I remember what it tasted like, but it was good.
2. Do you appreciate people telling it like it is, or would you rather a speaker temper his/her words and maybe beat around the bush a little? How about when you're the one communicating...which type are you?
It depends on the situation. If I screw up or it's something I don't want to hear I don't like it, but sometimes it's easier for people to just get it out there and tell me. I'd rather know what they're talking about than them hiding behind their words because they don't want to come out and say it. I think I come out and say things, but I am very empathetic, so if I can tell it will hurt their feelings, I try to do it in a nicer way.
3. What's your favorite place to hang out?
If we're talking about anywhere, always Okoboji, IA. I spent my summers (or at least the last week of summer before school started) there, and every time I go back (which is less and less lately), I'm always transported back to my childhood. I'd take Okoboji over anywhere in the world. If we're talking about here in town, I'm not sure. I don't have a favorite place, maybe anywhere my friends and I hang out. We can get lost in talk about the library for hours at a time.
4. When do you most feel like you're a slave to time?
Generally, when I do art. My muse seems to appear when I don't have time, usually before I have to be at work, sometimes late at night when I have to get up early the next morning. I hate having to watch the clock when I'm trying to create something.
5. What was the last concert you attended? Who'd you go with? Was it any good?
Very good question, I can tell you the last concert I worked, that would be Miranda Lambert last fall. I work at an events center here, so I get to see/hear a lot of concerts. But, the last time I paid/someone else paid for me to go would probably be Trans Siberian Orchestra at least 6 years or so ago. I don't go to a lot of concerts, I find them too loud.
6. Reality TV...harmful or harmless? What's your guilty pleasure when it comes to reality TV?
I used to like it, when I actually watched TV. I actually used to plan my life around TV shows which I think is very bad, I wouldn't do anything when I knew my shows were on. My favorite will always be the Amazing Race, I love how their challenges were always something cultural to do with the place they were in. It was almost like they were learning while they were there. Now, I've been spoiled with TV shows on DVD and no commercials, so I don't watch 'live' TV anymore.
7. What's something you think is overrated?
I have a great example from work today, but if I posted it on here and the patron happened to find it and read it, it would be bad. Maybe tiny things people think are so important at certain times. When you stop and think about it, they're really not that important.
Here's another, how about that new trend of mullet dresses, where they're longer in the back than the front. I don't get those. Maybe just trends in general. I wear what's comfortable to me, usually the $5 shirts from Walmart. I just don't get the point of trends, wait a few months or a year and it's something completely new and different.
8. Insert your own random thought here.
I will practice self-control tomorrow. I'm working an extra job right now where I stand upwards of 8 hours a day. I do take my lunch, but it's at a bookstore, and they have everything: clothing, books, art supplies, etc. I already bought a cool shirt that was pretty cheap, but I still haven't visited the sale rack. This bookstore is across the hall from a convenience store and I'm trying so hard to not drink pop lately, for obvious reasons, but when I'm standing so long, I want the caffeine (though lately, I'm so tired it doesn't make a difference). I'm just trying so hard to practice self-control, but then I have an angry/confused patron and I get upset because of them, and I want to buy myself something to make me feel better. It's horrible.

This would be impressive that I've done this three weeks in a row, if I actually posted something else. I'm just so drained at the end of the day, I don't want to think too much. I do like these though. I will post a picture of my cool new shirt soon. I'm hoping there will be some interesting sales this weekend.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

It's Wednesday Hodgepodge

Wow! Two weeks in a row.
1. My daughter earned her Master's Degree this past weekend...what's something you've 'mastered' in recent weeks or months?
I'm not sure about mastering things, I know I'm getting better at not letting little things bother me. I may have mastered standing for 8 hours without my feet getting tired.

2. What song most reminds you of your childhood?
My Hometown by Bruce Springsteen. Actually any one of the songs from his Born in the USA album. I grew up on that album and every time I hear any of them, I'm a child again. My Hometown seems to come up quite a bit as we're pulling back into Ames from trips.

3. What do you think about single gender groups and/or events? Should every group/event be open to both genders? If not, what sort of exceptions do you think are appropriate?
I think it's nice to have both genders at some things, but I also like single gender events. I don't think a bachlorette party or a baby shower would be as fun if guys showed up. Also, can't really have a girl's night out if guy's are invited.

4. What's your favorite spice? Your favorite dish containing your favorite spice?
I don't DO spices. I have a very sensitive tastes, and anything too spicy or salty, sometimes even just a tiny bit too spicy/salty and I can't handle it.

5. I saw this question on Marla's facebook page and asked if I could steal borrow it for the Hodgepodge...thanks Marla!
Chevron patterns are everywhere! Do you like it or think its just a little too much? Do you own anything 'chevron'?
I like a little chevron. It looks nice on some things but I don't like a ton of it. I also think a larger pattern rather than a smaller pattern looks nicer

6. What's something you disliked as a child, but can fully appreciate now?
That's a really good question, I'm not entirely sure. I have grown to like seafood/fish more.

7. What can irritate you very quickly?
Tiny sounds in the background. I like quiet. I work in a not quiet environment, but if I can hear your music outside of your headphones, it drives me crazy.

8. Insert your own random thought here.
I have no random thoughts tonight. I just started back at a job that's very tiring for me, I love it, but it tires me out. So, I'm wicked tired, I'm also hoping it will pick up soon. I love being busy at my job.

Saturday, August 10, 2013

My first estate sale

So, I made myself go to some garage sales this weekend, which actually wasn't too hard because they finally sounded interesting. The two sales I went to on Friday, I had been to in the past. This first one advertised rocks and shells. Here's what I got:
 Some cool rocks I'm not sure what I'll do with them. I was thinking of using the blue, green and purple ones in art, but I have no plans. I might varnish them, as the coloring is so much richer when they're wet looking.
This second sale, the lady basically has her whole driveway and her garage with tables full of stuff, usually not priced, but I know I'll find something good there, so I always go.
Stemmed glass, spoons, silver sugar bowl, creamer
I've never seen a stemmed glass with the painted pattern on it. The two glass items, the masking tape with the price was so old, some of it is still on them, does anyone have any suggestions to getting that off? I really shouldn't have bought the creamer, as I have a lot of those already, but I'd never seen one in this pattern. I always use my spoons the most, so I told myself if I found any cheap ones at sales I was going to buy them, I hadn't found any yet, so I had to jump on these.
That was the end of Friday, I walked just over 2 miles.
Bargain Hunting Treasure Seeker, asked once if we planned out our sales or just went by the seat of our pants. Since I walk to all the sales I go to, I plan them out. Starting Wednesday, I check the local classifieds online, marking down sales that sound interesting in a notebook with the times, dates, addresses, and what sounds good to me. I have a page for Friday, and one for Saturday, if a sale is on both days, I list what sounds interesting to me on the page for Friday, and just jot down the address and time for Saturday. I only go to ones I can walk to, I figure if I have to pay for a bus trip there, it's not worth it. Most of the time I end up walking about 4 miles, I never really think of it, because it doesn't seem that much to me. I do like to see how much I walked on mapmyrun, basically it's a site where you map your route and it tells you how many miles you walked/whatever.
I've taken to checking craigslist Friday night/Saturday morning as it seems people wait until the last minute to post things on there. There seem to be more and more sales posted on there instead of in the papers lately, so I make sure to check it.
Today, I started out at a sale, that I thought was too far of a walk yesterday, on my way there, I found two more sales, but didn't find anything to buy at them.
Daffodil, party, green alphabet, stars, and celestial stickers
The next sale, the lady used to have a shop downtown but had closed it down and she was trying to get rid of her inventory, or so she said. One of the items I wanted was a Carebear, she gave me $3 as her lowest price, but since I wanted it just for me, I can't justify spending more than one dollar on stuffed animals, so I left it behind. Here's what I did get:
Bug pin, Raggedy Ann figurine, buttons, bookmark, two parrot pins, reindeer earring
I'm thinking of using the reindeer and buttons in artwork, I don't know about the rest.
This next sale was one I wandered by. I saw the sign and told myself I shouldn't go, as I'd been to it in the past and didn't find much. But then I talked myself into checking it out, and saying I didn't have to buy anything, that worked well.
Activity book, King of Misfit Toys keychain, white cotton, sheer purple fabric
I bought the white cotton fabric as a base for my next fabric book, which I hope to do at least part of on a sewing machine, I've noticed people start with a base of plain fabric and add onto the top of it, thought I'd try it that way this time. The purple fabric is also for a fabric book.
There was an ad for an estate sale in the paper this week. I love reading on people's blogs about them, so I thought I'd check it out. Originally, I was going to go wait yesterday, but I didn't want to walk all the way over there. Today on craigslist, everything was listed as 50% off, so I decided to wander over there.
 Basket of chicks, activity books, handmade collars, hanky, ceramic flower pin, tiny glass animals, table runner
The table runner, handmade collars and hanky are for a fabric book, I figure I can find these items cheaper at sales, I might as well snatch them up even if I never use them. Once again, I love activity books, these are those "magic" markers where you go over the paper and the lines appear. I loved the tiny glass animals, I used to have a flower pin like this one, but I used it in an art project.
 I know they're old, but I don't know how old. They're made out of pom poms, paper and pipe cleaners. They seem to be geared toward holidays, I just thought they were wicked cute. They're even still pretty soft. You can also see a closer picture of the glass animals, I've seen these for sale at zoos, I don't know if that's where they came from, but they were cute. There's also a closer look at the flower pin.
After finishing at the estate sale, I was tired and decided to forego the other two sales I was going to go to. I dropped my bag off at home and went to the Farmer's market. I didn't buy much, but I keep hoping something exciting will jump out at me.
This stuffed dog was with some other Christmas things that were on the curb marked free. The pastry is a napolean. Basically it's layers of vanilla pudding and puff pastery, they're very good.
Today I walked abut 5 1/4 miles. Like I said it doesn't seem like much to me, but it's interesting to know how much I walked. While figuring that out, I thought I'd see how far the library is from me, I walk about 2/3 a mile to get to it every day, so most of the time I walk 1 1/3 miles when I'm working.

This weekend I had a 3 day weekend, which never happens. Yesterday, I basically slacked off and went to a few sales, today I decided to go to the farmer's market even if I didn't go to any sales. Tomorrow, I finally talked my friend into going to the State Fair. I haven't been there in quite a few years, I always want to go, but it usually is when I'm working at the bookstore, and can't go. This year when I noticed I had this weekend off, I've been trying to convince my friend to go. Apparently they raised prices this year, so that was a turn off, but I finally did it. I'm so excited. We won't have a lot of time, as she does have other things to do tomorrow, but I'm really excited, I don't go to too many things. I'm afraid it will be another I'm really excited and it lets me down day though, we'll see.

Wednesday, August 07, 2013

Nothing exciting going on

I'm still here, mostly just been working.
I haven't been to any garage sales since my last post. Nothing's sounded interesting. I realize this happened to me last year too, I just got burned out before the end of the summer. And then I'm bummed I don't have any to go to in the winter.
I do have this weekend off, so I figure I need to get out and go to some.
I think I've been kinda depressed lately, I'm not exactly sure why, but I don't do anything outside of my house except work. A few weeks ago, my parents got to go on vacation, I don't think that helped at all, I wish I could afford a vacation. With this weekend off, normally I would sign up for extra shifts at work, but I start back at my cashiering job next week and I will be working non-stop the 12th through the 30th, so I figured I should just keep the weekend off, have a little relax before my work run. I really wanted to go to the state fair, but no one will go with me, so I've accepted the fact that I won't be going to that again.
While my parents were gone, I was asked/told I had to scrape the porch. Unfortunately, it hurts my arms (because I don't use those muscles) and my back (that angle just kills me), so that wasn't very fun. And of course my scraping isn't up to my mother's standards, so she's been doing it to her standards since she got home. Though yesterday, I got to scrape the part that's behind the rose bush, that was fun.
I keep daydreaming about having my own little house away from my parents, that would be grand.
A few of the blogs I read participated in the Where Blogger's Create event, so I have been perusing other blogger's creative spaces, and wishing I had my own. I do have a very messy craft closet where I keep all my supplies, but when I create it's either on the floor in the hallway, on the floor in the kitchen, or on my futon in the living room. And now that I'm having issues with my back, creating on the floor is not helping anything.
While I was perusing blog spaces, I stumbled on to Beansie Babbles, and then onto a weekly meme/blog hop: Hodgepodge Wednesday hosted by From This Side of the Pond, I thought it might be fun to do that. Maybe I'll even get back to posting regularly.

After thinking more on these, I have a couple edits

1. The first week of August is National Simplify Your Life Week...what's one thing you could do this week to qualify as a participant?

I don't know, my life's pretty simple as it is. I am actually uploading all my music in one place so I have it, if my computer crashes. That's simplifying for down the line isn't it? I won't have to worry when I get a new computer. Hire a maid, I'm a messy person. Get rid of some of my stuff, actually that's one of the reasons I haven't been going to garage sales, I figure I have enough stuff as it is.

2. It's also National Peach Month...peach pie, peach cobbler, or please pour me a Bellini? What's your peach pleasure?

I actually don't eat a lot of peaches, I can't remember the last time I had a peach. Maybe I'll have to go find a peach something when I visit the store tomorrow Fuzzy Navel, I love those drinks

3. Eleanor Roosevelt once wrote, "Do one thing every day that scares you."Agree or disagree...explain.

I think it's a good idea...for others. It's good to get out of our comfort zones, but I don't like getting out of mine very much. I should, my life would be more exciting if I did, I have become way too comfortable in my life right now, I need a little excitement. Right now, I'm focusing on doing something every day that makes me happy. As mentioned above, I'm not extremely happy right now, and I'd love to be happier.

4. What's your favorite household chore? Yes, you have to choose one.

I like doing the dishes, granted I never have them all done at once, but I like doing them. When I actually get into doing them all (or at least the ones that don't have to drip dry), I love putting on my music and just relaxing in the warm water.

5. Fodor's recently listed (what they've dubbed) the ten most beautiful sunset spots in America. Click here to read more or see pretty pictures, but this is their list...
Butterfly Beach in Santa Barbara CA,
Mount Haleakala in Maui HI,
Old Fort Marcy in Santa Park Fe NM,
Laguna Beach California,
Hopi Point in Grand Canyon AZ,
Four Seasons in Miami FL,
Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica CA,
Gay Head in Martha's Vineyard MA,
Ensign Peak in Salt Lake City UT,
and Mallory Square in Key West Florida.
Have you seen the sun set from any of these spots? If you could choose to watch the sun set from one of the spots on Fodor's list, which would you choose. Where was the prettiest sunset you've ever seen?

I'm not entirely sure if I've been to any of them, I have been to Hawaii and the Grand Canyon, but I don't know if I've been to those specific places. I'd totally pick Hawaii, I've been there and I'd LOVE to go back someday. I love the sunsets in Okoboji, IA. We have a condo for a week at the end of August, and seeing the sun set across the lake is beautiful. Actually after Hawaii, I'd consider Okoboji my favorite place to go on vacation.
This is Okoboji, the lask time I was there.

6. What's your favorite or most used app? If you don't use apps, how about your favorite or most visited website?

I like my calculator app, I'm not that great at math, and apparently even worse when I'm balancing my checkbook, so the calculator is the best. That said, I really don't use apps that much, I don't have a smart phone, but I do have a kindle fire. My favorite website is most likely Etsy, I love browsing and adding to my favorites, and every once in awhile, I actually buy something, to see my latest purchase, go here.

7. We've recently passed the halfway mark for 2013...write a seven word sentence that sums up your year thus far.

I wish I had more money. That's a horrible sentence and a word short, but that's what's been on my mind lately. My last two paychecks were sad, why is it, when I work more I make less money. My happier sentence would be something about the new library in seven words. I work at our local library, last fall we moved to a temporary location, so construction work could begin in our permanent location. You can now see two floors, and at this time next year we will be in the new library, I can't wait.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Random thought, random thought, random thought. I really don't have any. The thought in my mind right now is whether or not to call someone and ask if he wants to go to lunch. And maybe wondering/hoping there's some exciting garage sales this weekend.
I wish I could find more buttons at garage sales, of course that goes back to the thing about going to garage sales.

I really enjoyed filling this out, I hope I can remember to do it in the future.