These are a few of my favorite things:
Friday, February 25, 2011
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Household Notebook...
*****UPDATE****** I have added more pages to this set and there are now 40 different pages. You can buy them in my Etsy shop!
For about a year now I've had a household notebook that I keep on my desk with some of the information I need access to most frequently. It has dividers and I keep the sheets in page protectors updating them as necessary. I keep bills in this notebook until I pay them, documentation of phone calls, to do lists, maintenance and repair records, and countless other items. I bring this notebook to my weekly family meeting that Kyle and I have on Sundays.
I have been using a mixture of printables I found online and forms that came with a household notebook binder I bought at Barnes and Noble some time ago. It wasn't exactly what I needed though, and the perfectionist in me was driven a little batty by the fact that nothing coordinated.
Because it's the start of a fresh year, I thought it was time to develop my own forms for cohesiveness and to meet my specific needs. Here are a few sneak peaks at my work.
I have a total of 22 pages. In addition to the sheets shown above:
If you're interested in having these for your own household notebook, email me and I will send you a paypal invoice. You will receive a zipped file and each sheet will be sent to you in a PDF that you can print as much as you like and put into your own binder.
For about a year now I've had a household notebook that I keep on my desk with some of the information I need access to most frequently. It has dividers and I keep the sheets in page protectors updating them as necessary. I keep bills in this notebook until I pay them, documentation of phone calls, to do lists, maintenance and repair records, and countless other items. I bring this notebook to my weekly family meeting that Kyle and I have on Sundays.
I have been using a mixture of printables I found online and forms that came with a household notebook binder I bought at Barnes and Noble some time ago. It wasn't exactly what I needed though, and the perfectionist in me was driven a little batty by the fact that nothing coordinated.
Because it's the start of a fresh year, I thought it was time to develop my own forms for cohesiveness and to meet my specific needs. Here are a few sneak peaks at my work.
- Charitable contributions
- Party planner
- Party guest list
- Gift giving list
- To Do List
- Categorized To Do List
- Easy Budget
- Magazine Subscriptions
- House Sitter Info
- Charitable Contributions List
- Agenda
- Birthdays & Anniversaries
- Pet Info
- Medical Info
- Contact Lists
- Menu
- Grocery List
If you're interested in having these for your own household notebook, email me and I will send you a paypal invoice. You will receive a zipped file and each sheet will be sent to you in a PDF that you can print as much as you like and put into your own binder.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Finding Purpose, Finding Peace...
Today was one of those days I've been waiting my whole life for. Or at least, the past 8 years or so. For quite some time I've been struggling with finding purpose. When I finished my Masters program and had the ability to teach, my heart sank as I came to terms with the fact that teaching in public schools is not for me. I spent my whole life believing I was meant to teach. I idolized my own teachers, and I read many books about teachers. Laura Ingalls Wilder, my heroine, was a teacher. Helen Keller became a teacher. I forced my brother to play "school" and when he put up a fight I'd play along by myself. I had always seen myself as a teacher. Most of the people around me assumed I would teach. So when I came to the realization that I was miserable in the classroom, I felt like I had wasted thousands of dollars and countless hours on an education I didn't have the desire to use.
Down deep I believe no education is "a waste", but I was having a hard time understanding who I was if I wasn't a teacher. I felt no passion, no drive. No fire burned inside the way it once had. For several years I have been purposeless, wondering what path I was supposed to take or where I would find my niche.
Today I felt that flame come to life in a way I haven't felt since I sat making up report cards and detention slips twenty years ago. I was invited to speak to a group of folks who are transitioning from inpatient psychiatric care back into the "real world". I was to share a bit of my own story and explain why I started the Depression and Bipolar Alliance Cheyenne chapter in the hopes that they will utilize our support group as one more resource to help them along the path to recovery. It was a very unique experience for me to speak from the side of experience and as the one offering a resource to others. I have been on the receiving end of some amazing help over the past few years as I've forged many trails through my own recovery process. I have had many bumps and bruises along the way, but also successes. It can be harder to see the good through the fog of depression or bipolar disorder.
I didn't speak as an authority or as someone with all the answers, but as a peer - which is the true purpose of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. We help each other as persons who've been there. No matter how bad I think I have it, there's always someone worse off. There is always someone who needs a little more help, a little more kindness, a little more understanding. For once I'm able to offer those very gifts that have been given to me to others. Through sharing my experience, I offered them hope. I offered them a place to be themselves where they can be who they are in the moment. And in helping others, my own symptoms improve.
Perhaps I was never meant to teach high school students to write essays and read literature. Perhaps working in education didn't mean a traditional classroom setting. I felt today the first real sense of purpose and significance that I have felt in a very, very long time. I came home elated, buoyed by the amazing resiliency of the human spirit. I came home proud of every person I met today, and a bit more empowered about my own encounters with mental illness.
I do not know where my relationship with DBSA Cheyenne will lead me, but I do know that in this moment, my heart and energy are in the right place. Applying for incorporation as a nonprofit and all that it entailed was a great deal of work and a tad bit stressful for this perfectionist. The gratitude of the group members I see weekly and the experience I had today completely reconfirmed that I am doing something of value for my peers in Cheyenne. I hope that our organization can encourage others in Wyoming to develop their own support networks. I have a great many goals and hopes for my little group that incorporation will make possible. We will be able to grow and serve so many needs. I will be able to apply for grants and funding that will make our wildest dreams a possibility.
I haven't really dreamed in quite a long time.
Today I'm finding that purpose is leading me to find peace. Peace is my "word" for 2011. I am striving to cultivate peace in my life, body and soul. I am so deeply grateful for all the gifts that were bestowed on me today.
Down deep I believe no education is "a waste", but I was having a hard time understanding who I was if I wasn't a teacher. I felt no passion, no drive. No fire burned inside the way it once had. For several years I have been purposeless, wondering what path I was supposed to take or where I would find my niche.
Today I felt that flame come to life in a way I haven't felt since I sat making up report cards and detention slips twenty years ago. I was invited to speak to a group of folks who are transitioning from inpatient psychiatric care back into the "real world". I was to share a bit of my own story and explain why I started the Depression and Bipolar Alliance Cheyenne chapter in the hopes that they will utilize our support group as one more resource to help them along the path to recovery. It was a very unique experience for me to speak from the side of experience and as the one offering a resource to others. I have been on the receiving end of some amazing help over the past few years as I've forged many trails through my own recovery process. I have had many bumps and bruises along the way, but also successes. It can be harder to see the good through the fog of depression or bipolar disorder.
I didn't speak as an authority or as someone with all the answers, but as a peer - which is the true purpose of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. We help each other as persons who've been there. No matter how bad I think I have it, there's always someone worse off. There is always someone who needs a little more help, a little more kindness, a little more understanding. For once I'm able to offer those very gifts that have been given to me to others. Through sharing my experience, I offered them hope. I offered them a place to be themselves where they can be who they are in the moment. And in helping others, my own symptoms improve.
Perhaps I was never meant to teach high school students to write essays and read literature. Perhaps working in education didn't mean a traditional classroom setting. I felt today the first real sense of purpose and significance that I have felt in a very, very long time. I came home elated, buoyed by the amazing resiliency of the human spirit. I came home proud of every person I met today, and a bit more empowered about my own encounters with mental illness.
I do not know where my relationship with DBSA Cheyenne will lead me, but I do know that in this moment, my heart and energy are in the right place. Applying for incorporation as a nonprofit and all that it entailed was a great deal of work and a tad bit stressful for this perfectionist. The gratitude of the group members I see weekly and the experience I had today completely reconfirmed that I am doing something of value for my peers in Cheyenne. I hope that our organization can encourage others in Wyoming to develop their own support networks. I have a great many goals and hopes for my little group that incorporation will make possible. We will be able to grow and serve so many needs. I will be able to apply for grants and funding that will make our wildest dreams a possibility.
I haven't really dreamed in quite a long time.
Today I'm finding that purpose is leading me to find peace. Peace is my "word" for 2011. I am striving to cultivate peace in my life, body and soul. I am so deeply grateful for all the gifts that were bestowed on me today.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
The King's Speech... (Spoiler Alert)
It is seldom that a movie comes along that knocks me off my feet. I'm kind of a movie snob, but I did blog not too long ago about enjoying Shawshank Redemption and An Education. Last night Kyle and I went out for a date and saw The King's Speech.
Wow.
I can't say enough good about this movie. It is proof that quality film does not require millions of dollars spent on explosions, car chases and over-the-top special effects. This film is solely based on character. It's not even about plot. It delves so deeply yet respectfully into the lives of the main characters provoking in the viewer deep interest, compassion, searing pain and elation. The dialogue captivates. Quality direction and perfect soundtrack enhnce its beauty.
Casting? Superb. Colin Firth plays King George the VI, a tormented man who believes himself unworthy of his title. Having grown up with a stammer, he has no self-confidence and has spent much of his life playing second fiddle to older brother Edward who abdicated the throne to King George so he could marry a twice-divorced American. Firth expertly portrays a man devastated upon the realization that he is about to be saddled with the burden of running the country on the brink of war with Hitler, and feeling entirely unworthy of the charge. Yet King George VI does not shirk what he knows to be his duty. He endeavors to find a way to learn to speak to his subjects.
Helena Bonham Carter plays his devoted, witty wife and though a tad haughty, she clearly cherishes her husband and wants him to overcome his speech impediment so he can see himself as the man she sees him as. And so she visits a Mr. Logue - superbly acted by Geoffrey Rush. She's a bit out of her element in a dodgier part of town and trying to operate the elevator in Mr. Logue's building, but she persists in her endeavor to find someone who can help her husband. She pretends to be Mrs. Johnson, wanting absolute anonymity. She tells Mr. Logue that her husband is in public speaking but has a stammer. Mr. Logue humorously suggests he find a new job. She returns with the fact that that is not a possibility. He wonders aloud if her husband is an indentured servant, and she replies, "Yes, sort of!" She eventually reveals the truth of who she and her husband are, and requests that Mr. Logue come confidentially to their home to treat her husband, but he refuses, saying "My castle, my rules". His clearly operates on his own terms, and the viewer immediately warms to him at his ability to stand up, though respectfully, to the Duchess.
Bertie, (King George, to family), had already proclaimed to be done with the speech therapists. He was at his wits end with ridiculous attempts to speak more clearly. Bertie wants treatment on his terms and Mr. Logue sticks with his motto of "My castle, my rules". The first appointment ends badly, but before leaving, Mr. Logue records Bertie reading a passage from Hamlet while listening to music so he can't hear himself speak. Bertie throws down the headphones and storms out, refusing to play anymore games. But Mr. Logue hands him the record for a "souvenir".
Some time later, curiosity gets the better of Bertie, and he listens to the record. To his amazement, and that of the Duchess who is eavesdropping, he hears himself speak clearly. He soon returns to Mr. Logue's.
They still proceed in a battle of wills, of sorts. Bertie and the Duchess insist that their privacy be respected and that treatment consist only of "mechanical" aspects, while Mr. Logue knows that there is more than mechanics behind the King's impediment. Slowly he will draw Bertie out of his shell, but there are a few tense moments before the two when Bertie suspects that Logue is prying too deep or taking too much liberty.
A friendship develops between the two and their sessions are filled with humor. Bertie insists that they be on a first name basis, and though it doesn't go over well at first, the viewer understands that Logue has a purpose in this. Through one of the most heart-wrenching scenes I've witnessed in film, Bertie describes the abusive childhood he had at the hands of a harsh nanny. Sometimes having to sing the lines because it is to difficult to speak them, he unveils the deeply-seated anguish that is behind his stutter. Logue begins the endeavor of building Bertie's self-esteem, which leads to a brief falling-out between the two.
As it becomes closer to the coronation of Bertie after Edward abdicates, he again requests Logue's tutelage, and though he isn't completely able to apologize, (as royalty doesn't apologize)one gets the impression that his reaching out to Logue was in and of itself an apology. Logue, too, apologizes. Throughout it all, Firth portrays the suffering King George experienced flawlessly. It is always present, sometimes hitting the viewer with a punch to the stomach, sometimes subtly, but it's always there.
In Westminster Abbey, Logue and Bertie rehearse for the coronation. The Archbishop of Canterbury is distrustful of Logue and is disrespectful of him. Bertie sticks up for Logue and tells the Archbishop that he wants Logue to be seated in the Royal box where family sits. He later learns that Logue has no credentials and is no doctor, which Logue never professed to be but it was taken for granted apparently. This leads to yet another temporary fracture between the two.
Tension mounts as the King must prepare a speech to engage the country in the ensuing war, doublly overwhelming to the King who must speak and can't. Again he turns to the man who has helped him so much. Logue stands in front of Bertie for the duration of the nine minute speech to "rally the troops". Logue has designed a small room of comfort and familiarity and has the "evil eye" of the red recording light turned off to relieve Bertie from the stress of performing under pressure. And touchingly, he tells Bertie to speak just to him - as a friend - something Bertie has never had. This moment reinforces the importance of Logue's earlier demand of being on even footing. King George VI gives a brilliantly moving speech set to a splendid version of Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 II. It's poignant, moving, and the viewer wants to cheer for Bertie. After he finishes Logue humorously points out that he still stammered on the W's and Bertie fires back that he had to do it so they would "know it was me". For the first time, Logue refers to Bertie as "your majesty", showing respect to the man who finally has found his voice.
This film cries perseverance. It commands one to do their duty. It requires one to work hard. It shows triumph over diversity. It shows that no matter how afraid we are, and what terrors we have faced, they can be overcome. We can become our best self no matter what we've endured. King George's speech isn't perfect. It's halting and has a few stammers. But it's his personal best and far more representative of the man he is and has become. His strength is portrayed in every word.
The task to motivate a country into war would not be easy under any circumstances. For King George VI, it was terrifying. Imagine having to face your darkest fears under the most difficult circumstances. Yet he succeeds beautifully.
On a final note, this film has an R rating due to language, but the language is used only in two circumstances in the context of speech therapy. I would not hesitate to take a teenager to see this film merely because of its R rating. It's message is well worth it.
Wow.
I can't say enough good about this movie. It is proof that quality film does not require millions of dollars spent on explosions, car chases and over-the-top special effects. This film is solely based on character. It's not even about plot. It delves so deeply yet respectfully into the lives of the main characters provoking in the viewer deep interest, compassion, searing pain and elation. The dialogue captivates. Quality direction and perfect soundtrack enhnce its beauty.
Casting? Superb. Colin Firth plays King George the VI, a tormented man who believes himself unworthy of his title. Having grown up with a stammer, he has no self-confidence and has spent much of his life playing second fiddle to older brother Edward who abdicated the throne to King George so he could marry a twice-divorced American. Firth expertly portrays a man devastated upon the realization that he is about to be saddled with the burden of running the country on the brink of war with Hitler, and feeling entirely unworthy of the charge. Yet King George VI does not shirk what he knows to be his duty. He endeavors to find a way to learn to speak to his subjects.
Helena Bonham Carter plays his devoted, witty wife and though a tad haughty, she clearly cherishes her husband and wants him to overcome his speech impediment so he can see himself as the man she sees him as. And so she visits a Mr. Logue - superbly acted by Geoffrey Rush. She's a bit out of her element in a dodgier part of town and trying to operate the elevator in Mr. Logue's building, but she persists in her endeavor to find someone who can help her husband. She pretends to be Mrs. Johnson, wanting absolute anonymity. She tells Mr. Logue that her husband is in public speaking but has a stammer. Mr. Logue humorously suggests he find a new job. She returns with the fact that that is not a possibility. He wonders aloud if her husband is an indentured servant, and she replies, "Yes, sort of!" She eventually reveals the truth of who she and her husband are, and requests that Mr. Logue come confidentially to their home to treat her husband, but he refuses, saying "My castle, my rules". His clearly operates on his own terms, and the viewer immediately warms to him at his ability to stand up, though respectfully, to the Duchess.
Bertie, (King George, to family), had already proclaimed to be done with the speech therapists. He was at his wits end with ridiculous attempts to speak more clearly. Bertie wants treatment on his terms and Mr. Logue sticks with his motto of "My castle, my rules". The first appointment ends badly, but before leaving, Mr. Logue records Bertie reading a passage from Hamlet while listening to music so he can't hear himself speak. Bertie throws down the headphones and storms out, refusing to play anymore games. But Mr. Logue hands him the record for a "souvenir".
Some time later, curiosity gets the better of Bertie, and he listens to the record. To his amazement, and that of the Duchess who is eavesdropping, he hears himself speak clearly. He soon returns to Mr. Logue's.
They still proceed in a battle of wills, of sorts. Bertie and the Duchess insist that their privacy be respected and that treatment consist only of "mechanical" aspects, while Mr. Logue knows that there is more than mechanics behind the King's impediment. Slowly he will draw Bertie out of his shell, but there are a few tense moments before the two when Bertie suspects that Logue is prying too deep or taking too much liberty.
A friendship develops between the two and their sessions are filled with humor. Bertie insists that they be on a first name basis, and though it doesn't go over well at first, the viewer understands that Logue has a purpose in this. Through one of the most heart-wrenching scenes I've witnessed in film, Bertie describes the abusive childhood he had at the hands of a harsh nanny. Sometimes having to sing the lines because it is to difficult to speak them, he unveils the deeply-seated anguish that is behind his stutter. Logue begins the endeavor of building Bertie's self-esteem, which leads to a brief falling-out between the two.
As it becomes closer to the coronation of Bertie after Edward abdicates, he again requests Logue's tutelage, and though he isn't completely able to apologize, (as royalty doesn't apologize)one gets the impression that his reaching out to Logue was in and of itself an apology. Logue, too, apologizes. Throughout it all, Firth portrays the suffering King George experienced flawlessly. It is always present, sometimes hitting the viewer with a punch to the stomach, sometimes subtly, but it's always there.
In Westminster Abbey, Logue and Bertie rehearse for the coronation. The Archbishop of Canterbury is distrustful of Logue and is disrespectful of him. Bertie sticks up for Logue and tells the Archbishop that he wants Logue to be seated in the Royal box where family sits. He later learns that Logue has no credentials and is no doctor, which Logue never professed to be but it was taken for granted apparently. This leads to yet another temporary fracture between the two.
Tension mounts as the King must prepare a speech to engage the country in the ensuing war, doublly overwhelming to the King who must speak and can't. Again he turns to the man who has helped him so much. Logue stands in front of Bertie for the duration of the nine minute speech to "rally the troops". Logue has designed a small room of comfort and familiarity and has the "evil eye" of the red recording light turned off to relieve Bertie from the stress of performing under pressure. And touchingly, he tells Bertie to speak just to him - as a friend - something Bertie has never had. This moment reinforces the importance of Logue's earlier demand of being on even footing. King George VI gives a brilliantly moving speech set to a splendid version of Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 II. It's poignant, moving, and the viewer wants to cheer for Bertie. After he finishes Logue humorously points out that he still stammered on the W's and Bertie fires back that he had to do it so they would "know it was me". For the first time, Logue refers to Bertie as "your majesty", showing respect to the man who finally has found his voice.
This film cries perseverance. It commands one to do their duty. It requires one to work hard. It shows triumph over diversity. It shows that no matter how afraid we are, and what terrors we have faced, they can be overcome. We can become our best self no matter what we've endured. King George's speech isn't perfect. It's halting and has a few stammers. But it's his personal best and far more representative of the man he is and has become. His strength is portrayed in every word.
The task to motivate a country into war would not be easy under any circumstances. For King George VI, it was terrifying. Imagine having to face your darkest fears under the most difficult circumstances. Yet he succeeds beautifully.
On a final note, this film has an R rating due to language, but the language is used only in two circumstances in the context of speech therapy. I would not hesitate to take a teenager to see this film merely because of its R rating. It's message is well worth it.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
I'm Tagging Myself...
I've been a bit ill for a couple of weeks and my little blog has been sadly neglected. I am forcing myself to write today even though I have little motivation. I thought I would ease back into blogging with a fun questionnaire stolen borrowed from Sue Sykes. Usually how this works is someone tags you, but I'm tagging myself because I thought the questions were fun and a little more thought provoking than some I've seen.
So here we go...
I started this blog with the intention of being as authentic as possible. I did not blog anonymously because the whole point was to emerge from my shell and come to terms with "the way I am". I am not perfect. I am not always at my best. But I'm the me I'm supposed to be.
2. Describe one incident that shows your inner stubborn side.
My stubborn side emerges when my obsessive compulsive characteristics rear their ugly heads. When I get set on something, I am hard to deter. I want it a certain way, and I can't relax until I am satisfied that it's done "right". This has to be a very frustrating aspect to my character for those who live around me day to day.
3. What do you see when you really look at yourself in the face in the mirror?
I see a lot of my mother in my face, but I have my father's eyes. One eyelid is a bit lazy, just like my dad's and I have hazel/pale eyes like Dad. I see a little sadness, a lot of wisdom, and hope in my eyes. My skin is youthful and pale. I love that I can see my collarbone. When I was obese, I longed to have a collarbone. It was a feminine feature I yearned for. Now I relish seeing my collarbone, and the way the chain of my necklace rests on it.
4. What is your favorite summer cold drink?
Diet Sunkist is always my first choice, but who can pass up an icy, sweet and tangy lemonade on a hot summer day? Or even just a glass of ice water does nicely.
5. When you take time for yourself, what do you do?
Me time means quiet time. I thrive on alone time. I sometimes wish for companionship, but seldom do I require it. I recharge my batteries with time to myself. I write, read, play solitaire, needlepoint, and do other crafts to occupy myself. I rarely, if ever, am bored.
6. Is there something you still want to accomplish in your life? What is it?
So much to do, so little time! I have accomplished very little of my 30 before 30 goals. I have so many dreams - publication, reducing stigma of mental illness, learn to cook, lose the last 40 pounds, travel to oh, so many places! The list is endless.
7. When you attended school, were you the class clown, the class overachiever, the class shy person, or always ditching school? Describe who you were, if not one of these.
I was shy and, in my eyes, the "fat" one. I never fit in very well, no matter where we went. I was a fairly solitary creature. I tried not to care that I wasn't like the other kids. I craved the approval of adults and especially my teachers I idolized. I was often "teacher's pet". I loved to study, to learn. I wanted to grow up to be a writer and a teacher. I adored academics but abhorred the social aspects of school.
8. If you close your eyes and want to visualize a very poignant moment in your life, what do you see?
My wedding day was sheer perfection. I was surrounded by every important person from all aspects of my life. I had teachers, professors, my parents, aunts, uncles, my brother, friends - everyone who helped make me who I am was there to share my happiness. I was not a nervous bride. I did not once question whether marriage was the right step. In the core of my being I knew that I was the luckiest woman in the world to be marrying the man in front of me that day. I could hardly wrap my mind around the pure happiness I felt. Almost five years later, I still feel strongly that I met and married my "soul mate".
9. Is it easy for you to share your true self in your blog or are you more comfortable writing posts about other people or events?
I'm never comfortable writing about myself. Every time I hit "post" I have to take a deep breath and try not to wonder too much what people really think about me. I have always loved reading and writing about other people. I probably should be a biographer or help people write their memoirs. I love hearing about the human experience.
10. If you had the choice to sit and read or talk on the phone, which would you do and why?
Hands down, I would read. I have always hated the phone. I hate answering it. I hate picking it up to make a call. I hate the ringing. Phones get me worked up, where reading calms me down and brings me peace. I can escape into a book in a matter of moments. Sometimes I need the escape that a book brings, and I relish the vacation until the sound of a telephone brings me back to reality.
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