the projects in my head

I frequently have many project ideas floating around my head. I often scribble them down in my sketchbook, on post-its that find themselves affixed in odd locations, or in my moleskine notebook that continually rides in my purse and on various scraps of paper that may be within reach when an idea begins to surface or flesh itself out. Ideas often come at the most inconvenient times—take a couple weeks ago when I was running to a printer to pick up a project and bam! children's book idea hits me (this is the most frequent kind of idea that floats in my head—I've got 7 or 8 kids' book ideas in the works, mostly in my head). I frantically start pawing around in my purse while keeping my eyes on the road, grab a pen, find some random little envelope with a bit of gum stuck in one corner and then realize there is absolutely no way to write down my idea while driving down Kingston Pike in the middle of lunch hour traffic. So I put the free hand back on the wheel again and whisper the idea over and over again until I reach intended destination and can park. Usually at this point the idea starts to sound less exciting and ceases to excite me, but occasionally they will make it to scrap paper and then never see the light of day again. I have dreams of one day, in my retirement, pulling out a tattered scrapbook containing all my ideas and suddenly working them all out and becoming an amazing children's book writer/illustrator in my late 60's and dedicating each one to my grandchildren and my dear husband who never gave up on encouraging me to do children's books.

Well, lately I've had this type project rolling around in my head—at least for 7 months. And yesterday, during the second service sermon (which I was in because I sang in both services) I imagined another type project idea that would relate well to the first. And this morning, there came a third. So now, I'm going to attempt to embark on a type series project. My brain is still mulling out all the details of said project, but for once I decided to put it in the blogosphere and perhaps this would give me a sort of accountability to follow through and see where it leads. Soon this week I will sit down and put a description of the project and the parameters I'm mentally giving myself on here. I've said I will, so I will. Coming soon…

Alice.com

I've been wanting to discuss my love for Alice.com on here for a while. My sister discovered it a few months ago and passed the info on to me. I was a bit skeptical at first, but always take a good recommendation seriously. I use it frequently and must say that although I love the laziness of shopping online from my cozy couch, the true love for me is how easy it is to watch my budget when I shop there. I always struggle at stores to mentally add up my items and make sure I'm within what I have to spend. Alice makes it so much easier as I can add and take things away from my total with a click. I also don't have to spend time in the aisles trying to decipher all the facts about every product on the shelf. I can just make my list on Alice, read the product info and reviews, AND Alice automatically adds any coupon that exists for the product! Wonderful! I actually made an order Tuesday and am expecting to see the lovely box on my doorstep when I get home this evening. Did I mention 2-3 day delivery and free shipping? Yes, free shipping! Always! Really if you haven't tried Alice.com yet, you should check it out. Makes life a lot easier. It really is true—everyone needs an Alice!

Also, here is another reason for love of Alice: Alice.com announces free samples + win a Mac Book!

there are no words to express how much I love September…

My joy was indescribable this morning when I saw the date on the calendar and then looked outside and saw the cool crisp air just hinting that fall is almost completely here. I longingly glanced at my box of sweaters awaiting to be unpacked and my mound of tights that I'm aching to wear even though it is still too warm. And then, to top it all off, I arrive at work this morning to find a Pumpkin Spice Latte with a lovely post-it note on my desk! One of my coworkers wives has a love affair with Pumpkin Spice Lattes as well. We recently discovered this bond that we share that many do not fully understand. It's going to be a lovely month!

rethinking everything

It is often a scary thing to acquire knowledge. Over the past few months I have frequently thought back to childhood and the beautiful innocence of it. Becoming an adult changes a lot, and although I thought I would have realized that several years ago, some things are just now starting to become overwhelming. Responsibility always sounded like such a great word when I was going through the shaky teenage years, but now, I realize how much responsibility I am faced with daily. Every decision I seem to make is either me taking responsibility or not. Every decision I don't think to make is still me taking responsibility. This is what makes my head hurt. There are too many things to consider and research.

Perhaps I should start where this all did. Mark and I recently started a Netflix membership. We have quite a queue lined up and have already watched many. The past month or so, we have been on a documentary kick. This is mainly because of Mark, but also out of curiosity. As a result of these, we have been talking about a lot of issues neither of us ever seemed to be concerned or aware of. Issues such as the medical industry, cancer, antibiotics, recycling, dentistry, midwives, processed foods, organic food, toxins, chain restaurants, shots... and the list seems to be continually growing. Now, I grew up in a very conservative Christian home where I was taught wonderful, rational, and loving things, but for the most part, never was what I learned to consider an "environmental freak." This also typifies my husband's upbringing as well. Things have changed. Maybe it is the quarter-of-a-century birthdays that we are both facing this year, or the conversations about having a family and decisions we'll need to make. Whatever it is, we've both started to take a really hard look at things around us and our ideas of "normal" living and starting to get concerned and confused.

Now, I realize that documentaries are often very biased and some do not present both sides of the argument or even the whole truth about the favored side. But they have caused us to start thinking. A lot. And research has ensued. This is all great, right? Of course it is. We should be thinking for ourselves and examining what's put before us. But it is really terrifying as well. Neither of us want to become conspiracy theorists, as so many on the web like to call those who discuss a lot of the pitfalls of these issues, but at the same time when you start looking into these issues the "conspiracy" called greed becomes extremely prevalent.

So, the point of this seemingly rambling post, I'm not sure. I am not a verbal processor, contrary to the stereotype about women. I have been really struggling to process all these issues and my inability to verbalize all my thoughts to Mark has been a source of frustration to myself. So, perhaps by writing something down, things will find a way to start sorting in my head. Maybe I'll write a post on each of these issues as I research them and make decisions. Maybe that won't be necessary or desirable. I guess we'll see.

In addition here is a brief list of the movies that have caused this mess:
The Business of Being Born—about the birth industry, mother and baby safety, and the prevalence of midwives everywhere but the U.S.

Super Size Me—about fast-food chains (most specifically McDonald's), obesity, and the effects of processed food on the body

The Beautiful Truth—a not so well-done documentary but it brings up multiple issues about cancer treatment, antibiotics, dentistry and fluoride, and organic foods.

on the queue to come: Sicko, In the Womb, Maxed Out, and hopefully Food Inc.
on the bookshelf: Fast Food Nation, A Cancer Therapy

someday…

I will be illustrating a children's book and have a dog sleeping on my lap. Just like this:



[image from this grain edit article]