Two little pieces of advice that I figured out the wrong way today:
1. Check what you're wearing before you go out in public. Beyond just covering the naughty bits, you might want to foresee who might look twice at your clothing. Because if you walk into the Myers Park Target wearing an old painting t-shirt, it looks a little odd to folks. Especially when it's covered in red paint splatters, and it makes you look like you're a serial killer.
2. If your caffeine addiction has grown to the point where the "Red Eye" (coffee plus a shot of Espresso) needs ANOTHER shot of Espresso, and you've learned that the Starbucks lingo for coffee-plus-two-shots is called a "Black Eye" (for it's strong punch), do yourself a favor and exercise restraint on the lingo. Just order like this: "Coffee with 2 shots of Espresso." Especially when in the often-crowded Dilworth Starbucks. Because when you place the order of "Can I get a tall Black Eye?" over the hiss of the machines, the baristas and everyone else in the crowded coffeehouse stop and stare. And you'll suddenly hear crickets. Because it sounds like you just asked loudly for a tall black guy.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Shameless begging for money - for a good cause!
One of the most frequent suggestions I got when I started training for the marathon was to tie it into raising money for a cause. Running has a way of getting that little devil in your head that says "WHY are you doing this? Your feet hurt, you're tired, you don't have the time, and God gave us horses and then cars so we WOULDN'T have to go far on foot. Why run unless being chased?". Raising money for a cause gives you motivation to get off your butt, ties you into a commitment greater than the $88 entry fee, and all that jazz. I had a hard time figuring out what I wanted to do, but the hands-down winner was the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. They're a great charity that spends over 93% of all their funds on research (some charities spend 93% on fundraising and administrative costs - I wanted something that actually DID things to make a difference!) and they don't have the benefit of a huge public celebrity to help them meet their goals. They're the little guy that's doing things the way that the big guys SHOULD!
Most of all, though, I picked the MMRF because my own Granddad died of the disease. I'm not here to give you a tearjerker campaign, but suffice it to say, I'd really love any support that's out there. Please visit my fundraising site and contribute anything you can - even if it's $10 or whatever - and it would really really mean a lot to me. All you anonymous blog-stalkers out there - you know who you are, I don't even have statcounter hooked up on this thing, so I can't single you out - but I know you're out there. You can make a donation anonymously if you like. The site is secure, it's quick, goes directly to the MMRF, and there's even a link on it to see if your employer matches charitable gifts. I found out that mine does by searching the database myself, and they even give the contact person of who to email for matching funds!
If you can't click on the link, here you go - no excuse! www.active.com/donate/2009MarineCorps/mollypants
If I get good response, I'll even post more often! See, two days in a row!
Most of all, though, I picked the MMRF because my own Granddad died of the disease. I'm not here to give you a tearjerker campaign, but suffice it to say, I'd really love any support that's out there. Please visit my fundraising site and contribute anything you can - even if it's $10 or whatever - and it would really really mean a lot to me. All you anonymous blog-stalkers out there - you know who you are, I don't even have statcounter hooked up on this thing, so I can't single you out - but I know you're out there. You can make a donation anonymously if you like. The site is secure, it's quick, goes directly to the MMRF, and there's even a link on it to see if your employer matches charitable gifts. I found out that mine does by searching the database myself, and they even give the contact person of who to email for matching funds!
If you can't click on the link, here you go - no excuse! www.active.com/donate/2009MarineCorps/mollypants
If I get good response, I'll even post more often! See, two days in a row!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Big news: recent revelations about the real estate world.
Soooo...What's up with Molly? I finally have a few minutes, so I'll say hello and share some news that I realized I haven't discussed on here!
BIG NEWS...
No, I'm not pregnant, though everyone seems to be. And no, not getting married, though nothing in this world would make me happier than military discharge papers given to a certain Captain right now. Sidenote: since many have asked - the BF is stationed in California right now, and he ships out for deployment late fall. I kind of don't want to speak too much on a public forum on that, just because I get nervous in case the internet is patrolled by the enemy. I know, highly unlikely that they're reading my babble, but honestly, it scares the sh*t out of me every time I think about any of it. So I'll figure out some way to update y'all without such a public audience.
Anyway. The big news?
I'm likely buying a house soon. I know, you all are like "been there, done that." And Meghan has done it enough for all of us. But yes, after 16 moves over the past 12 years, I'm finally ready to move to some place that I will actually STAY. For at least three years, and hopefully past five. I signed with a real estate agent (a locally-owned small company, thanks to Drena's blog and my own preference for patronizing small businesses), and we've been doing the house-hunting. So far...I've read literally every listing in my price range, and have seen over a dozen in person.
And I don't know how so many people survive this experience. I'm already slammed at work, am running a freaking marathon in 8 weeks, and oh yeah, have to pack UP my current place. I know I'm forgetting something on my to-do list just by sitting here and writing this. Anyway, we saw a few (I'm committed on seeing 50 houses before I start freaking out), and I've figured out a few things:
1. There is absolutely no shortage of really ugly houses for sale in Charlotte, regardless of your price range. I bet you a million dollars that there's a house listed for over a million in Charlotte that has fake wood paneling or a dropped ceiling.
2. Location is everything, and resale value is everything. Especially when your realtor won't even let you out of the car to see a house when a location is THAT bad.
3. "Good" locations are incredibly arbitrary in Charlotte. Case in point: Grier Heights. You can buy a house for $40,000 that's liveable. The area is less than 2 square miles, and is completely surrounded on all 4 sides by Elizabeth, Chantilly, Cotswold and Eastover, which are 4 of the best areas in the city, with prices over $400,000 for a modest bungalow, if you can find one. But it's worse than Fallujah from what I've heard. I wouldn't know, I won't even venture in.
4. I'm REALLY trying to expand my thought. BUT. I am just not a fan of the Ranch/Split-Level/post WWII house. The irony is that all of my friends who live in them - love them. But me...I'm just different. I grew up in a house that was built in 1840. My mom bought the mother-of-all-blights when she split from my dad and then slowly turned it into one of the most unique houses I've ever been in, and my Dad bought 2 downtown rowhouses and restored one to the point that everyone who's EVER seen it thinks it's the most awesome house in Lynchburg. And hell, I lived next door to the workshop of one of Philly's most eclectic artists. All of that? I think I learned a bit of vision and a value of character. I'm trying to use that same vision for the ranch homes, but I dare say it's stretching even my wild imagination. I specifically hired the realtor I did, though, because he's the OTHER, more logical voice I need to hear, the one who will reign me in from creative clouds back down to practical earth. The one that tells me about return on investment, the one that points out asbestos ceiling tiles, and the one who indicates that an area is way worse than it appears. I'm guessing he'll be thinking about how I'm passing on gold mines and he'll inevitably have NO clue why I'll buy the house that I'll end up with, but he's good, and certainly earning his worth via time spent on emails and phone calls alone. My dad's fiancee (a realtor in Virginia) has also answered enough questions of mine that she's probably ready to keel over. I genuinely feel like a complete idiot about something else having to do with this process every day.
5. I'm starting to believe that "For Sale By Owner" means "Realtors wouldn't even take the listing because the Owner believes that it's worth twice what the market data says." I'm amazed at what some of them think their houses are worth.
6. Apparently, North Carolina defines a "bedroom" as a room with a closet and a doorway. It does NOT have to have a window.
7. Charlotte listing agents have a habit of classifying any adjacent bad area of town as "Arts District".
8. No Artists actually seem to LIVE in the Arts District. The Arts District's residents seem to be:
a) Yuppies.
b) Crazy old ladies.
c) Pothead renters.
d) People who were idiotic enough to invest in condos that promised to attract artists simply by calling them "factory lofts" when the only thing "factory" about them is that they were made in assembly line fashion to LOOK like converted factory spaces and renaming the streets for non-renaissance artists in a community called "renaissance".
I fall into category A & B to some extent, but my status as an artist means that I won't actually FIT IN with any of the four. D completely baffles me, however.
9. Meghan is my other voice of reason and for some reason ENJOYS house-shopping. Meghan, if you ever wanted to be a realtor for a living, I'd recommend you to anyone I'd ever meet, I think you've bought enough houses to be a fantastic buyer's agent.
10. On that note, I thought I would LOVE the "shopping" part. But sadly, it's not shopping in the sense that I enjoy it. The only way that it's like shopping for me is that it's like when you are raging on PMS and have to buy a bathing suit in March just after binging on Frito Pie and ice cream - nothing seems to fit, you're trying everything on, you've got a headache, and you're just praying for one to fall into your lap. And when you finally see a glimmer of light and hope, you realize you didn't check the price tag. Ironically, I feel way more confident about the once-I've-found-the-house side of things. Contract and project management. I do those for a living and do them WELL. I know how to negotiate, I know what I'm looking at, I know how to bring two sides together, and I know how to close out a checklist and make sure everything's legal, insured, and done right. I even know how to install faucets, tile bathrooms and deal with Home Depot, for crying out loud. It's the navigating through all the frogs to find the prince that has me stressed out.
But enough of my babble. I have to go running. Please, whatever real estate God is out there - send me a beautiful restored bungalow in my price range in Plaza-Midwood. I'll go to church every day, I'll be kinder, and I'll put more money in the Salvation Army kettle this Christmas.
BIG NEWS...
No, I'm not pregnant, though everyone seems to be. And no, not getting married, though nothing in this world would make me happier than military discharge papers given to a certain Captain right now. Sidenote: since many have asked - the BF is stationed in California right now, and he ships out for deployment late fall. I kind of don't want to speak too much on a public forum on that, just because I get nervous in case the internet is patrolled by the enemy. I know, highly unlikely that they're reading my babble, but honestly, it scares the sh*t out of me every time I think about any of it. So I'll figure out some way to update y'all without such a public audience.
Anyway. The big news?
I'm likely buying a house soon. I know, you all are like "been there, done that." And Meghan has done it enough for all of us. But yes, after 16 moves over the past 12 years, I'm finally ready to move to some place that I will actually STAY. For at least three years, and hopefully past five. I signed with a real estate agent (a locally-owned small company, thanks to Drena's blog and my own preference for patronizing small businesses), and we've been doing the house-hunting. So far...I've read literally every listing in my price range, and have seen over a dozen in person.
And I don't know how so many people survive this experience. I'm already slammed at work, am running a freaking marathon in 8 weeks, and oh yeah, have to pack UP my current place. I know I'm forgetting something on my to-do list just by sitting here and writing this. Anyway, we saw a few (I'm committed on seeing 50 houses before I start freaking out), and I've figured out a few things:
1. There is absolutely no shortage of really ugly houses for sale in Charlotte, regardless of your price range. I bet you a million dollars that there's a house listed for over a million in Charlotte that has fake wood paneling or a dropped ceiling.
2. Location is everything, and resale value is everything. Especially when your realtor won't even let you out of the car to see a house when a location is THAT bad.
3. "Good" locations are incredibly arbitrary in Charlotte. Case in point: Grier Heights. You can buy a house for $40,000 that's liveable. The area is less than 2 square miles, and is completely surrounded on all 4 sides by Elizabeth, Chantilly, Cotswold and Eastover, which are 4 of the best areas in the city, with prices over $400,000 for a modest bungalow, if you can find one. But it's worse than Fallujah from what I've heard. I wouldn't know, I won't even venture in.
4. I'm REALLY trying to expand my thought. BUT. I am just not a fan of the Ranch/Split-Level/post WWII house. The irony is that all of my friends who live in them - love them. But me...I'm just different. I grew up in a house that was built in 1840. My mom bought the mother-of-all-blights when she split from my dad and then slowly turned it into one of the most unique houses I've ever been in, and my Dad bought 2 downtown rowhouses and restored one to the point that everyone who's EVER seen it thinks it's the most awesome house in Lynchburg. And hell, I lived next door to the workshop of one of Philly's most eclectic artists. All of that? I think I learned a bit of vision and a value of character. I'm trying to use that same vision for the ranch homes, but I dare say it's stretching even my wild imagination. I specifically hired the realtor I did, though, because he's the OTHER, more logical voice I need to hear, the one who will reign me in from creative clouds back down to practical earth. The one that tells me about return on investment, the one that points out asbestos ceiling tiles, and the one who indicates that an area is way worse than it appears. I'm guessing he'll be thinking about how I'm passing on gold mines and he'll inevitably have NO clue why I'll buy the house that I'll end up with, but he's good, and certainly earning his worth via time spent on emails and phone calls alone. My dad's fiancee (a realtor in Virginia) has also answered enough questions of mine that she's probably ready to keel over. I genuinely feel like a complete idiot about something else having to do with this process every day.
5. I'm starting to believe that "For Sale By Owner" means "Realtors wouldn't even take the listing because the Owner believes that it's worth twice what the market data says." I'm amazed at what some of them think their houses are worth.
6. Apparently, North Carolina defines a "bedroom" as a room with a closet and a doorway. It does NOT have to have a window.
7. Charlotte listing agents have a habit of classifying any adjacent bad area of town as "Arts District".
8. No Artists actually seem to LIVE in the Arts District. The Arts District's residents seem to be:
a) Yuppies.
b) Crazy old ladies.
c) Pothead renters.
d) People who were idiotic enough to invest in condos that promised to attract artists simply by calling them "factory lofts" when the only thing "factory" about them is that they were made in assembly line fashion to LOOK like converted factory spaces and renaming the streets for non-renaissance artists in a community called "renaissance".
I fall into category A & B to some extent, but my status as an artist means that I won't actually FIT IN with any of the four. D completely baffles me, however.
9. Meghan is my other voice of reason and for some reason ENJOYS house-shopping. Meghan, if you ever wanted to be a realtor for a living, I'd recommend you to anyone I'd ever meet, I think you've bought enough houses to be a fantastic buyer's agent.
10. On that note, I thought I would LOVE the "shopping" part. But sadly, it's not shopping in the sense that I enjoy it. The only way that it's like shopping for me is that it's like when you are raging on PMS and have to buy a bathing suit in March just after binging on Frito Pie and ice cream - nothing seems to fit, you're trying everything on, you've got a headache, and you're just praying for one to fall into your lap. And when you finally see a glimmer of light and hope, you realize you didn't check the price tag. Ironically, I feel way more confident about the once-I've-found-the-house side of things. Contract and project management. I do those for a living and do them WELL. I know how to negotiate, I know what I'm looking at, I know how to bring two sides together, and I know how to close out a checklist and make sure everything's legal, insured, and done right. I even know how to install faucets, tile bathrooms and deal with Home Depot, for crying out loud. It's the navigating through all the frogs to find the prince that has me stressed out.
But enough of my babble. I have to go running. Please, whatever real estate God is out there - send me a beautiful restored bungalow in my price range in Plaza-Midwood. I'll go to church every day, I'll be kinder, and I'll put more money in the Salvation Army kettle this Christmas.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Broadview / Brinks Security FAIL
I saw this while at the gym today. Typical scare tactic to get you to buy a security system, but watch closer:
Is it just me, or did that woman and her daughter break the first rule of surviving a horror movie?
NEVER RUN UPSTAIRS WHEN SOMEONE IS CHASING YOU.
Run out the back door from which you just came in, lady. And don't look behind you as you're running.
Who was the marketing genius who greenlighted this ad?
Is it just me, or did that woman and her daughter break the first rule of surviving a horror movie?
NEVER RUN UPSTAIRS WHEN SOMEONE IS CHASING YOU.
Run out the back door from which you just came in, lady. And don't look behind you as you're running.
Who was the marketing genius who greenlighted this ad?
TRYING to post more
I don't really have that much to talk about - just working, running, sleeping, eating. I'm like a not-so-well-oiled machine. Since the running is the only thing I HAVE the control over, it's the actual least of my worries these days. I'm running the 10-miler in my hometown on September 28, but I have to figure some stuff out - my schedule says I'm supposed to run 14 that day. The last thing I'll do after crossing the finish line is go run 4 more. 'Specially in the area where the finish line is. Who knows. Anyway, since I don't have much to post about, here's something I stole from Lora Lee.
1. What kind of SOAP is in your bathtub right now?
-A soap from a gift basket from a place in Lynchburg called the Farm Basket. I think my mom gave it to me. It's supposedly margarita-flavored.
2. Do you have watermelon in your refrigerator?
-No. Never bought it in my life, now that I think about it.
3. What would you change about your living room?
-I'd definitely like to paint it, and find a way to make it not one big room. If I buy the house, I'd like to block off half and use it as a sunroom, maybe put my studio in there so clients can feel like it's more professional-looking.
4. Are the dishes in your dishwasher clean or dirty?
-Clean. Pressed Play this morning on my way out the door.
5. What is in your fridge?
-Milk, ketchup, salad dressing, leftover Buffalo Chicken Lasagna, baloney, cheese, and a couple bagels. Not a whole lot.
6. White or wheat bread?
-Yeah, here's where I'm supposed to say wheat. But I was jealous of white bread kids as a kid. So I buy white. Usually the enriched kind though.
7. What is on top of your refrigerator?
-Nothing. I hate having stuff up there and have gotten in the habit of dusting it religiously.
8. What color or design is on your shower curtain?
-Black and white damask.
9. How many plants are in your home?
-Zero. Never been a houseplant person.
10. Is your bed made right now?
-Yes. Gotten better at that too.
11. Comet or Soft Scrub?
-I use that foaming bathroom cleaner.
12. Is your closet organized?
-Actually yes. Not in color order or anything, but all of the hangers match, like items are together, and shoes are all in boxes. Best investment I ever made for my clothes, and it helps with a small closet.
13. Can you describe your flashlight?
-Blue Maglite that can be used as a weapon. It stays near my bed in case the boogeyman gets me.
14. Do you drink out of glass or plastic most of the time at home?
-Glass, I only have a few plastic cups after the great college cup purge.
15. Do you have iced tea made in a pitcher right now?
-No. I actually didn't even drink it until recently, despite being from the South. I drink the snapple stuff or unsweetened tea. Personally, seems like sweet tea would rot your teeth, so I've never really indulged the development of a taste for it.
16. If you have a garage, is it cluttered?
-I do not have a garage, but I do have a storage shed. Not cluttered anymore. It was a wreck when my roommate moved out and I thought someone had robbed it or something. So I took a Saturday and organized it.
17. Curtains or blinds?
-Blinds. Working on the curtains if I stay here.
18. How many pillows do you sleep with?
-At least 2.
19. Do you sleep with any lights on at night?
-No, I'm a dark sleeper.
20. How often do you vacuum?
-At least once a week. I love my dyson.
21. Standard toothbrush or electric?
-I love my sonicare even more.
22. What color is your toothbrush?
-White.
23. Do you have a welcome mat on your front porch?
-yes, but it's going in the trash if my old roomie doesn't want to reclaim it - it's waterlogged from rain.
24. What is in your oven right now?
-Nothing. Finally in a place where I don't have to use it for storage.
25. Is there anything under your bed?
-Boxes, my belts (in a box), flipflops, hangers and some winter clothes.
26. Chore you hate doing the most?
-Putting away laundry.
27. What retro items are in your home?
-some antique dressers, my grandmother's easel, some old ads from a 1890's fashion magazine.
28. Do you have a separate room that you use as an office?
-Technically, yes. It's my studio.
29. How many mirrors are in your home?
-3 including the one in the bathroom, but one is old and isn't really that great.
30. Do you have any hidden emergency money around your home?
-only the change jar. I don't like keeping money in the house. Leftover from a roommate I had once that stole from me.
31. What color are your walls?
-Renter's white. Trying to cure that.
32. Do you keep any kind of protection weapons in your home?
-The flashlight. The dog has a mean nasty bark as well. Thinking about at least learning how to use a gun because I've never touched one and am really scared of them.
33. What does your home smell like right now?
-Nothing. I don't like potpourri or overly-scented things. I aim for the neutralizers.
34. Favorite candle scent?
-See above. But there was one called Napa Valley Harvest that I dug for a while from illuminations. Which has since closed down.
35. What kind of pickles (if any) are in your refrigerator right now?
-None, I HATE pickles.
36. What color is your favorite Bible?
-I don't own one, though I might buy one soon just because I've never read it from a perspective of where it wasn't in connection with a church. I'd actually like to read it as if it's a historical textbook. Yes, nerd doesn't even begin to describe me.
37. Ever been on your roof?
-No, but I need to, the gutters need cleaning.
38. Do you own a stereo?
-one of those ipod docks, which I need to get rid of. The iPhone doesn't work with it, dammit.
39. How many TVs do you have?
-One. Never gets used. I watch stuff on the computer 99% of the time.
40. How many house phones?
-Zero. Haven't had a house phone since I lived in Atlanta.
41. Do you have a housekeeper?
-No, but if I buy this house and keep this job, definitely investing in one once a week.
42. What style do you decorate in?
-Artsy but never whimsical. Can't stand whimsical. I like really funky and unusual things, but in a semi-classic way. Put it this way - it's like asking someone to define porn. I just know it when I see it.
43. Do you like solid colors in furniture or prints?
-My couch's slipcover is printed. I guess I prefer to mix prints. It gets interesting that way. Don't want my house to look like every OTHER house.
44. Is there a smoke detector in your home?
-One in every room, the law in rentals in NC.
45. In case of fire, what are the items in your house which you’d grab if you only could make one quick trip?
-The dog would probably be out the door already or following me, so I wouldn't have to grab him, so....I don't know. If I had to...probably pictures, maybe my computer. If I could get it out the door, my easel. Artwork from OTHER artists. Maybe paintings, but half the time I hate looking at my own art, so I'd probably let them burn. Then...I don't know. It's just stuff. Took me a long time, but that's honestly how I feel about it now. Stuff comes and goes, and I've never lamented the loss of any material possession for long. It would give me a nice chance to regroup and I'd be blessed with a new-found absence of clutter. I know, how zen of me. Go ahead and hit me upside the head.
1. What kind of SOAP is in your bathtub right now?
-A soap from a gift basket from a place in Lynchburg called the Farm Basket. I think my mom gave it to me. It's supposedly margarita-flavored.
2. Do you have watermelon in your refrigerator?
-No. Never bought it in my life, now that I think about it.
3. What would you change about your living room?
-I'd definitely like to paint it, and find a way to make it not one big room. If I buy the house, I'd like to block off half and use it as a sunroom, maybe put my studio in there so clients can feel like it's more professional-looking.
4. Are the dishes in your dishwasher clean or dirty?
-Clean. Pressed Play this morning on my way out the door.
5. What is in your fridge?
-Milk, ketchup, salad dressing, leftover Buffalo Chicken Lasagna, baloney, cheese, and a couple bagels. Not a whole lot.
6. White or wheat bread?
-Yeah, here's where I'm supposed to say wheat. But I was jealous of white bread kids as a kid. So I buy white. Usually the enriched kind though.
7. What is on top of your refrigerator?
-Nothing. I hate having stuff up there and have gotten in the habit of dusting it religiously.
8. What color or design is on your shower curtain?
-Black and white damask.
9. How many plants are in your home?
-Zero. Never been a houseplant person.
10. Is your bed made right now?
-Yes. Gotten better at that too.
11. Comet or Soft Scrub?
-I use that foaming bathroom cleaner.
12. Is your closet organized?
-Actually yes. Not in color order or anything, but all of the hangers match, like items are together, and shoes are all in boxes. Best investment I ever made for my clothes, and it helps with a small closet.
13. Can you describe your flashlight?
-Blue Maglite that can be used as a weapon. It stays near my bed in case the boogeyman gets me.
14. Do you drink out of glass or plastic most of the time at home?
-Glass, I only have a few plastic cups after the great college cup purge.
15. Do you have iced tea made in a pitcher right now?
-No. I actually didn't even drink it until recently, despite being from the South. I drink the snapple stuff or unsweetened tea. Personally, seems like sweet tea would rot your teeth, so I've never really indulged the development of a taste for it.
16. If you have a garage, is it cluttered?
-I do not have a garage, but I do have a storage shed. Not cluttered anymore. It was a wreck when my roommate moved out and I thought someone had robbed it or something. So I took a Saturday and organized it.
17. Curtains or blinds?
-Blinds. Working on the curtains if I stay here.
18. How many pillows do you sleep with?
-At least 2.
19. Do you sleep with any lights on at night?
-No, I'm a dark sleeper.
20. How often do you vacuum?
-At least once a week. I love my dyson.
21. Standard toothbrush or electric?
-I love my sonicare even more.
22. What color is your toothbrush?
-White.
23. Do you have a welcome mat on your front porch?
-yes, but it's going in the trash if my old roomie doesn't want to reclaim it - it's waterlogged from rain.
24. What is in your oven right now?
-Nothing. Finally in a place where I don't have to use it for storage.
25. Is there anything under your bed?
-Boxes, my belts (in a box), flipflops, hangers and some winter clothes.
26. Chore you hate doing the most?
-Putting away laundry.
27. What retro items are in your home?
-some antique dressers, my grandmother's easel, some old ads from a 1890's fashion magazine.
28. Do you have a separate room that you use as an office?
-Technically, yes. It's my studio.
29. How many mirrors are in your home?
-3 including the one in the bathroom, but one is old and isn't really that great.
30. Do you have any hidden emergency money around your home?
-only the change jar. I don't like keeping money in the house. Leftover from a roommate I had once that stole from me.
31. What color are your walls?
-Renter's white. Trying to cure that.
32. Do you keep any kind of protection weapons in your home?
-The flashlight. The dog has a mean nasty bark as well. Thinking about at least learning how to use a gun because I've never touched one and am really scared of them.
33. What does your home smell like right now?
-Nothing. I don't like potpourri or overly-scented things. I aim for the neutralizers.
34. Favorite candle scent?
-See above. But there was one called Napa Valley Harvest that I dug for a while from illuminations. Which has since closed down.
35. What kind of pickles (if any) are in your refrigerator right now?
-None, I HATE pickles.
36. What color is your favorite Bible?
-I don't own one, though I might buy one soon just because I've never read it from a perspective of where it wasn't in connection with a church. I'd actually like to read it as if it's a historical textbook. Yes, nerd doesn't even begin to describe me.
37. Ever been on your roof?
-No, but I need to, the gutters need cleaning.
38. Do you own a stereo?
-one of those ipod docks, which I need to get rid of. The iPhone doesn't work with it, dammit.
39. How many TVs do you have?
-One. Never gets used. I watch stuff on the computer 99% of the time.
40. How many house phones?
-Zero. Haven't had a house phone since I lived in Atlanta.
41. Do you have a housekeeper?
-No, but if I buy this house and keep this job, definitely investing in one once a week.
42. What style do you decorate in?
-Artsy but never whimsical. Can't stand whimsical. I like really funky and unusual things, but in a semi-classic way. Put it this way - it's like asking someone to define porn. I just know it when I see it.
43. Do you like solid colors in furniture or prints?
-My couch's slipcover is printed. I guess I prefer to mix prints. It gets interesting that way. Don't want my house to look like every OTHER house.
44. Is there a smoke detector in your home?
-One in every room, the law in rentals in NC.
45. In case of fire, what are the items in your house which you’d grab if you only could make one quick trip?
-The dog would probably be out the door already or following me, so I wouldn't have to grab him, so....I don't know. If I had to...probably pictures, maybe my computer. If I could get it out the door, my easel. Artwork from OTHER artists. Maybe paintings, but half the time I hate looking at my own art, so I'd probably let them burn. Then...I don't know. It's just stuff. Took me a long time, but that's honestly how I feel about it now. Stuff comes and goes, and I've never lamented the loss of any material possession for long. It would give me a nice chance to regroup and I'd be blessed with a new-found absence of clutter. I know, how zen of me. Go ahead and hit me upside the head.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Mothers, turn your children's eyes away. If only because Aunt Molly is extremely vain right now.
No, that's not my butt. And I didn't draw it either, though I wish I did. It's a famous Picasso drawing called "Femme". May not be your taste, and you're probably thinking "um, Oliver/Owen/Charlotte/my newborn could do that" but it's one of my faves purely in it's simplicity. Three lines, yet the subject can instantly be identified even by anyone.Anyway, I post it not because of anything art-related. I'm avoiding putting my vents on here today to give you some happy news. Today, I came home, and like every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, I immediately changed out of my work clothes to get ready for running - if I don't do it right away, I'll talk myself out of it. As I was undressing, I noticed something.
I actually didn't mind my butt.
Seriously, I don't remember once in my LIFE where I thought that. I've looked back at leaner times and thought "I looked way better than I thought I did!", and I know I've never been unfortunate-looking in any department, but my butt and I have had a particularly trying relationship over the years. I don't think I can recall another time when I didn't look in the mirror and think it was either too big or too flat. It was the first of my curves to come in as an awkward teenager, and as any woman knows, it is the body part that's SO hard to get results on, not to mention the fact that jeans shopping alone can put so many people into virtual panic attacks. Even though you won't catch me running around the beach with a thong on any time soon, it was nice to catch a glimpse and go "hey, it's ok-looking!" Maybe it's from age and realizing that I'll NEVER have Elle MacPherson's long legs or Jackie Kennedy's graceful poise, maybe it's from running more, and maybe it's also from the fact that a burned-out lightbulb creates soap-opera-worthy lighting around my mirror.
Butt I'll take it.
Love this idea...
I'm trying to get back into drawing more often for a few reasons:
1. I hate wasting the free time I do have doing stupid stuff like watching entire seasons of horrible TV shows.
2. It's like working out - the longer you're out of it, the harder it is to get back into your form.
3. God, I'm stressed out. I need some sort of reliever. Running only accomplishes so much.
4. I've got all these materials, and they're just cluttering up my space.
5. Drawing is the foundation for painting, and painting is, well, what I'd rather be doing instead of sitting in an office. If I ever expect to start selling again, the only way to accomplish it is to start drawing again.
So I've poked around at how to force myself back into it, and I found this: the 100 drawing challenge. My goal: to post 100 drawings of the following themes. I'll add them as I can and post a link back on here. That is, if I can remember how to edit my website. A friend suggested I sell the drawings for $50 each, but since I have no idea how they'll turn out yet, I'll wait on that.
THE LIST……………………….
1. Introduction
2. Love –
3.Light –
4.Dark
5. Seeking Solace
6. Break Away
7. Heaven
8. Innocence
9. Drive –
10. Breathe Again –
11. Memory –
12. Insanity
13. Misfortune
14. Smile
15. Silence
16. Questioning
17. Blood –
18. Rainbow –
19. Gray –
20. Fortitude
21. Vacation
22. Mother Nature
23. Cat
24. No Time
25. Trouble Lurking
26. Tears
27. Foreign
28. Sorrow
29. Happiness
30. Under the Rain –
31. Flowers
32. Night
33. Expectations
34. Stars –
35. Hold My Hand –
36. Precious Treasure
37. Eyes
38. Abandoned
39. Dreams
40. Rated
41. Teamwork
42. Standing Still
43. Dying
44. Two Roads
45. Illusion
46. Family
47. Creation
48. Childhood
49. Stripes
50. Breaking the Rules
51. Sport
52. Deep in Thought –
53. Keeping a Secret
54. Tower
55. Waiting –
56. Danger Ahead
57. Sacrifice
58. Kick in the Head
59. No Way Out
60. Rejection
61. Fairy Tale
62. Magic
63. Do Not Disturb
64. Multitasking
65. Horror –
66. Traps –
67. Playing the Melody
68. Hero –
69. Annoyance
70. 67%
71. Obsession –
72. Mischief Managed
73. I Can’t
74. Are You Challenging Me?
75. Mirror
76. Broken Pieces –
77. Test
78. Drink
79. Starvation
80. Words –
81. Pen and Paper
82. Can You Hear Me?
83. Heal
84. Out Cold
85. Spiral
86. Seeing Red –
87. Food
88. Pain
89. Through the Fire
90. Triangle –
91. Drowning
92. All That I Have
93. Give Up
94. Last Hope
95. Advertisement –
96. In the Storm
97. Safety First
98. Puzzle
99. Solitude
100. Relaxation
*Note: I copied and pasted this onto a word document a long time ago and since have NO idea where I got it from. If you were the original author of this list, please leave a comment and I'll be happy to credit you. Free drawing to the author.
1. I hate wasting the free time I do have doing stupid stuff like watching entire seasons of horrible TV shows.
2. It's like working out - the longer you're out of it, the harder it is to get back into your form.
3. God, I'm stressed out. I need some sort of reliever. Running only accomplishes so much.
4. I've got all these materials, and they're just cluttering up my space.
5. Drawing is the foundation for painting, and painting is, well, what I'd rather be doing instead of sitting in an office. If I ever expect to start selling again, the only way to accomplish it is to start drawing again.
So I've poked around at how to force myself back into it, and I found this: the 100 drawing challenge. My goal: to post 100 drawings of the following themes. I'll add them as I can and post a link back on here. That is, if I can remember how to edit my website. A friend suggested I sell the drawings for $50 each, but since I have no idea how they'll turn out yet, I'll wait on that.
THE LIST……………………….
1. Introduction
2. Love –
3.Light –
4.Dark
5. Seeking Solace
6. Break Away
7. Heaven
8. Innocence
9. Drive –
10. Breathe Again –
11. Memory –
12. Insanity
13. Misfortune
14. Smile
15. Silence
16. Questioning
17. Blood –
18. Rainbow –
19. Gray –
20. Fortitude
21. Vacation
22. Mother Nature
23. Cat
24. No Time
25. Trouble Lurking
26. Tears
27. Foreign
28. Sorrow
29. Happiness
30. Under the Rain –
31. Flowers
32. Night
33. Expectations
34. Stars –
35. Hold My Hand –
36. Precious Treasure
37. Eyes
38. Abandoned
39. Dreams
40. Rated
41. Teamwork
42. Standing Still
43. Dying
44. Two Roads
45. Illusion
46. Family
47. Creation
48. Childhood
49. Stripes
50. Breaking the Rules
51. Sport
52. Deep in Thought –
53. Keeping a Secret
54. Tower
55. Waiting –
56. Danger Ahead
57. Sacrifice
58. Kick in the Head
59. No Way Out
60. Rejection
61. Fairy Tale
62. Magic
63. Do Not Disturb
64. Multitasking
65. Horror –
66. Traps –
67. Playing the Melody
68. Hero –
69. Annoyance
70. 67%
71. Obsession –
72. Mischief Managed
73. I Can’t
74. Are You Challenging Me?
75. Mirror
76. Broken Pieces –
77. Test
78. Drink
79. Starvation
80. Words –
81. Pen and Paper
82. Can You Hear Me?
83. Heal
84. Out Cold
85. Spiral
86. Seeing Red –
87. Food
88. Pain
89. Through the Fire
90. Triangle –
91. Drowning
92. All That I Have
93. Give Up
94. Last Hope
95. Advertisement –
96. In the Storm
97. Safety First
98. Puzzle
99. Solitude
100. Relaxation
*Note: I copied and pasted this onto a word document a long time ago and since have NO idea where I got it from. If you were the original author of this list, please leave a comment and I'll be happy to credit you. Free drawing to the author.
Monday, August 3, 2009
House woes and Artistic throes...
I feel bad about not posting. Not much going on except work, running and now, the house. What about my house? Well...it's a long story. My cousin had been living with me since late October, and we signed a year-long lease. She had a harder time finding a job than she anticipated, and finally found one with a firm that has her in a territory up to 2 hours away every day. The commute was killing her, so she moved into a house out in one of those random NC counties. Seems good for her, and her company bought out her half of the lease, so her rent is paid here until the lease expires November 1. I thought I had another place lined up, but it fell through and I was having second thoughts anyway - I love having a yard (the new place didn't have one), and I love the old-school charm to this house as well as the awesome location - less than a mile from work. I WANT to stay here, but can't afford it on my own. To top it all off, the landlord REALLY wants to sell the place. I think he anticipated flipping it for a huge profit, then the market just dried up after he had sunk $100k worth of repairs into the place. Beautiful, up-to-date house...but there's a glut of them on the market in Charlotte. I'd buy it myself, but I'm not in a position to do so. So the guy just basically gave the realtor/management company the go-ahead to sell the house at a loss if I don't sign a lease. If I go month-to-month, I risk the rent going up or getting kicked out on my tail at closing if it sells. So I have to look around for another place. It REALLY just stinks. I love this house, and I won't find another fitting my needs so close to work for such a great price. Threw a hail mary pass tonight in desperation, but I don't think I'll be here after November.
Worst part? Well, it's leaving a house that I really like. But the second worst part is that I AM SO SICK OF MOVING. I have moved FIFTEEN TIMES in 13 years. I'm ready to NOT be a nomad for once. Guess it might just take another move.
As Colonel Mustard would say...hauur!
I also started painting again this weekend, which made me realize how much I'll miss having a studio. I've been a bit spoiled with one for the past two years, even if I didn't use it much when I started working corporate again. I'm hoping to use it every day until I move now...just to get my money's worth, I guess. I found this website and it looks interesting. I think I'm going to take the challenge and see what I can get out of it. Won't sell any work, but it'll be interesting to see what comes out. I really like those kinds of assignments, the "variations on a theme" rather than "let's see who can make their painting look exactly like the photograph." Sadly, I'm actually better at making it look like a photograph, so I'm hoping this will expand my repertoire a bit. I've realized that the work I've done where it LEAST looked like a photograph seems to get the most praise...while I don't do it for praise, I think I might heed that kind of direction more in the future.
Worst part? Well, it's leaving a house that I really like. But the second worst part is that I AM SO SICK OF MOVING. I have moved FIFTEEN TIMES in 13 years. I'm ready to NOT be a nomad for once. Guess it might just take another move.
As Colonel Mustard would say...hauur!
I also started painting again this weekend, which made me realize how much I'll miss having a studio. I've been a bit spoiled with one for the past two years, even if I didn't use it much when I started working corporate again. I'm hoping to use it every day until I move now...just to get my money's worth, I guess. I found this website and it looks interesting. I think I'm going to take the challenge and see what I can get out of it. Won't sell any work, but it'll be interesting to see what comes out. I really like those kinds of assignments, the "variations on a theme" rather than "let's see who can make their painting look exactly like the photograph." Sadly, I'm actually better at making it look like a photograph, so I'm hoping this will expand my repertoire a bit. I've realized that the work I've done where it LEAST looked like a photograph seems to get the most praise...while I don't do it for praise, I think I might heed that kind of direction more in the future.
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