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DAILY PHOTOS - FEBRUARY 28 2009 Feeling lots of blahs today. Trying to shake it off but not so successful so far. I'm hoping it will go away. I really dislike unproductive weekends. Hope you're having a good Saturday. DAILY PHOTOS - FEBRUARY 27 2009 I am still in class today and enjoying it quite a bit. Expect some posts to come out of my class but only after I sit down and can collect my thoughts. I am looking forward to the weekend quite a bit. Not much else to say right now. Just trying to keep myself from dozing off... DAILY PHOTOS - FEBRUARY 26 2009 Today's a long day. I will be in class all day, so Jake's going to have to pickup David. Let's see if I can stay awake all day and manage to sit in the chair without too much pain. I spent hours last night working on an upcoming creative therapy catalyst. I painted and cut and glued and I was so happy. It's been a while since I've felt that surge of joy that comes from doing something artistic so it was really fun. I love making the tags each week so I decided I wanted to see if I can transfer that joy to the catalysts too. Last night, it worked. We'll see if I can do it again. Happy Thursday. 52 QUESTIONS AND TECHNIQUES - TAG 8 I thought about this one for a long time. In the end, it always comes back to my family. My husband makes me laugh a lot and so does my 4-year-old son. Watching them play together also makes me laugh out loud often and all the memories I could remember of myself laughing involved either one or the other, or both so I centered my tag around family. This week's technique was inspired by two very talented ladies: I used the wax melting (using a crayon) technique Claudine Hellmuth highlights in Collage Discovery Workshop and this beautiful art journal page by Ali Edwards that has inspired me for a long time. Besides the wax, I've also used acrylic paint rolled over with a brayer and green alcohol ink as well as several distress inks and brown chalk ink. ---- I am combining Emily Falconbridge's art journal questions with trying a new technique each week. You can see the full list: here DAILY PHOTOS - FEBRUARY 25 2009 Today has started out well so far. No breakdowns at school, no weird conversations, all quiet. I will be in class tomorrow and Friday so I have a bit of a busy day but otherwise all is well. I had fun last night with interesting people and got to celebrate my friend's birthday. Though it was 9:30 as I was driving home and I was really really tired, which is kind of sad that I can't stay up past 9pm anymore. I also worked on my eighth tag last night and will post it in a second. TELLING STORIES DEEPLY - DISCOUNT The wonderful ladies at Big Picture Scrapbooking are offering a special deal for my upcoming class: Telling Stories Deeply. You get ten dollars off my class, if you sign up for Scrapping on a Shoestring. That's a 50% savings on my class and a 30% or so savings across both classes. I know times are tough so I really appreciate that BPS is doing this. I hope it's one more incentive to sign up for my class. To read all the details click here. I don't think I really wrote up a lot about what the class will encompass and you can see some details in the class site but I wanted to share a bit more here, too. So here are some details: The class will run for four weeks. Each week we will be exploring one area of what I consider deep/authentic journaling. The focus areas build on top of each other and get deeper as the weeks pass. In each week's class, I also include one journaling tool and one writing focus. And then finally, we have the layout for that week where the journaling highlights that week's focus area. So each week you get four downloadable handouts:
We also have two chats scheduled. And of course the audio recordings from me each week and the gallery and message board which are staples of BPS. I am also compiling a long list of links to articles about writing, inspirational quotes, etc. just so you can have them on hand. I have poured my heart and soul into this class and I plan to give it 100% of myself to this class. Journaling is my passion and something that I truly believe in when it comes to scrapbooking so if I ever get to teach one single class, this is the one. If you've ever wished you could journal more or more authentically, I hope you'll join me in this class. I promise it won't disappoint. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. Just click on the "share" link below. DAILY PHOTOS - FEBRUARY 24 2009 My weird days are continuing...after yesterday's odd incidence at school, today David decided to have a full-on melt-down which he's never ever had in four years. It was so odd that the teachers didn't know what to do. I am not sure where it came from but I am hoping it was a one-time incident. It also meant I was 15 minutes late to my morning meeting but otherwise things have been pretty quiet. Well, except the fact that I woke up at 4am and couldn't go back to sleep and I am going out tonight so we'll see how I survive the night out. Baby's still kicking like crazy and I love feeling it especially when he or she is obviously doing cartwheels inside. Here's one of David from this morning where he's sneaking a smile: I spent a little bit of time helping a friend today with some coding problem and once I figured out the problem, it was one of those "i can't believe someone would write code this bad" cases which made me laugh so hard that I had to call Jake up to share. I love that we can share things like that and we understand each others' jobs well enough. Less than a month for my class at BPS to start. I am really really excited about it and can't wait. A post coming with more details in a minute. DAILY PHOTOS - FEBRUARY 23 2009 Mondays are my craziest days and today was no exception so I am happy that it's finally over. This week will go fast but will also be full cause I am going out tomorrow and I have a class Thursday and Friday that goes late into the evening. This will mean that I will feel wiped by the end of the week. I just need to take some time tomorrow and get organized for the week and then things should go smoothly. Still thinking a lot about relationships and friends and how much work things are. I am still hearing sad stories from friends and strangers and it's making me wonder about how hard it is to stay together, to keep the communication going, to make sure to check in with each other and not let things rot. Because letting it deterirorate is a from of giving up. It's sneaky cause it doesn't feel like you gave up since it wasn't a conscious action but in the end it achieves the same result. Especially sad to see a family with kids falling apart. Happening a bit too often lately. Anyhow, on to happier things....Happy Monday! DAILY PHOTOS - FEBRUARY 22 2009 Another quiet day here with me sleeping in and then Jake taking a nap. I had coffee (well hot chocolate for me) with my friend Mike today. One of my favorite people from college and yet we see each other too rarely. I've noticed that I'm not as good at keeping in touch as I'd like to be. There are some people I wish I still had in my life or others that I wish I saw more consistently but I am not organized enough. Maybe I need to establish a better routine around this. A few more things I would like to get done this weekend before I am ready to face the week but overall I feel peaceful, relaxed and rested. We're about to go out for some yummy dinner and spend some family time. Something I always cherish. Happy Sunday. CATALYST 50 - MUSIC IS MY FRIEND here's my text: The one thing that never fails to lift me out of a bad mood is music. Even if I’ve had the worst day, I can get in the car, jack up the music all the way and feel better instantly. That’s why I am thankful for my 120gig iPod. This way I never have to worry about not having the kind of music I am craving at that moment. All my music is in one little machine. DAILY PHOTOS - FEBRUARY 21 2009 Relatively quiet day here. Jake and David kindly let me sleep in which was wonderful. When I woke up Jake took a nap and then when he woke up, I took another nap and then it was David's turn so the house was pretty quiet all day long. I didn't get as much done as I would have liked but I did manage to finish one big item on my list which is the first step to a big dream I have so I feel pretty good about that. I've decided to change the titles of these posts, so that they are by date so this way I don't have to count what day I'm on and it's also easier to see if I miss a day. DAILY PHOTO - FEBRUARY 20 2009 I was worried that lately I haven't been eating that healthy so I decided to have some soup last night and the baby was like "Are you kidding me?" so the soup didn't even get to sit in my tummy for more than 6 minutes. So much for being healthy. Won't try that one again. And here's to those who say nausea goes away after the first trimester. I am almost 8 months now and even with the medication, I still hugged the toilet last night, thank you very much. Anyhow, on to nicer things. The rain has finally subsided in beautiful Palo Alto so we can see some sunshine now. David's temperature has also finally stayed 98.6 for almost 24 hours now. Things are finally looking up. Hope you're having a happy Friday. DAILY PHOTO - FEBRUARY 19 2009 David's still got a fever and I am just trying to stay calm and assume that it shall pass. I have just made my peace with the fact that this week is lost to taking care of each other. He woke up at 3:30am last night and wouldn't go back down without me so I haven't slept much in the last week and my very pregnant body is not liking that. But the baby is kicking away and I am loving it. My checkup is tomorrow so I'll get to hear the beautiful heartbeat too which I am very much looking forward to. This weekend will be resting and rejuvanating for all of us. I think we all need some of that. I shall leave you with another glimpse at the tulips. DAILY PHOTO - FEBRUARY 18 2009 On the way home from the doctor's I got several Braxton Hicks contractions. Really strong ones. I didn't realize they come so soon. Still got the heartburn, too so it's been party-central here...Off to lie down and relax now. Oh, and, Happy happy happy happy birthday my friend Cole, Alcor, Nicholas, Jack. Hope you had a marvelous one! 52 QUESTIONS AND TECHNIQUES - TAG 7 For me, the thing that I keep coming back to over and over is to write. I want to write novels and be published. if i weren't worried of failing, i'd be a writer. (and maybe an artist, too). So I made this little girl who's holding a book and the letters spell "write." This week's technique was inspired by the talented kelly rae roberts. I tried to use one of the techniques she highlights in her book "taking flight." this tag uses old music, book, and mechanical drawing sheets and some stamps. Acrylic paint rolled over with a brayer and green alcohol ink as well as several distress inks. i really do wish i could draw better...but oh well :) here's another look: I am combining Emily Falconbridge's art journal questions with trying a new technique each week. see full list: here. DAILY PHOTO - FEBRUARY 17 2009 David's still sick. 102. I wish I knew what was wrong. Actually, I wish he'd get better so I can stop worrying altogether. While we're at that, I also wish my heartburn would go away. I'm not a fan of it. I think five days in a row of both of us being alone and a little or a lot sick is finally getting to me, so I am feeling a bit restless today. Not to mention the 303 emails in my inbox that need attention.... Here's a snap of the little boy from this morning. Sick but still as cute as ever. I know I've been whining a lot lately and thank you for putting up with me. While I'm not at the best physical shape, I'm actually doing quite well emotionally and psychologically. I feel calm and peaceful. I love feeling the baby kick and while I'm not experiencing the huge excitement some mothers seem to have when expecting, I know this is not alarming. I never did have it with David either and I was worried then but I am not now. If I love this baby half as much as I love David, he or she will be much loved. And I know I am going to love her or him at least as much so I am not worried. And just so you don't think you're leaving without a tulip shot: Have a wonderful Tuesday. DAILY PHOTO - FEBRUARY 16 2009 I seem to be doing ok today, gave up on trying to be super-productive and just taking it easy. Resting, relaxing, and reading. And just in case you thought I might be done with the tulips, I bought a purple bunch today so expect some more photos later this week. Happy Monday! 10,000 HOURS Jake and I were listening to Gladwell's new book Outliers on the way to Los Angeles a few weeks ago and amongst many other interesting points, one of the things he talked about was the ability to master anything by putting 10,000 hours of work into it. This is a well-talked-about number: 10,000. It comes down to about three hours a day, everday, for ten years. It may seem like a long time to you but it somehow didn't to me. Instead, it got me thinking. If I were to spend three hours of my time for ten years on something, what would I want it to be? What's the one thing I'd want to accomplish? The thing is, there are many things I wish I were better at: photography, painting, mixed media, physics, math, psychology, swimming, tennis, running, drawing, languages...Just to name a few. But if I were to accomplish one thing, I always come back to the same one: writing a novel and getting it published. I want to write. I want to get published. Not self-publish. I cannot explain the reasons. It's just a craving I have. I don't need it to be a bestseller and I don't need to write five more. Just one book published by a reputable company would make me feel fulfilled. Ten years ago, I was spending a lot of time writing. Now: none. So it got me thinking...if this is really my biggest wish, maybe I should start spending some time on it. Shouldn't I? If you were to spend 10,000 hours mastering something, what would it be? CATALYST 49 - PEOPLE I LOVE Here are my words: I look at this photo of my son and I am filled with emotions. Not just for him, but for all the other people I can see in his face. In his eyes and long eyelashes, I see my wonderful husband whose eyes were one of the first things that made me fall in love with him. On his nose, I see the freckles that my sister and dad have; the little dots we used to hate as kids that I now find adorable in my son. This little boy, in one photo, can bring together everyone I love in the world and make my heart explode. DAILY PHOTO - FEBRUARY 15 2009 A quiet day around here. Exhaustion, heartburn, and nausea translates to not doing much besides sitting around. The fact that it's raining cats and dogs isn't doing much to inspire me to go out either. So David and I are just enjoying some relaxing time togehter. I've been thinking a lot about writing and how I spend my time lately. More on this later. Off to lie in bed and read some. I hope you're having a great weekend. DAILY PHOTO - FEBRUARY 14 2009 Little boy had a rough night last night, he was up on and off all night. Have I mentioned he woke up with pinkeye yesterday? Yeah, that was fun. I think his nose is all stuffed up so it's been bothering him and keeping him up at night. Jake also had a rough night cause he drove all the way to SFO to realize he missed his flight and had to come back home and fly out this morning. It did mean I got to spend some time with him on Valentine's day which was fun but all of us are a bit worn out from the long night. Here's Jake and David checking out a special lego set Jake owns. Another daddy-David moment. I'm officially ready for my long, relaxing weekend to begin. I have some fun movies to watch, chocolate, and a few good books to curl up with. What more can a girl ask for? Happy Valentine's Day. May you have a wonderful one filled with health, peace, and love. PRODUCTIVITY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF A ROUTINE A few weeks ago my good friend Jess came over for a playdate between her son and David. While the two played, we chatted. At some point, Jess said "you get so much done!" and I told her how there's a long list of things I don't do (like cooking) so I have more time. She insisted that even so I was more productive than the usual person. I am not sure if that's true but it is something I've heard before so it got me thinking. And I think I've realized the two important factors to what helps me get things done. The first one is commitment. Or maybe more like a neurosis. When I decide to do something, I feel an inexplicable sense of responsibility. I don't like to leave things unfinished. I'd rather never start than leave unfinished. It doesn't matter if it's for work or for my personal todo list. Once I decided to do it, I will do it. So this commitment part is the first crucial element since without thinking it's important, it's relatively hard to choose to get something done instead of relaxing. The second has to do more with timing. If the task can be finished in a day, I will finish it. I'd rather lose sleep than leave it unfinished. Not only will I never do it but it drives me completely insane when others do it. That's why I was up late last night moving karenika to its new domain. I couldn't bear the idea of this task dragging over days. But there are many tasks that cannot be finished in a single day. Like the 365 photos or weekly tags or scrapbooking or writing a book for example. For those, I use another trick: routine. As much as possible, I try to establish a routine so that it's a recurring event on my schedule. I take my daily photos every morning unless I know we have an upcoming event later in the day (like the doctor's appointment we had earlier this week.) I do my tags each weekend (sometimes sooner if I have an inspiring idea). I do my AMM kit the first weekend after I receive it. I just sit and do it. I don't give myself the option of postponing. I know that there are a lot of other tricks to productivity (like "Eat the frog" which is doing the thing you're least looking forward to, first) but it turns out, for me, what matters most for long term productivity (especially for non-work related things that don't really have to be done) is the commitment and setting up a routine. MARRIAGE AND COMMITMENT I've been thinking a lot about marriage and commitment lately. As I've hinted in the last couple of weeks, we've been hearing a lot of bad news from friends lately. Several marriages or long-term relationships (and I mean really long term) are falling apart and the news is making us sad. This happened several years ago when we first moved to San Diego, too. At the time, four or five couples called us in a matter of two weeks to let us know about their divorce and it had put me in a similar mood that I've been in for the last several weeks. Pensive. Scared. Sad. I am not sure why this news seems to come in batches or maybe the batches are more memorable so I don't remember the intermittent ones as much. Either way, I've been really sad thinking about my friends and all the years they devoted into their relationship and how it's dissolved. Especially when there are children involved. I still remember my parents' divorce very clearly. Even though our story ended wonderfully with my parents getting back together, I know that's really rare and divorce is really hard on kids. (so is a bad marriage, i know.) A few weeks ago dooce had a post about which one is harder: marriage or motherhood. Of course, they each have their own challenges and it depends on the circumstances but one of the things someone said stuck with me: it's much easier to take your marriage for granted. You know a baby/kid needs help and care. You don't tend to forget that often. Yet, we don't always remember the same thing about marriage. Marriage (or relationships) need attention and care, too. Your significant other, as a person, needs attention and the marriage itself also needs care. A lot of communication, reserved time, tenderness, forgiveness, and love. But, I think most of this gets lost in the shuffle. Between work, taking care of kids and keepping daily motions of life, we tend to forget or ignore the little moments. We let resentment build up or, even worse, we simply give up and let things rot. And then, sometimes years later, we look up and realize there's nothing left. That's what I am most scared of because I never want to let that happen. Despite our bad moments, I know exactly why I chose Jake over others in the world and I know everything I love about him and all the ways in which he's a perfect fit for my life. I don't want neglect to wear that out. I want to be the kind of person who remembers to take care of our love and relationship just like I care for David. I know that some days I just get too lazy or too tired. But then weeks like these come and I realize that the cost of such laziness is way too high. DAILY PHOTO - FEBRUARY 13 2009 David and I get to have four days at home together since his school is closed today and on Monday. We have some fun activities planned but I am hoping we'll take it easy for most of it since I could use some quality rest time. Oh and he woke up with conjunctivits this morning which means I will likely get it soon, yey! In all honesty, despite the heart burn, nausea, and exhaustion, I am feeling quite relaxed and peaceful. Happy Friday. and one more tulip love. DAILY PHOTO - FEBRUARY 12 2009 I wanted to take some more photos of the backyard so I can enjoy spring coming. I also took a photo of my tulip, of course. And finally one of David playing. I love listening to him play and how his imagination works and just watching him when he doesn't know that I'm watching. He's such a joy. DAILY PHOTO - FEBRUARY 11 2009 David was so funny during the hearing test that we had to do it three times. The rule was that you had to raise your hand when you hear a sound and put it down when the sound goes away. David was so distracted that he'd either forget to raise his hand or forget to put it down. Finally after the third time we explained, he did focus for a few minutes and passed with flying colors. 52 QUESTIONS AND TECHNIQUES - TAG 6 I don't believe in looking back. When I make a decision, I think for a long time and I work hard to make sure I believe it's the best decision I can make with what information I have available at the time. This way, I don't regret anything because I know I didn't do it haphazardly. I believe life is about moving forward and looking forward. I also firmly believe that we don't know how the paths we didn't take would have ended up, so I wouldn't change anything. This week's technique was inspired by the amazing Loretta Grayson, specifically this piece. I've always wanted to try sewing more creatively and I used acrylic paint and the back of my brush for the while lines. It doesn't come close to comparing to her beautiful art but it was still a lot of fun to experiment. I am combining Emily Falconbridge's art journal questions with trying a new technique each week. You can see the see full list: here DAILY PHOTO - FEBRUARY 10 2009 I'm doing well otherwise too. Trying to rest as much as possible and trying to get mentally ready for the little one. DAILY PHOTO - FEBRUARY 9 2009 I've been ok today. I think while Mondays are the hardest meeting-wise, I am most rested on Mondays so I go through them more easily. David and I spent the evening being lazy since neither of us felt like being productive so we lay on the couch and watched TV as we snuggled up. Happy Monday. CATALYST 48 - NO SECRETS Here are my words: It may not seem so, but this catalyst was incredibly cathartic for me. I spent my whole life being the girl with the diaries and the girl with secrets. I would never tell anyone anything about me. Anyone. Ever. Many good friends complained how it wasn’t fair that I knew everything about them but they knew nothing about me. I agreed it wasn’t fair but I just couldn’t get myself to share. But somewhere along the way, I shared once and then once again and then I realized the healing power of sharing. The connection it created, the way it helped me resolve my problems just by talking about them. And imagine my surprise when I sat down to do this week’s catalyst and realized I had no secrets. Nothing. I feel so relaxed and peaceful. When it comes to keeping others’ secrets, I am still a perfect confidant who never tells a soul but now I don’t have to fill dairies with my own secrets anymore. I have kind souls to share with and I do so as needed. I am eternally thankful for that. DAILY PHOTO - FEBRUARY 8 2009 He has grown up to be such an amazing boy. Kind, generous, sweet, and so loving. Funny, silly, and fun. I am so so proud to be his mom. This is how he waited while we were singing so he could blow the candles as soon as we were done. (I blurred the other kids since I didn't want to worry about having them on the internet. And here's one more after the candles are out. DAILY PHOTO - FEBRUARY 7 2009 It was a lot of work but it looks so much better now. And here's a little shot of David. This is the face he makes when he's done something wrong but says "It's ok Mommy. It's ok." When he wants me to let him know that it's ok and I am not mad. Who could ever be mad at this little boy? DAILY PHOTO - FEBRUARY 6 2009 It's been a few rough days here. I've been really tired. I mean really tired. David's been such an incredible doll. He's been playing by himself and helping me out and just doing anything and everything he's told. Just so thankful for the little one. DAILY PHOTO - FEBRUARY 5 2009 Nothing much more today except that I am getting more and more exhausted and it's officially starting to worry me a bit. Not to mention frustrate me. 52 QUESTIONS AND TECHNIQUES - TAG 5 Honestly, I thought a lot about this one. The one prominent thought was tired since I've been so so tired all the time lately but then I wanted something that's more specific for these last few days as opposed to the last few months and since so many friends around me are struggling and it's making me blue, I've decided to go with feeling blue. It's not even that I am sad for myself, but mostly at all the hardships my friends are suffering and how pensive it's making me. The main technique I tried to use on this one was resist. I used clear embossing to stamp the "blue" and then inked all over the tag to make the word standout. Then I covered the letters with Tim's crackle paint to emphasize the feeling of feeling broken/blue. I then used alcohol inks to make the bling, ghost heart, and the shells blue. I also used the sparkling H2O's for the edges and inside the letters a bit just to give it a glimmer of sparkle. I used stickles to cover a white heart and put the two hearts to symbolize relationship related issues my friends are having. That's it. I wanted the whole card to be tints of blue. DAILY PHOTO - FEBRUARY 4 2009 It's been a long week so far. A lot of meetings. And I am still overly exhausted which doesn't help. But I am taking my Iron pills, and trying to go to bed early and relax as much as possible. Life's ok otherwise. I am still able to keep my peaceful inside and considering we're a month past the new year, I'm feeling good about this. WINTER WONDERLAND BY CORIEN My friend Corien at A Million Memories is teaching a wonderful class called: Winter Wonderland. You can read more here and sign up here. It starts on February 14th and, trust me, it's absolutely stunning! DAILY PHOTO - FEBRUARY 3 2009 Today is back-to-back-to-back meetings so it promises to be a LOT of fun. (not!) What I really want to do is crawl right back in bed and stay there all day. WITH ALL MY HEART Journaling Reads: this morning, you snuggled into bed with me. you said, "i love you TEN times mommy" i said, "i love you ten times too my love" you said "i love you Five teen times" (that's a big number, you added) and then you leaned over to my ear, and said "I love you with all my heart" WATCHING YOU AND DADDY PLAY Journaling Reads: i love playing with you but i also love watching you and daddy play almost as much the way he tickles you and the way you giggle it just warms my heart and makes me eternally thankful for my wonderful family. PRECIOUS MEMORY Journaling Reads: today was my day to go to CHA and you told daddy that you wanted to go to the beach so he and you went to sunset beach daddy says, when you got close to the beach, you rolled down the windows and cranked the JackFM. It was easy to pretend it was summer, with all the palm trees, the sun, and the Pacific -Beach-style neighborhood. You saw the lifeguard towers, a few surfers, the waves crashing, and you made a little sand castle. It was wonderful. i'm sad i missed it but so happy that you and daddy made another precious memory. I LOVE YOU - AMM FEB Journaling Reads: i love you. we say these words a lot in our house. i say it to David. he says it to his daddy. his daddy says it to me. david says it to me. and i say it to his daddy. in our family, we say i love you very often. but, for the first time, you said it to someone else. someone who is not our family. you told your friend Joseph that you loved him. i love that David. I love that you're so kind and generous. and so loving. i hope you always stay this way. 5 KEYS TO HAPPINESS 7 MONTHS DAILY PHOTO - FEBRUARY 2 2009 CATALYST 47 - 1997 Here's my text: The last time I stayed up all night on my own accord was in 1997. I was living in New York and my husband (then boyfriend) was still at school in Pittsburgh. We were talking over the phone and computer all night. At the time, I was taking a class on 3-Dimensional computer graphics and I was drawing a trumpet for my class. I spent the whole night working on that instrument and chatting with him. It still is one of my fondest memories. And the trumpet turned out ok, too. DAILY PHOTO - FEBRUARY 1 2009 Here's David snuggling up to Daddy. We spent the morning getting some coding done and then David and Jake played the Wii a bit while I worked on my kit from A Million Memories. Productive days are my favorite. As Jake watched the Superbowl at a friend's house and David napped, I finished working with my kit and felt happy and satisfied. Some of my favorite layouts of all time. Got some sad news today from friends. A lot of that going around lately which makes me pensive and sad. More on this later. Daily Photo - January 31 2009 |
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