We made a few changes

And notions, and jewelry findings and and and...

So I'm embarking on a Thing-A-Week project like many others that have been touted online. I simply have to make at least one thing a week with all this stuff! I'm a terrible hoarder, going "Well, I want to save this for something absolutely PERFECT."

There's no perfect. :P

So, I'm considering that head eating hair accessory from last week as the Thing for last week. I'm not exactly sure what this week's Thing will be, but I'd better get it down fast! I only have a few days before the week is out.

Naturally, pictures to come, no matter how botched up things may end up. I need to tame my fabric stash! *whipcrack*

Dear Big Kitty,

Stop licking the seat of my desk chair. I can hear you doing it.
That's just gross.

No fatty snax for u
Me

So, I was listening to NPR the other day in the car to some show called 'The Infinite Mind' where they were talking about how simple it really is to create good habits and basically rewire a few things you might have trouble doing, by doing the simplest things to create a better habit.

I have a big problem with follow though, always have. Hell I knew about this in elementary school. Lots of good ideas, lots of steam at the outset but then it just dissolves or I find something new I want to do. So for the past, around two months, I've been making myself do little things to reprogram myself into craving that feeling of completion, or at least creating habits of certain behaviors.

It sounds so silly, but it's really almost like putting stars up on a chart for a little kid that's brushed their teeth every night for a month, but its working for me.

They range from the ridiculous to the, perhaps not sublime, but the more useful.

Examples:
Ridiculous: Dress up my Poupee girl every day to get perfect attendance bonus at the end of the month.
Sublime: Write 1000 words a day. (I read that Ray Bradbury made himself do this, and it's working!)

I'm also working on a major wardrobe overhaul, but it will have to wait until I get all my craft/sewing stuff and books sorted and rearranged. I want them all in order so it'll be easier to move around once we start doing more renovation-type stuff.

And finally for Young: I'm a machine, you're a machine~

So I'm sitting in the cafe reading while waiting for Young and Sophie to show up and I hear this guy talking to one of the girls in the cafe with a rather loud kind of British accent.

I'm certainly no expert on accents, but he was just so loud that it was strange. We do get a fair amount of customers in that have moved here from there, and Sophie's mom is from around Yorkshire and retains her accent.

After Sophie and Young show up we split up. I point Sophie to the book she came in to get and we go up to the front to pay for all our goodies.

As I'm telling one of the managers to have a good weekend he looks over a the registers and points the same guy out,  "Hey, see that guy up at the counter right now? He talks with this British accent, or what he thinks really sounds like one, he's not from there at all, says his wife is but I've had him as a professor before. He's not British, just crazy."

Mystery solved.

Really. I'm working on organizing my room and you know how things just get messier as you're working.

I was using this box as my trash, then someone decided that it was getting more attention than them...

I've been bitten by the craft bug harder than usual lately!

Right now my focus is lolita acessories, mostly clips, bows and the like.

The one I'm puzzling over right now is a real head-eater of black and blue. In a fit of insomnia I dug out a bit of black organdy and made a rose out of it, then the ribbons followed, then the netting. Think the netting has to go. I also think that the rose needs to be placed closer to the clip and shaped a little better so its more rounded. It was mostly just a test to see if I could make one from scratch. (the rose that is)

Which is probably best. I'm hoping on some decent leads from today and tomorrow.

Woke up to a power outage and booming thunderstorm. Glad I bought that little weather radio! Power came on about forty minutes later.

I feel weird and restless. I think it comes with a holding pattern to something better. I remember feeling this way before. I can't say it's the precursor to what, but I hope to harness it for positive change.

I should know I always get grumbly on the Tuesdays I go into work at 4. I'm just putting in my mind that there's books there, and books make things better.

Praying for some decent financial aid.

I just want to live up to my potential.

1. An author, Shanna Swendson, came by and asked if she could sign the two copies of her new book that came out yesterday. She was super sweet and we were able to put the books on the local table instead of hidden in the section. She was on her way to a signing at another store and had looked up all the stores on her way to it to come in and sign the books. I hope she calls our manager and they can set up a signing at our store. (Even if our store is a bit of a ghost town at times)

2. Small boy looking for the sequel to Dragonrider by Cornelia Funke. I couldn't even find it on books in print. Felt bad, since he and his mom swore up and down that they'd seen the book, even read about it, but our janky look-up system couldn't find anything. At least they were nice about it. One of my biggest pet peeves is when they give the attitude of, "clearly you know nothing about books," to which I would like to remind them that I'm the one that knows where the bodies are buried, so to speak, not them.

3. Tall, nervous, quiet-voiced guy with an anemic ponytail ordering the Art of H.P. Lovecraft with all the book information neatly printed on an index card. His girlfriend in a floor-length green knit dress.

4. Older lady in neat pink sweats, her hair up in a scarf, covered with a thin white stocking hat and a large pair of Koss headphones over her ears. First she was looking for any books on the Third Temple. She specifically wanted pictures and diagrams, but all the books I could find for her either had to be ordered or she already owned.
     Then she asks me to see if her book is in our lookup, and it was. Without the cover picture which disappointed her because she told me that the cover was the best part, that it was a painting of a vision she'd been sent. Also that this girl that she had read it said that maybe she should change the title, since it wasn't a religious book, but one about spiritual warfare against the fallen and the chosen. I can't deny that I'm intrigued to see these pictures. She was on her way to her workout, hence the pristine pink sweatsuit, but  wished to know if there was some way she could get the cover picture on the lookup. Gave her one of the manager's cards that's always at the info station. (Holy smokes I just found it on amazon with the cover.)

5. Mother buying Camus' The Stranger in hardback as it was the last copy we had. She said that now not only did the one kid that needed for school tomorrow have it, but that she has 2 other kids so when they need it, they'll still have it.

Yeah, yeah me and not being able to let angst-filled entries sit.

I went over to my table and put the pieces I have so far of this thing I'm calling the mermaid necklace together and it made me feel a bit better.

That and I got all the chores I wanted to finish done before I head off to work.

I think that's part of what's making me so full of crank. Stupid work, why do I let you annoy me so.

So yeah, fuck you bad mood, fuck you in the ear!

All I'm really asking for is just the tiniest bit of luck.

Mostly it's just life's way of saying, "work harder."

At least I got a decent amount of things done today before going to work.

(Ha. Leave it to me to decide to change my mood from dejected to determined in the span of a minute)

Man, oh man, am I a physical wreck! Not only still remarkably sore from laying flooring on Saturday, but also my stomach has been very angry with me + the perils of spring and the sinus headaches it brings. urgh!

Upside: Hoping for something new on the job front. Got the tip when we went to see Forbidden Kingdom and had my resume in last Tuesday. I don't ask for a lot, just a little good news on the job front is all I'm asking.

Got my Wiscon writers workshop assignment. I'm not going to get nervous until I see the submissions of the others in group and how they will certainly blow me out of the water. It'll be a good thing. I feel like I'm finally moving forward in something.

Had my sewing muse smack me upside the head as well. So hopefully I can ward off the demoness of procrastination and overwelm long enough to get it started and get it DONE.

Side Note: Listening to part of a Willie Nelson retrospective inspired me in a very strange way yesterday.

It's certainly the rainy season now isn't it? At least for my neck of the woods. This probably means I'll end up having to mow again this weekend.

I'm trying to figure out a fast and easy way to section off the front yard around the tree for some hot hot no grass action. Lots of vinca and shade loving plants. Low maintenance is key!

I keep nervously looking outside. Once your house floods it's a little difficult to enjoy a good strong rain without that "oh shit" in the back of your mind.

Need to get some things done tomorrow. Time to make a list.

P.S to Sophie: Yes, Live Action Honey and Clover has had me bawlin'. I'm such a marshmallow.

• Buy happles
• Sew Duna a dress and take pictures
• Get folder for resume and meet people for lunch
• clip some branches
• put alway the clean clothes!
• Get some sewing done.

I'm about to jet myself off for a huge Aztec mocha (half-off because of my addic...stamped membership card) then I'm going to go CRAZY with the room cleaning. I have some projects planned and my room is just a pit of DESPAIR keeping me from wanting to even start! Horrible mess.

I have accessories to make, a costume for Akon (Which I should use my 50% coupon for) and two lolita themed sewing projects.

What's funny is that the two projects are on opposite ends of the lolita spectrum, so it should be a fun challenge! Actually in a way I guess my cosplay project could count as well since I'm making Alice's dress from Odin Sphere for our smallish Odin Sphere group at Akon. I plan to make it as an actual dress that I can get repeated wear out of it, as opposed to something that is only for cosplay.

I'm happy to be actually PUMPED to make all of this, as I've been feeling rather blah lately.

GO GO FIGHTING SEWING! (but cleaning first, heh >3<)

Hey miyu_sakura(and anyone else that might read the series) there's a new Kushiel book in June. You probably already know, but I saw it in the PW yesterday. woohoo!
(Also have you seen pictures of the girl that cosplayed her at Katsu, marque and everything! God I love the outfit descriptions in those damn books)

Holy crap. I actually did it.

I actually sent in a submission to Wiscon! I think I need a drink.

Augh, crazy nervous! I know they said just a first chapter at least, but it's such a short chapter!!! >.<

*FRETS*

But I did it, damnit!

I want em! Finally a solution for the summer!!! I hate wearing shorts, hate 'em. I don't think they look very good on me at all and I kind of have this whole attempt to not look sloppy thing going on. I have some cute smock-type dresses but they're just so damn short. (well too short for my comfort levels) While I have used my fluffier meta bloomers(the long lace ones) under my favorite shorty-short h.Naoto skirt and loved the look, it's just a little too much for everyday hop-to-the-market wear.

Then I see this on one of my RSS feeds:

Bloomers!!! For everyday wear! XD Why, oh why did this never occur to me? I mean sure sure I have me "cheat bloomers" which I made to go with my Windows Mi-tan costume. Cheat bloomers which then found their way into my casual loli wardrobe.
Cheat bloomers named as such for they were merely a pair of men's white cotton boxers with rows of eyelet sewn around the legs. Oh~hohoho~

I think I could make myself a slew of these in different cute colors of varying laces. *weekend plans*

I love that they put the model's height on the picture. Seriously! It's so helpful.
But isn't that cute! No worries from wayward wind, and it really blows here in the Spring!


The ones under the skirt in this picture are more like rumba panties but with much longer and thicker lace.


and a bonus: SHOES! (they come in 4 other colors too) I love these!

You know it's a bad morning when not even an emergency can of red bull can kick you in the ass.
I got all cranky at myself for being tired and did a bunch of angry cleaning and then picked out something cute to wear to work to combat my feelings of 'don't want to deal with them' today.

I do believe my meter for retail ridiculousness is has finally hit full. Ah, how my tolerance has gone down. (This is a good thing...in a way)
One of my favorite managers is leaving and the other has been demoted back to his supervisory position. Bleh.

I'm just fed up with seeing those forms that you get written up if someone sees you doing a good job filled up with things I do on a damn daily basis. "So & So talked with a girl about these books and recommend another series! Good Job!" Yeah, no shit...I thought that WAS part of our job, and why I do it every day. I can recommend something from every damn section of the store. Find crap that no one can seem to find, clean and reshelve like my ass is on fire... I could go on.

I know it's not rocket science, but for pete's sake I'd like a little damn credit. Just because I'm not planning on making pushing books for a chain making 8 bucks an hour my life's work doesn't mean I don't want to learn about inventory and merchandising. (To be honest I already know a good deal about, and am quite competent at it...thankyouverymuch) 

Maybe I just need to get the crankies out before I shuffle off to work tonight. Where I'll end up behind the damn reg and watch the girl that got Employee of the Month text her friends from her sidekick while on the sales floor. (actually I like her, she's one of my favorite people to work with, but it's just to further illustrate my point) So I'm going to pull up my striped socks and go to work with my mind on tomorrow and how I'm going to glue myself to the computer/phone with job hunting. It's kind of difficult trying to figure out how I'm going to woo a full-time job when I know I'm going to have to beg them to jump though hoops with my plans to go back to school full time.

What I've lacked is a plan. A real solid "here are the next Five Years" plan. I only wish I'd made myself do it ages ago. I wish what had happened at (old)work hadn't happened. I wish I could've actually proved my worth and had a little credit given for everything I'd done. But it hit me like a punch to the gut and tossed me out where perhaps I could see things a little more clearly.

I would like for my biological clock to shut the fuck up.  Why on earth is it poking at me now('now' being a loose term), where did all this extra crap come from? (and to be honest it's not just the baby one, which is what everyone automatically thinks. It's more like the DO MORE WITH YOUR LIFE!!!! one.)

I've just been so angry, stalled, frustrated about a million things, so I guess it's time to start punching back.
(or start chopping like that Dinosaur Jr. song)

Uuuuugh! If you read all that I owe you a cookie, or pie...or a drink if you're so inclined.

Oh the bug has bit and bit HARD.

I honestly want to get attempt to get rid of over half my crappy, baggy, lazy day clothes. I want to look nice damnit!

There's another story coming about a woman in a bookstore and my hair nearly falling out from TEH DUMB.

But, cats need food!

Today I took off early to check out this little house in the old downtown area. Unfortunately the road in front of it was close due to the city repaving it. Guess that's something for tomorrow then.

The good bit is that I decided to drive over to the It's A Grind and order up another Aztec mocha. Cinnamon and chili spiciness in my mocha? Oh hell yes please!

I'm happy that I believe I've been inspired anew. I'm going to try my own 52 weeks of craft, or I guess it's like the Thing a Week in a way. I think it's time I stop being so slack-jawed about what's been doled out lately. I've got some weird patron saints of this right now, so maybe they'll help me out.

Have a good Wednesday!