9-5

Uggghhhh. working every day all day at a clock punching job last week and next. will try to muster the mental energy to write something clever, or just something in the next few days.

Friday Television Review

It's been an interesting week. I was feeling really stuck and empty. Then I started to feel creative ideas forming in my head. Then I started to feel more at peace, more in the moment and accepting. Then I started doing little things with a sense of purpose and happiness. Then I got two emails from friends of friends asking if I would like to meet for coffee. Then I got a job.

Yep. One of the places that I had left a resume at called and asked if I would come down and talk with them, and I got the job. I will be at a "job" 3 days a week. I think the structure will be good for me. [more on all that later]

I wanted to say that I also saw 2 documentaries on TV this week that really inspired me. One was on the Australian public tv - ABC. It was about the craft revolution. I was glad to see that this topic had made it to television. It is called Making It Handmade. The other one is from the fashion channel here. It is called Vivienne Westwood's London. What an unexpected treat! It was sweet to get to see some of the interesting and artsy sided of one of my favorite cities. But the real treat was hearing this fashion queen talk about art, culture, civilization, history, and humanity. I was so drawn in, it made me want to always remember to think like an artist, live like an artist, and stay engaged in the big issues of our generation.

Textile Tuesdays : #30 Something I found at the Art Gallery of NSW

I had a friend visiting from The States, so I took him to my favorite art gallery here in Sydney - The Art Gallery of New South Wales. One whole wing of 20th century art was closed off for an exhibit change, so we spent more time than usual in the Asian art section. We found a stairway that led to an upstairs wing I had never seen. It was full of beautiful sculptures of Buddhas and I found these gorgeous Indonesian batik clothes. They were not that old - only from the early 1900s, but they were dyed with natural dyes and the patterns and colors were exquisite.

Sunday - Funday! Music in Sydney

One of the big advantages of living in an urban area is the richness of the music scene. It's been a while since I saw The Clash, The Talking Heads, Wilco, or so many other great bands. But I still appreciate a great show, and I still know how to rock and roll (even if I do wear earplugs now).

I was jealous that my husband and younger daughter got to go see Belle and Sebastian before I got here. They were at the Opera House and, unsurprisingly, gave a great show. So far, the list of shows seen by my family are: B&S, Sufjan Stevens, Darwin Deez, Elbow, The Vaccines, and the one that I saw - Glasvegas. It was in a pretty small club, packed with a nice enough, fun loving crowd of hipsters, rockers, and gray haired music lovers all mixed together. I was relieved that I was not the only one over 20 something. The singer was charming, the musicians were passionate and skilled, and the audience sing-along was actually top-notch. I will definitely be keeping my eyes on the listing around town. Maybe my body and my wallet can handle one show every couple of months.

An American in Sydney

Wow! I was surprised to see that it has been almost a year since I have posted on this blog. A lot has happened, changes have occurred, and my mind feels like it is all gooey with regard to writing.

I am living in Sydney, Australia now and have been for about two months. I decided that I would start keeping track of what is going on around me (and in my head) by posting again, as regularly as I can, on my blog.

I don't quite know where to start. I don't have any specific projects brewing just yet. I think that reflecting on my life and writing down my inspirations will help my ideas evolve.

Cheers, and stay tuned.

I have an idea! I am going to be more competitive with Life!

I have been struggling lately with challenges and difficulties in my life. I have been trying to be calm, clear-headed and strong enough to do my "best" to "get through" to calmer, happier times.

But yesterday, I don't know why, I had a lightbulb moment. I thought "no, that is not good enough, and it is not the way to succeed". I realized that I have to say "I am strong. I am smart. I will succeed. I will be fine. I am not going to let bumps in the road bring me down. (This last statement is funny because I hate actual bumps in any road).

For some reason, I have a character trait that worries and I let these worries become dread. For some reason, I think that I have to imagine the worst case scenario so that I can be prepared for it. But, really, this way of thinking makes my good times less good because I am hanging onto fear around the edges. And, it makes the bad times worse because I have been expecting them and I give them power by considering them inevitable.

Instead, I can choose to change my mindset. I know that I am a tough, basically successful, somewhat adventurous type of person. When it comes to other peoples' lives, I am a good organizer and problem solver. I know that I have a good life and that I will continue to have a good life. I can choose to wake up each day and say "I am going to engage fully in this day. I am going to have piles of positive experiences. I am going to take on Life and win."

The good thing is that when I win, Life wins too. I have never liked competition. Maybe because I was afraid of failure. But having a fighting spirit, a scrappy preparedness, a lust for challenge - this could really work.

This past summer, after going for a morning swim in The Serpentine in London with a group of women, one of these amazing women was talking about all the traveling and swimming and sporting challenges she wanted to do and she said "there is just so much to look forward to." I keep thinking about that statement and I think it is a good mantra. It is not so much about looking forward to the future, but about approaching the present with a sense of game - ready to play.

(artwork at the top: Nonfictiontees, Marysgranddaughter and Lucysnowephotography.

Textile Tuesdays : #29 - Buttons!

This humble item goes unnoticed and taken for granted by some designers and consumers. But there was a moment in history (around the middle of the 13th century) when someone thought "I have an idea!" and they designed the button as we know it. Actually, buttons have been around since the Bronze age, but they were strictly decorative. The big idea was actually, the buttonhole! Before that, people used ties, toggles, and pins to fix and fasten clothing. They became mass produced during the industrial revolution and the rest is history...

Buttons can be made of many wonderful, or not so wonderful, materials - everything from diamonds to plastic, fabric to coconut shells. They can blend with the garment or stand out. Whatever the desired look, the quality of the garment and the skill of the designer can be revealed in the buttons chosen.

Anyone interested in buttons can find whole books written on the subject (on Amazon).

The photos at the top are all from etsy sellers.

Pine buttons from Woods of Narnia

Glass buttons from Treasure Booth

Clay buttons from Ruth Robinson Ceramics