Where does all the time go? I have an appointment this afternoon, there's a fundraiser at the Overholser Saturday...notwithstanding my usual duties.
Any time management tips?
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Feel Free to Call Me Out
But I'm incapable of apology at this point.
Discipline, the new Nine Inch Nails single, is fantastically danceable.
Discipline, the new Nine Inch Nails single, is fantastically danceable.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Currently Reading...
The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux.
For about, oh, the 80th time.
It's such a good book! It's part detective novel, part Gothic drama, part study of character. Erik is just so tragic.
For about, oh, the 80th time.
It's such a good book! It's part detective novel, part Gothic drama, part study of character. Erik is just so tragic.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Now That I've Had Time...
To mull over what happened the other day, I'm going to go into it with a bit more detail. Mostly because I need the encouragement I know I'll get from you guys. You're all so wonderful, I hope you realize that.
In short, I was explaining my LAF bumper sticker after dance class this week, and one of my fellow dancers decided to rip me a new one in an email that night.
Basically, first she went on and on about how stay-at-home mothers are bad for children because they smother them and spoil them. And that being a stay-at-home mother isn't enough to "satisfy" your average intelligent woman.
Then she proceeded to attack my "Naive and antiquated" views on "women being Mommies and men taking care of them." And that I need to get real, because the "knight in shining armor" I pray for is never going to show up, and I'm just going to end up jaded.
She berated me for wearing old-fashioned, romantic clothing. She tore me down for enjoying sewing. "I always hear about how you want to be a mommy, but I never hear about you exploring your talents."
Just because a good number of my interests are on the domestic side doesn't mean they aren't legitimate interests! And just because I spend more of my time serving my family than indulging in hobbies 24/7 doesn't mean there's something wrong with me.
Does it?
I'm just at a loss so see how arrogant and jaded a 21 year-old would have to be to assume she has the wisdom and right to tell me these things.
In short, I was explaining my LAF bumper sticker after dance class this week, and one of my fellow dancers decided to rip me a new one in an email that night.
Basically, first she went on and on about how stay-at-home mothers are bad for children because they smother them and spoil them. And that being a stay-at-home mother isn't enough to "satisfy" your average intelligent woman.
Then she proceeded to attack my "Naive and antiquated" views on "women being Mommies and men taking care of them." And that I need to get real, because the "knight in shining armor" I pray for is never going to show up, and I'm just going to end up jaded.
She berated me for wearing old-fashioned, romantic clothing. She tore me down for enjoying sewing. "I always hear about how you want to be a mommy, but I never hear about you exploring your talents."
Just because a good number of my interests are on the domestic side doesn't mean they aren't legitimate interests! And just because I spend more of my time serving my family than indulging in hobbies 24/7 doesn't mean there's something wrong with me.
Does it?
I'm just at a loss so see how arrogant and jaded a 21 year-old would have to be to assume she has the wisdom and right to tell me these things.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Well, well
Heaven forbid I should tell a friend of mine I'm not a feminist.
I've never felt so ganged-up on in my life, and by people I usually trust, no less. I didn't even say I was an anti-feminist...just that I'm not a feminist.
Ouch.
I don't feel all that well right now.
I've never felt so ganged-up on in my life, and by people I usually trust, no less. I didn't even say I was an anti-feminist...just that I'm not a feminist.
Ouch.
I don't feel all that well right now.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Please Pray, and a Playlist
My great uncle Bill passed away recently. We weren't close, but I'm not sure how well Dad is taking it, so any prayers would be appreciated.
That being said, I'd like to give ya'll a little more insight into my world. So, I decided to whip up a playlist to show you what I'm listening to, at least right now. It changes often, but these are my most-played songs as of this week.
The Obligatory Note: I don't necessarily endorse the ideologies or other relevant aspects of the artists contained herein, etc. etc.
Stars and Butterflies - the new Pride and Prejudice has a beautiful score. This is sort of my 'happy song,' and I put it on when I wake up a lot.
La Follia - I love, love, love this piece. It's from the Baroque period, and is rather long, but worth it. I'm a sucker for violin.
Angels - This is my Mom's current favorite song. We're both big fans of groups that combine heavier rock with classical elements.
The Mystic's Dream - I love Loreena McKennitt, and this is my favorite track off of The Mask and Mirror
The Mummer's Dance - The best track from The Book of Secrets
Come to Jesus - I bought this CD when it came out, and wore it to bits. I love Mindy Smith's voice.
Fields of Gold - This song always makes me smile. I've loved it since I was little.
Lacrymosa - A haunting piece from Mozart's Requiem.
Lacrymosa - And a fantastic bit of sampling in a rock song.
Moonlight Sonata - what's not to love?
Ta-da! There you have it. Feel free to listen, repeat, skip, etc. :)
NOTE: if it's acting up or loading slowly, try clicking "Standalone player"
That being said, I'd like to give ya'll a little more insight into my world. So, I decided to whip up a playlist to show you what I'm listening to, at least right now. It changes often, but these are my most-played songs as of this week.
The Obligatory Note: I don't necessarily endorse the ideologies or other relevant aspects of the artists contained herein, etc. etc.
Stars and Butterflies - the new Pride and Prejudice has a beautiful score. This is sort of my 'happy song,' and I put it on when I wake up a lot.
La Follia - I love, love, love this piece. It's from the Baroque period, and is rather long, but worth it. I'm a sucker for violin.
Angels - This is my Mom's current favorite song. We're both big fans of groups that combine heavier rock with classical elements.
The Mystic's Dream - I love Loreena McKennitt, and this is my favorite track off of The Mask and Mirror
The Mummer's Dance - The best track from The Book of Secrets
Come to Jesus - I bought this CD when it came out, and wore it to bits. I love Mindy Smith's voice.
Fields of Gold - This song always makes me smile. I've loved it since I was little.
Lacrymosa - A haunting piece from Mozart's Requiem.
Lacrymosa - And a fantastic bit of sampling in a rock song.
Moonlight Sonata - what's not to love?
Ta-da! There you have it. Feel free to listen, repeat, skip, etc. :)
NOTE: if it's acting up or loading slowly, try clicking "Standalone player"
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Change of Sewing Plans
You'll notice that my little Sewing Projects list has changed a bit...I'm pushing the Rococo Blouse aside for a short while. Why?
Simply because of my recently acquired position as a voluneer at the Overholser Mansion, a tour home in our city.
I'm going to be helping out extensively in the planning of their Overholser Tea, which is this May. As the house was built in the early 1900s, the theme is period-correct to the time.
Enter my newest conquest, the 1910s Tea Gown!
I'm thinking...white and peach.
Simply because of my recently acquired position as a voluneer at the Overholser Mansion, a tour home in our city.
I'm going to be helping out extensively in the planning of their Overholser Tea, which is this May. As the house was built in the early 1900s, the theme is period-correct to the time.
Enter my newest conquest, the 1910s Tea Gown!
I'm thinking...white and peach.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Difficult.
Oh, this is hard. This is so, so, hard.
Sitting in my iTunes right now are 171 songs by a single artist, which is technically a band, but not. The music of this artist has pretty much come to represent an entire chapter in my life, and I can pinpoint exact moods with certain songs. I know all the lyrics by heart. I had the obligatory lead-singer crush. I scrimped and saved for concert tickets. Needless to say, I'm very attached to this music.
With the exception of the 45-ish instrumentals, most of the songs have less-than-savory lyrics. They're either blatantly inappropriate, full of awful words, just downright contagiously angry, or even anti-God in some cases.
But, man...they're just...clever. And catchy. And brilliantly executed.
And because they mean so much to me, they're indescribably difficult to get rid of. Even though all they do is cause awful thoughts and bring back awful memories.
I know they need to go. I know I should chuck the lot of them and never think twice about it. But I'm just not that strong.
It's so hard.
Sitting in my iTunes right now are 171 songs by a single artist, which is technically a band, but not. The music of this artist has pretty much come to represent an entire chapter in my life, and I can pinpoint exact moods with certain songs. I know all the lyrics by heart. I had the obligatory lead-singer crush. I scrimped and saved for concert tickets. Needless to say, I'm very attached to this music.
With the exception of the 45-ish instrumentals, most of the songs have less-than-savory lyrics. They're either blatantly inappropriate, full of awful words, just downright contagiously angry, or even anti-God in some cases.
But, man...they're just...clever. And catchy. And brilliantly executed.
And because they mean so much to me, they're indescribably difficult to get rid of. Even though all they do is cause awful thoughts and bring back awful memories.
I know they need to go. I know I should chuck the lot of them and never think twice about it. But I'm just not that strong.
It's so hard.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Posted Today
A friend of mine talked me into getting a Myspace, so I thought I might as well use it for good. I posted this today.
Ladies and Gentlemen...
What you are about to read may shock and even offend you. I ask that you set aside your presuppositions, as the message I bear is urgent.
We’ve been lied to. All of us. Since we were old enough to absorb information, we have been fed a steady diet of complete and boldfaced deception. And for what? To serve the agendas of a now elite few, and, in many cases, for the sake of money.
Guys! You have been dehumanized. You have been brought up to believe that you are nothing more than animals who can’t control their urges. You’ve been told your lot in life is to spend your younger years as a promiscuous boozehound devoid of goal or honor. That all you can expect to become is a bumbling, obese idiot who is crude, lazy, and helpless without someone to direct you.
Girls! What about us? We’ve been led to believe we’re nothing more than eye candy, measured by the shape of our lips, the tanness of our skin, and the circumference of our thighs. We’re playthings in the eyes of the world, to be used, cheated on, and laughed about behhind our backs.
Guys, you’ve been slighted by a school system that forces you to sit still from preschool on. And by a culture that, through the power of suggestions, has robbed you of your God-given ability to lead.
Girls, we’ve been ordered to repress our instincts, to just dry up. We trade what we are born to be for a life chasing a perfect model of impossible self-sufficiency, and are perplexed when we wind up unhappy.
Yes, we’ve all been lied to.
But let me let you in on a little secret, one that a lot of people don’t want you to know.
Men, you were born to be Regents of the World. To lead, to pioneer, and to protect. You were made to do hard things, accomplish unbelievable goals, and raise civilizations from nothingness. It is you who lays the foundations, who slays the dragons.
Women, you were created for a beautiful purpose. You are designed to sustain nations. To give birth to children that can collectively shake the world. The future belongs to the woman who has raised her children well. It is us, the ladies, who set the standard of the worth of society.
Men, you have been told to get in line and keep your head down. But what about George Washington? Patrick Henry? Martin Luther King, Jr.?
Women, you’ve been told that "well-behaved" women never make history. I charge you to look to Dolly Madison, The Botkin Sisters, and to Mary herself.
I dare you not to swallow anymore lies.
I dare you to believe that we, male and female, are worth more.
I dare you to believe that we have a purpose.
And I dare you to believe we can accomplish it.
Ladies and Gentlemen...
What you are about to read may shock and even offend you. I ask that you set aside your presuppositions, as the message I bear is urgent.
We’ve been lied to. All of us. Since we were old enough to absorb information, we have been fed a steady diet of complete and boldfaced deception. And for what? To serve the agendas of a now elite few, and, in many cases, for the sake of money.
Guys! You have been dehumanized. You have been brought up to believe that you are nothing more than animals who can’t control their urges. You’ve been told your lot in life is to spend your younger years as a promiscuous boozehound devoid of goal or honor. That all you can expect to become is a bumbling, obese idiot who is crude, lazy, and helpless without someone to direct you.
Girls! What about us? We’ve been led to believe we’re nothing more than eye candy, measured by the shape of our lips, the tanness of our skin, and the circumference of our thighs. We’re playthings in the eyes of the world, to be used, cheated on, and laughed about behhind our backs.
Guys, you’ve been slighted by a school system that forces you to sit still from preschool on. And by a culture that, through the power of suggestions, has robbed you of your God-given ability to lead.
Girls, we’ve been ordered to repress our instincts, to just dry up. We trade what we are born to be for a life chasing a perfect model of impossible self-sufficiency, and are perplexed when we wind up unhappy.
Yes, we’ve all been lied to.
But let me let you in on a little secret, one that a lot of people don’t want you to know.
Men, you were born to be Regents of the World. To lead, to pioneer, and to protect. You were made to do hard things, accomplish unbelievable goals, and raise civilizations from nothingness. It is you who lays the foundations, who slays the dragons.
Women, you were created for a beautiful purpose. You are designed to sustain nations. To give birth to children that can collectively shake the world. The future belongs to the woman who has raised her children well. It is us, the ladies, who set the standard of the worth of society.
Men, you have been told to get in line and keep your head down. But what about George Washington? Patrick Henry? Martin Luther King, Jr.?
Women, you’ve been told that "well-behaved" women never make history. I charge you to look to Dolly Madison, The Botkin Sisters, and to Mary herself.
I dare you not to swallow anymore lies.
I dare you to believe that we, male and female, are worth more.
I dare you to believe that we have a purpose.
And I dare you to believe we can accomplish it.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Thursday, April 3, 2008
A Slightly Heebie-Jeebie Inducing Confession
I. Love. Spiders.
Every time I find one in the house, I either let it "run alive" or, if it's a large type like a Wolf Spider, I catch it in a cup and take it out. When we moved into the house, it had been vacant for a while. You know what that means. More than once last summer I found a full, abandoned egg sac somewhere in the house and ever-so-carefully collected it and moved it to a protected spot outside...I even got to watch one hatch in the fall. It was absolutely stunning, with all of the little baby spiders putting out their lines of web, glistening in the sunset as they wafted away. Last fall I took a web walk with my camera when all of the new babies had matured and built webs everywhere.
I've even been known to discover long-term residents and grow fond of them. For example, last year we had Dierdre, an orb spider who built very ambitious webs that somtimes had fifteen foot-long support threads, and Phineas, a pale grey hunter smaller than my pinkie nail.
Yeah. I know, I'm crazy. But I love them! They're beautiful, and fascinating to watch and study.
I love reading about and identifying the different species, finding out how they build webs and reproduce, and everything else. They're one of God's great marvels. Thef act that each one in born with the inherent knowledge of how to build such amazingly complex structures! And not only that, their bodies produce everything they need. They can even survive without bugs to eat, because their digestive system can process the protein in their silk.
So, anyway, if anyone ever has a question about spiders...well, you know who to ask. ;) And next time you're tempted to smish one, stop and think about how truly marvelous they are.
Jenine, Mistress of the Mailbox.
Every time I find one in the house, I either let it "run alive" or, if it's a large type like a Wolf Spider, I catch it in a cup and take it out. When we moved into the house, it had been vacant for a while. You know what that means. More than once last summer I found a full, abandoned egg sac somewhere in the house and ever-so-carefully collected it and moved it to a protected spot outside...I even got to watch one hatch in the fall. It was absolutely stunning, with all of the little baby spiders putting out their lines of web, glistening in the sunset as they wafted away. Last fall I took a web walk with my camera when all of the new babies had matured and built webs everywhere.
I've even been known to discover long-term residents and grow fond of them. For example, last year we had Dierdre, an orb spider who built very ambitious webs that somtimes had fifteen foot-long support threads, and Phineas, a pale grey hunter smaller than my pinkie nail.
Yeah. I know, I'm crazy. But I love them! They're beautiful, and fascinating to watch and study.
I love reading about and identifying the different species, finding out how they build webs and reproduce, and everything else. They're one of God's great marvels. Thef act that each one in born with the inherent knowledge of how to build such amazingly complex structures! And not only that, their bodies produce everything they need. They can even survive without bugs to eat, because their digestive system can process the protein in their silk.
So, anyway, if anyone ever has a question about spiders...well, you know who to ask. ;) And next time you're tempted to smish one, stop and think about how truly marvelous they are.
Jenine, Mistress of the Mailbox.
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