The Efficiency of Two Screens

I just got two computer screens at work, and I cannot even begin to explain how much more efficient it makes me.

Not only am I more efficient, I print out a lot less and have less clutter on my desk.

It makes me so happy.

So it’s a relatively small change and yet it changed a lot of my perspective on life.

The desire for more ‘Space’ is an interesting concept. I don’t think people realize they have space, they just do not organize it properly.

This is true for Ryan and I, our second apartment is 100 or so square feet smaller than our first. We had lived in our first apartment for just 8 months, and yet we had taken up all the space. The apartment we are in now is under 500 square feet. It is frustrating and a challenge, but a good point for us to start from.

I have always thought homes did not have to be huge. With an excess of space family members are able to avoid one another and live as strangers. Its no secret that I do not like 2 story homes. They suck up the sky and make it difficult to admire the horizon. I know I belong in a home with character more one the bungalow scale of things. It would utilize all the space but not boast of vaulted ceilings.

So my small beginning makes me happy. It forces me to not consume as quickly as a larger abode might and its made the use of space a very important key.

Before Mary left for Turkey, Ryan and I humbly presented some issues we felt within our apartment and Mary proactively recommended changes and ideas to assuage the problem.

The problem is that we didn’t have a place for certain things and because of that, they were taking over our apartment. It is silly how problematic mail and pens can be but with order, not only is it easier to locate them, but to clean them up.

Mail is a truly interesting concept. While invitations and announcements are always welcome, other mail items are cumbersome, monotonous and pointless. Its silly because of all the payments and notices sent online to have another item to look at and sigh as its already been taken care of.

It reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Kramer tries to cancel his mail. He is kidnapped and threatened by multiple people, including his friend Newman about a bigger conspiracy.

Not that I believe it is a conspiracy, I just think that paper mail aside from invitations, thank yous, letters and announcements are unnecessary. I know most of mine are shredded into smithereens.

What do you do with unneeded mail?

Rigid Order and Why It Has Stunted Me Until Now

Its not a secret that after years and years of mocking domesticity that I am slipping or rather embracing my crafty side.

I make cards, I've attempted scrapbooking and while its alright, I just don't feel the need yet.

However, I was talking to my mom about this sudden surge into my artistic side and I realized a few things.

I do not like when everything is prepped for me to put together, it limits letting my mind choose or discover for itself.

I will for ever loathe being told exactly how something must be done.

I look at my favorite hobbies, but they still have a lot of breathing room. They have never retorted back to me that I was doing it wrong.

In fact if I was doing something the exact same way someone else was, I think it might give me anxiety.

I love being different. Being exactly who I am. With my silly opinions that are both radical and conservative. I love freely choosing how to put a card together. My cards are incredibly spastic and not at all like what you can buy in a store. But one thing I realize, my cards are more for hand delivery than the mail service.

Ryan keeps telling me I should sell them, and I would, but when I make a card its with an occasion in mind and some sort of basic guidelines.

Trying to sell my cards means anticipating what someone would want or favor. He's funny my Ryan, but I just don't know that I could be so passionate about it if it became a job...

I came across an article where someone surveyed her family on what they would buy, or liked about cards for sale.

It left me feeling less than confident in my hobby. One thing that was clear across the board was that people didn't want to buy overly embellished cards, or cards with crooked sewing and distressing.

Its made me wonder if my cards I've given away as gifts have even been used...because if they haven't been, well then my whole project as a card maker is failed and the convenience and thoughtfulness of having a handmade card is thrown out the window.

A card I made last night featured ALL of the above problems that the general population had with homemade items. Now I'm not even sure if it is a nice gift.

Although, my ONE hope is that all those included in the survey were either prudish and old because my generation is not at all and my gifts so far seem to be well received. One friend who made fun of me for making a card set for her loved it, or she loved it to my face.

And so now to be near to being plunged back into that rigid order is both daunting and stupid.

I just hope my gifts continue to be well received.

What do you guys think?

Dance Fever, or the Lack Thereof

This is a silly thing, but I am craving a night of ballroom dancing more than I EVER have in my entire life thus far.

The last time I danced was months ago. It was funny, Ryan and I pushed furniture out of the way in our little apartment. As fun as it was and can be, it just was not the same as a full floor of wood under my feet.

Nor were we able to really get into the dancing. It is a very very small front room. Since then, I have tried to coreorgraph a large group to go dancing but each and every single time it falls to pieces.

Biggest pet peeves ever, receptions that say they will have dancing but have no dancing until the tail end of the reception. I curse whichever wedding planner thought that idea up. Its painful to go to a reception that specifies that there will be dancing and leaves out that it won't happen until THE END of the reception.

I get my hopes up and then they are dashed to pieces by feeling awkward staying so long and so I leave and with it, leave whatever chance of really dancing I had.

And by really dancing, I mean ballroom and swing. I can be a bit of a snob about the whole clubbing idea...

"It just don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing do wa do wah"


Anyway, this desire only increased after watching the movie "Swing Kids" about people who swing danced in germany during WW II. The movie does a fabulous job of capturing the dance as an improvisational art form. The coreography is not rigid and has a free feel that is so nice to see in film.

Its interesting and sad to me that there aren't that many places to go dancing anymore.

After my computer crashed this spring I lost ALL my swing dance music, cha cha, waltzes etc. It was very very painful. However, I have been rebuilding my library and I think I have a good hour or two of dancing music.

Which means, its time to dust off my dancing shoes and get back in the rhythm.

Books That Have Single-Handedly Changed My Life

I'm an avid bookworm and have been so very lucky to read such phenomenal books within my major. Some have been trying but a lot of them have been immensely rewarding and changed me.

Some have just been so fun, while others have been so heartfelt and still others have been so well written.

Opening up a book for me is like sitting down for a feast. My specific genre's of interest are Children's Lit, Sci Fi, Fantasy, Periodic novels, and Alternate history/future, . Of my top favorites are:

Robin Hobb's The Farseer Trilogy
Robin Hobb's Liveship Traders Trilogy
Robin Hobb's The Fool Trilogy

Markus Zusak's The Book Thief

Lauren Halse Anderson's Speak

Elizabeth Kostova's The Historian

John Case's The Genesis Code

Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree
Dr. Seuss's The Lorax

Mary Ellen Edmunds' You Can Never Get Enough of What You Don't Need: The Quest for Contentment

Jane Austen's Persuasion
Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey

Douglas Adam's The Hitchiker's Guide To The Galaxy Series

Soon to follow will be a review on each of these.

Misuse of Some Words

Misusing certain words for me is like a repeated slap in the face. Such as those related to my major and specializations. Its like you are insulting my intelligence and the fact that we are associated. I'd like to think people I am associated with can differ words better than most people. However it has reached a breaking point within me.

This has been going on for months possibly years and so I have to point this out.
Epic is not for the everyday.

As deifined, Epic as a noun is:
1)An extended narrative poem in elevated or dignified language, celebrating the feats of a deity or demigod (heroic epic) or other legendary or traditional hero.
The Icelandic epic took all night to recite.
2)A series of events considered appropriate to an epic.
The book was an epic in four volumes.

Epic as an Adjective
Epic (comparative more epic, superlative most epic)
1.Of, or relating to, an epic.
Beowulf is an epic poem.
2.Momentously heroic
The epic defense was rewarded with the highest military decorations
(slang) Extending beyond the usual or ordinary; extraordinary.
3.The after-prom party was epic. [edit] Adjective
epic (comparative more epic, superlative most epic)

Epics are for a genre and have grossly morphed into a cheapened version of the everyday. So you people who nonchalantly misuse epic, you are destroying it. You are diabolically reducing it to every day slang which are other words that were once also vastly expressive.

So when I say epic what am I describing?

Playing frisbee in the park with friends.
Grabbing dinner somewhere.
A party.
Trying food for the first time.
Watching a movie.

-Or-

The Epic of Gilgamesh
The Iliad
The Odyssey
The Aeneid
Beowulf
The Ramayana
Star Wars
The Lord of the Rings series
The Harry Potter series

The later are my definition of epic. Reserve words for the appropriate situation and place and then I will step off of this soap box. The epics above are beautiful stories with moving characters during a foreign time with adventure and excitement. They are NOT droll everyday experiences. So please, move onto another word to desecrate and leave epics a lone.

And if a moment in time truly deserves to be called epic, such as a wedding or once in a lifetime moments then I can appreciate that. But as it currently stands it is vulgarly used and so this is my call to you to stop.