Until Monday
We are still having discussions on the Book Club and the William Morris posts, and this week has been quiet online in general, so I thought to keep it light today. Okay, we’ve also been sick all week and the boys have had fevers, which means they are piled on me like little koala bears. I love it, and haven’t done much more than sop up the affection with a biscuit.
I’m not sure what I will do with the Unstyled Life posts. They seem to have taken on a life of their own and morphed into something different than originally intended. I may keep them on Fridays or move them to another day, but I don’t think I’m ready to give them up.
A few of the plans I have for next week:
- Book Club: more discussions about what to read, deciding where to meet (it’s an online book club, so either here, Twitter, Facebook, Good Reads, etc.), creating “genre teams” to make the book selection process easier, and when to start. Some excellent points brought up in the comments so far include the ease of getting books from the library, page count, starting off with an easier read since we don’t know what we’re doing, and whether we should read a book at least one person has read and can recommend.
- William Morris: I’ll be posting something on Thursday, and hope you do, too. Feel free to leave a link to your project in the comments, so long as it is a new post inspired by the series. Some people have asked about link ups. If I get enough requests for one, I’ll do it. Let me know what you think.
- Celebrating my anniversary on the 15th. Twelve years! (Thanks for the compliments on my wedding picture. I didn’t think you could see it clearly, but a few eagle eyes spotted it immediately.)
- Updating my Unread Library list. I have a ton of books to add. A few may make good Book Club material, like Skippy Dies, The Wildwood Chronicles, Book 1, and…uh, I can’t remember but I know there are a few. I need to think about how to add the books. The list is getting a bit unwieldy.
I really wish the boys were feeling better. The Mister and I can hardly wait to take them to this.
Mikey Rides
I don’t remember how old I was, but we were still in the house in Laura Lane. I must have been six, then, when I flew down the driveway, did a triple lutz, and landed flat underneath a pile of Huffy. I picked myself up and with all the righteous indignation of Jan Brady vowed I would never again ride a bike. I mean, I really said that. I waved my fist in the air, stomped my way into the house, and over my shoulder tossed at my parents, “I will never ride a bike again!”
I wasn’t surprised to see Mikey take a similar attitude thirty-two years later. He may not have squalled like a bear in a trap the way some people did, but it didn’t take his then six-year-old mind long to conclude bicycle riding is an activity fraught with peril. He tried it; he wasn’t a fan. We decided to give him time. Since I eventually came around, I figured he would, too. I spent my tween years riding bikes (and creating jumps!) with the boys in my neighborhood. Surely Mikey would take a lap or two around the block.
A year came and went with no change in his opinion. He scootered. He folded his legs like a praying mantis into tricycles and Big Wheels. But under no circumstance would he ride his bike. Finally, with a two wheel bike from Santa to Nicholas on the horizon, we decided to push the issue. He pushed back.
“Mikey, I know you. You’re not going to like to see Nicholas riding a two wheel bike while you cruise around on a little kid bike. You’re going to be embarrassed.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“I don’t think so. Besides, riding a bike is fun! Don’t you want to come out with me, daddy, and Nico on bike rides? You’ll be stuck at home. Doesn’t sound very fun to me.”
“I’ll ride my scooter.”
“We’ll leave you in the dust.”
The threat of being last place in anything was great enough for him to consider it, and after a minute he struck a bargain.
“Okay, I’ll do it. But the only way I’m going to ride a bike is if Santa brings me knee pads, elbow pads, and gloves.”
Millennium children are so different from children of the 70s. I’m surprised he didn’t ask for a security detail.
In the end, Santa delivered. Mikey rode. With heavy jeans and a long sleeved shirt, of course. He didn’t want to get “road rash.”
Happy 2012
Happy New Year! I assume everyone resolved to do something this year, yes? I didn’t. I figured the five goals I set for myself on my birthday were enough to keep me busy. Of course, I still managed to spend the last 10 days over-thinking my goals, my blog, my life. People don’t suddenly stop acting crazy just because it’s Christmas, you know.
My goal to have nothing in my home that is not useful, beautiful, or both is not going as well as it did in October. I thrive on assignments and move forward with momentum. October was the perfect storm of achievement. I had an assignment and I worked on it everyday. Things happened. Now, things are not happening.
Over the break, I debated doing my William Morris project for a year, five days a week with weekends off. I asked the opinions of family, friends, bloggers, and readers and 75% thought it was an incredibly bad idea. Family and friends reminded me how exhausting it would be. Bloggers and readers pointed out that I would, essentially, completely change the focus of my blog. That gave me pause. I don’t want to be a DIY blogger, and I suspect the internet doesn’t want me to be one, either. I can’t imagine tricking out my pantry with bunting, washi tape, and oil cloth. I lean towards the practical, and wipeable contact paper is fine, thanks. Reading my DIY blog would be as exciting as reading a dental blog.
Your bicuspids are transitional teeth located between the canines and molars. They are also known as premolars.
See what I mean?
Right before I was supposed to make a decision about my William Morris goal, I decided to email my blogging mentor. While I was waiting for her reply, I found an inspiration journal from a couple of years ago. On the first page I had written a quote, one of my favorites. When Nester replied a while later, she quoted my quote back to me in a round about way. I took it as a sign.
What makes me come alive? I supposed everything I blog about here.
- Reading. I love everything about it and am willing to read anything. Even Nicholas Sparks. (I haven’t yet, but I would.)
- Writing. I’m good at it.
- Learning. Jokes aside, reading about bicuspids was oddly satisfying.
- Domesticity. The educated, girl-power attorney in me doesn’t always want it to be so, but I love keeping a home. I love cooking, baking, decorating, wifery-ing-ly(?), and raising boys. Actually, I only don’t want it to be so when I visit with friends from law school and feel like a boring country bumpkin. The rest of the time, I’m good.
So, it will be more of the same around here. More of my old fashioned, slightly quirky taste in things like roses and colors that aren’t mauve. More books, naturally. And, yes, even more William Morris. More me, that’s all.
What makes you come alive?
………………….
This post is linked up with Kevin and Layla Palmer at The Lettered Cottage.
Merry Christmas, 2011
A very merry everything to all of you, from all of us. Thank you so much for making this year the best, most satisfying year of blogging yet. I will see you in a day or two or three, friends.
xoxo,
Jules
Oh Chante
He said he wanted to look cool. I didn’t have the heart to tell him he flew past cool and sashayed smack dab in the middle of Village People.
