(Re) Chic

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 l...

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!

   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. 

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?

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!!!

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!  

Using my garage sale find. 

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 ...

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 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!

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 g...

You didn't get taken in the rapture either. Let's be friends!

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 ...

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 w...

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!

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!

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...

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!

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 picki...