Going Home

I mailed my landlady a 30-day notice a couple of hours ago. Since then, instead of the panic I expected to feel, I've been feeling something that I haven't felt in a very, very long time: peace of mind. Actually I'm not sure I've ever felt it before but it sure feels nice.

I first started going to Sacramento on a regular basis in 1991. My daughter and I went every year for awhile to the now defunct Spirit of Cross-Stitch Festival. From the beginning I always had this thought that I'd like to live there someday. And I guess I'm really going to do it now. I've spent much of my life ignoring that little voice in my head. Well this time I'm listening to it and it's telling me that this is really the right thing to do, that it's where my future is, where I'm going to be happy. I feel like I'm going home and it feels good.

I'm a great quote collector and one I like is Leap and the net will appear. I certainly hope that's true because I still need to find a job and a place to live. Although I have a pretty good fabric stash, I suppose I can always stitch one up fast!

This is a clip of Going Home from Dvorak's Symphony No. 9, From the New World which is one of my favorites. I like bagpipes!

Musical Monday

I was never a big Beatles fan. Partly I suppose because I was a little young when they first became popular. By the time I was old enough to listen to music I was kind of dorky and listened to The Partridge Family, The Carpenters and, well I could go on but you probably get the idea! My daughter, for some reason became a Beatles fan when she was a teenager and can still recite lyrics and details that probably even The Beatles have forgotten. Because of this I found that many of the songs I had listened to as a teenager were sung by The Beatles and also that I completely misheard most of the lyrics.

My favorite example is Paperback Writer. I always thought the song was saying "take the back right turn" instead of "paperback writer." It really made no sense to me but then a lot of songs don't. I don't remember if my daughter was listening to the song or singing it or what but I said I thought it was "take the back right turn." I'm half-way surprised that she corrected me rather than encouraging me to tell other people! This was quite a few years ago that I was enlightened as to the correct words, but she still likes to tell total strangers what a dork her mother is. I'm sure it's done out of love though. I think. Anyway, for today's Musical Monday we have The Beatles singing what else but Paperback Writer! And lest any of you are blessed with my hearing, the lyrics follow.







Paper back writer (paperback writer)
Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book?
It took me years to write, will you take a look?
It's based on a novel by a man named Lear
And I need a job, so I want to be a paperback writer,
Paperback writer.

It's the dirty story of a dirty man
And his clinging wife doesn't understand.
His son is working for the Daily Mail,
It's a steady job but he wants to be a paperback writer,
Paperback writer.

Paperback writer (paperback writer)

It's a thousand pages, give or take a few,
I'll be writing more in a week or two.
I can make it longer if you like the style,
I can change it round and I want to be a paperback writer,
Paperback writer.

If you really like it you can have the rights,
It could make a million for you overnight.
If you must return it, you can send it here
But I need a break and I want to be a paperback writer,
Paperback writer.

Paperback writer (paperback writer)

Paperback writer - paperback writer
Paperback writer - paperback writer

Silent Sunday

Sacramento

Well I'm finally getting around to writing about my apt hunting trip! Overall it was fun and not too scary. I looked at lots of apartments and narrowed down a couple of areas where I'd prefer to live. Fortunately there are a lot of rentals available right now so I think I won't have a problem. There were a couple I liked but they were pretty basic, boring apartments and I was hoping to find something with a little character. There are some great victorian houses there that have been divided into flats so I'm going back next week to look at some of those.

It was kind of fun to be driving around and thinking "I'm going to be living here soon." It felt sort of lonely at times but I think I'm going to be ok with it. The hardest thing was looking at the size of the apts! I'm living in a house right now that's about 1600 sq ft and an apartment looks so small in comparison. Guess that means more stuff I need to get rid of which is good!

Getting nervous

I'm going to Sacramento tomorrow to look for a place to live. I've wanted to move there for quite a while and I think I'm actually going to do it now. I'm getting very nervous though! I've lived in the SF Bay Area most of my life and I've lived with someone all my life. Now I'm planning to go off to strange city all by myself. I guess 52 is old enough? So today I'm going to look at apartments and not ask anyone else what they think. It will be all mine. I've been alternating between panic and excitement with panic generally winning! I really believe it's a good thing and that I'll be happy but it's scary. And it means leaving stuff that I'm not sure I'm ready to give up. I guess it's time though. I have bunches of places printed out to look at and I've already checked on the most important thing - they have plenty of libraries!

Poetry Day

It was not death, for I stood up,
And all the dead lie down;
It was not night, for all the bells
Put out their tongues, for noon.

It was not frost, for on my flesh
I felt siroccos crawl,
Nor fire, for just my marble feet
Could keep a chancel cool.

And yet it tasted like them all;
The figures I have seen
Set orderly, for burial,
Reminded me of mine,

As if my life were shaven
And fitted to a frame,
And could not breathe without a key;
And I was like midnight, some,

When everything that ticked has stopped,
And space stares, all around,
Or grisly frosts, first autumn morns,
Repeal the beating ground.

But most like chaos,--stopless, cool,
Without a chance or spar,--
Or even a report of land
To justify despair.

Emily Dickinson

Bead Journal Project

This past year I've been participating in the Bead Journal Project. It's a 12-month project where you create a beaded journal piece each month. When I started my beading experience was very limited and I was really worried because I didn't feel like I was creative enough to do something every month. I was also worried because I'm a horrid procrastinator and tend to give up on things. Happily, while I did procrastinate, I haven't given up and I've found that I love working with beads and I'm a little more creative than I thought. All very positive things!

August was the last month for 2008 and the next project year will begin in January 2010. If you're interested, check out the links below and consider joining next year. I'm definitely going to and my daughter has enjoyed watching me do this so much that she got interested and will be joining also. If you'd like to look at what I've been working on for this year you can check my stitching blog. The links below will guide you to pages of other BJP participants. Look at the work and hopefully you'll be inspired to join!


The Bead Journal Project starts in January, 2010.

Registration starts October 15, 2009 at beadjournalproject.com/reg.htm.

No experience is necessary! The goal is to create one visual journal piece a month for a year that includes beads.

Participants work can be seen at beadjournalproject.com/bjp.htm.

Musical Monday

Silent Sunday

First lines from novels

This is an interesting list from Pantograph.com of 100 best first lines from novels. These particular ones were decided by the American Book Review. I don't know what criteria they used to come up with this list. In thinking about books I like a lot of them don't start with a great first line so I couldn't use that to decide. I think for me a good first line is one that draws you in and makes you want to hear more. Something that opens up the sense of another world, of adventure. Some of those on the 100 best list fit that description but I don't think they all do.

Here are a few of my favorite first lines:

I had a farm in Africa, at the foot of the Ngong Hills. (Out of Africa)

Somewhere in la Mancha, in a place whose name I do not care to remember, a gentleman lived not long ago, one of those who has a lance and ancient shield on a shelf and keeps a skinny nag and a greyhound for racing. (Don Quixote)

Claudia knew that she could never pull off the old-fashioned kind of running away. (From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler)

Cannery Row in Monterey in California is a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream. (Cannery Row)

The Mole had been working very hard all the morning, spring-cleaning his little home. (The Wind in the Willows)

When Mr. Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly be celebrating his eleventy-first birthday with a party of special magnificence, there was much talk and excitement in Hobbiton. (Lord of the Rings)

Mr. Sherlock Holmes, who was usually very late in the mornings, save upon those not infrequent occasions when he was up all night, was seated at the breakfast table. (Hound of the Baskervilles)

So what are some of your favorite first lines?

Poetry Day

I found this poem a long time ago and I can't remember where. If anyone knows of other poems by this person, I'd love to read them. I really like this one!

God Says Yes To Me

I asked God if it was okay to be melodramatic
and she said yes
I asked her if it was okay to be short
and she said it sure is
I asked her if I could wear nail polish
or not wear nail polish
and she said honey
she calls me that sometimes
she said you can do just exactly
what you want to
Thanks God I said
And is it even okay if I don’t paragraph
my letters
Sweetcakes God said
who knows where she picked that up
what I’m telling you is
Yes Yes Yes

Kaylin Haught

Musical Monday

Silent Sunday