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The One In Which She Talks The Talk, But...

The "do something nice for yourself" thing ended up being the purchase of a cashmere elbow-length, fitted Theory turtleneck at a really great price ($50). I'll have to craft up a cute pair of earrings to go with...probably simple pearl drops.

I've been in a "window shopping" mood lately, content to look and not particularly gung-ho over the prospect of forking over think plastic with raised numbers. I can't put my finger on it. If you're at my house, sitting at my computer and happen to go to the Fire Mountain website, you'll see I've put three strands of gemstones into my Shopping Cart, all of which go really well with my existing inventory (or with each other for that matter). I'm sure I'll get around to purchasing them-I'm just hesitant and gun-shy about a lot of things. Is it work? The crappy weather? Just plain frayed nerves? The non-working sink in my cluttered kitchen? I can't really tell.

The One in Which She's Still Recuperating...

It's definitely "do something nice for yourself" time for me. This past week was one of the most stressful since I started my current job a year ago. We are not only a "man" down in my shop as one of my colleagues is now on maternity leave, but I ended up picking up management of a rush project. It's pretty confusing at work right now, and I'm still in the process of mentally unwinding from it.

I probably shouldn't be posting Conan's skivvies on the internet for the world to see, but it occurred to me that both he and The Governor have practically the same pair:

The One Where She Visualizes

The Governor has really taken to watching Project Runway with me. In fact, I had to immediately cease watching my DVR'ed "On Thin Ice" episode after I had put him to bed-he had come down and caught me in the act. He knows my favorite is Nick, and was simply pleased to be sitting on my lap at the PC this morning, watching along with me as I streamed the designers' audition videos.

How I've gotten along for 6 years as a practicing attorney without the staple whiteboard in my office, I can't imagine. Of all the people I know, I am the most visual. People say a random smattering of words and a vivid picture forms in my mind. You know how parents of high schoolers always have to have a window sticker in on their cars advertising their kids' activities? You know, the window stickers that run across the bottom of the SUV back window, advertising "Knights Football" or "Tiger Rugby," or "Blowfish Lacrose" or whatever in all caps? Last year, we were following a van that had a "Bulldog Cheerleading" and I burst out laughing. The thought of those pudgy, squat doggies in skimpy polyester pleated skirts, their rolls of fat spilling out the top still follows me wherever I go.

Anyway, my assistant finally ordered me one. I'm excited. I get to flow chart my way through my days until my heart's content. Hopefully it'll help me organize my days-they're in desperate need of sorting.

The One in Which She Shows Off a Pretty Bauble

Well, it's done:

It's a little big, and definitely not something I would wear to work, but now I have something that uses a sampling from almost all of the beads I have squirreled away down in the basement or under my bed.

I can't be blamed for the inspiration-it was this thread on craftster.org that was the inspiration. Once I got my basic chain and single crochet stitches down, I figured out the rest.

I asked my dog if he used my round-nose pliers lately. He stared at me silently-but he looked kinda evasive. I wonder if he's been trying to copy my briolette flowers.

The One In Which She Talks About The Weather

Other things pounding the W&OD trail besides my running shoe-clad feet this morning: small bits of hail. It was so strange-it was windy but mild initially and semi-sunny, but halfway through my run the temperature dropped and the occasional drops of rain turned hard. There wasn't a ton of it, but I contemplated the strangeness of it as I completed my run.

I needed a stressbreaker after yesterday. I have a team of clients that consistently escalate to my boss and my boss' boss. We were cohesive in our response, but now I'm starting to doubt the decision to just let someone else up the chain respond. I wasn't thinking and I was so slammed with work that I didn't think through the potential impacts. I trust there will many escalations in the future-and many times to prove myself.

This week was otherwise exhausting as well-The Gov was sick on Sunday and Monday, then Conan caught whatever he had. Of course, mommies hardly ever get sick. It's either that, or our bodies suppress full-fledged symptoms. So we walk around feeling ill and exhausted-but still well enough to tend to everyone else!

I'm working on a crocheted wire and bead bracelet-I can't wait until it's completed, but it's really working my hands. I know now why I'd been taking a break from jewelry-making: I wanted to save my hands. They get so sore when working with large gauge wire. I'm definitely more of a paper crafts and jewelry (with a little bit of sewing) type of crafty gal, but at the very least it's nice to learn some basic crochet stitches.

The One She Where She Pieces Together Random Thoughts

If you journal, I would suggest picking up The Decorated Page by Gwen Diehn. I have a couple of other books about embellishing and decorating journals, but this is the first one that makes keeping a visual journal approachable. Based on my collection of beautiful-but blank books, I'm intimidated by the prospect of keeping a journal. A lot of books out there mostly discuss advanced techniques and feature examples of feature-rich journals, so even reading them I'm left not knowing where to start. However, this book breaks it down in to palatable categories and steps. From explaining matching up an appropriate blank journal, to how to go about some simple techniques for decorating it, to listing out some supplies that are helpful to have around, I'd say it's a pretty great book.

Other news-three days ago, I woke up a brunette. Of course, I went to sleep the night before a brunette as well-but that was after a 2-hour stint at the hair salon that evening for my first-ever professional hair coloring. I don't necessarily feel any different-and it's not a terribly drastic change, but I like it. I'm considering adding a couple of auburn highlights to it, just for fun. This is more high maintenance than I usually go, but after seeing my sis and her auburn bob with fringe bangs, I was sorta jealous. Mine is more chocolate brown than anything, so it's not too noticable.

My creative spurt is coming back. This morning, I woke up thinking about crocheting wire. And my most recent G00gle terms are "peruvian opal briolettes" and "pink tourmaline beads." Not the most cost effective beading supplies, but super pretty. We do like the pretty around these parts.

The Gov. told me over holiday break that he didn't want to be on Pr0ject Runw@y because he "didn't want people to see his belly button." Apparently, when he watches it with me, he really notices the model changes. So he will not be double-cheek kissing He1di Klum anytime soon (she looks great preggers, by the way).

"Besides," he added thoughfully, "I don't have a dress."