September Review

The big news for this month is we have completed No. 96--pay off second mortgage! It's so exciting to think that even while I've been unemployed, we've been able to keep up with our obligations. I guess that's what comes from living within your means. (Well, if we did that truly, we wouldn't have had a second, but whatever.) So happy.


The other day our neighbor was on the roof helping us fix a leak and while he was up there, he completed No. 32-- take the antenna off the roof. Forever more I will remember the celebration of paying off the second mortgage as taking the antenna off the roof, after nearly five years(!) in this house.


I also completed No. 44--finish current WIP—Scared Silly. You can see it here, as soon as I photograph it and blog it. As for the more regular undertakings:

• 22. Take a cookbook out of the library every other month and make dishes from each--nope.
• 77. Write a note to my grandmothers each month--sigh, I'm bad.
• 79. Go OUT on a date once a month with the dude--yup we went to see a play on September 18th.
• 86. Try to be more positive-- At the end of each day, take five minutes to write down in a journal every good thing I did or experienced that day--I did start back up but fell off the wagon again just as quickly.
• 100. Talk to my mother on the phone—or in person—weekly--yes
• 101. Post updates about this list once per month--yes.

August Round-up

At first I worried that I hadn't managed a thing this month. Even though the local art house was playing two of the Kurosawa films I needed to see, we managed to miss them both. I didn't write to my grandmothers, though I did see one of them in the flesh.

I am pleased to present #49: Finish current WIP—folk art thread keep

I've also made significant progress on #50: Finish current WIP—Tree of Life Window. I'm pretty sure that will be done this month.

Also, since Sissy is getting married next May, I've gone back to Weight Watchers. I won't bore you with the details, but we might see the ticker start to move. And we shall make progress on the five fruits and vegetables.

July Update

20. Watch Roger Ebert’s 102 Films to See Before You Die
This month I saw two films on Ebert's list, The Day the Earth Stood Still and The Third Man. I have to step up the pace a little on this one--I have 19 months left and 63 left to see. I should be watching more than three a month, but not as many as four. Of course, I should also be reading two and a half Pulitzer winners a month, and right now I am in the middle of two (Gilead and March); which means I've still only read one.

2. Try 12 new-to-me restaurants
On Thursday, I met a friend for lunch in the city and we went to Bobby Flay's new restaurant, Bobby's Burger Palace. I had the Santa Fe burger with queso sauce, jalapenos, and corn chips. My friend had the Burger of the Month--arugula, basil ketchup, parmesan, and mozzarella. We split the sweet potato fries, which were outstanding. Next time, though, I am getting a plain cheeseburger because they make their own ketchup and other sauces, and I'd like to try some of those on an unadulterated burger. That brings me to seven. She and I also talked about going to the Han Dynasty special banquet, but they only do it once a month and the next time we can make it is October...

63. Make a piece of jewelry with the beads I bought two years ago in Oklahoma
I bought some beads to string with them, and I am working on the design.

77. Write a note to my grandmothers each month

I made little cards to send to my grandmothers--cute with flip flops and life preservers.

102 63 To See

Last night the dude and I went on a date to see The Third Man. Carol Reed's film was another on Roger Ebert's list that I had never seen...even though we own it, and it is one of the dude's favorites. (And yes, we paid $20 to see a movie we own. Big screen, people, makes so much difference.)

I think I could whiz my way through Ebert's list if all the movies were shown on the big screen, but even more if they were all this good. I can't believe I've never seen this, labeled a noir classic, without some of the elements that make noir noir. Though there's long shadows and hopelessness a plenty. And let's face it, there weren't many meaner streets than Austria after the war.

I can't believe that the dude told me how important the zither music was--Ebert asks, "Has there ever been a film where the music more perfectly suited the action than in Carol Reed's The Third Man?" And not only did I forget that, I have to admit, I found the jangle of the zither annoying. Does that mean I don't get into film school?

20

I've rearranged--or arranged--my days in order to get more stuff on this list done. In the afternoons, for a while anyway, I'll be spending time watching Roger Ebert's 102 Movies You Must See Before You Die*.

Today I watched Robert Wise's (1951) The Day the Earth Stood Still. About an hour into the movie, I thought to myself, "why is this on the list?" So I revisited the list, and here's what Ebert had to say about creating it, "These are the movies I just kind of figure everybody ought to have seen in order to have any sort of informed discussion about movies." That makes sense. These aren't great movies, but the kind of iconic movies that give us the sort of scenes that show up in genre films or don't, depending on what the director is aiming for. They're the kind of movies my students always hated because instead of seeing them as pioneering, they thought they were derivative. I love how backwards the young can see things.

I'm not much of a sci/fi person. But still I took away two things. Peace is good. (Give up the arms race!) (It was the Cold War.) And self-promotion at the expense of the entire world is bad. (No communism, but unfettered capitalism isn't all that great either, I guess.)

Helen: What about the rest of the world?
Tom, her fiance: I don't care about the rest of the world!
[Seeing her shocked expression]
Tom: You'll feel different when you read about me in the papers.
Helen: I feel different now.

* Or go to film school, either one.

84

84. Pick fruit at a UPick farm
Last Saturday the dude and I went to Linvilla Orchards and picked strawberries. It was fun. We picked the perfect day--sunny but not too hot--and the perfect time of day so the fields weren't crowded at all. We couldn't believe it was so close-by. Who knew we lived in the country? 8^P

We picked 14 pounds of the fruit so the dude could make strawberry jam (old fashioned, no pectin!) and strawberry sorbet, which got gobbled up in an instant. We had three pounds left over. We put two pounds in the freezer and are snacking on the other pound. I think we will be back this summer for raspberries and peaches. Maybe more especially since the picking didn't take nearly as long as the jam making!

Overdue Update

22. Take a cookbook out of the library every other month and make dishes from each
This month, I checked out Fresh Mexico. I made Chipotle Cream Shrimp for dinner last week. OMG! The shrimp was so delicious, we practically came to blows over who would eat the leftovers. Not really, but I could imagine it. Fortunately there was enough for two small servings the following day. I also made cucumbers and radishes as a side dish. Not much of a recipe, but it was very refreshing and a nice light side with the heavier main dish. I would definitely make this again. There are a few "small dishes" I would like to try as well.

23. Trace my ancestry back to the old country (not Canada)
It turns out that some branches of my family have been in Canada for yonks. I’m still working on confirming my connection to Isaac Bedard (paternal grandmother’s family) but it looks like my ancestors may have been among the first 3000 white settlers in New France (Canada). I am back to “the old country” in my mother’s paternal family. I found the ship her grandfather came over on. They self-identified as Poles from Vilni, (now Vilnius, Lithuania) but on the manifest they are listed as Russians from Vilna. One of the interesting things about family history is its relationship to world history and global politics. I am still trying to trace his wife. No one seems to know how to spell her last name.

Map of New France. Source: Charles Holme "Art in England During the Elizabethan and Stuart Periods, 1908. Map of “New France” (Canada). From the engraving by Benjamin Wright (circa 1608).

26. Fix couch in guest room
When we started to put our Ikea couch together a month after bringing it home, we discovered that the bolt holes on the arm were misaligned. Unfortunately, we tried to force it and we ended up stripping one of the bolts. We cut it with a hacksaw and just left the arm of the couch leaning in position. Unfortunately, Stella would occasionally lean up against it with her full weight, knock over the arm, and tumble off the couch. Of course, the bolt that was left sticking out of the arm was an (expensive) accident waiting to happen. Adrienne’s visit gave me the impetus to ask our neighbor for his engineering help. Pete and I had talked a good game including the phrase “liquid nails” but Mark actually took a look at the arm and came up with a proper fix. He opened the arm and replaced the internal workings. It’s perfect. He was impressed with my liquid nails fix, however; usually, he thinks we’re two of the biggest dufuses on earth. He’s not far wrong.

42. Finish current WIP—Spots II
Done! I’m bringing this to the framing sale, so it should be hanging in our bedroom soon.

77. Write a note to my grandmothers each month
In January I wrote some thank you notes. In March, my maternal grandmother celebrated a birthday and I sent a note to both of them. For mother’s day, I sent a note to both of them again. So three for five. Not bad.

79. Go OUT on a date once a month with the dude
We have occasionally gone out but I haven’t been keeping track. Last month we went to see Date Night, which we both recommend. Then to make it a real date we went for a drink afterwards.

80. Meet three new blogging friends IRL (2/3)
Adrienne’s visit is going a long way here. I really enjoyed meeting Adrienne. She’s a delight.

86. Try to be more positive-- At the end of each day, take five minutes to write down in a journal every good thing I did or experienced that day
Since our trip to England, when I lost track of the days, I have only written in this journal three times. I am going to start back on this tonight. Instead of keeping track by “day” (Day 203—of 1001, for example) I am going to mark the date. It will help me keep better track.

87. Take a Pilates class
Class finished last week. I wanted to continue, but for the next five weeks our class is being held at 6:00 instead of 7:20. Next fall, we’re going to reup. If I can, I’m going to schedule doing a Pilates DVD a few times a week over the summer. I really enjoyed it.

93. Create and practice my 3 minute elevator pitch for myself
I really really really need to make this a priority. I had an opportunity to sell myself to a head hunter that I met through my library volunteerism, but I was much more articulate talking about the dude’s job than my own capabilities! And this is a real gimme question on an interview. I need to take advantage. (Not thrilled with my answer at a recent interview.)

100. Talk to my mother on the phone—or in person—weekly
Is it very sad that I have to write this down in order to do it? Not if you knew my mother! Although I do have to say she has been much less critical since I lost my job. Coincidence? I think not.

101. Post updates about this list once per month
I have to avoid my avoidance when I am not actively working on the list. I have to be sure I revisit this just to keep myself on track.