I am trying, really I am...

The Reasoning Virgin Tour 2013 is technically over and yet not over in the true sense. Oy, it's some slim pickings these days for this curly, curvy and sassy gal. As I was relaying some of my latest OkCupid experiences to a friend she asked if I am blogging about these dates. I haven't been because my goal is really truly to find someone that I connect with and not to gather blog worthy stories. However, sometimes you just have to share.

My goal is not to shame or embarrass anyone so no real names (or even screen names) will be used, but the circumstances are real. This most recent experience was not over the top awful but enough little things to make me question whether I'm ever going to find someone I can stand to be around let alone like.

Let me set the scene. The Chef and I had enjoyable banter on OkCupid, then moved to text. In my view this is a promising show of initiative and a step towards meeting in person - my ultimate goal. Here was my first flag, which I ignored. Texting went on for multiple weeks with no suggestion for in person activities or meeting at all.

Now before you yell at me that I could have asked him first and that a woman shouldn't wait for the man to ask her, I have a personal theory on this.  I have no problem asking men to hang out (better at it on online dating than in person but getting there) but after a long time doing the online thing I've learned that, on the whole, that I need a man who as the hutzpah to ask me first and somewhat quickly. Overall, this is an indicator that there is a level of confidence that I find attractive - can go overboard to arrogant but that's what the meeting is for, and, there is a genuine interest in seeing if they like me in person rather than my crafted profile.  In all my experiences where I've ignored this and asked them out because it was taking too long I've been disappointed, almost immediately.  So, in the face of the ongoing texts consisting of not much more than "how are you" and complaints about his job and week, and at the prodding of a friend. I asked him out for a mid morning hike on the coming Saturday with the new puppy.  He quickly responded yes - lulling me into a false sense of hope that it was a fluke that he never actually planned a date.

Thursday we agreed on a time and meet up plan

Friday he called and said that he remembered he was going to an 11am matinee with a bunch of friends, but I could come.  First, what? I'm not going to have a first date with you and a bunch of your friends, too much pressure and too much faking if you're awful.

So we reschedule for a drink on Saturday evening - he's to let me know when he's done with friends so we can plan.

Saturday at 6:00pm I've heard nothing and I've written him off.  At 6:15 he texts remembering that he has to have family dinner, can we meet on Wednesday after work for a drink?  Sure, I say.

As I write this I imagine some are asking why I agreed to the rescheduling.  See the beginning of the post, it is slim pickings, and I am trying to be nice and see if this is just first date stuff and genuine life getting in the way.  I don't want to write people off for superficial reasons (anymore) so I keep trying.

Agree to meet at 6:30pm, at a neighborhood bar, on Wednesday.

Wednesday, 6:40pm - no sign of him but I know that he's coming from work (in a kitchen) and the route back to where we are is notorious for bad traffic.

6:45pm - While waiting I get hit on by an older man with several missing teeth - my hometown always keeps it classy

6:50pm - I'm slowly sipping my beer enjoying a baseball game and watching the local drunks try to "trick" the bouncer into letting them back in.  At least I'm not wanting for entertainment but still no date.

7:00pm - Finally arrives, no apology for being late, and when we hug hello he smells! I mean hold your breath from the B.O. smells. Again trying to be nice I chalk it up to it being hot in a kitchen all day but it was truly oppressive sitting next to him inside. Unfortunately there are no seats outside.

At this point, I put on my nicest face and genuinely try to see if there is a connection in spite of the first impression and lateness. Half an hour in and one beer later, The Chef has told me a lot about his life, complained about his job and asked me 1 question about myself but before I got to answer it he answered it about himself, you know, as an example in case I didn't understand what he was asking.

Sadly, this is how the rest of the date continued.  I do think that I played my role of sounding board for him really well because at the end he was really into having a second date. If he could remember my name and one other fact about me I'd maybe consider it in spite of everything but I doubt he could.

I really hope it was first date nerves and/or a bad day that made it seem as if he had never had a two-way conversation before, for his sake.

Oh well, back to the drawing board/computer screen...

Mabel, Mabel Sweet and Able

Sorry for the gap in posts, this summer has been a rollercoaster.  Not sure the ride is over but I'm starting to feel a bit more grounded again - not totally myself but getting there (I hope).

On the happy news front, I have a new addition.  Meet Mabel:

She is just over 5 months old and is wonderful!  She even has a theme song!  People aren't lying when they warn you that puppies are a lot of work but they also bring a lot of joy.  It's much harder to sit around sad and wallowing when there is a loving puppy needing you to make sure they're fed and loved back.

I'm fighting what appears to be a losing battle against becoming one of those dog people.  Who can resist that face?  She has come to work a couple times, and, yes, I am currently weighing options for Halloween costumes.  Current front runners are bat or gargoyle - but I may also go bumblebee.  So many choices!

I expect that there will be the occasional post here and there about amazingly cute and adorable things that Mabel does. You've been warned.

Back to reality

I've been back just a week now from my amazing trip and had a birthday, jumped in to several crazy work projects, had a boss leave on maternity leave, and quite a bit of change and shifting in that short amount of time.

I'm a true cancer in many senses, not least of which is that it takes me a long time to be ok with change.  So to say that this week has been really hard for me is a bit of an understatement.  The other thing I've learned about myself in recent years is that I'm really bad at not being ok.  I get angry with myself when I'm sad or depressed, I don't do well with not doing well. I know this seems a bit backwards and like I'm being hard on myself but it's true. Overall I am happy with my life and I know, and feel, that I am truly blessed in my life. Blessed by things that were given to me, like my family, and by things I chose, like my friends. This doesn't mean that there aren't things I can work on or things I wish were different - it just means that the big picture still looks pretty good.

One of my closest friends has moved very far away, a friend that I thought I would be living near the rest of my life (yes I realize this sounds codependent) and raising our kids near each other. She moved to be with someone she believes can make her happy, which is really all we want for our friends right?  Meanwhile, I'm battling toddler like feelings of abandonment, sadness, and anger. Only made ok by that fact that we've been able to talk about all this and I know this isn't the end it's just a change. However, this truth doesn't yet make me feel better about the situation.  I'm sure I'll get there.  I hope I get there soon.

Also I just had my birthday which means my 30th year is complete. It was satisfying to complete so many projects and take on a year of celibacy. I can't help but feel frustration at the fact that after a year of "action" I can't help but feel so stagnant. Expect more projects and activities as I distract myself from missing my people and figuring out what my forward is.

Sorry for the heavy post but as the 90s so eloquently put it - reality bites (sometimes)

(clearly I did some Pinterest searching of sappy happiness quotes - please indulge me)

The Galway Girls

Sorry for the delay. We've been galavanting girls in Galway for the past two days. 

We made it by train on Saturday afternoon and after plotting on the map how to walk to our hotel and hoping we can find it, we come out to find it's literally backed up against the train station! Impossible to get lost

We wandered to the recommended fish and chips place and had a tasty dinner. 

Later on we went out on the main street and we're overwhelmed by what we encountered - to put it mildly. In every direction we looked we saw stag and hen parties, and these folks go big.  All the hen parties had themes, such as all Disney.  Theoughout the night there were multiple blowup dolls of both genders, blowup penises (penii?), and more drunk people than we could imagine. It felt like we had dropped into the jersey shore of Ireland. Needless to say, without our miniskirts and 5" heels we were underdressed, though it was quite a show. 

Last night, determined to find something a bit more our speed we took the advice of dear old Lon O'Neil ( thanks dad) and walked over to the Crane Bar where we had three hours of amazing local traditional musicians all playing and singing. We'd found our place!! It was everything I imagined from pubs in Ireland including a local gentleman who joined in with stories and poems in between the songs. 

Today (after almost oversleeping!) we went on a tour of Inishmoor, the largest of the Aran Islands. Definitely one of the top things we've done on this trip. Incredible coastlines, Viking forts, and church ruins. On an island that is 18 km long and up to 5km wide there are over 7000 miles of limestone walls.

And! We passed the house that was in the moving Matchmaker - those who know how much I love that movie can imagine how excited I was.

We stuck our feet in the water, felt like home!

Danielle ate berries off the side of the road - raise your hand if you're surprised. No one? That's what I thought. 

We met an amazing woman on our tour who had studied history and archaeology of Ireland and gave us some amazing in depth info and invited us to stay with her the next time we come!!

I probably shouldn't reveal this but if I ever run away I think I might run to this island and stay, did not want to leave at all. This only starts to cover all that we saw today but I'm back at the hotel room exhausted and this will have to do for now. 

One more night in Galway before we head back to Dublin. 

Observation

The Irish are not afraid of sweat pants. The men where sweat pants around like American girls wear leggings. Expect some covert pictures to be forthcoming...

Farewell to Dublin's Fair City

Though excited to see friends and family, I'm significantly less excited about leaving Ireland.

Yesterday we spent the day checking off the rest of the tourist destinations that we wanted to see in Dublin. 

In the morning we went to the Trinity College library and saw the Book of Kells.  Both it and the library we're amazing. I wanted to stay and enroll right then and there!

From there we pressed on to the Museum of archeology a free and fantastic museum. They had a treasure room with the cross of conf which once held a piece of the original one true cross.  And, what excited me the most, big bodies!!  These were bodies that we're buried in the bogs in medieval times and have been mummified and amazingly preserved. Granted, I love mummies but these we're really neat. My friend didn't love them as much as I did. 

The museum also had a great Viking exhibit which inspired this: 

After a brief but lovely picnic lunch in St Stephens Green (purloined from the hotel breakfast buffet) we went next to the Chester Beatty library housed on the grounds of Dublin Castle. 

This is an amazing personal collection that was donated to Ireland after his death of an incredible amount of illuminated texts from all over the world. Definitely worth wading through the school groups that we're there that day. 

Last stop of the day was Christ Church. It was a stunning church, as expected. 

But I was more interested in the crypt - sensing a theme here? This one had quite an amusing tea shop in the crypt taking any remaining creepiness out of it and providing a great juxtaposition, to me at least.  

They did however have a mummy, much to my surprise!  Two actually. A cat and mouse found mummified in the same organ pipe, appearing trapped in a never ending game of cat and mouse. 

Exhausted after a wonderful but long day, we went to have a Guinness at Eamon Rea's Lounge right near our hotel. A pub we had been sent to from San Francisco because it is owned by the brother-in-law of my coworker. It must have been fate because we caught him just as he was leaving! He stayed as had a Guiness with is and shared some stories, a perfect way to end our last day in Ireland!

We are now on the bus back to the airport and back to reality. 

In the navy

There is a gathering of retired Irish Navy men here at the train station and it is wonderful. Mild disappointment that they are not on our train with us but I did snap a quick covert pic of them heading to their train.

A limerick for Limerick

Now that we've made it to Limerick 

We're not quite so sure about this pick

Out on the streets there are no people

Not even by the church and steeple

Still, I hope this trip doesn't go too quick!

Ok so I may need a bit of work with my Limerick skills but who could resist!

We were pretty skeptical about this stop on the trip because in spite of being the third largest city in Ireland Limerick was nowhere to be found in our Rick Steve's  guide book. 

On our train ride we met a nice gentleman - older and we think autistic - who was full of wonderful facts and information about all the cities we'll be visiting. He even woke us up to make sure we didn't miss our stop. 

When we arrived in Limerick outside the train station was cute and we were told  that it was about a 10 minute walk to our hotel.  So, off we went. Within a few blocks It reminded us both, almost instantly of our time in Ketchikan, AK. Those of you who have heard some of the stories about that know what I mean. An odd little town with a combo of lovely and adorable paired with rundown and gritty all covered with a bit of confusing.

Only serving to reinforce this feeling, we shortly see a poster informing us that Limerick has been awarded the City of Culture 2014 Award for Ireland. This was made hilarious and strange by the fact that the banner was hung on a run down building with some panels missing. You would think they'd hang it in a more strategic place.

In the evening, armed with a list of potential "hot spots" from our hotel front desk we went out to find a good time.  We did find a delicious dinner at a pub close to us. However, after that we wandered to check out some of the other spots and found eerily quiet streets and anything that was open had barely anyone in there. Odd to put it mildly. 

There is a castle and a cathedral in town but we decided to book a day trip out to the Cliffs of Moher and they we're absolutely incredible!  We were slightly worried about the trip to start with but it far surpassed our expectations. That is actually putting it mildly in my opinion. It was an all day bus tour around County Clare and the areas surrounding the Cliffs as well  it was great to get out of the city and into the countryside. 

For my family, we passed right by Dromoland!  The tour guide even talked about it!

We're taking a break now and eating a grocery store dinner in our hotel room.  Haven't even mentioned yet our hotel yet. This hotel is a bizarre super modern hotel in the medieval part of the town, feels like an airport hotel but nowhere near an airport.

Still deciding what to do tonight, the town is having a 4th of July celebration but that just seems wrong...

Then there was this...

As mentioned in the earlier post, Limerick is an odd "city" that reminds me and my traveling partner of the months we spent living in Ketchikan. Namely, bizarre and never making total sense, also both are the third largest city in they're respective areas.  

Then, after a befuddling but overall good (we think) night, we got back to our room and there was this...

Forgive the photos they are of the tv screen. This not only completely confused us but was also a bit terrifying. A short bit of research later revealed that this is a show called Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy http://www.channel4.com/programmes/noel-fieldings-luxury-comedy

I only recommend this if you're ready for a heady mix of confusion and fear. 

You've been warned. 

Where are you Molly Malone?

Wonderful day again!  This morning started with complimentary breakfast in our hotel then off to jail!

Several people recommended the Kilmainham Gaol. The jail housed and executed the leaders of the Easter 1916 revolt. Really a great tour of a jail that was restored by a restoration group in the 1960s including some who we're imprisoned there themselves. 

After that we grabbed the hop on hop off bus to take a tour and jumped off at Trinity College. Didn't go in today but it's still on the list. We ate a lovely three course meal at Farm, which was good but not quite up to our discerning Bay Area palates. But it was a lovely leisurely dining afternoon. 

Next on to the search for Molly Malone, or at least her statue. We found it on the map, we found those streets in real life but no Molly. Cut to us circling the block twice and finally realizing that there is a sign marking where she should be but isn't. She's away being cleaned. So while disappointed we were glad to realize that it was not that we can't read maps. 

We also found O'Neills pub one of the oldest still operating public house. Please ignore the "incorrect" spelling we're all family!  Shockingly I was not the only one of us to find our last name on a building. 

Back now at the hotel resting before venturing back out to pubs tonight. I'm looking for some live music I think!

Tomorrow we catch a train to Limerick and start the next chapter of our trip. So happy to realize that today is only our second day!

Tea for two!

Had a lovely afternoon strolling Dublin. We walked from our hotel at the west end of the city along the Liffey river. We wandered through some of the neighborhoods along the way.

We stopped for dinner at a lovely tea shop called The Queen of Tarts where we had tea, delicious food and a strawberry rhubarb crumble per our waitress's recommendation. It was tucked away on a walking street and we sat outside and enjoyed this amazing weather!  It's the perfect kind if warm that is warm enough to sit still but not too hot to move around.

We walked off our dinner on the way back to our room. Plan for the night is to keep each other awake for a bit longer and watch the World Cup game as we plan our day tomorrow. 

Off again

Sitting at the airport waiting for my flight and getting more excited by the minute!

One of my best friends and I are off to Ireland, first stop Dublin. As an Irish lass by heritage it is amazing as I look around the gate at how many people look just like my family. Slightly unnerving actually. 

Also, my people have a lot of babies. I knew this but really. 

See you on the other side of the pond!

You might be totally soulless if ...

this slideshow does not make you least smile.

Mild existential crisis thanks to Pandora

You know how when you're in a movie and the previews can really give you a tone of the movie you're about to watch.  This is what Pandora did to me today. 

Today at work I was listening to my Joni Mitchell station on Pandora, don't judge me, sometimes you're just in a folk music kind of space.  So with Pandora, every hour or so there's an ad, and today all the ads are about freezing my eggs so that I can make sure I'm still able to have kids later!

What?! 

Either they think I’m a young, single, sad woman who needs this service now, or they’re torturing older women from the true era of Joni Mitchell and teasing them for not being able to have children now.  Either way there is a lot of stereotyping and assumption going on and I’m offended for the person that the marketing thinks I am...

Also, now I'm mad because I'm clearly susceptible to marketing and am concerned that I do in fact need to freeze my eggs now.

F**k you Pandora

Smile, It's Thursday

Crazy Pills

Do you ever have one of those days, or weeks, where it seems that everywhere you look, something crazy is happening? I do.  

I don't know if it's that I go through phases where I'm more aware of the crazy or there are actual upticks but either way there are certain days where I feel like I'm making the same face as Will Ferrell above and can't stop (also there are not enough moments for Zoolander references in my opinion).

As an example, one morning this week, as I walked in to my office there was a trash can on fire. Not like a urban camping, to keep warm, kind of trash fire.  A normal, on the side of the street, in the financial district, trash can that was just randomly on fire.  I appeared to be the only one acknowledging this oddity.  Was it really happening?  I hadn't had my coffee yet, so sometimes I question myself, but no, it was definitely on fire.   However, like a poor samaritan, I continued on my way, only to clumsily stumble into an argument between two homeless people.  I thought it was a standard "my corner" type of thing but then the dog of one of them jumped in and bit, I think, the other one, while the dog's owner went into a rant about how the other guy was no good and everyone knew it. 

Typically I can assume that there is a mental illness factor in these type of scenarios but I am actually fairly familiar (from my regular walk to work) with the man with the dog, and he seems rather well balanced, considering.  So again because it's before coffee, it takes several seconds too long for me to realize what's happening and when I do I'm standing nearly in the middle of it, confused and oddly detached.

I know cities are not strangers to craziness and mine is no exception but I appear to be in a phase of either heightened awareness or the city itself is getting punchy with the coming of spring and the sun.  Either way it may be time to lay low...

30th year is nearing a close - time to check the projects list

As you are all clearly aware, I have avoided checking in on this list for the last several months.  While, I haven't done nothing, I havent' done a whole lot either.  But, as Spring gathers speed on it's way to Summer and my 30th year gets ever closer to a close it's time to evaluate (and give you an update on the RVT2103 - to come soon).  Ok, to the list:

1. New Bed:  DONE! I think that there can definitely be a follow-up project to add a few more items tot the decor of the room overall, including new bedding but the new bed is in and great!
2. Color in the Kitchen: Truthfully, haven't even visited this one
3. Build 4 x 4 workbench:  As seen at an artist studio at American Steel Studios.  DONE! I'm going to call this done, but amended.  I recently created the top of a workshop table based on a Pinterest project I saw but using scraps I had in the workshop.  Currently it is missing legs but it's resting on top of my sawhorses and maybe provides even more functionality than the original project.
4. Build nightstands: DONE!  Really happy with my suitcase nightstand and looking for a second suitcase to complete the set.
5. Run a race.  Hmm, didn't sign up for one. If I wanted to excuse myself I could talk about how I've run them in the past, and I've recently timed myself running (like a race against myself).  So, done?
6. Front yard makeover: Partially done/Postponed, my grass and other plants are doing really well.  I added some more plants for pops of color and some along the side of the house.  Happy for now with long term plan for xeriscaping.
7. Back yard makeover: Partially done.  I have moved several plants and created an all succulent planter. They are starting to bloom and I can't wait for it to fill in!  I also planted two tomato plants, a tomatillo, zucchini and carrots.  No new fruit trees yet but still on the list.
8. Complete one new woodblock: Done, pictures to come.  I'm not in love with it but I don't hate it, which is a start.
9. Take an art class
10. Make a "pouf": Here's one project but maybe search because I know there were a couple that did it on the cheap using IKEA rugs I think. Still have not attempted it yet, however.
11. Sew a complete item of clothing (more complicated than a skirt though) using a pattern. DONE. I made a fairly hideous pair of kulots/gaucho pants for our Troop Beverly Hills Halloween costume this year.  While it was not a true pattern, I did use a pair of pants I already have to create this pair and had to make some sizing adjustments and amendments as I went.  Let's just say I'm not destined for Project Runway anytime soon. 
12. Design and get a tattoo
13. Make Christmas presents for my neighbors: Done-ish, I did not make Christmas presents for my neighbors but I did make really adorable Christmas presents in mason drinking glasses for my coworkers, which I'm counting.
14. Build and paint a bean bag toss game: Canceled, felt like too much time but have done some other wood working projects
15. Sew baby blanket:  DONE! See the post about making the blanket.  I recently got a photo back from my friend with her one month old swaddled up in it - baby adorableness.  I also have two more babies coming that need blankets, but not for this list!
16. Add a new item for sale to RadBaby: DONE!  See the post about the new earrings we added.
17. Complete a Coursera course: DONE I completed all the lectures and assignments for Dino 101 - it was awesome.  I have given up on the Intro to Computational Design.  I enjoyed the first two modules, programming and photoshop, but the third is audio which does not interest me.
18. Create a housewarming gift for friends that are moving. DONE!  I created a great housewarming gift in a mason jar for my best friend's brother and his girlfriend.  It took me forever to give to them but that is not part of this project so there.
19. Add shelves and/or decor to the bathroom: DONE!  This one was a project from Pinterest, and a rare situation where I actually like my version more than the Pin.
20. Go to Zumba classes 2 times a week for at least a month. DONE!  Successfully accomplished and still going.  With the exception of some sick days we have been consistently going every week and plan to keep at it. It's a great break and separation from the day.  Plus an amazing instructor, which makes all the difference.
21. Attach a charging pad in the new nightstand so that phone can charge just sitting on the nightstand. Canceled, after researching the cost of a charging pad this really wasn't worth it.  But it would be good to build something for my cords and charges to live in, other than the floor.
22. Build an acoustic speaker for iphones. DONE!  I actually built two, and gave one to Meg for her birthday.  I'm using this idea as a prototype for the next Coursera class I'm taking (Design) and am hoping to refine the design even more.  
23. DIY Christmas decorations: Also from Pinterest, found these two projects and really enjoyed making and using them for decoration.  The DIY garland and the "Christmas Trees"
24. Rehab a Dresser: DONE! Ok, so this wasn't technically a project for me but it was a project, I definitely helped lead the charge so I feel totally ok with counting this as a completed project on my list.
25. Fix headliner in Petunia: DONE!  Not a total fix but makes me happier than it was and works with my budget.
26. Rehab Armchair: DONE!  Great find at Goodwill, now an even better fit in my house.
27. Salon wall in bedroom:  Been collecting frames as I go and the wall in my bedroom needs some love. Get them hung!
28. Fix and paint/stain coffee table: The original project made in my workshop needs some TLC
29. Plant Edibles: DONE!  Mentioned earlier but I planted two cherry tomato plants, carrots, a tomatillo and a zucchini plant.  I'll let you know what kind of harvest I get.
30. Travel: DONE!  My travel bestie and I are going to Ireland this summer.  Details are coming together and ticket prices are being monitored.  This trip will get in just under the wire and I can't wait!

Wow, I have to admit that in the beginning I did not necessarily expect to be able to come up with 30 projects.  The list has definitely had some amendments and changes but overall it's pretty exciting to be able to see all that I've worked on for a year.  The bold are projects still to finish but 6 our of 30 ain't bad.

Petunia Gets A Makeover

Petunia is my car, she's a 2000 Beetle and I've had her since I was 16. In case you can't tell from my anthropomorphism, I'm attached.  Unfortunately the headliner was sagging all around and even coming out a bit.  So after checking on getting it replaced - way out of my current budget - I went searching for some DIY solutions.

I didn't actually find any I liked but I remembered that I'd seen a friends car that used flat head tacks, so I figured I'd give it a shot.

I bought 200 and set to work.  Petunia has a really high ceiling, very dome shaped, so I knew that it probably would never hold to try to get it all the way up and tight enough that the fabric would continue to cover so I settled for just a bit of a lift.  Also, hope to prevent any additional sagging.

So pleased!  It worked!  It takes a check in every once in a while and push a pin back in here and there but I got about 2 inches back and it looks less shabby.  Now there is no actual fabric hanging down and allowing wind to get in and pull it down more as well.

Think I'm going to add a few more and go for a nail head upholstery look - will get pictures then.

If only...

Happy Birthday Gloria Steinem

I am a proud Smithie (An alumna of Smith College) and honored to be part of an institution with such amazing alumnae, including Gloria Steinem.  Gloria turns 80 today and it is hard to believe how amazing she looks and how much she is still doing.  Puts a 30 something who complains about a lack of time, like me, to shame!

There are many amazing quotes and inspiration you can take from her career, this being one that speaks to me.  Take a look at the page that Smith College has put together to celebrate her birthday.  In addition, the newest president of Smith College wrote an Op Ed on CNN.com about Gloria.  Feeling inspired and proud! Thanks mom and dad, for always showing me a strong feminist lens on the world and the belief that my sister and I could truly accomplish anything we decided to work for!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!  This is actually my favorite holiday, of all holidays, and not because of the drunken debauchery - though that is fun too.

It's because of my family, for us it's always been a family holiday with extra importance to my dad all of which makes it extra special to me.

We celebrated yesterday with our traditional corned beef and cabbage meal, singing and dancing to Irish songs and a viewing of Darby O'Gill and the Little People.  Once an annual tradition, we all realized that we had not watched this movie in years.  It has all the wonderful craziness of a Disney movie made in 1959 - including an incredibly young and gorgeous Sean Connery.  Though, truth be told, he was not the star of the film.  The true star is the former Irish stage actor who plays Darby - he is incredible and his laugh is contagious.  If you can embrace crazy in a movie and enjoy it, I highly recommend it!

All that said, there were a lot of strangers on my work today deserving of a pinch!  Don't worry I restrained myself...barely.

Mea culpa

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa for my absence.

I have just wrapped 3 weeks of travel for work, and while the busy time at work is not quite done I am at least home so feeling a bit more grounded and ready to come back to the blogsophere.

Part of the events I was working on included my giving a short presentation/introducing an activity inspired by Six Words by SMITH Magazine.  This is a project that I learned about several years ago when I heard the founder speak at a professional conference - clearly it stuck with me.

So working on my own...

Craft enthusiast, loyal friend, lifelong learner

Or a dating site headline...

Curly, curvy, sassy. Looking for love.

Helping out a friend

My good friend and her husband have decided that it's time for a decor overhaul of their apartment. They have a great space but over the years have hodge podged (yes that is a verb) together random furniture, so it's missing an overall cohesiveness.  They have jumped in head first, and I'm sure it's obvious that I'm excited to help, give opinions, or contribute in any way that is accepted.

A major item on the list is the paint throughout the rooms.  They inherited several murals throughout the apartment which are actually great but limit their color choices and after many years they're more than ready for a change.  The walls are going to live in the neutral gray shades, pretty much throughout the space, leaving room for furniture and accent pieces to really play up their personalities and fun.

First on their list, an upgrade to their standard Malm IKEA dresser.  For inspiration we went, where else, to Pinterest and found this idea:

So with inspiration in hand we went to the hardware store to pick the paint color.  Originally planning to go with a traditional navy, we were faced with an amazing teal option that threw that into question.

Feeling bold, she picked the more teal/aqua blue - my favorite, though I attempted to keep my opinions to myself - in a high-gloss finish.  We also picked up an ivory white for the overlays.  Now we were ready to work...

Our first step was to use a liquid deglosser, instead of sanding.  We were in an apartment without a lot of protection or tools and were happy to forego all the sanding dust. One tip, we didn't do this until the last coat but if you are using brushes and not a sprayer, I would definitely use Floetrol to thin out the paint and help remove some of the brush strokes in the paint.  One nice thing on this IKEA dresser is that it was super easy to pop the drawer faces off for easy painting. After letting that dry, we started with a first coat.

You can see that the first coat didn't cover very well, and looked worryingly like the blue tape color instead of our chic deep teal.  Not to be dissuaded though, we went and got Thai takeout while we waited for the first and second coat to dry.

Then it started to come together

You can see the gloss reflecting the light and the color is much closer to what we wanted it to be. Success!

I hate to say this but the completely finished result for this project is going to be a cliff hanger.  My friend's husband has access to a woodshop and is going to be creating the overlays for the drawers.  Until those are done we can't call this complete, but, the majority of it got done on super bowl Sunday while the Broncos got the asses handed to them...heard it was a pretty sad game and we didn't miss much by painting instead.