No surprises

After a long day of work (on four hours sleep), I went to the craft store and picked out a relatively easy teddy bear sewing pattern. It was a solid learning experience. I gained some knowledge of the ins and outs of my sewing machine and realize I need some good scissors to cut my pattern pieces. These things will have to wait until next payday.

This November, I'll need to go to the DMV and get my updated drivers license. Oh. Joy. I was always pleased by the fact that I weighed ten pounds less than what it states on there. However, that's veryclose to no longer being true. I need to take off a few pounds I've put on since life was batty. What better time to take off those pounds again! What motivation! I need to start small, make better food choices, work in exercise, and most importantly of all, keep the stress to a minimum. Isn't stress the crux of most personal problems?

The best thing I do when I'm feeling stressed is remember my dear friends and W. Especially W, as I see him the most on any given day.

 And he surprises me so. Yesterday, I was whining that we couldn't get married on a Friday because that's his gaming night at our local game shop. He told me, "Why would we get married on a Friday? To save money? There's no cutting corners on our wedding, that's a very special day." The way he can be so practical about the future and his love for me makes my heart skip a beat...

For the money

Tonight's adventure: the art of crochet. I do not have the nimblity (new word) required to knit, so I crochet. However, my style is rather archaic. I've been to many how-to sites and watched plenty of videos. The best site for me has been http://www.lionbrand.com/ .  The demonstrator uses her hook like I do; using her thumb to bring the yarn over the hook.

I single crochet and the results aren't perfect. I make winter scarves and favor chunky, multicolored yarns. This hides flaws well. I think they look "artsy". One of a kind.

Tomorrow, I have a slice of free time to clean out "my half" of our second bedroom. If I can eek out enough space, I'll have a good sized crafting nook. Oh, the trouble I'll get into!

How it does

Day one of my resolutions went swimmingly. I have yet to check work e-mail off hours, and I find it relaxes me, especially after work. It's taking some getting used to; I'm very tempted before work to see what to expect, but like all things, this too shall pass.

As for one goal/challenge at a time---I'll say there was nothing proactive about how I ate, but I don't feel like I did before- my corners pulled in so many directions, my middle was wearing thin.

My hopes for day two:

Keep on keeping on the separation between work self and other self. By the way, other self? She is quite a fun, easy-going person. And an exceptional listener, I've been told. She loves fashion, daydreams about past and future trips, and has a crazy-fun and loving guy by her side.

Last-week-of-August resolutions

After much thought and consideration, I have decided to try a few things to reduce my stress levels:

- No more checking work e-mail from home. I'm not salaried, and all it does is rile me up. Besides, I should be spending my freetime cultivating my talents. I do enjoy crafting and would like to turn it into an oportunity to create some extra income.

-Take on one thing at a time. Like many other females my age, I want to conquer everything at once. Lose 15 more pounds, get a better job, finish unpacking and organizing our second bedroom....trying to do too many things at once, I'll get 0% of each task done. Take one thing on at a time, and it becomes a lot easier to get everything completed.

Here's my story...

If you're reading my blog, chances are, you were once a little girl who dreamed a lot like me. My first fantasies of wedded bliss occured at the tender age of five, in my parent's living room. I fancied Jason*, and after weeks of flirting (aka: pretending to hate him more than any other boy in our kindergarten class), I practiced for our wedding day. I used the roll of paper towel from the kitchen to create an aisle runner and practiced walking down it with a bunch of artifical flowers.
Our relationship was doomed from the start. My mom was angry I wasted perfectly good paper towels and I lost interest in Jason by first grade.
I always liked the idea of having a wedding. The beautiful dress, the diamond ring, and the doting husband. I'm now older (26) and my ring finger is as itchy as ever. After a couple of failed long-term relationships, I'm now with the guy I should've been with years ago. To be exact, nine years ago.
Wall* and I had been friends since high school. He was hilarious, a good listener, but shy with girls. Fast forward to eleven months ago: It is the right place and right time for us to consider dating. I'm hesitant, fresh out of another relationship. Wall gets the courage to say something to me that will bounce back and forth in my head for the next three months; "Sometimes, I think you're interested in me and sometimes I don't know." He was right. He'd been on my mind but I didn't want to have my heart broken again. And I couldn't stomach the repercussion of losing his friendship if that happened.
I've never been a big risk-taker, but I took the plunge, and it was the most rewarding risk I've taken....

* Some names have been changed to protect the innocent and unaware. Which names have been changed and which haven't? That will keep you wondering, eh? ;)