Fuh

What a weekend. I know that sounds like I am pooped from all the craziness and fun, but that is not the case. I was struck with a very hard case of the "i miss my friends" blues, and still haven't been able to shake it. What's confusing about it is the fact that this mood creates in me a lack of ability to contact said friends and scare those feelings away. I become withdrawn, anxious, and guilty feeling...bluh. It's just been so hard to meet people here. Almost a full year in classes, and I haven't even had a coffee date with any prospective new buddies. It's starting to wear on me, too. I'm starting to feel really socially awkward, and unable to carry on normal conversations with people. I seriously think that if I didn't have my fabric class, I would never leave the house. Kind of like when we lived in Savannah...

On a more positive note, Rob and I have been running a couple times a week. It's been pretty awesome, and I am on the brink of getting addicted to it. I don't know if it's the running that addicting, or the fact that most of my pants are getting too big. Either way, I'm feeling pretty good about it. It's going to be fun getting to see the look on people's faces when they get to see Rob again. He's going to be about half-a-Rob by this summer - pretty amazing! I should start documenting his belly as it diminishes. I wonder if he'd let me?

Molasses

Damn this week is creeping by. I guess it's better than waking up and realizing it's friday already - those weeks scare the hell out of me. This slow-bee-doh-bee-doh crap is hardest in this ding dang office, though. Why oh why do I always end up with jobs that I have to pretend to work because there's nothing for me to do?? I know, you're all fuming at me from behind your piles of work right now, and I'm sorry. But gimme a break! I can't tell if it's because my choices are limited from my lack of a degree, or because I have never been very "into" my work. I'm not lazy or anything, I just haven't found any jobs that have been very interesting. At least not in the long run. I try like hell to keep in mind that this is a means to an end, I am in school and THAT is my full-time lovin' it job. It's not easy though. The only true solace I have is that I can finally, after a million years of this, see a tiny little blip of light at the end of the tunnel. And it is amazing. What I'm going to do once I get there - don't have a clue. But I will be formally trained in something that I love to do, and that's alright by me. Of course this all hinges on whether or not I get accepted into the stupid ass art school. You'll hear more about that in a couple weeks while I'm working on my portfolio.

I still can't help but wonder though, do you ever LOVE your job? Is it possible to get to a place that you love to work? Because even if your job is to do the thing you normally do as a reward to yourself for working (music, knitting, doing the hula), it eventually turns from a reward into work. Then what? You need to find a new reward to reward you for working on your former reward? Ack. So tell me kids, who loves or even LIKES what they do? And what motivates you?

Whew

Thank god, the evil has left. All tests are overwith for the week, class is canceled, and I get out of work at 1:00 this afternoon. I feel like that guy in the commercial who exhales the entire ad aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. I'm going to go home, have some lunch, and try to whip out three belts this weekend. Ho yeah! I am going to Nico Case tomorrow night and I have dog class in the afternoon, so there will be some interruptions - erk.
Allison, are you coming with Ben to Marti's for practice? Perhaps a knitting/drinking date is in order. I don't think I have the gazongas to bring the loom into the bar, but my knitting is subtle enough. I get the wierdest looks lugging that thing around town - like I'm carrying bags of vomit or something. People do NOT like things they don't get.
I'll be posting photos of all my finished belts next week sometime, for anyone who's interested. Anyone know any cool braiding/knotting techniques they feel like sharing? Finishing the ends of the belts is boring, and I'm looking for something cool to do.

Woman Possessed

It's hard to believe how damn cheery I felt just two days ago. Today and yesterday I have such a pissy-ness about me - I could kill someone for looking at me wrong. Poor Rob of course has been getting the brunt of it - he just can't seem to let me be when I'm snarly. I know he just wants to fix it, and if I could just work my way past the bitch that seems to be running the show I would tell him how much I appreciate what he's trying to do. But she's mean and strong and won't go away. I need a young priest and an old priest...

Can you feel the love?

VDay
Originally uploaded by Makstin.

What a day - rainy and cold outside all day (very Portland, I must admit) but had a happy day all day. Started out with a cupcake at work (yum) and ended with an amazing dinner of artichoke heart & asparagas risotto & those little steaks that are so tender and velvety and delicious, topped off with a double-butter chocolate cake and one of my favorite wines (a Copola Pinot). I have the best husband in the world, and am I definitely feeling the love.

Heddles! Part Deux!

IMG_4494
Originally uploaded by Makstin.

Here's the heddles doing their job -
holding down alternate lengths of yarn and creating a space to weave through (see the hole?). Cool huh?

Heddles!

IMG_4491
Originally uploaded by Makstin.

check it out - this is an inkle
loom, and the stringy things are called heddles. i'll show you what heddles do later. i'm going to make a 1,000 hippie belts on this baby and then sell them at the WP show, just you wait and see.

This is for you, Sarita

Ok, so I've jumped on the bandwagon. I promise to try and be good about updating. I'm awful good at finding ways to avoid studying political science, so this might be just the thing for me.

Sarah, I'll post photos of my most recent projects as soon as I get a chance. Everybody else, you can see them too. Cause you know you want to.