How I Spent My Sunday Afternoon

Cake decorating can be frustrating, but ultimately very rewarding ...

The Escape

This is what I drove while my car was getting fixed.

I'm not a huge Ford fan, or that much of an SUV fan, for that matter ... but, let me tell you, this baby was fun to drive! I actually miss it!

I'm Too Young for This

My brother is getting married. Did I mention that? Yeah, so the middle one, the one 3 1/2 years younger than moi, is getting married. I'm very excited for him, but I still feel a bit astonished that he, of all people, has found Ms. Right already! And I do mean Right. He really couldn't have special ordered a better match. My future sister-in-law is feisty, sporty, level-headed, frugal, down-to-earth,and head over heals for him. Who could ask for more?

I have to buy plane tickets before they get too pricey. If anyone hears of great deals from Nashville to Connecticut, let me know.

So, because I love 'em both, I'm showing them off. Cheers to you two!

(Pictures from the engagement party I threw for them last week.)

Just Because

I'm feeling good today. Mom's doing better, my car is getting fixed (at no cost to me), and I've had contact with good friends and encouraging people lately.

Couldn't ask for more, really.

*looking up at the sky*

Thanks, God. I needed that.

I Know Who I Am - Do You Know Who You Are?

For all the days when I wonder what the point is, or why I'm here, or whether anyone cares, or if I just feel let down, or sad, or lonely ... I need to come back to this post and remember who I am. (Thanks to Melinda J for letting me copy her! And thanks to the encourager who put this together in the first place!)

I am God's child (John 1:12)
I am Christ's friend (John 15:15)
I am united with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17)
I am bought with a price (1 Cor. 6:19-20)
I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)
I am a personal witness of Christ (Acts 1:8)
I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt. 5:13-14)
I am a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27)
I am free forever from condemnation (Rom. 8: 1-2)
I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil.3:20)
I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8:31-34)
I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Cor.5:17-21)
I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph 2:18)
I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)
I cannot be separated from the love of God (Rom.8:35-39)
I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor.1:21-22)
I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8: 28)
I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16)
I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12)
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13)
I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)
I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16).
I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3).
I have been justified (Romans 5:1)
I am God's co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1).
I am God's workmanship (Eph. 2:10)
I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected (Phil. 1: 5)
I have been redeemed and forgiven (Col. 1:14).
I have been adopted as Gods child (Eph 1:5)


I belong to God
Do you know who you are?

Hello, Friends

I love this picture. :)

No, Yes, Maybe

Person: No
Place: Yes
Thing: Maybe Soon.
Idea: Wait. What was I talking about?

So I Got Rear-ended Last Night

THAT was fun.

Just some paint damage, and maybe my bumper has separated from my tail light a bit. Nothing major to the car. I think I got hit by a girl going maybe 10-15 MPH. Not much.

I did scream in surprise, because the impact threw my face into the visor, but it felt like the steering wheel and I thought I'd be bruised this morning. Today, my shoulder (from the seatbelt), neck, and back are sore and stiff and feel a bit ... loose between the bones.

Still trying to figure out if I should go to the doctor like a stupid hypochondriac or not. I just don't want to be held responsible for the cost of fixing me up. Really, a chiropractor is what I need.

And a good nap. I still feel shaken, like my emotions aren't quite back in place. If anyone crosses me, I might just cry. Shock waves. That's what I chalk it up to.

yes or no?

Two words that can change a life.

I am hoping for yes and worrying about no. The strange thing is, this statement is applicable to an infinite number of levels in my life. I am waiting for positive answers about a person, a place, a thing, and an idea.

I feel like I should be standing beside Vanna and Pat. (May I buy a vowel?)

When I Grow Up

I want to live in a real house with a real dining room and a real dining room table and an extra bathroom just for guests. I want to clean my kitchen and have that be my job and not my headache. I want to dust just for the fun of it.

I want to hang out on the back porch and enjoy my yard. I want to have somebody plant beautiful gardens around the house, but they'll have to take care of them, too, because I don't have a green thumb on either hand. Not even a green pinky. I kill plants, so as a rule I avoid contact with them—I love flowers too much to see them needlessly die!

I want to cook and have people eat what I cook. I want to drive to the grocery store in the middle of the afternoon and shop when the lines are short.

Wouldn't that be grand? To just LIVE?

I remember

The eleventh day of September.

This day, six years ago, I was driving to my biology lab early in the morning and overheard commentators on the radio deliberating if Nashville was adequately prepared for an attack. I thought it was a role-play show. Or an advertisement for some political figure. And then the radio announcer said "... this just in ... a second plane has hit the Towers."

And I realized it was all for real.

We all stood around the televisions that day, at MTSU. Like moths to a bug lamp, we were drawn to the terror and couldn't look away as the horrific images flashed before our eyes. After seeing the figures of people dropping through the air, and the clouds of smoke, and the collapsing of uncollapsible steel and glass, we were numb. What had happened? How had it happened? And WHY? I still don't understand.

Thinking back and forward

Oh, to be this little girl again. To have a messy room be the worst of my problems. To be fed, and cared for, and housed, and loved just for being me.

They never tell you how complicated being a grown-up is.

My Favorite Beach Bums

You make me happy! Destin '07 was a weekend to remember.

Now, this sounds familiar ...

Might be moving again. No, let me rephrase that: I might be moving AGAIN. This blog really ought to be called "Ruby Red is a Gypsy.

The townhouse hasn't sold yet. Five months after I moved out, and it is still sitting on the market, despite having been reduced in price twice. So, since all of our leases are up in October, myself, my roommate, and a mutual friend are considering moving BACK into the house. Well, back for me. It will be new to them. They were pretty excited about the house. I mean, after all, it is a HOUSE, not an apartment. We got into discussions about colors and room delegations, and when to get patio furniture. It has yet to be determined if we go any further than just discussing. We have to decide soon though. We have to give 30 day notice if we aren't going to be in our apartments. That only gives us about two weeks to make the final decision.

In other news, I'm still up in the air about grad school. I really need to take a half day sometime soon and hand carry over my transcripts, if I can. If not, I have to order them. Really, I should have done that already, but I didn't. If it weren't for the money/debt payment/car payment issues, there wouldn't be any flip-flopping in my mind. I want to go to business school. It just costs a lot of money. Money that I'm not sure I can afford right now. That being said, if I graduate and am unable to start my own business right off the bat, I could qualify for positions paying at least double what I make now. Double sounds good. Double sounds VERY good.

So, this post is more like a journal entry than usual. My own personal "to do" list.

Hop to it, girl.

I just walked out of Best Buy and into the 21st Century

I bought a laptop. Or, more correctly, I owe Best Buy $713 towards said laptop.

I am currently sitting in Panera and rejoicing that I no longer have to get up super early just to be able to get to work and sneak in some personal computing time. Woo hoo! Hopefully, my blogging will be more frequent, and I'll be able to once again have fun on sites like my favorite forums and blogs ... without shame. ;)

Still getting used to this keyboard, though. It's an HP, not an Apple, and it's a laptop, not a traditional keyboard. The shift key is too small! I keep hitting enter, instead of SHIFT.

LOL.

Oh, this is too much fun!

Long Live The King

This afternoon, I don't know why, I began to hum the tune to this song in my mind. Over and over, particular phrases of the melody repeated themselves. Finally, I pulled out my earbuds and turned on my iTunes and listened to the song in its entirety.

While the melody caught my ear, the lyrics, I discovered, had caught my heart. It spoke to me in the weariness and exhaustion of the day to day, the pain and worry of my mother's battle with cancer, and the joy I find in knowing I am held where nothing can harm me, in the palm of His hand. This song is the prayer of my life, at the moment.

Enjoy.


***NOTE: I found Aaron's own lyric notes with references he listed line by line. Even more powerful! ***

"Long Live The King"
From: Whispered and Shouted
Artist: Aaron Shust

My heat keeps beating even though I can’t control it
My lungs keep breathing; I admit I don’t know how [Job 14:5]
Bring the flood or bring the fire in this lifetime
I’m ready for the altar or the plough [Luke 22:31-34]

There are always days when I don’t feel like singing
There are always days when I don’t care at all [Psalm 42]
But I know the King of All Creation reigns completely
Over every moment great and small

Long live the One who gives us
Life and peace and hope for tomorrow [Jeremiah 29:11]
You’ve given everything we needed
From the palm of Your hand [Hebrews 1:3]
I’ll give my life to the One
Who pledged to cancel my sorrow [Revelation 21:4]
All I have is Yours Long Live the King [Revelation 19:15-17]

Humbly we approach Your throne of Mercy [Esther 4:11]
Aware that we’re unworthy of Your Grace [Romans 3:23]
But You have offered pardon and forgiveness [Esther 5:2]
Grievances are gone without a trace [Psalm 103:12]

You restore our lives even though we don’t deserve it
And You’ve given us a love that’s not our own [I John 4:7]
You assemble all our broken, shattered pieces
More beautiful than I had ever known [Colossians 1:18-20]

You shall reign forever and ever
You shall reign, You shall reign
Forever and ever and ever and ever and ever [Revelation 11:15]

Q O' D

"If you don't see me here, I'm at the beach!"

-Ruby Red

I Need Destin

Oh, how I need the soothing sound of the ocean, accompanied by several days of nothing but down time. My body is exhausted. My mind is exhausted. My heart is burdenend. My soul is weary.

Ironically, despite all of those things, I really am in a good place. I am just so ... tired. I've been pushing myself mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically for a couple of months now, and it is really starting to show. In some ways, this is a blessing! I've been more consistent with my walk with the Lord, I've seen good friends turn into amazing sister-friends, I've taken on more responsibilities at work, I've lost a little weight, and I've stepped outside of my comfort zone.

Now, I just need to "be still and know" for awhile. Just a little while. Just enough to reboot, recharge, renew.

For the space of five days, no wondering "what ever happened to him?", no hearing answering the "you have a call on 101" pages, no worrying about the client who likes to ask me "well, why can't you do that? It's so simple. Let me talk to your designer. I can tell them what to do," and no 45-minute commuting!

*sigh*

This Stinks

I woke up at 4:30am today and couldn't go back to sleep. So, I did what any normal girl would do. I got up.

And went to work.

Barely 6:15, and I'm sitting in my cubicle. How pathetic is that?

Q O' D

(Quote of the Day)

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."

-Thomas Edison

-----
Every day at work, I put a new quote up on my whiteboard that faces the hallway. It's become expected of me ... if my coworkers don't see a new one, they ask me when I'm going to put it up. This is today's. I really like it!

Dissapointment

Things I don't want to happen, do, and things I do want to happen, don't.

That's life.

One Week Until Destin!!!

I just realized that, as of today, I have only one week until my friends and I leave for Destin, FL over Labor Day weekend. Having not been to the ocean since I was 18 (nine years ago, but who's counting?), I am very, very excited.

We are packing up the van next Thursday evening after work and heading out into the night. We plan on arriving Friday morning, crashing for a few hours to catch up on whatever sleep we didn't get while on the road, and then relaxing at the condo or on the beach for the rest of the weekend.

We're all pretty laid back, so I don't think we'll do much site-seeing. The primary purpose of the trip is to be a Bible study retreat for my church's singles' group, but we'll probably also watch some movies, play board games, and eat out a few times. I do believe dominos will be involved at one point or another. Trust me—with my friends, that alone will take HOURS. We take our dominos seriously.

Now to go make my packing list ...

Water is Viscous

Viscosity.

What a great word. It's fun to say, and it's even scientific! I love viscosity, don't you? It is so tenacious ... yet another great word. Water clinging to water. Molecules acting as a single unit that flows and pours and molds itself into whatever container it occupies. It never holds back.

I'm not sure, but I think there might be a metaphor for life in that.

31 Things That Make Me Happy

1. Blank composition notebooks
2. Genuine compliments
3. Checking off my "To Do" list check boxes
4. Odd year ages (17, 21, 25, and 27 were all good)
5. Extra Fine tipped COLOR Sharpies
6. Expensive brands of water and their classy bottles (Currently, I'm drinking "G Beneath the Rainbow" from Scotland. Its bottle is absolutely scrumptious, and award-winning to boot)
7. Guys that wear screen-printed t-shirts under sport coats and with jeans.
8. Jane Austen--nuff' said.
9. Dark chocolates from an independent gourmet chocolatier
10. The smell of a book store
11. 6am Starbucks runs for Grande Caramel Lattes before work
12. Purse shopping
13. SEPHORA stores
14. The sounds of a rain storm
15. Walking my dog
16. Boating on a lake
17. iTunes
18. Dad hugs
19. Text messages from friends during work hours
20. Flip flops
21. Air conditioning in my "new" car
22. Flying
23. Random quotations
24. Sitting by a babbling brook with my eyes closed and just ... listening.
25. Automatic car washes
26. Children's laughter
27. Flea Market antiques
28. Pedicures!
29. Sunshine and a breeze
30. A job well done
31. New friends

2 Posts, 1 Day, 4 Real

After two months of nothingness, writing two posts in one day seems excessive, but somehow I don't care because somehow I have this incredibly complex universe of thoughts flying around in my head at the speed of, well, thought. Which means I'm pondering things again. Which means I have a lot to figure out. Which means I'll probably have enough to say to fill up way more than a mere two posts per day.

So, there.

Life has this wonderful way of creeping up on me and then jumping out from behind the nearest bush while yelling, "BOO!" Aaa! I didn't see you there, Life. Where ya been?

I've been focusing all of my energy on the upkeep of relationships lately, and it has begun to drain me. I've been tired--more tired than I should be, actually. I am not saying I will for one second stop focusing my attention on the wonderful people around me. I am only saying that I have had to stop and take a few deep breaths and say a few deep prayers in order to have the strength to recharge. It's like I have batteries that have been drained, and my system has sloooowwwwwwed down in order to conserve energy.

What's been going on in the lives of people I care about for the past few months? Break-ups. Make-ups. Birthdays. Job hunts. House hunts. Engagements. Weddings. Family trips. Phone tag. Chemo treatments. Births. Spritual awakenings. Heartaches. Tests. Car troubles. Money troubles. Work troubles. Girl/Guy troubles. In other words: LIFE.

Rain

What a blessing! It finally rained last night here in Middle Tennessee. I wish it would rain more ... our poor crops and fields and lawns are thirsty.

I was outside walking my dog as the lightening approached from the distance. There's something exhilarating about feeling the wind pick up, seeing the flashes of bold, white light, and hearing the low rumble of thunder grumbling as it approaches. The air seems crisper and I always feel more aware of the enormity of the Earth and, in a small way, the awe of knowing that God has formed nature to do amazing things, from the cellular to the universal level. Every little part works together to form a whole that is, quite simply, incomprehensible.

That's a lot to ponder from just a few raindrops.

Back Again

I realized today that life had been so busy that I hadn't journaled online in a very, very long time. Such a shame, considering how much I love to ramble.

So, quick update ...


GOOD STUFF:

- Job is going well, and I enjoy it for the most part. I've hit the busiest season of our year, in which I will have to live, breathe, and think "Catalog Season," that faster-than-the-speed of light time when we pump out more than 80 custom catalogs with over 200 custom pages in less than four months. Ahh, the insanity.

- Dog is good. Still acting puppyish out of pure joy since becoming a house pet. You'd never know she's a grumpy middle-aged woman in dog years.

- Got a raise.

- Got a NEW CAR!!!! YAY!!!

- Hair is a different color. Got highlights, and like it a lot. Don't think I'll go back.

- And, on a random note, it is ALMOST the one-year anniversary of my breaking my right foot, my car tags expiring and then failing emissions so I can't get new ones, and my car breaking down, all within two or three weeks of each other.


BAD STUFF:

- Still struggling with paying off debt. It is an impossible hampster wheel of activity from within a prison cell.

- Mom's cancer has stopped responding to her current regimen, and is now spreading, growing at a pace that is frightening. I keep praying for God to heal her and give her strength. Sometimes, I am ashamed I forget about her illness while I'm busy with my life. Other times, I am so overwhelmed with pain and sorrow that I don't know what to do. But I am so enormously grateful that she has made it this far. Was it only last October that she was diagnosed?

History in the Making ... The Age of YOU

This post is an anomoly for me. First, I haven't blogged in a loooonnng time. Second, I can't remember ever blogging about politics. Third, I have never browsed YouTube.

Which is exactly why I find this so intriguing.

YouTube is accepting submissions from everyday people who would like to ask one or all of the presidential candidates a question at the upcoming, nationally-televised debates in July.

Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/debates#utm_campaign=en&utm_source=en-hpp-na-us&utm_medium=hpp

My Creepy Hand Scare

A Wee Bit of Breakfast at Tiffany's

I am almost 100% moved into the new apartment. My roommate is great, and my Zoe-girl is loving her new life as an indoor pooch. I swear, it's like she dropped 10 doggie years in the past three weeks! She runs up and down the hall with puppy-like glee, plays soccer with her little pink ball, gnaws on her favorite chew bone, and has even played tug-o-war with me and her fleece chew toy.

As for me, I have finally begun to really decorate, just for the fun of it. My apartment is one of those strict no-paint places, so I had to innovate ... I hung black silky fabric with a black-on-black floral pattern across the longest wall and pulled the black picture frames with white mats from out of storage.

Taking my cue from a poster of Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast at Tiffany's, and the fact that my old coverlet fell to pieces in the washing machine, I bought a stunning Tiffany's turquoise blue bedspread from Target. I acutally hunted down a Tiffany's ad in a bridal magazine and carried it with me through the bedding section to get the color right. My bedspread is a shade darker ... but who cares? The poster now resides above the head of my bed. Once I scrounge up some black-and-white print pillows, and possibly some round pink satin ones (for the fun of it!), I think the full effect will be quite stunning.

After getting the bedding right, I decided to paint, after all ...

A canvas, that is.

A co-worker had told me of this amazing art store in Antioch, TN–Jerry's Artorama. It is fabulous! I spent at least an hour just browsing around before I forked out some of my tax return money to get an easel and paint. I already had a canvas I had painted a very basic pattern on a few years ago, so I simply went home, assembled the easel, pumped an up-beat CD through my surround sound DVD system, picked up a brush, and had at it.

Several happy hours later, I had the background for my new piece of art. By the next day, I had completed it. It isn't going to win any awards or even ever see the light of a gallery, but I love it.

Fans of the movie will recognize what is roughly sketched in black paint across the right-hand side of my canvas. And the gold-leaf paisley and faucet are pure joy.

The effect is just so preeeettyyyyy. I am going to have to paint more gold leaf on acrylics. Any ideas?

MOVING DAY

This Easter weekend, I move in with my new roommate.

I have boxes stacked in my house, yard sale stuff assembled in the living room and waiting to be moved out tomorrow morning into the brisk air (of all weekend for it to only be in the 40's!).

Tonight, I'll transfer as much stuff as possible over to my new master bedroom. I've never had a master bath before, so this will be nice. And I'll do a few loads of laundry. Oh, bliss!!! To not have to endure the humiliation of the public laundromat or begging laundry privileges off of friends any longer! We have a washer and dryer in the apartment!!!

My commute will be a mere 10 minutes shorter, but that is 10 minutes I don't have to be in traffic on I-24. Have I mentioned my distaste for I-24 during rush hour?

On non-rush hour drives, however, the difference will be amazing. Drive time to Nashville will be minimal, and I am equally close to shopping, restaurants, and ... STARBUCKS!

Yeah, I guess I'm quite happy. I'm keeping my expenses about the same (thank you God) and my new roommate is pleasant, and doesn't mind my dog! Can't ask for much more.

Now to work on asking for that raise I so deserve ...

What the Hooligans Did

We're so baaaaaaad!

i *heart* friends

You make me happy!

Good times.

(Nothing like a late-night Wal-Mart run, 25 pinwheels, 225 plastic Easter eggs, and 500 Post-its, and one empty home of a friend on vacation to make a Saturday night to remember!)

purple bird

This little guy makes me happy.

Made on a recycled wool sweater I got at Goodwill, I shrunk the wool at the laundromat (on purpose, for once!).

This fun little birdie is felted wool and embroidery thread. I got a felting needle tool at Hobby Lobby and let loose–it was great fun!

May I just say, crafting is good for the soul.

Crashing back down to reality ...

I hate being broke.

Just when I was beginning to get comfortable with my new life, I run aground ... AGAIN.

May I rant for a minute?

My business, the one that I poured every spare cent into, has not done well. I did recently sell a shabby-chic mirror, but the things I thought were cute are still sitting on the shelves. I'm still excited to even be doing this, and I don't regret it, but I'm beginning to realize that doing this while being broke and yet full-time employed is not going to work.

My car, the one that broke down twice in the span of one week last year, has broke down yet again, leaving me stranded on the side of a busy intersection, without my cell phone, and making me very, very late for work Friday morning. To make matters worse, when I went to look into buying a newer car yesterday, I quickly found out that I can't afford one. Period. The one 2002 Ford Focus I found that was in my price range had just as many things wrong with it as my tired old 1996 Toyota Camry. I'm sorry, but I'm not going into debt for four years AND have to fix my new car right off the bat. I'd rather just fix the problems I know my current vehicle has-without the car payments.

I had a bad week at work. I love my job, and thoroughly enjoy the people I work with, but it was just a bad week. One that isn't made any better by the realization that burger flippers in Connecticut make the same amount per hour as I do here in Tennessee.

Speaking of Connecticut, my brother with whom I shared a house just moved there. Connectictut, that is. He got a good job as a pilot at a private charter jet company that wisks the uber-rich to work in NYC every morning. Imagine that-commuting by jet. Sure cuts down on rush hour traffic-something else I hate.

The traffic for my commute is driving me crazy. What is normally a 30 minute drive sometimes stretches into an hour and a half.

One last rant ... Housing. How does anybody afford it? With my former roommate/brother moving out of state, I'm left with the rent. Our family is putting the house up for sale this week, leaving me to hunt for apartments. I had a sweet deal with my parents to be able to live in such a nice home. Now, I have to find the impossible: a cheap apartment within driving distance to downtown Nashville, in a safe neighborhood, that allows dogs, with washer/dryer hookups. Do you know how impossible that is?

Oh, and I've got to start saving for a car. This is just getting ridiculous.

Rainy Days

It's raining in Nashville as I type this. I woke at 5:00 to the BOOOM of thunder, and we have a tornado watch in effect.

I was out of portable lunch food when I left for work this morning, so I ate at the place across the street. Macaroni and cheese–good rainy day comfort food. If only I was at home, lounging on the couch in my pj's with a mug of coffee and a good book!

A Short Synopsis

For my loyal readers, who know the whole story, let me clarify my current position:

1. CraftLuck is my newest venture. It's non-profit, and, as I mention in the previous post, grassroots.
2. Declaration Vintage is my business. I'm thinking of re-working the name and will explore selling indie-crafts along with my antique and vintage items more aggressively than I am now.
3. Ruby Red is my avatar/personna. This is my personal blog, the one with all the history. If you've read my posts since the beginning, then you know about my journey and how I've gotten here. (If not, start at the beginning!) Ruby Red is the writer, the vintage postcard collector, the crafter, the design enthusiast, the entrepreneur. Ruby Red is ... me.

Something New ...

I can't believe I'm doing this, but I have stepped out of my comfort zone and started a whole new kind of grassroots craft movement. It's a local concept, for now. An indie-driven, freestyle, one-of-a-kind event called CraftLuck. Basically, crafters in Middle Tennesse can participate in a potluck-style meeting in which participants bring craft supplies to share with the entire group for the duration of the event.

Unlike a stamping party, nobody is selling the products used. Unlike a scrapbook meet, more than one kind of craft is being created. Unlike a traditional potluck meal, you can't, well, eat what everyone else has brought (unless, of course, they brings snacks to share, too)!

What you can do is have fun. I'm hoping that people who don't normally spend time crafting will come and enjoy themselves, as well. I want to get the word out that crafting is for everyone, and that you don't have to be perfect to be creative.

Friday!

It's Friday, I'm heading out of the office .... YAY!!!

Actually, though it's been a long, hard week, and my allergies are killing me, I'm sort of excited: we are in the process of renovating the office. I have a brand spankin' new cubicle that is BIGGER than my old one (by quite a bit, actually!). And a new Mac mini.

So that's good, right?

(It's just that every Monday reminds me again of why I can't wait to have my own business).

*sigh*

A Long (and Overdue) Update

I’ve switched out most of my inventory in the showcase and have changed gears yet again. Out are the majority of the purses and all of the costume jewelry. I loved them, but obviously the market was not right for them at the antique mall. So, I’ll sell them another way, perhaps online or in a trunk show. I’m losing money on rent, but the past three months have been an incredible learning experience for me!

So far, the antique shoppers of Nashville have liked (and, more importantly, bought) the following: baroque-style gold mirrors, end-of-the-day Bakelite, vintage belts, vintage wicker and leather purses, blue glass, and a decorative fan.

I’m trying to be the bootstrapper of bootstrappers and the guerrilla marketer of guerilla marketers, considering my budget is, well, nonexistent. Sometimes, I think I’m going to go crazy, because even when I’ve stopped intentionally planning, my brain takes over and I can’t concentrate at work or go to sleep at home because new ideas spin around and around and around until I have the compulsion to write them down or make a new phone call contact—immediately.

My business has gone through such a metamorphosis, even in the past year, that sometimes I stop and wonder if I’ve completely lost it. How will I ever stick with one idea through to the finish line? How many other ideas will I hotly pursue, only to drop later on down the road without so much as a tootle-loo?

More importantly, will I ever start to make a profit?

Yet I can’t deny that jumping in and making the financial commitment to sign a 6-month lease, however small the space, has been the best thing I’ve ever done. Even my little showcase has transformed me from dreamer to do-er, and that one small change has affected every aspect of my life. Instead of buying clothes for myself, I hunt down vintage finds to add to my collection. Instead of blogging as much as I used to, I spend my spare time making labels and pricing my stock (a task I have been surprised to discover I dislike!). Instead of taking a leisurely lunch break, I take at least one lunch per week on the run when I drive over to check the booth and rearrange things to keep it fresh looking. Instead of reading a book, I write marketing plans.

And, for the final, and most unusual change to my business daydreams: the boring stuff is taking precedence. Since I’m so small, I have yet to print business cards (albeit they are next). Instead, I am determined to learn small business record keeping and my next step is to set up a cash-flow statement and an inventory database to keep track of sales, trends, and current stock. How mundane. How tedious. How absolutely necessary!

Who woulda thunk that I, the graphic design enthusiast, would put the image-making stuff last!

I'm a Compulsive Creative

So, today we were talking around the lunch table and I was told that I was a true creative because I compulsively have to create things. Makes sense, I guess.

It certainly would explain a lot about my childhood! LOL! Selling wildflower bouquets to little old ladies, dictating poetry before I could write it, and teaching myself to play the piano ... sounds pretty compusively creative to me.

I ... can't ... stop. Must .... post to ... Blogger ....

Ahhhh, the life of a right-brainer.

Oh, Incidentally ...

http://www.myspace.com/declarationvintage

Check it out.

I feel official, now

Last night I was checking out at Target. The girl ringing my purchases up asked how I was doing, initiated the usual cashier chit-chat, and commented on the magazines I was buying (Domino, Lucky, Country Living, and Mary Engelbreit's magazine).

I admitted, a bit shyly, that I am a magazine addict, but justified my purchase by explaining that it was research for my business.

"Oh, really?" she said, all interested. "Do you mind if I ask what kind of business it is?"

"I sell vintage accessories and decorative items."

"That's so cool!" she said.

And there you had it, I'm official, and now I'm dying to design and print business cards.

Whoooaaaaa, Bessy. One thing at a time. You gotta pay the February rent first!

Wednesday = Friday's Coming

Why has this week been so long? I don't know. Maybe because I'm working on updating a client database. Long, drawn-out, and, well, how can you get around saying it? Boring.

But it's all good.

'Cause I have things like this (I believe) blue moon Bakelite bangle to make me happy.

Of course, I'd be even happier if it sold!

Will this day ever end???

4:53pm. At Work. Pleeeeeease clock turn to 5:00pm. I am exceedingly bored!

4:54pm. Posting this image. It makes me happy. Did I mention it was from my vintage booth at the antique mall?

Uh-huh.

You can buy any of these things, folks.

Snatch 'em up!

Picking up speed

I am taking a break from work for just a minute to update my blog. I probably shouldn't be doing this, but my brain is all fuzzy from concentrating on my current marketing work-in-progress, so I need a break.

That being said ...

I've decided on a name for my new official business and have just registered for a MySpace account again. I haven't done MySpace since late last spring, because I found it a waste of time, but the amazing power of that online community is undeniable for my targe demographic of 18-35 year-old indie and/or vintage minded young adults (not to mention the free "toot your own horn" PR for a newbie business!).

I also posted my first Craig's List ad for a vintage Bakelite bangle I have for sale.

Yesterday, I updated my antique mall display case and filled it with vintage bangles, a couple of vintage plastic bead necklaces, and vintage purses.

I fully intend to handcraft my Ruby Red line of cards and sell those, too.

All in all, it feels uber-good to be taking these newest baby steps toward boutique-shop ownership.

Ch-ch-changes

One more baby step: I've signed up for an Etsy.com account. I'm not a registered seller yet, but that will come soon, and I will, at last, have some cards for sale.

As for the changes, it looks like Ruby Red may be a my own stationery and handcrafted product line for a different type of business than I originally decided to start.

So, to date:

1. I am selling vintage fashion and home accessories at the antique mall.
2. I am about to sell vintage sewing and craft notions, along with my own crafty things, under the Etsy ID "vintagenotions".
3. I am starting to write more, and hope to possibly incorporate my vintage, antique, and crafty interests into possible articles and/or books.

And, I am hoping to one day tie all of these interests together under the roof of one little boutique shop where people can shop for everything from an indie-crafted plushie animal to a cabinet to house their plate collection or craft supplies.

It will have vintage clothing, jewelry, hats, bags, and other accessories mingled with hand-crafted items and original art and user-friendly antiques and fine "junk".

There will, of course, be a red door and a chandelier, and the coolest jazz and indie music you could ever ask for playing in the background.

But, for now, I'm happy with my baby steps ...

ICBIIB! (I Can't Believe I'm In Business!)

I didn't visit my case at the antiques mall for over a week because I was busy and Christmas shopping. Well, ok, that's not the real reason.

The real reason I didn't visit was I was scared.

What have I gotten myself into? Bad grammar aside (ending a sentence in a preposition, oh my!), I have been contemplating the ramifications of loosing $55 a month to a case full of inventory that just sat there.

Then, yesterday, I dropped by, just to rearrange things and keep the case looking fresh.

When I got there, the case looked different. It took me a minute to realize that items were out of place (wow! people have actually looked at the stuff!) and some items were--could it be?!!!--MISSING.

Hallelujah, I made a sale. Somebody stop me before I hyperventilate.

The good new got even better ... two of the items that sold were, in fact, the most expensive ones in the case. A gaudy gold Louis XIV-type mirror (plastic, vintage, so-hideous-it's-gorgeous) and a bakelite bangle. The bangle I had gotten by luck for around $1. I sold it for $25, no questions asked.

I'm giddy.

I'm addicted

I have a new obsession ... vintage/retro plastic costume jewelry, especially anything lucite or bakelite.

That's "bake-uh-light."

Bangles, in particular, have caught my fancy, but I am also fond of lucite purses from the '60s, carved bakelite pins or buttons from the '30s and '40s (I really, really want a black Scottie dog pin, but they're $25 or more), and funky lucite rings from the '70s.

Bakelite has a sniff-test as a preliminary gauge of its authenticity. I went to the Tennessee Flea Market this past weekend, and I can only imagine what passers-by must have thought when I rummaged through piles of vintage junk, grabbed a suspicious-looking piece, rubbed my thumb across it until it warmed in that spot, and then sniffed it tentatively. If I smelled the right smell (a distinctive formaldehyde-type scent reminiscent of high school biology lab days), then I was very, very tempted to buy it!

Unfortunately, the best pieces I found (vintage pot-holder loom and a fun green cuff bracelet) were at an antique jewelry booth where the owner new his stuff. I would have had to fork out $20 for the bracelet and more for the "loom".

In the end, I came home with two boxes of vintage buttons (a score were the big red carved buttons I suspect could be bakelite!), a couple of brightly colored children's birthday cards from the '40s, and what I think might be a moonglow plastic bangle bracelet from anywhere from the '60s to the '80s -- I can't tell.

Ruby Red Began!

Big news.

Though the name may possibly change, and thought the focus has changed, the reality is still the same: I took a baby step on Sunday and officially rented case space at an antiques/home decor mall in Nashville.

Yep, peeps. After nearly two years of thinkin', and hopin', and wishin' … I'm officially in business!

I'm selling vintage-y things, with hopes to expand into larger "antiques" (of the primitive, cottage-style, or shabby chic variety), original art, and delicious little indie-crafts, if I can sell enough stuff to pay the rent each month. The way I see it? There are worse ways to spend $55 per month. Even if I don't make a cent off my new venture, I'll still learn a bunch about starting a mini-biz, and that can't hurt.

I'm finishing up my Christmas cards for this year and taking the extras over to the mall to sell--my love affair with paper and boutique-style cards has not changed, even if my business venture has! This year's cards are fab. I took a generic card base, added a tea-stained photocopy of a 1920's magazine story, then piled on pieces from vintage Christmas postcards, and topped it all off with pieces of vintage costume jewelry, Swarovski crystals, glitter--or all three!

So, if you have an extra $5, twenty minutes, and a hankering to go antiquing, take a little side trip to the GasLamp Antique Mall (Armory Drive exit off of I-65) in Nashville and visit case S112.

p.s. In honor of this new venture, I will most likely start a new blog. Look for it soon!

Lastborn Jack

It's been a long time!

Wow. A lot–and I mean A LOT–can happen in two months.

I got a job and have had some interesting experiences. That's the short version. The long version could take an entire day to write about, so I will merely state it in list form.

August 7 - First day of work. I am dog-sitting for a friend in the morning and working a part-time job at night the entire week.
August 24 - My car fails the emissions test
August 28 - Broke my right foot
August 31 - My license plate expires
September 1 - Pre-Busy season starts at work
September 8 - While out painting pottery with a friend, I lock my keys in my car. We wait until nearly midnight for the locksmith. The good pottery people wait with us.
September 15 - My brakes make horrific grinding noise ... I take my car to the shop and convince my brother to let me borrow his Civic while he rides his motorcycle for a week.
September 18 - Busy season starts at work
September 21 - Get my car back from the shop.
September 22 - My Check Battery light goes on. I can't figure out why. After work, I go to Autozone and ask the guy to check my battery. It has full charge. My pottery-painting friend and myself decide to go to a movie in Nashville. Half-way there, my alternator dies. I have just enough charge to cross from the HOV lane to the side of the road. We wait two hours for the wrecker and then squeeze into it with two slightly scary truck operators we later nickname Chris Rock and Skanky Boy. We decide that we shouldn't hang out together on Friday nights anymore!
September 23 - My car died with the windows and moonroof open. It pours that night and morning. I still have damp carpets to this day. I get a rental car.
September 29 - I get my car back. It drives, but it stinks.
September 30 - I take the rental car back. And go to a kid's movie with my pottery-painting friend. We figure we're safe since it's a Saturday. The movie projector breaks twice during the film (of course!), but we score free tickets.
October 2 - The Official CRAZY Season starts at work. I need to figure out how to clone myself.

Which brings us to today, in which the most eventful thing that happens is I woke up an hour later than usual ... which would normally mean I would be late, but for me, who has been going in two hours early every day, it only means that I am a mere 30 minutes early, which I choose to use blogging for the first time in over a month, instead of prepping for the day. Hey, a girl can only handle so much.

But I still have to figure out how to squeeze three weeks worth of work into the next four days. We're THAT busy. You can't produce 80+ catalogs in a single month without being, well, swamped.

So, I'll write again later. But for now, I have to get back to work.

Hah!

Laugh's on you, Human Resources. I already got an equitable job ... with the exact same credentials you found lacking. So there.

----
Thank you for applying for the position of Editorial Assistant. All the applications received have been reviewed and evaluated. We took care to review your credentials thoroughly and have come to the difficult decision that your candidacy is no longer under consideration. Determining a small group of finalists was a difficult and lengthy process. Those who have emerged are considered to have the skills, knowledge and experience that more closely meet the needs of the department.

Again, thank you for your interest in employment at ____________. I hope there may be other employment opportunities of interest to you in the future.

Sincerely,
Human Resources
----

Actual, factual ultra-personal (hah!) e-mail received today. Honestly, though the job looked good, I wasn't holding my breath.

Who am I?

Just a little existential question for the day. Nothing major.

Well, actually, it was the question for yesterday, and I got the answer today. Boy, that was quick! My manager didn't know my official title, so I think he made one up. This is because I am the first person to be full-time in the position.

Are you ready for this? I am (at work) an Assistant Account Executive.

That sounds so important.

I've been hard at work for two days now, and I think I'm getting the hang of my basic tasks. Of course, once I master those, they're going to fling a few dozen more at me. I say bring it on!

Career advice for college students

Me, Myself, & I
Wow, this feels so weirdly familiar. Didn't I just do this two years ago?

I start my new job as an assistant at an advertising agency on Monday morning in Nashville. 8 a.m. sharp. Please, oh, please, don't let there be any wrecks on 24 or 65!

Two years ago, I was as green and fresh-faced out of college as they get. I had full faith that graduating magna cum laude was a good sign I'd succeed. Today, I'm older (sshhh!) and wiser (hah!) and a wee bit more cynical (how could you tell?), but I am still experiencing those pre-first-day jitters.

I really think I should remind myself that I am an old pro at starting new jobs by now. After all, I've done that four times in the past year-and-a-half alone! I didn't die of misery or mortification then, and I won't now. I even made it through my 1040 without a hitch, thanks to the folks at H&R Block online--despite my 4 W-2's and unemployment benefits.

So, anyways, about that advice ...

College + Good Resume = Job? Sorry, No.
For the record, college is a mere stepping stone in the path to a good career. Actually, it's more like a pebble. The employers of today want you to have a degree--that's a no-brainer--but they don't necessarily care if you were a great student. The question they have is "are you a great worker?". In other words, will you be an asset or a liability? They don't want to train you. Nobody has the time in today's corporate world, so you'd better be sure you learn fast. Your salary is meant to get them the best cubicle-dweller for their big-money buck; benefits are the bait that trick unsuspecting little college graduates into getting hooked into workaholism, unproductive activity, and stressful lifestyles. They need you to slave away so they can enjoy the profits, and you need their money to enjoy a semblance of a life. It's called co-dependency, folks.

Welcome to the Real World (No, I don't mean MTV!)
So what do you need to succeed?

The Basics
- Determination
- Thick skin
- Organization (see below)

The Good
- Ability to follow-through on ALL commitments
- A great professional phone voice
- A phone-call log
- A well-kept Rolodex (hint: this isn't a fancy watch).

The Better
- A "tickler" file
- A planner/PalmPilot/Blackberry - whatever.
- Common sense. Lots and lots and LOTS of common sense.

The Best
- Ability to multi-task (while doing the seemingly impossible of FOCUSING on one at a time despite being required to do at least 5 unrelated tasks simultaneously).
- Interpersonal skills
- Communication skills
- LISTENING skills
- Impeccable customer service

The Personal
- Good health/exercise habits (this includes a well-balanced diet. No. French frys are not a vegetable!)
- A sense of humor
- A good memory (remembering somebody's name, favorite sports teams, and birthday are all great ways to make friends).
- A sense of style. Have you ever noticed how people tend to compartmentalize people and label them? It might feel like high school, but that's how it works. Be remembered for something good and only (maybe) slightly controversial. At least they'll know who you are and it's a great conversation starter. "Have you met Sara Beth? She's our resident Cubs fan/art collector/Scrabble champion/gourmet chef."

The Best Resource
People. It's not what you know, it's who you know and where you knew them. The best part of a college education is maintaining good relationships with professors, mentors, advisors, and fellow students. You never know who might know the CEO of that dream company.

This is not to say you should abuse your friendships by using them to get to someone else, but it is never a bad thing to have a network of friends, family, and acquaintances that has a favorable opinion of you and your abilities.

Which brings up an excellent point ...

The Second Best Thing
The second best thing is to use your free time wisely. Choose activities not only for entertainment or financial benefit, but also for their ability to provide invaluable hands-on experience or educational opportunities directly related to helping you develop good job skills.

Great extra-curricular activities include:
- internships at noteworthy institutions
- joining an industry organization
- attending industry-specific classes or events
- volunteering

Finally, Take a Test Drive
Take a PART TIME job either on or off campus that will give you the opportunity to learn from trial and error doing the small things that you will then have perfected by the time you land your first big professional job. If you get the foundations down before hand, you can spend your time and energy learning the bigger, more important aspects of your new job from day one, instead of day 91 (like I did, unfortunately). This cuts down on a significant amount of unnecessary stress. Trust me.

one little ... two little ... three little resumes

I'm shooting out the resumes left and right, folks. I even spur-of-the-momented an online form for a company that handles ticket sales and event management for a certain nearby city.

Before the day is through, I will have applied to 5 jobs--with the potential for 2-3 more. I might even call up the place I dread applying to (it's a call center) and do a phone interview for good measure. Maybe. I haven't decided yet.

In other news, I dropped off my interview suit to be dry cleaned today.

And I ate leftover Papa John's pizza for breakfast. Nothin' better!

r and r at the lake

My singles group at church is heading out to the lake tonight for a long weekend. Mmmmm. Nice! A million thank yous in advance to the super-nice family who is letting us use their "cabin" (a.k.a. really nice second home) and boat.

I'm excited to be leaving late this afternoon with 20 others--many of whom are good friends I haven't spent time with in months. I'm looking forward to the company and the down-time even more than the lake itself. We're going to have a few Bible study sessions and a steak cookout and just some good old-fashioned fun. And the best part? It's FREE!

I needed this.

i'm hot!

More correctly, I'm sweating. Or is it glowing? Wait a sec--let me check. Hmmm ... OK ... nope. Definitely sweat.

Drove around in the car lots and lots today. I'm getting worried about how close that indicator is to the "E" on my gas tank gauge. I really don't have the money to fill up at close to $3/gallon right now.

By the way, whoever it was that said looking for a job WAS a full-time job? They're right. I woke up bright and early this morning, turned on the good ol' iMac, and set to work on my resumes. Yes, I have many. Each one I turn in is tailored to the job and company to which I apply. I never, EVER hand out a generic resume. (OK, so yes, the temp agency got one. But that's IT).
So, last night I had a mini-episode of panicked discouragement when I thought that I had missed by just a few hours the deadline for an absolutely sweet little job at a college.

Then, to my delight, I found out that I was a day ahead mentally somehow (probably all this heat), and, whaddaya know? TODAY was the deadline. Yippee! I typed-typed-typed and fiddled with the design and font to meet uploading specifications for the PDFs, and then, at 1:30 this afternoon, I submitted the completed online application right on time. This job, folks, is right up my alley. Even more so than pretty much any other job I've applied to in quite awhile. If the faculty and God decide I'm the girl for the job, I'll probably hoot an' holler and maybe turn a few celebratory cartwheels for good measure.

Sadly, my transfer to the Big Retail Store did not go as planned today, so I am once again without any form of income this week. I am still going to transfer, but it will not be until Saturday or Monday that the process will be complete. The reason? Despite my persistent calling and reminding and questioning, my employee file was not mailed to my new store, and I am still not in the system. Hence, I can't log into my register or clock in to get paid. Hence, I can't work. Hence, I am still very, very poor right now.

But all is not lost! I took the opportunity to canvass the town today, stopping in at every restaraunt I deemed worthy to pick up an application and maybe a to-go menu (to study, of course. I can't afford to-go).

Then I dragged my sweaty little self into the local Career and Umployment Center and sat in blessed air-conditioning while I waited for my turn, which was a surprisingly short wait. Job hunters take note: 3:30 pm is a good time to go to the dreaded Career Center! I scanned the list of available positions, wrote down my selections, and then was ushered into a tiny, paper-packed cubicle to update my address information and have the assistant look up my selections. No luck, I'm afraid. One was too far away, and two were at a restaurant a few weeks ago that had already opened and was running with a full staff, but had neglected to remove their listing.
Then I hopped over to the college library computer lab once more for some more free T1 internet access and free printing. I did the online job listing circuit, and that brings me to this point where I am blogging to relieve stress.

Next up: fill out all of those applications. Turn the best choices in, check out a few part-time listings I found, including a little local sign and advertising shop that has a big HIRING sign out front of their store.

And then there is nothing else I can do until more listings turn up. In the space of three blisteringly hot days, I have almost exhausted my options.

new timezone, new life

Well, I made it. I've moved 90% of my things to the new house, none of which is really quite unpacked at the moment. I have piles of clothing spilling out of trash bags (really, that's the best way to move clothes, I've found. You can shove the bags into the strangest spots, thereby increasing your car's load capacity!). I have books on the floor, important papers in numerous RubberMaid containers, and job hunt stuff everywhere.

I did manage to take the time last night to clean up the kitchen. I love my brother, but he just doesn't seem to grasp the concept of "you take it out, you put it back." So I bought dish detergent for the dishwasher (which he forgot we had), did the dishes, wiped down the countertops, and bagged the trash. The rest of the house can stay disorganized for the time being, but I absolutely must have the kitchen and living room in order. We've already had several friends over to hang out at the "new pad", and I just think the place should look, if not presentable, then at least as neat as possible under the circumstances.

This morning I got a visitor's parking pass to my alma mater, so I can abuse the FREE printing privileges at the college library! I got to park in the faculty lot directly behind the library, and I felt so smug. So, right now, I'm typing this blog post in the computer lab. Soon, I will print out the pages of job listings and company research I've done in the past hour.

Next up, I'm debating whether to call the HR department of a job lead I got from a friend, or to just go ahead and walk into the office with my resume. Then, I'm going to trek over to the local employment office and see what's listed there. Finally, I'm going to drop off a generic administrative resume at the temp agency to which I applied a couple of weeks ago, though I doubt I will get any positive leads from them.

But first: an early lunch. Then, I'll change into my suit, just in case the resume drop off at the bank results in an interview. This afternoon, I might even pick up a few applications to restaurants or PT retail positions.

Thank goodness, I got my transfer completed yesterday to the local branch of my Big Retail Store. I start work tomorrow, so at least I'll have a little money coming in.

This evening, folks, I plan to rest. Maybe unpack and clean a little.

By the way--it is HOT out Nashville way. The heat index is in the 100's, and my poor car's air conditioning is on the fritz ... I never get more than 30 minutes of cold air, so I have to use it wisely. Needless to say, I've been sweating more than my fair share.

as southern as pecan pie

So I guess it's official now: I'm a Southern girl. I made my first-ever chocolate pecan pies today at the tea room, and I must say, they were purty!

Sadly, as it was also my last day working at my beloved tea room, there will not be an encore performance. I guess next I'll have to try my hand at banana pudding ('Nanner Puddin' to the enlightend) or perhaps gravy and biscuits--then my transformation will be complete.

In other news, tomorrow I am moving. I can't believe all of my hoping and dreaming and fretting has come to fruition. It's exciting and terrifying all at once. Exciting, because I can't wait to see friends and places I've missed. Terrifying, because I fear the consequences to my paltry bank account if I do not find a good-paying job in the next two weeks. Exciting, because I have a new chance to make positive changes in my lifestyle. Terrifying, because I'm afraid the changes will not happen. But that is where faith comes in, and I am just going to have to trust God that it will all work out like I know it will.

breaking news

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Andregirl, of Ruby Red Begins, has launched a new venture: ispystyle.com. With domain registration and hosting setup freshly behind her, and the inaugural content yet to be uploaded, this entrepreneurial blogger has big dreams for the up-and-coming site.

"The website is going to be an online resource dedicated to the thrill of the hunt for elegant, eclectic, vintage, and indie products," andregirl said in a recent interview. "It's all about the right mix."

According to this new style spy, the rise of the indie craft movement, along with an enduring affection among the design-conscious for antique, vintage, or retro items, has highlighted the need for a more personalized and whimsical take on style--whether found in the closet, around the home, or on the go.

iSpyStyle.com will fill that need by highlighting the work of indie artists and hunting down style bargains at flea markets or antique stores, as well as introducing new products that exemplify the iSpyStyle.com values.

When asked why she chose the name, Andregirl laughed. "I've always been fascinated by the investigative process," she said. "Nancy Drew was my hero. Now's my turn to be a private investigator or secret agent!"

Get briefed at http://ispystyle.com, or ask for more information.

hear, hear!

This article might be a year old and a continent away, but it still rings true. America, are you listening? Be unique! Wear something, carry something, decorate with something that doesn't sport a trendy label.

Because who wants to look like a walking billboard anyway?

you CAN do this on television!

I love a good documentary, don't you? You get to take a look into other people's lives, be entertained, and learn something to boot. It's a win-win situation.

Which is why I'm interested in a project that is in the works (right now! this very minute!) featuring the phenomena of the indie craft movement. Faythe Levine of Flying Fish Design and the Paper Boat Boutique & Gallery, and Micaela O'Herlihy, a film artist whose work has been featured in galleries and the Sundance Film Festival, have combined forces to film the world of indie crafting. They will be filming until the end of December of 2006, and you can check out their progress at their official website, http://indiecraftdocumentary.com.

feeling better

I had a heart to heart with my mother last night (yes, you! I know you read this, Mom!) and a few things she said to me really wiggled down deep and made me think. Specifically, she emphasized that it is easy to believe lies about ourselves. I never really thought about that.

How often do I believe the lie that I am not "good enough" at what I do or who I am? Much, much too often. That lie gets me down in the dumps, so to speak, and keeps me mired in the past when I should be standing in the present and preparing to soar into the future.

Do you ever believe that lie? That dirty, filthy, stinking lie?

Don't.

make that nine

When I first started blogging, waaaaayyy back in the dark ages of 2005 (remember them?), I had a countdown from leaving my job to move.

Hmmm. Something sounds familiar here.

This is day nine of ten. It was long, and tiring, and made my feet hurt. Funny how standing on your tootsies for ten hours straight while worrying about the next week and a half will do that to you.

Called my brother, got the good ol' little bro pep talk which consisted of the usual "so what's so stressful about that?" speech. If you have a popular, athletic, counter-culture, nerdy-but-cool genius for a brother like I do, then you know what I mean. If you don't: trust me on this one.

Oh, I found a great job to apply for in Nashville. The commute would be yucky, but the pay is liveable and it's in my field. Don't know how I'll approach the possibility. I mean, I'd be silly not to go ahead and send a resume and some design samples, but I'm not sure how my limited experience in professional design will convince them that I'm the perfect gal for the job, especially since it's been a year since I've done any serious, 40-hrs a week kind of design work. I'll think on it.

But here's the good news: I'm desperate for success, and still itchin' to start my own biz. I'm not KO'd yet!

ten days

Ten days? Can it be? In ten days I will be moved into my new home.

I almost can't believe it is really happening. I'm excited, but scared stiff at the same time. Funny how money just seems to fly out the window in times like this ... and I don't even have a real job out there yet! Oh, what on earth am I thinking? I must be insane. Didn't I say all along I couldn't move unless I had a job? So what am I doing now? (Insert silent scream here!)

I have to call the store I'm transferring to out there and let the manager know the transfer is complete and then beg for hours. Then I have to get out there and knock on doors until I get permenant employment somewhere.

Meanwhile, I've been so distracted and frazzled and tired (all these trips out to the new house to move things little by little are starting to fatigue me) that I've missed the deadline for two bills by a few days (aaaaack!) and I've done little but operate on automatic survival mode. No blogging, no forum chats, no email conversations with old friends. Not even phone calls to more than a couple of people! It's crazy.

I'm crazy?

Dunno. But I do know this: the next couple of weeks are going to be nerve-wracking!

just what you've always wanted ...

Remember the family who was hiring themselves out to the highest (non-existent) bidder on eBay? Well, folks, this one is even better; you can hire your very own, bonified, certifiable Redneck to spend the ultimate Redneck Vacation with.

Goody! Sign me up for that thar gen-you-ine experience!

(Oh, dear).

they don't want me,

but that's okay. I got a politely distant email from the place I interviewed saying they had chosen another applicant after a "difficult decision making process."

Oh, yeah, like I haven't heard that one before. And I'm not sure how I feel about an HR email, anyway. Is that professional now? I guess I'm glad it was a "quick" (two weeks later) reply, but I've at least gotten typed, hand-signed letters from previous no-goes.

So, now I have to find a job in two weeks or less. I should write an article about this for a woman's magazine or something. It sounds like a movie plot.

Ummmm. The problem with having left my publishing job last February, and then having been laid off from my real-estate advertising job last July, is that I have been segregated from professional company since that time, which doesn't look to great on a resume, if you know what I mean. On the other hand, I have gained invaluable experience in making split-second decisions while "improvising" at the tea room and have also learned how to smile and speak in a quiet, professionally polite tone while inwardly screaming at the idiots who come up to me at customer service at the Big Retail Store.

I'm confident that I have a good selection of skills to offer at least the food service/catering and retail industries, I'm just worried I won't make enough $$$ to make ends meet. Therein lies the challenge! Find a job that a) pays the bills, and b) gives me time to start my business. Plus there are all those pesky moving expenses . . .

So, since I don't really want to pack all that stuff up anyway . . . I'm thinking maybe "liquidating my assets" on eBay???? Has anyone ever done that?

now that's what i'm talkin' about

Unh-huh, ohhhh yeah.

Can I just say: zoning change?

Yep. The government has relented, and the house is no longer in the "flood plain." No insurance needed, my friends!

Now . . . if I can just get a grrrrrreat job!

(and, BTW, the closing date is now officially next Monday. I'm gonna move stuff in next week!)

25 + 1 = ?

Well, folks, I'm officially over the quarter-century mark today. Who knows what my 26th year will hold. Today, though, I am going to relish birthday-girl status and let my parents take me out to P. F. Chang's for lunch after strolling together through an antique store or two and my favorite bookstores.

House drama: FEMA seems to think we're in the 100 year flood-plain for a nearby creek/river. This means flood insurance at the cool tune of $1,300/yr. Yuck. We're trying to work our way around that, but my parents have not had much luck so far, and we have to close in the next week.

Ruby Red: still not up and running. Actually, I've been kind of sort of cheating on it with another business idea. It involves retail, a shop of my own, and vintage stuff. But ... one day doing letterpress cards is still very much in the picture.

I'm incorrigible.

getting past myself

As always, I'm great on dreaming, pretty good on planning, and horrible on actually doing. Not because I don't care (quite the opposite!), but possibly because I care so much that I become scared of the enormity of whatever I'm seeting out to do and ... well ... I never get passed that.

You know? Fight or flight? What they don't tell you about is the third survival instinct: freeze. That's what I do best. Like a deer caught in the headlights, I stare in shock at the big event, dillema, or opportunity bearing down on me, and it becomes my downfall.

I am fighting my inner freeze with everything I've got right now. It's like having daily--even hourly--pep talks with myself. I can do it. I can do it. I will do it.

• I will find a job in the next 4 weeks
• I will choose a paint color for my new bedroom (and the rest of the house)
• I will call friends and let them know what's going on
• I will take the time to sit down and talk with my mom about our business ideas
• I will then do the business ideas, even in the midst of the move
• I will keep promises to friends and family
• I will pack only what is necessary for the move
• I will coordinate setting up utilities, forwarding mail, deep-cleaning the house, and finding a good doctor/vet/beautician
• I will have fun planning a house-warming party
• I will not panic!

sleepless

So, here I am, at 3:47 am, typing away on the keyboard and wondering why in the world I can't go to sleep. I am supposed to "wake up" in less than four hours to go to work. This isn't going to be pretty.

By 11:00 am today, I will be undergoing what I hope will not, but fear will be, a trial under fire of sorts at the tea room. Because of circumstances beyond the owner's control, only she and I will be working today. Two people doing what 4-5 normally do. If people heed the mental signals of distress I am sending out right now, they will avoid the tea room at all costs and give us a nice, boring day with only one bridal shower and a handful of walk-ins so that I can cook and she can serve and we can both leave at a decent hour before I have to go to my next job. If my fears come true, however, we are going to be slammed and have more than a few annoyed patrons on our hands when we can't seat them right away, take their orders right away, and make their food right away. Please, oh please, oh please don't be like that!

On the other hand, I have only ever called in once at the Big Retail Store, and that was due to a sudden illness back in October or November, I think. If this sleeplessness continues, and I am completely worn out from the tea room, I may have to beg out of working in the evening due to incoherence and exaustion.

After having written all this, I think I know what is wrong with me: I had a skull-throbbing headache all day that increased in intensity until I finally couldn't stand it around dinner time and took a couple of ibuprofin. By midnight, when the pain still hadn't reliquished, I took Excedrin Migraine with some Diet Pepsi--my sure-fire headache extinguishing combo. Of course, I had hoped to fall asleep before the caffeine kicked in, but I guess I missed out on that. However, the good news is that my headache is finally gone.

The bad news is that I still have to use knives in the morning. This could get messy.

all coming together ...

The checklist is almost all checked off now for buying the house. I think they're only waiting on the appraisal to come through in order to finish the loan process, and then we (OK, my parents) close on the new house sometime in the next two weeks.

Somebody pinch me. Is this real? I still can't believe that I'm beginning yet another new phase in my life. This time around, I'm going to start packing earlier, label boxes more accurately, and hold a great big yard sale to get rid of all the clothing that doesn't fit, items I don't use, and other "one man's junk is another man's treasure" type stuff.

Oh, and get a job. Or two. Or three. Whatever it takes to support myself.

So ... when is somebody going to invent money that actually DOES grow on tree?

*Gulp*

Told one of my bosses today about my intent to move in July. She took it surprisingly well, considering the kind of week she's had. I was scared to tell her--not because of her (she's wonderful!)--but because I know how rough it's been lately at the tea room due to scheduling conflicts, and she depends on me to be there to keep things running on the weekends.

I'm relieved to have it all out in the open at last, although it still feels surreal.

No news yet on the job I interviewed for ...

LCE ... Phase One

It happened.

The Life Change Event has really happened.

My family is investing in a house. And my brother and I are going to "rent" it.

In about 3 weeks my parents expect to sign the paperwork and close on the property. My brother will move in right away, since his current lease expires next month, and I will be moving out of my parents' basement and into the upstairs of the new house as soon as I get a job out in the Nashville area. My share of the investment will be interior decorating and "housekeeping" while I live there over the next couple of years until we sell it (hopefully at a nice profit!).

I'm actually moving back to Middle Tennessee!

I am too excited for words at the moment. But even more exciting ... and much more frightening ... I have a job interview tomorrow at 11:00 am. I'm driving out tonight after work in order to be at the interview on time and I'm nervous as can be. It seems too good to be true that I would find out about the offer on the house AND a call for an interview on the same day.

I'm on pins and needles right now, folks. Pins and needles.

Possibilities

As my life has drifted away from the e-life and back into "life" life, I've found myself going into survival mode. I've taken a sabbatical, so to speak, from the computer and have unconsciously avoided writing, designing, business planning, and any other form of creative outlet. I don't know if it is a kind of mental fast or if it is just my realizing that I simply do not have the energy to create new things.

Ruby Red? It might be a long way off. I may never become a booming enterprise, but I do not regret of minute of planning or dreaming.

My two jobs? Still keeping me busy. Exaustedly.

And the life changing event ... one that I hadn't anticipated, but have dreamed about for quite some time ... is still in the works. I'll know in the next two weeks if it will happen or not. If it does, I'll call all my friends and share the good news, choose colors and styles, and then throw myself into a whirlwind of planning and preparation.

(No, no! I can tell what you're thinking! The life change event has nothing to do with the diamond rings, the color white, or invitations).

PMLCEPWKYU

Possible Major Life Change Event in Progress Will Keep You Updated

have you ever

felt small and tired? Like the world has grown and you have shrunk and all you can do is shiver in the crack in the sidewalk like a lost little ant?

Maybe it's the rain. But that's how I feel today.

so, i just did my taxes

Yep. I'm a little slow this year. I've been dragging my feet ever since they eradicated the TeleFile last year. I like the 1040EZ, but the TeleFile was QUICK and EASY. So, last year, because I was in a serious money-crunch, I needed that return ASAP. And I got it, too, after e-filing through H&R Block for free.

But I forgot my user name and password since then (I am not exactly Ms. Organized in my home office. Stuff from the move is still packed awkwardly in a mish-mash of Rubbermaid containers and ripped old moving cartons), so I was reluctant to do it online again, and I kept forgetting to fill out the paperwork.

Which is why I was a little nervous about doing things so late in the game this year. Before, because of the ease of the TeleFile, filing was the first thing I did as soon as all my W-2s came in (all those part-time jobs ... ) But this year was different FOUR W-2s and one unemployment compensation statement later, I had quite a bit of work to do.

But, I finally did it, after creating yet another H & R Block account. Their easy system walked me through it all, and I ended up filing the 1040 and getting back a whoppin' $40 more than the EZ would have gotten me, thanks to a convenient reminder that my student loan interest paid was deductible. Yippee!

2 days and counting ...

I saw from my StatCounter.com account (love it! highly recommend it!) that, amazingly enough, y'all are still visiting this humble blog, despite the fact that I, myself, haven't. In honor of this strange, yet fabulous, phenonmenon, I am blogging at 3:04 a.m., Tuesday morning. I should be asleep by now, but I got all caught up in a wedding favor design project for a good friend, and, well, the Starbuck's DoubleShot I drank around 10:00 p.m. is still going strong ... why didn't I discover those things when I was in college?

But, as for the title of this post, I AM GOING ON VACATION! Words cannot describe my excitement. Easter Sunday is my friend's wedding (if you're reading this, girl, I still can't believe you're getting married. I'm bursting with happiness for you!), but I am off work Thursday until Monday. This is super duper. You have no idea ... I go an average of 7 days in a row working at one job or the other. Sometimes, as much as two weeks goes by without a day off from both places at the same time. This past weekend alone, due to making the food for a wedding reception we catered at the tea room, I have worked a grand total of 30 hours in 3 days. Saturday was the worst, at 14.5 hours straight of working. Let me tell you, my bed never looked so good ...

So, yes, my friend is getting married, and I'm making a road-trip/weekend retreat out of it. I'm going to hit up my favorite Nashville haunts (Hillsboro Village, Fido's, antique malls, the downtown branch of the Nashville Public Library, the Frist Center for the Arts), as well as trying to make it to a Nashville Predator's game Saturday night with my brother, and maybe even stroll through the shops of 12 South, attend a theatrical performance at TPAC, or find a free concert at MTSU's School of Music. (Good ol' alma mater).

And I'm going to get a hotel room for at least two nights. I know, I know--I'm splurging--but it is going to be worth every penny.

And I'm super-duper excited! The countdown to rest and relaxation has BEGUN!

hello! hello?

While it is probably an excellent thing that I have been focusing my energies towards the daily grind versus digital dreaming, I'm afraid I've neglected updating my few remaining readers as to my whereabouts and whatabouts. Sorry!

Status Report:

- Allergy season is among us. My nose could use some relief right about now, and I keep losing my Claritin tablet packaging ...

- Nothing new on the Ruby Red front, except more of the same see-sawing about "is this really what I want to do?"

- Found the cutest '04 VW New Bug (cream, leather seats, CD player, black-top convertible, only 17k on the odometer ...) that I'd love to drive around in this summer. No price tag. Probably one of those if you have to ask you can't afford it deals. Besides, I know of at least three people who've had those Bugs and they poured money into them just to keep them running. And Consumer Reports says that there hasn't been a single model that has passed their stringent reliabilty and "good buy" tests. Not that they know anything. They're only the experts.

Of course, I've yet to convince my inner self of these things. It still wants to go on a road trip to Florida or California or some other sunny, beachy spot in that adorable Bug--top down, wind in hair, big black sunglasses covering my face and Audrey-Hepburnesque scarf fluttering in the wind.

(I should remind that self that my boring green '96 Toyota Camry has 230k on the odometer, hasn't been to get a tune-up in over a year--poor thing; how I neglect it!--and is still running just fine ... minus the odd couple of quarts of oil I have to feed it every month).

- Think I've decided to not go back to grad school--at least not yet. I might just do some non-traditional educational experiences instead. Would love to learn to blow glass or re-upholster furniture.

- Rearranged my bedroom. After one year of living here with my parents, I think I'm finally (almost!) unpacked and moved in. After moving around the furniture, I switched chests of drawers with my Mom's spare bedroom, bought a cheap-o tall bookcase, and moved my boxy stuffed chair, formally of the family room, in with me. All in all, I added two pieces of furniture--but have more space! I am very excited.

Okay, that's about the gist of things at the moment. Must. Blog. More. Later.

LOL.