Considering we’ve just offloaded 4 old computers at our house, this new book seems particularly timely.
You can enter a giveaway and read Craft magazine’s review <a href=”http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2010/02/book_giveaway_project_excerpt_1.html”>here</a>.
Too often, especially this time of year, I get all caught up in the “oh, but I can’t do that” syndrome. I am friends with a lot of people who live on farms, and they’re planning their gardens and their animals are having babies and whatnot. I read blogs of people waiting for their rooftop gardens to thaw out, Jill at Blue Gate is taking over her parents’ cabin to make massive quantities of noodles, etc.
I don’t have a place to garden. I can only keep a few small animals. I don’t have a cabin to make noodles in. There’s a LOT that I can’t do, or that I choose not to do because it’s not very practical for our family.
And it’s easy to get tied in to all that What I Can’t Do stuff.
But it’s probably better to focus on what I CAN do.
This year, I CAN add to my flock, and I CAN add another small meat animal. This year, I CAN add some fruit trees to my yard. This year, I CAN make smaller batches of noodles in my extremely tiny kitchen.
There are things I CAN do, and I’d bet there are things YOU can do, as well. Maybe you can’t raise chickens in your backyard, but you can find a small sunny patch to grow some salad greens. Maybe you can’t have goats for fresh goat’s milk, but you could find a local farmer who can supply you with fresh goat’s cheese. (and if the Legislature passes the raw milk bill, said farmer could even supply you with fresh milk!)
We spent last weekend in the basement office (aka “family room”). We got rid of one computer and one desk and consolidated the whole office area. I love it. We still have the old desk, but it’s going to go home with Randy’s dad some time. Or I’ll get sick of it and tear it apart and put it on the curb, one or the other. It looks much bigger down there now, and less cluttered. AND we got everything up off the floor, hence the Getting Ready for Spring part.
We tend to get lazy over the winter and aren’t super careful about leaving things (toys, books, pillows, blankets) on the floor, but towards spring, we can’t do that, because the basement could fill with water any moment.
Alright, I was approached by the ICAN National Conference folks to webmaster the 2011 conference website. After much consideration, I decided to say no. I really wanted to say yes. It’s something I could do, for an organization I appreciate. But honestly, I needed to choose sanity. So I did. It feels good.
I chose Locum. I think I used it poorly. I’m embarrassed about that.
Arguing with Idiots: How to Stop Small Minds and Big Government
I asked for this for Christmas, and just finished it this morning. Good read.
Beggars can’t be Choosers.
Ever feel like everyone else in the world is just out to make a buck, and who cares who they push down to get it? Feeling that way a lot lately.
And then in cleaning out some files last night, I came across a series of old emails that stirred up a lot of bad feelings and made me want to send an email that said, basically, “hey! been a long time! You’re a dick. K, bye!” But I didn’t of course.
As always, I’m behind. Watching Ice Dancing.
I like Ice Dancing, maybe better than pairs figure skating. Unfortunately, it’s not that popular here.
I’m not a proponent of Ballroom dancing being an Olympic sport (there was a push a few years ago to make it such), but it does seem silly that Ice Dancing is, but ballroom dancing isn’t. Ice dancing is just ballroom on ice. And, like ballroom, many of the couples are brother and sister, which is an interesting contrast to the pairs – at least those shown on TV – of pairs figure skating.
Watching the Israeli couple dance/skate… I’m trying to remember whether I’ve seen any other Israeli athletes in the Olympics. Ever. There are a LOT of countries that we never get to see on the TV coverage, because their athletes aren’t favored, they stand no chance, etc. I hate that part of the TV coverage.
I’ve developed a strong dislike for the Korean speed skaters.
And I love how everyone becomes an expert during the Olympics. We listen to commentators’ brief explanations of the rules of the sports, and we think we know what we’re talking about. LOL.
The View From Here 