The two occasions where I fed Darwin something other than breast milk didn't go so well. Both times it was an oat cereal that you mix with water (although I mixed it with breast milk) and both times he didn't like it. He would get this look on his face and spit it all out. I don't think he swallowed any.
Today, I fed him mashed up sweet potatoes and he LOVED IT! He couldn't get enough. He was definitely swallowing it, and got almost none on his bib. He ate about half an ounce or so (I'm horrible at estimating) and then fell asleep.
I can't wait to try him with more foods!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
The Girl Who Broke Pencils
When you're an artist who draws a lot, you tend to have a lot of pencils. I have at least a few hundred of these things stowed around the living room. When I'm working on a drawing, I tend to leave them laying around. One on the coffee table, beside me on the couch, hanging haphazardly from the edge of a shelf; I don't know how they end up in the bathroom.
During this most crucial stage in the creation process, there tends to be a lot of casualties. With pencils everywhere, some are bound to get broken in freak accidents. I use almost exclusively Derwent pencils, so it is even more tragic when one gets broken because they are really awesome quality and not cheap.
I quite often use woodless graphite pencils. I like them for doing the initial outline of a drawing. I love them, but they come with a down-side. Because they are made without any wood, they are brittle like glass. Pair that with my clumsy nature and leaving my supplies laying around and you have a recipe for disaster. In the last 24 hours I have broken 3 of them. 2 of those were my 4Bs. I love my 4Bs.
Although still usable, they are of course much shorter and it's more difficult to use them. They will likely enter the graveyard which is the bottom of the tackle box I use to store my charcoal and graphite. Later they will be ground up into powder and used to shade a large area of some future masterpiece.
During this most crucial stage in the creation process, there tends to be a lot of casualties. With pencils everywhere, some are bound to get broken in freak accidents. I use almost exclusively Derwent pencils, so it is even more tragic when one gets broken because they are really awesome quality and not cheap.
I quite often use woodless graphite pencils. I like them for doing the initial outline of a drawing. I love them, but they come with a down-side. Because they are made without any wood, they are brittle like glass. Pair that with my clumsy nature and leaving my supplies laying around and you have a recipe for disaster. In the last 24 hours I have broken 3 of them. 2 of those were my 4Bs. I love my 4Bs.
Although still usable, they are of course much shorter and it's more difficult to use them. They will likely enter the graveyard which is the bottom of the tackle box I use to store my charcoal and graphite. Later they will be ground up into powder and used to shade a large area of some future masterpiece.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
So, These Happened
One of the things I've missed the most since starting low-carb is baked goods. I miss the cookies, the muffins, the breads, and the pizza most of all.
I remembered years ago my mom used to make meringue cookies for my littlest sister Katie, who has celiac disease and can't have grains. I knew that meringues were mostly made of egg whites and sugar, but sugar isn't low-carb friendly.
So I decided I would substitute stevia for the sugar, and try to make some myself. This is what happened:
I'm going to be working up a recipe for these and posting it once I work out some kinks. They are delicious, though, and only 1g of carbs per 2 cookies, and 20 calories per 2 cookies. Perfect dessert food without having to cheat :)
I remembered years ago my mom used to make meringue cookies for my littlest sister Katie, who has celiac disease and can't have grains. I knew that meringues were mostly made of egg whites and sugar, but sugar isn't low-carb friendly.
So I decided I would substitute stevia for the sugar, and try to make some myself. This is what happened:
I'm going to be working up a recipe for these and posting it once I work out some kinks. They are delicious, though, and only 1g of carbs per 2 cookies, and 20 calories per 2 cookies. Perfect dessert food without having to cheat :)
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Not Nocturnal Anymore?
Since starting a diet high in fat and low in carbs, I must say that
the most surprising difference I have noticed in myself has been my
sleeping habits and the quality of my sleep. It's too soon to completely
attribute the changes to diet. Of course it might just be a coincidence
or I might easily lapse back into old habits.
However, lately I have been going to bed at a "normal" hour (Usually around 11PM - Midnight) and waking up early (7-8AM) which is extremely uncharacteristic of me. If it just happened one or two days, I wouldn't think much of it because it does happen occasionally, like after pulling an all-nighter I will often have a day of normal human hours. It's been easily a week that I have had this bizarre new sleeping schedule; the same amount of time that I have been strictly on this diet.
Some other changes I have noticed: I think clearer, I have more energy, I'm losing inches, I've lost 3 lbs this week, and I don't feel hungry as often as I used to. I honestly could not be happier with the results so far, and it has only been a week.
However, lately I have been going to bed at a "normal" hour (Usually around 11PM - Midnight) and waking up early (7-8AM) which is extremely uncharacteristic of me. If it just happened one or two days, I wouldn't think much of it because it does happen occasionally, like after pulling an all-nighter I will often have a day of normal human hours. It's been easily a week that I have had this bizarre new sleeping schedule; the same amount of time that I have been strictly on this diet.
Some other changes I have noticed: I think clearer, I have more energy, I'm losing inches, I've lost 3 lbs this week, and I don't feel hungry as often as I used to. I honestly could not be happier with the results so far, and it has only been a week.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Introducing: WendyGaniggle.com!
After working on it for a few weeks, I'm ready to show you all my
gallery/portfolio website for my art. I have posted all of my existing
artwork (my favorites, anyway) and will continue updating it as I finish
projects. I hope that it will answer the questions that people have on
pricing and give people a place to look at my work.
What do you think? You can check it out by clicking here or in the header bar above.
What do you think? You can check it out by clicking here or in the header bar above.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Got Netflix Fathead?
I promise I'm not insulting you. Last night, my buddy Tyler came over and we watched a documentary on Netflix called Fathead. I had watched it before and it's actually what turned me on to the Keto/Paleo diet in the first place. It was interesting watching it again, however, after a few months of researching it independently online.
The documentary follows Tom Naughton as he exposes some inconsistencies in the documentary Supersize Me, which demonizes fast food and dietary fat in general. He does this by going on a fast food only diet himself, with a few differences from the diet portrayed in Supersize Me. The difference? Lower carbs.
For 28 days, Tom ate burgers with diet soda every day and stayed under 2000 calories per day. He stayed active by going on walks 6 days a week. The fat content of his diet was astronomical; the carb count low at under 100g daily. Upon completion of the 28 days, Tom lost 12 or so pounds, his body fat was lower and his cholesterol improved. How is that possible, given what we are always told about consuming fat?
While eating fast food is certainly not the best way to eat, it's not as bad as some would have you believe. The documentary goes on to explain why fat is actually good for you, specifically saturated fats that come from animals. Why? It's because that is what our bodies have evolved to need. Everything in our bodies require fat to function properly and especially our brains. People who go on low fat diets get depressed. Why? Because of the lack of fat.
I learned a lot about carbohydrates with Dave, as he was type 1 diabetic. The more carbs you consume, the higher your blood sugar spikes which is incredibly unhealthy. The higher your blood sugar, the more insulin your pancreas shoots out to get it back down again. It simply doesn't make sense to be consuming high carbohydrate, low fat foods.
So what foods are highest in carbohydrates? Grains (wheat, barley, rye, rice, corn, etc) and refined sugar. These are things that didn't really exist in the human diet in the quantities seen today until around 10,000 years ago. We simply didn't consume them (especially corn) for 99% of our lifetime as a species.
Look at the standard diet of those around you, now. Loaded with breads, rice, grains of all kinds and heavy starches. All of these foods, when consumed, spike your blood sugar very rapidly. Even worse, people are buying low fat everything, and not getting enough in their diet. The result? Messed up blood sugar levels, potential metabolic disorders, and of course weight gain.
It wasn't until last night that I remembered way back 6 or 7 years ago, when my diet consisted mostly of beef jerky, cheese, and diet Pepsi. During that time I was healthy and at my lowest weight of 115lbs. I felt awesome and everyone always hated me for eating such fatty foods all the time and not gaining weight. I didn't know anything at all about diet in those days. I just ate what my body naturally craved, and looking back I see very few carb-loaded foods in my diet. Fast forward a few years and I got hooked on donuts, gaining 20lbs over the course of a few months. What are donuts? Grains and sugar.
I stopped eating donuts for a while but still ate breads and pizza type foods quite often and hovered around 140lbs for quite a while. I lost ten pounds when my diet became healthier, consisting of salads and meats mostly. Pregnancy started and I started on the donuts again, gaining 100lbs when I should have only gained 40 or 50. Following pregnancy and watching this documentary I feel like I'm smarter, better at listening to my body, and certainly healthier. Between September and November I lost 25lbs by limiting carbohydrates and eating high fat meats like beef steak and consuming vegetables fried in butter. December I hovered around the same weight and now I've come to my senses again and have cut out all grains, all heavy starches, and am eating a diet that consists of healthy carbs (from vegetables and fruit) and tons of fat from meat.
I've never felt better.
I recommend anybody who wants to improve their health to take a look at this documentary. Once you look past Tom's arrogance and overuse of the word "bologna" there is some really good information there. It's like learning about food all over again.
The documentary follows Tom Naughton as he exposes some inconsistencies in the documentary Supersize Me, which demonizes fast food and dietary fat in general. He does this by going on a fast food only diet himself, with a few differences from the diet portrayed in Supersize Me. The difference? Lower carbs.
For 28 days, Tom ate burgers with diet soda every day and stayed under 2000 calories per day. He stayed active by going on walks 6 days a week. The fat content of his diet was astronomical; the carb count low at under 100g daily. Upon completion of the 28 days, Tom lost 12 or so pounds, his body fat was lower and his cholesterol improved. How is that possible, given what we are always told about consuming fat?
While eating fast food is certainly not the best way to eat, it's not as bad as some would have you believe. The documentary goes on to explain why fat is actually good for you, specifically saturated fats that come from animals. Why? It's because that is what our bodies have evolved to need. Everything in our bodies require fat to function properly and especially our brains. People who go on low fat diets get depressed. Why? Because of the lack of fat.
I learned a lot about carbohydrates with Dave, as he was type 1 diabetic. The more carbs you consume, the higher your blood sugar spikes which is incredibly unhealthy. The higher your blood sugar, the more insulin your pancreas shoots out to get it back down again. It simply doesn't make sense to be consuming high carbohydrate, low fat foods.
So what foods are highest in carbohydrates? Grains (wheat, barley, rye, rice, corn, etc) and refined sugar. These are things that didn't really exist in the human diet in the quantities seen today until around 10,000 years ago. We simply didn't consume them (especially corn) for 99% of our lifetime as a species.
Look at the standard diet of those around you, now. Loaded with breads, rice, grains of all kinds and heavy starches. All of these foods, when consumed, spike your blood sugar very rapidly. Even worse, people are buying low fat everything, and not getting enough in their diet. The result? Messed up blood sugar levels, potential metabolic disorders, and of course weight gain.
It wasn't until last night that I remembered way back 6 or 7 years ago, when my diet consisted mostly of beef jerky, cheese, and diet Pepsi. During that time I was healthy and at my lowest weight of 115lbs. I felt awesome and everyone always hated me for eating such fatty foods all the time and not gaining weight. I didn't know anything at all about diet in those days. I just ate what my body naturally craved, and looking back I see very few carb-loaded foods in my diet. Fast forward a few years and I got hooked on donuts, gaining 20lbs over the course of a few months. What are donuts? Grains and sugar.
I stopped eating donuts for a while but still ate breads and pizza type foods quite often and hovered around 140lbs for quite a while. I lost ten pounds when my diet became healthier, consisting of salads and meats mostly. Pregnancy started and I started on the donuts again, gaining 100lbs when I should have only gained 40 or 50. Following pregnancy and watching this documentary I feel like I'm smarter, better at listening to my body, and certainly healthier. Between September and November I lost 25lbs by limiting carbohydrates and eating high fat meats like beef steak and consuming vegetables fried in butter. December I hovered around the same weight and now I've come to my senses again and have cut out all grains, all heavy starches, and am eating a diet that consists of healthy carbs (from vegetables and fruit) and tons of fat from meat.
I've never felt better.
I recommend anybody who wants to improve their health to take a look at this documentary. Once you look past Tom's arrogance and overuse of the word "bologna" there is some really good information there. It's like learning about food all over again.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
It Had to Happen...
I was a citizen of Headache City for most of yesterday. It came on swiftly at around 2:00PM. There are several reasons that this headache may have happened.
1) Caffeine withdrawal. It's been quite a few days now since my last sip of anything caffeinated and my body could finally be rebelling.
2) Diet. I've read it's common for someone cutting out carbs to experience a brief stint of what is called "keto flu" where you body is adjusting from using carbs for energy to using fat for energy. I've been assured it's normal and actually a sign that my body is entering a state of ketosis and the next step should be rapid weight loss and feeling awesome.
This headache was bad. Probably the worst one I've had in quite a while. My friend Tyler was supposed to come over to hang out and I even had to cancel because I was so headachey. I took Darwin and went to lay down and ended up sleeping for 12 hours.
Upon waking, I feel quite a bit better but I can tell that the headache is still in there, waiting to pounce. So, I've kept all the lights dim and hopefully it doesn't knock me on my ass again.
1) Caffeine withdrawal. It's been quite a few days now since my last sip of anything caffeinated and my body could finally be rebelling.
2) Diet. I've read it's common for someone cutting out carbs to experience a brief stint of what is called "keto flu" where you body is adjusting from using carbs for energy to using fat for energy. I've been assured it's normal and actually a sign that my body is entering a state of ketosis and the next step should be rapid weight loss and feeling awesome.
This headache was bad. Probably the worst one I've had in quite a while. My friend Tyler was supposed to come over to hang out and I even had to cancel because I was so headachey. I took Darwin and went to lay down and ended up sleeping for 12 hours.
Upon waking, I feel quite a bit better but I can tell that the headache is still in there, waiting to pounce. So, I've kept all the lights dim and hopefully it doesn't knock me on my ass again.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Art Portfolio Site Coming Soon
So about a month ago I started thinking that it would be great to have a separate place to have basically a gallery of all my best art. I wanted to have a centralized location that I could direct interested buyers to see examples of my work plus pricing information and just an overall "Wendy: The Artist" location that would be very visual and informative.
I have been working on it for a few weeks off and on now and it's ready to launch within the next few days. I'm pretty excited about it because it will really be the first place that I can really display all of my work in one place that isn't Facebook (so unprofessional, yeesh!).
My hope is that it will answer many of the questions that people like to email me with while providing an opportunity to see my work as well as the details of that work. Each piece will be complete with sizing information, medium and whether or not it is for sale, sold, or was commissioned by someone. I'm loving the way it's coming together and should be ready to share it with you soon.
I have been working on it for a few weeks off and on now and it's ready to launch within the next few days. I'm pretty excited about it because it will really be the first place that I can really display all of my work in one place that isn't Facebook (so unprofessional, yeesh!).
My hope is that it will answer many of the questions that people like to email me with while providing an opportunity to see my work as well as the details of that work. Each piece will be complete with sizing information, medium and whether or not it is for sale, sold, or was commissioned by someone. I'm loving the way it's coming together and should be ready to share it with you soon.
Monday, January 23, 2012
So Much Energy!
It's literally only been a few days since I've been strictly paleo, but I am feeling absolutely amazing. I never thought I would have this much energy in my life. I will work out for an hour and still have loads of energy. I feel like running (and I will, later)!
I don't follow recipes but have been enjoying the meals I make. Taco salad is lovely, there was the whole chicken I ate a couple days ago, and loads of bacon and eggs. Tonight I'm having sausage and broccoli. I'm buying all of my produce now fresh, not frozen.
I have stopped thinking of high-carb foods as food. When I look at, say, a picture of a donut, I don't even think of it as something that is meant for human consumption. This helps with the occasional craving. I'm also still doing wonderfully with the no Pepsi. Still no headaches. For some reason, I thought I would be really tired without it but my energy levels are still high.
Although I usually don't follow recipes unless baking something, there are some that I actually do want to try, like paleo-friendly pizza and a variety of recipes I have found on Reddit. My only regret is that I didn't start eating this way sooner.
Workout-wise, I have started using Fitocracy a lot more lately. I have been a member since September, but stopped using it until yesterday. It's an invite-only site right now so if you want to check it out let me know your email address and I can send you an invite. It's basically an RPG style fitness site (I know, awesome right?) that allows you to go on fitness "quests" and earn achievements and level up based on how many points you get by exercising. It's amazing.
I don't follow recipes but have been enjoying the meals I make. Taco salad is lovely, there was the whole chicken I ate a couple days ago, and loads of bacon and eggs. Tonight I'm having sausage and broccoli. I'm buying all of my produce now fresh, not frozen.
I have stopped thinking of high-carb foods as food. When I look at, say, a picture of a donut, I don't even think of it as something that is meant for human consumption. This helps with the occasional craving. I'm also still doing wonderfully with the no Pepsi. Still no headaches. For some reason, I thought I would be really tired without it but my energy levels are still high.
Although I usually don't follow recipes unless baking something, there are some that I actually do want to try, like paleo-friendly pizza and a variety of recipes I have found on Reddit. My only regret is that I didn't start eating this way sooner.
Workout-wise, I have started using Fitocracy a lot more lately. I have been a member since September, but stopped using it until yesterday. It's an invite-only site right now so if you want to check it out let me know your email address and I can send you an invite. It's basically an RPG style fitness site (I know, awesome right?) that allows you to go on fitness "quests" and earn achievements and level up based on how many points you get by exercising. It's amazing.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Wendy - Now Caffeine Free!
The other day, on a whim, I figured that if I'm going to do this paleo thing right, that I should really cut out something as unnecessary as my decade-long addiction to Diet Pepsi. Since high school, I have drank usually a minimum of 2 litres of Pepsi per day. It used to be regular but I switched to Diet sometime around 6 or 7 years ago.
I have gone about 2 days now without it and the world hasn't ended like I thought it would. I have been drinking lots of water and have eaten some fruit and that's about it. When I went grocery shopping yesterday, it was the first time ever that I didn't buy that delicious carbonated beverage. The first time. It felt good!
As a person who is admittedly addicted to that heavenly brown fizzy liquid, I can honestly say that I feel empowered by not having any. What I have been known to drink 12 cans of in a day is no more. Each time I walk in my kitchen, I'm surprised not to see a countertop full of empty cans. What's even better is that I don't have the headache that I thought I'd have. Sure, it might still be on its way and I might look at this post in a few days and laugh at these very words, but I honestly feel good.
I've become active on Fitocracy again, website that's like an RPG for working out (you level up!) and really cool. I have tons of energy, people. I feel awesome.
I have gone about 2 days now without it and the world hasn't ended like I thought it would. I have been drinking lots of water and have eaten some fruit and that's about it. When I went grocery shopping yesterday, it was the first time ever that I didn't buy that delicious carbonated beverage. The first time. It felt good!
As a person who is admittedly addicted to that heavenly brown fizzy liquid, I can honestly say that I feel empowered by not having any. What I have been known to drink 12 cans of in a day is no more. Each time I walk in my kitchen, I'm surprised not to see a countertop full of empty cans. What's even better is that I don't have the headache that I thought I'd have. Sure, it might still be on its way and I might look at this post in a few days and laugh at these very words, but I honestly feel good.
I've become active on Fitocracy again, website that's like an RPG for working out (you level up!) and really cool. I have tons of energy, people. I feel awesome.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Personal Reflection
This morning I woke up with a pain in my gut. A vague feeling of something missing that continued to get stronger and stronger until I couldn't hold back the tears any longer and the delicate balancing of my emotions toppled for the first time in a while.
It's been a long time coming. I could see a day like today on the horizon for a few weeks now. I've also realized a few things that I'd like to share with everybody. Since I woke up I have reluctantly turned my attention inward, which is something I have admittedly been avoiding for the last couple of months. Looking inside brings pain.
I've been going through some big changes. Some have been necessary, and some have been superficial. What I noticed when I woke up today was how much I have been wanting and trying to change. It's something I've been driven to do ever since Dave died. It's not just the necessary things. It's everything. It's like I've been desperately trying to put distance between my past self (the one who loved and went through the tragic loss) and my ever-changing current self (the one who is trying to avoid hurting from said loss) by doing things like changing my appearance or changing the way the condo looks inside. Even my diet has drastically changed.
I'm not sure if this change is a good thing, or if it's my way of avoiding pain. Maybe it's what I'm supposed to do. Maybe it's unhealthy. Maybe it's a form of denial. The only thing that I know is that making these little changes to who I am feels good right now and it feels like progress.
The truth is, I wake up at a disadvantage every single day and I need to force myself to feel happy. If making these little changes will help me get closer to feeling naturally happy then I'm going to keep making them.
It's been a long time coming. I could see a day like today on the horizon for a few weeks now. I've also realized a few things that I'd like to share with everybody. Since I woke up I have reluctantly turned my attention inward, which is something I have admittedly been avoiding for the last couple of months. Looking inside brings pain.
I've been going through some big changes. Some have been necessary, and some have been superficial. What I noticed when I woke up today was how much I have been wanting and trying to change. It's something I've been driven to do ever since Dave died. It's not just the necessary things. It's everything. It's like I've been desperately trying to put distance between my past self (the one who loved and went through the tragic loss) and my ever-changing current self (the one who is trying to avoid hurting from said loss) by doing things like changing my appearance or changing the way the condo looks inside. Even my diet has drastically changed.
I'm not sure if this change is a good thing, or if it's my way of avoiding pain. Maybe it's what I'm supposed to do. Maybe it's unhealthy. Maybe it's a form of denial. The only thing that I know is that making these little changes to who I am feels good right now and it feels like progress.
The truth is, I wake up at a disadvantage every single day and I need to force myself to feel happy. If making these little changes will help me get closer to feeling naturally happy then I'm going to keep making them.
Friday, January 20, 2012
The Great Chickening of 2012
There are a few times in our lives when we get the chance to stand up and be awesome; when we are presented with a situation that allows us to marvel in pure and unmuddled glory. In my ridiculous version of a day, today, I had just such an opportunity, and it was incredible.
For Christmas this year, I had gotten a very strange gift from my grandmother. A whole chicken. Up until this point in my life I had cooked plenty of chicken legs and breasts, but I had never taken on a whole bird before. Not by myself. After a month or so of building up the courage to cook the damn thing, I finally took that step today.
I had placed it in the refrigerator yesterday so it would be nice and defrosted by today. I rinsed it out and removed the neck. Then I put that sucker in the glass dish that would be its tomb.
Once it was in the dish, it was time to prepare Mr. Chickeny for his ride to Sauna Town. At this point I was just winging it. I shoved margarine in his.... cavity.... and placed it around him in the dish. I massaged it into his back as well. From there, I threw some garlic and other herbs and spices in his asshole and neck hole, then proceeded to sprinkle them all over the back.
It was gross and you can see the margarine everywhere. I hoped that it would taste good. I popped him in the oven and waited. I waited for about 2 hours at 325 degrees. The aroma of the cooking bird was incredible and what finally emerged from the oven was glorious.
What happened next could only be described as a combination of heroic and grotesque. It was gluttonous, and I'm proud of it.
I ate that whole chicken. All of it.
It was glorious.
For Christmas this year, I had gotten a very strange gift from my grandmother. A whole chicken. Up until this point in my life I had cooked plenty of chicken legs and breasts, but I had never taken on a whole bird before. Not by myself. After a month or so of building up the courage to cook the damn thing, I finally took that step today.
I had placed it in the refrigerator yesterday so it would be nice and defrosted by today. I rinsed it out and removed the neck. Then I put that sucker in the glass dish that would be its tomb.
 |
| I apologize for the nudity. |
 | |
| What a mess! |
What happened next could only be described as a combination of heroic and grotesque. It was gluttonous, and I'm proud of it.
I ate that whole chicken. All of it.
It was glorious.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Life in an Ice Cube
When you live in Canada, and in Saskatchewan especially, you really have to get used to the months of cold that each winter season throws at you. This year has been different though.
We had an abnormally mild winter. December came and went with barely a blizzard to speak of. Usually by October we have multiple feet of snow on the ground and need to layer up for even the shortest outing. Not so this year, until a few days ago.
Until a few days ago we were experiencing weather that was barely cold enough to be called winter. Most years we are gradually eased into weather that is as cold as it is now. We are dipping below the minus thirties and when you factor in the wind chill, minus forties. When you aren't gradually eased into it, this weather will come as a shock to even the most Canadian Canadians.
It's the time of year when the best option for any given day is to stay inside, crank up the heat, and become one with the couch until it's all over.
We had an abnormally mild winter. December came and went with barely a blizzard to speak of. Usually by October we have multiple feet of snow on the ground and need to layer up for even the shortest outing. Not so this year, until a few days ago.
Until a few days ago we were experiencing weather that was barely cold enough to be called winter. Most years we are gradually eased into weather that is as cold as it is now. We are dipping below the minus thirties and when you factor in the wind chill, minus forties. When you aren't gradually eased into it, this weather will come as a shock to even the most Canadian Canadians.
It's the time of year when the best option for any given day is to stay inside, crank up the heat, and become one with the couch until it's all over.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Club Sobeys
I have been doing all of my grocery shopping from Sobey's for at least a year, and even more so since Dave died. Each time I go through the checkout, it was always the same. "Do you have a Club Sobey's card?" to which I would reply with a shameful "no". I would make a mental note to sign up for one but that note was always forgotten by the time I walked out the door.
A couple weeks ago, my buddy Tyler was there with me and seemed surprised when I didn't have a Club Sobey's card, so grabbed a Club Sobey's pamphlet for me. When back at my place, he urged me to go to the website to sign up for the card.
This was it. I was finally taking that step. I was going to be the member of an exclusive shopping club. Club Sobey's. I was going to be special. It was going to be legendary.
I filled in the online form, and then I waited. I waited for two weeks. Today, I made the metamorphosis from applicant to full-fledged club member. The time is now, my friends.
I tore open the envelope to find my membership card, and two smaller key tag sized cards.
Yes! The card is even green. My favorite colour. I feel important. I feel special. I feel- wait.... what is that?
That can't be. It's a grocery store. Still can't see it?
That's right, folks. The most prominent image on the card is a freaking blender. I would expect perhaps some artwork featuring fresh produce. Maybe even bread or the image a few chicken parts. Perhaps the image of some cookies would grace the front of a membership card to a grocery store, but a blender?
They don't sell blenders. At. All. Not even one. In fact, they don't really sell any kitchen appliances. I know this because I'm there at least twice a week. The most prominent image on the card? Blender? What?
Yes, there are other things on the card that might make you think that it's a grocery store. I see what appears to be asparagus, some rotten looking Swiss cheese, and even what might be carrots. Yet, they felt the need to place an image of a blender as the largest image on the card.
I have a card too. A card that helps me advertise that I create art. It has imagery on it like paint splatters and even a finished drawing. Would it make sense for me to have images of walls on my card? I know, maybe images of picture frames so people might think I do custom framing. I could even add a few pictures of nails and be mistaken for a carpenter.
What if I had never shopped at Sobey's before, and got this card in the mail? I would be sadly disappointed when it appeared as though they sold blenders, only to show up to buy one and find that it was all a big lie. A big plastic, orange and green lie.
I don't know if I want to be part of this club.
A couple weeks ago, my buddy Tyler was there with me and seemed surprised when I didn't have a Club Sobey's card, so grabbed a Club Sobey's pamphlet for me. When back at my place, he urged me to go to the website to sign up for the card.
This was it. I was finally taking that step. I was going to be the member of an exclusive shopping club. Club Sobey's. I was going to be special. It was going to be legendary.
I filled in the online form, and then I waited. I waited for two weeks. Today, I made the metamorphosis from applicant to full-fledged club member. The time is now, my friends.
I tore open the envelope to find my membership card, and two smaller key tag sized cards.
Yes! The card is even green. My favorite colour. I feel important. I feel special. I feel- wait.... what is that?
That can't be. It's a grocery store. Still can't see it?
That's right, folks. The most prominent image on the card is a freaking blender. I would expect perhaps some artwork featuring fresh produce. Maybe even bread or the image a few chicken parts. Perhaps the image of some cookies would grace the front of a membership card to a grocery store, but a blender?
They don't sell blenders. At. All. Not even one. In fact, they don't really sell any kitchen appliances. I know this because I'm there at least twice a week. The most prominent image on the card? Blender? What?
Yes, there are other things on the card that might make you think that it's a grocery store. I see what appears to be asparagus, some rotten looking Swiss cheese, and even what might be carrots. Yet, they felt the need to place an image of a blender as the largest image on the card.
I have a card too. A card that helps me advertise that I create art. It has imagery on it like paint splatters and even a finished drawing. Would it make sense for me to have images of walls on my card? I know, maybe images of picture frames so people might think I do custom framing. I could even add a few pictures of nails and be mistaken for a carpenter.
What if I had never shopped at Sobey's before, and got this card in the mail? I would be sadly disappointed when it appeared as though they sold blenders, only to show up to buy one and find that it was all a big lie. A big plastic, orange and green lie.
I don't know if I want to be part of this club.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Cut ALL the Hairs!
I've done a lot of crazy things with my hair over the years. It's been so many colours and so many lengths. I swear I've tried just about everything. I have been missing having short hair lately, It's easy to manage, Darwin can't grab it, and I like the way it looks on me.
I give you: my new hair!
I give you: my new hair!
Monday, January 16, 2012
Making Up for Lost Time
I think it's safe to say that I've failed on the 'get-back-in-shape-after-baby' plans that I had.
Until now.
It had been forever since Iw orked out. Truthfully this was in part due to the inevitable laziness that comes with depression/mourning and also because I was still sore from giving birth. While pregnant, the ligaments in your pelvis loosen to make room for the baby to pass through and those ligaments were still quite loose, causing pain when I tried to work out before. For the most part, that pain is now gone and I tested myself last night.
I worked out for 3 hours.
Not all of it was my sweaty cow ass hauling itself around to music. Although Dance Central 2 played a part in my workout, the real magic happened with Your Shape: Fitness Evolved. It actually has a special program on there specifically designed for post-baby tune ups. So, that's what I'm doing. It's awesome.
Dance Central is still a little hard on my pelvis as it's not totally tightened back up yet but once I'm a bit stronger I bet that will be my favorite game ever, along with Zumba.
I'm hoping to work out daily now, although not for 3 hours each day. That would be insane.
I really love working out video game style. To play the games mentioned above you do need an Xbox 360 as well as the Kinect tuner for it. It puts you in the game, unlike the Playstation 3 or the Wii, which use controllers. Kinect uses no controllers and you can watch yourself work out on the screen in real time, making sure you're doing all the moves correctly. I recommend it to anyone who is awesome.
Until now.
It had been forever since Iw orked out. Truthfully this was in part due to the inevitable laziness that comes with depression/mourning and also because I was still sore from giving birth. While pregnant, the ligaments in your pelvis loosen to make room for the baby to pass through and those ligaments were still quite loose, causing pain when I tried to work out before. For the most part, that pain is now gone and I tested myself last night.
I worked out for 3 hours.
Not all of it was my sweaty cow ass hauling itself around to music. Although Dance Central 2 played a part in my workout, the real magic happened with Your Shape: Fitness Evolved. It actually has a special program on there specifically designed for post-baby tune ups. So, that's what I'm doing. It's awesome.
Dance Central is still a little hard on my pelvis as it's not totally tightened back up yet but once I'm a bit stronger I bet that will be my favorite game ever, along with Zumba.
I'm hoping to work out daily now, although not for 3 hours each day. That would be insane.
I really love working out video game style. To play the games mentioned above you do need an Xbox 360 as well as the Kinect tuner for it. It puts you in the game, unlike the Playstation 3 or the Wii, which use controllers. Kinect uses no controllers and you can watch yourself work out on the screen in real time, making sure you're doing all the moves correctly. I recommend it to anyone who is awesome.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
The Horror
I don't have a lot of time to post today and need to get one in before midnight. So, dear readers, I leave you with this:
You're welcome.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Baby Eating
Before you make the inevitable jump to "baby-eating atheist", this isn't about my diet. This is about Darwin, and his food.
Up until now, he's had nothing but boob-juice. He shows a true appreciation for mother's milk but the time is coming when he's going to want to expand his menu. I have a sneaking suspicion that he is going to be a true lover of food, just like his daddy was.
Already, he has exactly zero patience when it comes to the concept of waiting a few minutes for food. He knows what he wants, and he doesn't like waiting for it. In fact, I feel sorry for future restaurants who have the misfortune of of taking too long to make his meal. He loves to eat.
As a result of his intense boob-food love, I quite often feel like an over-milked dairy cow. My chesticles haven't had much rest in the last 5 months.
The time has come to start introducing other food options. When I first became pregnant, I rejected the notion that parenting needs to be a series of books, or something you need to study hard to do properly. I'm a big follower of instinct and that was how I wanted to do my parenting, and it's how I have been doing my parenting. Whatever feels right is what I do. The way I see it, our instincts evolved the way they have for a reason and who am I to argue with nature?
Lately I have felt like it's time to offer Darwin solids. He seems ready for it and it feels like boob isn't enough anymore. So, cereal will be started sometime in the next couple of days and I have mixed feelings about it. Part of me is sad that it isn't just my body that he will depend on for nourishment anymore. A smaller part of me is a little bit relieved that he will not depend on my body for nourishment as much anymore. It's a bit of a hard step to take but I feel it's a necessary one.
Wish us luck!
Up until now, he's had nothing but boob-juice. He shows a true appreciation for mother's milk but the time is coming when he's going to want to expand his menu. I have a sneaking suspicion that he is going to be a true lover of food, just like his daddy was.
Already, he has exactly zero patience when it comes to the concept of waiting a few minutes for food. He knows what he wants, and he doesn't like waiting for it. In fact, I feel sorry for future restaurants who have the misfortune of of taking too long to make his meal. He loves to eat.
As a result of his intense boob-food love, I quite often feel like an over-milked dairy cow. My chesticles haven't had much rest in the last 5 months.
The time has come to start introducing other food options. When I first became pregnant, I rejected the notion that parenting needs to be a series of books, or something you need to study hard to do properly. I'm a big follower of instinct and that was how I wanted to do my parenting, and it's how I have been doing my parenting. Whatever feels right is what I do. The way I see it, our instincts evolved the way they have for a reason and who am I to argue with nature?
Lately I have felt like it's time to offer Darwin solids. He seems ready for it and it feels like boob isn't enough anymore. So, cereal will be started sometime in the next couple of days and I have mixed feelings about it. Part of me is sad that it isn't just my body that he will depend on for nourishment anymore. A smaller part of me is a little bit relieved that he will not depend on my body for nourishment as much anymore. It's a bit of a hard step to take but I feel it's a necessary one.
Wish us luck!
Friday, January 13, 2012
Home With Photos
I arrived home from Kindersley last night. It was a long drive and poor Viv wasn't feeling well. The trip was a short one but a good one nonetheless. I got some great photos of family. Here's a sampling:
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| Dylan holding Darwin |
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| Ethan opening the present from Darwin and I |
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| The Lovely Briana |
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| Darwin playing with Grandpa Al |
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| Darwin cuddling with Grandma Glenda |
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| Ethan fell asleep in the greatest position |
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| Viv, Neil and Deanna visiting |
Thursday, January 12, 2012
From Kindersley
My blog post today comes from Kindersley. Viv and I drove up here together yesterday and we will be driving home this evening. It had been quite a long time since Darwin or myself had seen family here and the next chance we'd get wouldn't be until our California trip coming up in March. The last time we had seen Darwin's grandparents was on Thanksgiving when we came to Kindersley and I took some pretty nice photos of everyone.
Although a much shorter visit this time, it's great to be able to see all the family here and take some updated photos of Darwin's cousins who are quickly growing up themselves. Unfortunatley, because I'm perhaps the most forgetful person in the world, those photos are going to have to wait until I'm back home because although I remembered my camera, and camera charger, I forgot the USB cable so am unable to get the photos onto the computer.
Visiting Kindersley is a lot of fun. The food is always wonderful, the family is amazing, and the city itself is just so laid back and friendly compared to Regina. Darwin has been soaking in the love from everyone and it's been a really nice visit. As always, I look forward to the next one.
Although a much shorter visit this time, it's great to be able to see all the family here and take some updated photos of Darwin's cousins who are quickly growing up themselves. Unfortunatley, because I'm perhaps the most forgetful person in the world, those photos are going to have to wait until I'm back home because although I remembered my camera, and camera charger, I forgot the USB cable so am unable to get the photos onto the computer.
Visiting Kindersley is a lot of fun. The food is always wonderful, the family is amazing, and the city itself is just so laid back and friendly compared to Regina. Darwin has been soaking in the love from everyone and it's been a really nice visit. As always, I look forward to the next one.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Sweater - Plastic Cup - Banana
I'm here today to talk about three photos. Three different photos that I took while my friend Tyler and I were taking a jaunt to Walmart for some grocery shopping. The world outside this condo never ceases to amaze and bewilder me and I have never been more proud and afraid to share a species with the people who made the following photos possible.
Photo 1 - The Sweater
As a knitter, I can appreciate a fantastic sweater. At the sight of this one, I was awe stricken and seduced by what is arguably the finest sweater ever created. It was worn by a portly fellow pushing a shopping cart through the aisles of the frozen food section with someone I assume was his wife. Most people can handle a level 6, maybe a level 7 sweater. This sweater was easily level 12 and this man wore it like a champ. The colours were majestic representations of gold, orange and red over a background of burlap-sack-brown with a trim of green and chocolate.
What made this sweater so dazzling was the enormous cock the colour of a sunset emblazoned on the front. It was easily the largest sunset sweater cock I have ever seen in my life. It was enchanting, and I was enchanted. I must photograph you was the one thought that cycled in my head. I retrieved my phone from the pocket of my wool coat. Photographing someone without their knowledge is difficult, to say the least. What makes it more taxing is trying to photograph someone while you are pushing a shopping cart by the aisle they are in, balancing your camera phone on the side of the shopping cart and trying to take the photo without them noticing.
I think the wife noticed
Photo 2 - The Plastic Cup
15 minutes or so later, I was attempting to rest my gaze upon the shrink wrapped cases of a fruity beverage when my eyes were assaulted by the abandoned garbage of a fellow shopper. I didn't taste it, so have no idea what kind of beverage it was, but the customer who left it must not have liked it or should have ordered a smaller size. There is an excessive amount of caffeinated beverage remaining in the cup. I looked around for a possible owner, but the abandoner was long gone. What made them decide to place their garbage on top of cases of juice?
Photo 3 - Poor Bananas
The strangest photo of all was something that I almost overlooked, until I thought about it. These poor bananas were abandoned. Whatever hopeful consumer picked them up in their bunch decided that they did not, in fact, want bananas and simply left them. The strange part is where the bananas were left. They were not left on a shelf, with the other bunches of bananas, or in the craft section with a bottle of lotion. No. They were left on the scale. The scale for weighing the bananas.
Imagine for a moment what this means. Some Walmart customer, possibly named Wilbur, picked up a bunch of bananas. Perhaps he wanted to try something new, or was trying to meet some New Year's resolution to eat healthier. I know that this person was not a regular banana eater because quite frankly, who weighs bananas? Really, Wilbur?
So, Wilbur picked out his bananas, placed them on the weigh scale, and it was there that he decided against them. This means that it was the actual weight of the bananas that changed his mind. What was it, Wilbur the Walmart customer? Were they too heavy? Too light?
Can you imagine if people were treated that way? How would you feel if someone put you on a scale and used the resulting measurement to determine whether or not they wanted you? This is why I felt sorry for this poor bunch of bananas. Shunned away from a home because of their weight. They thought they were finally going to be chosen and eaten just like their ancestors only to be abandoned on the cold steel of the weigh-plate. Their dreams, shattered. Nobody will buy them now.
Photo 1 - The Sweater
As a knitter, I can appreciate a fantastic sweater. At the sight of this one, I was awe stricken and seduced by what is arguably the finest sweater ever created. It was worn by a portly fellow pushing a shopping cart through the aisles of the frozen food section with someone I assume was his wife. Most people can handle a level 6, maybe a level 7 sweater. This sweater was easily level 12 and this man wore it like a champ. The colours were majestic representations of gold, orange and red over a background of burlap-sack-brown with a trim of green and chocolate.
What made this sweater so dazzling was the enormous cock the colour of a sunset emblazoned on the front. It was easily the largest sunset sweater cock I have ever seen in my life. It was enchanting, and I was enchanted. I must photograph you was the one thought that cycled in my head. I retrieved my phone from the pocket of my wool coat. Photographing someone without their knowledge is difficult, to say the least. What makes it more taxing is trying to photograph someone while you are pushing a shopping cart by the aisle they are in, balancing your camera phone on the side of the shopping cart and trying to take the photo without them noticing.
I think the wife noticed
Photo 2 - The Plastic Cup
15 minutes or so later, I was attempting to rest my gaze upon the shrink wrapped cases of a fruity beverage when my eyes were assaulted by the abandoned garbage of a fellow shopper. I didn't taste it, so have no idea what kind of beverage it was, but the customer who left it must not have liked it or should have ordered a smaller size. There is an excessive amount of caffeinated beverage remaining in the cup. I looked around for a possible owner, but the abandoner was long gone. What made them decide to place their garbage on top of cases of juice?
Photo 3 - Poor Bananas
The strangest photo of all was something that I almost overlooked, until I thought about it. These poor bananas were abandoned. Whatever hopeful consumer picked them up in their bunch decided that they did not, in fact, want bananas and simply left them. The strange part is where the bananas were left. They were not left on a shelf, with the other bunches of bananas, or in the craft section with a bottle of lotion. No. They were left on the scale. The scale for weighing the bananas.
Imagine for a moment what this means. Some Walmart customer, possibly named Wilbur, picked up a bunch of bananas. Perhaps he wanted to try something new, or was trying to meet some New Year's resolution to eat healthier. I know that this person was not a regular banana eater because quite frankly, who weighs bananas? Really, Wilbur?
So, Wilbur picked out his bananas, placed them on the weigh scale, and it was there that he decided against them. This means that it was the actual weight of the bananas that changed his mind. What was it, Wilbur the Walmart customer? Were they too heavy? Too light?
Can you imagine if people were treated that way? How would you feel if someone put you on a scale and used the resulting measurement to determine whether or not they wanted you? This is why I felt sorry for this poor bunch of bananas. Shunned away from a home because of their weight. They thought they were finally going to be chosen and eaten just like their ancestors only to be abandoned on the cold steel of the weigh-plate. Their dreams, shattered. Nobody will buy them now.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
4 Months
It's been 4 months since Dave died and my world changed forever. It has been a hard day but I keep smiling at Darwin to make things better.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Wendy Facts: Anxiety and Depression
For as long as I can remember, I have suffered with frequent panic attacks and depression. For those of you who have never had a panic attack before, I will try and describe it for you. Everyone experiences them differently, but this is how it is for me.
It starts with a general feeling of unease and a cycle of thoughts that sends me spiraling down. I can't relax. I can't think straight. I feel awful. A sense of dread overwhelms me and I'm sure I'm going to die. I fidget with my hands. Squeezing them together and releasing. Squeezing and releasing. White knuckles. My breath quickens while my heart pounds hard in my chest. This accelerates until I'm hyperventilating. I'm dizzy. A knot in my stomach grows tighter and tighter. The temperature of my body rises. I'm hot. So hot. I start to sweat while my heart continues to pound. I feel like I'm having a heart attack. I can't breathe. I become aware that I'm shaking. My brain focuses on thoughts that only make it worse. I'm going to die.
Dave was the only person, ever, who could snap me out of a panic attack. He was able to do it almost immediately. We had such a direct connection that he would know exactly what to do or say to bring me back from the awful feelings.
Since Dave died, I have been experiencing much stronger panic attacks, and much more frequently. What used to happen once or twice a week now happens three or four times a day, more on bad days. They are debilitating and it seems like almost anything can trigger one these days. When I open his mail, I'll have one. When I cook supper, I'll have one. When I shower, I'll have one. When I hear a song that reminds me of him (which is a LOT) I'll have one. The 10th of every month sets off a lot of them because it marks one more month since his death. Anything that reminds me he's gone throws me into a fit of panic. Combine that with my tendency to think way too much and you have a recipe for disaster.
There was a time, a long time ago, when I was on medication for these attacks. The medication worked, but it worked too well. The way my doctor explained it was that I feel things on a deeper level than the average person. When I'm sad, I'm all the way sad. When I'm happy, I'm all the way happy. When I'm in love, I love with everything I have. I experience emotions in their extremes and that's why I have these attacks. It's also why, I think, I'm good at creative things. My brain is simply wired to feel things on a deeper level.
The medication took away my ability to feel anything at all. It took away the bad emotions, sure, but it took away the good ones too. Perhaps the worst part of all was the fact that it took away my ability to create. For the 2 years I was on the medication I didn't write a single word, draw a single line, or do anything creative. I was a zombie. A shell of my former self. I chose to go off the medication about 5 years ago, against my doctor's advice. It took a year to wean off properly.
The anxiety came back. The depression came back. I learned how to harness these feelings and do good things with them. After Dave died, I briefly considered going back onto that medication. For a while I thought going back on it would save my life. I thought it would make things easier. However, I also knew that it would numb me to the point that I would not be able to create, and quite honestly my dear readers, I don't think I could live like that. Not again. My artistic/creative abilities are who I am and how I make a living.
Going off the medication I was on, and staying off of it during what has been the hardest time in my life has been more difficult than I think I let on to those closest to me. Still, I wouldn't want the medication. As hard as it is, I think that feeling all of this pain is at least teaching me more about myself. I'm learning a lot and becoming more emotionally intelligent. I have an understanding of people and a curiosity about the way we think and act in certain situations that I wouldn't have if I was numbed by medication. If I was taking those stupid pills every day, this blog wouldn't exist. All the best art and writing comes from a place of suffering.
It starts with a general feeling of unease and a cycle of thoughts that sends me spiraling down. I can't relax. I can't think straight. I feel awful. A sense of dread overwhelms me and I'm sure I'm going to die. I fidget with my hands. Squeezing them together and releasing. Squeezing and releasing. White knuckles. My breath quickens while my heart pounds hard in my chest. This accelerates until I'm hyperventilating. I'm dizzy. A knot in my stomach grows tighter and tighter. The temperature of my body rises. I'm hot. So hot. I start to sweat while my heart continues to pound. I feel like I'm having a heart attack. I can't breathe. I become aware that I'm shaking. My brain focuses on thoughts that only make it worse. I'm going to die.
Dave was the only person, ever, who could snap me out of a panic attack. He was able to do it almost immediately. We had such a direct connection that he would know exactly what to do or say to bring me back from the awful feelings.
Since Dave died, I have been experiencing much stronger panic attacks, and much more frequently. What used to happen once or twice a week now happens three or four times a day, more on bad days. They are debilitating and it seems like almost anything can trigger one these days. When I open his mail, I'll have one. When I cook supper, I'll have one. When I shower, I'll have one. When I hear a song that reminds me of him (which is a LOT) I'll have one. The 10th of every month sets off a lot of them because it marks one more month since his death. Anything that reminds me he's gone throws me into a fit of panic. Combine that with my tendency to think way too much and you have a recipe for disaster.
There was a time, a long time ago, when I was on medication for these attacks. The medication worked, but it worked too well. The way my doctor explained it was that I feel things on a deeper level than the average person. When I'm sad, I'm all the way sad. When I'm happy, I'm all the way happy. When I'm in love, I love with everything I have. I experience emotions in their extremes and that's why I have these attacks. It's also why, I think, I'm good at creative things. My brain is simply wired to feel things on a deeper level.
The medication took away my ability to feel anything at all. It took away the bad emotions, sure, but it took away the good ones too. Perhaps the worst part of all was the fact that it took away my ability to create. For the 2 years I was on the medication I didn't write a single word, draw a single line, or do anything creative. I was a zombie. A shell of my former self. I chose to go off the medication about 5 years ago, against my doctor's advice. It took a year to wean off properly.
The anxiety came back. The depression came back. I learned how to harness these feelings and do good things with them. After Dave died, I briefly considered going back onto that medication. For a while I thought going back on it would save my life. I thought it would make things easier. However, I also knew that it would numb me to the point that I would not be able to create, and quite honestly my dear readers, I don't think I could live like that. Not again. My artistic/creative abilities are who I am and how I make a living.
Going off the medication I was on, and staying off of it during what has been the hardest time in my life has been more difficult than I think I let on to those closest to me. Still, I wouldn't want the medication. As hard as it is, I think that feeling all of this pain is at least teaching me more about myself. I'm learning a lot and becoming more emotionally intelligent. I have an understanding of people and a curiosity about the way we think and act in certain situations that I wouldn't have if I was numbed by medication. If I was taking those stupid pills every day, this blog wouldn't exist. All the best art and writing comes from a place of suffering.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Passport Photos: CHECK!
I find it ridiculous that an infant even needs a passport, especially one as young as Darwin. Age 2 and up I can understand, but a tiny baby? I don't make the rules, so I went to Walmart with my Aunt Viv and I got Darwin's passport photos taken by a pleasant man who was very helpful and polite.
It took three tries to get a decent shot because my little man kept turning his head or laughing, but we finally got one. With the passport photo good to go, all that's left to do is to head down to the passport office to fill in the forms and pay the fee. Then, the only thing between us and California is time.
Time, and packing. Packing is a bit stressful for me. I always leave it to the night before and then I throw everything into the bag and say it's good enough. Last year I was lucky and didn't forget anything. This time I need to be extra careful because it will be just me and the little guy running through airports to catch flights.
We have a 2 hour stop in Denver and then it's Palm Springs! There is so much that I want to do with Darwin but priority #1 is to relax. I want to enjoy the sun. Especially after the fall/winter that we have had. We need some quality, relaxing family time.
It took three tries to get a decent shot because my little man kept turning his head or laughing, but we finally got one. With the passport photo good to go, all that's left to do is to head down to the passport office to fill in the forms and pay the fee. Then, the only thing between us and California is time.
Time, and packing. Packing is a bit stressful for me. I always leave it to the night before and then I throw everything into the bag and say it's good enough. Last year I was lucky and didn't forget anything. This time I need to be extra careful because it will be just me and the little guy running through airports to catch flights.
We have a 2 hour stop in Denver and then it's Palm Springs! There is so much that I want to do with Darwin but priority #1 is to relax. I want to enjoy the sun. Especially after the fall/winter that we have had. We need some quality, relaxing family time.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Getting Organized
With so much planned in the new year, I fear that I've tried taking on too much all at once. I'm running into the regular Wendy problem of having so many projects on the go that none of them will be finished for a very long time. Just since the new year I've excitedly started working on a painting, an animated movie, a podcast, and a short story. With limited time to actually work on these things in a day, I will never have any of them completed. I need to pick one or two things to have on-the-go (aside from the usual work duties of articles/art commissions of course) and focus on them to make them awesome.
So. At the moment I'm going to work on the animation and the short story. Everything else is being delayed until at least one of those things is complete. I will still paint occasionally if the mood strikes me, but won't be working on any other serious projects until I have either the animation or the short story complete.
There! That feels better. I dislike the feeling of overwhelming myself to the point where I feel like I've painted myself into a corner. Losing focus is a problem I aim to overcome this year so I can be finishing things instead of starting then abandoning them for something else.
So. At the moment I'm going to work on the animation and the short story. Everything else is being delayed until at least one of those things is complete. I will still paint occasionally if the mood strikes me, but won't be working on any other serious projects until I have either the animation or the short story complete.
There! That feels better. I dislike the feeling of overwhelming myself to the point where I feel like I've painted myself into a corner. Losing focus is a problem I aim to overcome this year so I can be finishing things instead of starting then abandoning them for something else.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Katie's Birthday
On January 3rd my youngest sister turned 11. Her and my mom came over to my place and we had a nice visit. We decorated a block of ice cream (she has celiac disease and cannot have gluten so no regular cake) and lit the candles to celebrate her 11th year.
When I was 11 I had started writing poetry and was drawing and playing lots of video games. Katie is also a big video game fan although she often enjoys watching someone else play them rather than play herself.
I snapped a few shots of her blowing out her candles.
Happy birthday, sis!
When I was 11 I had started writing poetry and was drawing and playing lots of video games. Katie is also a big video game fan although she often enjoys watching someone else play them rather than play herself.
I snapped a few shots of her blowing out her candles.
Happy birthday, sis!
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Dear YouTube (You've Changed)
You have been in my life for years, but right now I feel like I hardly know you anymore. You're famous! A household name! Your glorious name is used as a verb by anybody who wants to view some short, sweet video made by someone with a $10 web cam and a dream.
You're the first one I come to if I want to watch a video of Butternuts the cat licking his asshole while a baby wipes snot on an angry boa constrictor squeezing the life out of a retarded moose. You've got that genre covered. Similarly, you're the first site I visit when I'm craving the amusing ocular experience of people falling down set to polka music. Sometimes I even go as far as watching movie trailers, but I certainly wasn't expecting to see what my friend Tyler noticed and blogged about yesterday.
Films. Really? Films? Yes. Rentable, watchable, full length, Hollywood-style films. On you: a virtual Internet-shelf sitting alongside a 2 minute video of a trained monkey in suspenders throwing soup spoons at the business end of a cow.
I had no idea that you had new release movies available for rent until just a few hours ago. Is it a new feature? I'm not sure, but it's new to me and I find it to be unnatural coming from you. After all, you chose to name yourself YouTube, and you were built on the amateur videos of the people. It wasn't the multi-million dollar movies that made you what you are. It was the five minute grainy videos of people punching themselves in the face and yelling at dolphins.
I get that you want to make money. I get that. But, people don't go to a place called YouTube when they want to watch movies. They come to you when they want bite sized pieces of hilarity or something very specific. They want to watch videos that reflect who they are and what they're into. They want to contribute. They want a voice. When they want the regular rinse-and-repeat movies that come out of Hollywood, they'll go to Netflix.
I understand the need for money. Isn't it enough that you have 15 second advertisements showing up on 10 second videos? You're the world's largest online video site.
Isn't that enough?
You're the first one I come to if I want to watch a video of Butternuts the cat licking his asshole while a baby wipes snot on an angry boa constrictor squeezing the life out of a retarded moose. You've got that genre covered. Similarly, you're the first site I visit when I'm craving the amusing ocular experience of people falling down set to polka music. Sometimes I even go as far as watching movie trailers, but I certainly wasn't expecting to see what my friend Tyler noticed and blogged about yesterday.
Films. Really? Films? Yes. Rentable, watchable, full length, Hollywood-style films. On you: a virtual Internet-shelf sitting alongside a 2 minute video of a trained monkey in suspenders throwing soup spoons at the business end of a cow.
I had no idea that you had new release movies available for rent until just a few hours ago. Is it a new feature? I'm not sure, but it's new to me and I find it to be unnatural coming from you. After all, you chose to name yourself YouTube, and you were built on the amateur videos of the people. It wasn't the multi-million dollar movies that made you what you are. It was the five minute grainy videos of people punching themselves in the face and yelling at dolphins.
I get that you want to make money. I get that. But, people don't go to a place called YouTube when they want to watch movies. They come to you when they want bite sized pieces of hilarity or something very specific. They want to watch videos that reflect who they are and what they're into. They want to contribute. They want a voice. When they want the regular rinse-and-repeat movies that come out of Hollywood, they'll go to Netflix.
I understand the need for money. Isn't it enough that you have 15 second advertisements showing up on 10 second videos? You're the world's largest online video site.
Isn't that enough?
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
"Like, OMG! Do You BBM?"
BBM is an initialism that I hear more and more often. People continue to ask me if I "BBM" as if it were a verb. Because it's often used as a verb, I can't help but imagine that the letters stand for Big Bowel Movement. That's right. Not just a regular bowel movement, but a Big Bowel Movement. BBM.
Now before you sent me an email telling me what it really stands for, I know. My Google-Fu is strong. It stands for BlackBerry Messenger. It's an instant messaging system that is exclusive to people who have Blackberry wireless phones. It allows users to send messages back and forth. Like texting.
I have a problem with it. When the goal of wireless phones is communication, what good is it to have a messaging system that is so exclusive? People who have Blackberries seem to love it and sure, it has its perks, but is the exclusivity really one of those perks? Would it make sense if a Gmail user could only email other Gmail users? Regardless of the pros and cons of Blackberry Messenger, it hurts my brain every time someone asks me "Do you BBM?" (Do you Big Bowel Movement?)
No. I don't. I have an HTC smart phone. It's spectacular. I love it. I use it to text like a normal person. I have never had to ask someone for their top-secret-super-special-pin-number, for crying out loud. Just their phone number, like a normal person.
It doesn't happen incredibly often, but every once in a while people post their Big Bowel Movement pin as a Facebook status. More often than not, it isn't even a full message, just the pin on its own. It's like a secret language and they are calling out to their other Big Bowel Movement...ers. They do it right in front of us normal texting people. Cell phones are supposed to unite people. Not divide us!
Now, for the sake of world peace, let's shun every BBM-using Blackberry-touting user who thinks their silly club makes them better than us!
Now before you sent me an email telling me what it really stands for, I know. My Google-Fu is strong. It stands for BlackBerry Messenger. It's an instant messaging system that is exclusive to people who have Blackberry wireless phones. It allows users to send messages back and forth. Like texting.
I have a problem with it. When the goal of wireless phones is communication, what good is it to have a messaging system that is so exclusive? People who have Blackberries seem to love it and sure, it has its perks, but is the exclusivity really one of those perks? Would it make sense if a Gmail user could only email other Gmail users? Regardless of the pros and cons of Blackberry Messenger, it hurts my brain every time someone asks me "Do you BBM?" (Do you Big Bowel Movement?)
No. I don't. I have an HTC smart phone. It's spectacular. I love it. I use it to text like a normal person. I have never had to ask someone for their top-secret-super-special-pin-number, for crying out loud. Just their phone number, like a normal person.
It doesn't happen incredibly often, but every once in a while people post their Big Bowel Movement pin as a Facebook status. More often than not, it isn't even a full message, just the pin on its own. It's like a secret language and they are calling out to their other Big Bowel Movement...ers. They do it right in front of us normal texting people. Cell phones are supposed to unite people. Not divide us!
Now, for the sake of world peace, let's shun every BBM-using Blackberry-touting user who thinks their silly club makes them better than us!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Animation Learning
So I decided to mess around a bit in some animation software that I have been meaning to learn more about. I must say, it's quite fun! I'm just figuring out the basics now but I was able to make a really quick, super simple animation. It's nothing special. Just three seconds long. But, I thought I'd share it anyway so you can see that I'm making some progress.
I believe I know the basics now and given enough time I could probably make a semi-decent looking little cartoon. One thing I still have to delve into is the audio aspects of animation which should be quite fun to learn about.
I believe I know the basics now and given enough time I could probably make a semi-decent looking little cartoon. One thing I still have to delve into is the audio aspects of animation which should be quite fun to learn about.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Hello, Old Hobby of Mine
Now that the holidays are officially over, it's time to make the transition back into the normal day-to-day life of a mid-twenties mom/artist/writer. With the excitement of Christmas and New Year's behind us, we can only look forward.
What better way to settle back into life than to do something that I have been meaning to get back to since I wrote it a love letter back in June. I'm talking about oil painting.
Since I worked out a space to paint in November, I have been in the early planning stages of painting. Nothing too serious. Just some light sketches of some ideas I had for works. It has been too long since I last painted. Probably close to 2 years. With all my tubes of pigment lined up on a shelf, and brushes standing up tall and proud in a mug, I'm starting today.
I'm armed with the materials and with the emotions of a broken heart that I've no other way of expressing except through paint on canvas. With brushes in my hand and a canvas before me, the possibilities are infinite.
What better way to settle back into life than to do something that I have been meaning to get back to since I wrote it a love letter back in June. I'm talking about oil painting.
Since I worked out a space to paint in November, I have been in the early planning stages of painting. Nothing too serious. Just some light sketches of some ideas I had for works. It has been too long since I last painted. Probably close to 2 years. With all my tubes of pigment lined up on a shelf, and brushes standing up tall and proud in a mug, I'm starting today.
I'm armed with the materials and with the emotions of a broken heart that I've no other way of expressing except through paint on canvas. With brushes in my hand and a canvas before me, the possibilities are infinite.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Happy New Year!
With 2011 officially behind me and more artistic projects than I can count laid out in front of me, I'm feeling optimistic.
Last night I had the best time I've had in a long time. A few friends and I went to Moxie's to have a lovely New Year's Eve dinner. I had something called Herb Chicken Alfredo and it was absolutely delicious. Following that we went back to my house where we had drinks, listened to music, played games and welcomed the new year with enthusiasm. A wonderful time with wonderful people.
As for a new year's resolution, I guess I haven't really thought about it until just now. One thing that I definitely want to do this year is to create more art, in various forms. The largest undertaking, I think, is the animation project that I will be jumping into shortly. There is also a series of oil paintings I hope to be completing. Add that to refining my drawing skills and you can look forward to seeing a lot of new art from me this year.
I hope you all had a safe New Year's Eve and that you will have a wonderful 2012.
Last night I had the best time I've had in a long time. A few friends and I went to Moxie's to have a lovely New Year's Eve dinner. I had something called Herb Chicken Alfredo and it was absolutely delicious. Following that we went back to my house where we had drinks, listened to music, played games and welcomed the new year with enthusiasm. A wonderful time with wonderful people.
As for a new year's resolution, I guess I haven't really thought about it until just now. One thing that I definitely want to do this year is to create more art, in various forms. The largest undertaking, I think, is the animation project that I will be jumping into shortly. There is also a series of oil paintings I hope to be completing. Add that to refining my drawing skills and you can look forward to seeing a lot of new art from me this year.
I hope you all had a safe New Year's Eve and that you will have a wonderful 2012.
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