Encouragement

Note: I wrote this post two months after suffering a stroke that impacted the left side of my body. I had to relearn how to type, and the other things that this right-hander learned how to do previously with her left hand. Tying my shoes and doing other small movements while scrapbooking or working at my desk became challenges to overcome.

Back in January I posted that my one little word for the year was going to be write.  Although I had been making good progress on that concept, I didn’t get a chance to blog more about it.

I had some (female) medical issues hit me late in January.  The medication given to me to control that issue resulted in a blood clot.  I had a stroke on February 12th as I was taking a nap after a grueling day of sitting on my butt watching my oldest daughter compete at a gymnastics meet.

In my family, if you have a stroke you’re 1) old, 2 have high blood pressures, and 3) dead.  In my case, I’m not old (well, not that old-53), I have great blood pressures, and I survived.  The two things that I did right away that probably helped me if not survive, lessen the impact of the stroke:  take an aspirin, and called the paramedics right away.  Looking back, it was quite funny watching my body not cooperate to open the medicine cabinet, get the aspirin, and put water into a glass so I could swallow the aspirin.

After two days in the hospital, I convinced the staff to let me go home instead of going to a nursing home. My kids were freaking out as it was — I think Mama in a nursing home would have sent them completely over the edge. So I started teaching my left side to work again– trying to make as much progress as possible before my first PT and OT appointments.

Prior to the stroke, I had signed up for the Club Scrap PSL, and was really looking forward to it. I missed three weeks, then decided to drop out thinking it would be a long time before I would scrapbook or type easily again. But my teammates wouldn’t let me. They encouraged me to stay and at least cheer them on, and may at some point I may be able to create a layout.

One week I decided to make a layout, maybe two, depending on how much it used up my strength. I managed NOT to injure myself, and I made 5 layouts that week. Took me forever, but it felt good. Each week, I’d do a few layouts, and each week my teammates and other Club Scrappers would encourage me. I could stand a little longer, and week-by-week my left hand and arm got a little more nimble.

I wound up making 30 layouts by the end of PSL. I wasn’t dropping every eyelet or brad any more. My typing was faster.

I was damn proud of my accomplishments.

This week I’ll come up on the two month anniversary of the stroke. I’ve made huge strides, and my typing is slow, but I don’t have to think so hard to do it. It’s almost back to automatic. I still have a long recovery road ahead of me, but I know I can get to the full recovery my doctors assure me is possible.

Thanks to my teammates, the Spumonis, I’m using scrapbooking as a physical and mental therapy tool. I will always be grateful for their support.

Write (and Procrastinate)

If you’re part of the scrapbooking community, I’m sure most of you are familiar with Ali Edwards’s One Little Word class or the concept of One Little Word to be your key for the rest of the year.

I’m going to play with that concept, and rather than using that word all year long, I am just going to apply it for this first month — January 2012. I’m borrowing this variation from Kyeli Smith at the World-Changing Writing Workshop on Facebook.

My one little word for January is WRITE.

What am I going to do with this word during the month of January?

  • redesign my Writing and Designing for the Web class by applying concepts I’m learning in another online class about Power Teaching
  • create at least two scrapbook layouts each week. If you’ve looked at my scrapbook pages, you know I do a LOT of journaling. I love to write the story behind the photographs.
  • write at least two blog posts on this blog each week relating to something creative I’m doing.
  • spend more time writing in the business writing class I am teaching this semester. It’s a hybrid class, so we spend half the class online. I want to really increase my participation in those online weeks — to create the same kind of presence online as I do in the classroom. I find this isn’t so hard in my entirely online classes. But the hybrid classes really throw me for a loop.
  • take time to do more writing and documenting in general. I’ve been trying to write a book for the last 7 years, but it just boils down to procrastination. I don’t set aside the real time I need to write, because I’m busy doing something else — oh, like cleaning the bathroom or decluttering a closet. You know, the “emergencies” that get in the way of your creativity.

I start this today. I am taking an hour from my (procrastination) time to write, sharing my plan, and exposing it to daylight. Thank you, Kyeli and the Motivation Monday group.

All these writing goals are going to require that I guard my Me Time closer. Especially this month, where I am losing three full days to gymnastics meets. I do a lot of writing at the meets, in between video taping and chatting with the other parents. There, most of my writing is about the meets for my girls — a Smashbook-like journal. I need to stop discount that writing — it’s writing too.

Back to my point: I need to guard my time. This may require that I take more time at the Coffee Shop, or that I shoo my kids out of the upstairs in the evenings when they aren’t at gymnastics practice.

The bottom line is this: I will need to guard my time from procrastination. That’s going to be the hardest part. Now that I’ve said it three times, maybe I will actually follow through!

If any of you have suggestions for fighting against procrastination, I’d love to hear about them in the comments. That, and if you have a word that you’ll be using to inspire you this year, this month, this week, or even just for today.

Christmas Survey

I’m borrowing this from who borrowed it from another blog, who borrowed it from another blog, and so on!

  • Egg nog or hot chocolate? Definitely homemade egg nog. I make a mean egg nog, which reminds me, I need more eggs.
  • Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Definitely wrapped. That’s part of the fun — unwrapping.
  • Colored or white lights on tree/house? I prefer colored, but due to An Unfortunate Christmas Tree Light Accident, I have white lights on the tree this year.
  • Do you hang mistletoe? No.
  • When do you put your decorations up? As soon as I get a break after the semester’s grades have been put to bed. This year it was December 21st.
  • What is your favorite holiday dish? Turkey and stuffing and the fixings. For me, the Christmas meal should be a Thanksgiving re-run.
  • Do you remember your favorite gift? I think the Barbie I got when I was 7 was my favorite gift. I still have it.
  • What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you? Being with friends, because the family is crazy. Especially my kids!!!
  • What is your favorite holiday dessert? Christmas cookies, especially spritz cookies.
  • What is your favorite holiday tradition? Watching “A Christmas Story” over and over again, and yelling out the lines as the actors say them.
  • What tops your tree? This year, nothing. We are having a major Christmas tree fail, and I was afraid it would break. New tree next year!
  • Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving.
  • Candy canes: yuck or yum? YUM YUM YUM
  • Favorite Christmas show? It’s a Wonderful Life.
  • What is your favorite Christmas song? Silent Night.

How would you answer this survey? Post it on your blog, and copy your blog link in the comments.

Nook Tablet: My Review

One of my Christmas presents was a Nook Tablet. I should say, technically it was a Christmas present, although I’ve been using it for the last 4 weeks. I had previously owned a Nook Color (my DH now owns that device), so I was familiar with the basic operation of the device. I decided to upgrade to the Nook Tablet for the sharper screen and increased capacities of the device.

I was surprised at how much sharper the screen was. I didn’t have any complaints with the Nook Color screen, but the Nook Table screen is so sharp that I almost don’t need my reading glasses to use the device. It’s that easy on my eyes. I watched the first episode of the original version of “The Office” on Hulu Plus last night. Nice clear screen, good audio.

I’m finally getting to the point where it is no longer just an e-reader. I am now exploring the computer-like components of the system. I can read a couple email accounts on the device, use Facebook, and browse the web as long as I have a wi-fi connection or I have my cell phone tethered to it.

My main complaint with the Nook-Tablet-as-a-computer is the keyboard. One finger typing, seriously? I’m a (semi-sloppy) 55 wpm typist. So other than short responses on Facebook, I don’t use the Nook Tablet as an input device. Maybe this is the intention of Barnes and Noble: output vs. input. However, that feels like they are limiting the device’s usability — it’s just dying for a standard keyboard attachment or a keyboard that you can Bluetooth to it. Even the first iPad had a keyboard attachment for those who prefer that type of input device.

I give the Nook Tablet a solid B. I really like this device, but just one small change would put it over the top for me. Barnes and Noble, get the Nook Tablet a keyboard.

Hello Bloggy

This post was written in December 2011. It’s the oldest post I was able to recover from The Wayback Machine.

Wow! It’s been a while. I should just officially declare a Fall hiatus from now on, because Fall semester is a total blur with no time to be creative except in my classroom.

Right now I’m working on printing out the Christmas cards. I went digital, again, but included a twist: I stamped and colored a series of images, then digitized them. Here’s what it all looks like:

I’m also jumping in where they are at Journal Your Christmas. I knew from the start I wasn’t going to be able to start from the beginning. I’ve never gone all the way through the JYC prompts, so I’m looking forward to doing “the back nine”, as it were.

Time to start another print run of cards and take off for a short grocery run. Hope your holiday isn’t as hectic as mine!

Headset, Headset. Which is the WORKING Headset?

I attended a meeting via Skype last week, only to find out the headset I brought did not work. Thank goodness for the text messaging feature in Skype, so I could at least contribute once I figured out I was voiceless.
I have another Skype meeting today. So now I’m digging through my other headsets, trying to find the one that works. Yes, I have more than one. I seem to accumulate headsets. They multiply like rabbits in the Parts & Cables Drawer.
Wish me luck.

Friday Questions and Responses

From the My Little Life blog.

1. If your husband had the BIG V and you got pregnant what would your first reaction be?
Response: Obviously, the operation wasn’t a complete success. Not that we’d ever be in this situation: there’s a reason why we adopted.

2. Best memory about this summer so far.
Response: My dogs discovering the fan and sitting by it on the deck. You can almost hear them saying, “ahhhhhhhh!”

3. How often do you change your sheets? Your kids sheets?
Response: When needed.

4. Having just gone through TSA, would you rather have a full-body scan or a pat-down?
Response: A pat-down. I think that would be more fun with more opportunities for snark and bad puns.

5. Since it is fair time…what’s your favorite fair (county or state) memory?

Response: Getting soaked to the bone with my friend Snookie in a torrential thunderstorm after the Steve Martin grandstand show in 1977.

So, what would be YOUR answers to these questions?

All is Forgiven … for now

Saturday, the girls and I came back from a nine day road trip to the Black Hills. Sydney and Laddie were right there at the door to greet me, but Macalester had his snub on and refused to get near me. He loved on the kids, but I was definitely persona non grata.

After 10 minutes, Sydney decided I was not worthy to be in her presence, and gave me the cold shoulder. That, I totally expected, because that’s just the way The Squid rolls. But the Macalester snub really hurt.

However, Laddie was taking full advantage of the fact that the other dogs were ignoring me. He was right there next to me, jumping up on me, rubbing my legs, making sure I knew he still loved me and was glad I was back. He was glued to me, which actually started to become a problem because I was tripping over him!

At bedtime, Macalester decided I was good enough to sleep on, but not good enough for me to pet him. Sydney proceeded to use me like her personal sidewalk that night, hog the pillow, and lay her paws on my head. But, by morning, she decided I was to be forgiven — she gave me a quick kiss on my cheek and my nose before walking on top of me.

It wasn’t until Sunday afternoon that Macalester decided he had punished me enough. He jumped up onto my lap, planted his head on my stomach, and demanded that I rub his ears for a good long time.

Sunday night, everyone slept in their places — including me, on the edge of the bed. All is fine with the Wall Scottie world — until I commit my next transgression. That will be this Saturday when I take them to the vet for their annual physicals and shots! Then I’ll be in the Dog House again.

Time for an RBOC* Post

Gee, a girl moves her blog and all hell breaks loose!  Not on the blog, but just in the world around me.  So much to write, so little time.  In no particular order:

  • Sarah graduated from sixth grade. And she won a Presidential Academic Achievement award.
  • State of Minnesota is shut down.School’s still open, and I’m glad my students won’t have their education interrupted… for now.
  • The girls went to their first sleepover camp.
  • People are disappearing at the day job.  Including my co-worker and my boss.
  • The teaching job is going well. The summer class is always an interesting (in a good way) bunch.
  • I can’t go on half the rides at ValleyFair.  I’m trying to work my ass off, but so far it’s not budging.
  • My home office was clean for, oh, about an hour.
  • I’ve scrapbooked for about 30 minutes in the last month.
  • New computers for me and the DH.
  • Rachel had her end of the year piano recital. She did a nice job.
  • Keith Olbermann is back on the air.I’m getting my Olber-Snark back.
  • New washing machine.
  • My kids are starting to talk like my mother.  If they’d just clean up their rooms like my mother, it would be great.
  • There’s something wrong with the central air conditioning.
  • The Republicans are driving me nuts — here and in D.C.
  • I’ve discovered The Current.
  • The dogs are happy and raising Hell as only Scotties can.
  • I have way-short hair and blue fingernails.

And so it goes.

I think that hits the highlights.  I hope to have something more coherent soon.  With photos.

_______________________________
*Random Bullets of Crap

Yammers with Wolves

This is an April 2007  post I found in draft form when I converted my blog to WordPress.  Enjoy!

Carol Anne

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Saturday was the GTG for the TFTTF Minneapolis gang. We took our cameras and selves over to Como Zoo and the Conservatory. It was a good thing we could be indoors — it was a rainy day. It did give it up just long enough that we could get pictures of the animals that were out and about.

For some reason, everytime I got near an exhibit, the animals would move away. My fellow photographers didn’t move away from me, so I know it wasn’t B.O. Plus I’m a generally pleasant person, especially when the small types aren’t running around me saying “mamamamamamamama”. The animals would stay put for the other photogs.

We decided it was my purple shirt. All the other photogs were in blues or white. There I was in purple. (it was a cute purple shirt, too.) Oh well.

I had to leave early, because of the small types at home, and my fear of them running my sister ragged (be nice to the free babysitter, kids!). It started raining, so I popped up my umbrella, and walked to my car. Which was parked somewhere in outer Siberia.

As I was approaching outer Siberia, I noticed that I was walking by an exhibit — the back side. A small sign indicated it was the wolf area. The big white wolf sitting six feet away from me confirmed it.

I walk as close as I can get, expecting the purple shirt to send the wolf packing. Wolf stayed seated, and looked me in the eye. I greeted the wolf, commented on the weather, and asked what he/she/it was doing sitting out in the rain.

As I had this one way conversation with the wolf, we kept good eye contact. When I looked into the wolf’s eyes, I didn’t see a wild animal, I saw a familiar spirit. The same spirit I see when I look deep into my dogs’ eyes. Dogs are just domesticated wolves, and wolves are just wild dogs.

It was so odd to see something so familiar. The wolf wasn’t nervous around me, and I wasn’t nervous either. It was an odd sort of communion. So I did the obvious.

I asked the wolf if I could take it’s picture.

I’m fumbling with my camera, bag, umbrella (it’s raining — harder), and I’m trying not to make the wolf run away. I just keep talking, getting my gear together, and finally firing off a couple of shots.

The wolf is getting bored with me. But I keep talking, taking more pictures. The wolf decides I’m not too bad, and then poses for a final set of pictures.

We look at each other in the eye. It’s almost like looking at an old friend. Part of me thinks it would be so cool to just sit next to the wolf, and hang out. Watch it watch the world. But our lifestyles won’t allow that. After all, the wolf is a wild animal, even if it lets me yammer on much like my dogs do when we are out on the porch together. But this big white dog is not domesticated like my little black terrors.

I thank the wolf for it’s time and trouble, put away the equipment, and continue my trek to outer Siberia.