Wow! Been awhile since I've posted and I'm feeling some anxiety about not making much progress. I did get my T-shirt printed, so that makes 15 goals accomplished, but I am so far behind.

Some observations I've made about this list:

1. I put way too many tasks on here that are, by definition, spread over time. Several require doing the same thing for a certain number of times. This is not entirely bad, when my goal is also something that I want to form a habit doing. But those that I'm not interested in turining into a habit, .....well, maybe they're just not that great a goal.

2. There are a few things on here that I've lost interest in, and want to update/change.

3. There are a few things on here that are completely beyond my budget, and as such, I have little possibility of fulfilling them, shy of a lotto win.

4. In reading the lists of others, I've stumbled across a few ideas that, while similar to my own, seem to be more well-thought-out than mine, and I'd like to adopt a few in place of mine.

So, I'm going to update my list and make it more "real" for me.

Goal # 99 Get 7 hours of sleep per night for 2 weeks in a row.

Done!! Can't believe it, but I did it. And I must say that this is me giving up one of my life-long beliefs that I "must" be a night owl at all times.

I feel better, I wake up better and I'm no longer going to cling to the idea that anything worth doing is always done better when its later.

I'm forming a new habit. I'm no longer of the opinion that I have to stay awake so I won't miss anything. If I actually get enough rest most of the time, chances are I'll live longer anyway!

I've been poking around trying to find other 101 listers who are actively working their lists. I did manage to find a few, who I've added to my blog list, that have some great goals and are making progress.

One thing I discoved is that some folks have modified their lists after a period of time, stating that some of the goals they'd originally chosen just no longer held any appeal to them. I get that.

I've got a few on my list that I am pretty certain I will not be able to achieve in the amount of time I have remaining. And maybe a couple that I'm just not all that interested in anymore.

I'm debating.....I've tweeked one or two of mine to reflect the slightly differing status quo, but I haven't actually dropped any completely. Maybe it's time for a refresh......

One thing I have discovered, and I should have known better right from the start, is that my goals should all have been specific and measurable. I've got a few really open-ended, nebulous goals that I have no way of truely measuring. Maybe those will be the ones I axe and replace.

Not sure if anyone is reading this, but if you are, and you also have a 101 list, have you made any changes to yours?

Goal # 99 Get 7 hours of sleep per night for 2 weeks

Well, I've made it through week number 1 and I actually feel pretty good! With a little help from my droid and a little reminder app, I'm taking melatonin at about 9pm and by 11, I'm pretty much ready to go to bed. The best part is that I am actually falling asleep right away.

Yay!!

Goal # 75: Finish my son's quilt - Complete





Only 2+ years in the making! (Actually closer to 3) This took much longer than it should have, but it was a learning experience nonetheless. The lettering is India Ink, done on the top layer over blotter paper. The assembly is rather simple in that its just a solid center panel, with wide border strips added around it. The backside is an all-over fan pattern with an Asian countryside motif. The hardest part was doing the lettering and hoping that my rendition of the letters are actually close enough to the real thing as to be legible to someone who speaks or reads Korean. I hope I didn't make any horrible mistakes!

I was on a mission to get this done this month. My son is getting ready to move out of state, and it is just killing me! I know he will do well, but I am sooo going to miss him! We are not yet empty-nesters, but it sure is tough watching them leave home! With only one left in the house, things will certainly feel different.

Progress is slow but ongoing.

Goal # 75: I'm nearly done with my son's quilt. As soon as I've finished the last square foot of top stitching, removed the basting, and washed the quilt, I'll take a few photos and post them.

Meanwhile, I'm working on a few other goals:

Goal # 17: Lose 25 lbs. Unfortunately, I gained 7 more since I'd made this list, so now the goal is 35 lbs. But, I have lost about 8-9, so I am slightly ahead.

Goal # 33: Run a 10k. I'm actually scheduled to run a 5k in November, so I am approaching the half-way mark on this one.

Goal # 99: Get 7 hours sleep per night for 2 weeks. Last night was #2, so I am counting...

Goal # 76: Use my green bags. Doing that more and more lately.

Goal # 19: Change our diet. Have to do this one in order to do # 15, so yes I am working on this.

I'm so wanting to make progress on this list....but the low-hanging fruit is getting pretty sparse.


I imagine that is why soooo many 101 listers just seem to fade away.


I'm not 20-something anymore. Time is ticking away and I no longer feel like I have all the time in the world to accomplish my goals. Truly, summers just seem to **FLY** by as of late. And unfortunately, they just seem to be filled with ....work.


Yuck. Is that what my life has become? Work, work, and more work?


This is not how I imagined things to be. Honestly, I am not what I imagined I'd be at this age. I guess my birthday a few days ago is making me a bit melancholy. Really? Did I just use that word to describe myself? Ugh...next thing you know, I'll be humming Eleanor Rigby....


So where are all the 101 listers that are sticking to the plan?!? If you are doing the Day Zero Project and are sticking to the plan, please let me know who you are! I need some inspiration!

And here is the lovely Harvest Moon herself.....

#98 Celebrate the Fall (Autumnal) Equinox (and spring)



Feel free to enjoy Neal Young's Harvest Moon on the playlist >> over there --->>



Tonight I am making the family a Harvest Dinner to celebrate the Fall Equinox. We are lucky to have a beautiful Harvest Moon shining overhead tonight! Just perfect!



Dinner Menu

Mulled Cider

Caramelized Onion Flatbread and Butternut Squash Soup with Caramelized Onions and Apples

Rosemary-Garlic Pork Chops with Roast Carrots, Parsnips and Onions


Mashed Potatoes with Roast Garlic-Basil Oil (Notice the pretty shade of green from the basil!)


Caramelized Apples with Vanilla Ice Cream
and Maple Oatmeal Scones
_____

And here are my results...

Goal #23 Make a motivational playlist - COMPLETE

Let me clarify that these are my "feel good" songs. Ones that make me smile, sing along and just generally gain a better outlook. It is by no means a complete list. I add to it continually. But I want to note that the very first song is one that I turn to to get my head on straight.

Change your mind: Sister Hazel

Walking on sunshine: Katrina and the Waves

I can see clearly now: Johnny Nash

Somewhere over the rainbow-What a wonderful world medley: Isreal Kamakawewo Ole

I'm a believer: Smash Mouth

Lean on me: Bill Whithers

All-Star: Smash-Mouth

Don't worry, be happy: Bobby Mcferrin

Dancing in the streets: Van Halen

Beautiful day: U2

In your eyes: Jeffrey Gaines

In your eyes: Peter Gabriel

Bohemian rhapsody: Queen

Sailing: Christopher Cross

When the night feels my song: Bedouin Soundclash

Celebration: Kool & the Gang

Three little birds: Bob Marley

Girls just wanna have fun: Cindy Lauper

Roll with it: Steve Winwood

Another postcard: Barenaked Ladies

margaritaville: Jimmy Buffett

Sexual healing: Marvin Gaye

Suddenly I see: KT Tunstall

Black horse and a cherry tree: KT Tunstall

Love train: The O'Jays

A beautiful morning: The Rascals

Stir it up: Bob Marley

Fly: Sugar Ray

Soak up the sun: Sheryl Crow

You know I want you: Pitbull

Say hey (I love you): Michael Franti & Spearhead

What a wonderful world: Louis Armstrong

Amazed: Lonestar

Into the mystic: Van Morrison

Bitch: Merredith Brooks

Good times roll: Cars

Pretty woman: Roy Orbison

You gotta be: Des'ree

If everyone cared: Nickelback

If today was your last day: Nickelback

Jai Ho (you are my destiny): Slumdog millionaire soundtrack

Gotta be somebody: Nickelback

Steve McQueen: Sheryl Crow

Chaiyya Chaiyya: Sukhwinder Singh & Sapana Awasthi

Dil Se Re: A.R. Rahman

Graceland: Paul Simon

Serenata (whole cd): Armik

Diabolic Inventions and Seduction for Solo Guitar, Vol. 1, Music of Astor Piazzolla: Al di Meola

Bubbly: Colbie Caillat

Lucky: Jason Mraz featuring Colbie Caillat

The Remedy (I Won't Worry): Jason Mraz

I'm Yours: Jason Mraz

Unwritten: Natasha Beddingfield

We are family: Sister Sledge

My way: Frank Sinatra

Respect: Aretha Franklin

Imagine: John Lennon

Simply the best: Tina Turner

Moondance: Van Morrison

I hope you dance: Leann Womack

Time of your life: Greenday

Shine: collective Soul

Southern cross: Crosby Stills & Nash

Treetop flyer: Stephen Stills Note that this is an entire album and this version of the song is, in my opinion, far superior to other versions available.

Like a rock: Bob Seger Again, this is an entire album.

Dream weaver: Gary Wright

Mummer's dance: Loreena McKennitt

What have I done in furtherance of my list?

Well, my current favorite book series is George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire. I've read them all, and am anxiously waiting for the next book.....which has been delayed FOREVER. Wondering if it will ever come out. Meanwhile, its been awhile since I've read the released books and so I decided that I'd re-read the series....albeit leisurely...hoping that by the time I get through them a second time, the next book will be out.





Book one in the series is A Game of Thrones. LOVE LOVE LOVE this book. All of them, actually. Martin's characters come alive in this series of knights and kings, dragons and treachery, heroines and darker things "beyond the wall"...

Other titles are A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords and A Feast for Crows. The long awaited 5th installment will be A Dance with Dragons....we think.


If you are actually a fan, and have been reading his stuff, you may be interested to know that HBO is making A Song of Ice & Fire into a series, scheduled for 2011, and the series is called A Game of Thrones. See a preview here.

To keep up to date (sort of) with the author, check out his site GeorgeRRMartin.com.

I'm a bit further along with my son's quilt than I thought. Worked on it again tonight, and stretching it out and surveying the progress, it looks like I'm about 65% done with the top-stitching.

The quilt design is in honor of his practice of Taekwondo.

Did some more top-stitching on my son's quilt. I think I am close to 40% complete on that, so the goal is reasonable and obtainable for me to finish by October 24th.

Also in the works is the bedroom painting.

This is a 2'x2' mock-up for the walls.The wall paint scheme is intended to match the quilt colors.

And this is the quilt pattern that I'm going to start on after my son's quilt is done.

I'm on track to complete at least 2 more goals in the next month and a half. Woohoo!!

Wow! It has been too long! going on two months since I've last posted. Not that I've fallen off the wagon or anything. Just busy with life. A friend once told me (or should I say often told me) that life is what happens when you're busy making plans. I don't think it was an original statement...but it is often true.

The burner is now on high for me to finish my son's quilt. I have just over a month now, as he has decided to move to Arizona in October. Ironic....he probably won't need it there. Nevertheless, it is long past time that I finish it. 3 years to be exact.

So, my evenings will be spent hand top-stitching the quilt, about 30% of which is done. And I'll have to fit that in with the rest of life happening....

If I don't finish it, do you think he might stay?.......hmmm, probably not. I am so going to miss him.

#35 on the list: Watch all the AFI's top 100 films. I'm currently at 47/100.

I watched "Do the Right Thing" the other night. (Spike Lee film)

So I think I've finally found a movie that tops Scarface for the number of F-bombs.

Seriously...

Aside from the tacky backdrop, painful 80's outfits, and gratuitous boob-shot, the story was a good one, depicting just how stupid and destructive racism is, and how oppression is just a time-bomb, ticking away.

The oppressive heat of a New York City summer provides an analogous backdrop for the oppressive racial tension in the racially mixed Brooklyn neighborhood where the story takes place. Racial tension and defiance eventually culminate in the death of Radio Raheem and the ensuing riot that errupts as the police drive off with his dead body.

The mob's anger is, on the surface, directed at the police for the choking death of Radio, but is rooted in and fueled by the underlying racial tension in which the neighborhood, and society at large, is steeped.

When the police leave the scene after Radio's death, the mob turns on Sal, his sons, and the pizzaria where the conflict began. Mookie, Sal's employee, sees the direction that things are heading and lobs a trash can into the window of the pizzaria, causing the crowd to shift its attention to the building and away from Sal and his sons.

To me, the film veritably screams "open your eyes!" Look how stupid we've been as a society! Look at how pointless and destructive our "views" are! Look at how much better things could be if we set aside our "imagined" differences. It sounds cliche', but how long will it take, for god's sake?!?! When will we get to the point where we've "ALL" had enough of the bullshit?

My humble opinion.....

So, in order to achieve #35: watch the AFI's top 100 films, I queued up the movies in our Blockbuster account and they've been arriving in the mail. Trouble is, hubby really isn't all that interested in watching films made before 1980, 1970...1960....In fact, he's not all that interested in *most* of the movies on the list. Many of them date back several decades or more. So that means I fit them in when I can, when he's busy...when the house is otherwise empty and I have some spare time.

Hah!

Who has that?!?

In any event, while some of them have been enjoyable and entertaining, I'm finding that I'm not as impressed with them as I thought I would be. I can appreciate that some of them were very notable for the effort and creativity that went into the making of them, and that the acting was considered extraordinary for the time....but lets face it...acting has evolved over the years. Many of the films leave much to be desired (special effects notwithstanding), when compared to the movies of today.

Baz Luhrmann says "Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth."

I would suggest that there are many ways to interpret "Top 100 Films". As I watch these movies, I am often left with the fact that there are many other more modern movies that I have seen, many of which are NOT on this list, that I find more enjoyable, more entertaining, more moving, than the ones selected by the AFI.

If the AFI's Top 100 films are each to be taken as a vignette, a study of the times and methods employed in film-making when each was made, and are meant to be viewed only within the framework of the films of its era, then the list might be renamed the AFI's Top 100 Film-Study Films.

If, on the other hand, the Institute would suggest that each of these films is to be considered superior without regard to the time-frame in which it was made, then I would suggest that for the sake of *nostalgia*, many of these are being dusted off and recycled for more than they are worth.

The value that I am finding in many of them stems more from the "perspective" on society that they reflect, a sort of history lesson. Attitudes, attire, values, morals and pop culture are revealed in them that gives me a clearer image of the times in which my parents and grandparents lived. It is the backdrop in these movies that I often find interesting and entertaining, less so the acting.

And the bottom line in all of this is: I'm no expert. This is just my humble opinion. I'm not a film student. Maybe I'm just not seeing things from the same "informed" perspective as the AFI....but I do know what I like...and what I don't. And really, I'm not so dissatisfied that I would remove the goal from my list, since there are a number of movies that are surprisingly delightful, and I don't think I want to miss the opportunity to discover a hidden gem or two.

With this fabulous summer weather upon us, I can't help but think about being out in the open, riding anywhere there's decent road and minimal traffic. Years ago I fell in love with being on a bike......a Harley, that is. It's been many years since then, marriage, kids, divorce and remarriage with his & hers kids. Time has gotten away from me. Things I used to love to do got replaced by things that needed to be done, riding replaced with work, school, house, stress.

As time went on, I thought less and less about riding....except in the late spring, when I'd hear that unmistakable rumble off in the distance, and have that sudden recollection of feeling the wind in my face, the sun on my back and the smell of the woods or fields or desert around me.

My daydreams of riding a two-wheeler have been replaced by one for a three-wheeler: a bike with a side-car to be exact. I'd really love to build the whole deal myself....and I know this would be a long, loooong project. I'm in not particular hurry. I've got way too many things going on to put this at the top of the list. Besides, I need to build up my courage to get back on, since I had a minor incident way back when.

Nevertheless....my decision to add researching a bike/sidecar as part of my 101 list is at least pointing me in the direction and giving me the inspiration to revive that dream.

I picture me and my husband riding, with one of our dogs & some luggage alongside. Puppy goggles! Minimalist camping, or maybe a bed & breakfast along the way. Who knows where? Does it matter?

Meanwhile, here is the first step in researching a sidecar. These folks just may steer me away from a complete "build it myself".

Liberty Sidecars, out of Seattle Washington, has been in buisness for twenty years, hand-building sidecars to order. Check out their website to see some extraordinary work!! Here is just one example.

Today's exercise in the Law of Attraction: I'm having a wonderful day!

Had a great dream just before I woke up! Had a few great moments just before work!

I am full of anticipation and excitement about the future! Life is better than good, it's great!

#84. Read a feminist blog twice a month. http://feministblogs.org/

I feel like the proverbial "ostrich". When I read articles on feminist blogs, I am forced to pull my head out of the sand and acknowledge the millions of little (and huge) ways that women are marginalized, undermined, minimized and manipulated in our culture (both national and global). To read from the feminist view forces me to see those things that I have subconsciously blocked out, because the process of blocking also keeps the anger at bay.

I once read that a woman cannot be a feminist and not be angry. The comment then became part of a class discussion in a course I took entitled "Race, Class and Sex", which focused on how color, income and gender impact everyone, and how certain groups are immune to those impacts. Rich people, white people and men feel the effect of their "condition" the least. And if you happen to be all three, well, life can be a whole lot easier for you than for most.

The discussion about being angry was interesting, as several women in the class were fairly devout Christians and felt that anger was an inappropriate response. Others felt that there is no possible way to counter the centuries-long embedded mindset of patriarchy other than by getting very mad and very active.

My day to day response: sadly and shamefully, I've avoided a great deal of it. Deep down, I know that if I ever allow myself to fully feel and see and acknowledge the injustices, the inequalities, the marginalization and sometimes the horrific treatment that women receive in our patriarchal society, I'm gonna get mad. Real mad. And I'm going to want, ....no, I'm going to NEED to do something about it. And I don't know what that is, yet. And therein lies my path to the sand. Not knowing what I can do makes me feel helpless. And ineffective.

And I am neither of those things.

So, where do I start...?

So, I have this nagging thought in the back of my mind....it's been over a month since I've updated anything on my 101 list. And I am acutely aware that I haven't really finished anything that I could actually add. But...I have been doing little bits here and there that at least move the needle a bit in the right direction.


I've picked up "Math from the Birth of Numbers" again and re-read the preface and intro, and started chapter one....again. It's a huge book, and very necessary for me to be in the proper state of mind to want to read it and enjoy it.


I did watch all the Lord of the Rings movies again last week, only not in one day...

And I'm reading feminist blogs. Since I'm not that savvy with blogging yet, not yet linked to many bloggers, and don't yet know my way around the blogging community, I relied on Google to help me locate a starting point for this one:

http://feministblogs.org/ is an aggregator of articles written by feminists. Perfect.

________________

As I read thru my list, I've become more aware of things on it that are not likely to happen, and even a few that I've changed my mind about. I'm deciding whether to stick it out with the existing list or to modify it to include some new things I'd like to do and eliminate the ones that no longer really interest me. Still deciding...

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms of the world!!!

I hope every mother feels blessed and cherished today and every day!

Slowly catching up with technology...

This is my first post from Blogaway, an app on my Droid.

This is significant because not  very long ago, i couldn't even tell you what an app is, and i could barely make adequate use of my smartphone.

Now i have a Droid, am downloading apps, and starting to understand how hooked one can get having so much technology at your fingertips, at any moment of the day.

:)         so cool.........

Well, I am officialy done with exams. I took my last final exam for my bachelor's on wednesday, April 28th, and found out I got 100%.

YAY!

Nothing like going out with a bang! Official gpa: 3.83

I'm happy with it.

Took my last Machine Design exam before the final. Senior-itis has definitely set in. I'm finiding it more and more difficult to stay enthusiastic. I just can't wait to be done!

Final in 3 weeks.

# 75: Quilt progress is about 40% for the top stitching. Since I'm feeling pretty under the weather, and have the next 3 days off, I'll probably spend a bit of time on the couch, working on the quilt. Not much energy to do anything else...might as well be productive with the low-energy stuff. Maybe I'll get a little movie watching it too!

Still working on the quilt below....progress! I'm on a roll now, and am committed to finishing it within the next week or so!

Also plugging along on the AFI film list. I watched All About Eve over the weekend. I guess you could call it the stalker movie of the 50's. I enjoyed it to a degree. Hubby said the dialogue was more fit for a book than a movie. I tend to agree. He said "people just don't talk like that". Too funny....

On a completely different note, I was astounded at how much Anne Baxter (as Eve) sounded like Eleanor Parker (Baroness Schraedor) from The Sound of Music. Their voices were so much alike, I was convinced they were the same person. But, alas, they are not.

Marilynn was also in the film, in a small supporting role. I barely recognized her, without a "bigger" hair style. And she didn't sport the "throaty" voice either.

One voice I did recognize was that of Geoge Sanders, who plays Addison DeWitt in the film. His is the voice of Shere Khan in Disney's The Jungle Book. Very cool voice!!

I think that brings me to 40/100 films. I'm getting there, and having fun getting to know some of the actors and actresses that my folks used to talk about. One thing I like about many of the older films is how elegant everyone was. Men wore hats, women wore pearls, and they're every move was deliberate and expressive.

Lots of fun!

# 75: Finish T's quilt. I started this quilt for my son, well..... a couple years ago. Actually, more like 3 years. And this quilt is, unfortunately, quite representative of my tendency to procrastinate. It is very close to completion, and has been for a very long time. The only thing left for me to do is the top-stitching. By hand.

My son was taking Taekwon-do at the time, so I designed this quilt to coincide with that. The characters are the tenets of Taekwon-do, written in Korean. The design in the upper left is the symbol of his instructor's Grand Master, B.C. Yu.

I had actually intended to take the quilt to someone who has a special machine for doing the top-stitching, but this being nearly my first quilt, and the very first that I wanted to top-stitch in a more "authentic" manner, I was unaware of the fact that the layers must be separate in order to "load" it onto the rollers.

Well, that means it'll have to be top-stitched by hand, because I've already assembled the layers, basted them together, and finished the edges. Seriously putting the cart before the horse.

Well, I've definitely learned some lessons on this one.

Meanwhile, the quilt has remained 3/4 complete for at least a year.

That is why I put it on the LIST. So for about the last month, I've been pulling it out 3 or 4 nights a week, spending an hour or two doing the top-stitching. I've got about 20-25% it complete so far.

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming....

At my workplace, we hold a chili cook-off about once a year. I say "about" because we often hold it in the fall, but sometimes it gets put off until after the new year. So we call it the "almost annual chili cook-off" for charity. Several years running, we donated the "donations" to Meals on Wheels, one year a burn center for children, once the March of Dimes. For the last two years, its been the Penrickton Center for Blind Children.

This year I took third place. Yay! We typically have between 16 and 25 entrants, this year we had 17. I have gotten 2nd or 3rd place almost every year. Once I tied for first.

While this year wasn't our best year for money raised, we did bring in $625 for the Center. (We ask for a $5 donation from anyone who wants to try the chili.) That's not too shabby, considering we have about half the number of people in our building compared to a few years ago.

I usually make my chili in an electric roaster (instead of a crock pot), just cuz I figure that if you want to get some votes, you'd better not have an empty pot!

My specialty: peppers. I go to the market and get as many different kinds of fresh peppers as I can find. This year's selection: Pabalano, Aneheim, Hungarian, Finger hot chilis, Cherry Bombs, Jalapeno, Habanero, Serano, and Cubanelle. Dried peppers include Cayenne, black pepper, Ancho, Hungarian Hot & Sweet Paprikas, and dried red pepper powder, chili powder. Surprisingly, my chili is not that hot....pretty tame, actually. One thing I did differently this year: I didn't add more chopped peppers right before serving. I should have.

After the voting was over, I asked a couple people who liked mine but voted for someone else's "What do you like about theirs that is different than mine?". Chunkiness. My stuff tends to be cut in smaller bits, while the winner's chili has a lot more larger chunks of peppers, onions, meat. I'll have to keep that in mind for next year, as I make another attempt to knock that guy off his pedestal!! He wins almost every stinking year!!!

Any suggestions?

Well, I'm not knocking off too many things from the list, but still plugging along.

6 weeks of school left. YAY! I'm on spring break this week and am sooooooo thankful. Its been a very stressful week.

Without elaborating, we've have had a family crisis churning away for that last several weeks (or maybe that last year+, depending on how you want to look at it). Not sure about the outcome, but I am hopeful. Please send thoughts and prayers our way.

Reading two new books that are somewhat related to the aforementioned family crisis. I'll add those to the list when I'm done.

Last weekend I attended the Golden Seamstress competition, an SCA event. I entered as a Novice, and took third place. Very happy with that, as it was my first ever attempt. The result is a nearly complete SCA outfit, which needs a hem, buttons/buttonholes and some neck facing. Then I can scratch off one more item from the list.

The competition is an all-nighter: starts at approximately 6pm Friday night and ends at 6pm Saturday, with judging right afterwards. I intended to take a vacation day on Friday, to rest up, but wasn't able to do so. Consequently, I was awake for 41 hours straight. Whew!!! Holy jamoli!! I am obviously NOT able to cope with all-nighters like I used to!! It is now Wednesday and I am still wiped out! I slept for 14 hours on Saturday night/Sunday morning and still woke up exhausted. And woke up exhausted again on Monday, and Tuesday, and even this morning!

Need to plan better next year!!

Oh! Hey!! I just remembered this! I posted a bit ago that someone had hit my car while it was parked in front of my house. :( And that it was going to cost $130 to replace the tail lamp. Well good news: I was able to get one from a salvage lot for $30 instead. YAY! Bad news is that the driver did more damage than I had originally thought. The liftgate is also dented. Given that the vehicle is now 9 years old, I doubt that I'll be getting that repaired. It does not impact function at all, but it sure doesn't look good. :( makes me mad. But the lamp is fixed. And it was cheaper than I thought. And that's good.

TTFN

8 weeks of class left and then its time to walk!!!

I have been given the Happy 101 Award by HenkTracy

And I'm giving this award to Ally from CasuAlly Musing

Thanks Tracy!

The rules for the award are:

1. Copy/paste the award on your blog

2. List who gave you the award and their link

3. List 10 things that make you happy

4. Pass on the award to other bloggers and let them know

So without further ado....10 things that make me happy

Steev's kisses

One raspberry cordial from Godiva

Change Your Mind, by Sister Hazel

Seattle's Best Blend coffee with International Delight Pumpkin Pie Spice creamer

Hearing my kids laugh

Sunshine on my face and my toes in warm sand

The smell of lilacs drifting in the window in the late spring, when I lay down at night

Phone calls from friends

Getting A's in school

That feeling of satisfaction when I successfully complete a project

In the last week:

got and 80% on a quiz :( (thought I knew the material better!)

someone hit my car while it was parked in front of my house, wiping out the tail lamp (which will cost me $130 to replace)

missed a chance to reconnect with my study buddies & share a cold one....

but on the flip side...

had a whole day to spend alone with my sweetie

several visits to see my mom (who is recovering from knee replacement)

support from several friends while struggling with a family issue


The Universe is balanced after all.

This must "stupid day" on the road. Two very odd, rather stupid things happened today while I was driving to class.

1.) I'm on the freeway, middle lane. As I approach my exit, I see cars braking ahead in the right and middle lanes. Can't see why, yet. I slow down and see people merging out of the right lane and into the middle lane. Now I can see a furniture truck, stopped, in the right lane and people trying to go around it. As I get closer, I see a road crew truck in front of the furniture truck, also nearly stopped. As I come up alongside the road crew truck, suddenly a worker, who's walking in front of said truck, steps out into the middle lane with a long shovel filled with blacktop and tosses the blacktop onto the far left side of the middle lane. Without looking for on-coming traffic. This, of course, causes me to step hard on the brakes - there was absolutely no indication of workers up to this point. Couldn't see anyone while driving in the middle lane. No signs, nothing but the road crew truck behind them. Which was blocked by the furniture truck that was stopped directly behind it. I slowed way down, steered clear of the large loose pile of blacktop, and drove past them. As I pulled away and looked in my rearview mirror, I saw the worker step from in front of the truck again, stretching the shovel way out to the far edge to toss more blacktop. This time, the car in the middle lane had to slam on their brakes.

Seriously.

What do you do in a situation like that?!? No accident has happened - yet. But clearly its looming on the horizon. I called 911. They transferred me to the State Police, to whom I explained the situation. Know what they said? "We'll get this information to them". To who?

Now I realize that something terrible didn't actually happen (yet), but that worker was stepping out blindly from in front of a big truck that shielding them from oncoming traffic.....right into traffic travelling at 60mph! You don't need to be psychic to see how dangerous this was! And the response was so ....so.... casual?

You can't fix stupid.

So, while still rather alarmed by the oblivious road crew person, I continue my drive to class. I get off at my exit, turn onto the overpass and proceed to the light. As I approach the light, in the middle lane, I look over at the left lane and see some small thing on fire laying in the middle of the lane. As I get closer I see that its a rag of some sort, looks like a crumpled t-shirt, just burning away. Just like that. Flames coming off it about 6 to 8 inches high. Nobody around but a few other cars. Nothing. That's weird. So I'm stopped at the light, looking over at this flaming rag, and I see a car approaching in that left lane. They stop short of it, so I guess that they saw it. It was pretty hard to miss, flames in the middle of the street. Then all of a sudden, this driver starts pulling forward.....but the light is still red. And I think, well maybe they're trying to get in front of it. Except this driver pulls up just far enough so that now the flaming rag is directly underneath the gas tank. HOLY SHIT! I think!! But just as I'm about to start honking and waving furiously, the driver pulls just a little bit further forward and passes it.

Seriously.

Oblivious. Stupid?

I can't stop shaking my head.....

Just took my first exam.....and fear that I've completely bombed it. I thought I was prepared....as I often do...and choked when I got there. Damn! Sometimes I am my own worst enemy!

As of Monday, February 1st, we started changing our diet and eating habits. First thing on the list is cutting out the trips to fast food restaurants and cutting out sugary drinks. No more Sweet Tea from McDonald's or cans and cans of Mountain Dew.

Since we have tried this diet thing before, and who hasn't, we decided to take a little different approach this time. In addition to wanting to lose weight, we want to eliminate the "hidden" dangers in our food as well. After watching Food, Inc., Supersize Me, and various other films related to food and its manufacturing processes, unhealthy eating habits, the general lack of good nutritious foods and the overabundance of unhealthy foods, we have come to realize a few very important points:

1. Attempting to make drastic, impulsive changes to our eating habits is futile: change needs to be deliberate, specific, and gradual. And planned. We've learned from experience that not planning our meals just leads to impulsive, carb heavy, fat heavy meals that lack fresh ingredients.

2. We will not be successful if we try to force ourselves to eat things we don't like, just because they are healthy; we need to find healthy foods we enjoy and use those to push out the bad ones.

3. Portion control is an issue. We got into the habit of eating out fairly often: restaurant portions in the US are grossly oversized. One thing we are doing now is sharing an entre instead of ordering two, on the fewer occassions that we go out. Portion control at home will start with reducing the amount we cook of the things that are less healthy, and supplementing those with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.

4. And speaking of eating out, it'll help not only with weight loss, but reduce $$ loss as well.

5. We will eat much smaller, more frequent meals, instead of skipping breakfast, eating a rushed lunch, and sitting down to a large dinner late in the evening. These alone are going to be the most challenging because they involve time constraints and require planning ahead. That's going to be a big challenge for me, as I never have more than a cup of coffee in the morning, and usually eat something fast (and usually unhealthy) for lunch. Now I'll have to get up earlier (UUUGH!!!) and do some preparing. I'll definitely need to work at this part.

6. We are learning a great deal about the food industry and the hidden dangers in mass-produced food products. Aside from the obvious abundance of preservatives and chemicals that we all know about and can't pronounce, recent books, articles and videos have started to illuminate things like how pervasive genetically modified foods are, how unhealthy (and other things) the meat and poultry industry can be, how foods are "engineered" to cause consumers to get "hooked" and over-consume them. There's so much more out there, so I'll be doing more research and posting.

______

It's not just about "dieting", its about changing our habits and lifestyle in order to become healthier and more energetic. Its about delaying or preventing the onset of the most common illnesses in the US, which are directly attributable to overeating. And its about doing everything we can to ensure that our lives don't become the interlude between doctor's visits.....like so many older people we know. We aren't there yet, in age that is, but we've already noticed how we've slowed down and started feeling, well....rather crappy, over the last few years. And the most obvious reason is that we've both put on weight, and are less active. If we don't do something now, it will only get worse and more difficult to remedy.

So....here we go!

My Dad was born in the 30's. Almost by definition that made him a fan of old western movies. John Wayne, Gary Cooper, Gene Autry, Clint Eastwood. And later TV shows like Gunsmoke and Bonanza.

These are the kind of men he identified with, the tough, brave, emotionally distant "heroes" that pulled no punches and took no bullshit. My Dad was like that too. Never one to overstate his feelings, he tended to show his affections in little ways and fewer words, but people always knew where he stood. He would defend his family (and sometimes the neighbors) with a fierceness that rivaled those guys on the big screen. People would call him for help. And I never remember anyone crossing him.

When I was younger, I couldn't always understand or agree with his viewpoints. I often thought him narrow-minded, and he thought I was still "wet behind the ears". As I grew into adulthood, though, I came to realize that he was both a product of his up-bringing and a result of his life experiences: he grew up during the depression, lived through some pretty tough times, socially, and worked hard all his life. I came to believe that I knew my Dad pretty well.

But somehow, by watching some of the old films that he used to love, I've come to appreciate a part of him I never recognized when he was still with us. His definition of what it meant to be a man really was influenced by the movie and TV role models he grew up with. And considering the "specialness" of entertainment back then, it only makes sense that those big screen men left a deep and lasting impression on him.

Tonight I watched High Noon, starring Gary Cooper, Grace Kelly, and Lloyd Bridges. And I think I'll consider it a bit of a tribute to my Dad. I'll never know if this was one of his favorites or not, (it was five years ago on Saturday that he passed away) but as I watched it, I felt like I was remembering him in a way that I never knew to begin with.

I miss you Dad.

Well, in the last week or so, I've done a bit more reading and knocked a couple more movies off the AFI list, (101 list item number 35). And with that came a bit of a self-realization...though it shouldn't be surprising, since also on the 101 list is a challenge to stop procrastinating.

The realization: I am working diligently to get the easy things done....thereby putting off the more challenging ones.

Seems rather insignificant, when I look at it in writing. Not much of an insight. But sometimes the smallest insights can have the biggest impact.

The more challenging items are the ones that will cause me to s-t-r-e-t-c-h and g-r-o-w, while the easy ones are merely the same kind of things that I would already be doing....with just a little more intention behind them.

Many items that are on my list are tasks to do around the house. No big deal there. Except that I have been a life-long collector of ideas for projects, most of which never get off the ground. They are always those "one of these days I'm going to...." kind of ideas.

With the aforementioned "insight" came the realization that in order to accomplish the larger things on my list, I am going to need some kind of game plan, some kind of organized map that contains mini-goals that will help me reach the larger ones.

I'm thinking that a good first step might be for me to map out a timeline, with milestones along the way. My first inclination is to say I'm going to do that for all of my tougher goals. Truth be told, I really need to start with one or two, and see how that goes.

So, in one week, I'm going to pick two of my tougher goals and map out a game plan for them: when I will accomplish them, what steps need to happen to get there, how I will measure my success.

Wish me luck!

I am in week 3 out of 15 of Machine Design II. Just finished my first quiz....12 weeks left to graduate!

Reading another Sherlock Holmes book: The Valley of Fear. Not much to comment on yet, as I'm not far into it.

Kinda falling behind.....

Next week starts the weight loss and health changes part of the list. I'll report more on this later.

Update #35: Watch all the movies on the "AFI top 100 movies of all time" list.

So far, I've watched 33, the latest of which was "The General" (1927). This is a silent film, the second I've watched so far from this list. It was amusing.

Starring Buster Keaton, its the story of a dedicated railroad engineer who loves two things in life: his train (The General) and a girl (Mary?). When Mary's father and brother set off to join the Confederate army, she expects that he will too, and vows not to speak to him until he's wearing a uniform. Unbeknownst to him, he's considered too valuable to the railroad to be placed in the Army. He tries repeatedly to join, yet is consistently turned away without explanation. Through a series of slapstick adventures, he unwittingly becomes the hero of the day. He prevents the impending battle by rescuing the stolen "General" with Mary on board, thwarting the advancing Northern Army, and capturing the leader of the opposition, all while still a civilian.

It was a cute, funny story, and helped me to appreciate the "acting" that went into silent films, when emotions, conversations, and plot all were conveyed through action, and only the most necessary dialogue was written for the audience.

The Complete Sherlock Holmes: All 4 Novels and 56 Short Stories



Goal #74: Read 50 books. Today I finished The Hound of Baskervilles

I've intended to read some Sherlock Holmes for the longest time, but its only been the result of this challenge that I've actually brought myself to do so. I'm so glad I did! I've now read 3 of Doyle's "Holmes" books: The Hound of Baskervilles, A Study in Scarlet, and The Sign of the Four.

I've thoroughly enjoyed them and intend to read the rest of his works!

Despite being written 100 years ago, the stories are completely engaging, and Doyle wrote with such elaboration that I can clearly imagine every detail in both the setting and the characters. Delightful reading!

Regarding the Releif Efforts in Haiti: many employers offer company match on funds that individuals employees donate to a charitable cause. When you consider giving, check first with your employer: you may be able to double your contribution by simply following a link they provide.

CNN reports: "The American Red Cross's efforts to get donations via text messages has raised $5 million for Haiti as of 5 p.m., CNNMoney.com reports. That exceeds the nearly $4 million that was donated to all charities by mobile texts in all of 2009, a Red Cross spokeswoman says."

Additionally, "American Express, MasterCard and Visa say they will waive transaction fees when people use credit cards to donate to charities helping in Haiti, according to CNN's Jessica Yellin. Any transaction fees already collected in those transactions will be given to the charities, the credit card companies say." (CNN)

It is more crucial than ever to help, as survivors are in desperate need of the most basic provisions: first aid, water, food.

As the world looks on in horror at the devastation and loss of life caused by the 7.0 earthquake that hit Haiti on Tuesday, aid organisations all over the world are mobilizing to rush in and rescue as many as possible, and provide aid to survivors.

"According to reports, as many as three million people may have been affected by the quake, which collapsed government buildings and caused major damage to hospitals in the area.

The Red Cross is contributing an initial $1 million from the International Response Fund to support the relief operation, and has opened its warehouse in Panama to provide tarps, mosquito nets and cooking sets for approximately 5,000 families." (Red Cross)

You can help support these efforts by: Send a $10 Donation by Texting ‘Haiti’ to 90999.

The Red Cross site also provides this method of donating: Editorial note: You can make a donation by calling 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish).

We text one another all the time, but seldom do we have the opportunity to help save lives with a few simple keystrokes...

Please help support this desperate need.

Goal #12: Graduate with a bachelors in Mechanical Engineering. Getting all my ducks in a row...having the last few transfer credits entered into my records, filing my graduation app, scheduling a couple celebratory vacation days from work!!

I started this degree back in 1999, taking 1 or 2 classes a term, year round. I was a single mom with two small children at the time, and was working full time. With few exceptions, I've gone to school every semester, including summer terms, slowly plugging away. Most of my classes have been in the evening, but a few have been on-line classes, which I've transferred to my University. (killers, those! 15 weeks packed into 6 weeks!) Whew! Glad those are over.

I am in the home stretch now!

In support of goal # 84 (Read a feminist blog twice per month), I am searching for feminist blogs to read. This needs a little explaining.

Raised by dyed-in-the-wool conservatives, I've spent much of my life both believing and voting conservative. However, at some point, maybe 15 years or so ago, I started leaning significantly in the direction of being Libertarian. Although to be so is to essentially throw one's vote away (I've voted Libertarian, for all the good it did), since, rather obviously, there are only two "parties" from which to choose in the US. And even more recently, I have voted Liberal, which is to say Democrat. I find myself challenging my own beliefs as issues arise that cause me to feel less and less convicted of my previous stances...which brings up the following:

One of my favorite challenge questions has always been "why do you believe what you believe?" I've had many an interesting conversation with people over the years by asking that. So, posing this question to myself has led me to realize that I've taken many of my own views for granted. I can't really have an honest opinion about something if I've never discovered all the different viewpoints. And the more I discover the viewpoints of others, the more I feel chagrined that I've not challenged myself sooner.

So, to begin this goal, I've selected the following blog to read. I'm not limited to one, so please post suggestions if you have them...

Gender Across Borders

*Posting this a couple days late. Should have been posted on 1/11/2010

Read two books this week, both Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Scarlet, and The Sign of the Four. This is a first for me...never read any Holmes stuff before, so these were a pleasant experience. I don't ever recall hearing anyone mention that Sherlock Holmes was a cocaine ...addict? ...so that was a surprise.

This photo was taken last night in front of our house....we got about 4 inches accumulation before it tapered off.

One of my favorite snow activities is making angels, while its snowing, in the middle of the night...its so very quiet and peaceful and somehow surreal...laying in the snow looking up, watching the flakes fall down towards you and your breath float up and away at the same time. Very cool.

Number 23 on my list is: Make a motivational playlist. These are songs that make me feel good/change my mood when I don't. Some just do so by the way they sound, others specifically have lyrics that help me "check my attitude". I currently have 64 songs on the list, in no particular order of importance. If you have any suggestions, please share...

song, artist
change your mind, sister hazel
walking on sunshine, katrina and the waves
I can see clearly now, johnny nash
somewhere over the rainbow-what a wonderful world medley, isreal kamakawewo ole
I'm a believer, monkeys
lean on me, bill whithers
all-star, smash-mouth
don't worry, be happy, bobby mcferrin
dancing in the streets, van halen
beautiful day, U2
in your eyes, jeffrey gaines
in your eyes, peter gabriel
bohemian rhapsody, queen
sailing, christopher cross
when the night feels my song, bedouin soundclash
celebration, kool and the gang
three little birds, bob marley
girls just wanna have fun, cindy lauper
roll with it, steve winwood
chimpanzees, barenaked ladies
margaritville, jimmy buffet
sexual healing, marvin gaye
suddenly I see, kt tunstall
black horse and a cherry tree, kt tunstall
love train, the o'jays
a beautiful morning, the rascals
stir it up, bob marley
fly, sugar ray
soak up the sun, sheryl crow
you know I want you, pitbull
say hey (I love you), michael franti & spearhead
what a wonderful world, louis armstrong
Feed the world, Band aid concert
amazed, lonestar
into the mystic, van morrison
bitch, merredith brooks
let the good times roll, cars
pretty woman, roy orbison
You gotta be, Des'ree
if everyone cared, nickelback
if today was your last day, nickelback
Jai Ho, slumdog millionaire
gotta be somebody, nickelback
steve mcqueen, sheryl crow
chaiya chaiya, A.R. Rahman
Dil Se (live in LA), A.R. Rahman
graceland, paul simon
Serenata (whole cd), Armik
Diabolic Inventions and Seduction for Solo Guitar, Vol. 1: Music of Astor Piazzolla, Al di Meola
Bubbly, Colbie Caillat
Lucky, Jason Mraz featuring Colbie Caillat
The Remedy (I Won't Worry), Jason Mraz
"I'm Yours", Jason Mraz
unwritten, natasha beddingfield
we are family, sister sledge
what a wonderful world, izzy (isreal kmakwiwo ole
I did it my way, frank sinatra
respect, aretha franklin
imagine, john lennon
simply the best, tina turner
moondance, van morrison
I hope you dance, leann womack
time of your life, greenday
shine, collective soul

As part of my 101 list, I will be donating to a charity for every list item I accomplish. I've just discovered what that charity will be:

Helping Women Survivors of War Rebuild Their Lives Women for Women International

Please take a few moments to learn about this extremely worthy cause. As one woman put it, "women are the "glue" that holds society together". When she is threatened, by war and its aftermath, society suffers tremendously...

In whatever way you can, reach out to our sisters around the world who are in dire, desperate need of a helping hand.

Tried something new for dinner, and it was a hit.

While grocery shopping this evening, I happened across Vermont extra sharp white cheddar in the cheese cooler. Now, I don't normally by bricks of cheese, since my family tends to opt for easy (shredded), but this just grabbed my attention. And since it was already getting late, and I needed something that would be reasonably easy to make (meaning fairly quick), I decided to make white cheddar macaroni and cheese.

I also happened to have some very nice ham left over from Christmas, and thought that would make a tasty addition.

Here's my recipe:

Baked Macaroni & Vermont White Cheddar Cheese with Ham

1 (16 oz) box of small sea shells pasta
3 cups milk
5 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs (about 2 slices firm white bread)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
16 ounces Vermont Extra Sharp Cheddar, grated (about 4 cups)
2 cups chopped, high quality ham (Dearborn Brand)
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 2-quart baking dish or coat with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

2. In large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente (slightly underdone), 8 to 10 minutes.

3. In another saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Pour 1 tablespoon of butter into small bowl, add bread crumbs and toss together; set aside.

4. Add flour to remaining butter in saucepan and whisk over heat for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in hot milk and continue stirring until mixture thickens and comes to simmer. Whisk in salt, nutmeg, cayenne pepper and 2 cups of cheese.

5. Drain pasta thoroughly in colander. Return to pot, add cheese sauce and mix together thoroughly. Stir in chopped ham.

6. Spread one-half of pasta mixture over bottom of prepared baking dish. Scatter one-half of remaining cheese on top. Top with remaining pasta, then remaining cheese. Sprinkle with reserved bread crumbs.

7. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.

Starting my very last semester for my mechanical engineering degree!! One class left! YAY!