Paint Til You Faint

Friday Inspiration Search

2009-07-10T13:16:00.008-04:00

I spend a lot of time at the library. And I'm especially spoiled now because there are 3 libraries within a half hour of our new home. Most of my library time is spent perusing art books and the like for inspiration. I thought I'd share some of my findings with you.

From the book Matchbox Labels by Jane Smith:

(The cover is visually interesting, which is why I picked it up.)

Great positive/negative space design.

Block print-like design. I love the thick black outline.

Love the sketch of the elephant. He's so cute!

Interesting take on architectural drawings.

Another nice block-print like design. Very nice color choices as well.

A red, black and turqouise layout. A interesting color scheme!

I like this nature design very much.

Animal heads; the word "preppy" comes to mind when looking at these designs.

Hope you enjoyed the sneek peek at the contents of this book. I highly recommend tracking a copy down to see the rest of the very nice designs. As an update, my new job is going very well, I am very excited to be back in a sign shop. The pace is very similar to my previous job and the variety of projects keeps me on my toes. I'm still adjusting to the pace of Illinois itself, and I'm especially floored that 10 miles distance takes a half hour/45 minutes of driving! (I'm used to 10 miles being about 12 minutes in driving!) I'm also working on a new painting of a GTO. Monday I'll post a photo of my progress; I'm wavering between being happy with it and wanting to scrap it all. (A usual progress in a painting for me.)

*J

J-O-B

2009-06-30T11:30:00.003-04:00

I got a JOB folks! I'll be working at a sign shop in Naperville. It starts out as part time and will move into full time based on my performance. I'm super excited, relieved and oh-so-happy to have landed a position in a sign shop, and that I don't have to job hunt anymore!

*J

Frank Lloyd Wright Sightseeing

2009-06-29T15:09:00.018-04:00

The first trip Steven & I took after moving to Illinois was a sightseeing trip to Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House, his Oak Park home and Unity Temple. We are huge lovers of Frank Lloyd Wright and his Prairie Style. Here are the photos of our trip:

Robie House roof line.

Detail of stained glass window.

Back side view of the Robie house, standing in the driveway, in front of the garage (now gift shop).

Detail of planter. "A circle within a square" design.

Front porch of the Robie house.

Steven & I in front of the Robie House front porch.

Aren't we cute?

Frank Lloyd Wright's Oak Park Home & Studio

Side of Oak Park home, entrance to his studio.

Entrance of studio.

Concrete sign advertising FLW.

Detail of storks, book and vines. Imagery was supposed to suggest if you had your home or building designed by the wise (stork) FLW, you would be prosperous (vines).

First use of "circle within a square" planters.

Unity Temple

Entrance to Unity Temple.

The height of this building and detail at the top is impressive.

Concrete detail.

Our trip was nice, although the Robie House is undergoing reconstruction. We were only able to see the lower level of the home, none of the bedrooms. I enjoyed the Oak Park home the most; I envisioned FLW in his studio, drawing feverishly. Unity Temple was closing for the day right when we arrived, so we weren't able to tour the inside. I highly recommend taking the tours, but be advised the tour groups can be large and people bring their uninterested and undisciplined young children. And you are not able to take photos inside, bummer I know. The trip definitely solidified our desire of living in a Frank Lloyd Wright-like home.

*J

Hugh Prather

2009-06-24T10:14:00.002-04:00

A quote from Hugh Prather's book The Quiet Answer:

"Just forgive, merely let go of dislike and "justified" resentments, simply forget grievances and bleak anticipations, set all things free of memories and cruel expectations, let loose, let go, let be, and the earth cannot help but sing and your heart dance with it. Forgive and be happy. That is the ancient secret, the inner teaching, the hidden answer, the lost knowledge, the only message of the still, quiet voice, the only wisdom ever to be attained."

and

"I turn from what I cannot improve to what I can."

Cheboygan, MI: The Worst Place On Earth

2009-06-17T09:35:00.006-04:00

I hate Cheboygan, Michigan. My "hometown." I think it should be burnt to the ground. I think most people who live there should be locked away for life. The rest should just disappear. Cheboygan is a hell-hole of criminals, drug addicts, sexual deviants and ignorant people. I loathe the time I spend there. And I'm returning there this Thursday afternoon, to support my parents.

My parents still live there. And my parent's home and business were broken into while they were away on vacation to Idaho.

My father is a taxidermist, he owns his own business and it is at the same location as their home. Someone ripped the electrical boxes off the house and the taxidermy shop. Effectively shutting down both deep freezers holding all customer work. Let me spell that out for you: all frozen animal hides are now moldy, wet and ruined. A complete loss. My father has lost all his future work. All future income. All customers lost their prized deer, fox, coyote, bear, etc. These animals cannot be replaced. And my father has to call every single one of them to tell them their animal is gone.

I don't know if my father, if my family will recover from this. I desperately hope so.

My parents are simple people. I mean that in the best possible way. They pay their bills on time. They work their fingers to the bone. My parents moved to the UP from lower Michigan to get away from the city madness and to give my brother and I a safe upbringing. My mother was a kindergarten/first grade teacher, but couldn't get hired in the UP small town school system because she had "too much experience". When we moved to Cheboygan, she heard the same song and dance. She substitute taught, and picked up jobs in retail and at a gas station with no heat in the winter to help pay bills and give my brother and I what we needed and wanted as kids. Looking back, I don't know how they kept a roof over our heads, food on the table and clothed us. They paid for me to have braces, I still don't know how. We never went on vacations, only a select few I can remember. The money just wasn't there for vacations.

My father grows a garden to cut down on grocery costs. He hunts and traps in the winter, and sells the fur on the fur market for extra money. He restored several old cars, one piece at a time. The pieces are not always new replacements, most came from junk yards or he made them by hand. And he is a taxidermist. His hands are always dirty, sometimes he smells like a dead skunk. He works tremendously hard. He is a wonderful provider. And the most inventive, clever and creative man I've ever met. I'm scared he won't recover from this incident. He almost didn't recover from the last break in.

The previous break in was the night before Christmas, 2005. Thieves stole his own prized mountain lion, guns, customer's deer, antlers and a DNR officer's moose. As it turned out, it was a friend of the family's son. A kid I went to school with. My poor father was sick with worry about how to tell his customers what had happened. He didn't leave the property for several weeks. He still doesn't leave on Christmas. We used to go to a fellow taxidermist's for a Christmas party. Not anymore. We can't trust the place will be safe.

My parent's desperately want to live in Idaho. My father would like to retire from taxidermy and become an outfitter, someone who guides other hunters around. They want to be closer to my brother, and live in a more positive place. Also, a place with an easier winter. They drove the 28 hours out west with the St. Bernards this month to visit with my brother. To help him start a garden, rewire his garage and clean up the property he just purchased. This is the first vacation my parents have taken together in years.

And they returned home to a break in and a total loss of their income. I hate Cheboygan with every fiber of my being. I hate the people who live there. (I dare you to look up the statistics on Cheboygan, the criminal record, the child rapists, drug abuse. You will be sick. And the corruption and filth starts at the top with the city officials.) When they find the person who did this, the cops better lock him up quickly before my brother, myself or my father gets to him personally. I will be at that trial to speak on behalf of my parents. And if the corrupt Cheboygan legal system fails my parents, so help me God I will take matters into my own hands.

8 Drawer Art & Crafts Dresser

2009-06-07T17:44:00.008-04:00

The before: A dark wood 8 drawer dresser. Bought at Goodwill for $20. Needing a little love & paint.

Detail of the dents on the edges and drawer faces.

The After: A white 8 drawer dresser to hold all my arts & crafts materials plus a space to work! Now my sewing machine has a prominent place for when the mood of sewing strikes.

There is also a roll of drawing paper on a wood stand for when the drawing mood strikes! From the kids section at IKEA ($12).

I bought the paint at Home Depot, it's called Rust-oleum Painter's Touch Semi Gloss White, $9. (I used 1 & 1/4 can of paint.)

Holes were filled in with Elmer's Wood Filler and lightly sanded. (Note to the wise: Don't purchase the tube form, purchase the container form. Mine oozed out the back of the tube, not out from the applicator tip!)

Painting took 2 days to finish. I'm SUPER happy with it, and it holds all my materials - jars of paint, drawing paper & pencils, craft paper, etc. So for about $35 I have a beautiful piece of furniture & craft organization! Bring on the crafting!

Next up, hanging of paintings and vintage metal signs! The apartment is beginning to feel like home.

No job yet, but the hunt is on. Hopefully I will find something soon...

The Great White Paint

2009-06-04T15:55:00.004-04:00

Hello! Yes, I'm alive! No, the traffic has not caused me a heart attack yet. I'm busy locating a J-O-B and organizing the apartment. I found a great deal at Goodwill on an 8 drawer dresser which I'm painting white and going to use for craft storage! I've taken before photos and there will be after photos for you as well, as soon as I finish painting and locate the camera upload cord. (Any guesses as to where that could be?)

Stay tuned, I've got good things to show you all!

*J

First Days in Oswego, IL

2009-05-21T16:55:00.003-04:00

Hello folks! I'm alive & well in Oswego, IL. The move was successful, and I'm currently trying to unpack & organize way too much stuff. Oh, and calm the nerves of a St. Bernard who has had 3 rounds of explosive diarrhea on the carpet, not once the linoleum. Yeah.

Yesterday was terrible. Almost mauled by a chocolate lab in the neighborhood while walking my dog, got lost trying to find the Naperville public library (turns out there are 3 locations!), yelled at by an old man in the library parking lot for (he claims) almost hitting him while re-adjusting my car into my parking spot (I never saw him! I looked, I swear!), nearly getting side-swiped by a woman on my return home (INSANE TRAFFIC HERE) . . . only to find Liebe had a bad case of explosive diarrhea.

Today has been better. I bought a Bissell steam cleaner & worked on the awful stains, unpacked lots of books and organized the food cupboards. Doing more job searching online and planning my attack for Tuesday. Tonight I'm attending the Naperville Art League monthly meeting, hopefully something good will come of that!

Thanks for reading,

Inspiration from West Elm

2009-05-12T11:26:00.006-04:00

Designs from West Elm. Just some eye candy for you and inspiration for me for the new apartment. ( I'm Still packing. Getting sick of packing.)

Loving those baskets under the bed. Also the headboard and nightstand - though I'd prefer a nightstand with drawers.

Really liking this nightstand. I already have a sheepskin rug similar to this one.

Tell me you need a large alphabet letter on your wall, hanging backwards! I know I do! And now some hanging artwork:

Very colorful & visually interesting. Easy to remake!

Simplicity at its best. Wouldn't this be nice in a navy blue color only with the word: MICHIGAN? I'm trying to think of ways to keep Michigan in my decor, without using lighthouses or seagulls or dune grass. Ick.

Hope you all are well. I'll be in touch!

A Mish-mash of Funny & Beautiful

2009-05-07T12:30:00.018-04:00

I've not been drawing or painting lately. Only packing! And then packing some more! And thinking of PACKING! But I am reading other blogs and thought I'd share with you all.

Hilariousness I found at Bits & Pieces. (If you don't like "That Time of the Month" jokes, you'll want to scroll down to the photo.)

15 Euphemisms for "That Time of the Month"

15. Miss Scarlett's Come Home to Tara

14. Trolling for Vampires

13. A Dishonorable Discharge from the Uterine Navy

12. Saddling Old Rusty

11. Feelin’ Menstru-riffic!

10. Clean-Up in Aisle One

9. Massacre at the Y

8. T-Minus 9 Months and Holding

7. Game Day for the Crimson Tide

6. Panty Shields Up, Captain!

5. Taking Carrie to the Prom

4. Playing Banjo in Sgt. Zygote’s Ragtime Band

3. Ordering l’Omelette Rouge

2. Arts and Crafts Week at Panty Camp

1. Rebooting the Ovarian Operating System

* * *

Also from Bits & Pieces, this one's for my Dad (he's a taxidermist!):

* * *

Over at Contented Me I found this:

Which is what I think my new bedroom should look like. Only our apartment doesn't have cool walls like this photo. Bummer. As I look more at this photo, I want to paint one wall that lovely lime green color for just a bit more green.

Have you seen this chair at IKEA?! I must have a new love of all things green, because I would really like to have this chair for our deck. I can't give up $139 though.

I have also come upon a wonderful website/blog called This Young House. I've decided I want to be Sherry. I want her life! She and her husband are the cutest couple. They bought & refurbished the most darling home. And then got married - at home! You've really got to see their house tour. Oh yeah, and they make & sell artwork for your home. She is living my dream life!!

Maddie Spohr

2009-05-06T12:24:00.007-04:00

Maddie Spohr has captured my heart.

Photos taken by Heather Spohr.

And my heart is broken for her and her family. Maddie passed away April 7 of this year. She was 17 months old.

I do not know this family personally. I stumbled upon her mother's blog The Spohrs Are Multiplying. I have been reading for about a week now, and I cannot stop. I haven't the words for the Spohrs to adequately convey my condolences. I am mesmerized by their adorable child. Typically, I'm not interested in children. I don't oggle them at grocery stores. I'm annoyed by blood-curdling screams in restaurants. I never wanted to babysit. I don't usually even read blogs about kids or family. Children have just never been on my radar.

But Maddie is different. She has captured my attention. And I feel she should capture your attention as well. The Sphors are understandably devastated by the loss of Maddie. Cindy Deily (a buyer at Sephora) has stepped forward to rally her colleagues and put together an auction of personal beauty items to benefit the March of Dimes, in Maddie's name. 100% of the proceeds from the auction, less shipping costs and Paypal fees will be donated. All items in the auction are new and unused.

Please, visit the auction site; March for Maddie. If you can, purchase something from the auction. At least learn more about the beautiful Maddie, her troublesome entrance into this world and the heartbreak of her death. Maddie's photos will put a smile on your face and warm your heart. You will probably also cry with heartbreak for her and her family. Please help keep Maddie's memory alive and support the March of Dimes.

Thanks for reading,

Our Prairie Apartment

2009-05-01T11:47:00.004-04:00

For those of you following along lately, the BF and I were making plans to move out west, pending a job offer on his end. No offer was ever made, despite many, many resumes sent and one long drive out to Big Sky, Montana. The Universe doesn't want us out west yet apparently. He was offered a position in Naperville, IL at a private golf club as an assistant Superintenant. He accepted.

I was initially completely against the move to Naperville. I wanted Montana or Idaho or Utah! And I hate traffic! I stomped my feet and dug in my heels. We fought. I got angry and posted mean things on the internet via this blog. Big mistake. I should have just gone down to explore Naperville for a weekend before stamping a big "NO." on it.

We visited Naperville last weekend. I really like it there. I could love it. The traffic? Not a fan, but it's not unbearable. (As long as I get a GPS for my car to not get hopelessly lost.) And the shopping is tremendous! Plus there is a train depot to get into Chicago within 1 hour.

We found and signed on an apartment in a place called Prairie Brook, in Oswego IL. It's about 10 miles west of Naperville.

This is the floorplan. It is a second floor 805 sq. ft. darling apartment. Which allows St. Bernards. And . . . we can PAINT IT!!! I am overwhelmed with possibilities. The BF has no clue how excited I am for 1. to be able to paint the walls and 2. there are 2 (!) IKEAs within 45 minutes of us for all of my decorating indulgences { insert maniacal laughter and rubbing of hands together}.

Also this apartment complex sports a pool, media room for wireless internet/faxing/copying/etc. and a workout room with 24 hr access. So, not only will I have a cute apartment with my great BF and my goofy dog, but I will be tan from sitting at the pool and fit from using the workout room.

I'm packing my stuffs and making plans. I'll keep you all posted.

P.S.

For Mummaboox2, keep drinking your cranberry-apple wine, here's some interesting and good news:

Neatorama posted this from Bloomberg News:

"Half a glass of wine a day may add 5 years to your life, a new study suggests. Drink beer, and you'll live only 2 1/1 years longer."

Crayons!

2009-04-28T12:23:00.008-04:00

Hello friends! I am well, thanks for the well wishes. A move to Naperville, IL is in the works. I'll keep you posted. Here's just a tidbit of trivia for you to tide you over. (My posting will be light; I'm packing and feverishly job-hunting!)

Image source Stock.xchng

From ColourLovers.com:

• According to a Yale University study, the scent of Crayola crayons is among the 20 most recognizable to American adults.

• The first box of Crayola crayons was sold in 1903 for a nickel and included the same colors available in the eight-count box today: red, blue, yellow, green, violet, orange, black and brown.

• In the last 98 years, more than 100 billion Crayola crayons have been made.

• The name Crayola was coined by Alice Binney, wife of company founder Edwin, and a former school teacher. She combines the words craie, which is French for chalk, and ola, for oleaginous, because crayons are made from petroleum based paraffin.

• Most Crayola crayon color names are taken from the U.S. Commerce Department's National Bureau of Standards book called "Color: Universal Language and Dictionary of Names." Many crayon names are also borrowed from traditional artist's paints.

Don't you just love crayons? I sure do. I also have this vivid memory of a Mr. Roger's episode where he takes us to a crayon factory. All the colors! The repetition! For me watching that episode was a defining moment towards being creative; the possibilities of drawing with all those colors was overwhelming to my young mind! I've searched and searched but cannot find that Mr. Roger's episode online. I'd love to revisit it.

Only Confusion

2009-04-20T07:11:00.002-04:00

What is thought in anger, in hurt and in confusion, should never be blogged. Or spoken.

For those of you who read the post I've deleted, I'm sorry. I have no other way to apologize or to heal the hurt I caused. I'm in a world of confusion. I'm scared and terribly unsure of how to move forward in a positive way.

I'm taking some time away from this blog for a while to reassess.

*J

Wind Whipped

2009-04-13T19:16:00.010-04:00

(Image found on Flickr)

Friends, I am anxious. I'm feeling like these stalks. Wind whipped. No control of my surroundings. I am at a moment I need to make decisions and there are no clear routes to make the right decision. Or at least I feel as so.

My lease is up May 31st. Mr. Wonderful has asked me to move with him, where ever he is going. He isn't sure, he hasn't been offered a job yet. So we wait. I can make no decisions for myself because I have no city to look towards. Bozeman, Montana or Naperville Illinois are the latest possibilities. The whatifs are feasting on my brain.

I've drifted apart completely from my best friend. This is heart-breaking. I really believed we'd grow old together, being friends always. Weddings, vacations, babies, etc. But she is making decisions I can't support. I can't go into those decisions here, but they are moral dilemas for me. I no longer know her, I no longer understand her. And I miss her terribly.

Painting is a distant thing I focused on in college. Holding a brush or a pencil in my hand come only in fleeting moments. These activities still feel so right to me, yet I cannot seem to make time for them. I can't seem to force them into a priority. I yearn to attend grad school, if only to make my art a priority. Art in my life now consists of designing for clients at a sign shop, which often times I'm left defending my usage of fonts, colors and design elements. The client's son/daughter has the same art program on the computer and could do this at home, don't I know? This frustrates me to no end: Do you question your mechanic? How about your dentist? I think not.

At home, my living room is a storage unit for my roommate (and has been for close to 5 months now). Close your eyes and imagine 4 tires wrapped in plastic sitting at the end of your couch. A bed frame leaning against your closet doors. (Tearing up the edge of the wall you will need to fix.) Boxes of Christmas decorations and old musty clothes that haven't fit in years. Imagine opening the closets to see them filled to the brim with boxes and things that are not yours. Upstairs in your bedroom, the only control you feel you have over anything has been to box your items up in the hopes of doing so will spur the universe into action. So you are living with boxes of books, clothes and assorted items...and no action.

This is all so comical to me, really. Absolutely none of this I imagined when I was planning out my life in earlier times. In those versions of what I would be doing at this point in my life, oh, I am light-years from here. Dear friends, please think happy, productive and creativity-wielding thoughts for me. I really need some.

*J

Another Car Painting

2009-04-07T18:59:00.008-04:00

So I'm working slowly on a new car painting, based on this photo I took several years ago. It's a Pontiac. (Did you hear Pontiac was one of the brands eliminated from GM? Maybe my cars and my paintings will be worth even more!)

So from my preliminary drawing I sketched onto the canvas I have started the painting. And decided there is no gain in attempting to paint straight lines freehand. So I've embraced the masking tape.

The solution is quite simple really, and a time saver. I lay stripes of masking tape down, paint in and rip the tape off, revealing a straight line. There are only minimal touch-ups needed! It's brilliant, if I do say so myself. (I didn't devise this idea, only implemented it.) I know this photo doesn't show well, but the car will be a dark blue.

Sorry the photos are such poor quality. They were taken with the Photobooth option on my mac, and let me tell you that was no easy feat. The program is designed to take portrait photos of you sitting in front of the screen of the mac. Not meant for holding the mac face outward, balancing it, attempting to take a photo of a canvas. Steven still has my camera on his trip. But he'll be back TONIGHT!

*J

One Year of Happiness & Love

2009-04-02T12:16:00.009-04:00

One year ago we met at Borders. You were in the art & design section, gazing at a Frank Lloyd Wight book intently. I had to know more about you. Turns out, you love Frank Lloyd Wright as much as I do, maybe more. And you love to read! I walked away after our 3 HOUR conversation feeling like I had talked your ear off. I was not confident you'd call me, even though you asked for my number.

Our first date was very nice. (Even though you did spill your iced tea on your shirt! It's funny now.) To be honest I wasn't sure about seeing you for a second date. Because you were so nice. I know, I know. I was just so used to not-so-nice guys. Thank goodness my friend Jane convinced me otherwise: "Jamie, what is so wrong with him? He sounds wonderful. HE'S A NICE GUY. GO OUT WITH HIM AGAIN. Give him a chance. OR ELSE I WILL HURT YOU."

And you won me over on that second date. I came to my senses and noticed how you are everything I've been looking for.

Today, one year ago you asked to "be more serious". And my heart has been on wings ever since.

I love everything about you and cannot wait to learn more. You cease to amaze me with how considerate, how intelligent, generous, creative and how all-around-wonderful you really are.

Happy One Year Anniversary, Steven. You are the best.

Making Plans (with SAPPHIRES!)

2009-03-29T20:52:00.008-04:00

As Mr. Wonderful drives off to Montana (he's in Wisconsin as I type this, having left at 10am this morning) I'm searching for future possibilities.

Montana State University is located in Bozeman, MT. Which is close to Big Sky. MSU has a Masters of Fine Arts programs. YAY! Maybe I'll go for my masters, I keep circling back to it.

There is an arts council for Montana, located in Helena.

There is an Artist's Refuge, located in Basin.

Did you know there are rare sapphires called Yogo Sapphires which are only mined in Bozeman? From the Gem Gallery website: "These Yogo sapphires, more rare than diamonds, are found only in Montana. They are prized for their striking Cornflower blue color. We also have a collection of Montana sapphires, which are available in a variety of rainbow colors. "

Sapphires are my birthstone! Coincidence? I think not. If we move to Montana, I'm definitely buying one or several of those sapphires!

*J

Upcoming Changes

2009-03-27T12:44:00.009-04:00

(Big Sky, Montana. Image found on Flickr.)

(Park City, Utah. Image found on Flickr.)

(Big Sky, Montana. Image found on Flickr.)

Sorry the postings have been light lately. There's a lot going on in my life right now. Mr. Wonderful & I are making plans to move in together. (That's right folks, we're takin' it to the next level!) On Saturday, he leaves for 2 weeks of traveling to job interviews. He's heading to Big Sky, Montana, then on to Park City, Utah, then Colorado Springs, Colorado. We are trying our best to move out of Michigan. I'm not going on the trip, which I'm 50% happy and 50% sad about. I'm not a big fan of long car trips, but I'd love to be on one with him. (Secret: I'm worried about him driving all that way alone!)

Besides working a second job to save some cash for this move, I've been sorting through all my stuff, pitching and packing. Trimming down and contemplating what to keep for our move. It's a little difficult on my end, not knowing what city we are moving to, only knowing that we are moving . . . sometime. I'm ready to go, but I'm going to miss my parents who still live in MI, and I'm going to miss the lakes. What will it be like when I don't have a lake to swim in? Or sand for my toes in the summer? How will I navigate when traveling? Where am I going to find work? Am I going to find work? There are some large changes coming, and soon. I'm just trying to embrace the changes. I am excited and scared all in one jumbled up ball.

While he is gone, I'll be doing a lot of painting. He's taking my camera on the trip, so I'll come up with another way to take photos of my progress. I've got another car painting on the easel, which has been whispering my name to finish it.

Thanks for reading,

Rude Customers: Don't Be One

2009-03-24T12:30:00.007-04:00

For additional income I work part time at a coffeeshop downtown. I've worked in the service industry before and for the most part I enjoy it. I like my coworkers. I like the job itself. For the most part like the customers. But what I've found as a solid fact is this: Some people are just plain rude. And those people are on a mission to be rude, just because.

Case #1: Two older men come in, one hangs back acting like he doesn't want to order anything. I greet them nicely. The conversation:

Me: "Hello sir, how may I help you?"

Man: "A cup of coffee. Cream, two sugars."

Me: "Ok. Which size would you like?"

Man: "Medium. Dark roast, make sure its dark roast." (Snotty, "I'm rich so I own you" attitude.)

Me, ringing up the sale: "That will be $2 please. Here is your cup for your coffee. Our coffee is self-serve around the corner there and the dark roast is the first one." I point and place his cup on the counter.

Man: "$2? Is that more than Starbucks?"

Me: "I'm sorry sir, I'm not sure what the prices are at Starbucks."

Man: "I think your coffee is more than Starbucks. And you aren't going to pour it for me?"

Me: "No, sir. We have found our customers like to pour their own coffee and add their own amount of cream and sugar into their own coffee."

Man: "Well, I never! I'm not coming back here! Starbucks charges less AND they POUR THE COFFEE FOR ME!"

Me: "I'm terribly sorry sir. I will let the owner know you are upset."

Man: "I hope you do! I'm going to Starbucks from now on."

And he stomps off to pour his own coffee, while his friend gives me the "I'm sorry he's an ass" look. Rude just because. And do you really think I could have poured his coffee and added the correct amount of cream and sugar to his liking? Probably not.

___

Case #2: Two women, mid 40's maybe, too busy chatting with each other to be able to give me their full attention to order a latte.

Woman 1: A latte please.
Me: "Which size would you like?"
Woman 1: (chatting with her friend) -
Me: "Ma'am, which size would you like?"
Woman 1: "Oh, uhm . . . uhm, a medium?" Returns back to chatting.
Me: "That will be $4.25 please."
Woman 1: "How much"
Me: "$4.25."

Me:" Your drinks will be ready on the other side of the bar"

Woman 2 to Woman 1: "What did you get?"
Woman 1: "Oh, I think a latte."

And they are oblivious to the other customers waiting for them to move away from the counter. Again, RUDE.

___

Case #3: A man with his young son. I'd like one of those biscots there in the case. (Pointing to the biscotti.)

Me: "Which biscotti can I get for you sir?"
Man: "Don't call me sir. And it's biscot. I'm Italian, I'd know. I want that chocolate one there."
Me: "Uh, ok."

Double rude. Especially in front of a child, thus teaching him how his father interacts with others and how he should interact with others.

I could give many more examples. Doesn't it make your day and those who you interact with so much nicer if you have a positive attitude? Does it really make you feel more important or more right to be rude? Really, if you're going to have an attitude, STAY HOME. Did your mother let you act that way in public? Because if I acted like that, my mother would take me home. Or took me out to the car. And then I was in big trouble.

I understand everyone had problems. You can be upset or angry, but taking it out on waitstaff or others who come into contact with you is not the answer. A smile and a kind word go a long way. So does looking the other person in the eye and saying "thanks".

Hope you readers are doing well. I'd look you in the eye and say thanks for reading if I could. Thanks! I truly hope you're having a nice day.

*J

Luck To You Today

2009-03-17T12:23:00.003-04:00

Happy luck o' the Irish to you all today! Have a happy & safe St. Patrick's Day. I'll have a nice minty drink later tonight & wish you good luck when I take that first sip.

Continuing the Addiction

2009-03-16T18:26:00.003-04:00

At the library as I type this. Yep, indulging in my sick addition to books and magazines. I've found a book called "Careers for Non-Conformists: A Practical Guide to Finding & Developing A Career Outside the Mainstream", by Sandra Gurvis.

Recommended careers in the Arts, Crafts and Domestic Goods:
• Art Therapist
• Art Consultant
• Calligrapher
• Conservator
• Crafts Store Owner
• Curator
• Illustrator
• Jewelry Designer
• Tattoo Artist
• Window Merchandiser

From this list, only three strike any interest to me. Of course, Tattoo Artist. Oh, wait, I hate needles. And not really fond of touching strangers, and especially bleeding strangers. Calligrapher, Illustrator and Window Merchandiser sound fun. But is there really a market for calligraphers? Outside of wedding invitations, is there a market base that pays well to have beautiful handwritten items? Just wondering, not judging.

You know what I want to find at the library today - and it doesn't matter the copyright date or the print date of the book - A MANUAL TO LIFE. Step one: be born. Step two: do x as a career. You know, just the basics, because I can handle the rest.

Also as a note: if the book title is Color Laser Printing Designs, shouldn't the photos in the book be in, I don't know, COLOR? Just a thought.

*J

P.s. I highlighted my hair successfully on friday. Photos to come soon!

Petition for Old Man Winter to Vacate

2009-03-12T10:31:00.003-04:00

Internet friends, I have cabin fever. I've got a terrible case of it. If Old Man Winter with his nasty attitude visits again, I'm kicking his [ inappropriate word ]. It's going to be ugly. I'm serious. If I see any more of this nonsense, I'm going to lose all 64 crayons in my box. Not kidding.

NO MORE OF THIS:

I'm ready for this:

And definitely this:

But I'm not being unreasonable. I will settle for this. Lots and lots of this. With very hearty crocus and daffodils.

Please, Old Man Winter, you need to go. You have worn out your welcome. I've tolerated you since early November. You've scared the sun away and allowed only gray skies. (Thanks, I'm chalk white.) I've applied more lotion to myself than I care to admit to. I've kept the kleenex company in business, as well as my car insurance company (for that nice little accident you sponsored), car collision company and gas company. I've had quite enough. Please vacate the premises promptly. And don't let the door hit you in the ...

2009-03-09T20:22:00.003-04:00

Kim from the Spadefoot Toad tagged me in her blog-game. I have to post the sixth picture in the sixth folder on my computer. Then I must tag six others to play along. (I'm skipping that part because I already tagged people recently for a different game). Alrightie:

It's a photo I nabbed somewhere because some day I will have a deck and will want furniture on it. And because Mr. Wonderful has mad wood-working skills, I'm going to convince him to make this. I'll convince him with the idea of sitting down on that bench, having bbq dinner from the grill, potato salad, and corn on the cob! And I'll make iced tea, but he can have his sweet "teah" (that's how he says "tea", with his southern accent, even though he's from Indiana.) See, you want to make it for me too, don't you? Thought so.

Thanks, Kim.

*J

Challenge to Change

2009-03-09T19:26:00.011-04:00

"When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves." - Victor Frankl

I need some changes in my life. I am well into the age of 26 and I still feel 15. When I look at my wardrobe I hate my clothes, except my shoes. When I look in the mirror, I despise my hair, my weight and my lack of ability to manage even the simplest hairstyle or makeup. I'm frustrated with my lack of a career, I feel like I've just been bouncing from one "job" to the next. I need some positive, long lasting change in my life.

So I'm dying my hair on Friday. I'm going to take on the Cameron Diaz. Hopefully. And on Wednesday, my roommate is taking me to a Jane Iredale makeup consultation. (*Read: Very expensive makeup that I really can't afford but hoping I'll score some samples.)

I've been reading a book called Gorgeously Green by Sophie Uliano which is opening my eyes to the world of consumerism and how badly we are treating ourselves, especially with the products we lather onto ourselves. For example, many deodorants are made with aluminum, which has a link to alzheimer's disease. I've consequently changed to Tom's of Maine brand of deodorant (they don't use aluminum), as suggested by Sophie. I highly recommend reading this book. I purchased my copy at Meijer on a whim. She also talks about how great yoga is for you, and what type of diet you should change to in order to feel better inside-out.

I'm also on another libary book binge. Internet, I have two addictions: 1. the Library. 2. Shoes. And the first is a worse addiction because it's free. I cannot leave the building without at least 3 books. It's a real sickness. But what is more disturbing about this addiction as of late is that the only books I want to read are those about resume-building, career building and finding your passion. I'm reading the same material over and over again just with different covers! I'm devouring books in search of the holy grail answer to my career black hole. With no avail.

I'm currently nose-deep in a book called The 4 Hour Workweek. I have done some of the exercises, and the writing is great, very inspirational, but the problem is that I don't have that "passion" for one thing. There inlies my problem. I can do all the excercises I want, but not having a clue about what the &^$$^%&&(%^&#@* I want to do is the rock in the gears. And I'm having panicky moments of fear that I'll never know. And thus, never do anything.

So I scour books at the library, creative blogs and such looking for the answer. Like I might know it if I saw it. Like some long-lost friend. Or that maybe one day while in the library, a very wise old woman will walk up to me, hit me over the head with her cane and say, "Child, you are to do X. Now get to it!" That would really help.

All I really know of lately, is that I love interior design like these photos:

And that I want to be a size 4, not a size 8 (or 10 or 12 depending on which store), and wear beautiful things such as these:

sigh.
Oh well. I've got lots o'changes to make. And they all seem daunting.

*J