Things we're working on...

Charlie is still working on his co-dependency issues over here. However, the "cushion" (that shall never know the warmth of a kitteh) did get a good sniff down today. I'm going to call that progress. Significant progress.

And as you can see above, I'm working on adding larger images to this blog so you don't need a magnifying glass to see these well composed photographic gems. However, I'm worried that this is only going to highlight the poor quality of my photos.

I'm also going to work on my anxiety about showing my face on this blog. I figure it would be good to start with a really bad photo of me so that there is lots of room for improvement. A friend recently shared this stunning photo of me from a few weekends ago and I'm hopeful that there is a reason I was making this face, but that I just don't remember it. (In the interest of full disclosure I cropped my friend out of this photo because she was making a better, though still quite awkward face).

Meanwhile, and completely unrelated to things I am working on, this email from Netflix got me way too excited today. 

Yes I know I'm late to the Scandal party. Or maybe I'm mistaken and there isn't even a party to be late to. My in-laws like this show so I'm assuming it is also popular among ... other people? There might be a flaw in my logic... 

Monday Monday

It's the first day of the week and I'm excited...

• to continue reading Dan Brown's Inferno (no shame!)
• to go to book group and hear what I missed in this month's book (Behind the Beautiful Forevers) which was certainly a DNF for me
• to be listening to *NSYNC on Pandora right now and yes this was totally inspired by their super short "reunion" at the VMAs last night
• that I finally put away the laundry that was sitting in a basket in our bedroom for the last week
• that I'm actually starting to look more pregnant and less like I'm starting to put on a few lbs. 
• that I started to put together a list of goals for this blog, which I might actually even post on here at some point 

And let's call that good enough for today. I don't have any photos to share and posts without photos are boring and inaccessible to our modern day illiterate society so I might as well keep this short for the spambots.

Fingers crossed that I think to take a photo or two over the next few days to post. 

I think my cat knows I'm pregnant

That or he thinks I'm sick and feels bad for me. Either way he has been spending more time right next to me on my desk.

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

It's cute, and very flattering, but also annoying. It's also pretty hard to type one handed.

So I decided to attempt to make him a little kitty spot on my desk so he could be near me, but perhaps not always needing to make physical contact.

When I first started this I was thinking, "This will be so easy, I bet this could be another silent craft post." I was wrong. In theory this is a simple project, it involved sewing a couple of straight lines, but due to my own short comings as a seamstress I have lots I'd like to say about this but I'll try and be succinct.

First, I did some reconn and picked some fabric. I figured a light color would help hide the cat hair.

Second, I took some very precise measurements.

Third, I admired my super straight edge.

Fourth, I picked a victim.

Fifth, I gutted my victim.

Sixth, after carefully pinning the fabric I sewed it into what was essentially a pocket.

Seventh, I stuffed the pillow innards inside.

Eighth - Fifteenth, I realized I had a) failed to consider how I was going to sew this whole thing shut and b) failed to account for the fact that this cushion would be three dimensional when I was taking my super precise measurements.

Once it was stuffed I was annoyed at how small the cushion was and how it was going to look like a dinner mint inside the cubby hole I wanted to put it in and how I was certain the cat would never touch it.

So I proceeded to unstuff and restuff and adjust and fiddle with this thing I'm generously calling a cushion for a little bit. Stopped to play a level of Candy Crush. Decided if I didn't figure out some way to make what I had done work that I would never get around to trying it again. Jankily sewed it mostly shut (so I can unstuff it to wash it should it ever be used and need washing) and called it a day.

Here is how it ended up:

I'm going to go ahead and call it a success since I finished it. (Low standards, huh?) Now it's just a waiting game. It took Charlie about 5 months to warm up to the cat perch we put in the back bedroom for him (caught the sneaky little puss sleeping on it in the middle of the night finally and now he loves it) so I'm expecting the "cushion" to go unused for a long time. 

Anyhow in about 5 months the "back bedroom" will be the "baby's room" and his window perch will be gone. Once Charlie is no longer be the smallest, cutest mammal in the house I think he might be interested in a nice quiet place to hide / plot his revenge. Don't worry spambots, I'll let you know how this plays out.

Book signing

Last night we went to Annie Bloom's bookstore for Danea Horn's book signing for her book Chronic Resilience! She is sweet and amazing and positive in a way I can only dream of being. If one of you spambots knows Oprah tell her to promote this book. Please.

Check out the book. Go buy it spambots! Go!

Maybe this will be the one book I read in September... or maybe it will be the new Dan Brown book I just borrowed. (insert embarrassed emoticon here)

In other exciting news I rearranged my monitors on my desk and my neck and left shoulder muscles already thank me. I'm not really sure why I spent the last 12 months staring off to the side at the the giant external monitor, that I usually use way more than my lappy screen, but I'm starting to think that I'm a slow learner.

This is feeling like the most boring post in the (relatively short) history of posts. Maybe posting on back -to-back days was a bit ambitious, but I'm trying to develop some muscle memory before I inevitably forget all about this blog.

*Side note, I'm pretty sure Charlie just jumped when he saw himself as the background on my external monitor. Is it crazy that I think that?

Silent crafting

Accomplished goal number one already, clearly I just needed to make a list.

Here is how it went down (presented without words because that's how easy this craft was):

Ta da!

And yes, I jankily blocked out part of the Home Sweet Home sign. I feel like the wall already makes it pretty clear where I live, there is no need to also provide the specific coordinates for my address. I'd really hate for one of my spambot followers to show up on my door step just to tell me about... never mind. I was going to paste in the most recent comment I received from my biggest fan Anonymous, but I feel like it is maybe just a little too inappropriate. Suffice it to say it was about "vulgar girls".

Anyhow, time to wrap this up, but before I do... ahem.

Notes to self:

• Get better at iPhone photos
• Remove random boxes from the couch before taking photos
• Seriously get better at iPhone photos
• And maybe also figure out how to less jankily remove personal information from photos
• Basically I need serious photo help

Somebody do something!

I've mentally transitioned to thinking that it's Fall (because the Summer is too exhausting) so I'm going to set some September goals. Also, I need the extra lead time. I figure goals are a good idea because:

1. I see other people doing it on their blogs all the time
2. I figure it might get me to come back her and post again 
3. I have lots of motivation to do house/fun/personal stuff between the hours of 8-5 (i.e. while I'm at work), but as soon as it's quitting time all I want to do is sit on the couch and play Candy Crush

Here are the goals:

1) Finish this decoupage masterpiece and get it hung on the wall:

2) Clean out spare bedroom closets and get closet doors because of this:

(I'm hopeful that the baby will be less blurry in real life.)

3. Start AND finish one (1) whole book. I've been feeling illiterate lately and I have a feeling that I'm only going to have less time to read in the future.

4. Attempt one (1) sewing project. I moved my sewing machine up to the corner of my office a few weeks ago thinking that I would be motivate to sew something if it were easier to get to my sewing machine. Now I just feel guilty.

5. Post to this blog five (5) times, that's less than once per week. I'm shooting for the moon here.

Give the people (spambots) what they want

Every time I get an email alerting me of a new comment on this blog I am reminded that:

1. I only receive comments from spammers.
2. I never post on this blog.

Despite Anonymous' repeated comments letting me know:

"I seriously love your blog.. Very nice colors & theme."

- and -

"Excellent blog right here!"

(both direct quotes)

I know better. This blog is shameful, and I am embarrassed to be associated with it. Whenever I re-read old posts I cringe and delete them. Is that normal?

Help computer!