Pink Rose

Winter Adventures

2012-01-16T23:37:00.000-02:00

I had a GREAT weekend! I had 3 days off in a row which NEVER happens and I feel like I definitely took advantage of it!

Friday I crossed several things off my 101 in 1001 list including going to a Columbus Blue Jackets game with Josh and several of his law school friends. Then Saturday, after celebrating Josh's birthday with his family we made the trip to Akron.

We had dinner at a delicious-Food Network worthy-location, called "Melt". Then we spent Saturday at the Football Hall of Fame in Canton, which is amazing. I highly recommend it for sports fans. Then once we arrived back to home base with Megan we went up to Cleveland and watched the FIRST EVER outdoor college hockey game at Progressive Field. The Buckeyes lost but it was such a fun time, I met some people I'd heard a lot about, and they had an excellent fireworks display afterwards!

I promise there will be photos soon...but my camera batteries are dead and I need to charge them before they will upload!

Basically, I had a great weekend...and then my car tried to ruin it because my window rolled down and then wouldn't roll back up again! But we drove home anyway and the guys at the car place down the street were nice enough to roll it up for me for free until I get the money together to pay for them to rewire it correctly...or I'll just let it go...my car windows don't really need to roll up and down right?

New Year, New Life

2012-01-06T03:44:00.000-02:00

So, I haven't written at all lately, and I want to let you all know that I do miss it. But without the internet its been making it difficult, not to mention all the changes that have been going on in my life.

In the span of a few months I've gotten a new job, a new home, gotten into a new routine, become an aunt for the second time over, and those are just the highlights. I'm happy to be moved back into Columbus, OH where I feel that I belong. I've been permanently hired on at my new job and have signed all of my official paperwork and gotten my own desk...FINALLY.

But now that its January I want to get back into a routine that I skipped a little bit in the frenzy of moving: monthly goals. For a list of my extensive goals to see what I've been and will continue to be working out check out my list of 101 things to do in 1001 days. And now here is what I want to focus on for the month of January:

1. Start my workout habit: go to the gym four times (once/week) to be increased in February.
2. Finish unpacking: I mean for real-not just have everything that's not unpacked hidden in the bedroom I'm currently not using.
3. Start volunteering again: I like my job, but I'm not sure I want to do it forever. I want to get volunteering again and look into what other opportunities there are for me to learn new things, even if its not at work.

At Work:
Make my desk feel like home! I'm so excited to not be a temp and have a desk that's officially mine, you better believe I'm bringing a plant and all the essentials to my desk.

As for the rest of things...right now I'm just excited to get to spend tomorrow being Aunt Jessy!

Happy Belated New Year!

Recent Projects

2011-10-23T19:05:00.000-02:00

As you can see I have not been very wordy lately and that has mostly do to with the fact that I am currently apartment hunting and starting a new job. But here are some of the things that I've been doing while not having my life in upheaval.

Made my 1st batch of pickles using my Grandma's recipe

Trying out new recipes like this one from Allrecipes.com.

Harvesting my garden to get ready to move.

And of course...being addicted to Pinterest!

I promise I will be getting settled and be back in the writing rhythm soon!

Worm Fail

2011-10-10T21:44:00.002-02:00

Over the summer I was very excited about the vermicomposter I had made myself. One of my primary fears was drowning my worms because I had heard stories of worms all over an office because they were escaping a vermicomposter in a desk that was too wet.

This doesn't look like a drowned worm.

That looks like a dried out worm. *sigh* I dried them all out. So much for my worm bin dreams.

Ah well, at least I won't have to figure out how to move them.

Community Gardening Bust

2011-09-27T15:17:00.001-02:00

While I was staying with my wonderfully supportive boyfriend who was letting me borrow his car to get back and forth to work (I now have my own set of wheels again...yay!) he and I went for a walk around his neighborhood.

We came across what had once surely been a magnificent community garden complete with a children's garden, raspberry bushes, and herbs. But it was no longer the beauty it once had been.

You could hardly see the vegetables for the weeds and the grass and you could tell that no one had been taking care of it recently.

So this brings me to a frustrating question: should we really create community gardens? I know you're all screaming "yes! Yes! of course we should!" but this is not the first garden I have seen get neglected by its creators. Another baby community garden in Wilmington was overlooked almost completely this season, some of the beds were not even planted!

Of course we all know the pros of community garden: teaching people to grow their own food, teaching children where food comes from, teaching children through gardening (science, math, etc), eating healthier, etc. But you cannot simply plant a garden and expect those things to happen. You must continue the work throughout the season. You must meet with the families and teach them first how to plant, then how to water, how to weed, how to harvest, and what to do with what they've harvested.

I rescued a ripe zucchini and squash from the garden after sadly seeing several rotting away into nothing. Rotten tomatoes litter the ground; other plants, weed choked, produced nothing.

I just wish people who come up with these great ideas and start organizations and projects and initiatives would follow through. Its a great gesture to plant a garden but is the gesture not unlike a fake smile if you allow it to rot and become choked with weeds?

Is there a solution to this?

150 Posts

2011-09-26T11:35:00.000-02:00

Happy 150th post to my blog!

Its just amazing if you think about how far I've come in my blogging career. From personal thoughts, to drama, to more drama, to a personal/professional something that I've been working on lately.

And its also interesting how far I've come personally since I started blogging 10 years ago. I'm 24, have a big-girl job in my own place in a city I really hadn't heard of until I was in college.

Its just amazing how far you can go!

Suicide Prevention Week

2011-09-15T18:22:00.000-02:00

I am ashamed to say that I did not post anything in honor of Suicide Prevention Week. However, today I was shown this website curated by The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. It was shown to me because you can order publications on particular Mental Health and Substance Abuse topics that interest you. You can find articles on everything from alchohol abuse to workforce trends and I think its fantastic that there is such a great free resource for people out there. There are also over 70 articles on Suicide Prevention which is a great link to use this month as last year there were more suicides in Warren & Clinton County in September than any other month. So if you're at all interested in any of these topics I highly recommend checking out SAMSHA's website I know I'll be ordering some things!

Catching up on some gardening.

2011-09-12T22:59:00.000-02:00

I apologize for my lack of updates lately. So hopefully this one will be nice and long and placate you angry blog readers :-p

I finally felt well enough today to go back out and work on the "garden" on my porch. It's been terribly neglected lately.

So first, I repotted the blueberry bush Josh bought me. We're really excited about it...its a Pink Lemonade Blueberry which we think sounds AMAZING! It was in a really small pot when we bought it but since it was so close to fall I wanted to wait until it dropped its leaves, I know it looks sad, but its supposed to look that way.

After that I planted the iris rhizomes that I got from my Mom over labor day weekend. I know its been over a week, but they were so dry to begin with I think they'll be fine.

Don't judge my Walmart bag...I was recycling!

I was thinning them for her in the hopes that they would bloom better next year but they were so thick in her flower bed that I'm not even sure I did a good job thinning them!

They sort of look like shrimp to me...
see the little legs as the roots?

I decided to go ahead and plant them in one of my drawers that matches the one I used for my Vermicompost project. They say that the Rhizomes are supposed to be on/near the surface so I'm hoping that the shallowness of the container will not hinder them.

Planted in old drawer

I planted the remaining rhizomes I had in my backyard along the house. There is a strip of sad looking grass that really should be a flower bed between my backyard and the sidewalk where only half was prepared for gardening. I ripped out clumps of grass and put the rhizomes in, I'm sure they'll over power the grass.

My next project is to plant the day lily bulbs/rhizomes (whatever they're considered) that my Grandmother gave me. I think they're also going to go into a dresser drawer...unless someone knows otherwise...are they accepting of shallow planting?

Suicide Prevention Educator

2011-09-07T18:13:00.000-02:00

I have an interview tomorrow at the Helpline of Delaware and Morrow Counties! I'm so excited about the idea that this opportunity could provide to share about my own experiences with mental health and suicide! But I'm so nervous! Think lots of good thoughts for me!

It's my BIRFDAY!

2011-09-03T23:03:00.000-02:00

Happy Birthday to me! Have a great day off on Monday!

Sci-Fi & Fantasy Books

2011-08-29T22:17:00.000-02:00

Recently NPR published the "Top 100 Science Fiction and Fantasy Books" list (Harry Potter not included-he will be part of the children's/young adult list). And as I was perusing it I realized I had only read a few of the books, but I had seen quite a few of the movies. As someone who works at a library I think this is a HUGE problem. So I think this will begin my quest to "catch-up" on all the great literature I have missed.

Let's check out what I HAVE read.

1. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
2. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
7. Fahrenheit 451
13. Animal Farm (although not since I was in school)
39. War of the Worlds (Again, when I was in school)
40. The Chronicles of Amber (I've read the first 2 of this series)
46. The Silmarillion (attempted, but never finished)
70. The Time Traveler's Wife

What I have seen:
1. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
2. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
11. The Princess Bride (One of my all-time favorites)
15. Watchmen
16. I, Robot (most of it anyway)
20. Frankenstein (Multiple versions, but probably never the original film)
24. 2001: A Space Odyssey
30. A Clockwork Orange
38. Flowers for Algernon (some of this)
39. War of the Worlds
65. I Am Legend
68. The Conan the Barbarian Series (I've seen some Conan in my day)
70. The Time Traveler's Wife (the book is WAY better)
72. A Journey to the Center of the Earth (I've seen parts of the new Brendan Frasier version)

It looks like I have some reading to do! Not to mention all of the banned and/or challenged books that I found reading a recent article in a library magazine they were passing around work!

Why can't girls just be girls?

2011-08-23T08:20:00.000-02:00

I recently came across this on the Babble Blog about a new line of Lingerie for Girls.

While I understand that every little girl wants to look like her Mama I can't help but wonder when will

This Become This?

What kind of message are we sending young girls if to look beautiful and dress-up they must where something that doesn't cover them up? That shows off their bodies in such a way that they are taught that this sort of dress is the only way to be beautiful from the time they are 4 years old?

According to Scholastic.com the Image-Esteem connection can be made as early as 3-4 years of age. They state that "Although forming one's self-concept is a lifelong process, how the child feels about himself in the early years (positive or negative) can set a pattern for the rest of his life." That being said the feeling that a young girl needs to wear something so riské to be beautiful at such a young age could lead problems for the rest of her life.

I see my own niece, at 3 years old, and I can't imagine ever wanting her to be someone who MUST look perfect and desirable and sexy all of the time and I worry that that is what items like the above are demanding.

From jewel-staite.net

Why can't girls just be girls? Why do they have to be sex kittens?

Brilliant Ideas

2011-08-22T14:51:00.001-02:00

As I was reading Beth Terry's post about her Plastic Free Garden and perusing her blog she mentioned some things that seem to me to be the world's BEST ideas that I have never ever heard about and I just wanted to share them.

1. Car share service
2. Suistainably Managed forests
3. Tool-lending Library
4. Eco-Friendly Toothbrushes
5. The fact that she can have this little plastic waste in 4 months

If only all of these things were available in my area :-(

Ipomoea-Ace of Spades

2011-08-18T12:34:00.000-02:00

Above you will see my Sweet Potato Vine when it was just a baby. It was cute and tiny and didn't even reach the sides of the hanging container I had put it in. Now it is HUGE! Despite the fact that it does not receive as much water as some of its plant friends nearer to the water spout it is doing surprisingly well.

Of course it can only ever live alone as it will overtake any plant friends it would have in its container with it. The tubers are edible but I have my doubts that they will be very good...I'll let you know at the end of the season.

And of course, the tubers you don't eat you use to start new plants next spring! I love perrenials!

My amazing yard sale finds!

2011-08-15T15:29:00.000-02:00

All of this...for $7.

A baby oil lamp

A tall glass apothecary jar

Sweet gold lantern

A big swirly lamp

A fun leopard print baby lamp.

An old wooden filing cabinet

A complete Killer Bunnies game (this game is hilarious)

A cool glass/bud vase

Set of four mini mug/shot glasses

Cool Glasses

National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day

2011-08-10T12:37:00.000-02:00

Today is National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day!

So in order to celebrate I made chocolate chip cookies (of course). But of course we couldn't just make any chocolate chip cookies we made chocolate chip cookies garden style...with zucchini!

I got the recipe from Right@Home and personally I think they're delicious!

All it takes is the following ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 sticks of butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla (which I forgot...oops)
2 eggs
2 cups shredded zucchini (this took one medium sized zucchini from the Farmers' Market)
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
And of course you could always add chopped walnuts I just didn't because I'm sharing them with my coworkers.

I added more chocolate chips because they're CHOCOLATE CHIP cookies so obviously they should have more than just a few chips.

I had to add more flour because the first batch of cookies looked like this:

But even a little more flour they were still runny. So I would say more flour or a zucchini with a little less juice in it (it was practically water running down my hands while I was grating it).

But all in all I find National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day to be a success!

Enjoy!

The Great Potato Experiment

2011-08-08T16:28:00.002-02:00

As you all know I worked for a year and a half at the Community Garden Project, Grow Food, Grow Hope. And when you work at a community garden people are always asking for gardening advice or trying to give their own; and in my adventures I was always hearing about different ways to grow potatoes.

Even recently I have heard tell of interesting potato growing schemes such as a "Potato Bed".

Well the idea that you could grow potatoes in very small spaces was very intriguing to me because what better way to supplement your diet with things you grow yourself than potatoes?!

So way back at the beginning of the gardening season I found some seed potatoes and some potatoes that were growing eyes and I decided to conduct the Great Potato Growing Experiment.

I planted seed potatoes in containers-one that was meant to simulate growing in actual earth-(although it wasn't very deep) and the other in a 4 quart pot. I also planted some extra potatoes that were in my pantry growing eyes in both the earth-like container and a 2 1/2 quart pot.

Recently the 2 1/2 quart pot died and as you wait to harvest potatoes until after the plant has died off I dumped it in search of a bounty. As you can see that's not exactly what I found.

Please note: no cucumbers were grown during the potato growing experiment this was from an adjacent plant , lol

My other containers, being much larger and much more like the environment that potatoes are accustomed to growing in are doing much better.

The 4 quart container is just now blooming.

And the larger, shallow container is just now starting to die back a little.
As they have been growing the longest.

I'll keep you posted on the amount of potatoes that I harvest from each of these. In the meantime does anyone have an interesting potato growing solutions that they have used?

Vermicomposter How-to

2011-08-01T11:21:00.002-02:00

Here it is! The moment you've all been waiting for: how to make a vermicomposter out of an old dresser drawer.

The dresser drawers

I had painted the drawers because I had planned to plant in them. But I realized that this would be the perfect for some worms: small (I have a low amount of waste), easy to drill holes in, easy to move/keep inside.

The drill was all I needed to get started. Thanks Megan for sharing the cost of the drill!

Above you can see the drawer side, I drilled quarter inch holes every few inches along the sides with even more on the bottom-about one every inch.

I popped the bottom out of one of the other drawers to use as a lid. Originally I had bought hinges but it actually leaves a gap that is great for air flow so I think instead I'm going to find some sort of latch for the sides...just in case my kitty gets curious.

A few copies of the Wilmington News Journal soaked in water made beds for my new friends to sleep in and an apple core and an old potato to eat plus a scoop of dirt and other random things out of my compost and voila...worm bedding.

And there are the worms! I'm afraid the picture is blurry but they're happily living in their bin now...hopefully making worm castings for my plants!

I'll keep you updated on their status.

Vermicomposting

2011-07-29T12:04:00.001-02:00

Vermicomposting is exactly what is sounds like: composting with vermis, which is the Latin for worms.

I first became acquainted with vermicomposting when I started at Grow Food, Grow Hope in November 2009. One of my coworkers was attempting to vermicompost in a container he kept in his desk and usually the 1st thing he said to you after "hello" was "want to see my worms?" However, the worms jumped ship, were all over the office, and then were banned permanently.

Since that day I had a small adventure into composting with worms. In my ignorance in the nature of compost I assumed that worms were always necessary for compost and therefore dug up worms from the backyard to add to my porch compost bin (an 18-gallon Rubbermaid tub I drilled holes in and added my food scraps to). These worms of course were never seen again as they were cooked in my compost bin.

And then the research began.

Now that I have done my homework and realized that compost is SUPPOSED to get above 120 degrees to cook properly. And vermicomposting is done almost entirely by the worms and that they eat their body weight in food every day.

With that information I am ready to make compost with worms! For more information on Vermicomposting check out this great detailed website "Cathy's Crawly Composters".

And in my next post I'll show you how to make your own vermicomposter out of an old dresser drawer!

What's Growing!

2011-07-27T11:40:00.000-02:00

Moss Roses

Pink Hydrangea

Yellow Rose

Tiger Lily

Husked Tomatoes

Zucchini

Cabbage

Pink Hydrangea

2011-07-23T14:02:00.002-02:00

I'm really excited about this blooming this is one of the few perrenials I have that have 1. Survived and 2. have rebloomed!

I really love hydrangeas, they are just full of blooms and this was a super great deal. For awhile my Lowe's store had 1/2 off their already reduced items and I got this bush for under $2! I think this one time blooming is worth that alone.

So here's to good deals that keep giving!

Husked Tomato

2011-07-18T15:34:00.000-02:00

My Husked Tomato plant

I first became acquainted with Husked Tomatoes last year at Wilmington's Tomadah Paradah event. The plants are more low growing and shrub-like than your ordinary tomato and the fruits are surrounded by husks such as those you would find on a tomatillo.

According to Trade Wind Fruits they are,

"Small orange fruit similar in size and shape to a cherry tomato. The fruit is covered in papery husk. Flavor is a pleasant, unique tomato /pineapple like blend. The ground cherry is very similar to the cape gooseberry, both having similar, but unique flavors."

I would definitely agree that they have a unique flavor I wouldn't have said pineapple but reading it that's not a completely inaccurate description.

The fruit

In the above picture you can see the husks that form around the fruit. The fruit are quite a bit smaller than a normal cherry tomato would be (even smaller than most grape tomatoes I think) and are meant to be eaten after they fall from the plant (at least that's what I've been told). But upon seeing them while at Swindler & Sons Florist in Wilmington I decided to try growing one for myself. It seems to grow fairly well in its pot although I haven't gotten enough fruit to do much more than eat one or two as I am walking by. The plant I had seen previously was so big and expansive that it was a chore to lift up the branches and find the fruit underneath so I think this is probably a good solution to that problem, although I will never have enough to make jam...which I think would be quite an interesting flavor.

What do you think? Has anyone else been growing any unusual varieties of tomatoes this year?

178 Days so Jump on It!

2011-07-06T18:55:00.000-02:00

I just finished reading a post saying that there are only 178 days left in 2011, and it challenges the reader to think about what their goals for the year were and basically to

And get back to what you were going to accomplish this year. So I thought I would take some time to think about what I was going to accomplish this year so that I can do exactly as Sir Mix-A-Lot recommends.

The first obvious thing that I was working on this year was my 101 in 1001 and as you can see from the Update I've been fairly passionate about it and I'm doing well. Plus I've got until September of 2013...so I've got some time.

A Personal Manifesto is something that I started thinking about during the WordCount Blog-a-Thon. And I was reminded of it recently thanks to Escaping Mediocrity who sent out her own manifesto that has been both inspiring and daunting in the face of writing my own. Its something that I still want to do. I feel like its important for me to focus on my identity, both personal, professional, and as a blogger but so far the instructions I have on writing a manifesto have been less than helpful.

I also wanted to write a blog series on some of the things that I have been growing such as the one I wrote about my Nasturium however, that also has not happened. That I feel is even more important now as I begin to see my wonderful plants continue to grow and get closer and closer to harvest time. That I'm just finding difficult because of the hit or miss internet in my apartment. But I know what you're thinking, "NONE OF YOUR EXCUSES!"

I also have not been doing updates when I do work on things such as the 5 Things I want to DIY or on any of the goals from my 101 in 1001 (on that thread I made my first attempt at pesto last night and it worked pretty darn well!) so in the future I want to work on that more.

I think between all of that and the fact that I write myself monthly goals I have my work cut out for me!

So what are you going to do in the next 178 days?

Tool Lust

2011-07-05T19:02:00.000-02:00

I seriously have the DIY bug but feel that I don't have the tools to make it happen.

I have this excellent coffee table that I want to refinish that I "rescued" from Josh's alley but have you ever sanded something that has multiple layers of grossness with just sandpaper. Someone forgot to take her patience pill when the DIY bug bit her!

And today I just found this EXCELLENT idea of how to turn an old pallet into shelving that I LOVE. Kim at Too Much time on My Hands is BRILLIANT! And I want to make one of these for every room. But I'd have to rip the pallet apart with my bare hands.

My cabbage plants are nearly ready to begin their journey into becoming saurkraut (I'm determined to make this myself) but I also lack a recepticle large enough to make it in *(my family has promised me a crock that I've yet to receive). I'm also ready to try making Pesto. I've always said I was going to but its always been daunting. I found an easy recipe today from Kitchen Gardeners. And what's even better I found a recipe for pesto that uses Garlic Scapes (and if you ever let me cook for you you'll learn I love garlic!).

The other DIY thing that I have been wanting to get to is some sewing. I have a few pairs of dress pants that could use new hems and some thrift store finds that will need some more after they're done drying (they're hanging on all of the furniture in my apartment because my dryer quit working). This all of course makes me long for a sewing machine and after finding this great idea for a skirt from a t-shirt on Love and Trash it makes me want one even more!

So as you can see a sewing machine, a saw, a sander, a crock all things on my "Tools that would make my DIY life amazing" list. I'd also add a food processor to that list because my baby "7-in-1" only food processes when it FEELS like it.

Wish me luck!

5 Things that Annoy me.

2011-06-30T17:57:00.000-02:00

Brought to you by words that start with Q but don't have a U in them.

For the record these are not real words.

1. The fact that large drinks at McDonalds are no longer $1
2. The fact that I had to break a $20 bill to buy said drink because it cost me $1.89 and I had 4 quarters.
3. That clearance plants at Lowes are no longer 1/2 off marked price...because they were such better deals when they were.
4. The fact that downtown Dayton has been under construction on 75 my whole life and I will ALWAYS have to sit in stopped traffic when driving through there.
5. That Google bought Blogger after I already had a blog and a gmail account so that now I can't merge the two and I have to sign out of my gmail account before going to blogger.

Those are just the things that have annoyed me in the past 2 days.

Have a happy 4th everyone!

For Maggie

2011-06-27T18:43:00.000-02:00

This post is dedicated to Maggie. Not because of what I found here that I want to make REALLY bad. But because I found it through a link to a wedding website.

The project I'm lusting after.

As you can see the above project is totally me and I am determined to try it out with their excellent step-by-step directions. Although I must say they seem like a little more work for just an ordinary candle holder so they may have to hold out for a special occasion.

The tutorial was posted on www.WeddingBee.com which is why it immediately makes me think of Maggie. And while the blog interests me little because it feeds from the whole site what's great is the bio tab because it has buttons that lead to these lists of ideas and articles on how the couple met to the honeymoon.

For example if I go to www.weddingbee.com->click on the "Bio" tab->click on "Bouquets" I end up at this page full of photos of bouquets each with a link with a post by the bride who uploaded the photo. There's even a DIY section and that's fun to look at just for fun stuff like this Mad Lib Guestbook idea!

I think its pretty inspiring...I hope you find some fun ideas Maggie!

<3 Jessica

Yellow Rose

2011-06-15T17:46:00.000-02:00

101 in 1001 Update

2011-06-13T14:12:00.018-02:00

It has come to my attention that it is now June and I am 6 months into my 101 in 1001 so I thought I'd give a progress update to show how far I've come in those few short months!

Jessica's 101 in 1001

Start: January 1st, 2011
End: September 28th, 2013

Personal
1. Keep a written journal (regularly)
~~2. Blog at least once a week for a month (hopefully forever)~~
Completed my Wordcount Blog-a-thon challenge!
3. Write personal (and professional) goals for each month and work to achieve them (10/33)I kind of skipped out on this in November & December 2011-but I feel like getting a new job, moving and getting permanently hired on count enough!
4. Change my bathroom inspiration quotes once a week (for at least a month)
~~5. Write something positive about my day every night for at least two weeks~~
6. Make a meal out of all local ingredients
7. Spend an hour of "me-time" a week that does not involve TV
8. Take a self defense class
9. Go to a Bible study (must try for at least a month)
10. Watch a sunrise
11. Watch a sunset
12. Sell a piece of art I've created
13. Buy something for myself worth more than $100 without feeling guilty about it
14. Perform in public with my guitar

Share with Others
15.Throw a surprise party for someone
16.Take Jo and Adam to IKEA to pick out their wedding gift
~~17. Take Josh to Newport Aquariums~~
18. Have a REAL date with Josh once per month (13/33)2011-Check!
19. Save up for Payton's Dance Classes
20. Learn enough about wine to help someone else pick out a bottle
21. Send 10 Christmas Cards by December 12th every year of this challenge
2011-Check!
~~22. Get Mom an external hard-drive to store all of her photographs safely~~
23. Donate blood at least 3 times
24. Send one snail mail card or letter per month (13/33)2011-Check!
25. Give someone something that I've made (aka the scarf I'm going to learn to knit or crochet)
26. Have girl time with my coworkers at the El Dorado

Nerd Out
27. Reach 500 followers on Twitter
April, 2011-312 Followers
November, 2011-266 Followers
December 2011-371 Followers
28. Reach 5,000 tweets
April, 2011-2,015 tweets
November, 2011-3,454 tweets
December 2011-3.492 tweets
29. Create my own HTML template for my blog
30. Create a photography portfolio (online) for myself and keep it updated
31. Create a Youtube video where I filmed and edited the material before posting
32. Have written 1,000 posts on this blog
10 May 2011-110 posts!
13 June 2011-137 posts
26 September 2011-150 posts
33. Do some research on SEO and really understand how to use it

Big Girl Things
34. Get a frame for my diploma and hang it in the office at my big girl jobReceived frame from Josh for Christmas 2011!
35. Train myself to wake up ON-TIME to go to work
~~36. Leave work on-time one night each week for at least a month (4/4)~~
Now the trick is getting myself to KEEP leaving work on time!
37. Get over $2000 in my savings account and LEAVE IT THERE!
38. Apply for 25 big girl jobs (23/25)
~~39. Get a big girl job (hopefully choose one of the ones I applied for)~~

Started at the London Public Library 1 June 2011!
40. Upgrade to a big girl bed AKA NOT a twin bed
41. Have a classy cocktail party Ala Jeanine and Olivia
42. Join the OSU Alumni Association
43. Go to a networking or job search event and feel as if I have made good connections upon my return
44. Paint my kitchen
45. Paint my living room
46. Get a real desk to work at in my apartment

Learn to...
47. Play my guitar
48. Use a dark room
49. Speak another language
50. Horseback Ride
51. Waltz
52. Drive a stick shift
53. Knit or crochet
54. Shoot a gun (I've done this before but I don't really KNOW how)
55. Get certified in CPR
~~56. Cook 10 new things~~
   1. Brussel Sprouts
   2. Vegan vegetable soup broth
   3. Chicken Tortilla Soup (I think this needs a take 2, it didn't go very well)
   4. Chicken Broccoli Casserole
   5. Artichoke
6. Lamb Burgers
7. Pesto
   8. Buffalo Chicken Dip
   9. Spiced Cider
10. Homemade Granola Bars (this will also need a 2nd try)
57. Meditate

Movies
58. All of AFI's Top 100
27 December 2010-19/100
13 June 2011-21/100
~~59. Every James Bond Movie~~Now I want to see all of the "unofficial" ones.
60. The Godfather Series

Read
61. Read at least one book per month (see book list in another post) (13/33)
62. Read the Bible front to back
63. Read the newspaper everyday for a week
64. All of the self-help books I've purchased (10/?)
65. All of the books I bought in France

Health and Beauty
66. Begin (and keep) a workout habit
67. Get a professional manicure
68. Get a professional pedicure
69. Throw out all of my underwear and start over
~~70. Buy "FM" shoes~~
The next step is learning how to walk in them!
71. Wash my face morning and night everyday for at least one week straight
72. Moisturize everyday for a week
73. Drink my entire VISTA bottle full of water everyday for one week straight
~~74. Take my vitamins everyday for one month~~
75. Find a personal style and rock it

Travel/Visit
76. Visit the Columbus Conservatory
77. Visit all Ohio zoos
Columbus Zoo-Zoo Lights, December 2007
Akron Zoo-June 2008
Cincinnati Zoo's Festival of Lights-December 2010
78. Put my feet in the ocean
79. Plan/take my next trip abroad
80. Go to Country concert
81. Take a Road trip
82. Go to all 48 contiguous states (and the other 2 if I can get there)
83. Plan a trip to Chicago
84. Visit two Ohio Wineries

For the Love of the Game
85. Go to an NBA game (preferably the Cavs of course)
~~86. Go to a Columbus Blue Jackets game~~
Completed 01/13/2011
87. Go to a Brown's Game
88. Host a party for "The Big Game"
~~89. Go to a Columbus Crew Match (with Josh)~~
90. Go to a Fighting Quakers game

Clean Out and Organize
~~91. Create a filing system and keep things filed~~
~~92. Donate, re-gift, throw out and/or remove 101 things from my life~~
Completed 01/13/2011
93. Find and/or create a functional island for the kitchen
94. Create my Europe scrapbook
~~95. Clean out fire safe box and find out what really needs to be in there~~
96. Get the correct medication cocktail worked out with my doctor
~~97. Meet with my counselor twice a month for at least 6 months (6/6)~~
~~98. Clean out my work files and keep work and personal files separate~~
99. Use my fabulous pink swiffer sweeper at least once per week
100. Get another bookshelf for my apartment
~~101. Find a new personal calendar that works for me~~

I've been featured again!

2011-06-08T17:06:00.000-02:00

Not that this one is anything substantial, a majority of the information was actually pre-written officially approved language. But I'm hoping this means they'll also post the second article that I shared with them...either way the photo with the kids was also taken by yours truly!

Check it out at the Master Gardening.com Blog!

5 things I want to D-I-Y

2011-06-07T18:30:00.000-02:00

I've been catching up on my Google Reader feed with some crafty blogs that have some great projects.

Here's a few things I really want to try out:

1. Fabulous plant waterers

I love the champagne bottle! I found this on Love and Trash's blog and you can read the article here. Not only does she link to where she found the idea but she also links to another blog who creates them using light bulbs and a ball point pen!

I'm going home tonight and sticking as many wine bottles into my potted plants as possible!

2. Mason Jar Chandelier

The one shown was created by Love and Trash but the full tutorial can be found from Kara Pasley Designs.

I'm not sure about the Mason jars (because I could be canning in them) but I love the idea of using old glassware to create my own chandelier because I've been DYING to have one for my dining room.

So feel free to send me ideas on what I should use to create my own!

3. Worm Composting Bin

I already have a drawer from a now trashed dresser ready for this purpose and numerous sets of online directions. But I don't have the power tools for the drilling of holes; or any worms for that matter.

But with the success of my regular compost bin I'm confident that this will be a more challenging and fun endeavor.

4. Mosaic something

A month or so ago I broke a plate in my kitchen. Normally this is not a big deal because I'm clumsy and I break stuff all the time but this was something I had bought for ME. It was one of the only plates/kitchenware that I had bought for myself and I was very angry with gravity for taking it from me. So of course I kept the pieces...and they are still sitting in a plastic bag in my cupboard...so I really want to turn them into something prettier than what they are now.

5. Vertical Pallet Garden

This idea has been on my list for awhile and is from Life on the Balcony. Fern is amazing and she has some great books out. The instructions for this project are here but I promised Josh I wouldn't buy anymore plants until I start getting paychecks again, so this one has to wait a little while, LOL.

What great ideas have you seen lately that you want to try out?

Presents!

2011-06-06T16:06:00.000-02:00

As some of you may have seen on my Facebook status I was lucky enough to win TWO online prize contests for free items just for commenting on blogs! YAY ME!

So here's a look at what I've won:

100% Organic Carapelli EVOO from Live Green Mom who blogs about everything from green and organic products to basic ways to make our lives more sustainable. Check out her blog here:

Thanks Helga! I can't wait to try this recipe for Artichoke Hummus from Carapelli's website with my EVOO!

I was also lucky enough to win one of Little Pink Book PR's Blog-aversary prizes! Congratulations again to Sasha who's Little Pink Book has grown to greatness over the past 2 years.

She gifted me with these FABULOUS Ecotools makeup brushes and I cannot believe I was using crummy plastic brushes. These feature bamboo handles, recycled aluminum with taklon brushes (I had to look up what Taklon was too). While I'm not sure taklon is really an eco friendly choice it has definitely created the softest and most amazing makeup brushes I've used and I'm completely sold. I guess now I have an excuse to do my make-up more often!

So it seems I was a super lucky girl in May. New job, free gifts, let's hope June is just as kind to me!

Foxglove

2011-06-03T10:54:00.001-02:00

Pretty Pretty!

When I first replanted it.

In Full-bloom.

Foxglove's scientific name is "Digitalis" which refers to the size of the flower bells and how easy they fit over the human finger. However, what I find most interesting about Foxgloves is their biennial growing habit.

Foxgloves do not bloom every year but spend the first year of their lives growing just the leaves of the plant and then send up the spike to bloom during the second summer of their lives.

Nasturtium-Glean Mix

2011-06-02T11:56:00.001-02:00

I have never grown naturtiums before this year. Apparently they're super easy to grow and don't seem to mind being neglected.

And in this vein, mine has bloomed! I bought it a few weeks ago at the Master Gardener plant sale because I had recently learned that they're edible and used them in an Edible Landscaping Plan I had created for a garden at the ministry. So I bought one to try out and with barely remembering to water this hanging basket it has a beautiful orange flower to surprise me today!

Apparently they have a slight peppery flavor and both the leaves and flowers are edible. Since I had some extra space in my square foot garden down the street I also sowed some into that garden. So I'll let you know how long they take to germinate. The seeds look like mini human brains and they grow into kinda floppy droppy plants which is why I love them in my hanging basket.

In future posts I want to keep writing about all the plants that I got from the plant sale, I'm making it a point to try and keep track of the particular varieties I grow and which ones I like the best.

Victory.

2011-05-31T21:05:00.001-02:00

I COMPLETED MY FIRST BLOG-A-THON!!!!!!

I think that's a pretty serious achievement and on top of that I start my new job tomorrow!

So wish me luck and I promise that just because I'm not posting everyday does NOT mean I will be neglecting this!

Now, I'm going to garden!

I almost forgot about wordle day!

2011-05-30T23:28:00.001-02:00

Memorial Day

2011-05-30T23:08:00.000-02:00

It's supposed to be a holiday about those who have died in service to our country.

Does anyone honor that on Memorial Day?

I feel like most people I know spend it as a day to stuff their faces full of hot dogs and sleep in because they have the day off of work.

Is this all that freedom means to us?

(All 2 people who read this yell "yes" at their computer)

We have become a nation of fat people more focused on food than freedom. Why is that? I saw 1 flag at half mast today and I know 1 person who was going to a parade in honor of today (and only because he had to).

Have we always been so self-centered? Do we ever really appreciate what has been given to us?

I don't know the answer. But I want to take a minute to throw it out into the universe that I am very grateful to have the freedom to have had the day off to bitch about Jim Tressel instead of going to work.

Some people have all the luck

2011-05-29T22:14:00.001-02:00

I was at a BEAUTIFUL wedding yesterday that was outise and it didn't rain!! the sun was out, the sky was blue and the field in the background was full of yellow flowers aka weeds because the farmers haven't been able to plant yet.

I hope Val and Bill's life has just as much luck (there was a little irish theme to tbhe wedding because they're going to Ireland for their honeymoon) in their life as they did yesterday...I know if I tried to have a wedding outside it would rain all day...so jealous!s

Ohio

2011-05-28T18:47:00.000-02:00

Ohio is an odd place, it seems to think its very chic and foreign and needs to use names of other places to name its own cities (today I'm in Baltimore).

Don't believe me?

Haven't you ever been to Russia, Paris, London, Versailles, Vienna, or Bremen, Ohio?

WEEKEND!

2011-05-27T19:28:00.001-02:00

I make no promises about post quality this weekend as the internet will be limited at best.

This post was originally going to be about my last day as a VISTA...but it looks like I have some unfinished (and it will be unpaid) business to finish on Tuesday...so I'll reflect more then, lol

Happy Weekend!!!

1st Statement

2011-05-26T20:14:00.000-02:00

I have been thinking again about my personal manifesto, especially since tomorrow is my last day at this job that I have done for over a year and a half and things are going to suddenly become at least a little different.

So the first statement of my manifesto is going to be:

I will not let my work be my whole life.
My work can define me, but it can't be the definition.

That's really all the farther I've gotten, but I was just thinking about it earlier so I wanted to share.

One other update: I am working on my "Plant Profiles" or whatever I was going to call them, so hopefully I will get those organized and I will have some sort of REGULAR schedule about posting them...since I've almost completed my 1st ever blog-a-thon!

Desk!

2011-05-25T21:53:00.000-02:00

Using my garage sale find.

A Manifesto.

2011-05-25T02:28:00.000-02:00

Today I was perusing through some of my previously starred items on Google Reader (I usually star them if I think I would like to read them again later) and I refound this gem by Teresa Basich on Overcommunicated (which sadly no longer exists).

After years of putting energy into everyone but myself, it’s time I take a stand for ME in my life. I’ve commited to putting myself first and this is what that commitment looks like.
I will give confidence a chance.
I will draw boundaries.
I will look for love and support within.
I will strive for balance instead of living in extremes.
I will accept that my friends and family won’t hate me for putting myself first.
I will accept that some of those friends or family might not like or understand the changes I make.
I will start my days with openness, and trust that life and the universe will take care of me.
I will find ways to hone my focus and productivity.
I will honor and recognize my achievements and reward myself for them.
I will give me a break, cut me some slack, and even forgive me…then try again.
I will reflect on my actions constructively instead of beating myself up over them.
I will reflect on my actions as long as is needed to see their value and impact; I will not over-analyze or obsess.
I will live in a space I love that fosters comfort and creativity.
I will write once a day, even if it’s only one line.
I will stop comparing myself and my accomplishments to others.
I will trust my life won’t fall apart if I disconnect to spend time on my own.
I will assess if a situation is beneficial to my mission before getting involved in it.
I will look at the present moment to appreciate what I have, look at the future to see what I will have, and not live in my past.

If you liked the above Teresa now blogs here. But at the end of the day, reading someone's personal manifesto is not about following them (although she did of course make it to my Google Reader now that I've found her url) but its about finding and/or writing a manifesto that suits you.

Wiki says: "A manifesto is a public declaration of principles and intentions, often political in nature. Manifestos relating to religious belief are generally referred to as creeds. Manifestos may also be life stance-related."

So I'm making that my goal for the rest of this month. Before the end of WordCount Blog-a-thon 2011 I want to have written a personal manifesto to be featured here.

What would yours say?

I'm feelin' lucky today...

2011-05-24T19:49:00.000-02:00

I found a 4-leaf clover!

Sorry its blurry but my phone couldn't be close enough
to see all the leaves AND clear apparently.

And because of this 4-leaf clover I feel...Lucky!

The Carnage continues

2011-05-23T19:18:00.000-02:00

The rain has NOT stopped here in Clinton County. In the past 24-hours we have gotten over an inch and a half of rain. And that was all AFTER I repotted my flooded plants last night...here's what I woke up to this morning.

My flooded garden

Homeless plants.

I'm going home now to see about moving the bed and rescuing the plants before this happens again...wish me luck!

Thank Goodness!

2011-05-23T00:52:00.000-02:00

As I mentioned in a previous post I sometimes have to sit on my backstep (today my butt is geting damp as I write this) to post because of my "borrowed" internet. Well, I just narrowly missed meeting a skunk who sniffed around my building, heard my cat meow, and ran in the OPPOSITE direction of me!

Yay for not being tired AND stinky!

When will it end?!?!

2011-05-23T00:50:00.000-02:00

I just got back to my apartment after being home for a wedding this weekend and I've already found a casuality from yet ANOTHER rainstorm.

I apologize there are no photos, but nothing would take in the dark and my porch light wasn't QUITE bright enough.

A few weeks ago I had planted a few cabbage, begonias, and brussel sprouts in half an old trash can my boyfriend had sawed in half for me. Since it then created a container that was short one side I used an old recycling bin as a rain barrel and container side. Today's rainstorm must have produced several inches of rain because my recycling bin overflowed, into my "container," it got so heavy it bent the side, so water, soil, and several plants overflowed out of my trashcan flower bed and onto my steps for me to find when I arrived today.

I scraped a little bit of soil off the sidewalk and tried to replant the plants a little but I'm worried the waterlogged soil from the sidewalk and the shock is not going to make them very happy.

AND...in getting back about 2 hours later than intended I ALMOST forgot to blog..thank goodness for small favors and remembering!

I'll let you know how my flooded veggies do.

Hope everyone has a good week! I know mine will be bittersweet as its my last week as a VISTA!!!

If you can read this...

2011-05-21T21:46:00.000-02:00

You didn't get taken in the rapture either.

Let's be friends!

Advice.

2011-05-20T16:32:00.000-02:00

So with the sun shining, the blue sky, and the cactus I thought I killed growing! I pretty much feel like a B-A today!

But for those of you who don't know...let me tell you the story of this cactus.

This cactus is actually a piece of this cactus that fell off during the repotting process.

Have you ever repotted a cactus? Yeah...its not the best choice. Its best to leave giant cactus lie. Which is also advice to give someone who, while driving home from work one night sees a cactus on the curb and decides "I'm going to adopt that"

That girl, was me.

In case you can't tell by the above photograph the original cactus is living in a plastic container approximately 1 1/2 feet square and just as deep. It probably weighs between 25-30 pounds and is overflowing out of its pot. I decided to pick up this cactus, put it in my car, and take it home with me.

The other thing to note about this cactus is not only does it have the long scary looking 2 inch spines...it also has small orange prickles that proceed to get stuck to EVERYTHING. Including my arms and clothing (when I picked it up) the backseat of my car (those prickles were there for MONTHS even after vacuuming), the floor of my apartment (I repotted it in my living room), my compost bin (don't put cactus in your compost...it might be good for it...but the prickles will get you EVERYTIME), etc. I repotted one piece of it, decided it was not worth it, stashed both cacti in an out-of-the-way corner and have not touched them since. I was pleasantly surprised to find them growing as I often forget to look at them or water them (I suppose they prefer this) and I'm also fairly certain that when I move...that cactus can stay there...I'm NOT picking that thing up again.

So today's advice: think twice before adopting homeless cacti.

Mental Health Blog Party

2011-05-19T16:03:00.000-02:00

So it may be May 19th and the day to blog about mental health was yesterday. But May is Mental Health month and its never to late to talk about busting down the stigma and negative feelings associated with mental health.

I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety disorder when I was a junior in college. I had had symptoms and signs of depression since I was in middle school and I had been suicidal since I was a high school student. All of this was a secret from my family: the appointments to a therapist/counselor, my inability to get out of bed, my skipping class, my emotional sadism, etc until I was a senior in college and things got so bad I decided to give in and get prescribed a medication. I had to tell my parents because I was still on their insurance and figured the questions would start coming when the insurance statement from the doctor's visit. I told them, got prescribed a medication and tried to move on. They didn't take it well, my mom insists to this day that I'm not getting enough vitamins and usually provides me with a new article from a women's magazine about feeling down and vitamin D or E or whatever the "it" solution of the month is. My Dad, let's just say the discussion with him was so traumatic it goes on the list of "things I'm not sure I'll ever completely get over."

The medication worked decently, I finished my classes and graduated in June....immediately losing access to my free appointments with a counselor and at the end of the month...no more medication. And that is what I remember being the lowest time of my life. I have never attempted suicide-the thought of death was so terrifying that when I get depressed and want to die I would frequently put myself into an anxiety attack. But at that point, subletting a friend's apartment I found myself rushing into the kitchen, grabbing the first knife available and locking the bathroom door, found myself sobbing in the bathtub...knife to my wrist.

Thank God it was a dull knife.

Since that day I've been through at least 5 different types of medication, to at least 4 new doctors and therapists about it and I still have days where I can't bring myself to get out of bed.

But I'm alive.

I blog about mental health and fight the stigma about suicide and depression because admitting that I needed help saved my life. Even when the day comes (hopefully) that I don't need medication any longer I will still have depression. I will still need to fight the dark shadows in my head and insist that life is worth it. Depression doesn't "hurt" like those dumb Cymbalta commercials state (P.S. drug commercials = not ok) it kills. And sharing stories is how we save lives.

Special thanks to Therese Borchard at PsychCentral whose blog I read today that inspired me to write this.

And most importantly: If you or someone you know is in crisis DO NOT WAIT! Call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) and/or go to the emergency room and GET HELP!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-18T12:20:00.000-02:00

I know I posted photos yesterday as well but these are truly wordless photos. All I could say while looking at these was "WOW." So special thanks to Not Dabbling in Normal for these photos.

Click on the blossoms for more photos!

My amazing yard sale finds!

2011-05-17T12:52:00.001-02:00

All of this...for $7.

Scarf with a pretty pattern

Itty bitty apothecary jar

Bright pink plastic ice cream sundae cup

A baby oil lamp

A tall glass apothecary jar

Sweet gold lantern

A big swirly lamp

A fun leopard print baby lamp.

An old wooden filing cabinet

A complete Killer Bunnies game (this game is hilarious)

A cool glass/bud vase

Set of four mini mug/shot glasses

Cool Glasses

A berry colored rectangle plate that looks like stuff my sister sells
out of her home and garden catalogs.

A skinnier curling iron because mine is MIA

A beverage warmer (this will either be the best invention ever...
or I will burn down my apartment).

Now bow down to my sweet garage sale-ing skills! I'll let you know what happens to them as I use these items throughout my apartment!

I'm in shock!

2011-05-16T19:25:00.001-02:00

Well, this isn't exactly a guest post but in some ways I'm going to feel like a guest for a little while because I'm about to get thrown into some new experiences!

I just got offered a job at the London Public Library this morning and I'm starting June 1st! Which means after a year and a half my VISTA service is finally coming to an end. Which is both relieving (in that I'm going to get a job that pays above minimum wage) and so sad in that I have a feeling the 45 minute commute is going to cause me to leave Wilmington and leave all of this work that I've spent all of this time doing.

I mean let's look at what I've accomplished both personally and professionally in the past year:

Coordinated a Culinary Job Training Class

Fed hundreds of people at Sugartree Ministries

Found a family here in Wilmington, OH

Assisted in the creation of a Hunger Walk that is slated to become an annual event here in Clinton County.

Ate my 1st Banana Split.

Adopted a pet

Started a new 101 things in 1001 days.

FINALLY, started dating the love of my life.

Met some great friends, acquaintances, maybe some enemies, and everything in between, etc.
and the last thing (but certainly not least thing) that I will list (but this list is of course not exhaustive) is come to grips with both my past abusive experiences and my depression and really take some serious steps towards healing.

So wow. Let's see what this new experience does for us!

P.S. Over 1/2 way done with the blog-a-thon!

Sunday

2011-05-15T16:58:00.000-02:00

It's Sunday and its rainy and cold. It makes me feel like this.

Lucie

Perhaps I will use this lazy day to bring in and take pictures of my garage sale finds to show you all...or perhaps I'll lay back down on my couch and watch BeetleJuice. Either way its a lazy day.

P.S. Day 15 of Blog-a-thon and still going strong!

Spoils of Gardening

2011-05-14T22:33:00.000-02:00

I know yesterday I said that I was going to post pictures of my garage sale finds but I have something that's even better...gardening photos!

Today was the annual Clinton County Master Gardener Plant Sale (they also offer workshops but I couldn't afford to attend any) and I bought more plants than any girl could ever need and I am super excited about it.

The Spoils

So of course after purchasing a quantity of plants that was NOT in my budget...I got to plant them all. And I feel pretty proud of myself for the creative containers and the ingeniuty involved in getting that many plants (along with everything I was already growing) in my available space.

Half an old trashcan converted into a planter

A skillet full of impatiens

As I was choosing and smelling the different varities of vegetables and herb plants that have become available to me from this sale i've decided that I want to do a little more homework with my plants to ensure that I'm picking the varieties that are best for me. So in the next few weeks I will be writing "plant profiles" here on my blog so that I can observe what I do and do not like about the choices I've made to make better ones in the future, and to help you along as well! So get ready to nerd out about plants!

Now to go back inside! I have discovered the "borrowed" internet works best from on my back step...but I'm wearing shorts and its chilly now that the sun has gone down!

FRIDAY

2011-05-13T22:24:00.000-02:00

It's Friday! And I'm really excited about it! Tonight I'm going out with my friend Maria and then tomorrow I'm going to buy plants! Basically two of my favorite things in the world.

So make sure you do something fun this weekend because I know I am!

P.S. photos to come tomorrow...I got some major finds at a Garage Sale yesterday for super cheap...its awesome.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-11T11:07:00.003-02:00

My car is fixed! So now I can admire the view out my windshield...

Please note this was not actually taken today...it was taken BEFORE
my car became completely dead...but just barely!

Happy Haiku Day

2011-05-10T18:37:00.001-02:00

Today's theme is Haiku...and here is mine. I'm very proud that I can write one, I thought this was super hard!

Planting all morning

Placing seeds deep in the soil

Grows joy in my soul

Budget

2011-05-09T19:30:00.000-02:00

So its been really hard for me to understand the national deficit. I know that we have one, and people tell me that if we didn't have one our economy would fall apart, but I don't understand that. I know that my parents never wanted me to have a credit card and 23 year old me still doesn't have one because of how easy it makes wracking up debt because let me tell you it would be WAY easy to run that card for lots of things I can't pay for on my VISTA salary.

But today I read an article that made me even more confused about how our government budgets run. In this article the state of Ohio hasn't gotten back millions of dollars they are owed by fines given to businesses who violate the smoking ban. $1.5 million dollars according to a report written in the Dayton Daily News. Now, I don't know about you but I feel like if someone owned me over a million dollars I would be knocking on their door asking them for the money...so why doesn't the state collect? The article goes on to state that only 26% of the fines that were given last year were collected...WHAT? If you're going to make this a rule, shouldn't you uphold it?

What does everyone else think? Is the smoking ban rule really doing any good if its not being enforced to the full letter of the law aka the fines are both given to the establishments AND collected?

In other weird news I read this article that I thought was HILARIOUS! This hotel's rope on the flagpole broke causing it to fly half-mast all week and people were calling and harassing them because they thought they were mourning Osama bin Laden!

Hobby

2011-05-08T19:57:00.001-02:00

My best friend, @OAmadeusAmadeus, requested that I write a blog about my newest hobby, painting wine glasses.

I don't remember exactly why I decided to start painting wine glasses, probably because I needed an artistic outlet to add to my life at a time when I was working about 60 hours a week and coming home alone in a new town. So I decided to paint, I painted for years when I was young, mild artistic desire and talent inherited from my mother, who is one of the most talented people I know, and something I had stopped doing in the social and academic focus that was my college career.

Once you have decided to paint the steps are fairly simple. All you need is paint, brushes, and a "canvas."

Finding a canvas is easy, all you need is a wine glass, a drinking glass, a margarita glass, a glass bowl, anything you think is worthy of painting. I find this very easy because I love garage sales and flea markets so I'm always finding fun glassware pieces on my second-hand adventures.

Brushes are also easy, paintbrushes can be found pretty much at any store that sells craft supplies. I happened to already have some at home, but if you don't just run down to your nearest store and grab some.

And finally the last thing you need is paint. This was a lot more difficult for me to obtain. You cannot use any regular paint to paint on glasses, at least not any that you plan to use. Regular paints such as watercolor or acrylic paints will come off in the washing of the glasses or even during the use of them. The paint will chip off, peel off, or wash off of glass because glass is not a porous surface therefore you have to find paint that is created directly for this purpose.

Finding paint took me numerous Google searches for recommendations, trips to cities where craft stores can be found (here in Wilmington we only have a WalMart and they're in the process of slowly removing nearly all their craft supplies), as well as discussions with craft store personnel, and my personal crafting and art experts: my mother and grandmother. But in the end I finally had a successful trip into a Michael's Craft Store where I was able to find a suitable variety of paint in an assortment of colors. I use pebeo's Vitrea 160 as it comes in both glossy, matte, and transparent varieties, the colors can be mixed with one another (some specialty paints do not mix together well), and can be applied directly to the glass. There are a few drawbacks to the Vitrea paint, on the packaging it says "Thin with Vitrea 160 thinner" I assumed this was a simple announcement that it could be done if a thinner consistency was desired however the more and more I use the paint I would say that it is a recommendation. The more and more I use the paints the thicker and thicker they become and its becomes difficult to put even coats on the glassware. So I would recommend checking out the types of paint you are planning to use before buying them. The variety I use cost $3-4 for a 1.5 oz jar so just be ready to put a little investment into this project if you are planning on painting a rainbow on your glassware its going to cost a few dollars.

A zebra print glass, if you look closely you
can see the lack of smoothness I was talking about.

And now to the fun part...painting!

I would make sure you have a pretty solid plan in place before you put your brush to the glass because its best to wipe any mistakes off immediately. This isn't the kind of canvas that you can paint over if you decide you don't like it...so make sure you know what you want.

For example I'm not sure what I want to do with this glass but it looks a little
unbalanced with just the bow because the top is so large.

In general I like to do random patterns because of the difficulty of getting things exactly even. You can use patterns and tape them to the inside of the glass but I like the feel of freehand. I've only created two different "sets" of glasses. One of them was the margarita set you see sprinkled throughout the post, but in reality it was a theme with similar images throughout, all the glasses were a little different and an animal print pair for @OAmadeusAmadeus that I can't find any photos of (that's your cue to post some girl!)

Recipients of my margarita glasses!

Really its just meant to be fun. I like the eclectic feel of matched but unmatched things and really anyone can do it because you could do something as simple as swirls or blotches on your glasses and you will have created something unique and only yours. Just remember to get paint that you can BAKE on so that its permanent...you don't want your favorite glasses to be unusable because the design will come off the first time you use them. My Vitrea paint needs to dry for 24 hours and then is baked for 40 minutes at 325 degrees then you can use them to your heart's content...they're even said to be dishwasher safe!

Enjoy your new hobby!

2011-05-08T16:15:00.000-02:00

Still having internet issues and feeling like crap. Will try to feel better and find a place to work but no promises. I hate that its beautiful outside and I feel gross. Real post tomorrow I promise as long as I live through today.

Enjoy the sunshine!

Technology=suck

2011-05-07T22:46:00.001-02:00

I've just spent the last hour trying to figure out how to do this on someone else's droid. as you can see its not going so well. I'll get back to you when I have internet that's larger than my hand.

2011-05-07T00:12:00.003-02:00

So luckily I remembered to post today. Because I have last minute ended up in Cincinnati to celebrate a friend's birthday and a friend's first trip to Ohio in 7 months. So enjoy what we've been laughing at while drinking mimosas late at night!

And of course a fun video that goes right along with it!

See you tomorrow!

Day 5

2011-05-05T20:02:00.000-02:00

I promise I'm not wussing out on you guys yet! But I have to say that after a meeting this morning which brought me to tears and the stress of trying to figure out how I can afford to get my car fixed (anyone know where I can find an alternator that's not $150+?) I just can't write today because my blog would just be a fit of curses and no one wants that.

So...Happy Cinco De Mayo! Let's go drink margaritas and be happy that the sun is shining and forget about the stress of everyday!

See you tomorrow! Hopefully I'll have something happier to share!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-04T13:28:00.000-02:00

In lieu of writing about books (I don't really read books about writing anyway) I have posted a picture relating to them.

This is a photo of the sculpture in front of the Wilmington Public Library. I find it to be really charming, yet somehow sad at the same time.

Odd Pets

2011-05-03T19:43:00.000-02:00

Every once in a while I click the "Marketplace" application on my Facebook page (in case someone is giving away a free bed that I could use). Upon doing so yesterday I saw a pet Wallaby for sale for $1,200.

I want one.

However, the question is...can I have one? Are wallabys...or is it wallabies...or maybe walleye...no that's definitely not it...you know what I mean...but are they legal in this state?

Well let's start with what we know is legal: cats and dogs (unless your landlord says no then you'll be out on the street), most lizards, but those are basic pets. Here's a little snippet into the unusual (and expensive) pets.

World's most expensive pets:

Green Monkey: $16 million

Legal in Ohio

Missy: $1.2 million

Legal in Ohio

Capuchin Monkey: $10,000

Legal in Ohio

That's right. I said LEGAL! There are neither bans nor requirements on monkey ownership in Ohio so go for it! Buy your monkey!

Need a less feminine monkey? Try these guys!

De Brazza's Monkey: $7,000-$10,000

Squirrel Monkey: $4,000

So now you're saying "No Way! I can't afford that! I'd rather have a cat or dog, they're way cheaper!" I say, "Think again."

Tibetan Mastiff: $582,000

Cavalier King Spaniel: $500,000

Savannah Cat: $10,000

Bengal Cat: $3,000

The price of that Wallaby is looking pretty good now isn't it? And according to my research, they're legal! Better find that guy on Facebook before he sells this deal of a pet to someone else!

Special thanks to ForkParty for their article on the 13 Most Expensive Pets in the World, Business Insider for the 10 Most Expensive Pets you can Buy, Weirdly Odd.com, and Decoded Stuff for the facts about other people's pets.

And if you really want to know about the pet law in Ohio this is what the code says:

"it is illegal for anyone to bring a non-domestic or exotic animal into the state without the proper permits, a health certificate for each animal and a certificate from a veterinarian stating that the animal has been inspected. This law also states that anyone who wishes to possess a non-domestic or exotic animal in the state will not need a permit to do so, only to have them imported into the state."

May is Mental Health Month!

2011-05-02T20:21:00.000-02:00

For those of you who don't know me very well you may be surprised that I'm writing about this topic. May is Mental Health Month and I think this is HUGE!

I was diagnosed with depression when I was a junior in High School however, the signs and symptoms had followed me around for a majority of my life. I truly believe my life has been saved through treatment and I want to encourage anyone who feels they need help to seek it out!

1 in 4 adult Americans live with some sort of treatable mental illness and not all of them are getting help! So if that person is you or someone you love make sure you do them and yourself a favor and SAY SOMETHING! SEEK HELP! ITS OK!

Check out Mental Health America's website to learn more about 1 in 4 or go to www.liveyourlifewell.org to find hints and tips to help you deal with stress and have a better more productive life.

Check out previous and future posts for more about my own mental health and wellness and how I cope. If you are in crisis please seek help IMMEDIATELY by calling the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK. Its free and someone will answer 24/7.

It took me years to seek help and feel better. Please learn from my example and get help today!

My 1st Blog-A-Thon!

2011-05-01T20:13:00.000-02:00

I have never before participated in any sort of "blog-a-thon." I currently haven't been posting much at all because my access to internet has been solely from my office computer. Today's post is brought to you by a bicycle trip to campus and most likely a rainy trip back judging by the sky.

So I would like to say thank you to WordCount for their annual blogging event and whatever article they wrote (I now can't remember what it was) that lead me to their site and allowed me to find out about this blog-a-thon!

Thanks to Michelle Rafter's post 25 ways to blog every day I have created a contingency plan for how I am going to write a blog every day this month! So feel free to read below if you're interested and HOLD ME ACCOUNTABLE and make sure that I do this!

WordCount 2011 Blog-a-thon Plan:
May 1st-1st Day/Contingency Plan
May 4th-Theme Day #1 "My top 5 favorite books on writing are..." I will actually most likely be skipping this in honor of "Wordless Wednesday" where I will be posting a photo on Wednesdays with few to no words.
May 10th-Blog-a-thon Haiku Day (I'm terrible at these but am determined to write one)
May 11th-Wordless Wednesday
May 16th-Guest post/exchange day
May 18th-Wordless Wednesday
May 24th- Theme Day #2 "My top 5 favorite places to write are..."
May 25th-Wordless Wednesday
May 30th-Wordle Day
May 31st-VICTORY POST!

This list includes all of the Events Calendar from Word Count and leaves me breathing a little easier with appoximately 1/3 of my posts planned already! Here's hoping ideas for the other 21 posts will be just as easy as this plan was!

Wish me luck!

I've been featured!

2011-03-22T12:37:00.000-02:00

As a 2011 Global Youth Service Day Blogger on Youth Service America's Website!

Check it out!

Homework

2011-02-21T22:05:00.000-02:00

I am fairly open about the fact that I go to a counselor on a regular basis. As someone who struggles with depression one of the things that's helped me, even more than my medication, has been talk therapy.

One of my favorite things to have from a therapist is homework. Now I know that most people associate homework with those terrible school assignments you had to do or the mountains of reading that made you hate your life through college. But homework during therapy in very important because it forces you to change your habits not just during your sessions but also in your everyday life.

So, I thought I would share with you a few of the homework assignments that I have been given by my counselor to work on until I talk to her again in March.

Hold myself accountable-I keep saying I'm going to start going to the gym...and I haven't yet...so this bit of homework is working on what motivates me to do what I say I will do.
Stick up for myself-Lately I've been having difficulties speaking my mind and expressing to people what is important to me and what I need to function. This is my assignment to put more of an effort towards standing my ground when necessary but also knowing when it is appropriate to let something go.
Compartmentalize-I already know how to do this...but sometimes I just refuse to do so. You know when you WANT to be mad at someone and you let yourself and then you can't get anything done for the rest of the day? Well that is when you need to make yourself compartmentalize and say "you know what, I'm angry with her but I have stuff to do so I'm going to stop thinking about how angry I am and get something done" this allows you to still be angry but to deal with your anger in a better way by not letting it consume you.
Leave work on time. During the month of January I had a goal to leave work on-time one day every month...and I did it. If I had gone everyday that week without leaving on-time I would force myself to log off of my computer and go home no matter what I was working on because I need "me" time. Well, since February started....I completely stopped doing that...so I want to start that tradition again of leaving on-time at least one day per week so as to give myself some boundaries in my work/personal life.

So that's my homework for the next few weeks...are any of these things ideas that you should bring into your life? If you were to sit down with someone who gave you "homework" or a "prescription of the week" (my Hall Director in college used to give me those) what would they give you?

Email me or comment below with ideas of things that you would be given to do...and then try them out!

5 Things Bloggers (and everyone else) Should Do Less Often

2011-02-10T15:22:00.000-02:00

1. Talk about Money.

I know that a majority of bloggers are in it for the bottom line and for getting paid. But honestly, I'm here because I love to write, I love to watch the evolution of social media, I love to work with an organization that does great work (an an AmeriCorps*VISTA I work with a non-profit), and to use social media and blogging to share that information with the rest of the web.

You'll notice that my site has no ads. This is for 2 main reasons: because I know I don't have enough followers for those ads to make any money and because as a VISTA member I'm not allowed to have a second income. The other reason is honestly, I hate going to a website and feeling like the entire thing is a ploy to get me to add to the consumer/wasteful culture that we've cultivated here.

I'm here to do what I love...and I wish others would do more of the same.

2. Worry about traffic

All bloggers want to be read...I mean...why would you bother writing what you're writing if no one is reading it? And I completely agree I sometimes get depressed because I know that my blog has a low readership. However, if all you're doing is worrying about traffic, recycling old posts over and over and over again in your Twitter or Newsfeed I'm probably going to unfollow you or stop coming to your site because you lack new content. I hate clicking on a link from my favorite bloggers and finding myself at a post (I've already read) that they wrote months ago...give me something fresh! You're going to lose your old traffic with boredom and what you need are LOYAL followers...not new ones.

So remember that while we're all trying to increase readership...no one wants to read a blog with stale content; so make that you're first priority.

3. Use Buzzwords they don't
understand

Perhaps this isn't just for bloggers but a general rule I want to remind all people about in life. While buzzwords may make you sound "cool" or "in" if you don't understand what you're talking about you're just going to end up looking like a fool. At a current management interview I was a part of, a woman referred to our community garden project as an "environmental endeavor" while another explained her experience in "mediating conflict" where the people in question were never in the same room at the same time. And honestly...if you're writing about a buzzword you really should know what it means...otherwise...in most blogging communities, someone is going to call you out. So grab a Webster's before using a Buzzword.

4. Forget about themselves

A lot of bloggers are entrepreneurs who are trying to "make it" in this world and while that's great I want to remind everyone (especially myself) that you need to focus on yourself some days when you're "Getting your Sh*t together" (P.S. If you're not part of Sarah Robinson's Escaping Mediocrity 28 days series sign up here NOW!). Most importantly...even if you're not interested in the entire series, read Mark Silver's post to remind you that your business isn't everything.

5. Live Online

While I LOVE making connections online and I think its great to make true friends and lasting relationships through social media and blogging there is something to be said about getting out of your apartment. I constantly feel overwhelmed by the number of Tweets or Facebook posts I miss, the amount of news in the world I can't keep up with, the industry talks that I won't ever understand, etc. But at the same time, I need sleep and more importantly...I need sunshine. I worry about those people (including myself) who never seem to have an appropriate balance in their lives. Whether their balance be work/life, computer/real people, inside/outside, reality/fantasy a lack of balance is bound to lead to burnout and that's the last thing any blogger needs.

So remember sometimes, CALL your friends instead of IM them, walk into a coworkers office instead of emailing them, go out to dinner so you don't start eating at your computer screen or TV every night, and most importantly GO OUTSIDE! Humans are like plants...they need sunshine! And I know for those of us that live in the North that's a little hard...but at least sit by the window today...its beautiful!

A Comment on Recovery

2011-01-31T21:50:00.000-02:00

"Depression Hurts...Cymbalta can help" I hate those terrible advertisements for anti-depressants that tell me that I will feel better when someone prescribes me some "magic pill" that will make everything ok again.

I'm recovering from a bout of Depression that has pretty much made me have to start over in the "happiness" department. Until I started working on this...I couldn't remember what it felt like to be happy. So here we are...one day at a time.

I hate being on medication...but I take it. I'm currently displeased with it because I'm taking 225 mg of something that I didn't feel was helping: I still can't get out of bed in the mornings, I still have a fair bit of apathy about life in general (especially fun), and my eating habits are pretty out-of-whack.

Well this weekend I discovered that it really works...I spent 2 days of my weekend trying to hide crying fits for no reason. Nothing serious had happened, I was running late, or someone had decided not to come out with us for a mutual friends birthday, and I would try to hide the tears and go to the bathroom so that no one would see me crumple. "What's wrong with me?" I would sob to a girlfriend, "Its not even that serious, I just can't help but cry"

I unpack my things after coming back home (I was in Columbus for the weekend) and there are my pills, untouched in the bag all weekend...I hadn't taken them for 2 straight days...oops. Well at least I know they work a little bit.

But in those 2 days of randomly unexplained crying fits of Depression I noticed a few things that I think are worth noting...because really they're HUGE in the grand scheme of things.

1. I could distract myself and find something to smile about.

I remember the days when I was so depressed a puppy, a kitty, and a double rainbow couldn't make me feel better. But a few deep breaths and I could put on a fake smile and eventually find something that gave me a real one. That's right...I had been crying for no reason...and then I smiled...without medication...there is light at the end of the tunnel.

2. I relapse like nobody's business.

When I'm depressed my brain immediately goes back to destructive behaviors that I had when I was in a full-fledged I don't want to live depression. I want to call the same people, do the same things, and hurt myself (mostly emotionally) in the same ways.

3. Richard from Texas was right.

I just finished "reading" (it was a book on CD) Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat. Pray. Love. Where she says

"A Soul mates' purpose is to shake you up, tear apart your ego a little bit, show you your obstacles and addictions, break your heart open so new light can get in, and make you so desperate and out of control that you have to transform your life."

Well, Richard from Texas continues on this thought with the fact that a soul mate does this for you...leads you to the point you're supposed to be...and then...they leave. In Liz Gilbert's case they're talking about the man whom she learned about her Guru from. In my case, we're talking about the person that proved that I really could love like they do in the movies: passionately, with everything I have, to the point that you're desperate and have to change your life; and in both cases, you can't go back to them. That chapter of her life, and that chapter of my life are both closed.

And there it is: acceptance. I've had to do a lot of that during recovery: accept that its ok for me to be happy, accept that if people don't want to help me be happy then I can't keep them in my life, accept that some things in life can't last forever, and accept and relish in the fact that I AM in recovery. And that its all been and will be...worth it in the end.

James Bond Films

2011-01-19T19:30:00.002-02:00

Below is the list of James Bond movies as per my 101 in 1001 goal to watch them all. The ones that I have seen (Josh and I had a Christmas Break marathon) are highlighted as with my previous movie listings.

Dr. No (1962-Sean Connery)
From Russia With Love (1963-Sean Connery)
Goldfinger (1964-Sean Connery)
Thunderball (1965-Sean Connery)
You Only Live Twice (1967-Sean Connery)
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969-George Lazenby)
Diamonds Are Forever (1971-Sean Connery)
Live and Let Die (1973-Roger Moore)
The Man with the Golden Gun (1974-Roger Moore)
The Spy Who Loved Me (1977-Roger Moore)
Moonraker (1979-Roger Moore)
For Your Eyes Only (1981-Roger Moore)
Octopussy (1983-Roger Moore)
A View to a Kill (1985-Roger Moore)
The Living Daylights (1987-Timothy Dalton)
Licence to Kill (1989-Timothy Dalton)
GoldenEye (1995-Pierce Brosnan)
Tomorrow Never Dies (1997-Pierce Brosnan)
The World is Not Enough (1999-Pierce Brosnan)
Die Another Day (2002-Pierce Brosnan)
Casino Royale (2006-Daniel Craig)
Quantum of Solace (2008-Daniel Craig)
"Bond 23" (postponed indefinitely or 2012?)

Other films

Casino Royale (1954-Barry Nelson)
Casino Royale (1967-David Niven & Peter Sellers)
Never Say Never Again (1983-Sean Connery)
Goldeneye (1989) & Spymaker (1990), films about the life of Bond creator, British author Ian Fleming

101 in 1001 take 2 1/2

2010-12-28T03:44:00.059-02:00

So I have been attempting to update my 101 in 1001 list for about a week now because I wanted to complete it before New Years and unfortunately the website seems to have chosen to crash just as I was deciding to take part in this adventure once again. Therefore, I am going to attempt to get my list of things together here (since I had already written an extensive list on the other website) in time to get started on them by the beginning of 2011. So here you are. My list of 101 things to do in 1001 days.

Please note: these do include some things I was working on from my previous list so they may have older dates included.

Note on colors: The fuchsia is the original list. Purple is complete and blue is in progress.

Jessica's 101 in 1001
Start: January 1st, 2011

End: September 28th, 2013

Personal

1. Keep a written journal (regularly)

~~2. Blog at least once a week for a month (hopefully forever)~~
Completed my Wordcount Blog-a-thon challenge!

3. Write personal (and professional) goals for each month and work to achieve them (5/33)

4. Change my bathroom inspiration quotes once a week (for at least a month)

5. Write something positive about my day every night for at least two weeks

6. Make a meal out of all local ingredients

7. Spend an hour of "me-time" a week that does not involve TV

8. Take a self defense class

9. Go to a Bible study (must try for at least a month)

10. Watch a sunrise

11. Watch a sunset

12. Sell a piece of art I've created

13. Buy something for myself worth more than $100 without feeling guilty about it

14. Perform in public with my guitar

Share with Others

15.Throw a surprise party for someone

16.Take Jo and Adam to IKEA to pick out their wedding gift

~~17. Take Josh to Newport Aquariums~~

18. Have a REAL date with Josh once per month (6/33)
19. Save up for Payton's Dance Classes

20. Learn enough about wine to help someone else pick out a bottle

21. Send 10 Christmas Cards by December 12th every year of this challenge

22. Get Mom an external hard-drive to store all of her photographs safely

23. Donate blood at least 3 times

24. Send one snail mail card or letter per month (6/33)
25. Give someone something that I've made (aka the scarf I'm going to learn to knit or crochet)

26. Have girl time with my coworkers at the El Dorado

Nerd Out

27. Reach 500 followers on Twitter
April, 2011-312 Followers

28. Reach 5,000 tweets
April, 2011-2,015 tweets

29. Create my own HTML template for my blog

30. Create a photography portfolio (online) for myself and keep it updated

31. Create a Youtube video where I filmed and edited the material before posting

32. Have written 1,000 posts on this blog
May 10, 2011-110 posts!
13 June 2011-137 posts

33. Do some research on SEO and really understand how to use it

Big Girl Things

34. Get a frame for my diploma and hang it in the office at my big girl job

35. Train myself to wake up ON-TIME to go to work

~~36. Leave work on-time one night each week for at least a month (4/4)~~
Now the trick is getting myself to KEEP leaving work on time!

37. Get over $2000 in my savings account and LEAVE IT THERE!

38. Apply for 25 big girl jobs (11/25)

~~39. Get a big girl job (hopefully choose one of the ones I applied for)~~

40. Upgrade to a big girl bed AKA NOT a twin bed

41. Have a classy cocktail party Ala Jeanine and Olivia

42. Join the OSU Alumni Association

43. Go to a networking or job search event and feel as if I have made good connections upon my return

44. Paint my kitchen

45. Paint my living room

46. Get a real desk to work at in my apartment

Learn to...
47. Play my guitar
48. Use a dark room

49. Speak another language
50. Horseback Ride

51. Waltz

52. Drive a stick shift

53. Knit or crochet

54. Shoot a gun (I've done this before but I don't really KNOW how)

55. Get certified in CPR

56. Cook 10 new things
1. Brussel Sprouts
2. Vegan vegetable soup broth
3. Chicken Tortilla Soup (I think this needs a take 2, it didn't go very well)
4. Chicken Broccoli Casserole
5. Artichoke

57. Meditate

Movies
58. All of AFI's Top 100

27 December 2010-19/100
13 June 2011-21/100

~~59. Every James Bond Movie~~
Now I want to see all of the "unofficial" ones.

60. The Godfather Series

Read
61. Read at least one book per month (see book list in another post) (5/33)

62. Read the Bible front to back

63. Read the newspaper everyday for a week

64. All of the self-help books I've purchased (4/?)

65. All of the books I bought in France

Health and Beauty

66. Begin (and keep) a workout habit

67. Get a professional manicure

68. Get a professional pedicure

69. Throw out all of my underwear and start over

~~70. Buy "FM" shoes~~
The next step is learning how to walk in them!

~~71. Wash my face morning and night everyday for at least one week straight~~

~~72. Moisturize everyday for a week~~

73. Drink my entire VISTA bottle full of water everyday for one week straight

74. Take my vitamins everyday for one month

75. Find a personal style and rock it

Travel/Visit

76. Visit the Columbus Conservatory

77. Visit all Ohio zoos

Columbus Zoo-Zoo Lights, December 2007

Akron Zoo-June 2008

Cincinnati Zoo's Festival of Lights-December 2010

78. Put my feet in the ocean
79. Plan/take my next trip abroad
80. Go to Country concert

81. Take a Road trip
82. Go to all 48 contiguous states (and the other 2 if I can get there)

83. Plan a trip to Chicago

84. Visit two Ohio Wineries

For the Love of the Game

85. Go to an NBA game (preferably the Cavs of course)

86. Go to a Columbus Blue Jackets game

87. Go to a Brown's Game

88. Host a party for "The Big Game"

~~89. Go to a Columbus Crew Match (with Josh)~~

90. Go to a Fighting Quakers game

Clean Out and Organize

91. Create a filing system and keep things filed

92. Donate, re-gift, throw out and/or remove 101 things from my life (30/101)

93. Find and/or create a functional island for the kitchen

94. Create my Europe scrapbook

~~95. Clean out fire safe box and find out what really needs to be in there~~

96. Get the correct medication cocktail worked out with my doctor

97. Meet with my counselor twice a month for at least 6 months (5/6)

98. Clean out my work files and keep work and personal files separate

99. Use my fabulous pink swiffer sweeper at least once per week

100. Get another bookshelf for my apartment
101. Find a new personal calendar that works for me

AFI's Top 100 movies

2010-12-28T02:09:00.006-02:00

Below is the ORIGINAL list of AFI's Top 100 movies. I will begin highlighting the movies I have seen all the way through in one sitting (seeing bits and pieces at different times doesn't count) because my goal is to complete this list as one of my 101 in 1001 goals.

1998 List

#	Movie	Year
1.	Citizen Kane	1941
2.	Casablanca	1942
3.	The Godfather	1972
4.	Gone with the Wind	1939
5.	Lawrence of Arabia	1962
6.	The Wizard of Oz	1939
7.	The Graduate	1967
8.	On the Waterfront	1954
9.	Schindler's List	1993
10.	Singin' in the Rain	1952
11.	It's a Wonderful Life	1946
12.	Sunset Blvd.	1950
13.	The Bridge on the River Kwai	1957
14.	Some Like It Hot	1959
15.	Star Wars	1977
16.	All About Eve	1950
17.	The African Queen	1951
18.	Psycho	1960
19.	Chinatown	1974
20.	One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest	1975
21.	The Grapes of Wrath	1940
22.	2001: A Space Odyssey	1968
23.	The Maltese Falcon	1941
24.	Raging Bull	1980
25.	E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial	1982
26.	Dr. Strangelove	1964
27.	Bonnie and Clyde	1967
28.	Apocalypse Now	1979
29.	Mr. Smith Goes to Washington	1939
30.	The Treasure of the Sierra Madre	1948
31.	Annie Hall	1977
32.	The Godfather Part II	1974
33.	High Noon	1952
34.	To Kill a Mockingbird	1962
35.	It Happened One Night	1934
36.	Midnight Cowboy	1969
37.	The Best Years of Our Lives	1946
38.	Double Indemnity	1944
39.	Doctor Zhivago	1965
40.	North by Northwest	1959
41.	West Side Story	1961
42.	Rear Window	1954
43.	King Kong	1933
44.	The Birth of a Nation	1915
45.	A Streetcar Named Desire	1951
46.	A Clockwork Orange	1971
47.	Taxi Driver	1976
48.	Jaws	1975
49.	Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs	1937
50.	Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid	1969
51.	The Philadelphia Story	1940
52.	From Here to Eternity	1953
53.	Amadeus	1984
54.	All Quiet on the Western Front	1930
55.	The Sound of Music	1965
56.	MASH	1970
57.	The Third Man	1949
58.	Fantasia	1940
59.	Rebel Without a Cause	1955
60.	Raiders of the Lost Ark	1981
61.	Vertigo	1958
62.	Tootsie	1982
63.	Stagecoach	1939
64.	Close Encounters of the Third Kind	1977
65.	The Silence of the Lambs	1991
66.	Network	1976
67.	The Manchurian Candidate	1962
68.	An American in Paris	1951
69.	Shane	1953
70.	The French Connection	1971
71.	Forrest Gump	1994
72.	Ben-Hur	1959
73.	Wuthering Heights	1939
74.	The Gold Rush	1925
75.	Dances with Wolves	1990
76.	City Lights	1931
77.	American Graffiti	1973
78.	Rocky	1976
79.	The Deer Hunter	1978
80.	The Wild Bunch	1969
81.	Modern Times	1936
82.	Giant	1956
83.	Platoon	1986
84.	Fargo	1996
85.	Duck Soup	1933
86.	Mutiny on the Bounty	1935
87.	Frankenstein	1931
88.	Easy Rider	1969
89.	Patton	1970
90.	The Jazz Singer	1927
91.	My Fair Lady	1964
92.	A Place in the Sun	1951
93.	The Apartment	1960
94.	Goodfellas	1990
95.	Pulp Fiction	1994
96.	The Searchers	1956
97.	Bringing Up Baby	1938
98.	Unforgiven	1992
99.	Guess Who's Coming to Dinner	1967
100.	Yankee Doodle Dandy	1942

Booklist

2010-12-28T01:35:00.003-02:00

You will notice in my 101 in 1001 that instead of listing the books that I want to read as separate goals I simply put that I want to read at least one book a month for the year. So here are some of the ones that have been on my list for awhile.

1. One Ian Fleming Book
2. Silmarillion
3. A Walk to Remember
4. The Notebook
5. The Chronicles of Narnia
6. Mere Christianity
7. Dante's Inferno
8. Paradise Lost
9. The Philip Pullman Trilogy
10. One Libba Bray Book
11. A Tale of Two Cities
12. Reread Pride and Prejudice
13. Reread The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
14. Reread the Harry Potter Series
15. All the French books I bought in France
~~16. Eat. Pray. Love.~~

101 in 1001

2010-12-13T15:13:00.000-02:00

This will be my second set of 101 in 1001 goals (and this time I'll actually use their site so check it out here). If you want to read my first set you can check them out here. The new set includes things that I didn't get to the first time: such as learning to use a darkroom and planning my next trip abroad but we've also left a few things behind.

I think its interesting to think about goals and ways to better ourselves and as I'm really becoming an adult and am starting my second term as an AmeriCorps*VISTA in Wilmington, OH I'm starting to wonder about the person I want to be...permanently. Its occurred to me that while we all continue to grow and change as life goes on that there is a certain point where you become pretty much an adult and you are...for the most part...you. And I'm interested to figure out who that person is...so stay tuned for a few more posts about goals, New Year's Resolutions and what's to come.

30 Days to End Hunger

2010-11-16T21:08:00.000-02:00

The reason I haven't been writing for the past month is because of my 30 Days to End Hunger Awareness Campaign that I organized for the WC campus. It's had me spending my days (and evenings) doing lots of different things.

Tonight is one of the final events...possibly the one I'm most nervous about: "Chat with a Homeless Guy" while my 'guy' is not currently homeless, he was formerly. I've also invited the Director of our local homeless shelter...sounds great right...I'm worried about not having any students...and on top of all of that...its rainy and gross out...students HATE rainy and gross.

So here's hoping everything goes well...1 week till Thanksgiving!

Happy National Coming Out Day!

2010-10-11T19:12:00.001-02:00

I just wanted to drop a line and say Happy National Coming Out Day! Don't be afraid to be who you are!

Want to learn more about the Human Rights' Campaign's National Coming Out Day (or tell your story) Click here!

And don't just read this...do something to celebrate. I'm going to go tie dye a shirt with our Gay/Straight Alliance on campus!

Mental Illness Awareness Week

2010-10-05T15:07:00.000-02:00

In the craziness that has been my last 2 weeks I had completely forgotten that this week is Mental Illness Awareness Week and in honor of that I was perusing the MIAW website and found the following Vlog post that really reminded me of something that I had been forgetting recently.

"Medecine and therapy are not enough you have to make your mental health a priority."

And Marie (the vlogger) is completely right and I think in the rush to do great things at work and to get as much into my day as I can I've been forgetting that. So here's to Mental Illness Awareness Week and a reminder that your mental health should come first.

Hunger Action Month: Week 5

2010-10-04T15:04:00.000-02:00

Rescued Food!

Check out what I did with some volunteers from a local fraternity, Sigma Zeta, last week! Not only did we rescue food but we're also hoping that this post with a little attention from the local media will turn into a HUGE push in our community to rescue even more!