This week I started watching Abstract: The Art of Design. I'm not the most talented TV review writer, so I'm not going to bother describing to you how good it is. It's really good. The first episode features illustrator and New Yorker cover-designer Christopher Niemann working in his minimalist studio, with a bucket of primary-colored… Continue reading Be a careless artist and a ruthless editor
I'm a sucker for holidays. I don't necessarily enjoy the taint of modern consumerism, but I do love food, making things, and celebrating seasons. I enjoy the connection that many of our Western, Christian-ish holidays have to the pagan traditions of Europe, the marking of the passing of time, and the opportunity to break out of… Continue reading Valentine’s Day reimagined: compassion, kindness, and non-complementary behavior
Finally, I've written a crochet pattern! It's small and simple, but pretty and practical. It uses the Cedar Stitch, which is the name I've given to a stitch pattern that I created. Of course, the world of crochet on the internet is vast, so if you come across its twin with a different name, please… Continue reading Cedar Stitch Washcloth: New Stitch, New Pattern
My long-awaited jelly-bean colored, crocheted afghan has been completed. I haven't decided what to call it yet, but here are some possibilities. What do you think? "Jelly Bean Blanket" "The Taking-it-One-Row-at-a-Time Afghan" "Heavy Snuggles Blanket" "Fruitful Afghan" ??? Something about the colors makes me think of exotic fruits. I'm a big fan of fruit. This… Continue reading Taking it One Row at a Time: A New Afghan
I recently cooked some egg in a pan and put it in a sushi roll. I did this because the only other thing in the sushi roll was carrots, and that didn't seem like the most nutritionally complete meal. This is, in the grand scheme of things, not a big deal. But, when you're… Continue reading You can put anything into a sushi roll
Sometimes, when my health is swinging in the upward direction, I get a little project-crazy. I've had these bursts of creative brain juice since I was young and crayons/walls were my primary medium, but it's different with CFS. It reminds me of a classic Mitch Hedberg joke: It's as if the fatigue and brain fog are… Continue reading Ideas, the creative process, and a new crochet stitch[?]
What have I been up to in the three months since I last posted here? Sometimes I feel like I have nothing to write about, and other times I feel like I have too many things and can't choose one. So, here's a summary: My health has been up and down, as usual, but some of… Continue reading What I do while I’m waiting
I love autumn. I know it's been the "it" season for a few years now, and I don't care. I love it so much that I celebrate its beginning on September 1st, which is the start of meteorological autumn. I'm no fan of hot weather, and I live in New England where the foliage becomes… Continue reading Appreciating Autumn When You’re Physically Limited
Today I am missing yet another thing. That thing is an outdoor bridal shower with swimming, food, yoga, and just hanging out in the sun. All things that I love. I RSVP'd a month ago with the expectation that, by this time, I'd be well enough to go. Just yesterday I thought, "you know, I'm feeling… Continue reading FOMO When You Have a Chronic Illness
I'm having a slump day. A "flare up" day. A feeling-crappy day. It started yesterday, really. I was in denial at first, but it's here for real now. It's not the worst flare-up I've had, but it's definitely the worst I've felt in the past week or two. I'm having symptoms I haven't had in… Continue reading Chronic illness and the endless search for “why”
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