Project Updates:

OK so most of last week was spent slacking at work and then I'd go home and work like a madwoman at the sewing machine to get the last of the presents finished.

There were many late nights in my workspace and then I spent some time with Megan.

What did I learn this past week?

• Palm tech support is not so great. Chris' theory about palm being "done" was reinforced last week when I had to deal with tech support to get a return authorization for my dying palm pilot. 3 phone calls only to find out that they would email me the necessary information so I could ship my palm for repairs.

Does my current project have explicit learning goals?

• Website- I made some cool logos with Adobe Photodelux. I used some random images found by google and blacked them out to make silhouettes.
• Sewing- more xmas presents. I finished most of mom's present. I had some issues putting the bias tape on but other than that its fine. I think that I want to make some things for myself now.

What did I learn this past week?

• Sometimes its better to get a second opinion. I am working on getting out of my funk after my sad diagnosis from Nurse Megan (the whole soul dying thing). Anyways I spent a few hours chatting with Paula last week and I feel much better. I think that if I stayed with my current plan of couching and fondling the remote I wouldn't have felt any better.
• Boyfriends are human beings and should be treated as such.
  
• It should be all about me. Like Beyonce says in the shampoo commercial "because your worth it"
• I am a really quick learner. This sewing thing is a breeze.
• My palm pilot died last week but I managed to bring it back to life. Somehow it got into this weird looping thing and my cursor was some how posessed by demons. By removing the screen protector and running some paper around the edges of the screen I was able to bring it back to life. It died again. But after a day of resting in the charger its back with no problems so far.

• Website- I started a new web project. Its a spin off of Lesliegarcia.com. Its for the cardio striptease class. I will have something up around XMAS.
• Sewing- I finished some more xmas presents. I made 2 stockings and some wine bags. I promise to load all of the pictures on the site once I distribute the presents.

This thought of the day was brought to you by Worthwhile Magazine

"Do all you can, with what you have, in the time you have, in the place you are."- Nkosi Johnson

This weeks read: How to be creative by Hugh MacCleod

My thoughts...

I dug this, especially point 6 on page 11.
It talks about how we are taught to express ourselves creatively upon entering school and then it is slowly taken away (I also want nap time back as well).

Hugh also goes on to talk about the fact that almost all people end up having a dual life in order to use these crayons. Very rarely does one have a job where they can be creative. He calls it the "Sex and Cash" theory. You have the day job that pays the bills then you have the sexy creative job that you really enjoy. Why? because its YOU!

My last thought before lunch is over...
The discussion on the "pissed off gene" on page 32.
I am often grumpy or pissed off about something and that often motivates me. Finally someone is in agreement. Now if I were just being grumpy and couching all the time it would be totally different (and my ass would be a whole lot bigger).

Lunch is over. I will add some more highlights later.

Paula shared her Being Lived experience with the self-help group not too long ago. One of the activities has to do with visualizing what you want and where you want to be as an aid in getting you there. So we cut up a bunch of magazines and glued our finding on paper.

Its pretty interesting what ends up on the paper in the end. I made 2 8 1/2" x 11" collages which basically scream out what's on my mind.

Need for a way more challenging job, travel, creativity, learning, being proactive...

I made a larger collage to hang in my office in the empty space above my drafting table. Same themes.

Unfortunately in the last 24 hours it feels like someone has shaken up the snow globe and the pieces of paper are just floating around and I have no clue which way is up.

I have been at job 11 for a little over a month and the 2 ugliest words were uttered from the higher ups today, "re org." We knew that it was coming. Our Deputy Director announced that he was retiring before the New Year. Anyways, I slept poorly last night (I was in a funk, non-work related) then I overslept this morning and had to drink my coffee at work instead of in the comfort of my own home, then the division directors have a meeting this morning, then after lunch we have a section meeting. No announcement about who will be in charge. Mearly an announcement that our office is being dissolved. GONE. Everyone will be moved. My division will become part of another office. Well, not my whole division. Everyone BUT my group. They don't know where we are going. Maybe not for a week or two.

So, job #12 will be coming a little sooner than I thought. Hopefully everything job-wise will settle out by early January. As long as the direct deposit is still moving money into my account on the 1st of every month I will be ok for a bit.

As for my other funk... I hung out with my friend Megan last night and talked about a lot of things and I was once again reminded that I have become totally lame. Since when did responsibility = lame? We chatted about old times and staying out late and travelling. I do none of this anymore. There must be a happy medium somewhere between responsibility and complete irresponsibility. Anywhere but lame.

For now, I suppose I will get some sleep. Tomorrow I will get out my glue stick and start to reassemble the pieces.

What did I learn this past week?

• You can schedule UPS pickups online and have them pick it up at your house (really good if you don't have time to drive to a drop off station). I had to send back the cable phone adaptor in order to get my money back. It was pretty easy. I set up a user account with UPS, paid my postage with a credit card, printed my label, and scheduled pick up. Pretty easy.
• Know when to read the instruction manual. When operating power tools (ie my new sewing machine) you should read the instruction manual. Do you need to read the whole thing? Not in one sitting. When following a pattern. Its best to read all of the instructions to get a feel for what will happen next. If you don't, you will find yourself ripping out A LOT of stitches.
• It appears as if my favorite line of hair care products is being discontinued. Relax by John Frieda has been disappearing from the shelves not to be restocked at my usual drugstores and supermarkets. Its online presence has diminished as well. I found some at HEB the other day and stocked up just in case. Usually when a product disappears you get a little notice or there is some sign of a replacement product.

Does my current project have explicit learning goals?

• Web projects: There has been a lack of web development lately. I have been sewing.
• Sewing projects: Megan's presents are done. I have been working on sewing straight lines (luckily the fabric I was using was striped and I could cheat a little bit). I have also been playing with the various stitches on my machine. I made some stretch velour mittens as an experiment.
• Puttering in the garage: I decided to make old shelves new again with a fresh coat of paint. This involved locking out the cat to avoid footprints throughout the house.

I finished Megan's Present (both parts). Since she reads this blog I will not be posting any pictures until after Christmas.

I am still debating what the next project will be. I have been researching doing some volunteer work for Project Linus which is a non-profit organization that makes hand-made blankets and quilts for children in need.

I finished part 1 (the larger part) of Megan's present last night. Sewing with a machine is not so scary. The new machine has a speed regulator on it so I can't crank it up as high as my mom operates her machine. I don't think I am ready to sew that fast and the table that I work on is not that strong.

I will start part 2 this weekend. I need to pick up some ribbon and some fleece from my mom's fabric stash.

I am also in the process of designing a diaper bag that is more sporty with some sort of wet items pouch in it (like a gym bag has for funky items). I have yet to see one with that option. You'd think that would be high priority to be able to separate soiled from non-soiled items when dealing with small people...

I unpacked my new sewing machine yesterday and gave it a test run. I didn't try out everything (buttonholes, zig-zags, etc.) just yet. I decided that in order to give it a true test run I should just start working on Megan's present. I am almost done believe it or not. I would have finished but I need to go to the fabric store for one more part.

The machine was quiet with all sorts of bells and whistles but it was really easy to use. The manual was useful but I didn't really need to use it.

I have a few more Christmas presents to take care of and then its time to make some clothes. I am thinking GIANT PLAID PANTS or maybe some culottes Why? Because I can.

I will toss in a few pictures of the machine and the projects a little later.

If you want to check out the specs you can check out http://www.allbrands.com/products/abp05043-0904.html

One of my favorite bloggers, Halley Suitt, has written another gem.

The Art of Alpha Female Blogging
http://www.changethis.com/9.AlphaFemaleBlogging

I just started reading it but I decided to pause and tell others to read it as well.

Since Jordan posted his Christmas wish list on his Livejournal I have pondered whether I wanted to use my blog for such purposes.

I think that it is more important to let people know that I like presents. Why? I think its mainly because I like stuff. Since I started enforcing strict spending limits in September I haven't bought much other than things that are ultimately necessary for survival. This means no shoes, no dvds, no cds, electronic gadgets, etc... In the meantime, people around me have been buying whatever, whenever.

I have a few options:
1. Spend myself into debt
2. Get another job or a new roommate
3. PRESENTS :)

In all honesty I think that I have given enough cool presents in the past that I should be able to hang out on the receiving end for a little while.

Today is World Aids Day.

If you are out there having sex please wear a condom.

For the complainers out there who hate to wear them, maybe you just haven't found the one that fits right.

Check out these websites for more variety...
www.ripnroll.com Has a wide variety and gives you a free gift with purchase.
www.condomania.com - Has a custom sizes