Reverb10 :: Community

I've decided to be a part of Reverb10. It's a 31-day blogging challenge where you reply to the daily writing prompts that are designed to get you to reflect on this past year as well as provide some insight for the upcoming year. I'm going to give myself 5-7 minutes for each post.

Day 7 :: December 7, 2010 :: Community

• Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011?.

The online community has been very nurturing for me. I like the comments and conversations via Twitter. I have both a personal account and an account that's more work related. Mostly I like the wealth of information that I'm able to sift through via the online community. I'm a huge fan of Delicious too. It's another place where I've made lots of connections and I'm able to share information and insight there too.

I like that I've identified with the online community in Cairo. And when I'm traveling or home for the summer, I've been able to connect w/my online friends offline.

A card that I made (Jun, 2009)

For 2011, I'd like to get back to my craft community especially the folks over at 2 Peas in a Bucket. I found that card making brought some solace to my life; some me time and some level of serenity. It's art therapy and I miss that. I have many of my craft supplies w/me in Cairo (and I bought stuff over the summer that I haven't touched yet) and there's not real to make some cards and what not. Here's a link to my Radiogirl Cards blog, though you already know that there's not much new there.

Yard Sale

So my neighborhood hosted a Yard Sale this weekend- both Saturday and Sunday. Yard Sales can be awesome.

My mind set was put it out and price it so that you don't have to bring it back in. With that in mind I set the price of everything @ $1. That's right. Even though I had signs posted saying 'everything $1', some of the onlookers were still a bit perplexed. I had shoes, boots, clothing and cards. Yes, my dear handmade greeting cards. One customer bought $15 worth of cards.

Did I tell you that it was 90 degrees. Right, slowed the foot traffic down a bit. I set up by about 9:30 a.m. on Saturday and was packing it up by 1:30 p.m. Then on Sunday, I got out @ 9 a.m., but by 11:15 a.m. I was on my way to pick up breakfast w/some of the $40 I'd made. Lucky me, eh?

Feeling like I'm making progress

So I've been a bit of a busy body lately.

For some reason, I've gotten into the bad habit of staying up late - like 2 a.m.; then I usually get up by 9 a.m. I need more sleep and as a result I usually end up taking a nap. But I've had a few napless days lately.

Here's what I've managed to accomplish:

• Went grocery shopping
  
• 30 minute walk through the neighborhood (lots and lots of hills; almost got bitten by a dog and almost got hit by a car-twice)
• awesome Pilates class on Tuesday morning (another class tomorrow afternoon)
• completing the semester; graded final projects; completed grading for one course
• made lots and lots of cards (for submission, of course)
• walked to the nearby shopping district to get some shopping done (very refreshing; just can't buy what you can't carry)
• started working on my next article for Craft Critique
• ran the sweeper
• finished reading "After the Dance"
• paid some outstanding bills (like the cable bill where I have not received a paper bill for months; I only know that it is overdue when I receive the overdue bill - crazy)

There is more, but some of it is just too personal and I am not going there.

My resolve in ... '08

Yeah, I know ... it's February already and I am just posting my New Year's Resolutions! Don;t hate me because you were stressin tryin to get it done, while I took my time and let the resolutions marinate = less stress, happy me.

So last year, I concocted a lil New Year's resolution list. I did okay with that list. Here is the list of what carries over - and note to self: if it does not get done this year, it can not - will not roll over to '09.

• snowboarding lesson
• travel (by airplane) to at least two cities I have never been to before
• run a 5K (at least)
• Get published in Cards magazine! and other craft related publications

Now here is what I've come up with for this year:

• Spend less and less often
• This is a big one; I want to shop less. I can do that, but I like fresh fruit and veggies, so that will be the only exception. For my own sake, I will have to more clearly define this one

• Get my mental act together
• This really means: do not allow other peoples negative actions to affect me emotionally - ooooommmmmmmm

• Do Pilates at least once a week

• Meditate for at least 5-10 minutes first thing in the morning

That's it for now ... gotta keep it doable.

Thinking ahead

I'm thinking about New Year's resolutions - things to do. But before I write up a slate of activities, let me reflect on how the '07 resolutions panned out:

take at least one snowboarding lesson (I attemped several times in the last two years)

• I did not get to this one; I could chalk it up to a crappy winter w/not a lot of snow action, but I think I will transfer this one to the forthcoming '08 list

learn spanish

• I did not make any progress on this one since I can't count thinking about it

complete a small 6x6 or 8x8 scrapbook

• I make cards because I can get them done and usually quickly; scrapbooking no matter the size of the pages, just seems too daunting to me - MISSION NOT ACCOMPLISHED

complete 3-4 mini books

• I did complete some mini-book; I think I did two and I really enjoyed them.

Travel (by airplane) to at least two cities I have never been to before

• I went to Boston in April, but that was it; this one will also roll over to '08

Run a 5K (at least)

• I sort of accomplished this one; I did go to a 5K; I ran for a good portion, but I also walked for a good portion; in '08 there will be another one of these and maybe a 10k

Get published in Cards magazine!

• cha-ching! I got this one! I was in the October '07 issue! Yeah.

Stay tuned for more ... and hopefully more ambitious resolutions.