Life as a Nuurdy Girl

Hello????

2012-01-27T13:34:00.000-08:00

So......a lovely friend, ELAINE, just inquired through a mutual friend to see if I was OK. Having exited the Facebook universe some time ago......there has been much lost contact. *sad panda*

For those wanting to know.....I am great!! :-) And please feel free to find me:

Time To Change......

2011-06-21T10:33:00.001-07:00

As you have all noticed, it has been a while since I got a podcast out on the airwaves. The past two months of "silence" have not been by choice....but the next 6 weeks or so will be.

Those of you who have been so kind in listening to the podcast and taking a look at my blog posts are well aware that my time management is not terrific. Over the past few months, the craziness of life has really thrown me for a loop, and my publishing activities are what have suffered most. Changes with kid schedules, new job and commute schedule, picking up contract work, tackling fitness classes, and overall lack of inspiration, have all contributed to my podcasters-block.

Most of us hit those moments of self-doubt, sometimes more than once, and question "what do I want to be when I grow up." For me....this has been a prevalent question in my personal life. I have reached a point in my career where I don't have the drive and ambition to take on the world like I did in my 20s; my job is just a job, but my life is something separate. And with that new realization, I am figuring out what I want my LIFE to be. And this includes what I publish via a blog and/or podcast. Deep inside I know I want it to be more than it has been, but haven't figured out the details of what that means or how to do it.

So thank you.......most importantly.......for sticking out the silent times with me. Thank you for your chats on Twitter, the repinning fun on Pinterest, and the occassional comments on Ravelry. The next few weeks I will be planning out podcast episodes, and see if I can get ahead of the curve and provide more interesting and relevant content - please feel free to let me know if there is anything YOU want to hear about. The Ravelry group will remain in effect, as will the Twitter-ness that I have come to rely on every day. What may actually increase, is the frequency of blog posts.....which will be done via the Posterous blog (link). Basically.....it's time to Buck Up Little Camper, and Get A Grip!

Episode 17 "Hooking Back Around....."

2011-04-24T12:10:00.000-07:00

Working on Hinterland
Finished my own Delphi
Chain Reaction Afghan Project
Dragon Blood Cupcakes - they taste SOOO much better than they look

GoGo Comes Home!

Nuurdy Confession:

C.R.O.C.H.E.T

A little bit of history......and some new hotness.....
Pinwheel Decorative Potholder
Blue Mandala Throw
Temair Throw
Crochet Lace Bolero
But don't forget The Crochet Dude!

Musical Craftiness:
Yarn by Cyrusfx
Daughters of History by Morning Spy

Episode 16 "Patchwork Girl of Oz....."

2011-02-20T16:01:00.000-08:00

Crafty-ness:

5 1/2 hour throw
Making up mitties
Window cookies saved by Jenn
The Snuggles Project

Nuurdy Confession:

Thank you, Mr. Baum, for the wonderful land of Oz....

Oz Central
Literary Traveler - L. Frank Baum

Music info:
Flying Kansas by Cagey House
Caught in a Cyclone by Smoke Ring Days
Ozro by Briareus

My first secret project....

2011-02-06T11:53:00.001-08:00

Now that the "secret project" has been delivered and received by the recipient (with a good report)....I thought I would share what it was.

Some friends are about to celebrate their 6th wedding anniversary. Hubby decided to plan an Alaskan cruise for the event...and wanted something special to go along with it. He asked me to make a scarf with their names on it for his wife to wear! How cute!

There was no way for me to crochet or knit a scarf the right size in the amount of time I had to get it done. I can crochet pretty fast, and had a month to get completed - but I know how my life goes and knew that I would wind up having something come up. So I opted to sew this project.

1. half a yard of burgundy fleece
2. half a yard of black fleece
3. half a yard of off-white flannel
4. variegated cotton thread

The scarf is two long strips of burgundy fleece sewn together. There is black fleece fringe on each edge that you can't see in the pictures. The words are cut from flannel and stitched down with variegated thread with about 1/4" to fray at the edges. Each time this goes through the washer and dryer, the letters will get fuzzier and softer.SQLJoe really loves MadyColon! :)

Thanks for the opportunity to work on this!!! I loved doing it!

Episode 15 "Zombification"

2011-01-23T20:43:00.000-08:00

Craftiness:

Nuurdy Confession:

ZOMBIES!!!

Music:
Thomas Window Paine by DraculaZombieUSA
Zombie Girl by The Quintessentials
Zombie Pirates in Love by Tom Smith

Episode 14 "Green Eyed Monster"

2010-12-05T18:53:00.000-08:00

Crafty Stuff

Nicoles Cap by Sarah Read
Arachne's Tears Scarf by Debra Lea
Easy Sideways Hat

Nuurdy Confession:

My blue eyes are sometimes GREEN with envy.....

Music:
Jealousy Instrumental by IASIIS
Jealousy by Sammy Barker

Episode 13 "Tryptophan IS Your Friend"

2010-11-21T14:05:00.000-08:00

This very special episode is dedicated to the holiest of Holy Holidays.......TURKEY WORSHIP THURSDAY! known in some circles as Thanksgiving......

Our Thanksgiving Menu:

Turkey Breast (one roasted with veggies, garlic, and butter; one stuffed and rolled)
Peacock Family dressing
Steamed then roasted yams, apples, and jicayma
Peas
Waldorf Salad
MASHED POTATOES (mountains of potatoes)
Sliceable gravy
Whole wheat rolls
Home made cranberry sauce
Pumpkin Pie
Tres Leche cake
Apple Pie

Crazy Thanksgiving Craftiness:

Tom Turkey
Wreath
Gourds and Squash
Pumpkins
Jive Turkey Baby Hat
Turkey Leg Dishcloth
Turkey Coasters
Turkey Placemat
Turkey Hat
Thanksgiving Mitts

Thanksgiving Sticker Scenes
Necklace
Bulletin Board

Music:
Thanks for Nothing Alien Jerks by TDN
Thanks to You by Ayla Brown
Give Thanks by JoJoe

Branding......A Kinky Necessity

2010-11-17T14:28:00.001-08:00

To "brand" something means to uniquely identify a product. That product could be anything from cattle to phones, and often includes a "personal brand" for people marketing their careers on their own. Personal Branding....while in some circles is a kinky fetish.....is about creating yourself and your skills as a product that employers and clients alike cannot live without.

Regardless of industry, branding has become a necessity. Gone are the days when you got a job right out of school, and earned the engraved gold watch upon retiring from the same job 50 years later. Today, we enter into a field as an intern, shuffle jobs with the economy and the market, go back to school to learn something new, and even take leaps out on our own with or without an employer. Careers are something to own and take control of, and may be self-employed, full or part time, and mixed up with contracting. Branding is the act of making your career and your knowledge your own and not the property of your latest employer.

How does one go about creating a brand? Excellent question! Let's look at product brands and see what that entails. Name a popular brand.......Nike? Good choice. How do you identify Nike as a brand?

1. Defined Product. Nike is known for athletic shoes. Sure....they have shirts and hats and so on, but their bailiwick is shoes. What is your product? Are you a Powershell master? Do you have wicked teaching skills? Are you a crafter? Everyone has something that they bring to the proverbial table. This is the first step....and the key needed for everything else to fall into place. And this may change over time. Perhaps you start out as a technical writer....but over time you move out of that field and want to focus on digital photography. Your product does not need to be a THING in the traditional sense. As you grab the reigns of your career and your future, your product can be a thing, a service, a skill....but most importantly your product is YOU.

2. Memorable Logo. They have a tangible product which has a logo and a name slathered all over it. With a little creativity, or a few bucks to hire some creativity, anyone can have a personal logo. Something simple, easily identified, and that conveys the concepts that you want people to associate with you. There are many sources of free use images; just research proper use for printing and reproduction. I had a logo created for me via an artist on Etsy. I told her the idea was to incorporate what I work with (yarn and crochet hook), nerdy glasses for my handle, and a peacock feather (since Peacock is my last name). Voila! A logo I have full rights to and can use in any manner I choose....because it is mine. It sits on my blog, my business cards, my shop pages, and so on. Think about what you want people to associate with you, and talk it over with an artist. It doesn't need to be complicated or expensive. But be sure that you obtain the rights to the logo so that the use is up to your discretion, or fully understand the proper boundaries of use for your picture. This is the modern version of a branding iron.

3. Wicked Advertising. This may be the trickiest part to figure out for your personal brand. But once you start with a few steps.....you learn from everyone around you and it becomes easier. Advertising today, particularly for individuals, is easier than ever before; it just takes a willingness to get out into your marketplace. Venues such as Twitter have made personal advertising so accessible.....you can't get away from it! Advertising is about tooting the horn....YOUR HORN! Start with tweets about projects you are working on or have completed, let the world know when you have done something great, and remind folks OFTEN! Record goals and accomplishments on a LinkedIn account. Get people to give a testimonial on LinkedIn. Put together a Blog about your product and what your product does, and let people know it is out there. All of this is Advertising. With so many means of communication and personal advertising, employers are more frequently looking at LinkedIn and Blog spaces for information about you and what you can do for them. These updates will provide an employer or client with more knowledge and insight than they can get off a resume or a 30 minute interview. And it's ok to get a little shameless with your advertising......create a coffee mug or a tote bag with your amazing logo, get business cards that are magnets and leave them with everyone, you can even get magnetic signs to put on the door of your car. Let the world know you are out there!

4. Product Placement. Nike has their shoes on every basketball player on the planet. You could watch nearly any TV show and see someone with a cap that has the Nike swooshy-logo. You, as your product, need proper placement too. This goes hand in hand with blogs and other advertising. Work with other people in your industry to put links to your information on their sites - and reciprocate that type of assistance. Get yourself involved in public events that are part of your industry: SQL Saturday, teaching conferences, or the Sock Summit. Go to the conferences and classes, and throw around the awesome cards you have made. Being invisible is the kiss of death. Luckily......it is easy to be seen and heard if you just have a willingness.

If you think of yourself as a product....and one that is better than the competitors......branding becomes clear and easier as time goes on. You and your skills are marketable and needed. What you have is unique and worth being proud of.....make it yours and make it valuable.

For further branding edumacation.....check out the SQL Awesomesauce for UN-SQL Friday! And tell Jen I sent ya!

Episode 12 "Give a little bit..."

2010-10-04T13:48:00.000-07:00

Homey stuff:

Cliff notes of completed STUFF: Renaissance costume, mitties, phone cozy
PUMPKIN FEST!!
Pumpkin pancakes
Pumpkin Crisp

Nuurdy Confession

All about the giving
Change your portable project to a hat or scarf for donation
Circle Square forum and Knit A Square (KAS)
Project Linus
Warm Up America

Links:
ShibaGuyz

Music:
Karma by David Cyr
Karmatron by .Lark Whiskey

Sensitive to Incentives.....

2010-09-23T15:15:00.000-07:00

As will be discussed in the next podcast episode....I have been inspired to do more for others. I owe this spark fully to Geekboy's amazing family....they are full of giving!

To keep on that awesome theme....The Life As a NuurdyGirl podcast has it's own donation incentive plan. If you look to the right of this page, you will see a DONATE button. From this moment forward, 50% of all donations will be given to a charitable organization. The organizations will change with different months or happenings, but all will be worthwhile causes.

The first organization will be Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue. This is in honor of my sweet and sometimes bratty pup, Pretzel. He came to us through SPDR when his first owner had to move into a nursing home and could not keep him any longer. He may be a stinker, but he has brought so much joy to our home. Every year SPDR finds homes for dogs of all shapes and sizes. All dogs are cared for in well supervised foster homes until the dogs find their forever homes and forever families. All dogs are brought up to date on vaccinations, spaying and neutering, and are microchipped. SPRD is one of the organizations that even gets dental cleanings done! So to help out these amazing volunteers, 50% of all donations to the podcast will be given through October 31st.

Thanks for your contribution to these sweet, slobbery, lovable, pups!

Episode 11 "La..La..La..La.."

2010-09-10T22:46:00.000-07:00

Life in the Crafty home......

Hats for the Secret Squirrels! Check out Coggie's Page
CONGRATS to our CAL/KAL winner! AshleyMaCaulay!
Mmmmm.....them is some tart grapes!
Sock has made it to a heel flap
New mitties.....for my mommy and me!
Renaissance Faire costume in the making...
Don't forget to check out the ShibaGuyz!

Nuurdy Confession......

Sing! Sing! Sing!

Music gifts provided by:
Shuffle Sing by David Henderson
As Long As I'm Singing by Danny the Multitracker

Project Runway Season8 Episode 2

2010-08-05T21:04:00.000-07:00

This was the episode to really get the show going! Episode 1 was still part of the audition process....so here we get to see what the designers are really like now that they are in the proper mindset and have the proper expectations. Right? Hmmmm....

First...let's understand the challenge. The designers have 1 day to create a look that embodies the "Marie Claire Woman" who is apparently smart, driven, fashion forward, and (while not stated exclusively) a bit sexy. There have been Marie Claire driven episodes in the past...namely the cover challenge from Season 7 that was won by Anthony. The great "twist" to this challenge is that the winner, in lieu of immunity, will see his/her look on a 40 foot billboard for Marie Claire in Times Square. That's a huge deal people......Now, assuming everyone saw the show (too much to recap), here are my lows and highs.

The High Times:

My highest of highlights was when Gretchen and Valerie went to see the billboard. Such a true and meaningful reaction from Gretchen....it was a sweet moment where I could be truly happy for her.
The twist prize of the billboard really impressed me. It was more than just a magazine spot or even a cover....it was advertising to millions every day. And Coco Rocha worked the snot out of that look and the billboard was A-Mazing!
The girls in their apartment with the wine and sleepover. 4 grown ups being all giggly was just funny.....it shows we are eternally 14 at heart.
Tim's compliment to Mondo about turning around his first episode look. His dress was not the best made in Episode 1, but he made some fast and tasteful changes.....and it was great to see Tim open up a discussion with a compliment like that. Too often there is a focus on what needs to be different - I like that the editors kept in that bit of encouragement.
Casanova actually put clothes on his model. I was very worried for him after the first episode with the rags and what not. His outfit was not fantastic....but it was an actual outfit that could be worn in public. PHEW!

The Low-lights (there's A LOT):

Everyone (read: Casanova) needs to stop the complaining. Bitching about 1 day to work, only $150 dollars for budget, and having a tough time finding things at Mood should just already be assumed circumstances. Again I ask: has anyone actually WATCHED the show before?
Gretchen keeps helping Casanova. He asked a few designers for input or help, and of course no one wants to do the work for another designer, but she kept helping him. Maybe it is just more editing that makes this clear....but she even says that she can't resist helping him because "he is so charming." I think there is a leach growing here.
Mondo needs to BUCK UP LITTLE CAMPER. He starts whining about not having a connection with anyone and being lonely....yet he does not assume any accountability for his feelings. If he wants to have a connection with someone, he cannot sit around and wait for others to come fawn all over him - he needs to man-up and talk first.
Jason Troisi. That's it....just everything about him. His attitude, his construction issues, his mouth, his complaining, his excuses, and his hat. I love hats....but he is no Droog.

The judging:

Everyone that was voted "safe" was definitely safe and should move on.
The judges top 3: Gretchen, Valerie, Mondo. All well deserved. I liked all 3 of these looks for very different reasons. However: I did NOT like Gretchens until I saw the photo shoot....the model sold that look.
The judges bottom 3: Peach, Jason, Nicholas.
Any surprises? None. These were the best of the best and the worst of the worst. But overall....there was nothing really moving.

Gretchen wins....again....and Valerie had the most pouty lip I have EVER seen. And I have a 7 year old!

Jason AND Nicholas go home. Both deserved. I felt really bad for Nicholas....he was just so devastated! Jason.....F**k him.
Best quotes:

Peach: "she is covered in Barbie's sofa"
Mondo: "this talent is a curse"......very Adrian Monk.

Project Runway Season8 Episode 1

2010-07-29T13:45:00.001-07:00

The time finally arrived! And I was all set with my Diet Dr. Pepper and my WWTGD shirt (What Would Tim Gunn Do?). Season 8 had arrived!

And....for the record.....I am tremendously excited to get this season in HIGH DEFINITION! Show me those stitches!
The first thing that I found to be a nice little twist was that all of the participants met up at different areas around the city in groups of 3 or 4. This gave everyone the chance to break the ice with other contestants in neutral territory and in a more manageable group. These small collections of people then converged together at Lincoln Center to learn that they had 5 hours to complete a challenge that would determine if they were truly on the show. NOW FOR THE TWIST! Each designer had to select an item from their suitcase to be included in the final look - but pass it to the designer on his or her left. So each designer inherited an article of clothing.

To be considerate, Mood brought fabric to Parsons rather than the designers taking time to go do mood or having the producers pony up a budget for that many individuals. "Mood Annex" is what Tim called it. Can I get one of those at my house?

At the time of Tim's check-in, I was hoping to see an interview with each of the designers. But I suppose that 17 people are a lot to get through. At the end of those interviews, by pick for top 3 and bottom 3 were McKell, Gretchen, Mondo then Casanova, Jason, and Kristin (respectively). I also thing Peach was in the bottom simply because she only used the knit as a trim and she didn't have any other idea what she wanted. I really felt that McKells dress was the cutest thing up there.....it was colorful, tasteful, fun, and well done.
The most irritating part for me was Jason Troisi dressing his model. He even commented about her.....ummmm......physicality on camera. He admitted he could not stop staring at her chest. How tacky and demeaning you can be?

My thoughts on the meeting and time leading up to the challenge:

1. Really like that the designers met in different parts of the city in small groups - breaks the ice in a nice way.

2. Gretchen and Jason meeting was SO AWKWARD! I hope they didn't have to stand around in a weird silence or very long

3. The first challenge is actually the end of the audition - so no one was headed "home" yet. I liked that the "audition" process included a demonstration of working under these kinds of pressures. 5 hours was pretty darn steep, but I think that it is a very important component to the competition.

4. The additional twist to the challenge was that each designer had to pick one item from his or her suitcase to incorporate into the finished design - but pass the item to another designer. So each individual had to use something of someone else's. What I found so funny about this was that some of the designers (Casanova) were distraught over what happened to their items - like they thought there were going to get them back or something!

My thoughts on the challenge time:

1. So many people complained about the time. OK.....I understand that only 5 hours is pretty drastic, but it almost seemed like everyone was shocked at the idea of a tight timeframe.

2. Ivy totally jinxed herself by calling this the "Ivy show". Kudos for having some confidence....but if we have learned nothing else, it is that over confidence can curse you.

3. Jason Troisi was one of my favorites going into this season. His behavior, especially with his model and her issues dressing, was really terrible. Thanks for proving to the world that you are not gay by talking about how you wanted to grope your girl. Classy. doofus.

My thoughts on the outcome:

1. Overall I think everyone did OK for a 5-hour-not-in-the-right-mindset-challenge. This surprise challenge played with the emotional state of all these folks being nervous and away from home.....and no one cried too hard so that is good.

2. The designers that got a pass deserved their pass. Nothing stellar or horrible.....just average and safe.

3. Gretchen was the winner. There is no doubt that she did a nice job with the dress - the beaded jacket she had to work with could have been tough and she was smart to go with the "essence" of the design and not over work it. However, I did not think it was all that flattering or interesting. I liked others better. But I think where the judges were unanimous in their liking, she got the win.
4. Everyone else was on the S**T list. I could see this being necessary for Casanova and his handkerchief-stripper-gown and April who turned a jacket inside out and didn't finish an edge anywhere.

5. I disagreed with McKell being out....and not just because she is a "hometown girl". I think she had a great idea with the use of the shirt, I think that the fit was better than some of the others, I think that the proportion was far better than some as well. The bag she chose to go with it was no good, but loose the bag and I thought there was terrific potential in that dress.

My thoughts on the judges:

1. Heidi, Michael, and Nina are the same as we have come to expect.

2. Michael tries to come up with one-line zingers that sometimes work and often fail, but to see him try to do those on the spot is kinda funny. My favorite will always be "barefoot-Apalchian-Barbie."

3. Nina translating for Casanova was kind of funny. Nice to see her make that effort, but if this has to be done every runway show she is going to get tired of it.

4. Selma Blair was a terrific guest judge. I often find her style dowdy, but her critiques were very well thought out and communicated. She was fair. And she was truly engaged in this challenge and what the designers did....she did not shrug off any of the importance of her words.

So.....we are now at 16 designers. I think we will see at least 2 episodes where 2 people get cut. With the results of the first episode, I was hoping that 2 or 3 got cut this first round. Fewer designers will help keep the show tight.

What are your thoughts on the premier? Who was your favorite and who was in your bottom pick? Any challenges you are hoping to see? Speak up!

Hitting the Runway!

2010-07-23T10:16:00.001-07:00

'Tis the season......

Season 8 of Project Runway, that is! This show is very near and dear to my heart......so I wanted to include all of you in the info and share the Challenge Love!

This season kicks off on July 29th at 9pm eastern/pacific....with a surprising 17 designers. The filming has either wrapped up already, or will very shortly. The designers who make it to the end will be showing their final challenge collections at Fashion Week running September 9 through 16th in New York. The winner, as usual, gets a boat load of goodies that include some stunning opportunities: $100,000 from L’Oréal Paris to start an independent clothing line, a technology suite from HP and Intel that is valued at $50,000, and a deal to sell the new line on Piperlime.com. There is also a spread in Marie Claire that goes along with winning for both the winning designer and his/her model. You can see the article with Season 7 winner, Seth Aaron Henderson, online --> HERE!

Let's start off with my initial impressions of the designers - highlights style

AJ Thouvenot: He's from and lives in Missouri, and does design work for TrashBiscuit. His influence and style is very Club wear - and an inspiration of his is Cyndi Lauper. I like that he is not a typical designer that focuses on women or bridal stuff - but club wear can grate on your nerves after mere moments.....modern disco can only go so far, you know. I am interested to see what he does, and how he evolves with the challenges.
Andy South: A young kid from Hawaii with some passion. He states his style icon is Audrey Hepburn, but nothing of his work even hints and the the great Ms. Audrey. His portfolio shows some examples that range from off-the-rack wearable to costumey. It looks like that he has great construction skills, but I am not really WOWed by what I see. My initial opinion is that he needs to step it up, and fast.
April Johnston: Not just young but practically a BABY from Savannah, GA. Maybe she is hoping for some great Carol Hannah luck! But my first gut reaction is that this girl worries me. Her photos for the show don't show off a single garment that she has made - and her portfolio is more snapshots and sketches than actual finished work. Being so young on a show like this is tough and risky....
Casanova: OK...at least this guy is an adult. And he has been working as a designer already, so he has a good idea of the demands that face him. Without much in the way of photos for his work, I can't get a good sense of his aesthetic....but with only a first name, I am hoping that he is not driving to the competition in the pretentiousness Porche.
Christopher Collins: The first West Coast designer on my list. He draws his inspiration from big names, but also from his mother and grandmother - and I am a mom, so I think this is just sweet. The photos of his past work show what look like, to me, very off-the-rack-I-could-find-it-today-at-Dillards sort of stuff.....hope he has the gestational fortitude to push the envelope.
Gretchen Jones: Whoever did the publicity photos this year should seriously apologize to Gretchen - I thought she was in her 40s and was STUNNED to see she is only 28! Her portfolio shows some very nice pieces, but nothing really intriguing. Here's hoping she figures out how color works....
Ivy Higa: The second designer to be from Hawaii! How great is that! Her past work is nothing earth-shattering, but it is a very wearable style. I think that she has a good editing eye - which can be good, but risks getting boring.
Jason Triosi: The first entry I have seen who is NOT working in fashion to pay the bills.....he is a landscaper. And my first impression is that he is one of my favorites. His style is more edgy and a little quirky, but still wearable. I also like that he has some menswear shown in his portfolio. Definitely keeping my eye on him!
Kristin Haskins Simms: This lovely lady hails from the City of Brotherly love and has some good experience in design (fashion and graphic) as well as teaching. Her style is appealingly urban, but my concern in looking at some of the photos is about fit and proportion. If the models change around much, this might be a struggle for her.
McKell Maddox: I initially have a soft spot for this gal....because she hails from near where I grew up in Utah. ROOT FOR THE HOME TEAM! Her work pre-Runway has a very nice aesthetic, and seems to walk the perfect line of wearable and edgy where the right accessories make the decision - but not the whole outfit. My only wonder is if she can do menswear....or if that will even be a challenge this time around!
Michael Costello: I will be honest and say that all I can see or repeat when I think of Michael is CLEAVAGE! Every dress that was shown in his photos or portfolio was all about the boobs....and that is risky on the fit if you don't have time to make it perfect. His work is nice....but knowing how these challenges usually go, makes me fear for his model.
Michael Drummond: Nice to see a Knitwear designer join in the competition (right, Ravelers?) but I have to agree with bloggers Tom and Lorenzo and ask: how well will a knitwear designer do in a competition that rarely uses knits? Maybe he will make a showing a-la Irina.
Mondo Guerra: I was initally turned off by the press photo of this gentleman on the Project Runway site. But once I looked at his portfolio all I can say is "THANK YOU FOR USING COLOR!!"
Nicholas D'Aurizio: Nicholas is currently a handbag designer, which gives him the potential to have a different view from other designers - he is coming from a different place. However, the photos released of his past work shows his stuff to be B-L-A-H and more like what I made in high school than anything.
Peach Carr: How cute is the name Peach? Especially for a woman who is very put together, and not a 20-something still figuring out her college major. Her previous work is very simple, but not boring. There are lots of examples of baby-doll dresses, so I hope she is not a one-trick pony.....but each dress was a bit different and I personally love them.
Sarah Trost: Having spent many years in theatre, I have a soft spot for a costume designer like Sarah. Her drawings show influence from what seems like old-school Hollywood, but there is also a disturbing high number of sketches using masks.....a little comi-con?
Valerie Mayen: This is my girl to watch. She has the most clear, cohesive, and wearable point of view in my opinion. From her sample pictures, she has a great instinct and what looks like terrific craftsmanship.

There has been some terrific press for this season....including an interview on Good Morning America that I found very interesting. Check it out ---> HERE!

As always, Heidi, Michael, and Nina will be judging...and some special guest judges will also join in the catty goodness. Selma Blair is guest judging the first challenge....so the pressure starts early! Also heard around the water cooler that Betsy Johnson is slated as a guest judge.....so you KNOW that has to be fun!

Blogging for the show this season are Nick Verreos who was STELLAR in season 2 (I don't care what Michael Kors said about the fish-tail gowns); the ever amazing Laura Bennett; and the can't-help-but-love-her Carol Hannah Whitfield. Everyone's favorite dashing man, Tim Gunn, will also be blogging his candid view again this season.

My goal for this season (since there is no Fantasy Game to work on) will be to put up my own blog post for each episode. Please add you comments as we go....and let's let everyone at Project Runway know how the real-world-folks view all the wackiness!

Episode 10 "The Tin Edition..."

2010-07-22T20:28:00.000-07:00

Getting into the TIN EDITION

Homey Stuff:

Love my Pretzel-pup!
Holy Grapes, Batman! check out the before and after - only a couple weeks difference!

I am so totally overcommitted!

Nuurdy Confession:

No confession this week.....but announcement of the CAL/KAL!
Delphi hat from ShibaGuyz
ShibaGuyz RAWK! And will be providing some handspun for a little finished-the-CAL/KAL-prize

Music Goodness:
Funsize by Andre Morgunoff
Too Much Fun by Deni Bonet

Episode 9 "These Boots Are Made For....."

2010-06-22T21:16:00.000-07:00

Let's get some Yummy, Fluffy, Homey, Goodness......

Prayer Shawls for Princess K done in Lionbrand Homespun
Blue Jawbreaker sock getting done in some sort of blue sock yarn
Starting the Simple Crochet Shrug for lil ol' me
Crock Pot APPLE BUTTER!
Chili Sauce is on the way! (recipe and recipe book is still lost in the packing madness)

Nuurdy Confession:
"One must always have one's boots on and be ready to go." ~Michel de Montaigne

I do loves my boots!

Musical love:
Quicksand in Your Boots by 3rd Man
New Boots by Sputnik

Episode 8 "Soccer Mom"

2010-06-14T14:50:00.001-07:00

Holy cow I am out of practice with this podcast-thing!

Homey Stuff.....not been home enough for "nesting" stuff:

Spent a month moving. I hope I never to this again. Ok, in a couple years I will want to do this again....but right now I am DONE
Here is the view from new Cottage Dumskalle
Rushed through the last of moving, then hit BIRTHDAY PARTY SEASON!
Pump it Up ROCKS!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO GIRLY-GIRL AND SKOOCH!!!

Nuurdy Confession: FUTBOL!

Get your game face on!

Music goodness provided by Music Alley:

The Carnival Life for Me by Soccergirl, Inc
Football World by GTAA

The Journey Home

2010-05-06T09:25:00.000-07:00

This brief message is a quickie to let you know there will be no podcast this week.

If you are a listener of QN (and if you are not you SHOULD BE!) you may recall that last year the QN clan moved from their Ivory Tower to an Enchanted Cottage. With mad-cap antics to ensue, Geekboy and I will be doing the same this weekend. No....we are not moving to the QN Enchanted Cottage, but will instead be moving to Cottage Dumskalle.

Episode 8 should be forthcoming in another week or so. In the meantime, please keep the notes on your own Nuurdy confessions coming and I am still looking for gardening tips and tricks.

Thank you everyone!

Go forth and GEEK!

Episode 7 "Just a School Girl"

2010-04-26T21:41:00.000-07:00

Homey Nesting Stuff:

Holy Cow I rode a Camel!
This week is full of school trips
Bebe-socks are starting all over
Princess K shawl #2 is finally started
PROJECT RUNWAY SEASON 7 HAD A FANTASTIC ENDING!
xraiko has created the wonderful Nuurdygirl logo! Go check out her stuff!

Nuurdy Confession: I am a complete School Girl

Awesome music contributors:
West School Mitch by AudioUK
Reform School Girl by Nick Curran
Off to School Again by transparencies

Episode 6 "The Lovely Notes"

2010-04-15T20:38:00.000-07:00

Crafty Catchup:

OMG! I have a shawl! Pattern is HERE
Shawl number 2 gets some yarn
Socks are planned but not yet started.....this is dangerous! Yarn is HERE

Nuurdy Confession: The Notebook

My still-to-be-used notebooks at home.

Music provided by the Podsafe Music Network
My Assistant will Take Notes by Porno Soundtracks
Note to Self by Michael's Nervous

Episode 5 "Outsider"

2010-03-26T20:09:00.000-07:00

**PODCAST HAS MOVED TO: NUURDYGIRL.LIBSYN.COM**

Crafty catch up this week:

Shawls are slow but coming
I take on MORE projects with kids clothing alterations
T-Shirt Reconstruction: Generation T 108 ways to Transform a TShirt by Megan Nickolay as seen on Threadbanger
The crochet sock is looking like it might belong on a foot
New ergonomic hooks are tempting me!

Nuurdy Confession: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Nothing Gold Can Stay by Robert Frost

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief.
So dawn goes down to day
Nothing gold can stay.

Music provided by the Podsafe Music Network
Rumble by Jeff Hightower
Cherry by Josh Woodward

Moving Update

2010-03-23T14:35:00.000-07:00

So far..... I love my new home!

The podcast has been moved to Libsyn, and the rss feed is listed below. The feed for updates to the right is also updated.

For the next episode or two, I will upload to both host locations so that anyone wanting to pick them up will have the info.

Thanks!

~NG

New rss feed:
nuurdygirl.libsyn.com/rss.xml

Going to get Moving

2010-03-21T13:00:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

If you have tried to download the last episode (Make It Work) then you know that the service hosting my podcast is less than perfect. No where near perfect. It sucks.

Over the next couple of days I am going to move all of the existing episodes to a new hosting service, so the feeds on this blog will change. Some of you have asked about getting my feed into iTunes, and this is what I am waiting for before loading it in the iTunes listing.

Hang tight! Sorry for any inconvenience!

All show-notes and comments will remain here, so feel free to drop me a line!

~NG

Episode 4 "Make It Work!"

2010-03-14T11:31:00.000-07:00

On this VERY SPECIAL episode of Life As A Nuurdy Girl........the PROJECT RUNWAY SPECIAL!

My homage to Tim Gunn
An explanation of my favorite designers:

Laura Bennett
Jeffrey Sebelia
Carol Hannah Whitfield

What fascinates me
The Fantasy Game

Fashionable Tunes provided by the Podsafe Music Network:
Passion for Fashion by Craymo
Cheney Don't Surf by The Fashionistas

Episode 2 "Big Bang Baby!"

2010-02-19T23:23:00.000-08:00

I HAVE 2 LISTENERS!!!! Hello to Mandi and Nic!
Sweaters are DONE! But shawls still linger. However, I have started socks...had my first etsy sale.....and threw in some last minute crochet for my sweet dad.

CHECK OUT YARNS FROM THE PLAIN PODCAST!

This week's Nuurdy Confession is all about a brilliant little show called Big Bang Theory.

Remember to GO FORTH AND GEEK!

Another TV Dinner by Aardvark
Big Bang by Nashville Session Players

Because I have mentioned him enough now...... WIL WHEATON

Episode 2 "Seconds Anyone?"

2010-01-24T00:56:00.000-08:00

Baby sweaters continue.....with some new changes to the trim.
Shawls are still progressing - slow but sure
I can't seem to shake this case of STARTITIS!

Nuurdy Confession: living a Second Life

Baby Sweaters: Baby It's Cold Outside from Crochetme.com
Baby Hat: Little Monkey from Stitch and Bitch Crochet

Music:

Forgotten Nerds by From Us
My Avatar by Antiqcool
As I Roved Out by Bill Grogans Goat

Episode 1 "Indians"

2010-01-17T10:50:00.000-08:00

This week we have a redux of episode 1.......getting a little more put together.

Crafty Status reports a new quilt getting started, delayed but reasonable progress on prayer shawls for Princess K, and baby sweaters all around!!

Prayer Shawl pattern: Prayer Shawl/Healing Shawl from Lionbrand
Baby Sweater pattern: Baby It's Cold Outside from Crochetme.com

NUURDY CONFESSIONS

I reveal my oldest nuurdy confession.....and it's all about Wil Wheaton and crinkling Indians.

Music provided by Music Alley/Podsafe Music Network

A Lot Like You by 3 minute Pop Songs
Geekquilibrium by Dr Awkward
A Cup of Coffee in Winter by Bob Savage

Forgetting Sarah Marshall...I mean....Palin

2009-11-13T16:28:00.000-08:00

Today as I was getting coffee in the kitchen at work, I heard an advertisement for a "deal" on the new Sarah Palin book, "Going Rogue." All I could think to myself was: "Really"?

The ad touted this book at the "most sought after book this year....and it isn't even released yet." I realize that I may try to keep a low profile and that I am not the most active of political bodies, but I am sure that if Sarah Palin had done something so remarkable as to warrant a high demand, I would have remembered.

Sarah Palin was a great face for the Republican party. All of the pundits and reporters stated that she breathed new life into the party. However, I can only see that she brought a spark and "new life" by being an attractive woman who was not afraid to be loud. What great policies did she forge? What oppression did she lift? What new paths did she carve? What has she divined? Indeed, what unscripted question did she ever answer?

I am disappointed that an intelligent community such as ours is so ready to prop up someone....who really has done nothing. So many people willing to follow her and let her guide the future of the nation because she was willing to be a fool. I do not know if she is a good governor, or leader, or mother. What I do know is that she has become famous simply by being in the right place at the right time, but not for doing the right thing. When our children or our grandchildren study the history of this nation, will Sarah Palin really be in the books? It is hard to imagine that the Republican Party version of Paris Hilton will be.......

Nuurdygirl Ventures to New York

2009-10-18T14:20:00.000-07:00

When I first started to write this entry, I had the idea of giving all the details of the trip. My father is a great writer......and when he travels he often posts what we call "epistles": daily details of the trip. This is what I thought to do at first....but realized that I did not have the patience to write that much nitty-gritty. Also, I am fairly certain that you as a reader do not REALLY care about the nittgh-gritty. However, I have opted for the MOST EXCELLENT highlights from my trip to New York with my parents.

This was my first real trip to New York. I have been to New Jersey loads of times for work, seen Manhattan from the glory of Newark, and been into the city twice for work functions....but never been to enjoy it or spend some time. Additionally (thanks to my wonderful father) this was my first trip FIRST CLASS. My dad cannot sit on an airplane for a long flight like the one to New York in coach, so when he booked the tickets, they were all first class! I most certainly did not fit in while wearing grubby yoga pants, sweatshirt, and fuzzy boots.....but it was sooooo nice!

I flew out from Seattle and met my parents in Minneapolis, and we flew all together to Newark. There were plans to spend the total 6 hours on a plane crocheting.....but they were well thwarted. Of course on the second leg I spent the time gabbing with my mother.....but what was irritating was the first leg. I simply got caught up watching the in-flight movie. That doesn't sound so bad....except that the movie was My Sisters Keeper. If any airline executive reads this: DO NOT SHOW SAD MOVIES ON A FLIGHT! Seriously....stick with comedy - NO ONE wants to cry with strangers while trapped in a hurtling piece of tin! But it was a good movie.....

We spent 4 full days in the city - taking the train in from Jersey City each day. Three of those days were in mid-town near Time Square, and one day was down toward the East Village and NYU. I am not sure if I really expected the city to be different than what I got.....but what I found was that I adored this city. There is a great energy.....maybe because there is no STOP to the people. People are working and moving all the time.

We saw 4 shows while we were there: Chicago, Rock of Ages, Blue Man Group, and Mamma Mia. The Mamma Mia tickets for Wednesday night were a last minute surprise from my dad - he couldn't wait for tickets either. All of our seats were amazing! Blue Man Group was the only show we did not sit in the balcony - and all our balcony seats were right in the middle and only 1 or 2 rows back. STELLAR! My favorite show had to be Rock of Ages. Not because it was so much better....but because I was surprised with the story, talent, and I have not laughed that hard in so long. I had never heard of the show, and my parents thought it was about the history of rock and roll.......and it turns out to be you typical boy-meets-girl-boy-loses-girl story. It just so happens to be set on the Sunset Strip in the early '80's and using rock music like Styx, Journey, Pat Benetar, etc. Completely hilarious.

The places we ate were terrific too. We went to places without much planning or reference.....and loved all of them. We ate at Ellens Stardust Diner, Burbon Street, Beccos, The Chinatown Brasserie, and The Shake Shack. I came back with an extra 5 pounds as a souvenier! And I just have to say......get the 'Shroom Burger at the Shack. YUM! And at Becco's, get the 3 pasta special side dish with whatever you order......it's pasta Heaven!

Speaking of The Shake Shack, on our way over to get lunch there I had my first brush with fame on the trip. We crossed the street with Christine Baranski. The next night, and the China Brasserie, we had dinner at a table next to John Goodman. I was totally fine until I heard John Goodman speak....and then I got all giggly. Because he is just so funny and delightful.

This was one of the best trips I have had in a long time! Just my folks and I spending the time.....no big rush and no real plans. Just hanging out and being goofy all together. My parents are so much fun!

The best thing I brought back from this trip....next to awesome memories....was the decision to go back to school. After the Blue Man Group show, I stopped into the Starbucks at Astor Place in the east village to get coffee. The idea of going back to school had been rattling in my head (lightly) for a while......and standing there in a crowd of NYU students I was struck by a thunderbolt. Now is the time.....do it now.....go back to school. So I am!

Wonder what will be the epiphany on the next trip we take?

My Goodness What a Week!

2009-06-13T20:13:00.000-07:00

This past week has been so completely incredible! Not because there was anything extraordinary (per se), or there was some remarkable event (although winning the lottery would have been a nice addition). But for the past week it has been like floating on air.....NOTHING could have brought me down or spoiled my mood.

As you may recall, the week before this one was the Week of Suspension in which my son had to deal with the consequences of joking about breaking the law, and was trapped working at home for a week. Monday morning brought his return to school.....started off with a meeting in the principals office. He did not want me there (only his dad) and so I had to hear about the results. He had written a letter to the Principal apologizing for what he had done, and explaining why his joking was inappropriate. It was sweet and beautiful, and 2 pages of more thought than ever expected. He was so relieved to get back to school! And I was so proud to have him really think through what had happened and be able to learn from the experience.

The biggest joy this week is the countdown to my Geekboy moving! In barely over 2 weeks, we will be on the road driving from the East Coast to the West Coast to finally get some living done! This has been a very long time in coming.....and a most welcome relief. Everyday he and I check the counter that ticks away the days and the hours....loving how the numbers keep getting smaller.

This is an event that has been more than a year in the making, and has held up so many other events in life. So many other pursuits. And to be on the verge of action is so exciting! It's more than exciting.....its thrilling and frightening and wonderful!

Because of this amazing thrill, nothing could have brought me down. Not my kids throwing tantrums, not work being crazy busy and sometimes out of control, not my ex stirring up drama, not being completely broke and struggling for pennies. Nothing. It all just rolled off....because it is all fleeting and insignificant in the realization that true happiness and peace in my heart are arriving.

This, however, has brought me to feel a little sad. Not for myself or my children....but for some others in my life that I see hanging on to what brings them their own sadness. There are people in my life who are so set in thinking of happiness in a certain way, that when other chances for happiness or changes for happiness present themselves, these people refuse to see it or try it. Joy and peace are part of a journey, and not a destination of themselves. You have to take chances and go through hurt to keep finding the wonderful spots along the road.

I have often remembered a quote this week. Forgive me if I get it a bit wrong, but the meaning is the same.

"Hell is doing the same things over and over, but expecting a different result."

At this point for me, the chances I have taken have given new results. The part of the journey I am on is beautiful! And I hope that it continues a while longer, and that others find their own way onto this road.

For myself....I am going to keep along this path and take it slow. I am going to savour every delicious moment with smiles, and butterfilies in my stomach, and a spring in my step. I am going to watch the calendar and the counter to the time my Geekboy is finally near me and not just on the phone with a constant giggle of delight. I am going to remember that all the other little moments of drama and tantrum are nothing more than minor bumps in the road. And I will try to keep my kiddos entertained on this journey and show others how great it is to take the chances for happiness.

The Week of Suspension

2009-06-07T10:22:00.000-07:00

I would like to open by saying that I try very hard to recognize that my children are not perfect. The idea that "they can do no wrong" is silly.....they are kids and will make mistakes and bad choices. If we adults do it, so can kids.

My brain and my heart have been very prepared to get called to the principals office for my daughter. She is feisty and will really fight when she needs (or feels the need) to. However what knocked me off my feet this week was getting called by the school pricipal regarding my son.....and having my son SUSPENDED for 4 days.

Bug (my son) and a few of his friends had been discussing some changes they wanted with the computer lab, and it escalated into a joke that involved breaking into the school. Now.....these boys are 11, and I know they are not going to really go through with it. However, I do agree that they cannot joke around about something that is illegal and/or will cause harm to another person or place. Better to have a slightly excessive punishment now in the 5th grade, than to go too light and have him think he can get away with something in High School that will show up on his record and keep him out of a college. And so he has been parked at home for the last week......and his room has never looked cleaner!!!

There are all kinds of discussions that can go on about how to handle such a situation, and what punishments are fair or excessive. However, I think what is interesting is how this affects you as a parent. The feelings of concern and disappointment are so heavy......and the desire to give in and just hug them and say "hey....let's not do this again" and then go get ice cream are overwhelming.

When we went through setting up his home punishment on top of the school punishment, it was so very hard. I think I cried more than Bug did....but it was pretty close. He felt so terrible about what had happened (and I am sure about getting caught) that it just broke my heart. Because of this he had to drop out of the school talent show which he had worked very hard for and had to audition for.....it was the highlight of the year for him I think. My heart was broken...it took everything I had to not wrap my arms around him and just say "it's ok". Had to keep reminding myself it really isn't ok.....but it will be.

Let's be honest....we all did KID things when we were young. We were stupid and made foolish choices....just like our kids do now. But I realize now that there is no way I could understand then the impact this had on my own parents. The worry, fear, and sadness must have been extraordinary!

Bug is a good kid. He is a GREAT kid. And all of this trouble has not changed my view on that in the slightest. I know he is just as great as before because he really knows what he did. He is remorseful. And if he wasn't a good kid, he would simply be angry with the situation. He has worked around the house, cleaned his rooms at both his fathers house as well as mine, done all of his homework, written an apology letter to the principal, and given up all his privledges (games, movies, etc) without a whine or complaint. When his sister, Bean, offered to let him play on the computer after her....he even told her "I can't until at least tomorrow."

Today is Sunday, and he will be going back to school tomorrow. He and his father will be meeting with the principal in the morning (Bug says he didn't want me there - just his dad) and Bug has an apology letter to read and give him. He has done so very well, that I want to let him have all of his privleges back. He has pacified himself by helping to coach his sister through all of the computer games and such when not in the midst of cleaning his room. I want to say "I love you....have at at" but I can't. I will be tough.....and just try to not seem mean.

But with any luck....this was just a one time thing for him. I am still sure this was just practice for me.....for when Bean gets into that row and throws her great right hook.

p.s. Sorry to my folks. Everytime something like this happens with my children....I am compelled for doing it to my parents. So....sorry. Again. :-)

The Importance of a Map

2009-04-23T23:45:00.000-07:00

Have you ever tried to go somewhere without a map? Typically, we head toward new places with no less than directions....but a map can often be so much more clear; you can gauge distance and surroundings, and be far more successful in your journey.

What about going somewhere a bit more familiar? Maybe you have been there once or twice, but it has been a while. A map is far superior to memory, and a lifesaver when you come across changes such as traffic revisions, new landmarks, etc.

I am finding out that life, and in particular love, is more like a journey or road trip than I had ever realized. Love is shaping up to be the cross country car ride with your embarrassing grandparents to visit the largest ball of string and the oldest walnut tree, where you get car sick and your little brother just won't stop looking at you!

Once we have reached adulthood, usually we have been on a couple of these excursions. We have had crushes, been in love, been loved, and found heartbreak. In lucky cases, that journey turns out to be the romantic getaway to Paris with that special someone; where you enjoy the time even when the luggage gets lost and no one speaks English in the restaurant.

But when we are adults it is more and more important to have those maps. We no longer have our youth and vibrancy and stupidity to allow us to just blindly try over and over again. We have commitments and goals, and desires never thought of in our youth - and to not reach them all is devastating.

And love is that journey to somewhere familiar.....but not visited in a long time. No matter how many times you try, you know what you want, you recognize some of the signs around you, but you are never really sure of where to turn.

I have been dating someone recently in my life... and everyday I wish I had picked up a map back at the gas station. We seem to have the same idea of our destination, and when we talk the directions through they sound the same... yet I often find myself looking around at the stops and find myself alone. We get in touch, talk again, and start off on the road... only to find that somewhere we took different exits on the turnpike.

These latest stops are closer than ever to the "destination"....but it is still only me arriving there. This leaves me with two choices: wait for him and hope that he finds me while I sit scared and alone, or go on to where I want to be without him. It is like we both WANT to go to Disneyland and ride Space Mountain, but he parked in the Eeyore lot, and I have already taken the shuttle from the Timon lot and am almost to the entrance.

GET THE MAP AT THE GAS STATION!

SIT DOWN OVER COFFEE AND USE A YELLOW HIGHLIGHTER TO MARK THE PATH!

Don't just talk about the directions and where you want to go, outline the landmarks along the way.

Know that when you get to exit 72, you have gone too far.

Nothing Says Spring Like Icicles

2009-04-05T11:46:00.000-07:00

Yay! Spring break has finally come. Not only does this signify that actual spring might be coming, but it is also the first vacation time of the year that I have with my kids. In the past, we usually stayed around home and didn't do much of anything. This year I took the week of work, and made sure we were going to enjoy the break.

Sure....my kids are like all kids: they love Disneyland and big parks and the great excitement places. But one thing I have come to learn about my kiddos is that they really enjoy just going places that are new. They like the little bits of adventure and the new sights. In fact, their only request for this summer is to rent and RV and just drive. Thought I would give some little taste of that for this break, and surprised them with a 3 day trip to Leavenworth.

We loaded up the car, and hit the highway. Luckily the directions are simple and it is a straight drive out the highway - because none of us had ever been there before and being lost in the mountains really wasn't part of the plan. As we headed out the highway, we climbed into the cascade mountains. At Stevens Pass, there is a skiing area; the ski runs head straight toward the highway, so everyone thought it was funny that the skiers looked as if they were headed right for us!

We started in cloudy, cool weather; drove through misty rain and snowbanks that towered of the car; and quietly slid into sunny spring. Leavenworth appears with no warning. We nearly missed our hotel: it was the first thing entering town, and with no warning of the town we had no warning of the hotel! We checked into the Icicle Inn, and decided to walk into town. Knowing that Leavenworth is a small town, I thought that downtown was only around the bend; turns out downtown was a about a mile up the road. Of course we discovered that after already walking there and having to walk back. We strolled through the German shops and listened to the traditional music that was piped through the streets. As we finally walked back to the hotel, my kids were so sweet and not only did they NOT complain about the walk, but they both commented how great it was that we were so close to town we wouldn't have to drive. How cute is that?

We hit the pool and dinner at the hotel. Watched movies that we brought with us on the in-room DVD player. Then made plans for the next day. Since Tuesday was going to be our only full day in town, we decided to try and do the most which included the pool (again), picking up souvenirs for friends, and miniature golf and the family center that was next door to the hotel. After much bed bouncing, song singing, game playing, and fighting over teeth brushing, we hit the hay nice and late just like a vacation should be.

As Tuesday started, I got up and was all gung-ho to get through our list of activities and just see what there was for us to do. As I was drying my hair, my daughter stumbled into the bathroom to let me know there was snow! Sure shootin.....there were big fluffy flakes falling from the sky. So much for miniature golf and walking to town? It was at this moment - looking out the window to the snow - that I noticed pigeons kept coming back to our window. I had seen them there the day before, but didn't really think anything of it. Just seemed funny that they picked our window over and over again. We went downstairs to the hotel restaurant for breakfast.....and found that they did make-your-own-waffles. YUM! Clearly, this was going to be a memorable part of the trip.....pouring the batter, waffle iron had a timer, and there was no way to go wrong.

We drove into town on Tuesday since the weather was too cold and wet for walking - but my son did suggest that we buy an umbrella at the hotel gift shop and walk because it would be good for us. Somehow, I just couldn't bring myself to pay $15 for an umbrella over spending $3 in gas to get into town. Especially when the car has a heater. We got souvenirs for friends at home, had treats from the Danish Bakery, and talked about how soon we could come back. As we drove back to the hotel, the precipitation had cleared and we were starting to see the sun. It was time for miniature golf and pool for sure!

When we got back to our room, we noticed that the housekeeping staff had propped the window open to let in some fresh air. Knowing now that the widow opened, I took the chance to peek out, and discovered why pigeons loved out window. They were building a nest on top of the vent box where it was covered and cozy. Not only was there a nest, but an egg too! I got a couple pictures, but momma-pigeon sure gave me the evil eye after that!

We wrapped up the unique fun of our trip with room service for dinner. One of my favorite childhood memories is from the overnight trips my mom and I would take to Salt Lake City once a year for school shopping - and we would get room service for breakfast.....it just seemed like the height of posh to me. So I wanted to share that with my kids, too. There is enough work and hard stuff in life already - take every chance to feel spoiled, right?

All in all....this trip had everything.

1. We went somewhere totally new. Charting our own undiscovered territory

2. It took a road trip. We had to plan and pack and got to actually see all the new stuff and not just fly over it.

3. It had excitement. I told my son that the stretch of highway we had to drive on for 10 miles outside of Monroe was the most deadly in the state...and he got sufficiently wide eyed.

4. It had movies. In room DVD players are a life saver at night.

5. It has sun. Beautiful afternoons and one whole day without the need for a coat.

6. It had snow. Living in an area that does not have constant snow in the winter makes snow a treat for the kiddos.

7. It had tasty treats. Junk food in the car, danish pastry, home made waffles, and room service!

8. It had this family. Any place is home as long as you have your family with you.....and my children are all the family I ever need.

My So Called Life

2009-03-15T13:47:00.000-07:00

Well.....it has only been a month, but I think I have found the conclusions I was looking for.

No....you cannot have any life without consequences.

For a month, I have been in my own little social experiment. And at the end of this month, I have come to the conclusion that even with having the ability to fly, and the inability to get hurt or die, there are still consequences that cannot be avoided.

Let's talk practical cause and effect first. In this Second Life, you have the option of finding a home. It truly is optional, but of course a very nice thing to have for some privacy and an escape when needed. Homes (houses, apartments, etc) cost money.....which means that either a real-life person needs to put up a few bucks, or a second lifer needs to get a job. You have to pay rent and keep up that obligation - or you get evicted. And if you are evicted, you run the risk of not being able to rent or buy any other place later on. Having a job brings on a new level of responsibility - in that you have to work your designated shifts, and fulfil deliverables, and live up to the expectations of your employer. Sound familiar? Not keeping up any of these pieces will mean the loss of your job.....and we all understand what that leads to.

The real questions, though, are about the intangible things. The relationships and feelings that we are trying to avoid in places like Second Life. I have seen people date, get married, have kids, get divorced, and just "play the field" in Second Life. What I have observed is that people form the same sorts of relationships that we look for in real life, but no matter how hard we try to be feeling-less, there is still a real person behind the avatar. There may not be the physical feelings and reactions, but there is still a mind and heart behind all of this.....so there is still joy, pain, love, and heartache, to be felt.

This kind of life leads to a new way to experience everything we as humans have in the real life. For those that are short sighted and a little silly.....this is just a way to fool around in a cyber arena. But by far and away the people I know are the smart ones....and use this game as a tool to make their real lives better: chat with real life loved ones far away, bring a new dimension to a real life love, or find those friendships they feel safe in - where they haven't found it in the external world.

No. There is no life without consequences. No matter what steps are taken, there is still a real person with real feelings and real thoughts behind every non-real word and action. There is still a community to care for in a digital world....work to be done, bills to pay, and people to take care of. There are even pets to raise!

Even without being able to escape the "hardships" of life in this game.....I am very glad I have joined it. I have been afforded the opportunity to meet people I would never EVER meet otherwise, and I have had the chance to try things that could never happen anywhere else. I have seen digital renditions of classic artwork. I have been to live streaming-audio concerts of new musicians from around the world. There may be no lack of consequences.....but I have found that the consequences I come across are certainly worth it for what I have gained.

Getting a Life

2009-03-04T18:53:00.000-08:00

So.....I am wrapping up week 3 of my "social experiment" with an inconsequential life. Playing this little game has provided me some realizations I had not expected.

This little Second Life is more like real life than I had anticipated. Perhaps in a less extreme sense, but still very much the same. You can float through life without too much effort, and have a reasonably good time; however, the more you put into the game the more you get out of it. You can get a job, earn money (not real life currency), and even rent or build a home. The more time and energy you put into the game - the better "things" you have to enrich your life and the more people you meet to spend this "life" with.

The people that I have met have surprised me as well. I have not met a large number of people, but they have all been extremely helpful. Everyone that I have met realizes that the more people that have a good experience in the game, the more will stay, and the community is made better overall. The more people in the game.....the more money is exchanged.....the more perspectives on life......the more opportunities that can be shared. No one has given me a hard time for the silly questions I have asked or the faux pas that I have thrown out. And I have been encouraged to try so many things and take great risks.....all with support of virtual friends.

Speaking of the people.....I think the relationships aspect has fascinated me most of all. Most people (if they have heard of Second Life at all) have heard of the instances where Second Life players have had "cyber affairs" and had real life marriages ruined.....and to be sure this occurs and there are plenty of ways to find cyber sex. However, what I have found is that within the game....people form the same kinds of relationships that are found in real life - but often more deliberately. For example, people form romantic relationships and have marriages in the game, people form families with different individuals taking the roles of parents etc, and there is even ways to simulate pregnancy or pursue an adoption of a child. People are reaching out in this new technological way to form the bonds we crave as human beings. Additionally, many of the people that I have encountered play the game with their real life partners in the mix. It has been fascinating to see that this game has become an extension of these peoples real lives.....another way of communicating across the miles.

For myself, I have taken steps to become a more contributory member of society. I have gained employment, and am even renting the cutest apartment (furnished and complete with a hot tub). I am finding that the time and effort to keep a job is much like in my real life - just on a slightly smaller scale. My next move is to schedule time to take classes and further my education via Second Life. Maybe I will last a little longer in a virtual university than I did in a real one.

Beginning My New "Life"

2009-02-24T21:56:00.000-08:00

Well.....in my last blog entry, I told you about joining Second Life as my own social experiment in a 'life without consequences.' It has now been a whole week (actually, 10 days) since starting this off…..and already it has been quite an experience.

First, a little word about what it takes to get started in this game. When you sign up, you download a client viewer software that allows you to get in and manipulate the environment. Once you have gotten in and created your account (only requiring basic contact information), you select the basic features of an avatar. This is going to be your physical representation (‘character’) in the game……so this is the opportunity to pick some of your basic features: male or female, hair style, body shape, etc. This is honestly only very basic information because as you go through the game, you can change all of these things – even skin and eye color. You also must select a name – and a great plan for safety and control, you only make up your first name; your last name must be selected from a drop down list.

Once you have put your initial self together, you have to decide where you are going to start out this game. In Second Life there are hundreds of “worlds” called sims (simulations). There are some areas that are really designed to make starting out easier. The area I started off in was geared just for getting new players (called Residents) started out; so there were a lot of tutorials I had to go through and quite a few people who are there with the strict intention of helping a new Resident figure out the nuances. And I am really glad that I did….because it was a quiet and there were very few people – which made it easier to practice all the skills required to get around and search all of the information out there.

Now I am pretty good with walking and moving around. I have figured out camera controls, how to search, how to view profiles, and much of the other logistical workings. I think that I will be able to embark on the meatier stuff – like meeting other people and having experiences.

While not the most interesting of updates, I do have a few things to say about my impressions thus far. This “place” is a creation of genius. It is well thought out and very complete in its presentation. This world is created and really grown by the people who play in it. Businesses, artwork, events, and even families are created by the Residents for the Residents……and it’s brilliant. You can find everything from corporations to dance clubs. There are people from students to vampire rabbits. Brilliant!

Well……I am now off to find a job so that I can get an apartment in this place since the free space I am “borrowing” right now is kicking me out soon. Already…..I am getting evicted! Crazy. Hopefully my next update will include a new address.

A Life Without Consequence

2009-02-20T21:39:00.001-08:00

In the past, I have been accused of "seeking a life without consequences." Who doesn't, right? Who has not wished that at some point they didn't have to play by the rules? However, my intent in making changes to my life has never been for this reason. Dodging rules and feelings has never been my aim.

This accusation did get me thinking: Is it possible to avoid consequences?

In considering this, I have determined that there is no way to truly avoid "consequences" in the real world. Whether or not you believe in Karma, it cannot be disputed that all actions have an effect; Newton's Third Law of Motion is "to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction." Even if you don't believe that statement on a spiritual/emotional/mental level, it is true on a physical level. What goes up, must come down. Because we live in a physical world, Newton's law holds true. There is absolutely no way to avoid consequence.

Beyond the physical aspect, there is the "human" part of it. We cannot speak or even blink without it affecting another person. As humans, we are vulnerable to how others look at us, what others say to us, and the general physical interaction between persons. Thus, again, there is no way to avoid the cause and effect (consequences). For example:

If I break off a relationship, the other person is going to be hurt and life's road changes for us both. What that other person does or says in reaction is a consequence I must face in some way. As are the new changes and challenges in my life because of not being in that relationship anymore. Perhaps I have more financial burden, or become a single parent. Perhaps this other person becomes violent. All of these are consequences I must deal with in different ways - even taking no action or taking action that leads to avoiding the person directly is still a way of dealing.

OK.....people are affected by the physical world and laws of physics as well as emotionally by other people. The real world allows no escape from consequences and dealing with them - because even not facing them is a way of dealing. What about a "non-physical" world?

What if there was a world in which the physical laws did not apply? What about being able to NOT have the impact from another person? Would this be possible?

The more I thought about this, the more curious I became. And so I decided to embark on a little experiment.

There are quite a few digital worlds, alternate realities, whatever you want to call them, via the Internet that would provide a test bed. I did not want to attempt a gaming environment for a couple of reasons: I am terrible at gaming, and those games simulate violence, injury, and death (definite consequences). So I opted to try out the more well known of the alternate environments - Second Life.

Over the next few weeks, I would like to post a series on my education in my Second Life. What is it like to "live" in another reality so to speak? What is it like to "live" another life?

Second Life has gotten some press due to a couple of events that may be considered consequences. There was a protest by some employees at a digital instance of a real company - the real company had build a business in Second Life and had employees there as well as in the real world.....and when stocks turned down in the real world and the company looked at making changes, the Second Life employees went on strike. Another couple of instances involved people finding spouses with avatars having sex with other avatars......avatarian infidelity and divorces ensued. But I wanted to explore what it would be like to live with so few rules.

Well.......I have been in Second Life for a week. I spend maybe an hour a night there trying to figure it all out. Most of my time is spent in setting up other things to make my time easier: putting together outfits so I can change more quickly, sorting out furniture in my free apartment so that I have a "home" and don't have to always be out in public as I change the clothing on my anatomically correct avatar, and figuring out controls so I can walk and communicate on a basic level.

Wish me luck. We'll post from the other side.

Brief Goal Update

2009-02-14T11:19:00.000-08:00

Ok.....as stated a few weeks ago, I stated that since I refuse to do have a RESOLUTION for the new year I would go ahead and have a GOAL for the new year. My goal has been to have a scarf and/or hat made out of my stash yarn every month.

Well.....the January scarf got done on the 30th of January! Barely by the skin of my teeth! I think I still want to add some fringe to the ends, because it is just a long double crochet rectangle at the moment. We'll see.

On the 30th, I did splurge a little. That was payday, and I did get a little bonus from work, so I whooped it up and spent $5 and bought a hairpin lace loom. By the night of the 31st, I had another single column hairpin lace scarf done! Using the hairpin loom is so much easier than I thought and it is SOOOO fast! Not to mention is looks beautiful!

Well, it is now the middle of February. This month I have 2 birthdays to complete gifts for (half done now) and so I am not sure about being able to get a scarf done out of the stash this month. I am going to be so disappointed if I drop the ball on my goal only 2 months into the year! EEEEK!

My plan, I think, is going to be to complete a childs scarf this month. That way it can be far shorter, and yet still use the stash. That's my story. :-)

I will try to add some pictures a bit later. I have really slacked off too much on getting pictures of my projects and getting them posted.....so this holiday weekend I may try to step it up a little.

Have a fantastic Valentines Day! It is a Hallmark Holiday......but lovely just the same!

Smooches to you all!

Nuurdy Impulses

2009-02-12T19:15:00.000-08:00

I don't know what came over me.....or why I am so excited. On a complete impulse yesterday, I joined Twitter and Plurk. I have never even been to these sites before, but had heard them mentioned on a couple podcasts (ok I had heard of Twitter) and so I just went to the sites and joined. It is complete GEEK!!! But it just seems like fun!

Remember the days when MySpace was fun....like all these people to meet and greet and find? New "friends" to be made? But then there was all the pressure for posting blogs on there and talking lots in messages or bulletins? And then it became completely creepy? Well it seems like people who just want to chat and meet other friendly people and avoid the creepy have found a better way. Both of these sites function with shorter messages, simpler interfaces, and more accessibility.

Now.....I have NO friends or contacts on either of these sites. HA! I am totally floating in the ether alone. And somehow I don't care! I get such a kick out of being able to send a text message and just say "work is sucking!"

Maybe I will meet all kinds of new and fun people. Hope so. Maybe not......but at least I am not a TOTAL hermit!

So come find me! I am Nuurdygirl on both Plurk and Twitter.
(also Ravely, but that is a WHOLE 'nother story!)

Simple Things Make Me So Happy

2009-02-10T22:52:00.000-08:00

So.....I have to share my joy. It is just too great to keep bottled up and all to myself. Over the past week, I have discovered 3 little things that have provided me with my own little nirvana.

First......I discovered my milk frother. Yes....I said FROTHER. My mother had gotten me this "thing" that is a glass carafe with a mesh insert in side; it looks exactly like my french press. However, a while ago I grabbed it out of the cupboard for some reason (I never use my french press, so I must have been looking for something else) and discovered that it was a MILK FROTHER. The idea is to put warm milk into the bottom, no more than about an inch deep, and then pump air into the milk by using the mesh insert that is attached to a knob in the lid. I tried this.....and while it did take a little bit of time, it was sooooo worth it. If you are a fan of a really good latte, then you know what I mean. Since then, I have found a hand-held type that is like a very small single beater that is battery powered. It works faster than the "hand churn" model, and it does work much better on chocolate milk than the hand churn, but I do like them both. This little bit of effort makes my weekend mornings seem so much more "luxurious". It's a silly little thing that is spoiling myself.....and every time I drink my frothy coffee, I smile and bask in the spoiling.

Second......new headphones. I have had ear-bud style plugs for my ears for ages. The headphones that wrapped around the ear were too loose and large for my ears, and ear-buds are too large to sit inside my ear. Apparently, I have small ears. So over the weekend I got a pair of obnoxious silver-pink, headband, old school, style headphones. I love them! Oh my heavens....do I love them! They fit around my ears, the sound is exceptional, and I just love being able to listen to my mp3 player so much more easily. I am really looking forward to my next business trip, and being able to comfortably listed to music and podcasts in peace and comfort. Ahhhh.......

Third.....the biggest of all. An electric blanket. When I was younger, everyone in my house had an electric blanket on his or her bed. I think this is because the winters in Utah get SO COLD, and everyone liked the house or each room to be a different. Also, it wasn't as popular to have comforters/quilts/duvets/dinas (whatever you want to call those toasty fluffy things) and so the electric blanket was just the bomb. In any case....I have not had one since I moved into my basement bedroom in 1990. Well.....my townhouse is pretty chilly; I keep it this way on purpose because I am gone so much and because it can be expensive to heat this place. On top of my place being chilly.....I am just cold quite often these days. When I would go to bed, it would be freezing against the sheets, until I had been under there for about 10 minutes. I just got fed up with it. On Saturday I went to Target, and found a full size electric blanket on clearance. It now lays across my bed (just barely covering the top) between my flat sheet and my comforter (of which I actually have two). I crank that puppy up on HIGH when I get into the shower, and let hit cook until I actually climb into bed - which is usually an hour or two later. My bed is so warm and so cozy and so comfortable.....and it is SO hard to get out in the morning. It was so comfy....that over the weekend my kids slept in with me, and even my son who is the early riser did not want to get out of bed; we all stayed curled up until 9.

It's funny how very simple changes can bring so much peace. We don't notice the little things that add up to give us grief....but I think that if we are willing to take care of those little things that we deserve, then we are more available to tackle the really big problems.

Ok......utopia and the blanket are calling me.......have a great TOASTY night!!!

Destruction is Cool

2009-01-26T22:48:00.000-08:00

What is it, do you think, that fascinates us about the destruction of “things?”

It seems that we are all fascinated with the destruction, demolition, and undoing, of seemingly sturdy objects. This was most apparent to me this week as one of the office buildings in our campus was torn down. Every break we went on, we walked the half block down the hill to spend 15 minutes observing and soaking in the sounds, sights, and feelings, of demolition. The crunch, glitter, and shimmy, of the falling concrete and glass. In between our breaks, we would check in on the deconstruction via a webcam set upon the neighboring building or through the windows of some of the conference rooms. When a large piece of what used to be a wall would tumble and break one of the remaining panes of glass, we would cheer! We are a diverse bunch of friends, yet we were each fascinated by this work of taking apart millions of dollars of building.

This got me to thinking about the act of “deconstruction”. As human beings, we are drawn to the act of creation: buildings, clothing, art, babies. Also as humans, we are equally drawn to the act of destruction. Before we can build a building, we must tear down trees. Before we can make clothing, we must take apart substances like cotton and wool. Before we can make art, we must definitely destroy with paint or dye. Before we can make babies, we must demolish the youthful body and toned tummy we worked all through our 20s to obtain.

There are 2 real reasons for this fascination.

First: there is such a great release of tension and loss of stress when something gets obliterated. Really….who hasn’t felt good when tearing apart something that just isn’t right for some reason? I think there is nothing better when I am really frustrated and angry than to break something glass. There are loads of people who rip paper for this very same reason. Even when the “thing” being taken apart is a relationship and there are hurt feelings….doesn’t it also feel good to take apart what is wrong? It’s the most amazing therapy!

Second: our undeniable need to build and make better. These are not mutually exclusive desires: demolishing and creating. There must be one in order for there to be the other. It’s a necessary cycle. The joy found in watching, I think, was subconsciously about the promise of something NEW. It’s thrill of change. It’s the excitement of the unknown.

We need to have that change in order to grow. Sometimes that change comes with pain and sorrow (such as with war) but is a necessary part of evolution. Our societies, and we as individuals, crave change even when it is uncomfortable and painful. The end always seems to justify the means for us. So as we stand around and gape at these piles of concrete and glass and PVC pipe, we are thrilled with the crashing and crunching because deep down we know that this will lead to something new and different. Even though it is just a building that we will most likely never go into…..its change around us.

Then again…..maybe it’s just that the sound of breaking glass is so cool!

Kindness Doesn't Take Much

2009-01-18T14:33:00.000-08:00

This has been discussed so many times….but I wanted to throw in my little bit. Logically, we all know that being truly kind does not require large effort or a big fan-fare. We all know that kindness comes in little bits. But I had a perfect kindness experience that I wanted to share.

When I leave for work in the morning, I have to turn left onto a busy street with a reasonable amount of traffic without the aid of a stop sign or street light. If I leave at the right time of the morning, I can miss the onslaught of traffic without any problem……but this is a very rare occurrence. Most often I wait for several minutes and take a few chances to cross the road. Earlier this past week, I got to the end of my driveway and saw the lines of traffic both ways. After about a minute of waiting, there was a break in the traffic from my left….even though there was no end to the traffic from my right. But the driver of one car from my right stopped calmly, and waited for me to cross. There were easily 20 cars backed up behind him….but he did it anyway. I crossed quickly and off we all went.

This was a very simple little act that took up all of 30 seconds in our lives. All of those cars were going to have to wait for the nearby traffic light anyhow….so it didn’t slow them up any. This small moment made my whole day! No one asked this driver to stop; I did not honk or yell for a space. I drove the rest of my 15 minute commute with a smile. In fact….I was so calm and happy that when a car cut me off short a little while later, I just slowed carefully and did my best to make it easy for the driver to get in the lane…..no honking or yelling or even feeling upset.

We often don’t consider how our actions, regardless of how small, will affect another person. We also don’t often think of what else has happened to someone to put them in a foul mood. Good moods and bad moods spread like wildfire…..with very little fuel. That same driver that let me into traffic passed along a good mood that lasted all day for me and made me more pleasant to deal with. Just as easily, I could have moved into traffic when there was a bit of a natural space, been honked at, and spent the rest of the day snippy at others.

This same day, a friend of mine was at a college to register for a class. The woman at the admissions office was unhappy, and a bit rude. Her bad mood led to this friend coming home feeling unhelped with the class registration, and frustrated with the process; and thus less able to focus on the things needing to be done at home. Again....the mood is perpetuated. This woman did not realize how her mood and actions would affect the life of another person, and this friend of mine did not stop to think about what could have put the woman out of sorts. They chalked the encounter up to being an unhappy person at work and a rude guy that came into the office. A opportunity to change a life was missed.

Being a truly kind person does not take much. It takes a short consideration of the other persons position. What may have happened to this person that he/she is unhappy or frustrated? How can I avoid contribution? What would I like for someone to do for me if I were in the other position? And then do those things…… No asking or questions; just do something.

I Don't Do Resolutions

2009-01-11T23:04:00.000-08:00

It is a new, glorious, year.....and 'tis the season for resolutions! Every year folks make resolutions to lose weight, go out more, save more, and so on. However, I am firmly against this practice.

This is my first year as an adult where I am starting off single. This year is new in so many ways ..... just like every day is new in so many ways. I have never been one for resolutions, but I do feel compelled to "formalize" the things I want to do with th is new life I have. So I am going with the GOALS route......

I have, really, just one goal for 2009: make one scarf or hat every month for the whole year. Here is the deal: I love yarn! A year ago I started crocheting and loom-knitting, and have loved every minute of it. Because of this great love, I have also developed a love of fiber. I am not a “fiber snob” who only uses 100% animal fiber (wool, alpaca, silk, etc) or strictly plant fiber (cotton, bamboo)… I focus on colors and the feel. So even if a yarn is acrylic I will love it and use it if it feels right. As you can probably guess…..this has led to a tremendous collection of yarn. These projects can be done with one skein quite often, and usually take only a few hours. And by the end of the year I will have several items ready for gifts and donations.

Contributing donations has been a gap in my life for quite a long time. There is something so much more meaningful, I think, in being able to do donations of items made rather than just the giving of money. Most definitely……money is a great donation and for any organization those donations are a necessity. But when it comes to what I can do to make any difference on an individual level, handmade items and specific donations are my forte. The idea that something that has gone through my hands and from my home has done good for someone else is such a thrilling idea!

So….why not call it a resolution to use up my yarn stash by making and donating scarves? I think that there is such a stigma associated with the word RESOLUTION. Everyone talks about resolutions that they made…..they didn’t last….”I really started off on my resolution well, but just didn’t follow through.” There is something about the word “resolution” that feels like it’s an impossible thing to accomplish. With having a GOAL….there is no way I can completely fail unless I never pick up the yarn and never even try. I will accomplish at least some of the GOAL no matter what I do.

This year is about positive changes…..and my GOALs will be my key to success.

This Holiday Season.....UPS Must Die

2008-12-27T01:07:00.000-08:00

I really need to share my experience this holiday season…..my experience with UPS. That’s right – the United Parcel Service. It all began at Thanksgiving……..

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, I had the time to sort out my Christmas list for my children and get it all planned. In addition to the planning, on the 30th I was able to get all of it ordered! Now I know there are deals to be found when shopping out in the stores, but I just don’t find any joy in fighting crowds and digging through the mess. Not to mention the extreme lack of time I have to get shopping done alone. My solution is to do the bulk of my shopping online…..I don’t have to worry about an item being in stock, I can do it on a break at work or when my kids are asleep, and the prices are usually comparable. So by the end of the day on the 30th of November, all my shopping was done.

Over the next 2 weeks, all of the items arrived. Save ONE. And of course this would be the biggest one…..the kitchen play set I had found for my 5 year old daughter. This was the most perfect gift! She is always helping me in the kitchen, loves to do her own thing, and this one was actually tall enough for my blondie-amazonian girl.

The lovely folks at UPS had left me a voicemail on December 8th to let me know they needed my apartment number before being able to deliver this large box. I called the customer service line back on the morning of the 11th…updated the address, and was told that the package would be delivered on the 16th. AWESOME!!! That would leave me plenty of time to have all the gifts out and not have to rush. Well……the 16th came and went. Of course these folks are busy!

On the 17th I called them to see what the status was….since the online tracking had not been updated since the request for my apartment on the 8th. The lovely woman I spoke with told me that they did not have any record of my updated apartment information, and that the hold had expired so the box was on its way back to the seller! EEEEK! There was no way to get an intercept on the package – I would have to call the seller and figure out how to get it redirected. I called the seller straight away. The seller is a small company back east, and since it was past their regular business hours, I spoke with a person at their customer service center. This was obviously a contracted company meant mainly for answering simple questions since when I talked to them about resolving the shipping issue they directed me to call back the next morning……they would be available starting at 9 am Eastern time.

The morning of the 18th started off with a call to the seller just after 9 am Eastern time. Yes…..I live on the West Coast. This was 6am for me. And a day I was snowed in. The woman that I spoke with was very quick to help me resolve my problem. She got a hold of UPS, got the box intercepted, updated the address, and had a new delivery date of Monday the 22nd. The funny thing here….was that there was no record anywhere of the box being sent back – not with the seller and not with UPS. The box had not left my town.

I checked the tracking of the package all day on the 18th, the 19th, the 20th, the 21st, and the 22nd. Quite a lot of snow came through the Northwest, and while I was stuck in my apartment….the UPS trucks were stuck in their yards. Nothing was getting anywhere. By the 22nd, grocery stores were out of staple items, gas stations were out of fuel, and there was no way to get anywhere. But the snow let up that afternoon, and on the 23rd there was a lull in the weather. I spent all of the 23rd on the phone with UPS trying to find out if my box with the perfect kitchen set was scheduled for delivery. The only thing I was told was that they were quite overwhelmed with all of the deliveries to be made, so keep checking the online tracking – and 3 messages were sent to the local facility and 3 times I was promised a call. Not a call came. However…..by noon I was in the line at the shipping facility with several other people trying to track down their items.

I wound up speaking to a very nice gentleman by the name Doug. Doug looked everywhere he could….but could not find my box. He took my number down and promised to call me after the trucks returned for the day. “Thanks, Doug. But that is now the fourth promise of a call I have gotten today. I can’t really trust another promise.” And Doug replies, “but it is the first promise from me.” Sure Doug…..whatever you say. I did tell him that I would be back that evening to see what progress there was, find my box, and take it home. “See you at 7, Doug.”

It is important to note here that one of Doug’s co-workers decided to insert her 2 cents into the conversation.

“You might wanna come up with a back up plan. It’s really busy and you know my name ain’t Jesus.”
“That’s too bad,” I responded, “Jesus would have probably updated my address 12 days ago when I talked to him and delivered when he said he would. Sure could use him now, huh?”

I leave the shipping center with no more information than when I got there. And certainly no box. And less hope for getting it in time to give this great gift to my little girl. Time to get to the grocery store and see if they have milk yet.

The UPS shipping center is only 3 miles from my house. The grocery store is only across the street from my house. Yet going from the shipping center to the grocery store and home took over 2 hours. The streets were sheets of 3 inch thick ice that had been torn up by tire chains. It was slow moving everywhere.

After getting home to drop off said groceries (yes, they had milk) I got back in the car and went to the shipping center. Yeah….the one that is only 3 miles away but somehow took 2 hours to get to. Oh! Right! Chopped up roads…..hard to forget.

Back in line at the shipping center, Doug saw me. “Yep, I am a little early Doug.” I got saddled talking to some other schmuck who had been dealing with less than happy customers all day.

“I need to get this package off of whatever truck it is on.”
“Well, I can’t tell you what truck it is on. And we won’t be able to find out where it is until the trucks comeback at 8 and all the packages get scanned back in.”
“So you will know tonight where my box is.”
“Probably not. There’s quite a back up. We will know Friday at best.”
“I have to have this box before tomorrow. I understand you are backed up, which is why for 3 days I have requested that box be pulled so I could pick it up and not have to bother with delivery.”
“You know if you had just not done anything, it would have been delivered.”
“I really doubt that. Since you don’t know what truck it is on, and the request to pick it up only got to you at noon today – which is well after the trucks were out. We need to find that box and I need to get it tonight.”
“I can’t help you. If it was so important, you could have picked it up anytime between the 7th and the 12th.”
"And you could have delivered it anytime between the 12th and the 23rd like you said. It seems there are a lot of could-haves here."
"I can't help you."
“Then who can?”
“I don’t know.” (insert shrug here) “All of these other people standing here are wanting the same thing. And I can’t help you.”
“Well, they deserve to find their packages too. Who manages the offloading of the trucks?”
Shrug again.
“Unloading is a big job. Someone has to manage that. Let’s find who it is, and see what he/she can do to streamline this search.”
“There isn’t anyone. Your best bet is to leave and watch the tracking number for updates.”
“No….we need to find who manages the unloading process and figure out a way to find this box.”
“Sorry. There isn’t anyone. You will have to check back on Friday.”
“The boxes unload themselves? No one supervises? That’s freakin neat!”
Shrug
“You aren’t going to do anything else to help me are you.”
Shrug. Slight shaking of the head.

I grab my slip of paper with the tracking number and go.

Now back out in the parking lot, I call the generic customer service for UPS again. This time I speak to a supervisor…..and I give her the Cliff Notes version of the day and the previous 7 calls and 2 visits. To cut to the chase…..she can’t help me either. No one can.

Sobbing and cold from standing in the parking lot for an hour, I get back in my car and go home. Talking to my mom on the phone….falling apart and telling her I have no idea how to face my daughter without her one gift from me at Christmas. How do I have her open the one board game I gave to both my children instead of opening something that was just hers?

At 8 that night, I really did get a call from Doug. He was scouring the last truck it was reported to be on, but had not found the box. He would keep looking. At 9:30, no luck. At 10:15, still no luck and he had to leave. I thanked him for all of his work….trying (and failing) to hide my crying while talking to him. He was the only one at that company that seemed to really care about what was going on…..for me or anyone else.

The next morning was Christmas Eve – and Target would be opening early. I called them at 7:30 in the morning and asked if they had the same play set in stock. They had 1. I threw on whatever clothes I found on the floor and drove faster than I should have on the ice to get over to Target and find this kitchen. Ironically, Target is next door to the G*D-D*MN*D UPS shipping center.

At that moment, I didn’t care if this meant I had 2 of the same thing. I didn’t care that each play set cost over $100. I didn’t care if it would fit in my car. I didn’t care if it was too slick for my car to get home. All those things I would tackle later….AFTER I found the kitchen.

They had it. I got it.

Nope…..it didn’t fit in my car. I took all the pieces out and put them on the backseat. Then I collapsed the box as best I could, slid it over the top of all the pieces, and set back out for home.

Nope…..my car didn’t make it back up my hill. I got the car turned around and back across the street to the parking lot of the grocery store.

Luckily, my ex was bringing the kids down to spend the day with me (Christmas Eve is my day) and he has a MONSTER vehicle. He and the kids picked me up, and we went back to the apartment. I gave him the spare key to my car, and when he was done with work he picked up all the pieces and the box and drove them up as well. This means that I had to get all the pieces from the parking lot to my apartment, put the box back together in the hallway, get the pieces back in the box, and get some bit of wrapping on it, without my darling daughter seeing any of this…..and she was only 50 yards away. Don’t ask me how it worked….but it did. Please note here that my ex picked up everything……the car was still at the grocery store.

The kids were both very excited to open their few presents on Christmas Eve, so dinner got made very early. After dinner, boxes were opened, toys assembled, and much happy havoc.
Their dad came to get them at 8:30. I should have them longer (until 10 I think the paperwork says) but we both agreed with the road and weather conditions being so atrocious, it would be best to get the kids home a little earlier. He picked up the kids….and they all dropped me back off at my car. By this time of night, the hill to my apartment was mostly slush, and I made it into the garage just fine.

Skip ahead to today……the 26th. Do you think I have a box? Do you think I have a second kitchen play set? Do you think I have yet heard a single word from UPS?

Clearly……this season they must die (except Doug). LONG LIVE FED-EX!

Mixed Messages to my Kids

2008-10-26T23:36:00.001-07:00

We all want to make this world a better place, I think. For certain, I know that I do. Because of this, there has always been quite a bit of focus and education with my kids about respect, giving to others, sharing, and like-wise kindly gestures. It has been important to me as a mother in such a crazy world to teach my children that fits and fighting and violence (no matter how mild) get you no where.

Enter soccer.

For the past 5 years, my son has been playing soccer in a local recreational league. My daughter started it last year as well. Now I cheer for them to run and kick and push and steal! From the sidelines, I give my sweet, beautiful, loving little girl tips on how to mow over an equally cute brunette and get that ball to the net. Kids fall down and I’m yelling for them to walk it off. My boy is not the most aggressive of players…so each Saturday I try to get him psyched about playing by telling him “I know they don’t give cards in your league, but I totally want you to EARN a yellow card.”

No wonder our kids need therapy!! We spend all this time trying to teach them to be kind and sharing and good people…..and the next weekend we are yelling for them to tromp other kids into the mud! However, I do think this all serves a great purpose.

Life is never as idyllic as we would like it to be. We want to protect our children from all of the hardships that are out there and let them experience a childhood that is nothing but bliss. By playing these sports that require work and aggression, and by encouraging them to get aggressive, we give them a glimpse to the REAL world. They have an opportunity to learn what it means to work with someone, and to achieve a goal (pardon the pun).

This became painfully clear about a month ago when my son decided that he did not want to play soccer anymore. He is very much a team player and not one that has to be the “super star” making the goals – and the kids that are like that are very frustrating to him. He and I had a conversation where I reminded him that by putting on the same jersey as everyone else, he made a promise to his team: that he would always be there for them. And that promise is not dependent on whether or not the other kids kept up their end of that promise. He thought about it, and agreed to stick out the rest of the season before taking a break.

So….in working to be more aggressive and fight for his goal, he is learning to work with a team and let each player do what he is best at. My daughter, in being encouraged to run over those other sweet 5 year olds, has learned that she can make a goal and that standing up for herself isn’t a bad thing.

Mixed messages can be tough….but I think that in the game of soccer it has proven to provide balance and not conflict.

Today was the Day

2008-10-24T22:02:00.001-07:00

Today was the day it took 2 years to make.

Ok…..two years is exaggerating a bit; it has been 22 months and 29 days. This was the finish line to a journey started on December 25, 2006…..the day my divorce was final. Surprisingly, it has been anti-climactic. Don’t get me wrong…..I am happy and tremendously relieved, but there was no great chorus or dramatic moments.

I spent most of yesterday and all of this morning fighting tears of fear. My EX made it very clear that he was going to be at court this morning even though he was not required, he had to take time off work, and he had already signed the papers. I think he felt the need to come and make sure I did not sneak in some sort of change to the agreement. He is the type of person that would have said “yes, Your Honor, I signed the papers even though I don’t REALLY think it’s all fair.” And then we would have had a problem. So….my tears and I got up in front of the judge, gave a 30 second sworn testimony, and then waited for Mr. Wonderful to drop a bomb. But he didn’t. He nodded and agreed and let it all go through. Wow.

Now I can officially start a new life. Luckily I have started living a little for myself since I moved out 18 months ago. Now I can be public about it. It all feels like when you have been driving for a while with a learners permit, and then you get your license. You don’t really do anything different…..but you’re OFFICIAL.

I realized that I was really back to “me” and myself a couple of weeks ago when I had to get a new debit card. When I got my first debit card at the age of 18, I chose a specific PIN that only I would know. The last 4 digits of my first driver’s license. When I went into get this new debit card PIN assigned a week ago…..I instinctively selected the same 4 digits. Like I was a kid all over again. It struck me as very funny.

Not really sure what I should do now, though. I have my kids with me….this weekend is filled with soccer games and birthday parties – so there is no big party. I think I should just savor the little bit of relief. Spend a little time remembering what it is like to be in this skin. To mark October 24th as a personal holiday EVERY YEAR to come.

The Pettiness of Parents

2008-10-19T20:56:00.000-07:00

This is the first year that my son’s soccer team is keeping track of their scores for league placement. So far, there is only one flaw in their perfect record.

A few weeks ago, our team (the Wolves) had an away game against a team (the Fusion) from Edmonds. We got to the field the required 30 minutes early for warm up…..but there was no other team and the field was locked. After the assistant coach made some phone calls, the field was grudgingly opened by the schools head janitor and we went in to start warm up. However, no opposing team. After the boys had played and goofed around for another 20 minutes, a team finally showed up. As it turns out, this other team was scheduled for a different time than us and they were playing against a Marysville team and not a Monroe team. The assistant coach finally got a hold of the league registrar, and let her know that we did not have an opposing team and that we were being booted from the field. The boys were very disheartened.

Two days later at practice, we discovered that the registrar had told our team the wrong time! The team from Edmonds that we were scheduled to play arrived at the proper time, but we were not there to play them. The game would have to be rescheduled.

Yesterday the Wolves played the Fusion in a regular game. This time we were the home team and they were the visiting team; the make-up game still not having been arranged. The game was fantastic, and the Wolves won 9:0. The coach for the Fusion turned out to be quite a tough guy with those boys; he was yelling a lot, and constantly asked them “what are you doing?” And the boys were genuinely frustrated.

As some of the parents got talking after the game, we realized that the chances of getting the previous game rescheduled were slim to none. If the game is not played, then it shows up on the record as our forfeit to them since they were the ones to show up at the proper time and we were the visiting team. And after a harsh game like yesterday, and an obvious winning record, would the other team really risk another loss when a “win” by forfeit was being handed to them?

Which brings me to point out that parents (in this case possibly the coach) sometimes care more about the win that the kids, care more about the outcome than the game, care more about the result than the journey. While we won the game…..all of the parents and coaching staff talked about how the team really did well with passing (an ongoing struggle) and how well the boys worked their positions and played like a TEAM.

Now I worry about the conversations that happened on the drives home for those boys on the Fusion team. Did their parents support them and remind them that they did a great job and gave the other team a run for their money? Or will the boys go to practice this week and hear that they let the win slip through their fingers, and just didn’t work?

The point is to play the game.

Why do I need to “BLOG”

2008-10-16T23:22:00.000-07:00

Tonight I am sitting on my bed, and wondering why I feel the need to write out my thoughts and feelings for what is potentially the whole world to see. Why should I be so proud and so bold as to think that anyone is interested in ME.

While contemplating my arrogance in posting bologna on the web, I think I am realizing that it really isn’t about what people want to read in a strict sense. If that were the case, then I would pursue being a great romance novelist……because who doesn’t have a trashy story or two as a guilty pleasure, right? The reason I feel this need to spew about my days, my nights, and my completely uneventful life, is because for so long I have not had anyone to hear me. All of what I want to put up on this little Nuurdy site is a bit of an over-correction for being silent for so long.

For as long as I can remember, I have held back what I think from those around me. It is only in my very recent past that I have started to exercise my ability to disagree with anyone and still feel like the world has not crashed around me. When I don’t particularly care about someone (had no emotional connection) then it has been pretty easy for me to stand up for myself or to speak my mind; but as soon as there is any kind of relationship with a person, I shrink away from being different because I don’t want them to be upset or angry or hurt. The past 2 years have been an ongoing epiphany of individuality. So…..in not wanting to ever upset anyone, I never said a word. Not of real value, anyway. And when you stop speaking….people stop listening.

I love to learn about other people. Whether it’s a captivating biography, little updates in letters, or chatting with friends, I love to hear about the ups and downs of those I care about. Maybe it’s time to realize that there might be a few out there that care about me, too. And if I start speaking, hopefully they will listen again.