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References

the clutter slayer

December 28th, 2011 // Crafting, Photos, References // 0 comments

To me, starting a New Year means getting life in order and purging like crazy. My office is about to be ravaged, ransacked, and rankled. That wooden box holding papers that need to be filed… will be handled. The staggering amount of “practice fabric” will be USED or DONATED because for fucks sake, this is ridiculous.

I’ll be rehoming the roll-top desk and metal file cabinet, as neither system really works with my organizing style. Either I’ll be building, buying, or rehabbing furniture so that I have a bookcase/cubby situation going on where I can use smaller boxes and an organization more conducive to my “Monkey See, Monkey Do” mentality. Like this only affordable or this except made of wood rather than particleboard.

And I’ll be paring down my paperwork immensely.

First step: packing up the Christmas tree. Tomorrow, let the games begin.


painting with all the colors

August 9th, 2011 // Fashion and Warpaint, Photos, References // 6 comments

I found an interesting project today by JeongMee Yoon: The Pink & Blue Project

I’ve always been a bit of a nut about how much pink clothing Jas receives from well-meaning relatives. After the explosion of pink baby clothes at her baby shower, I asked that future gifts of clothes favor other colors. Let us not neglect Roy G Biv! Relatives thought I was a bit of a nut, if not a bit presumptuous, but seemed up to the challenge. Makes shopping more interesting. =)

blue coatblue with wild hair

An aunt found her first coat in a beautiful ice blue and every year since I’ve tried to make sure she has a light blue coat. Totally works with her eyes. Actually, I try and buy a lot of blue for her. Not so much to stick it to stereotypes as much as the fact that she looks gorgeous in blue. I also like her in yellow or purple.

yellow dora t

blue coatblue and yellow easter dress

Interestingly, I think she’s subconsciously picked up on the blue I’ve been pushing. This summer I got her started in dance classes and when we got to the shop to pick out dresses she selected black, blue, and pink. Also, I was internally gushing the whole time because there were so many cute outfits! But being the Jasbaz, she was not filled with proper enthusiasm until half an hour later. Anyhow, the dresses were super cute and even though I’d only planned on buying two I just could not help myself. The black one resembles Audrey Hepburn style, the blue is a layered dream, and the pink… well it had dance outlined in rhinestones so Jas liked it. I don’t think I have a picture of it actually.

blue dressblack dress

Anyway, each time we’d get ready for dance I’d let her pick which one she wanted to wear. It was BLUE and BLUE and BLACK until the fourth day. She said she wanted to wear pink like all the other little girls. I will admit, that made me kind of sad, but I tried to be supportive. Yay pink with sparkles! I still think of her as a baby. I’m not sure I’m ready for her to try to conform to society, be nervous about fitting in. Possibly I’ve been wearing mama blinders because I know she’s been more reluctant in social settings but I didn’t think the shift would move to clothing so soon.

Growing pains, I guess?

So yes. As a shopper who tries to utilize all colors of the rainbow for my children’s wardrobe, I found this study curious and slightly upsetting. As parents, we don’t really have a lot of time to shop the market so a lot of things we buy are because they are available. With toys, the color preference is ridiculous. Just walk down the Barbie aisle without sunglasses.

Cody is a lot easier because I like him in green. It goes with his eyes. Also plaid because I like to dress him like Clark Kent. What? It’s cute as hell. Check it, I have documentation.

green eyed boygreen plaid

plaid with appletan and greenplaying with signs

The trick is finding something without a dump truck on it. Yay for subtle pushing towards lifelong aspirations as a construction worker. Fuck that shit, get him a suit so he can prep to be President. If Jas doesn’t take over the world first. As the kidlets get older, they will have much greater say in her wardrobe choices. But for now they’ll wear every shade under the sun, even if that means I have to search longer to find them.


Institute of Medicine recommending no-cost womens services for insurance co’s

July 21st, 2011 // Heart Shaped Uterus Adventures, Political Rantings, References // 0 comments

I apologize to anyone who also follows my twitter/tumblr/facebook, but I have to share this everywhere: Medical Panel Recommends No-Cost Birth Control via NPR.

If their recommendations are accepted by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, this will be a boon for women all over this nation as well as ALL taxpayers, regardless of genitalia. Easy access to wide varieties of contraception will do so much good for middle and lower-income families. The price for contraception pays for itself with interest compared to the cost of unintended pregnancies and their repercussions both monetary and societal.

Babies are beautiful miracles and they deserve to be loved. Preventative contraception will help people of all ages to make a life choice before things happen, likely reducing the number of abortions drastically.

Of course while the no-cost birth control is the headline (and my main focus), many of the other no cost services are also great preventative health measures for women:

The study — released a day early — actually calls for eight additional services for women to be added to the list of preventive care patients should be offered with no cost-sharing. The new services include annual “well-woman” visits; screening of pregnant women for gestational diabetes; screening for sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV; more support for breast-feeding mothers; and counseling and screening for possible domestic violence.

This is great news that I think will positively impact our society if implemented. Spread the word.


of the moment

July 2nd, 2011 // Photos, References, Videos // 2 comments

music: matchbox twenty’s mad season cd. on repeat

tv: true blood. summer means more andy bellefleur! and let’s not forget arlene and her satan baby!

book: harry potter and the deathly hallows. again. =) i reread that series twice a year it seems.

thoughts: completely disjointed. all the time. they may be tinged with irritation and animosity, depending on the weather and how long it’s been since I’ve been able to chat with Andy.

I still hate a lot of standard conversation that never bothered me before.
I think I’m going to paint tomorrow.

Really, it seems like every day at least twice in my head I’m screaming for someone to shut up. Angry depression. =)

I usually can’t write much when I’m feeling this way, but I want to have some writing to look back on in the future and shake my head at. So… future self: life is weird these days. And it sucks. Except when it doesn’t. I feel alone, even when I’m not. And usually when I’m not, I want to be alone. There are a small number of people I want around me but all of them are at least three hours away.

All the people around here I have to coddle and take care of, like bitty children.
[mental music when I deal with these people: Mother Mother by Tracy Bonham]

I already have kids and pets to take care of. Fucking handle yourselves. I’m not your mother.


for when the time comes

May 24th, 2011 // Green Thumb Trials, References // 2 comments

Things I love in a house:

  1. screen porches. I love sitting in them, especially during rainstorms. A nice way to feel connected to the outdoors without the bugspray. Plus you can have cushions and rugs without worrying about them getting wet.
  2. sunrooms. Our house has one and while we were temporarily renting another place in KY, it felt like we were missing space. We like to use them to hold toys and books for the kidlets, as well as a comfy loveseat to lounge on while they play or read cozily together. They also make great libraries.
  3. a spacious yard. We have ours divided into a garden and play yard. The sections feel like rooms and this way I have a space to play with flowers and the kidlets have a place to run around with the dogs together. Everyone wins. I’d be happier if our yard were bigger but that’s probably due to American McMansionism. It’s contagious.
  4. a shower. Two places I’ve lived have only had bathtubs. I’d like to make sure that number stays the same. I much prefer the feel of running water and speed of a shower.

Whenever we buy our next house, I want to try and make sure most of these items are incorporated or that there is room for future additions. With Andy’s job, it will be quite a while before we purchase a new home because I’d hate to finagle buying and selling a home every three years. That’s crazytalk. While I really dislike renting, it’s something I’m going to have to get over for the time being. Mostly because I can comfort myself with the knowledge that when we do get another home, it’ll be for the long haul.

Our time line at the moment is five years but like most things in life, that is likely to change. Five years is our magic number. I can handle renting a house for a few of those years. I’ll just have to get better at watering my plants so that I can maintain a container garden instead. =)

Still, while I’m not pleased at the circumstances that landed us back in our house in Illinois, there is a strong peace that comes from being here. Mostly because it’s full of memories. That’s another huge reason I don’t like renting. The entire time you know the place isn’t yours, and when you leave the edges of those moments fade away. They aren’t retriggered because you don’t walk those same paths, open those same doors. They disappear.

This house seems full. Even when all the furniture was still in the moving van. When I walked through the front door, it was like being greeted by a presence. Home.

Hopefully next spring we will be able to sell it to someone who will appreciate it’s worth and contribute their own.

Also, let me not forget to link hotpads because that site is awesome for finding rental property and I always forget the name and have to dig through my old emails. It’s a sweet setup.