megactsout – Page 64

Two Versions of Shopping

Last Sunday, my wonderful husband and I did something we don’t get to do together very often; we went grocery shopping. It was one of those down-to-bare-bones sort of trips. Our dinner the previous night was Dave’s very ingenious use of practically every already-opened bag of frozen veggies in the freezer prepared on the grill pan (there was, strangely enough, some smokiness added) and a balsamic and wine reduction to drizzle on top.

It really was inexplicably tasty. I wondered if part of the reason for its deliciousness was thanks to hubby’s practical “use what we have” thinking and absolutely infectious can-do attitude. Whatever it was, it made me want to try to use up the rest of the crap in our cupboards and fridge, much like John and Sherry over at Young House Love the weeks before they moved. But, alas, thinking of the school week ahead and crazy evening schedules starting, we were out of our all natural turkey and a plethora of other items. So, schlep to Hannaford we did.

And, y’know, it was as fun as a really good first date. We worked and talked about what we really needed. We discussed whether Campbell’s pretty-much-all-natural Homestyle soup was better than Wolfgang Puck’s organic stuff, and whether it mattered. We looked at dressings and quickly decided to put them down again — I could make this at home, and cheaper, and all natural in the process. We got exactly what we needed, and nothing that we didn’t. (I do “allow” that we can add up to 5 non-list items, just in case of sale or “gaaaaahhhh I must have that” syndrome, but we did pretty well this time as far as the 5 was concerned.)

Here’s how we did (toilet paper and all):

Two Versions of Shopping - image on https://megactsout.com

As you can see, we’re still doing well with our all natural/organic quest. If it’s not organic, at least it’s all natural (and no HFCS, thankyouverymuch). You may notice the word “Goya” a few times. Now, I wasn’t raised to be a beans girl, but knowing that Dave’s now interested in eating more vegetarian meals, and just that he’s verbalized that means that I need to grab it and RUN WITH IT! So, I’m looking for ways to incorporate beans more. And not be intimidated by making them the center of a meal.

Carmelized hazelnuts for salads – or snacks – or dessert. Two homemade salad dressings (my own thousand islands!!!). The Barefoot Contessa’s scallops provencal planned for dinner. It was a lovely Sunday afternoon when we got home.

Then, Saturday, we decided to schlep out to Cooperstown for their occasional winter farmers’ market. While it was a little chilly (it’s inside, but in an unheated building that they have to try to blow warm air into), I think it was one of the most enjoyable farmers’ market experiences we’d had.

Sure, the cool British guy with awesome coffee and true, homemade scones wasn’t there, but it was so much less pressured than usual. During the summer, it’s gorgeous out and there’s such an incredible variety of produce, but everyone’s thinking the same thing: “What a nice day to go to the farmers’ market” or “Gotta do my weekly shopping.” So, you get lots of Cooperstown locals (which, admittedly, is a dream of ours to become, if life could follow that direction), tourists, and folks from 50 miles in any direction. Lots. Of. People. It can get brutal if you’re not in the right mood to wait or put up with a crowd — one reason we don’t go weekly during the summer (plus, our own garden and the cost of the drive).

So, anyhoo, this visit was great. We not only were able to actually look at every vendor, compare prices, pick what we needed, and get out pretty darn fast. We had time to hunt down a cafe and enjoy a local-eggs-and-sausage breakfast sandwich before our regular town walk (although, admittedly, it was fuh-reezing). We ended up picking up some raw milk cheddar that had been soaked in hard cider, maple syrup, some whole wheat/potato bread, and our produce – gorgeous carrots, parsnips, potatoes, onions, shallots, leeks…

Two Versions of Shopping - image bunch-of-carrots on https://megactsout.com

Do you think it’s strange that I get so excited over carrots…and, especially, parsnips? I ended up roasting some parsnips, carrots, a potato and shallots with some seasoning for 30 minutes or so and, holy cow, it was aaaaaawesome. Pair that with some all-natural chicken thighs stuffed with Vermont goat cheese (picked up during the honeymoon) and some salad with homemade dressing and, dang, were we happy! I do have to admit that this whole eating natural and organic thing has turned me into a much more adventurous cook. At times, it seems expensive (although, yesterday, every vegetable we got was $1 per pound, vs. $2-4 for others at the market), but when I think about how much a meal like this would’ve been in a restaurant (especially if it was locally-grown or organic), it would cost, conservatively, twice as much.

So, can we get a hallelujah for two weekends in a row that consist of a food AND relationship focus? Love it!

Positive Changes – Volunteerism

Two Versions of Shopping - image 4K7F0005-1 on https://megactsout.com

Yay, a positive post! (While I found my last post to be pretty invigorating, I have a feeling it might not have been the easiest or most fun read for you folks.) While looking over some of the cutouts that Dave and I found in our many, many old magazines for our New Year’s collage, there was a noticeable trend to focus our attentions towards our house, our interests, our relationship, and ourselves. Boy, that must sound self-involved, but what it really means is that we would like to simplify our lives to what we “need,” and throw back in a little more of what we “want,” rather than what we found ourselves wasting a lot of time on.

So, this is one post in a series entitled “Positive Change.” I’ll be sharing my own goals towards positive change in my life, and hope to influence some positivity in some others’ lives — be it through my actions or maybe even by inspiring others who read megactsout to insight a little change in their own 2011 lives. 🙂 You never know, one kind word can reach a lot of people.

As you see from the title, this first Positive Change post is about volunteerism. As far as I’m concerned, volunteering is a win-win situation. The person volunteering gets new life experiences, a new perspective, and that incredible sense that you’re not wasting the life you’ve been given. Simultaneously, the organization or individual that you’re giving your time to (hopefully) gets something wonderful out of it, too. Yay, yahtzeeeee, everybody wins!!!

I’ve been involved with the Ilion Little Theatre Club for awhile. While I definitely volunteer my time there (I only got paid when I was the theater’s cleaner — but over 1/2 of the time I either couldn’t track down the treasurer or I’d lose track of how many months I’d cleaned, so I just didn’t request payment — they’re a non-profit, for cryin’ out loud), I still don’t consider myself a “volunteer.” There are, at any given time, a dozen to two or even three dozen folks who give their time to not only put on pretty darn good shows, but to keep the place up and running. Being on the board, I don’t feel as if I’m “volunteering” anymore. I more feel like it’s my duty, an unpaid job that, while sometimes daunting and stressful, keeps on givin’. So, I guess you’d call me a volunteer at the Little Theatre, but I’d more say that I just feel responsible to help the place and its legacy going on.

For the past few years, I’ve joined my sister (and, at times, her darling husband) in volunteering at the annual Great American Irish Festival in Frankfort, NY. The first year, we were in Band Hospitality (there are some AWWWWESOME Irish rock groups); the next, we did tickets (nice to keep busy); last year, we took care of clean-up during the event (which was, admittedly, draining and disgusting). At the end of the weekend, a volunteer party is given for free, so, again, I don’t feel much like it’s volunteering since we get such an incredible perk, plus free admittance throughout the weekend.

In 2011 (and beyond), I’m hoping to add a new activity to my list of volunteering. I’ve always been a museum-goer; specifically, historical museums (although I do appreciate art museums nearly as much — art, in my mind, IS history). As a kid, my mother knew this (and I’m pretty sure she was also as much of a history buff as I was), and for any summer trips that she planned, a stop at a state historical park or a privately-run museum was a must — much to the chagrin of my stepdad and sister, who’d much rather hit the beach.

For example, I’ve been to the Adirondack Museum as much as I have Cooperstown’s Baseball Hall of Fame (which, if you’re from this area, is a lot). However, one of our last family trips was, instead, a week at a cabin on Raquette Lake (in the Adirondacks). I spent it as would any moody 16-year-old who didn’t have a friend along — miserable and slouchy, while reading and re-reading “Walden.” Depressing. One day, Mom shouted out the back door that anyone who wanted to go to the museum should meet her at the car in 5 minutes. Very unlike my mother. So, who, out of all of us shows up at the car? Mom and I. And, man, we had a blast. The good thing about museums is that, while their regular exhibits often stay the same, they have fascinating rotating “specialties.” Purdy cool.

So, why all the talk about museums? Well, I contacted a very nice lady with museumwise.org who helped to point me in the direction of volunteering at a few possible local spots. I’m going to first attempt to get in touch with the folks at the General Herkimer Home in Little Falls. Being my grandfather’s granddaughter, I know all too well who Gen. Herkimer was and his importance in the valley as well as in the Revolution. I love the fact that I get to live in the Mohawk Valley, with all its history just built in for the taking. (Not that we’ll live here forever. But, I’ve always appreciated, regardless of current financial instability and downright depression in the area, the relevance and serious respect owed to the settlers, the Native Americans, the past events that make it known.

If they’re not looking for volunteers for the summer (who knows, with our state’s budget), I’ll contact the Herkimer Historical Society to see if they’d like any free hands (literally), then work out to Cooperstown. I could see traveling once or twice a week throughout the summer to learn about how museum works and do whatever needs doing at the Farmers’ Museum or the Baseball Hall of Fame. Makes me excited to think about it — ahhh, gas prices. 😉

I’m still considering whether or not I should do summer school again this year. There were plenty of cons to the job last year; the pros, honestly, were the money and the amount of hours I had to work in relation to the money. But, it would leave me with afternoons and a three-day weekend to volunteer at a museum.

Of course, I write this on a snow day, and it still seems to be coming down pretty hard outside. So, maybe I’m just excited to think about the summer. But, I don’t think so. This should be interesting.

Overcoming Facebook Addiction…Hopefully

Courtesy http://techsavvyagent.com

I recently posted on my Facebook page that I’d be using it less frequently, eventually (maybe) becoming Facebook Free. Casually, my husband and I have discussed the fact that FB seems only to birth annoyances and frustrations, and finds a way to actually delete people, in the literal sense, from our lives. I can recognize all the good that it creates for us — probably the most important, for me, is the fact that I can very quickly tell how my friends and family are doing (the only time that I communicate with some is through their status updates), and somehow it’s become another form of email. For others, it creates entertainment and fun. For still others, it helps with business, sometimes without needing a professional web site of one’s own, which I get. I see it. I really do.

However, an issue with Facebook, as with most Web 2.0 tools, is the anonymity factor, and the hurt that is sometimes brought by it. I’m not referencing any recent experience or anything; in the distant past, I found myself getting chest pains and literally red in the face over arguments I’d had with complete strangers on a friend’s status update — ridiculous! If I’m so sensitive to people and the way that they treat others behind the concealing black screen of the Internet, why was I made to live in the Information Age?!

But, I digress (as I often do on this blog ;-)). Also, as I often do on this blog, I create lists. So, I feel that’s the best way to let you know my reasons behind this decision.

– This is #1, and I give credit to my mother for saying it (and, undoubtedly, thinking that I wasn’t listening. I’m 28 now, and I do listen to my mother.) Living life. Living life and knowing that you’re living it. Looking at what’s around you and not immediately thinking, “I’ve gotta take a picture of this to post.” (Mind you, I occasionally do this for the blog, but it’s also because I want to remember the moment.) Just loving it, in that moment. FB is a pretty big hindrance to life living, for me.

– Forcing myself to make separate connections to friends and family. It’s easy, REALLY easy, to comment on someone’s post or shoot them well-researched suggestions when they put it out there in their status update. But, what communication are we truly achieving? There’s a back-and-forth, sure. Do I really know that this person is my dear friend now because they left a kind word on my FB page? Wait, do I even know who that person IS? The human’s intrinsic need to find friends is being exploited by the FB company. You can pick out the people who are simply using FB to “get more friends,” regardless of the true connections they share. The more people who use FB, the more jump on the band wagon. The more users FB has, the more income. I don’t care about these stats! I want to figure out who my real friends are, and see them face-to-face or talk to them over the phone! (I will accept email and snail mail correspondence, of course, as well.) It’s time-consuming, but there’s a reason that it worked just fine for our parents, grandparents, and so on. I’ve gotta relearn how to do this.

– Simplifying; sifting through the crap to leave behind only what I need to focus on and attend to. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by life. While I’ve been under the misconception that FB seems to make life easier — get home from work, hop on, waste lots of time — those dishes are still sitting there, the cats look bored, the house could use some sprucing up, and I’m feeling L-A-Z-Y. Then, when the guy gets home, after working overtime (yet again), how do I feel inside that he heads straight to the dishes? Pretty crappy. I’ve got a good 3+ hours of free time at home before he gets home, and FB can’t be an excuse anymore. I’ve got to be doing more of the stuff I need to attend to around this place in order to analyze what want out of life — which, in essence, is more simplicity.

– Something about the status update has an addictive quality. Scroll, scroll, scroll. Oh, so-and-so’s kid is sick, bummer. Apparently the Jets won, as is evidenced by at least 23 updates. Someone needs help harvesting their farm; actually, several people do — if only those were real farms and they were feeding real people. This is such a sublime waste of time, and I’ve become excellent at it. I gave up all the games when I was planning the wedding, and haven’t looked back. I don’t like feeling like I NEED to do something, but I go ahead and do it anyway. This is the FB addiction. I must retrain my fingers not to send me there.

Answering questions:
Would I use FB in the future? (That is, if it hasn’t gone the way of MySpace. Can you imagine THAT happening? …You can’t? We used to think the same thing about MySpace.) I would consider using it, actually, and probably still will — in limited capacity (at least, at first). I will post my new blog entries on FB. I will continue to update Ilion Little Theatre Club’s Facebook page. I will use it to advertise any future projects (creating a new profile for those companies/endeavors) – commercially.

As a library media specialist, how can you turn your back on 21st century tools? You may not know it, but this actually would be a pretty big deal in some library circles I’m a part of. But, I don’t think I’d be embarrassed to announce: “I’ve given up Facebook” to students and fellow teachers. I’m incredibly familiar with the site. I know that it’s not something that I need to make a part of my future. While I do my best at my job, I don’t find my career to define me – it’s what I do, not who I am. If anything, the fact that students are finding me online is as much of a reason to quit FB as any.

Aren’t you being condescending to all of your friends who use FB and enjoy it? (This question is a case of self-reflection and over-criticizing myself, more than anything. ;-)) Touche, if you’re thinking this. By no means do I intend to be the person standing on her soap box telling you about the evils of ANYTHING. And, no, I don’t think FB is evil. I just think that it’s one of the lesser-positives of our current society. Also, I do apologize if anyone reading this is taking offense or finding me to be too self-aggrandizing or even too complaint-driven (I truly dislike when blogs are used to rant about things, seriously). So, you may think I’m a hypocrite. But, I’m just trying to, in essence, make some sense of my life and what I’m doing with it, to simplify it all down to the things that I a) HAVE to do (ie work, cleaning the house, etc) and b) WANT to do (ie the theater, drawing, writing, etc). I’ve found that FB has, simply, kept me from too much.

Do you have thoughts on the FB subject? Please feel free to leave comments – but I do ask that, particularly if you disagree, please keep them respectful. 🙂 Oh, and if you see me responding to anyone who’s commenting on my latest post (or posting at all), please be kind — this is definitely an addiction, and it’s hard to break. As I said, I will be posting a link to the blog when I update.

Acting Out Again

Ten little soldier boys…

Hello, dear readers. Here at meg, acting out, I talk about a lot — from home improvement projects and eating organically to married life and, of course, the cats. But, just last night it occurred to me that you might like to hear about something truly relevant to the name of the dang blog.

Last night, Dave and I went to the Little Theater for our first night working on their next production — “And Then There Were None,” an Agatha Christie murder mystery. Dave is playing the part of Marston, a snobby, spoiled brat who seems to care about nobody – except himself. I’m playing Vera, a secretary who gets wrapped up in the “mystery” aspect of the murder mystery.

Before this read-through, I found myself to be, sure enough, happy to be getting back onstage (and of my own accord, at that! The last show, I got roped into, and didn’t enjoy it in the least — ah, the loyal life of a community theater participant), but a little apprehensive. I hadn’t read the whole script and wasn’t sure how much I could do with my part. Luckily, the read-through proved to be not only a BLAST, but told me that my character has lots of ranges to play with – from calm, sweet and capable to downright losing it.

I haven’t done a drama on ILTC’s stage before. Dave reminded me that I did have the opportunity during “Clue” to have a mental breakdown (the night an audience member picked my “card” as the murderer), but I then reminded him that, while “Clue” was a musical, a comedy, a mystery and, yes, even a drama, whenever the chosen murderer for the evening gave their defiant, outrageous, “I did it! I did it!” speech, the audiences would go nuts…laughing. After reading Vera’s interactions with the other characters, I can be assured that, while there are amusing and even giggle-worthy moments, ain’t no one gonna be laughin’ at the wrong times.

I’m already proud of this show, and I’m not even the director. Speaking of which, our director is a very kind retired gentleman whom we (Dave and I) have worked with several times — including as our roles on the board. Regardless, it’s strange. I can tell when I’m really into a show when I suddenly feel that helping out won’t burden me or be a pain. I’ve already offered to create the programs and paint sets, and have a few other little jobs in mind if Art wants me to do them. That’s HUGE when it comes to ILTC. It’s hard to find anyone to do anything, and not for lack of caring about the place.

The show will be going up in March. I’ll be posting more information when things get nailed down completely, and I’m sure I’ll be letting you know how rehearsals are going. I’m not foreseeing any too-rough spots — the rest of the cast are pretty much pros, and we’re so excited to be working with all of ’em!

Sometimes Green Isn’t Good – Inexpensive Cellarway Revamp (Long Overdue)

Last summer (yes, I realize there’s snow on the ground), I started a project in my cellarway. It started out deep forest green – nearly EVERYthing. Throw in filthy old linoleum and a cheesy little wooden rack with apples on it that couldn’t have supported the weight of my everyday keys and it just seemed like a huge joke of a space. It was dark and cave-like, and with what we’re hoping to do this winter in the basement, it seemed like a horrible first impression to the rest of the cellar. Here’s the proof:

Cubby of Horror

Had to get rid of these puppies. Just too out-dated, and an inexpensive fix.

A Shot Looking Down the Stairway. Yuck.

The carpeting that was on the stairs prior – including Scotch tape “X” (?!)

Sexy brass light…had to go!

After removing everything, including the carpeting.

Disgusting Stairs…

No. Words.

What we had in mind…
(Not the ottoman, though. That’s found a permanent home in the living room.)

With little to spend on the project, I was at first apprehensive to consider the use of stick-on linoleum tiles. But, over 5 months later, they’re holding strong and clean up in a breeze — and can be replaced easily, if need be. (No need for that yet.) We also added the VERY FIRST PURCHASE I ever made for the house (seriously, we hadn’t closed and I bought them at Bargain Outlet while sitting on pins ‘n needles) — carpet treads which, it’s hard to tell here, are actually tones of brown, beige, and gray.

We also invested in the following changes: white semi-gloss for trim and previously unfinished wood shelving and railing (still considering whether the wood door should be painted — the design is so classic, I’m a little scared – but what better place to try it than the basement, right?), a creamy tan to brighten the walls and ceiling, a white shelf with accompanying brushed nickel scroll supports, modern-print storage baskets, silver edging for the stairs and…and, just check out the pictures. 😉

It may still be a little messy, but it’s all
bright white! It helps.

Hmm. To paint (the door and its woodwork)
or not to paint…THAT is the question.
(Oh, and that big rolled-up rug is for our
eventual hang-out space in the basement.)

New beige and crisp white paint, a brushed nickel
sconce (to replace the old, outdated brass one fixture),
and a close-up of the brushed-nickel/espresso wood
hanging system.

Sorry so blurry. Got a couple of storage bins
and a new white shelf with brushed nickel fixtures, now
hiding some random box that was built into the wall
(and is completely unusable, as far as I know).

Like I said, I’m still considering painting the door, but since we’ll be doing plenty of exterior painting when the thaw comes, I figured on finishing that at the same time (if I can work up the guts). The other side of the door needs a painting, as does the threshold (which is still dark green…ick!). The stairs continuing down cellar need their old, dirty carpet treads pulled up, then a good scrubbing and painting, then new treads. Oh, and I’d like to put backs on the stairs if possible since I’d like for Beardslee and Winston to be able to wander and possibly do their bid-niss down there, and they both have a tendency to want to jump through the openings — ack, not safe! (I know; they’re cats, they jump.) Then, it’s the REST of the cleaning, shelf-building, bathrooming, painting, etc etc etc of the basement. Lots to do and can’t WAIT until it’s usable!!!

Oh, and, BTW – we’re pretty cheap. Or, at least, we’re TRYING to be pretty cheap…without putting “crap” into our house. There are times to spend, and this wasn’t really one of them. So, all-in-all, we felt better spending a little bit of money because we knew that, well, a) it would help modernize the house a bit and, hopefully, help with resale value and b) we had some gift cards from our wedding shower that were burning a hole in our pocket — and rather than blow them all on one thing, we’d spend, say, $20 TOWARDS an entire project, making us feel like we got 50% off an item (don’t you love huge sales?! We made sales on our own!) and better that we were left with now gift cards left. The rundown was approximately the following:

– rug treads ~ $4 (yeah, really)
– shelf & scroll holders ~ $22
– storage baskets ~ $17
– paint ~ $12 (already had the white)
– flooring tiles ~ $12 (seriously)
– hook board ~ $21
– sconce ~ $14
(and everything else was elbow grease or something we already had)

So, the total was around $102. But, considering we took about (honestly, possibly MORE than) 50% off of this total, we paid around $51 for our cellarway makeover. Honestly, when we first stepped into the house, this was the entrance that the realtor took us through, so it meant a lot that I could change it and, hopefully, make anyone else’s first impression with the place a lot more cheerful. Here’s hoping your impressions of it are happy ones.

New Year’s Collage

Well, today’s December 30th, and you know what that means: I’m typing this with a cat sitting on my hand, making it a pretty challenging task. No, that’s not really what 12/30/10 means, but I’m not so used to having a a) lightweight cat who b) gets all up in mah biznit. Sure, a hefty kitty who, from time to time, plants his tuchus on the warm, fun texture that is my laptop, but it’s not usually while I type a blog. Although, on occasion, he has left messages for us – one including the use of the word “jews,” which made us concerned that we had a former Nazi living inside our sweet little kitty.

But, I digress. What today REALLY means is that we turn our thoughts to the New Year (seriously, does it need to be capitalized? I can understand the holiday, New Year’s Eve, but…y’know what? This is my blog, I’m not capitalizing it…so, nyah)…new year, and all that it represents.

So, today, as we enjoyed a surprise lunch at our favorite local dive, I made a suggestion to Dave. While writing down one’s resolutions is all fine and good (and highly recommended if you intend to, in fact, KEEP said resolution), I had come up with a way to invest ourselves into the resolutions while hopefully ingraining them into our psyches more and actually making our selections matter. I suggested a collage.

Okay, okay. Collages may seem like art projects that we were assigned when the art teacher no longer had any viable lesson options and an over-abundance of magazines cluttering their art room. But, I’m a huge fan of collages. Collage art can be freakin’ awesome, and the concept of combining seemingly irrelevant images to represent a whole concept – simply put, cool.

I’m also aware that, while Dave and I have a good mind of what each other is resolving for 2011 (it’s gonna be a big year…*gulp* I hope), we’re holding our cards pretty close to our chests, in general. And, as I said, making them even 2-D, either by writing them down or, heck, creating a crazy collage (or even a simple one) is one step closer to making them breathe and obtain true life.

The unique thing about making a collage is that YOU know what you mean to represent by your choices in it, but perhaps not everyone would “get it.” This way, we can include whatever we want, regardless of any judgment people would place on it – because it’s hard to judge someone’s resolution when it’s unworded art. Eh? See? Clever. Ish.

The other reason that I came up with a collage is that if it comes out to be a neat art piece, there we go! I’d like to add more art to our walls, but making sure that it’s art that means something to us. We have a cluster of pictures with mismatched frames adorning the wall leading up our stairway that brings back memories every time we walk by it. It’d be nice to have something to look at that not only reminds us of our 2011 goals, but that we created together. The collage would also act as a bit of a nag — “Hey. How’s that ‘getting out to walk more’ going for you? I thought so. Get off your hiney.”

We hope your new year is all the good things and none of the sucky things that made 2010 what it was. Was it kind of a crappy year for anyone else? We’re happy about, y’know, getting married, acquiring 2 cats, etc, but c’mon. Kinda. Not. Great. Otherwise. Hate to complain, but feel free to use the comment section to vent — or to share any 2011 resolutions!

Our New Family Member

Will it be love at first sight…
…or fight? (And these aren’t our guys in this pic, BTW)

…and, no, we’re not pregnant. (After surviving a rough stomach bug, I’m glad to say that’s NOT why I’ve been throwing up! Heard that question enough, thankyouverymuch. ;-)) We’re picking up our new cat, Winston, from the Herkimer County Humane Society this afternoon! We would have announced it much more publicly, but a) we still had some family to inform about it and, even though it may not be a big deal to everyone, we felt they should be the “first to know” and b) we’re a little nervous about it.

Why would we be nervous? Well, our “already cat” Beardslee (aka Miracle Cat, Wonder Cat, Boo, Buddy, B-B, Boozers, and any other cutesy nickname you could possibly fathom) wasn’t even on our radar when we got him. We weren’t cat people. But, now that we’ve had him since May, we’ve found our lives completely altered — in a good way, mostly. He’s kind of our life. May sound sappy, may sound pathetic, but I’m not sure what we’d do without him. He’s taught us how to love each other better, to be parents. The fact that he overcame his major illnesses (he still has chronic issues, but nothing like what he had) has taught us resilience and perseverance. He’s an incredible cat.

But, so is Winston. We wouldn’t have chosen him otherwise. Our dear friends, B+B (well, mostly B) suggested that we go meet a cat that she’d fallen in love with at the humane society. Strangely enough, Dave and I had been on their Petfinder site “shopping” for a possible playmate (and life to make a little happier) for Boo, and the second she said the name “Winston”, I squealed and our eyes lit up. We had seen the little gray short-hair (due to allergies, he would HAVE to be a short-hair) on the website. I got an instant crush on the little guy — first, he was gray (which reminded me of my early childhood cat) and, secondly, his name seemed to fit perfectly with our Beardslee.

C’mon. You see it, don’t you? Beardslee. Winston. British, right? Bordering on butlers? (Only, as we all know, Dave and I are the ones doing the butlering.) We love how classic they sound. Some day, we’ll have a Roosevelt in there some place, too. (I know, not British, but seems to fit. And, no, we’re not planning on getting anymore animals for a long time — maybe not until we have a farm! *sigh* It’s okay to dream.)

So, the next day after visiting with B+B, we found ourselves meeting him. Of course, he’s a sweet guy. When I held him, I noticed that he was so light compared to Beardslee! Very lovable. He took to me immediately, and seems to just need some attention to make him happy. We’re not sure if he’s ever been a house cat (he was picked up as a stray on Main Street in Herkimer), but there’s a cat that looks almost exactly like him who’s taken up residence in our garage, but who’s incredibly skiddish (as if he’s never been near humans). Winston, however, was just. So. Darn. Friendly! I may just have the cuddly lap cat I’ve-always-wanted-but-never-knew-I-wanted.

Sounds great, right? This is where the nerves and worrying came in. Win’s been around lots of other cats – cats with lots of sneezing and coughing and fleas and other disgusting stuff. Would he bring in a respiratory illness? Beardslee’s HIGHLY susceptible to getting sick again. *sweat drops*

Then, there’s the socialization fear, the biggest fear. Will they get along? They’re both male. They’re both fixed. (So, there are two issues knocked out instantly. Girl + boy would not be good.) They’re around the same age — give or take 6 months. Beardslee’s bigger. I know Winston will gain weight (how could he NOT?! I’m a FABulous cook! ;-)), but the size thing will help the issue of dominance to be decided nearly immediately. Plus, Beardslee’s used to HIS space, HIS people, and only the occasional chat out the window with his neighborhood buddies. Luckily, Winston is great with other cats. Oooohhhh I just don’t know how it’ll go!

They’ll each have their own issues acclimating to life at the McCoy-Dellecese homestead. Luckily, I have this week off for the holidays, so I get to play Mommy/psychiatrist/doctor/nurse/housekeeper/chef to both guys. Spoiled. It’s a good thing since I’m kind of the practical parent, in the sense that I don’t get nervous or anxious about administering medicines, clipping nails, etc. If they get upset or have a fight, I’ll be less likely to get upset – and jump to the conclusion that “it just won’t work.” And, thanks to B+B (and their own vast experience acclimating kitties), we’ve got some great advice and tricks to help the process run smoothly. Love them!

So, how are we going to do it? Well, Winston will have his own room. He’s got an appointment with our vet immediately after we pick him up, so just in case he DOES have a respiratory issue, at least he’ll be relatively confined for medication (and for proper flea removal and cleaning). I’ve cozied our spare bedroom for him, along with some fresh toys, food/water, a brand new potty (he has his own carrier, too, which will have pheromones to calm him — can you believe they make stuff like that?!). A tip that B gave us was to feed both of them on opposite sides of the door so that the positivity of eating will mix with the smell of each other (on each side of the door). I’m also going to rub a cloth on either guy and put it near them while they sleep or just have them smell it to get used to it. Oh, and LOTS of playtime with each boy will be a must. Mind you, this is even if Winston will want to come out of his carrier. 🙂

Their first meeting will be on their terms. If Beardslee wants to meet Winston, okay. If he ignores the “weird sounds and smells coming from the guest room”, then fine. But, we know Beardslee. He was curious about what I was doing to the point of sitting in the empty cat pan, watching me curiously. He’s known something’s been up for weeks – we talk to him about it and, strangely, he seems to understand. At the same time, he’s had a bout of depression lately (have you ever seen a sad cat? Seriously. Slanty, almost-closed eyes. Head drooped. So pathetic and sad.), so I’m hoping that a new friend gets him out of it — eventually.

Oh, and for the record — Winston got a blue collar. We thought it went well with Beardslee’s red one. Priorities, y’know. Besides collars, we’ve got so much love to give, we just had to give this a shot. Aside from the nerves, I’m truly excited and happy to welcome a new buddy into the house. I’ll be posting an update and pictures this week!

Have you had experience with multiple cats? Any kind advice? Do tell!

Etsy – What Can I Do?!

It all started with one sentence from one of my best friends from way back. She recently sent me a response email, and one sentence has now got me stumped. (Bless her, she didn’t mean to do it! She’s a pretty avid reader of this blog and is as sincere and kind as they come.) The simple sentence was: “I am excited to read about your ideas for an Etsy shop 8^D” First of all, I just have to say that I love how she makes smiley faces. Secondly, ever since I wrote in my last post, I’ve been looking into the world of Etsy even further. I was already very familiar with the site and what you can do with it, but now that I’m looking into leaping into the world of online selling, I’m frozen. WHAT CAN I DO WELL ENOUGH FOR SOMEONE TO WANT TO BUY FROM ME?!?!?!

I know that I shouldn’t do it unless it’s a passion of mine; that’s pretty much a given. Lately, I’ve been out-of-touch with my passions and am even at a loss to recognize what lights that fire inside me — I think the frustration comes from the lack of normalcy and order at work, but that’s another story altogether. All that matters is that I’m having a hard time of it.

So, I ask my readers (even those of you who are normally silent) to comment on this post. YOU know me. You know what I’m good at, generally. What would YOU buy from me? (And I truly appreciate any thoughts you have — heck, I put the word out on my FB page and ended up with the name of this blog, so I’ll definitely listen!)

In case you didn’t know, here are some things that I’m particular about, and possibly even enjoy doing:

– Drawing
– Painting (not great, but not bad)
– Writing/Editing
– Cooking/Baking
– Eye for Design
– Singing/Acting

I’m open to lots of things, be it antiquing or thrift shopping to find supplies, trying to make things I’ve never made before (only to perfect it before selling — I have a “thing” about quality control), etc. Here are some considerations that have come my way thus far:

– Dave has suggested that I offer personalized pet paintings. We have a slightly abstract painting of Beardslee in the office that he’s uber proud about. I’ve seen what others are offering and, if I continued with “abstract”, it might be doable — but there are some INCREDIBLE offerings already out there!
– Candle- or soap-making. The issue here is that I’d rather the undertaking not engulf our entire tiny house, and these projects seem incredibly messy (and costly to start up). A thought, though.
– Start visiting Salvation Army, Goodwill, and local antique shops to create “country nouveau” housewares. How much does one spend before making a profit? (Not that I’m impatient.) And, again, this’ll take up some spaaaaace.
– Get painting. Anything. Everything. Find out what I can do (especially as far as mixed media and decor-wise) and go from there.
– Making jams/jellies (most likely organic). One scary word: botulism? Eep!

Any ideas? Or, should I just hang up my Etsy-trying hat for now until I can find a better niche? Any guidance or suggestions are welcome, especially if they’re said kindly. 😉 Thanks for getting me off my butt, Sarah!

‘Tis the Season…

Two Versions of Shopping - image candles on https://megactsout.com

…for crazy schedules, but that mostly include wonderful meetings with friends and other loved ones, so the craziness doesn’t knock you out TOO badly.

…for letting your blog posts dwindle to one a month. Oops. My bad. Promise, no more.

…for festive decorations…which the cat enjoys playfully batting around, and when they fall and shatter you simply can’t get upset.

…for watching “Charlie Brown” and Jimmy Stewart and Cary grant — or for kitty footprints in the snow.

…for going to indoor farmers’ markets and signing up for the Foodshed Buying Club.

…for considering whether you should take a second job while you still can — before children pop into the immediate life plan — or at least opening an Etsy shop.

…for thinking about the next holiday season, and how you insist it will be simpler and, in our case, as close to a Dickens novel as possible. Literally.

…for playing with the idea of getting a buddy for Beardslee.

…for planning several house projects over the impending Christmas holiday, knowing full well that we’ll be lucky if one actually gets completed. Better than not planning at all, I suppose.

…for making truly grandiose plans for 2011 and feeling strangely wonderful about them, rather than skeptical and pessimistic (not usually a maker of resolutions).

…for seeing the light at the end of the tunnel on the library project at school.

…for the infamous “Candlelight Evening” (and, now, Ommegang festival) which have become die hard traditions for Dave and I.

…for feeling growing excitement over giving your loved ones hard-thought gifts and to just see their faces and enjoy memories together again.

I hope that your holiday season is a wonderful one and that you can take the peace that only comes this time of year into your heart to enjoy! Be looking for my next posts, a few of which were hinted about above.

Thanksmas…and Beyond!

Two Versions of Shopping - image Christmas+vs+Thanksgiving on https://megactsout.com

From http://countmeblue.blogspot.com/2007/11/
cartoons-of-week-late-edition.html

I’m pretty excited that Thanksgiving is in less than a week. Somehow, it sneaks up incredibly fast, so while things are crazy in our life right now, it forces us to stop and take a few moments to simply be grateful. It’s my second-favorite holiday, and I’m like a kid about Christmas, so that’s saying a lot.

I’ve heard a lot of friends and observed others complaining that Christmas comes on quite fast. There’s an argument about the holiday’s commercialism vs. the real reason for the season. Well, when I start hearing the Christmas music on the radio the day after Halloween, I don’t think that it’s that omnipotent being that controls stores’ holiday sales forcing it. For me, it’s that feeling of overwhelming love and peacefulness and good will that overtakes you on Christmas that is so powerful that it wants to be felt for more than just one day. I always thought that if, for some reason, I was a hermit, I’d still somehow “know” when Christmas Day arrived. There’s just something different about the day. It’s bigger than us.

So, I can’t complain when it starts spilling over elsewhere. The spirit of Christmas can be found on Thanksgiving; really, they’re both rooted in the same theme. It’s about love. It’s about finding the selflessness and humility within oneself. It’s about family. So, ultimately, aren’t they both grateful holidays? I’m thinking this is why society (or the higher-ups at Best Buy and JCPenney) have pushed Christmas into November…and October, at times.

This year, I’m trying something a little different for my loved ones as far as presents go. There are certain people that I’ll be shopping regularly for: the hubs (I’m his #1 giver now, plus I have to be in cahoots with Santa to make sure that my guy gets what he deserves — and he deserves lots for putting up with me!), my Secret Santa relative (my mom pulls names for each of us so that we don’t have to buy for 5 siblings), my niece and nephew (‘cuz they deserve it and Christmas means so much more when kids are involved), and pitching in for parents (who’s more important than parents?!?!).

However, I’m trying to give a more thoughtful gift for those who mean a lot to both Dave and I, so there’s lots of hands-on DIYing in store. I’ll provide some hints as we get closer to the big day, but since I know that some of these well-loved gift recipients are reading. *waves* Hi, guys! Too bad, you’ll have to wait to see what you get. 🙂

This doesn’t mean that I’m not taking part in one of the fun aspects of the holiday season. While you may cry “Commercialism! Gross over-spending!! How dare you support this?!” I see it more as a morning of fun with my best friend. My sister, Mary, and I have a little tradition of attacking the early morning Black Friday sales the day after Thanksgiving. Her husband and his brother go after the possible-blood-spilling, sharp-elbows-needed finds (generally electronics), and we’re grateful for that! In the meantime, Mary and I look at our well-organized lists (created Thanksgiving evening, spilling over the ads which we already have memorized, thanks to the online updates) and determine what we need to get and where. We create a schedule and take along coffee or cocoa to keep the line-waiting bearable. There have been years that we sang carols in line — I recall 50% dirty looks and 50% smiles (and even joining in!) while flakes of white fluttered down. We don’t fight with folks, we’re cheery and have grins from ear to ear. It’s an awesome way to start off the true Christmas season, and I figure that when, one day, we have kiddies to buy for, it’ll still be an important tradition. This year, I don’t have as much to buy, so once we’re done with our early shopping, we’re going to do some Christmas decor shopping for ourselves at Hobby Lobby. So can’t wait!

So, what’re you all doing for the holiday season? Are you excited that it’s upon us, or does it depress you like it does so many others?