1 New Item on My Amazon Wish-list

(This blog entry was automatically generated by Multiply's Wish-list Cross-posting feature.)

Below are items recently added to my Amazon wish-list. If you are familiar with anything below and have any comments or alternate suggestions, please leave a reply.

Click here to see my full and current wish-list.

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Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance - Now with Ultraviolent Zombie Mayhem! Manufacturer: Quirk Books Price: $10.36 Learn More

KAY !!!!!!! IT ARRIVED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just had a neighbour from up the street walk in on my buck naked.  Well don't walk into an open doorway without checking first!

However he did bring me two packages that had been mis-delivered.  One is Kay's 2009 RR and the other is also from Kay and when I opened it I saw a Happy Birthday card!

The missing one finally arrived !!!!!

Lust List - Charts N-Z

Simply Old Fashioned

http://www.simplyoldfashioned.com/

OK after 750 pictures in one album I finally broke Multiply. Lust List Charts are now spread over multiple albums :)

Note: Please do not ask mhttp://images.multiply.com/multiply/icons/clean/24x24/x.pnge to send charts to you electronically; I respect and adhere to copyright laws, and in so doing, to send you an electronically reproduced chart would put me and you in violation of those laws.

"gorgeous Growth Rings by Ink Circles"

Hmm - catching up on the Violarium blog today I noticed this snippet:

"March/April issue of Just Cross Stitch arrived today! " .... "Then there is a cute St. Patrick's Day design by Prairie Moon, gorgeous Growth Rings by Ink Circles and a cute bunny and lots more!"

Have I been asleep again or has our favorite designer been characteristically humble about a new design ....

Hmmm - when its cool enough to go outside, I'd better go and try and track down a copy of said magazine .........

Blind-sided

I was completely blind-sided last night.

I had picked up the latest James Patterson thriller from the library, had a crappy day at work and prepared to sit down and escape into a book for a while where the goodies were good and the baddies were bad and it was a thrill a minute.

As an aside.  I read mysteries, I reader thrillers, I read fantasy, science fiction. I read pulp. I love to read as pure escapism.  I don't read high literary art.  I don't read novels that explore complex human interactions in stupefyingly dull prose.  I love a boys own rollicking good read.  For the same reason I do not read true-crime.  As most friends can attest, I don't even know who most real life crime psycho killers are!

I'm not interested in how much hurt we can do to each other.  I can read that in the newspapers.  I want a book that has tension, and action and leaves you quivering for What Happens Next (tm), a happy ending, or at least a resolution, where most of the major characters make it out alive and are ready to face the baddies in the next book.

And yes - you guessed it.  James Patterson in his latest Alex Cross novel takes our hero to Africa.  To Nigeria. To Darfur.  He introduces us to characters and then describes the atrocities they have witnessed.  Atrocities they have been victims of and then he kills them in horrifying manners through the book.   We witness our hero being tortured, we see the realities of bribery as a way of life, we hear 80% of all women in the country are raped, sometimes with pieces of wood.

James Patterson is a skilled writer.  He brought those atrocities, that are happening now, into my reality.

And he described the hopelessness of the situation.  There there's not a damn thing a normal person can do to help.

I've been thinking about this all day.  I doubt its gong to change my life in a dramatic fashion, but it reminded me of humanities passion for power and hatred of other humans.

I'm not going anywhere with this; I just had to get my thoughts out.

I'm going back to Terry Pratchett - you know where you stand in Discworld :)

Not getting much stitching done lately

I wonder why ???

And that's not including the excess of heat and the surfeit of cricket .....

Just wanted to say

Congrats USA on a smooth transition today :)

New sub cultures

Its amazing how much I don't notice.  {Speaking in first person because I don't if everyone is just as oblivious or if its just me}

I started to walk to work this morning and got about 15 mins in and decided "nope - too hot for me", so I cut sideways for a block and caught the next tram.

While sitting on the tram and waiting the interminable time for my ebook reader to start up I looked around at my fellow passenger.  There were 6 other passengers dressed like me in full work clothing with sneakers.  One guy was doing stretches.  All looked puffed out and red from the heat.

People who had done exactly as I had - started walking and thought "stuff this" and caught the tram.  Two stops on, one of the guys that had overtaken me in my walking jumped on the tram.

I wonder how many other people had done this before Christmas and I'd just never noticed as I had not been one of them ...

This is beautiful

I know - I haven't much to say lately except blog links ...

This is a from a friend of mine.  Yes a Real Life friend even though we haven't met in person for a couple of years now ....

I just love this:

http://wysewoman.wordpress.com/2009/01/16/i-rescued-a-human-today/

For the knitters

another knitting project.

Unfortunately it doesn't come with a pattern .....

I know its just an advert ...

... but THIS should bring a smile :)

Not enough forgiveness in the world

It is not possible for me to ever forgive the great Mr Stephen Fry for twittering the link to THIS.

So I must simply spread the misery further ....

Who has my brain bleach?

Clutter

I've been spending some time this weekend tidying up and rearranging.  I've been meaning to declutter, but having difficulties trying to figure what to get rid of.  I've been doing a lot over the last few months, before the move and since, and now I'm at a point where I just need to rearrange what I have better I think.

However I read a really good post on this blog earlier today.

I'd encourage everyone to read it - quite an interesting article and interesting blog in general.

Anyway the salient points I took from this article is "what is clutter" and "how did it get here"?

Except from the article:

TOP 4 BY-DEFAULT CLUTTER CHOICES

1. My [insert name of well-meaning relative] gave it to me and I just can’t throw it out.
   This is tricky. But it gets down to this: life’s short and it’s your place. Objects carry memories and attitudes with them. If you want your home to be your temple or your chill-zone, then making choices based on obligation are only going to weigh you down.
2. I really hate this [insert home item or piece of clothing] but I’m waiting to have the money to buy a new one.
   Something amazing happens when you get the stuff you don’t like out of your life – stuff that you do like has the room to show up. So chuck the old futon chair from university days, even if it means you sit on the floor for a while. You’ll be raising the vibe, shedding unwanted pounds and sending the universe a clear signal that you’re ready for quality…right now, not later.
3. I got it for free, so I may as well keep it.
   Gasp. This is the ultimate gotchya-sucker default choice. ‘Cause ain’t nothing for free, baby! (Well, true love is free, but that’s about it.) If it’s taking up physical or mental space – it’s costing you. Everything has an environmental cost to manufacture, ship and dispose of. And when I think of all the “free” crap that I lugged around from apartment to apartment in moving vans – I could have saved enough to buy stuff I really loved.
4. But what if I need it someday?
   Trust that if you ever need it, you’ll have what you need to get it. If you haven’t worn it for a year and half – give it away. If you’re waiting to lose the ten pounds, forget it. Just love yourself now. A happy life is an as-is life. And junk drawers are called junk drawers for a reason.

Simplicity demands ruthlessness. Consistent, conscious choices create momentum in your life, vitality, sweet satisfaction. You are what you eat. You are the friends you keep. And you are the stuff you choose. So choose from the heart every time – it always knows what’s best for you – and your living room.

I'm still mulling it over as I can see she has some good points.  Its point 4 that's the hardest for me to let go of I think.

So what about the rest of you - which of these points is hard for you - or do you live in a clutter-free environment?

The above picture is my kitchen this afternoon after I rearranged some furniture, moved the microwave, hung some hooks on the walls etc.  I am working to the principle of "create the illusion of space".  I figured this one out myself instead of reading it anywhere.  I feel more comfortable with more space and my little apartment can feel cramped quite easily - so by keeping bench tops clear I am creating the illusion of having space even when I don't.  This is my WHOLE KITCHEN.  That's it - the whole space.

Death of Newspapers?

Interesting article ...

Woooo! I have an excuse :)

According to this article all of my depression, loss of short term memory, overspending, weight increase etc, can ALL be attributed to the fact that I have moved from a rural area to an inner city environment!

Well that might be a slight stretch - but it is a very interesting article.  Have a read....

Mel's Sunday Update

Wow - I think this is the first actual proper Sunday update I've done for the year!

Lets see so far I have one finish which I can't show until late next month.  I have finished the Inkcircles Mystery Book of InkCircles (BoINK).  You can see all the sections that have been officially released so far here.

For those who want to join in, the parts can be found here.

I didn't get to join in the unofficial Chatelaine SAL this month, but I am itching to join in next month!  As soon as my 2009 RR piece is finished and on its way to the next person.  I haven't done much on my RR yet, but photos can be seen here.

The only other piece I have worked on this year is a Vervaco kit called Moscow.  Anyone who remembers "Black Beauty or Something in Red" dresses from last year will recognise this as a similar style.  This kit was a gift from Chele.  Pictures here.

More Vervaco kits can be seen in my temporary Lust List here.

And that's it from me so far this year.  Except to ask the same question I ask every Sunday evening - why do I have to go to work tomorrow?  Oh yeah that's right, because I haven't won Lotto yet.  Maybe I might buy a ticket this year.

Today's picture du jour is Alison on Christmas Eve.

IT'S DONE !!!!!

Its done Its done It"s DONE !!!!!!

I have my first finish for the year and I can't show a picture.

The very final panel of BoInk is not a difficult stitch but for some reason I had an infestation of Cane Toads!

It is however, after three discs of Farscape Season 1 episodes, finished which therefore makes the whole project DONE!!!!

{happy sigh} Now a spot of dinner and then Farscape Season 1 disc 4 while I go back to starting my RR.

Picture here is Trubs curled up on said RR with a my Chibithulu and Cricket Bear ... Yes I love my plushies, (especially my men) ....

WaetherCat!

I don't speak German so I have no idea what is actually being said, I just thought it was sooo cute - especially the way the tail shows up at the beginning of the clip - Jaws-style .....

Thanks to Mr Bears for sending me the link .....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zP4zaMvV__4&eurl=&feature=player_embedded

2009 Round Robin

Progress on mine and other RRs in 2009.

What font are you?

http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/helvetica/quiz.html

You are Biergarten
Some people have a misanthropic side. You, on the other hand, have it written across your face. It's not that you're in a bad mood, or that you're just naturally gloomy - you just want to be left alone.

Okay we'll leave you alone.



Hmmm - wonder if I should really do these memes after being at work all day.

And yes it is a very Gothic font - unfortunately it doesn't translate well here.

2008 Recap

Well lets see a this point in 2008:

* I had just split with Paul and good riddance to him, his drinking and his mother.
* I had an OK job but a horrendous commute.
* Financially I was good.
* I loved my house.

I was feeling lonely and unfulfilled with work and life in general. 

In February work sent me to Melbourne for a Rare Book Summer School.  There was no reason to send me, but the boss wanted more people on courses and I have a love of old things so I was one of two people who got to go.

This did two things:
* Reawaken my love for old materials and my desire to complete Masters in Cultural Conservation
* Put me back in touch with an old friend.

The old friend was Stephen and most of you here know the rest of that story.

Easter I spend in Melbourne again with Stephen and met another old friend from the SCA. One who didn't spit at me as soon as see me.  This is an area of my life that I had been avoiding since the marriage breakup seven years ago.  My ex-husband had careful spread rumors about me and destroyed what reputation I had in that group before we split up.  Ever walk into a room of about 30 acquaintances and have them all literally turn their back on you?  I have.

This is, to be honest, part of the reason I really was unsure about starting another relationship with Stephen - he knew of a lot of these people and I would come in contact with some of them again through the circles he moves in. 

But that Easter, in the kitchen at the convention with Taffy really boosted my self-esteem in that area.  I will not ever rejoin the SCA but I can stop running from them now.

Easter was also a time when I finally got Paul out of my life for good. Traumatic but necessary.  We could not "remain friends" the way I had wanted.

The next few months passed in a flurry of constant communication with Stephen, countless hours commuting, countless hours whinging about the commuting, a workplace that was progressively getting easier and better to work at, and a little stitching.

In June Stephen and I were engaged for three days.  During this month I received a temporary promotion at work and I was significantly reducing my debts.

In July I was informed that my landlady was kicking me out to sell the place, and I placed a job application with RMIT University in Melbourne.

In September after a lot of angst and anxiety and spending every cent I could lay my hands on, I arrived in Melbourne via my mum's place where she had had significant health issues.

A couple of weeks into the job and living in the new house I realised I had made major errors in assumptions and I am now bringing home significantly less disposable income than I was before the move.

In October Stephen announced our engagement officially.  We dealt with angst and negativity from all the expected (and a couple of unexpected) quarters.

In December I became an Aunty again.

Now it is January 2009.  Monday.  Stephen left last night to return to Perth.  I start work again tomorrow.

I am still horrendously broke and owe a lot more money than I would ever wish to, to areas I would rather not owe money.  I have a job I like inside a department I hate.  I hate working there, I hate my manager, my co-team leader and most of my staff.  Hate hate hate.

I love being in Melbourne.
I love my house.
I love Stephen.
I have always and will always love Trubs.
I am slowly learning to live within my new means.
I wont have my debts paid off for years and I wont be able to afford the Masters degree for many years.  But I'm aware of this and learning to live with this too.
I have no friends here yet, but hopefully that will change.

All in all, although my life is not perfect, (far from it in terms of finances and job happiness) I think I am in a better position within myself than I was at this time last year.

I made a few adjustments with my superannuation payments, and acquired a freezer and some sports bras in the post Christmas sales so I can start working on the health and financial issues now.

I have a cat and a man that love me very much and I can afford to pay the bills that are due this week.

That's enough for now.

I will probably change my tune as soon as I go back to work tomorrow - but for today there's stitching and the cricket is about to start!

Happy Cat

Taken about an hour ago on 2 January 2009.

One happy cat.

Trubs and Mr N T Bears

This is NOT a fair photograph.  It was taken while Mr Bears was still in the process of waking up - this is his zombie phase.

But it was too cute a shot to resist - and look at the expression on Trubs face ....

WIP - Moscow

Ran out of thread in kit. Don't know how to get more. Project stopped.

Moscow - one of three clothing styles by Vervaco.

Its the little things

If all bits and bobs arrived in time I planned on starting Vienna Ball on New Years Day.

I collected most of the DMC.
The specialty kit arrived from Debbie.
On New Years Eve the fabric arrived.

It was hideous.  OK not hideous - it was in fact quite a pretty pastel sky blue.  For something that called "Evening Shadows" and supposed to be dark purples and greys ????

Pictures for comparison here.

I was quite depressed about the whole thing.  I have emailed Catherine at Country Stitch and sending the fabric back.  She is dyeing a different colour for me once I decide between Twilight and Thundercloud.

So instead on New Years Day I continued stitching on Moscow.

I was sitting it down late last night (ahem early hours of the morning) and viewing the work from a distance - as you do.  I admit I was still a bit rankled that I was working on it instead of Vienna Ball. 

Mr S was just finishing up his stuff when I made the comment "I always seem to be working on boring pieces when you are around"/

I received a distracted "I don't think any of your stitching projects look boring".

Its the little things .....

Happy 2009 to all!

Christmas Special

David Tennant.  Cybermen.  STEAM PUNK !!!!


Ok the plot had large holes and it negated the whole premise behind the origins of Torchwood - but I still thought it a really cute story!