Sara's Virtual Notebook

Granny Squares
Originally uploaded by scrappythebandit.

I’ve decided to combine my Friday Happy with my Weekend Intentions posts this week.

Last month, the new Next Chapter Book Club started, and this time it’s a Mail Around, where 4 copies of the Happy Book are mailed around and the participants each get an opportunity to add our happiness to the book! I’m excited to be part of the Glee Circle (Glee?! Can you believe it?!) but it will be many many weeks before I see the book. In the meantime each Friday Jamie will be asking us what makes us happy, and anyone can participate!

***

I have a few happies this week. You can never have too many happies!

The Internet

It may seem silly, and some may think that the Internet breeds people who don’t know how to “play well with others” but I think, for me, the opposite is true. I get to know people on a deeper level than I might if I met them in real life first — I do have a shyness that is infamous. And a nervous laugh to boot. I just want to celebrate the joys of the internet:

• Don’t know how to cook and egg, slice an onion or want to find out what an “open-container” law in your state REALLY means? Confused on what is happening on Lost, or maybe you’re wondering if citric acid contains gluten? Google is my very best friend! And so is delicious where I save all my bookmarks on weird things with crazy tags that I may only understand, so I can find them again when the need arises. Information is power, which makes us very powerful (and dangerous!) indeed!
• Real-world opinions, not just corporate-produced porpaganda. It’s like word-of-mouth, but on a stadium-sized scale. Before you spent your money on that car or this power juicer, find out what others think about it. Again, information is power and might just protect your wallet!
• People! I know I mentioned this before, but the world is full of cool people, artsy people, spiritual people, people who tell you just what to do when you spill olive oil on your jeans (thanks @AmySeyBrown!), and others going through similar health challenges — which is especially reassuring when the medical establishment is thumbing its nose at you and your pain. New friends might even make plans to meet you when heading off on their own personal Magical Eyes Tour.. and even send you presents! :)
• And, come on.. the best part of the Internet is YOU!

Free Books at the Public Library

Our local library is part of a consortium that allows us access to books from about a dozen libraries via Interlibrary Loan. That means if any one library doesn’t have the book I want to read, I have a whole lot more options! Since the “economic downturn”, the library’s circulation numbers have increased greatly, which hopefully means they’ll be allowed a larger budget on the next go-round.. another good reason to support my local library and take out as many books as I can carry! Currently I’m reading:

Gluten-Free Girl, Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips, The End of Overeating, Awakening the Spine, The G Free Diet, and, not pictured: Practical Magic and The Botany of Desire.

Keeping My Hands Busy

Inspired by Jamie’s post, and after inspecting the granny-square afghan my Memere made me when I was small, I decided it was about time I made myself an afghan in the colors that I love. I remembered that in second grade I had learned to crochet chains and brought my yarn and hooks to school with me every day in a little cigar box so I could crochet chains during recess. I never got past the chains back then, but why not? So I scraped together my craft store coupons, got some hooks and yarn that I loved, and I’m off and running! Too fun! I will be sure to post a photo of the blanket when it’s finished, so exciting!

Oh, and.. I GOT MY DEPOSIT INTO SQUAM AND I’M TAKING THE SONGWRITING CLASS WITH JONATHA BROOKE THAT I REALLY WANTED! Sorry, I had to capitalize that! Plus, two really great classes with Jen Lee, some free time and a bed in a cabin on Squam Lake! Heaven, I’m in HEAVEN!

So that’s my Happy!

Intentions for the Weekend

This weekend’s soul-nurturing creative and space-making stuff:

• The aforementioned granny squares. Not a specific goal here, still need to figure out how long these take me in general.
• I’ve been groaning at the mess in my space — the dirt and dust in corners, the rugs and floors and junk.. but I realized I get overwhelmed at the thought of doing even one of the chores, such as cleaning the kitchen floor. So I am breaking it down into teeny tiny sections. I’ve got a small area by my back door near my computer/tv station in the living room. It happens to fall in my feng shui wealth/prosperity sector, so it’s a great starting point and in dire need of a clean up. Because it’s a small area, I feel I can give it a deep clean without getting overwhelmed, and it’ll give me a sense of accomplishment. I’ll wash the single window and dust the corners and get control of the computer wires once and for all. I’ll even hang the purple suncatcher @meganmonique gave me since purple is a power color for that sector. Maybe I’ll even tackle a second teeny tiny corner (my front entance would be good) if I want, but no pressure.
• A painting came to me in a dream, and I want to get it together for Willowing’s Art of Self-Acceptance book. I bought the canvas, a daunting 24×30, this week at Michael’s. So this weekend I’m going to prep the canvas and get started on the outline of what it’s going to be. If I have time I’ll gesso black over another canvas I have that I want to recycle.
• Staying committed to being gluten-free, no matter how annoying it may be. That’s why having other things to focus on besides food is SO important.

What are you planning for your soulfully-creative weekend?