The Metaphorical Magpie

The softening

2008-11-18T16:21:31-05:00

I've got a to-do list and I know how to use it. Starting first thing on my first day of freedom, I had appointments to meet, errands to run, items to cross off. Several friends murmured it is not all about getting things done. I scoffed and put my pencil back to the paper.

Today, it's my sixth day off and I feel something inside me softening up a little. I decided to deviate from the day's plan and was surprised I found myself to be even more productive than I anticipated. By not forcing myself to adhere to the list, I am not so resistant to taking on a task.

The major project for this week is to fix up the guest room so JPo will have a nice spot to cozy up in when she is her dogsitting soon. As always, one well intended project leads to another. A while back, I took on cleaning out the coat closet in the living room. While doing it , we found one of the wall had some water damage and had to be repaired. This meant emptying all the contents of this crammed closet out onto the guest bed. Where else? This week the wall was repaired but now it looks like I'll need to paint the closet to ready it for use again. And Sweets decided he wants to design and build a storage area inside instead of buying some of the closet storage items we scoped out at Lowe's. With an oddly shaped closet (it seems everything in our 30's cottage is oddly sized or shaped by today's standards) none of the closet systems we liked would fit in snugly.

So... cleaning out that closet has turned into a big headache. But it was the beginning of a purging phase that I am painfully trying to ride out while it lasts. Bringing stuff home is easy for me. Finding a place to put it way? That's boring. It gets piled up and piled up and piled up until honestly I can't bear the sight of the stuff or myself for being so gross. Yesterday, I had my mom over to go through some boxes of clothes and knick knacks that I'm ready to let go of. She left happy with several bags of swag and I was happy to see the stuff move out the door. We started building a pile of things by the door bound for donation. I posted an add on Freecycle to pass on two twin beds that are hogging up garage space. So far, I'm on my third interested party. This is part of the painfulness of purging for me. I don't want to just throw things out and into a landfill. I want them to get to people who can actually use them. Sometimes that part isn't as easy as it sounds.

All this cleaning and do-gooding had me feeling kind of dumpy today. So I decided to do something for myself. Switching gears from the guest room to our bedroom, I took on the towering mess known as my nightstand. With four years worth of magazines, books, earrings, pins, bobby pins, movie tickets and the like just jam packed into the drawers and littering the top, I've avoided the task knowing it would take a while to clear through. I did it! I opened the curtains, put on some music and just took care of it. Maybe I'll sleep better without all that nasty clutter next to my head. I even found an old grocery list printed out on the back of a photo of a murder victim. Ah, one of the weird side effects of working at a newspaper. Crime themed scrap paper.

I'm not going to lie. The bedroom still has a ways to go before it is really tidy. The closet makes me cringe because its full of the stuff time forgot. Today I feel like working on my own stuff. Clearing away what I don't want or need anymore. Not being mean to myself because I don't fit into things hanging around. I'm ready to let them go.

Once I make room, I'll have places to put the new things I will invariably find and have to have in the near future. And I won't feel guilty for making a new mess with what I bring home.

So here's to being nicer to me. Taking the time to work on my surroundings. And letting go.

Seeing where I land

2008-11-16T20:24:06-05:00

Since I fell from the relative safety of my newspaper family tree, I've been happily carried by gusts and breezes going wherever the day decides. On my first day off, I got up early and headed off for a haircut. For some reason, whenever I go through a major transition in life I feel the need to cut my hair. It's much shorter now than it has been in forever. It feels good. Light and fun.

Over the past few days I've indulged myself in doing precisely what I want to do. Thrift shopping with Cyndemouse. Stopping by the cheese shop and chatting with my favorite cheese lady. Trying out new recipes and dusting off old favorites. Rummage sales with my Mom. Throwing an improptu Friday night dinner party. Raking leaves. Putting the garden to bed for winter. Shoe shopping. Watching the leaves fall. Listening to the rain. Baking a cake. Researching our next road trip. Catching up on the Tivo. Reading memoirs.

Ah, relaxation. Who knew?

One more glorious week and then we're off for Thanksgiving visiting. My next few days are completely open. Besides doing things around the house, I'm mulling my options. Ideas are most certainly welcome.

One word wonder meme

2008-11-13T00:01:11-05:00

I am a sucker for the meme, as you well know. This one materialized courtesy of Mormar. Not up to tagging tonight, so any fellow meme junkies out there, feel free to play along. Let me know you've played so I can see your answers.

1. Where is your cell phone? purse
2. Where is your significant other? downstairs
3. Your hair color? brownish
4. Your mother? nearby
5. Your father? passed
6. Your favorite thing? cooking
7. Your dream last night? none
8. Your dream/goal? chef
9. The room you're in? studio
10. Your hobby? birdwatching
11. Your fear? fire
12. Where do you want to be in six years? PTA
13. Where were you last night? sushi
14. What you're not? indecisive
15. One of your wish list items? time
16. Where you grew up? Jersey
17. The last thing you did? read
18. What are you wearing? boots
19. Your T.V.? off
20. Your pets? chihuahuas
21. Your computer? returned
22. Your mood? trepidation
23. Missing someone? many
24. Your car? parked
25. Something you're not wearing?earrings
26. Favorite store? thrift
27. Your Summer? bountiful
28. Love someone?many
29. Your favorite color? chartreuse
30. When is the last time you laughed? tonight
31. Last time you cried? today

Last video report

2008-11-11T14:53:20-05:00

For the last video feature I did for the newspaper, I followed a high school cheerleader, that happens to be a boy. He decided to try out for the cheer squad and become the first male cheerleader in the school's history. Aiming for something to help him stand apart in college applications, he's found cheering is harder than he thought and there are some fringe benefits.

I was sad to turn in my video gear. After shooting with that equipment, everything else seems I've looked at for a price I can afford seems so rinky dink. I'm not sure if I will pursue seriously shooting video in the near future. For me to put out about five grand to be set up properly probably won't be happening soon as I have culinary school tuition as a priority expense. For now, I may play around with the video capabilities on one of the cameras we already own and possibly set up with something nice from the consumer spectrum. Once I start my new food blog, I'm sure I'll be wanting to shoot video for that.

Friday Dance Party: I'll be walking out the door edition

2008-11-07T13:26:50-05:00

I can hardly believe this but today is the last Friday I'll be working at the newspaper. Monday I'm taking a personal day, Tuesday I'm archiving my videos and Wednesday will be my last official day. There are some plans brewing for a little post workday celebration that day before I sail off into the sunset.

There are only so many times in your life that you can invoke the spirit of Johnny Paycheck, so I'm taking the liberty here today.

Really, playing this song today is all in good fun.

I had an amazing ride at this paper. I came here when I was burnt out on the business and wanted to quit. Instead, the director of photography here convinced me I could help build an award winning photography department. We did just that. I did more than that. I filled my world with tremendously talented photographers, writers and editors who I count as friends and mentors today.

If I was just leaving a job, I would be sad. Sure. But I am really leaving a family, my chosen tribe, a respected institution and a way of life.

Trying to take in the conclusion of a 19 year run working for newspapers and the beginning of a new era of democracy for our nation has me dizzy and out of breath. I'll be taking a few weeks off to adjust before I begin school in December.

Deep breath.

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