Word Wednesday- Accumulate

Accumulating things has been on my mind a lot lately. I've written about it a few times here on the blog, and this thought process continues, as it is, just that- a process (a long, ongoing one!)- to stop accumulating and start simplifying.

But, there is another kind of accumulation that has been on my mind lately and that is the accumulation of money. I have always thought that there aren't many people out there who don't worry about money, at least to some extent.  If you have too little, you worry about making ends meet or affording the things you want. If you have too much, you worry about how you will keep it and/or get more of it or how you will spend it. Even if people have just the right amount of money (whatever that is!), they probably think they need more. It's sad, I think, but true. Money is an "issue" for most people.

Well, I'm definitely living in the not-enough category! (Well, maybe in the almost-just-right category.) But, it's okay :)  Because the times when I consider other jobs, where I could make and possibly even accumulate more money, I realize what I would have to lose- getting to work with people I truly enjoy, having the opportunity to make a positive impact on some wonderful kids and commuting to and from work on beautiful, scenic back roads- and I quickly realize that I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing. Yes, the extra money could buy nicer stuff, trips, a better house, etc., but my sanity ( which is probably questionable at times!) is much more important.

On the other hand, lately, my family and I have had to deal with people living in the too-much category. People who obviously have too much money. And, I have to say, it's hard to watch. It's especially sad and disturbing to watch people put money ahead of relationships, just so they can accumulate more money.  It just isn't right.

So, to put a creative spin on the thought of money, I'll leave you with something a little different today... a song! "It Accumulates", a song about the accumulation of money, by David Gray, was the inspiration for this post. Enjoy!

Bonus word for this week- Endurance

Coming from someone who has been judged and criticized very harshly over the  years (by people who know me very well and by people who don't know me at all) about making tough choices and  tough changes and for standing up for what is right for me and my kids, remember this: welcome the judements and welcome the criticism because enduring them makes you stronger, more feisty and more capable of brushing yourself off and moving on.

en·dur·ance  (n-drns, -dyr-)n.1. The act, quality, or power of withstanding hardship or stress.

And a few quotes on the topic:

We can never judge the lives of others, because each person knows only their own pain and renunciation.”
― Paulo Coelho, By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept

Don't judge me until you know me. Don't underestimate me until you challenge me. And don't talk about me until you talk to me!
 Unknown quotes 

This dress, embroided by Emma Parker was the inspiration for this post.
"and I will take this wound and all the wounds beneath and I'll wash them with my tears... watch my metamorphosis... blackness in my belly I'm not scared of you anymore for my wounds are the soil in which I grow... I will not lie down... I am more than the sum of my broken parts"
-emma parker

Please see more of her work here.

Word Wednesday- Pootle

Today's post and this week's word is inspired by a word from another one of my favorite blogs, Attic24. And that word is... pootle :) Another one of those great British words. I love it!

Pootle:
pootle [ˈpuːt^əl]vb (intr) Brit informal to travel or go in a relaxed or leisurely manner


So, that's what I've been doing lately. Just pootling around. Which kind of explains the sporadic blog posts and the fact that I feel like I've wasted the first three weeks of my summer break (well, except for the extra time I'm spending with my little Peanut- that is never time wasted!). Remember a few weeks ago, when I said I was going to make a list so that I wouldn't waste time? Well, I just got to that yesterday! But, oh well. Today is a new day (with my list) and I have to say a very productive one- thoroughly cleaning my car, painting three doors and doing many, many loads of laundry. So, two things checked off the list today. Laundry doesn't really count since it's an ongoing chore, as I'm sure you all know! But, man, it's a great feeling when it's all done!

Goodbye blue, hello tried-and-true red! The other two doors are just gray- too boring to show off  :)

In the making department, pootling is really all that's been happening. Anything to free my mind from endless lawyer letters and e-mails is what I'm choosing to do.

So, crocheting washcloths (I know- boring! But, very relaxing and no thinking whatsoever) is my activity of choice.

And finishing a couple of hankies that were started and never finished. I'm still way behind on these, as I have many words from Word Wednesday to stitch onto these little white cloths (that I have no idea what I'm going to do with!). I've been scouring the internet for ideas on this, so I'll share that with you in another post.The one shown here has a simple, little house stitched in the corner- loosely based on the house I grew up in- a very humble little abode. I love that house.

And more random pootling:

Killing time while my car was in the shop led to some shopping. In this case, a resale shop score- 3.00 each for these solid wood tv trays.

And I didn't even have to fork over the 3.00, because I have a credit at the shop. Yay!

And Barnes and Noble clearance aisle shopping. I got some great books for 4.98 each. Maphead for my husband, who is definitely a "maphead"! He LOVES anything cartography related. And a world religion book for myself. Mainly because it had a really good section on Buddhism, which is so fascinating and makes complete sense to me- I think because it's more of a philosophy than anything else. Anywho, I'll read up on the others, too, so I can be more informed and maybe a little more open minded ;)

Our annual outing to the Shakespeare Festival last week. We didn't stay until the end, but it's still fun to go, just for the atmosphere and the people watching.

And spending a lot of time with Peanut in his new home. Sister did such a good job designing this house. It's in a subdivision, but when you walk in, you feel like you're in a cabin in the woods. A really nice cabin!

A close up of the awesome front door.

And inside, you will find little Peanut. His latest thing- just closing his eyes for a while while he's eating, walking, playing, etc. Funny!

And we are all so excited to be going to Eddie's graduation in just 12 days and finally bringing him home.   I feel like it's my motherly duty to stop him from wearing those grenade necklaces!

Okay, back to pootling for me. It's movie time- I'm thinking Bridget Jones' Diary :)  I hope you're finding some time to pootle yourself.   Juli

Word of the Week- Mantra

My word for this week: Mantra

man·tra

[man-truh, mahn-, muhn-] 

noun

1.

Hinduism. a word or formula, as from the Veda, chanted or sung as an incantation or prayer.

2.

an often repeated word, formula, or phrase, often a truism: If I hear the “less is more” mantra one more time, I'll scream.

 *from dictionary.com



For those of you who don't know, I'm a huge believer in the positive effects of  yoga. Yoga is the one and only thing that has made a significant impact on my anxiety disorder. (Well, other than medication, which comes with nasty side effects that I believe kind of defeat the purpose. I want to feel "normal", I don't want to replace one problem with a series of other problems. It just doesn't make sense. But that's just me!) Anyway, if I don't get my yoga in every day,  I start to feel my anxiety creeping back. I start to feel off-balance and sluggish.  I know it sounds weird. But I guess once you start doing something that is good for you on a regular basis and it becomes a part of your daily routine, it really does get you down when you miss it. 

The parts of yoga that have always made perfect sense to me and worked for me are the concepts of balancing, breathing and stretching, which I wrote about in a previous post (that you can read here.)

But certain aspects of yoga are just not my thing. Chanting a mantra is one of those things. Hearing your own voice in an otherwise empty room or  house is just weird. You should try it right now. Weird, huh?! My cat and dog were the only living creatures in the house with me the first time I tried it and believe me, you could tell by the looks on their faces (and my dog's goofy, little head tilt) that it was weird!  I knew it would sound goofy, and my animals were my proof!! 

So, anyway, I know the chanting thing is a really effective way to stay focused on the present and/or to get a desired effect from your practice. And as much as my mind wanders from one idea to the next, I really needed some help with that. So, I decided to try it again. But this time, just not out loud. So, I chose some words that would be "my words". They are:

Calm, Strong, Happy, Healthy

Most of the time, I repeat all four words in a row, over and over again, one for each breath. If  I'm really having a hard time focusing, I'll just use one of the words (whichever is the most relevant for that particular time), repeating it with each breath. If I find my mind wandering (and it inevitably does), I just get back to my words. See how helpful words can be?!

For those of you who don't practice yoga-sorry!  I'm probably freaking you out with this post. I know it sounds a little weird. But, if I can help just one person work through their problems with anxiety, then it's worth embarrassing myself. As I told my doctor, when my anxiety is not in check, it is exhausting to be me. So, if you are one of the many people out there who suffer from this crazy, crappy disorder, I can totally relate.

 So, I'll leave you today with something to think about. Even if you don't practice yoga, if you could choose a set of words that make you feel better by just saying them or thinking about them, what would they be?

Balance, original acrylic painting by Juli Albers-Schuster, available in my Etsy shop

Just popping in...

Just popping in for a short post. I've been responding to lawyers for the past several days (on behalf of my kids and closing their dad's estate) and it honestly wipes me out, mentally. There is nothing worse than seeing your kids hurting and feeling helpless. So, if  I had to spend every single day for the rest of my life responding to lawyers for them, I would- just to see a little glimpse of closure and contentedness in their faces. That would be such a good thing. 

A few happy things: 

New paintings. These are tiny, 5" x 5", and will be sold individually. I considered selling them as a set of three, but changed my mind. Better quality photos will be posted on my Etsy page as soon as I figure out my computer's card reader problem :)

A day in the life of Peanut! I've been able to spend a lot of time with him lately and I love it! Here is one of our days together- lots of outside time, dropping coins into a piggy bank (over and over and over again!), falling asleep for the night at 6pm (while eating his popcorn!) and waking up as a very hungry boy!

And, a few of the blogs that give me some "calm" time in between lawyer e-mails. I know it sounds goofy, but I think I can actually  feel my heart rate go down when I see new posts from these very talented artists/bloggers. (I know, I am a nerd- 100%!)

 Bohemian Vintage

Cozy Things

House of Humble

Posie Gets Cozy

I hope you enjoy reading their posts as much as I do. Have a great evening :)  Juli

Word Wednesday- Siesta

Siesta. For the next two and a half months, this will be my favorite word!  Hmmm...I wonder why that is??

siesta 

n a rest or nap, usually taken in the early afternoon, as in hot countries

*freeonlinedictionary.com

And the synonyms are even better... the ones I love:  catnap, forty winks, snooze, and the best one- zizz (as in "Arthur's taking a short zizz". Isn't that a fun word?!)

I'm not quite sure why this appeals to me so much, as I've never been much of a nap person. One of my longtime, recurring dreams/nightmares is of  falling asleep in a public place- school, work, parties, etc. (My most recent- falling asleep on top of my desk with a classroom full of students. Not good!) And when I was a kid, it just about drove me crazy when my sister would sleep during the day or in the car. What did she think she was doing?? There were things to do, games to play, movies to watch!! Midday was not the time to be wasted on sleep! And still to this day, it really gets on my nerves when my husband sleeps in the car. What is HE doing? Driving is the time to talk, discuss, listen to great songs on the radio- not SLEEP! But, now, every once in a while (more often, actually, the older I get) I find myself falling asleep in the middle of the day (no, not on top of my desk while I'm at work-haha) and I LOVE it! I think what I love the most is just being able to do it. If I fall asleep easily, that means my mind is at ease and  I'm not incessantly worrying (which I do way too often). And, now that summer is here, I love having the option of taking a snooze, a nap or a zizz anytime I feel like it! 

Image above by Scout's Honor Co.

Merry Monday

Well, it's Monday! The first full week of my summer break and I have so many things I want to accomplish that I honestly don't know where to start. I don't know about you, but when I have too much to do and no clear-cut plan to get it all done, I feel paralyzed. And nothing gets done! It's weird how that works, isn't it?  I was recently talking to one of my relatives who is a retired teacher and she said that list-making was a must for her after she retired. She wrote everything down that she wanted to get done in a day- kind of like lesson planning for herself! She said she would even put a reminder to go outside on her list, so she was sure she wouldn't forget to notice all of the beautiful things that were beyond her house. I thought this was a great idea and since  I consider summer to be a little mini-retirement for the school year, I thought I'd take her advice. I bought myself some cute little notebooks that will fit into my purse so I'll have my list handy at all times.  And, really, I can relate to having to remind myself of even the simplest things like going outside, so that will definitely be on my list! Among many other things, of course.

Anywho, it's Monday!  And here are some snippets of merriment from my previous week. 

One of the cute little journals I found on clearance at Barnes and Noble.

I thoroughly enjoyed making this bib for a new family member. Her name is Harper, so I thought it would be fitting to use a Harper Lee quote from To Kill a Mockingbird.

More planting going on! I'm hoping that planting marigolds in pots on my front porch will help keep some of the bugs away. I LOVE spending time on the porch swing, but ending up with a bunch of  bug bites from being out there isn't much fun!

Some cute little zinnias.  They love the sun and I thought they would look great in the blue flower pot that my boys gave me for Mother's Day a few years ago.  And they, indeed, look great, don't you think?!

And some basic geraniums. They are very hard to kill, so I buy lots of them each summer. This one, though, is a freebie from our end-of-year luncheon at school.

Studio time is always good...

as I have started some new small paintings. These will be listed as a set of three for sale on Daily Paintworks and through my Etsy shop. Look for them by the end of the week.

 A few more merry moments that I don't have pictures of...

*a sleep over with our Ash Man (so much fun!)
* a baby shower for little Harper
* another new canine family member, Miranda (Sister's new puppy)
*a new job for Felicia
*and my step-son E.'s 28th birthday today.

Well, there you have it! My merriment for the week :)  I hope you are having a great start to your week, too!

Juli