A "G-Rated Journal" That Even My Mother Can Read (because she does!)
Effervescence is a state of mind. It's about choosing to bring sunshine to the day.
Every person I meet matters.
If it's written down, I know it (If it's not written down, I don't know it)
If it's color-coded, I understand it (If it's not color-coded, I don't understand it)
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Daddy-do and me, 2010
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What I've Been Up To Lately
What I've Been Up To Lately - As I walked back from getting more coffee, I started musing about this journal over here. And I surprised myself that it had been two months since I've checked in. It took a moment to realize why I hadn't updated over here for a while: I've launched a second journal just to feature my crafts. If you haven't seen these posts, here's a few links and summaries:
A few things I've learned: I need to improve my photography skills. I'd like a higher-end camera eventually someday. I could spend time maxing out my skills on my current camera. Photos are really the heart of some sales.
Also, if you look at the post entitled "Letting Go," look at the 3rd photo, the multi-colored bulky yarn in the setting sun. The spindle in that photo is very special to me. I've had it around for more than 13 years or so.
Lady Kaarna passed away around 17-18 years ago, and I learned to spin shortly after. A few years later someone gave me one of Kaarna's old spindles, with some of her spinning on it. The spindle was over-sized, heavy, and the wool was brittle. The bottom of the spindle was wobbly, and I just packed it away, forgotten for a while. I finally got up the nerve to cut away the old brittle yarn, got out my wood glue, and made the spindle whole again. I think Kaarna would be happier to see someone cut off and tossed out the brittle 20-year old small bit of wool and got the spindle working again. Now it's my bulky-yarn go-to spindle. I love it.
* * * * *
Dancing Up a Storm - The other main activity of the past two months: Dancing, dancing, dancing! The Winter session (classes run for 8-weeks at a time) just wrapped up, and I was quite busy. I've been taking semi-private lesson on Monday nights, taking 2 drum classes on Tuesdays, dancing/working as a TA in a Thursday level 1.0 class, dancing in the Thursday level 1.5 class immediately following (2 hours total on Thu), and then dancing/working as a TA in a Friday level 1.0 class for 90 minutes. Four-and-a-half hours of dance per week, plus two-hours of drumming.
The ante just went up this session: I've had to postpone my advanced drum classes for at least this session, since I'm needed in the Tuesday level 2.0 class. I'm continuing the semi-private level 2.0 lessons on Mondays, dancing 60-min level 2.0 Tuesdays, staying in the 2-hours of level 1.0 and 1.5 on Thursday, and continuing with the Friday class(es) when they resume in a few weeks. Friday is still unknown: If there are enough students, we'll be able to hold a 2nd class in level 1.5. If both classes are in place, that will be a 3-hour session on Friday nights.
This weekend I'll be working as a "roadie" for the Troupe for the first time. And I'll be dancing with a couple of other level 2.0 dancers and a few level 2.5+ dancers for a swap meet performance. I've been quite busy sewing the first costume piece that I *need* for performances: a tiered black skirt. I've been able to dedicate some hours to sewing at the sewing machine at home, but sometimes I just have to keep sewing by hand, when I'm out and about and away from home. I thought I had until Sunday to finish the skirt, but now I know I need it for my roadie gig on Friday night.
The Friday gig is at a goth club with a St. Patrick's day theme, and so I also spun some very bulky black yarn with green highlights to create a hair-piece feature to wear on Friday. It's drying at home right now, photos to be posted later.
All this dancing and activity was briefly interruped by two disasters last week: I fell off a curb after lunch on my walk back to work one day, and I picked up a nasty cold one day last week (and had been sick for nearly 3 days a couple of weeks ago). I don't always remember to slow down for colds or strained knees/ankles, but I *know* I have to heal correctly to get back to speed. So hard to do!
Also, on the SCA and website front, we're ramping up for the big event in October, so between work, dance, drum, and trying to get healthy, I've also needed to carve out hours for website updates. Definitely a stretch.
Finally, my Band will be playing live in April (eep!) ... so I have that going for me too. *grin* Check out http://forevertwelve.com/shows.php for details. We'll be playing Saturday, April 9 at 10 PM at the Mint in Hollywood.
* * * * *
And now, some material I wrote last month. Enjoy.
Reflections in February - My sweetie recently asked me the other day if I had only four things I could impart as "words of wisdom" to a child or as a legacy, what would they be? (1) Be your best. (2) Listen to people. (3) Pursue your passion. (4) Adversity happens. Learn to overcome it.
I find these guidelines are part of my every day approach to things.
(1) I believe in trying to excel. I have occasionally joked that if you aim for perfection, you're bound to hit excellence. I'm not sure where I heard that, it's not my line, but I *love* it so much. There were times I regretted earning straight A's early in life, since all my parents wanted was for me to "do my best" (and I'd set the bar high, early). But as a life guideline or value, it has served me well in those moments I've needed to take stock again.
(2) Listen to people. I didn't do that for years, and came across as a know-it-all and a bully or a bull-dozer. When someone figuratively smacked me in early college with how I was behaving, it was a life-changing moment. Other people matter. And making them feel like they belong, I want to hear what they have to say, and that I care about LISTENING to them, this became a life-changing value for me.
(3) Pursue Your Passion. It's become a greater priciple over the years, more and more all the time. If something isn't my passion, why am I prioritizing my life around it? Worth pondering.
(4) Deal with disappointment. Overcome adversity. Stuff always just happens. It amazes me how often there are people who are surprised by this and do not realize it is a constant in life. They seem to always be shocked and surprised at difficulties, and are constantly frustrated (some, to the point of throwing a temper tantrum every time). Really? Life would improve if you always knew there was going to be adversity and disappointment. Because knowing it's going to be there seems to help me prepare or be less surprised.
If there was a 5th item I would add, it would be an off-hand remark I made to a roomie last year: (5) Hospitality is more my religion than anything else. I have a religious preference, but I would rather make a guest feel comfortable visiting me in my home or by having me over as a guest, than any tow-the-line religious rule I might adhere to. This one might make more sense in context, but I'll leave it vague for now.
* * *
Today's Blessing That I'm Thankful For: Jen and Sass. My ATS dance teachers and some of my favorite strong women in my life.
- Tue Jan 18 - Etsy shop is ready I've updated my etsy shop: http://cayswann.etsy.com
- Tue Jan 18 - Facebook Page for CaySwann Crafts A Facebook page you can follow/fan/like (however they call it nowadays): http://tinyurl.com/CaySwann-Crafts
- Wed Jan 19 - Ravelry My projects over on the Ravelry site.
- Wed Jan 26 - Working by Color Some images of fibers I dyed (and fluffed up to prepare for spinning), plus spinning blue for a tassel belt.
- Thu Feb 3 - Letting Go Yarns that I finished and released into the wild through sales. That's a good thing, right? The photos are a little nostalgic for me.
- Wed Feb 23 - The Tassel Belt in Action You can see the tassel belt I made in a belly dance video on youtube.
- Mon Mar 14 - Photographing the "Red Dirt Girl" silk Just some pretty yarn pictures. I've been spinning silk, and it's really pretty.
A few things I've learned: I need to improve my photography skills. I'd like a higher-end camera eventually someday. I could spend time maxing out my skills on my current camera. Photos are really the heart of some sales.
Also, if you look at the post entitled "Letting Go," look at the 3rd photo, the multi-colored bulky yarn in the setting sun. The spindle in that photo is very special to me. I've had it around for more than 13 years or so.
Lady Kaarna passed away around 17-18 years ago, and I learned to spin shortly after. A few years later someone gave me one of Kaarna's old spindles, with some of her spinning on it. The spindle was over-sized, heavy, and the wool was brittle. The bottom of the spindle was wobbly, and I just packed it away, forgotten for a while. I finally got up the nerve to cut away the old brittle yarn, got out my wood glue, and made the spindle whole again. I think Kaarna would be happier to see someone cut off and tossed out the brittle 20-year old small bit of wool and got the spindle working again. Now it's my bulky-yarn go-to spindle. I love it.
* * * * *
Dancing Up a Storm - The other main activity of the past two months: Dancing, dancing, dancing! The Winter session (classes run for 8-weeks at a time) just wrapped up, and I was quite busy. I've been taking semi-private lesson on Monday nights, taking 2 drum classes on Tuesdays, dancing/working as a TA in a Thursday level 1.0 class, dancing in the Thursday level 1.5 class immediately following (2 hours total on Thu), and then dancing/working as a TA in a Friday level 1.0 class for 90 minutes. Four-and-a-half hours of dance per week, plus two-hours of drumming.
The ante just went up this session: I've had to postpone my advanced drum classes for at least this session, since I'm needed in the Tuesday level 2.0 class. I'm continuing the semi-private level 2.0 lessons on Mondays, dancing 60-min level 2.0 Tuesdays, staying in the 2-hours of level 1.0 and 1.5 on Thursday, and continuing with the Friday class(es) when they resume in a few weeks. Friday is still unknown: If there are enough students, we'll be able to hold a 2nd class in level 1.5. If both classes are in place, that will be a 3-hour session on Friday nights.
This weekend I'll be working as a "roadie" for the Troupe for the first time. And I'll be dancing with a couple of other level 2.0 dancers and a few level 2.5+ dancers for a swap meet performance. I've been quite busy sewing the first costume piece that I *need* for performances: a tiered black skirt. I've been able to dedicate some hours to sewing at the sewing machine at home, but sometimes I just have to keep sewing by hand, when I'm out and about and away from home. I thought I had until Sunday to finish the skirt, but now I know I need it for my roadie gig on Friday night.
The Friday gig is at a goth club with a St. Patrick's day theme, and so I also spun some very bulky black yarn with green highlights to create a hair-piece feature to wear on Friday. It's drying at home right now, photos to be posted later.
All this dancing and activity was briefly interruped by two disasters last week: I fell off a curb after lunch on my walk back to work one day, and I picked up a nasty cold one day last week (and had been sick for nearly 3 days a couple of weeks ago). I don't always remember to slow down for colds or strained knees/ankles, but I *know* I have to heal correctly to get back to speed. So hard to do!
Also, on the SCA and website front, we're ramping up for the big event in October, so between work, dance, drum, and trying to get healthy, I've also needed to carve out hours for website updates. Definitely a stretch.
Finally, my Band will be playing live in April (eep!) ... so I have that going for me too. *grin* Check out http://forevertwelve.com/shows.php for details. We'll be playing Saturday, April 9 at 10 PM at the Mint in Hollywood.
* * * * *
And now, some material I wrote last month. Enjoy.
Reflections in February - My sweetie recently asked me the other day if I had only four things I could impart as "words of wisdom" to a child or as a legacy, what would they be? (1) Be your best. (2) Listen to people. (3) Pursue your passion. (4) Adversity happens. Learn to overcome it.
I find these guidelines are part of my every day approach to things.
(1) I believe in trying to excel. I have occasionally joked that if you aim for perfection, you're bound to hit excellence. I'm not sure where I heard that, it's not my line, but I *love* it so much. There were times I regretted earning straight A's early in life, since all my parents wanted was for me to "do my best" (and I'd set the bar high, early). But as a life guideline or value, it has served me well in those moments I've needed to take stock again.
(2) Listen to people. I didn't do that for years, and came across as a know-it-all and a bully or a bull-dozer. When someone figuratively smacked me in early college with how I was behaving, it was a life-changing moment. Other people matter. And making them feel like they belong, I want to hear what they have to say, and that I care about LISTENING to them, this became a life-changing value for me.
(3) Pursue Your Passion. It's become a greater priciple over the years, more and more all the time. If something isn't my passion, why am I prioritizing my life around it? Worth pondering.
(4) Deal with disappointment. Overcome adversity. Stuff always just happens. It amazes me how often there are people who are surprised by this and do not realize it is a constant in life. They seem to always be shocked and surprised at difficulties, and are constantly frustrated (some, to the point of throwing a temper tantrum every time). Really? Life would improve if you always knew there was going to be adversity and disappointment. Because knowing it's going to be there seems to help me prepare or be less surprised.
If there was a 5th item I would add, it would be an off-hand remark I made to a roomie last year: (5) Hospitality is more my religion than anything else. I have a religious preference, but I would rather make a guest feel comfortable visiting me in my home or by having me over as a guest, than any tow-the-line religious rule I might adhere to. This one might make more sense in context, but I'll leave it vague for now.
* * *
Today's Blessing That I'm Thankful For: Jen and Sass. My ATS dance teachers and some of my favorite strong women in my life.
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