blog sprint: time travel? grazie, ma non

Today's One Minute Writer: You have a time machine. What point in history will you never visit?

Just about every point, ever. I'm a woman. I have red hair. I like to be clean. I like being able to go to school and read and choose whether to stay at home or go off to work (sometimes that choice is a bit more theoretical, given the current economy, no?).

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On another note: I figured out how to watch What Not to Wear online. Begin me never accomplishing anything again, ever. I've always loved makeover shows. At the same time, I wonder why "we" buy into it all. And, yes, I totally buy into a lot of what they say. And, no, I don't dress the way they'd recommend. (I do remember they once let one guy shop at thrift stores. That'd definitely be one of my conditions...as if they'd allow me conditions.)

blog sprint: organization procrastination

One Minute Writer from Monday: What do you need to organize?

I definitely need to organize oh-so-many things in my life. Foremost: my thoughts. I am feeling too tired and scatterbrained to write much today, although I had a topic planned (perhaps I'll return later this evening).

I also need to organize the many, many piles of PAPER!!! stacked up around our home. Oh, with the papers already. (Yes, that was me screaming on the screen there.)

I would like to organize my whole bit of the bloggy universe. The pond is currently a mess and is a little split in two right now. I have been thinking about moving, but the thought of moving everything is just daunting.

Finally, for now, there's a great, big, gigantic, titanic cupboard of art and game stuff staring at me right this very moment. And, if I took two steps around the desk here and opened the doors of that cupboard, its contents would grab me and swallow me up. I only just got away the other day when I was trying to find the laminating stuff I bought years ago and used precisely twice. I'm ready to use it again, dang it, so where is it?

All right. That is all. That was more than one single minute.

Now, off to...rest! Ha, no organization today!

Ah, well.

i will look forward to this

I was just discussing phrases I find funny with Cardo and my dad. I mentioned "I'll look forward to that" which always makes me stop and think a moment. I always want to know when the person will start looking forward to the event.

Anyhow, I am looking forward to the opening of the children's museum up here. Should be about two more months. I really hope this is going to happen.

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I have more to write about regarding our many and varied unschooling adventures, but I've a headache and I need to sign off soon. It's been a long day of 5th St., Virginia City, the pool, dinner and a walk.

blog sprint: fire

One Minute Writer for today: Write about a memory you have related to a campfire. (If you don't have any such memories, write about any fire-related memory.)

Staying up to talk. Pouring water on the fire until it seems to be out. Smokey says, “Stir the ashes,” right? We stir the ashes and the fire springs back up. Laughing so hysterically that we’re on the verge of peeing our pants. Wondering how we aren’t making enough noise to wake everyone in the campgrounds. Where are the people who know what they’re doing with the fire, huh?

blog sprint: oddity

One Minute Writer from Monday: Write about something other people think is odd about you.

Cardo was recently telling me of a conversation he had with a coworker. She thinks it's strange that I don't have a car. (It's been almost a full year now, since we sold my car.) She can't understand that I don't want to drive. I do like to drive, sometimes -- when we're on road trips. Actually, usually I'm the one reading aloud when we drive, as Cardo doesn't like to read aloud much, so it's best if I'm not the one driving, certo. I've gotten into listening to podcasts, so we'll be listening on our next long trip and perhaps I can do a bit of the driving.

Anyhow, we've realized that we spend less money when we only have one car. I know this sounds obvious. We didn't have car payments on either car. Cardo bought his used from a friend who let him make payments. He paid it off long ago. I had my car for about eight years and paid it off in just under six. We did, though, have to pay insurance on both cars. And, we had to pay for gas for both cars. Where we're really saving money, though, is on outings. When I did have a car, Pic and I would sometimes go out and wander in stores and spend money on things we most likely didn't need. Without a car, we have to carry whatever we purchase and it makes any shopping trip something of a trek, so we purchase less.

I haven't regretted selling the car. Cardo keeps saying things like, "When we buy you a car," but I really don't want to buy another car. There are times, like yesterday, when owning a car would be incredibly convenient, but we're getting by. (Kind of briefly: Yesterday, Pic and I needed to go to the post office to send a package for Cardo. We didn't take the wagon, because we were going to take the bus and end up at Cardo's work. The first bus we would have caught was ten minutes late and we had already left the bus stop and started walking down the road when the bus finally passed us. The second bus, at the downtown terminal never showed up for its scheduled stop. Because of poor planning on my part, we hadn't brought snacks and Pic was weepy with hunger by the time Cardo picked us up at the bus terminal on his way home from work. Ah well. Yesterday is over. We got by.)

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Yes, that was longer than one minute. I certainly don't type that quickly. I just think it's funny that Cardo's coworker finds me so odd for this decision.

blog sprint: mental wanderings

Today's One Minute Writer: Write about one thing you'd prefer to be doing at this moment, instead of what you're doing now. Also write about one thing you're glad you're not doing at this moment.

Actually, there isn't something I'd rather be doing right now. It's quiet here. Ah, peace. I'm listening to an episode of Humans Being, and, after that, I'll be reading.

Were I not doing this, were I actually doing something I don't enjoy, I'd like to be (prepare to be shocked)...walking! Yes, it's dark and getting chilly. It's probably as windy as it was when Pic and I were out earlier. However, I really, really enjoy my walks.

What am I glad I'm not doing at this moment? Um, so many things. There are many, many things I don't like to do. Dusting (actually I never dust). Doing many of the jobs I've done in my life (I've only really loathed one, and it barely lasted, so I'd make do if I had to). Watching pointless television (I'm good at this when we actually have satellite...I've been a bit off TV, though, for a good while now, though). This really could be a seemingly infinite list and I've already used more than one minute.

Hope you're able to do something you enjoy today.

nearly wordless wednesday*

Warmth! Sunshine! Suncreen! Sunhats! Five hours of outdoor bliss!
(The punctuation is totally called for, I promise.)

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* I'm needing to start reading Harry Potter for the year, I believe.

blog sprint

One Minute Writer from last Saturday: Write about three things that need to happen for you to have a good day.

1. Find motivation to make dinner.

2. We *all* sleep through the night.

3. Chocolate! Chocolate needs to happen.

blog sprint: letting go

One Minute Writer for 1/27/10: You've been instructed to choose one area of your life in which you will suddenly achieve perfection...whether you like it or not! What area will you choose?

Letting go.

Letting go of the (self) expectations for perfection. Letting go of that which causes me too much stress. Letting the to-do list disappear. Ignoring the voice that tells me I'm not living up to others' expectations. Ignoring the voice that tells me I'm not living up to my expectations. Not worrying too much about how much effort others exert in any given situation.

Letting go. Breathing. Enjoying every moment because they pass so quickly.

blog sprint

Today's One Minute Writer: What is the worst part of getting time off work or school?

The time I have to think. Yes, really. I overthink just about everything, which is why I usually have entirely too many projects going on at once. That way, I have less time to dwell on all the uncertainty.

What am I doing and where am I going?

If only time off meant sleep.

blog sprint

One Minute Writer from Tuesday: What good thing could you have too much of?

Ben & Jerry's S'mores ice cream

I hate to say it, but it's true. Oh, how I wish it weren't.

blog sprint

Yesterday's One Minute Writer: If you were to design a personal coat of arms, what symbols representing you would it include?

-- a bookshelf full of books
-- a duck
-- a path by the river
-- a pen
-- a computer screen
-- ice cream

Okay, time's up. I might change that if I gave it more thought. I'd add in some kind of flags, no doubt. A dragonfly, perhaps. Hmm, now if only I could draw...

blog sprint...hot summer night

One Minute Writer from some days ago (I think two days ago): What would be your perfect night out?

Arriving at the Blue Park and running around in the shade, listening to the river. Unpacking the stroller or tricycle from the trunk and setting out for one of our walks. If there's time, we head to the Lion Park and take an interesting detour on the way back. If there isn't time, we head down several random streets.

It's evening, there's a breeze, the sun is getting low and the light is getting glowy. People are starting to turn on their lamps inside. We can smell dinner being prepared.

Today, Cardo asked, 'I wonder if the people who live around here think we live here because we walk here so often?'

We don't live there, we just dream there.

[Okay that was two minutes, but I don't type that fast.]

blog sprint

Tuesday's One Minute Writer:

Tomorrow you get the mail, and in it you find the best letter you can imagine. What does it say?

Dear v,

You have worked pretty strenuously this last decade, so we've been thinking...how about you don't worry about paying back your student loans.

You're incredibly welcome,
The Loan Holders

blog sprint: update

One Minute Writer from ieri:

Someone you haven't seen in ten years has contacted you. Spend just a minute updating that person on your life and its changes over the last ten years.

I think I'll actually limit myself to one minute this time. Here goes...

Since graduating high school, I moved up to this biggest of little cities for college. During my BA work, I met and married Cardo. We adopted Snuggles. I got pregnant three seconds after we decided to start trying. Pic was born on a Valentine's Day. I graduated from college. I started college again. I started teaching. Pic started school. We adopted Lucky. I graduated yet again.

Um, yeah, time's up. Good enough, I think. Except to say that, for the first time in a decade, I'm no longer a part of the Pack. It's still strange to me.

blog sprint, ps

I also used to believe that the rays of sunshine that broke through the clouds, the rays that were so defined, were God. Capital-G, Christian God. And, yes, this implies that I also, at some point also believed in that god. I was very young. This was pre-Vegas-era.

blog sprint

Yesterday's One-Minute Writer prompt: Write about something you believed as a child, that you no longer believe.

Funny, because I was just thinking of what I'm about to share.

When I was really little (about Pic's age and a few years after that, I guess), I believed that all cats were girls and all dogs were boys (I definitely never thought of all cats as 'women' or 'females' and all dogs as 'men' or 'males,' just 'girls' and 'boys'). I thought they had babies together and the girls came out as cats and the boys came out as dogs. (I guess I didn't know all that much about the whole getting-pregnant process or the whole giving-birth process, because those situations could have really sucked depending on the cats and dogs involved.

I don't know when I stopped believing this, but it was probably sometime around when we got our Westie, Nicki (Nikita Zatara McTavish, to be more precise), a female dog. At least, I hope that's the case.

asleep i am not

One Minute Writer from yesterday:

If you had one extra hour a day, how would you spend it?

Okay, I have several options here. I'd either read because I'm never going to finish all of this reading any other way or I'd sleep because that's the only time I'll have to sleep or I'd just sit and cry because of all of the reading and the zero sleep.

blog sprint

One Minute Writer from inauguration day: If your walls could talk, what would they say?

Um, probably, 'Put on some pants.' Ha! I refuse...unless it's really cold.

blog sprint

One Minute Writer for today: What are you waiting for?

I'm waiting by the phone...waiting for you to call me up and tell me I'm not alone.

Ha...uh, yeah, just kidding.

I'm most of the time waiting to feel like an actual grown-up. I know, I know, I've been out of high school for almost a decade and I have a kid and a sigot (significant other) of my very own. I own a car. It took me almost six years to pay it off, but, a little over a year ago, I did. I have a 'job.' I put that in quotes because I can't seem to take myself seriously. I still feel like a freakin' kid, which explains the whole thing I'm waiting for.

I'm waiting to not be so afraid of everything in life.

Oh, I'm also waiting for a time when Sleep and I are pretty good pals.

I'll have another post later, one of nostalgia and stuff, but I don't feel like writing it now. So, now, my dear three readers, you have your very own thing to wait for.

In the meantime, a ditty for you.