Last weekend I turned on the radio just in time to hear a snippet of a program to which I rarely listen, but my interest was piqued by the discussion. The guest was an artist whose name is Ann Hamilton. Someone asked her how being a maker (the title she prefers over artist) and a teacher and a parent inform each other, and also how she keeps the maker "alive with enough nourishment, how to not claw at the small amount of time/space in [her] head?" And this question resonated with me, as I'm sure it does with many people who feel that they fight for bits of time in order to bring their ideas to life.
I don't know anything about this artist, so I have no idea what her work or her teaching are like, but her voice was calm and her response was soothing. Just listening to her response made me feel instantly more relaxed about what I might be able to do in the coming days, weeks, years. I could feel my brow loosening and my shoulders unfolding as she responded to the question.
February 22, 2014
February 08, 2014
I Want the Village
We were never supposed to move to Houston. My husband and I agreed when we got married that we would never move to Houston; we were united in our sense that it was the wrong place to build our lives, in spite of his professional opportunities there. Geography has been a tricky puzzle for us from day one, but we believed we would eventually find a way around it.
That was seven-ish years ago. The surprise we have felt at not hating life in Houston, and even rather enjoying it, has been noted on many occasions in this blog; and has been accompanied by multiple other surprises since moving here.
That was seven-ish years ago. The surprise we have felt at not hating life in Houston, and even rather enjoying it, has been noted on many occasions in this blog; and has been accompanied by multiple other surprises since moving here.
February 04, 2014
Finally
It’s been busy.
My husband and I just returned from taking our baby on a trip to Missouri to see family. We spent four days in a house with six other people, bringing the household total to nine people, ranging in age from six months to forty-six years. We arrived in time for an ice storm and were essentially snowed in until our departure. It was our first trip with the baby, and while it went well, it was intense. I still can't believe that I was one of those people at the airport that I always pitied in the past (a person with a baby and a stroller and car seat and unbelievable amounts of shit in my luggage and carry-ons).
In spite of snow days and trips, I finally made something practical for the baby, with extra bits I already had, instead of buying new stuff:
I borrowed the pattern from some other bibs given to us as gifts, and used my serger to keep it fast and simple. The material came from a hand-me-down baby blanket that we did not need. They are not beautiful, but they are something that I made with resources I already had, which felt good. As the baby starts to eat real food, I am coming to realize that I will need many, many, many bibs. And a sense of humor.
Also, we’re moving. Stay tuned.
My husband and I just returned from taking our baby on a trip to Missouri to see family. We spent four days in a house with six other people, bringing the household total to nine people, ranging in age from six months to forty-six years. We arrived in time for an ice storm and were essentially snowed in until our departure. It was our first trip with the baby, and while it went well, it was intense. I still can't believe that I was one of those people at the airport that I always pitied in the past (a person with a baby and a stroller and car seat and unbelievable amounts of shit in my luggage and carry-ons).
In spite of snow days and trips, I finally made something practical for the baby, with extra bits I already had, instead of buying new stuff:
I borrowed the pattern from some other bibs given to us as gifts, and used my serger to keep it fast and simple. The material came from a hand-me-down baby blanket that we did not need. They are not beautiful, but they are something that I made with resources I already had, which felt good. As the baby starts to eat real food, I am coming to realize that I will need many, many, many bibs. And a sense of humor.
Also, we’re moving. Stay tuned.
January 15, 2014
Backing Into the Day
My husband backs into every single parking space that he uses. When we first met it was mysterious to me, and I won't lie, odd. Over time I have become used to it and have ferreted out the reason: he was brainwashed by his former employer of ten years. There are many things about that company that I did not appreciate, but on this particular matter, their intentions were good.
Apparently, backing into parking spaces increases the rates of safe driving (or should I say 'decreases the rate of accidents while driving'?). The logic is that we are paying more attention to the matter at hand when we arrive at a location than we do when are when we are departing. When we depart, we are already thinking about what will be next after leaving the parking lot. In other words, while we are driving in reverse, our minds are on other things. Thus, accidents.
I have a habit of preparing for my next day as much as I can the night before. Mostly it is a leftover habit from when I had to wake up outrageously early in the mornings for work; I tried to pack items I would need for the day and leave them by the door, or place items that I was likely to forget with items that I couldn't possibly leave without (i.e. put the book that I was likely to forget next the keys that I was physically unable to leave without). Planning outfits the night before, or packing lunches the night before, produces this same effect. We try to dummy-proof our morning in order to maximize precious minutes.
I find that I am happiest when I do the same thing as a mom; it turns out that it is the best way to steal time in which to work on non-mom projects. While I do not often have to leave the house early, I do still need to maximize hands-free and baby-free minutes. So I do things like putting out my breakfast cereal bowl, pre-filled, and preparing the baby's morning bottle and diaper bag, before I go to bed. It's not rocket science, nor is it a new technique. The only innovation is that I now refer to it as backing into my day, which also has helped my husband understand these habits not as something neurotic and silly, but something that makes all of us have a smoother, more pleasant morning.
Backing into my day is one life strategy which allowed me to finish knitting a vest this week for my son, luckily while it still fits him.
Apparently, backing into parking spaces increases the rates of safe driving (or should I say 'decreases the rate of accidents while driving'?). The logic is that we are paying more attention to the matter at hand when we arrive at a location than we do when are when we are departing. When we depart, we are already thinking about what will be next after leaving the parking lot. In other words, while we are driving in reverse, our minds are on other things. Thus, accidents.
I have a habit of preparing for my next day as much as I can the night before. Mostly it is a leftover habit from when I had to wake up outrageously early in the mornings for work; I tried to pack items I would need for the day and leave them by the door, or place items that I was likely to forget with items that I couldn't possibly leave without (i.e. put the book that I was likely to forget next the keys that I was physically unable to leave without). Planning outfits the night before, or packing lunches the night before, produces this same effect. We try to dummy-proof our morning in order to maximize precious minutes.
I find that I am happiest when I do the same thing as a mom; it turns out that it is the best way to steal time in which to work on non-mom projects. While I do not often have to leave the house early, I do still need to maximize hands-free and baby-free minutes. So I do things like putting out my breakfast cereal bowl, pre-filled, and preparing the baby's morning bottle and diaper bag, before I go to bed. It's not rocket science, nor is it a new technique. The only innovation is that I now refer to it as backing into my day, which also has helped my husband understand these habits not as something neurotic and silly, but something that makes all of us have a smoother, more pleasant morning.
Backing into my day is one life strategy which allowed me to finish knitting a vest this week for my son, luckily while it still fits him.
December 31, 2013
2014
It is New Year's Eve, a holiday that I adore. I'm a new-year super-geek. Even home with only a sleeping five-month-old and a glass of champagne, missing my husband and feeling a smidge lonely, I still love the new year. It is a holiday of closure but also possibilities, and I especially love possibilities. Everything is all fresh and tidy and optimistic again. A new year feels like a free pass to try and do things better this time, even if it wasn't great last time.
December 27, 2013
Happy Birthday!
My husband left today to go back to work in Angola. Today is also his birthday, and he was feeling a little old and slightly less than awesome when he left the house at 6:30 this morning, so I feel compelled to proclaim to the cyber-world some things that are awesome about him:
December 23, 2013
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