Date: 2009-11-28 09:27 Subject: Ew, Plastic Security: Public

We finally bought a real coffee maker to replace our Bodum.

I know everyone loves the Bodum but I'm going to dissent: it's a pain in the ass to clean, it holds less than 3 cups, it doesn't stay warm, and the coffee tastes different. Not bad, just different.

Anyway - I've thoroughly washed all the removable parts and run 3 pots of plain water through the thing, and yet it still smells like a hot glue gun. Am I being paranoid? Should I just make the coffee already?

Gah.

Date: 2009-11-25 11:31 Subject: my new favourite... Security: Public

My new favourite twilight summary. (New Moon only.)

I am going to see the movie tonight. God help me, I'm fucking excited.

Date: 2009-11-18 15:37 Subject: Budgeting Security: Public

Do you folks budget?

I'm in the midst of drafting a monthly budget that I plan on implementing December 1st. I've done this a few times but never really followed them properly. I'm kind of excited about it this time, but I keep getting stuck on a few things:

1. How on earth to estimate an amount for clothing/shoes?

2. Implementing right before Christmas: is padding my gift budget right out of the gate a poor choice? Or simply realistic?

3. How to manage variable expenses? For example: some categories will rely on a carry forward (gifts, travel, dental, etc). Some categories don't require one and might be better without (entertainment, dining, misc, etc). How to decide which to carry forward and which not - how to decide what to do with any excess funds (savings? debt repayment?)


I've been doing well thus far with debt repayment - I'm almost halfway out of my original hole, which is an achievement after only three years (considering how much debt I had coming out of school). I just know I could be doing so much better. And the irony is that I love accounting and spreadsheets and whatnot. I've always kept a tracking spreadsheet of all my accounts and my debt repayment and net worth and blahdeblah... but that's sort of passive, not proactive.

Anyway, I'm kind of excited and in Excel heaven. If such a place exists.

Date: 2009-11-14 17:23 Subject: Thrifty Thrifty Security: Public

I really miss thrift store shopping.

Why do I miss it? Because it doesn't really exist in this city. Not in the way I think it should, anwyway.

Call me crazy, but I think one of the main points of thrifting is to find a good deal. I remember when I first moved to the city, going to the little no-name thrift shop a few blocks from my house and buying a bunch of plates and bowls and mugs for 50 cents a piece. I found my favourite old silk (and, er, polyester "silk") scarves at my hometown's hospital thrift for 25 cents each. Books for a few bucks. Etc.

I keep going back, but the prices in the past few years have just totally shocked me. Perhaps because I keep making the mistake of going to the Salvation Army instead of the smaller ones? I'm not sure. But I remember the last time I tried to buy a bedside table, a tiny little laminated chipboard thing, and the lady refused, insisting it was "good cherry wood." She wouldn't budge on the price of $50. For a scratched, chipboard bedside table. WTF?

Yesterday, I went looking for a pie plate. I found one. It was $4 - the same price it would be brand new (I know this, because I bought one brand new today - the style of the thrift store one wasn't what I wanted.) All the dishware was at least $2 a piece. I don't know... I'd rather have cool old mismatched dishware anyway, but it still feels wrong to buy old, chipped items for the exact same price as brand new?

My favourite, though, was this:





In case it's not clear: that's a Five-Star 5 subject notebook with about 85% of the pages ripped out, and a few pages of someone else's notes left in, for $2. Seriously?

Meh. I know the overhead is high here, but c'mon.

Date: 2009-11-12 16:01 Subject: Oh, PS Security: Public

... the cat is fine. He was konked out for two days like a sad little napping sickie, and then he totally recovered. And is back to his crazy, yarn-attacking self.

Still scared to take him for his final shot, though. Might make the boy do it.

Date: 2009-11-12 12:14 Subject: Grow Up Security: Public

I'm revising my budget spreadsheet.

And I'm thinking of actually using it this time.

I think, the thing is, I have to make a schedule. A schedule for things like bank visits (for laundry money), grocery shopping trips, cooking, etc.

So I've dragged out my day planner. And I'm trying to fill out it.

The thing is, I love planning. To a point. Exactly to the point when it gets hard and then I want to give up. I kind of wish I had a normal schedule where I never went away on weekends, and came home from work every evening, etc... which would be boring. But it sure would be easier to cook.

Which brings me to another point: I seem to suck at cooking lately.


(I have a feeling these things like cooking dinner and doing laundry aren't supposed to feel quite so overwhelming.)

Date: 2009-11-08 23:10 Subject: Project Time Security: Public

Ignoring the other projects I have on the needles, I decided to cave on my selfish knitting resolution and make a baby gift for my coworker.

Today I bought:



+



Which will eventually become:




I'm so excited I can hardly stand it.

Date: 2009-11-02 07:39 Subject: more kitty worries Security: Public

( I know I sound like a crazy cat lady, but I'm worried now... )

Date: 2009-10-31 12:09 Subject: Guilt Relieved Security: Public

I took the swatch from my knitted sweater that Hobbes is OBSESSED WITH, felted it, sewed it into a pouch and stuffed it with rice and catnip.

Hobbes has been running around the apartment playing with it nonstop for like fifteen minutes. He never likes toys that much. Wool is the answer for this feline.

I feel better.

Date: 2009-10-30 16:24 Subject: A Lack of Productivity, and cat rambling... Security: Public

I feel like I'm kind of failing at life these days. Working on that.

I wasted the WHOLE night last night watching episodes of Grey's Anatomy on a whim. This is the reason I often operate on 5 hours of sleep. I didn't even knit or do anything productive whilst watching (the cat is adorable but has pretty much killed my knitting mojo). I just vegetated. I guess it was nice. Meh.

( Cat ramblings... )

Date: 2009-10-19 09:25 Subject: How cute is this? Security: Public

I feel like I look at so much wedding photography every day that a lot of it starts to look the same (the weddings, and the photography). Which isn't inherently a bad thing - I love rituals and traditions - but it's nice when you see something you haven't seen before.

... and I've never seen this before. And it's totally adorable.

That is all.

Date: 2009-10-18 01:28 Subject: yesyesyes Security: Public

This is totally my new favourite website.

Made my day.

Date: 2009-10-13 15:42 Subject: back Security: Public

Back from vacation. I spent the whole trip composing blog posts in my mind, and now that I'm home they're all jumbled up and I have no idea what to say. So I'm just going to start spewing. Don't mind me.

Trip was good. I was quite sad to spend the money (I might have waved woefully at the laptops in the Apple Store window today...) but I saw many cool things and took many fun pictures and enjoyed having the time off work. I missed Hobbes-o-rama terribly (we had a cat-sitter) and when I came home he was so cute and snuggly and then BAM! Promptly peed right in the middle of our bed. Yes kitty, I know, I'm sorry.

The house is a mess but I'm so excited to be home and for the fall weather. Meaning rain. Yes, I'm crazy. Good thing I live in Vancouver.

Date: 2009-09-21 11:41 Subject: Anti-blog Update Security: Public

I've started affectionately referring to my Tumblr as my "anti-blog" because it really is the antithesis to every other blog I've ever kept. This is due to the near complete absence of text. When I do write on it, I always go back and remove things - the layout doesn't suit my verbose nature. And yet, I find the simplicity sort of calming. I don't need to write three paragraphs about why I'm posting some silly picture or song that I like. I just like it, you know?

It's like lessons in being concise. And lessons in not needing to explain or justify my likes and dislikes.

It's also a bit like blogging in the dark, what with the lack of comments. I'm not sure yet if I like it. On the one hand, it's liberating - there's a lot I don't say or post here because of what my loyal readers might think and say. On the other hand, it's a bit confusing... shouting into the void, unsure if anyone can hear you. I haven't exactly posted anything controversial, just yet (unless you have strong feelings about Sally Mann that is) but it's nice to know I could and not have to hear about it.

More than anything, I'm starting to appreciate it as simply my own little notebook, where I can compile quotes and photos and songs and things and delve through it when I need to see a little beauty. I like that idea best of all.

Date: 2009-09-18 12:20 Subject: Streamlining Security: Public

The internet is boring me these days, so I'm trying things I said I'd never do. Like Twitter and Tumblr. Add me if you're on there!

http://twitter.com/centerlightpop

http://centerlightpop.tumblr.com/

Twitter I still think is stupid, but it updates quickly, which provides some entertainment. I decided to embrace the complete stupidity of it and encourage Hobbes to Twitter as well. This may constitute talking to myself. I'm not sure.

Tumblr I'm seeing some more potential for. A place for dumping all the random things I see and like. I suppose I could do that here, but it never seems appropriate somehow.

Anyway, it's all in beta phase... time will tell if I stick with it.

Date: 2009-09-04 11:56 Subject: Google Reader is my new BFF Security: Public

So I've finally seen the light and I'm in love with Google Reader. Addicted, in fact. So much so that it makes me sad when nothin' new appears each time I log in.

What do you guys follow? Any sites I should subscribe to? I'm primarily interested in A) Photography, B) Social/Cultural commentary and C) anything that will make me laugh.

I know I already follow at least a few sites I've found via my friend's blog entries so there'll probably be some overlap, but I'll still appreciate any suggestions you have for me :D

(Bonus: having interesting, useful web-content at my fingertips seems to prevent me from visiting/refreshing Perez Hilton like 300 times a day. Win!)

Date: 2009-09-02 23:17 Subject: Something To Make You Smile Security: Public

If you want to see something really, truly great - click here.

(The photographer is my brother's friend, and the subjects are his twin daughters. Watch the whole slideshow.)

They're just... so... I can't describe it. They look so much like my own childhood photos, except a million times better. It's so... refreshing.

(He gets so many amazing moments. Love this. And this. And this. And, especially this.)

Date: 2009-09-02 08:52 Subject: Happiness is... Security: Public

... your boyfriend coming home with three ice cream bars, in response to the ridiculous temper tantrum you had over the telephone fifteen minutes prior.

(It must have been worse than I thought, to warrant three bars instead of just one... :D)

Date: 2009-08-21 12:54 Subject: Something I'm Considering Security: Public

I'm thinking I'm going to stop blabbing about my attempts at photography for a while. I'm at an impasse, and I'm a bit downtrodden, but I'm also suddenly super motivated and full of ideas and finally pursuing learning in totally new ways and I'm interested to see what direction it will take. I've made some surprising decisions about where to invest my meager funds and I'm thinking it'd be best to stop TALKING about it and just start DOING it.

So maybe it'd be good to stop putting it all out there. Because as much as I love sharing and feel this irrepressible need to share, it seems like all it really does for me these days is breed insecurity and hopelessness. Why show off a work in progress?

Of course, it will always be a work in progress. But right now it's stagnant, and maybe I should go back into my little creative den and come out when I have something new to show off.

Anyway. Something I'm considering.

Date: 2009-08-21 10:06 Subject: F&$@ing Twilight Eating Disorder Vampire Nonsense grrr... Security: Public

( Cut for swearing. Or Twilight content. Take your pick. )