New Thing: Week 6

On my list of Christmas break "to do"s was to pull out the sewing machine. The sad, lonely, neglected sewing machine that has been sitting in the bottom of my closet for some time now. I'm not sure how that happened.

I decided to start with something super basic, as it has been so long since I've sewed that I (very sadly) had to consult the sewing machine manual to remind me how to properly thread it. I hemmed two pairs of pants and put together this simple table runner, which was supposed to be an early December project but ended up happening the day after Christmas (oops). I figured I couldn't go wrong with straight lines and a non-committal holiday project to ease me back in. I was never a great sewer, but at least I know now that I can still stitch together a few pieces of fabric!

New Year

Despite its tough spots, I must begin by expressing my utmost gratitude to 2010 for the following:

The chance to finally visit the Redwoods and Yosemite. I swear my soul will never be the same after being in those ancient spots. Never, ever the same.

My most lovely trip to Asheville to see Seester, and basically, just for Seester in general. My heart will always ache a little that we can't live closer to each other, but I am so very grateful for such a tremendous best friend.

Number of severe dizzy episodes in 2010 = 0. When I realized I'd made it to the one year mark without a major episode, it was like breathing again for the first time in a long time. Thank you.

Making a little more peace with my body, and learning a little more how to take better care of it. This will probably always be a struggle for me, but I made some inroads this year. Thank you.

A new home, new friends, and a new church. I still long for the new home to feel like the place I've always been, for my new friends to feel like old friends, and for my church to feel like the other home I've always had, but I know that, with a little patience and nurturing, I'll get there. Until then, I'm grateful for a good start.

Dan. This year, like the years before it, has given me so many reasons to love my amazing husband even more. Really, truly, thank you. Whatever you have done to help him put up with me, please teach 2011 how to keep doing it.

Granted, there's a lot I could have done without: the expensive vet bills, the health scares of family and friends, the ridiculous number of dark and horrible days some of my loved ones had to endure, the number of tears I cried over a job that sucks away little parts of me, and my general end-of-summer existential crisis. I feel as though, in many ways, I have broken open this year--which is both a good thing and a bad thing. A painful process, but a welcome relief. A sometimes uncomfortable mix of endless possibility and utter vulnerability.

Peering over the edge at 2011, I feel both thrilled and petrified. My hopes for the coming year are so very high--and yet, with my oft-nagging sense of waiting for the shoe to drop, I worry that perhaps I am placing too much stock in 365 days. It's time, I know, to put myself out there and take some leaps of faith, but it's not often something I'm good at. And so, 2011, I'm placing a lot of trust in you. And a lot of trust in me. Here's to all the wonderful things that 2010 brought, to all the things I leave behind, and to the promise of all things new. . . .

Christmas Kitties

New Things: Weeks 4 & 5

With all the magic of the holidays distracting me, I've gotten a little behind with posting! Here's a recap of the new things I've tried in the last two weeks.

1. Indoor cycling
After looking through the glass to watch the indoor cycling class at my gym more than once, I finally decided to give it a go. Thankfully, my gym offers a beginner class, so I made a point to start with that so it would feel less intimidating. To be honest, my butt took quite a beating(!), but the workout was awesome. I love all the visualization and the way you can set your own pace, and the music is fun (especially since Christmas music was the theme for the class I attended!). I am definitely looking forward to working more cycling (of the indoor variety) into my exercise routine.

2. Making my own pie crust
Like baking bread, making a pie crust from scratch seemed like one of those things that should be easy to do but which I found myself either too intimidated or too lazy to try. Dan requested an apple pie for Christmas dinner dessert, so I thought that would be the perfect time to give it a go! As with the bread, it was much easier than I expected (especially with the help of this great tutorial from Real Simple), and it turned out yummy. I forgot to protect the outer part of the crust with foil, so it got a bit burned, and my poor little stars also suffered from a lack of protection and ended up with some burnt little points. Overall, though, the crust was flaky and buttery and delicious--and not too shabby for my first effort. Next time, with the help of a pie crust shield, hopefully it will be scorch free!


3. Getting crafty
As I've been examining my priorities in the last year or so and thinking about what's missing, one of the things I've realized has been lacking in my life is any real outlets for creativity. From childhood (when we were all happily creative!) up until the last five years or so, I was frequently engaged in all sorts of creative outlets: dance, theater, making cards for family and friends, sewing, cross stitching, writing, starting to bake. . . and then things just sort of came to a halt. Though I'm not the most creative person--and certainly not the most talented--I definitely feel an urge to create things of late and to make my home a more personalized place.

One of my first projects was to try to add something homemade to our Christmas tree in an effort to give it a more organic, homey feel. I wanted to do something like string popcorn or cranberries, but I knew they were likely to become the snack/toys of my cats, or worse, of mice (my mom once put popcorn on her tree, and some unwelcome four-legged critters took it as an invitation for an all-you-can-eat buffet). I decided to go with a paper chain, which was something fun but easy that I could do while listening to music and watching Christmas movies. I love the results, as it adds something homemade and a bit whimsical to the tree.

I also decided to decorate my own stocking. Using this project from Martha Stewart as inspiration, I modified it a bit to make my own rickrack stocking. I love that I could make it exactly as I wanted, with purple included! I was also able to use some of my mom's old sewing supplies--including some old rickrack that I found from 1973(!), which made it feel even more special.

Longwood Christmas

Last week, Dan and I took a trip to Longwood Gardens for their Christmas display. Though we had to brave frigid temperatures in the 20s, it truly felt like walking in winter wonderland (I can only imagine how beautiful it must be with snow!).

Happy Birthday, Adam

Today would have been Adam's 23rd birthday. Sometimes I wonder what life would be like for him if he were still here. . . if he would have found a way through the darkness of his addiction or if he would still be gripped in its chokehold. I can't believe it's been almost three years since the day the world stopped turning for my family.

Happy birthday, little brother. You are missed.

Good Thing: Keys for Kindness

My building was recently sold, and one of the first things the new landlord did was change the locks. While this is certainly not a bad idea, it did create a small problem for me in the form of old useless keys. I just hate putting things like that in the trash, especially when there is a chance that they might be recyclable.

Thanks to the power of the Internet, however, I believe I have found a good home for them: Keys for Kindness. They collect old keys, recycle the metal, and donate the proceeds to the Multiple Sclerosis Society. What a great way to make good use of all the old keys everyone has sitting around! Mine are going in the mail straight away.

New Things: Week 3

Two new things this week. . . .

This year, Dan and I began what I hope will become an annual tradition by participating in Amnesty International's Write for Rights Global Write-A-Thon. Last night, on Human Rights Day, we made a date night of writing and/or printing and signing a total of 58 letters, notecards, and postcards in support of those suffering human rights abuses.

The letters that we printed and signed went to international government officials or embassy offices demanding action.


In addition, we wrote notes and postcards to the individuals suffering human rights abuses to provide them with support and encouragement. These include prisoners of conscience who have been unjustly imprisoned, communities that have experienced persecution and discrimination, and defenders of human rights facing daily threats. Reading their stories made me feel truly grateful for a life free from persecution; writing letters seemed like such a small (yet important) thing to do considering the unimaginable challenges they face.


After three and a half hours, our letters were ready to send to Romania, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Gambia, China, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and other places all over the world. It was a pretty amazing thing to be a part of such a worldwide effort--they are expecting over 250,000 letters to be sent! (P.S.--If you're interested in writing, it's definitely not too late even after the Write-a-Thon ends on December 12.)

The second new thing of the week: After contemplating it for months, Dan and I finally signed on to CREDO Mobile, a cell phone service that supports progressive causes. I've had mixed feelings about supporting my previous phone carrier after learning more about their politics, so it's nice to get behind a company I can support 100% (and, as an added bonus, it doesn't cost any more than our old plan, and I'll make out with a new phone!).

All in all, I guess it was my week to do my little bit to promote social justice. Next week's new things are likely to be much less lofty, but for now, it feels nice to move from thoughts to action--even if they are just little actions--to support causes I care about. For me, it's all part of my journey to really prioritize the things that matter most to me.

A Christmas Collection

As a general rule, I am not a fan of collections. Not to say that I don't appreciate other people's treasures, but collecting is just not something I'm really into, especially given my efforts to have less stuff. I will admit that Dan and I are definitely guilty of having too many books, but other than that, I don't really have any intentional collections going in my house.

The one exception for me is Christmas tree ornaments. The first year that we got married, Dan and I started a tradition of collecting an ornament every year to represent a significant event or trip from that year. The first year we were married, it was an ornament from Oregon (where we went for our honeymoon); the following year, it was a picture of our cats who we had adopted that year. Our ornament from 2010 is one we picked up during our trip to Yosemite.

I love how, as we unpack the ornaments every year, each one tells a story. I hope that, 30 or 40 years from now, we will be able to look back at a tree full of ornaments marking special times or trips in our lives and it will bring back a host of memories. Here are a few of my favorites, including some that have followed me from the tree we had growing up.

A little bell from when I was six

One of several wooden ornaments my mother painted before I was born

An ornament marking our time in St. Louis (with Harry Potter close behind!)

Classic glass ornaments that pre-date me

My sister and I loved this one when we were little. You can actually flip through the book and read the entire story!

New Things: Week 2

For my second week of new things, I finally got around to doing two little things I've been wanting to do for a long time.

In the past few years, I've tried as much as possible to use green/natural cleaning products in my home. The one exception has been dishwasher detergent, as over and over again I have found that eco-friendly dishwasher detergents do not get the job done in my crappy rental dishwashers.

Back in the spring, I read that you can use a mixture of half baking soda and half Borax in the dishwasher. I bought the Borax several months ago. Since that time, it has been sitting under my sink, next to a box of baking soda, next to the package of Method dish tablets that I continue to buy even though I'm not 100% happy with them. Sad, sad, sad. This weekend, I took the monumental step of actually getting the Borax and baking soda out, putting them into an old bottle, shaking it up, and putting some in the dishwasher. One more step toward a greener planet accomplished.

The other new thing that I've been wanting to do for ages is make my own bread. I'm just not satisfied with the taste and/or ingredients of so many store-bought breads, and I love the idea of having a home filled with the smells of a freshly baked loaf. I'm a bit of a novice baker, but I thought I'd finally give it a go!

Dough ready for the first rise (I'm wearing my mom's old Christmas apron. She had it when I was a kid, and I love to wear whenever I'm baking!)

Hot from the oven in all its multiseed glory

Warm slices of freshly baked bread = yumminess

I have to say that the bread turned out quite delicious--nice and crispy on the outside, warm and chewy on the inside, and it has a wonderfully hearty, rustic flavor (which is one of the things I love in a bread). I was surprised to discover how easy it was to make. I'm looking forward to trying my hand at some other varieties!