Tuesday.

Pretty neat project.
I still have to choose my 3 places. Although I won't be able to contribute $50 to each one, I'm going to aim for $20.
++++++++++++++

Today I start work at 11:30 and work till 8:00. So that gives me some time to clean up my studio/office/dump-everything-on-the-floor room.

I want the room to be a place I can hang out in and not have to listen to the television. I, for some reason, am super sensitive to the loudness of the tv and I know it drives Joe nuts. It's gotten to the point that all I have to do is glance over at the tv and then look back at what I'm doing and he knows that it's too loud. Pretty lame, I know. But whatever.

So now that the huge obnoxious computer desk is FINALLY gone and not taking up half my closet in there, I can start getting my screen printing area ready.

You know what's going to happen, though...we're going to move right when I get everything just so (because I'm quite a just-so person) and then I'm not going to touch the stuff for a year. Again. Just like last time.

Remember this? That was 2 years ago. Geez.

So anyway, we'll see what I end up doing in that room. I have about an hour of free time before work, so off I go.

I'm home. It's Friday. I work in 2 hours.

I got home from the canoe trip yesterday around 2:30. Although I was exhausted and a bit on edge by the end, it was a great time and I gathered a lot of useful information. I suppose I picked a bad time to cut my caffeine intake and quickly pressed 3 cups of damn strong coffee when I got home...

The group consisted of myself and 10 coworkers (that word looks funny to me).

We paddled a short stint of the Wisconsin River between Mazomanie and Lone Rock, stopping to set up camp both nights.

We also stopped at various areas to eat and hang out for a bit.

The overcast sky was nice, but this sandbar would have made for an even better picnic if it had been sunny and less windy! It looks like an island but there is actually water between those trees and the sand even though you can't tell from the photo.

The area on the way to Tower Hill State Park was pretty neat, despite the fact that everything we wanted to do there ended up being closed. That was okay though, it was nice to get out and take a quick hike to the top.

So yeah, I had a pretty good time. When Joe got home from work he wanted to hear all about it so I showed him the few photos that I took and told him a few stories (and vented a bit) and now he's pretty stoked about doing something similar.

When I had my interview at Rutabaga and was later offered the job, Joe and I decided that we were going to get a canoe or 2 kayaks (and everything that goes along with that sort of thing) this summer, since it would be an opportune time to do so. But about 2 months ago when we heard about the tax credit for first time home buyers, that thought pretty much flew out the window since we are in "must. buy. house." mode. I'm hoping that we will be able to pinch a bit of cash out of that fund because I know that we would have a great time for years to come and I feel like it would be stupid not to buy a boat right now (which is kind of like the house thing...) All I have to do is convince Joe that it's the right thing to do, which is the only roadblock in this situation. Damn houses and their downpayments! Oh well. One day we will have both luxuries and I can't wait for that.

What are you up to this weekend? I'm not sure what we're going to do on Sunday but I have the day off and I want to be sure to do something fun. You'll probably hear all about it if we do.

Monday Morning

These are probably 2 of the grossest photos I've ever taken, but whatever.

Yesterday we made fish tacos for dinner.
If you have ever been to a restaurant with me, you know how much I love fish tacos.
I order them every chance I get, trying to find the best in town.

Most of the time fish tacos don't come with cheese, but since I have a hardcore addiction to it, I always add it on.

Joe (along with about 80% of the population) always says YUCK to fish tacos.
I have to admit that the first time I had heard the term I was thoroughly disgusted as well.
My manager made them one day when I used to work at Chili's, even though they weren't on the menu. He told me that I had to try one. After I folded my face in a funny direction a few times, I finally ate one. And it was awesome. To be honest, it was the best fish tacos I've had to date.

So last night, after about 2 years of talking about how great these things were, I told Joe that we were having them for dinner. That was after he said "no way" to tuna pitas (one of my favorite quick-foods), so I really didn't think he was going to go for it since he always looks at me in dismay when I say "fish" and "taco" in the same sentence.

But he was on board and even wanted to help me make them.
The thing about Joe is that has one of the weakest taste bud systems I know of, so he only had fish and cheese in his tortilla...and to me that's not a fish taco, because it's the sauce that makes it what it is. But he liked it and I wont catch any slack at restaurants anymore now that he knows these things have a particular awesomeness to them.
This is the recipe I used. I didn't add mayo to the sauce in hopes that Joe would try it...but he didn't. I also went to the grocery store for a lime and forgot to buy a lime, so I had to improvise. I made quite a stretch and reached for pineapple rum. Initially I was just going to skip that part, but after I tasted the sauce I knew I wasn't going to get away with that. I used lettuce rather than cabbage because I couldn't find cabbage at the grocery store the other day. And I added pico, because it's one of the best foods ever.
(okay, so i like all kinds of food...)

Then I took the garbage out and noticed that the air was perfect for a walk.
So I ran upstairs and got my raincoat and took a walk.
And then I got home and finished this piece:
And took a photo of it when it was dark outside, which I never do, but since this piece isn't for sale it's okay.
I miss making things and I want to start again. I hope that can happen soon, but I'm doubtful. I haven't been able to cross much off my list.
I can say that I've been working on #4, #14 and #19, but that's as far as I've gotten and I wrote that list 3 months ago to the day.

Well tomorrow I will cross #12 off because I'm going on a canoe trip with these people, plus a few others.

Well it's time to go. I hope you had a good weekend! Do you like fish tacos? I've heard they are big in California and I think that the main reason they are popular here in Wisconsin is because fish tacos have fried fish, and if you've ever been here, you know how much we (stereotypically speaking) like our fish fry.

Sunday

So I guess this might explain (or at least justify, in some strange way) why I've had such a sweet tooth lately:
(image from pruh, which i found on sia's blog)

I don't even really feel stressed...I just don't feel all that comfortable lately. Which is probably why I keep reaching for comfort food all the time. And I had been on such a healthy eating kick! But it hit the fan this winter and I haven't been able to get a grip on it since. Luckily the outdoor farmer's markets start soon (on my side of town, i mean) so that will be a huge help. I can't wait for blueberries! Soon soon...

What are you up to this weekend? I have the day off and it's rainy, but I'm okay with that.

Dang it, I wish we had IKEA nearby! I need some frames and stuff like that.

Tuesday

This morning dove comes and visits every morning at 7:15.

And then another dove comes along and they hang out for awhile on my balcony.
It's really sweet.

Not as sweet as when I used to listen to the roosters when I lived in Salem, though.
I miss visiting the horses behind my apartment there. I would bring a blanket and my ipod and something to snack on and lay in the sun, watching the horses do their thing while the roosters danced around their hooves. I wish I would have taken video of that...the horses always made me smile. One of them did a series of steps from time to time and I loved it.

But that's about all I miss about Salem. It was a pretty depressing town, but I didn't know it at the time. But OH do I ever know it now. I always feel like there is a raincloud over my head when I stroll through that area.

I'm going home on Wednesday night. I can't wait. Salem is not home...Ingleside is.
I love going home, to the house I grew up in. I lived there my entire life, since I was about 1 or maybe 2. My parent's house always seemed perfect in my mind. It's a cute Capecod on a quiet dead end street, with a big yard that backs up to a swamp and woods. A creek flows through to the Chain O' Lakes about 200 steps away from their front door. There are train tracks across the street that lead to Union Station in downtown Chicago. I miss listening to the train. My bedroom faced the train tracks and every night the freight trains would roll by and my jewelry box drawer pulls would clatter. My bed would shake, in a calming way. Sometimes my change jar would vibrate right off my dresser top and that always scared the shit out of me, especially when it was 2 AM. My friends were always on edge at my parent's house because they thought the freight train was an earthquake or tornado. That always made me laugh.

So then last night I was thinking about my parent's house and where it is and I realized that if I hadn't grown up in that house, I would probably be really freaked out to be there alone. It's the perfect setting for a murder mystery novel.

Yet every time I stay there, I feel so at ease. If somebody knocks on the door, I'm quick to run and see who it is and don't even think of anything bad. But where I live now, I pretty much go through freakout mode when somebody knocks. Not as bad as when I was in Salem, thankfully. I guess it's because I live in an apartment and can't see who it is unless I go all the way to the door, at which point I'd be pretty vulnerable. Maybe I just worry too much. Or maybe it's because nobody knows where I live so why would anybody be knocking?

I can't wait till we have a house to call home...hopefully that will happen sometime between August and October. Fingers crossed. Then I will be able to put my overflowing inspiration folder to good use since I will be able to change things and make things my own. I can't wait for that.
+++++++++

A couple weeks ago my mom was in town and we went thrifting.
I came across this awesome vintage enamel Copco teapot for $3.

One of my best finds yet.

So far I've used this pot to boil water 2 times every morning since I got the thing.
I'm up to like 4-5 cups of coffee or tea a day...which I can't say I'm entirely proud of.
I usually start the day off at 6:40 with 2 cups of coffee, and then I decide between coffee and tea to join my thermos for the work day.
Today I think I'm going to do coffee...it's rainy and dreary out and I need something rich and vibrant to keep me shuffling along till 8:00 tonight, which is when I get off.

I should get on that...

If you are bored, scroll down to my previous post and try that assessment thing. It's really interesting.

Carl Jung Typology Test

One of the things that I have always been into is self-awareness. There are so many people who meander through life and don't bat much of an eye at who they are or what makes them that way. And that's fine, because I'm assuming it's easy and effortless, which is what many of people seem to prefer.

(this post needed a photo so it wouldn't be too boring. that's me on a super-sleepy tuesday morning. i curl my eyelashes because i like gadgets and an eyelash curler is quite a gadgety looking tool.)

But for those who enjoy looking deeper into things, there is the interesting Jung Typologoy test. I initially took the assessment about 2 or 3 years ago, and thought it was pretty neat at the time.

But lately I've been struggling with accepting my chaotic and unbalanced ways. For instance, I tend to tornado my way through the house while leaving stuff everywhere as I jump from this to that. I wish I had more order in my life- it would make things so much easier and I wouldn't be running down to my car only to turn around and run all the way back up the stairs because I forgot this or that. Which pretty much happens every morning. And then again every night when I go to bed and get comfy only to get up again because there was just one other thing I have to do. I know it makes Joe absolutely nuts that I function in such a rambling way. And I take forever to make decisions and would really rather avoid doing so. But what ends up confusing me is that I care about others and how they are doing...and wouldn't you think a person like that could get their own life together and have a bit of order?

It all makes my head spin, but luckily there is reason to the madness, according to Jung/Myers-Briggs.

I'm an INFP type.



The 'P' is where my disorganization comes from, apparently...

And then there is Joe. Thankfully he is the "TJ" because I don't know what I would do if neither of us had any structure.

Here is the breakdown of the letters and what they stand for:


It's all highly interesting to me. Have you ever taken the test? What type are you?

I also thought it was neat to read that INFPs pretty much need to have a FUN job in order to be happy in life. That makes a lot of sense to me. I'd say I have a pretty fun job right now. I know, I STILL haven't told you about the job I got all the way back in January. I will, one day. For now I can say that I work at a place called Rutabaga. Neat, huh?

Off I go to do the house work I was supposed to be working on for the past 2 hours. Joe should be home from work in 10 minutes...we'll see how far I can get.

New Corner

Hi there!

I haven't been around much, but today I have a WEEKDAY off, so here I am!
I am so happy to have a weekday off because I can actually get some stuff done, which I can never seem to do on a weekend.
There are only 12 minutes until the next thing on my to-do list has to happen, so I'm going to blog super quick and be on my way.

On my weekdays off, which have been few and far between over the last 3 months, I sit down and make a list of what needs to happen that day and write out all the times that I will be doing those things. That way everything gets done and I don't get side tracked. Pathetic, I know, but it's the only system that works for me.

So it looks like I'm making my monthly dinner menu after this which is slotted to take 45 minutes. It's the only way I've found so far that 1) keeps us from eating out 2) stops food waste 3) keeps me sane throughout the day since I don't have to worry about what to make when I get home and 4) makes healthy eating much much easier. Maybe I'll document my menu calendar next time I blog.

After that I'm off to go jogging and then to the much dreaded Dept of Revenue.
Then grocery shopping, housework and 9 other things.
But everything will be done by 4:15, thanks to my handy to-do list time line.
+++++++

I had Saturday off and Joe was out of town so I rearranged a bit.
Lately I haven't been able to satisfy my need for new stuff since we're saving for a house, so I have been doing other little things to make my living space seem new (by rearranging).
Info on sources, etc. over here.

Well it looks like I only have 1 minute left so time to wrap up. More later!
I hope you all had a nice holiday.

Thursdays

Well today is Thursday and I am doing my "Things That Make Me Smile" post, along with 2 additional sets that I never got around to the past couple Thursdays. So the topics are Short Hair, White Floors and Repetition. I wanted the hair one to be last but I didn't feel like messing around with it so this is how it's going to be.

Short Hair.


Fun hair makes me happy. And I will forever think that short hair is more fun than long hair. Who the heck wants to stand in the bathroom messing with long hair every day? Not me. So I like short hair better.
All hair photos from wip hairport and madradhair.


White floors.

So maybe it's a huge design trend right now to have white floors. But that's not why I like them. They feel so clean and airy to me...almost like floating. Everything seems to be more pronounced when surrounded by a pallate of white. And from what I've gathered, they really aren't all that hard to keep clean under the right conditions. And by right conditions I mean no black dogs and no kids. And no husbands with leg hair. And no shoes. Okay, so I can qualify for 3 out of 4 of those things. I know most can't, though...so maybe this white floor thing is more for my dreams.


Repetition.





Lately I've been thinking about repetition quite a bit. I feel like I take forever to learn new concepts, processes, ideas...so maybe that's why I find comfort in spaces that include some sort of repetition. It's subtle and not at all over stimulating, but has such a huge impact.

Unfortunately out of my hundreds of photos in my inspiration folder, I haven't really kept much track of sources. I know that most of them came from apartment therapy, but that's about all I can say. If any of them are yours or look familiar or you want them taken down for one reason or another, just let me know.
+++++++++

So what's new? Not a lot here. It's 9:00 and I'm ready for bed, so off I go. I would post about some really cool things I got that were destined for the landfill, but that post wont come for about a week. We'll have house guests starting Friday night and I usually don't go online much unless I have to escape from them. Our friend is staying for the weekend, my mom is coming up on Monday and then my brother might come during the week, too.

I still have to tell you guys about my new job (started 2 months ago to the day), so maybe next week.

it's friday.

i've missed my thursday post 2 weeks in a row now.

which totally bums me out...

last thursday i was getting ready for this awesomeness.

and it really was awesome. i loved every minute of it. canoecopia, north america's largest paddlesport expo. weeks of tagging product, packing, loading and unloading boxes, setting up, talking to tons of great people, attending after parties, working long days...it was really neat.

then yesterday thursday i drove to willy st. after work for some sumotech. (stuff for my hair.)

then off to kohls in an attempt to find a bra. sorry if you didn't want to read that. anyway, it was only an attempt, as i figured it would be prior to walking in. they don't sell my size there. i got home and told joe "i think i hate bra shopping more than most women." he asked "don't they have girl's size large or something?" thanks, joe...thanks.

anyway, i'm off to work. i'll do my thursday post tonight after i get home.

Plants

Lately I've been thinking about the way I want my balcony garden to be this year. I need to get my herbs started really soon here...probably should have done that already, but you know how things go. For now I've been gathering inspiration photos and also deciding what I'd like to plant.

[all images found on flickr]

I really like this photo.
It's really nice palate...I'm sure the slate colored backdrop has something to do with why I'm attracted to it. Slate has always been one of my favorite colors.
I like the idea of white pottery and terra cotta planters.
For budget's sake, I'd probably get a bunch of terra cotta ones and spray paint them a glossy bone-white color.
[by ossan]

Although my balcony is not nearly this spacious, I do like the set up.
I am going to have a worm farm this year (excited!) and it would be great to put it under a table with plants on top.
[by katiedL.]

Woah.
Forget the plants for a second...check out the view!
This is on the 42nd floor in the city.
Kind of neat.
Anyway, I like how they have their plants lining the balcony's perimeter.
[by 42ndfloor]

And then there's this lovely succulent garden...
Which is actually on a window sill, not a balcony, but I might steal the gutter idea for part of my garden.
[by kalani kordus]

I haven't quite decided what I'm going to grow yet, but I know there will be tomatoes and hot peppers for sure. Last year we were out of town SO often that there was no way I'd be able to stay on top of a garden...hopefully this summer will be a little different.
+++++++++++++++++++
Wow it's really windy outside.
Speaking of wind, Joe is in the Windy City right now doing some inventory stuff for work.
He has to drive all the way to podunk Trevor, WI (no offense Trevor...but seriously) afterward to sleep (probably around 1:30 AM) and then drive BACK to Chicago tomorrow morning. And then home from there.
He might as well just sleep in the back room there, you know?
Companies are really cracking down on their budgets.
It's scary.
I used to travel with him whenever he went to Chicago or Madison or Minneapolis.
They have put him up in some great hotels.
Now we live in Madison, so that's not a thing anymore.
Chicago wont have any more hotel stays since his parents are only 62.5 miles away.
But I still have hope for Minneapolis.
I really love Minneapolis...they have a West Elm and a Room & Board.
IKEA, too.
You know, materialistic things that I try to convince myself are just bad news for so many reasons...but always seem to make me happiest. Dumb.
You can probably tell that I'm just sitting here by myself because it's 10:40 PM and I'm going on and on.
When I should be in bed resting up for Canoecopia.
(more on that later...)

newness

I finished the rack today:

Now I have to figure out if I want to put the old one in the living room or not.
I have put so many nail holes in the walls of this apartment and each time I hammer I clench my teeth a bit tighter. I don't really know how the landlord is going to feel about all of the holes and we're not allowed to patch them before we move (which is their way of being able to take our entire security deposit, I'm sure.)

Speaking of moving, we're on a mission to buy a house before November.
I am thinking about picking up a second job as a restaurant server or something equally glorious, ahem, so we can get more money for a down payment.
(because I only have so much to sell for profit on eBay, you know?)
The mere thought of serving again makes me want to jump out my window but I only live on the second floor so it wouldn't be worth it.

How was your weekend?

Things That Make Me Smile :: Etsy

So I decided that every Thursday I'm going to post 4 things that make me smile.

This week the source is Etsy.

Wisconsin on a Stick
$25 + S&H by Etsy seller artis3letters
I'm getting one of these really soon, but with a blue Wisconsin.

Player
$35 + S&H by Etsy seller AliciaBock
This one gets me every time.
I've been wanting it for almost a year now, but I haven't even framed the last print I got from Alicia so I suppose I should do that before getting another.

Needle Felted Dog
$250 + S&H by Etsy seller KaysK9s
Look at the detail! Isn't that amazing?!
This is one of those things that I think is worth every penny but I'm sure most people think is an insane amount of money. And I don't even have a dog (yet).

February No.9
$40 + S&H by Etsy seller fernanimals
And of course I need one of these guys.
Or maybe like 4. Yeah I'd rather have 4 of them...a nice little menagerie on my dresser would be ideal.
So those are my 4 things for today.
I hope at least one of them made you smile.
:)
+++++++++++++
I have to get my taxes done and I am totally dreading it.
I really...REALLY...screwed up my ST12 form and sent the state of WI a few hundred extra bucks that was actually supposed to go to federal for my business taxes.

What a bitch. I checked that damn form more times than I can count and I still screwed it up.
And I swore up and down that I was done making things and done selling things, because I hate taxes and numbers and I hate shipping, blah blah blah.

And then you know what I did over the weekend?
Painted a whole bunch of boards to print and draw on.
What the heck.