Tag: music

life:: social media purge

Twitter

Pinterest

Facebook

Goodreads

LinkedIn

Instagram

Bloglovin

WordPress

Ravelry

Craftsy

And that my friends is merely a SAMPLE of my social media.  I keep a spreadsheet to remember all my passwords.  There are 39 lines on my spreadsheet.  And that just ain’t right!

In the past 2 years, I have made a conscious effort to be more social to overcome my introversion.  How’s that working out for ya panic attack girl?

I have done it to get my name out there so that when I market a book, I will have well-placed outlets at my disposal.  How’s that book writing coming along?

 I tried to interact with others more, I just am not into it.  My book writing is at a snail’s pace.  I waste too much time with social media.  I even missed International YarnBombing Day this year!  That just ain’t right either!   Too many different apps and sites and forums and trolls.    The one I like the most is this little bloggity blog site we call WordPress home.  I interact with all kinds of lovely people from fantastic places and we humbly share the things in life that move us.

This week, after a little thought on the subject I read multiple blog posts by people that felt similarly.  Why am I working so hard and spending so much time trying to be something I’m not?  I’m just not that social, nor am I a marketing mogul.   I truly prefer the positive side of life, and yet I’m feeling like a friggin creeper at a train wreck.

 I am embarking on the journey to extricate myself from time-wasting social media.  Buh-bye Goodreads and Twitter and Bloglovin.  So long forums and message boards and Instagram…bring on some silent reflection, bring on more music, bring on the yarn.

I have not given up human interaction completely, just completely honed in on the social media that is worthy of my time and effort.  It was a spring cleaning of sorts that is making me feel much better.  So if I have connected with you on some of the platforms that I am no longer a part of, please know it’s not you, it’s me.

One blogger captured my thought so completely about being an artist at heart and how being overly social squashes that creativity.  And really, if I saw one more Instagrammed plate of salmon filets on a bed of arugula with tangerine-peppercorn-mango salsa I was going to hurl.

So my friends, you will continue to find me here at WordPress.  My family, you will still find me on Facebook occasionally.  And Lord knows,  I lurves me some Pinterest and Ravelry because I never have to talk on those.   Most of the others are already gone, and the rest are being phased out as we speak.  I am vowing from this day forward to not be seduced by social media, I will merely use it wisely and spend more of my time creating.

Art is life

and

life is art.

yarn 1

life:: cancer…music…and a date with destiny

Y’all know that I am not one to share much about my personal life, right?

(no really yarnchick, you just have a blog that you chatter incessantly on)

But really, I mostly try to share my mission statement of crochet::food::photography

I am quite careful not to do the whole TMI-thang.  That’s not really why you guys come to visit my little corner of the interwebs. (Because you might catch me drooling…or chewing on purple crayons in this little corner and realize I’m just another goofball that needs to be in a white sweater with really loooong sleeves.)

I like to write, and when I am inspired sometimes the mood just hits me to go all TMI on ya.  I like to refer to it as a ninja skill.  This is one of those posts.  So if you are just stopping by for a freebie pattern, I’ll warn you now that just ain’t happenin’ today.

I changed jobs recently and snuck in a TMI post here  (if you feel the need to catch up).  Now normally, I would just mention that I am an accounting geek in my real life and move on quickly.  But I met a wonderful young person today that moved me.  Her exuberance moved me to tears.

The back-story goes like this:: Five years ago this month, I was diagnosed with cancer and began aggressive chemotherapy.  I became a shell of the person I was before.  Slowly, after 6 months of living-death (that would be the chemo, radiation and surgery), I started my life over.  I was scared and scarred; and with the help of the wonderful people in my life, I began to live my life as it was meant to be lived in the first place.  Mostly, I had just managed to f*** it up before cancer.  After the big C…I righted my wrongs, I forgave others and myself, and I made the conscious decision to LIVE every day as if it were my last.

Fast forward to today:: My new job is still being an accounting geek, but now I’m working at a company that brings mobility to the physically challenged.  On a daily basis, I am chatting with and assisting people with physical disabilities in getting wheels.  Specialty wheelchairs, scooters, and equipment that allows them to drive vans.  They are all so happy to be able to get out into the world at large and interact.  They are all f***ing awesome.  But today was even more special because I met Destiny.  She is a senior in high school and was getting her first vehicle adapted to her special driving needs.  She was more than awesome.  Her life requires her to have constant assistance, but my gawd, that child was full of LIFE.  She and her mother waited all.day.long. for the work to be completed on her van.  After 9 hours she was still as upbeat and excited as when she showed up that morning.  I was able to chat with Destiny several times throughout the day, and she was amazing.  

I found out about her adoration of Justin Bieber, her love of music, the dance she would be attending in the evening, her 1st place in singing competitions, and other little bits of her life.  I told her some of my story and how music helped get me through and how it still does today.  I told her that it’s still a huge part of every single day for me, 5 years later. We really connected on the subject of music and how it makes life bearable during physical challenges.  Destiny told me that when she is immersed in her music, she is FREE.  She feels free of her chair, and that she can do anything.  She brought me to tears.

 I am so thankful I met her.   It was such an affirmation to stay on track with my life after cancer.  So many people in this world are negative, or don’t know how to connect, or even have empathy.

I got a reminder today of why I can never go back to who I was 5 years ago.  I don’t like her anymore.

I got a reminder that my life is about my choices.  Make choices that MATTER, it’s destiny.

I got a reminder that I am on the right path.  ROCK ON!

There’s too much LIFE out there to live.  Too many PEOPLE to connect with.  So much f***ing AWESOMENESS to give me energy.

So there’s your dose of TMI for awhile.

Have a ridiculously amazing day friends!

music:: meet the boys in the band

A while back I virtually introduced you to my friends Mutts.  And as a matter of fact, I had only virtually met them myself at that time.  We had emailed and talked on the phone, but had never met up IRL.

I got the unique pleasure of meeting the boys in the band last night.  (And if you are lyric junkie like me, no I am not a chiquita from Omaha and there was no tearing down of hotels….thought I should just clarify that point.)

Mutts put on a show in Omaha and I made it a point to be there.  I’m so glad I did.  What a great bunch of guys!  They were kind and gracious and talented and fun.  Considering I am damn near in age to their parents (if you have any doubt, just think about the lyrical reference of this post), they spent some time hanging out with me and Martha and I’m so happy I didn’t miss the opportunity to meet them.

We discussed life and work and following your bliss.  These guys really have it all figured out.  I love that they are living life on their own terms and having a great time doing it.  Deep thinkers, fearless explorers, and musicians with heart…what a great combination.

They put on a fantastic show, and even made a point of taking a group pic and signing vinyl for me.  I couldn’t have asked for a better experience that all began with my little blog and a couple of photos.

Thanks boys!

PS – They have a new album out and you can find it here.

food:: suddenly seeking friday

Crank up that Material Girl we all love today!

I will be enjoying the Immaculate Collection by Madonna all day and having some not-so-immaculate naked breasts for dinner.  That would be of the chicken variety, and they will have stripes.  I promise they won’t end up cone-shaped…OMG, I need to stop now don’t I????

Seriously, if you haven’t figured out what the hell I am doing: go here. Then check out Monday and Wednesday’s posts and catch the hell up already!  It’ll make sense.  Or not. I’ll be getting back to normal in a couple of days anyway.  Or at least what seems normal.  But I’m not normal and wouldn’t really know what normal is.  My husband says I’m “a complicated person”.  wtf?  I think I live pretty simply.  So I guess complicated people that live simply are not normal.  That’s what I have deduced by a highly scientific method.  Anyway, just try the damn chicken, it’s delish.

Vogue Chicken::
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 avocado  (skinned, pitted and cubed)

6 (or so) cherry tomatoes, halved

1 tsp. parsley

1/4 cup cubed baby swiss cheese

1/2 cup italian dressing

Fire up the grill.  Marinate the chicken in Italian dressing.  Make a foil packet with the tomatoes, parsley and a little olive oil.

Send your grillmaster out to cook the chicken and send the foil packet out to him (via munchkin if possible) during the last 5 – 7 minutes.

Assemble by putting the chicken in the center of a large platter, toss together the avocado, tomatoes and cheese and place them around the chicken.  Drizzle with more Italian dressing or olive oil if you so choose.

Serve with some crusty homemade bread.  Inspiration can be found here and here.  I’ve tried both, and they’re great recipes.

~now that’s getting into the groove~

I hoped you enjoyed the ride this week and reminisced a little about the good old days…when we were young and didn’t have gray hair and wore spandex, lace and AquaNet to excess.  Now if you will excuse me I need to go to a high school reunion and try to act like an adult.

Thanks for stopping by 🙂

food:: royal wednesday

It’s a tribute to Prince y’all!!!!

We are listening to Purple Rain & 1999, and making purple food!  But no beets allowed ~ I cannot go there.

No, I am not insane: catch up here.

Purple Onion Pork Chops::

1 lb. pork chops (I prefer butterfly chops or boneless center cut chops but you could use boneless pork ribs)

1/2 cup BBQ sauce (your choice of brand, but Jack Daniel’s or KC Masterpiece are the only kinds to grace my fridge)

1 large purple onion, sliced  and make sure to save a few pretty rings for the final garnish.

Line a pan with foil and preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place the chops in the pan and brush all sides well with BBQ sauce.  Top with most of the onion and bake for about 40 minutes, stirring and flipping after about 20 minutes.

Serve with Roasted Purple Potatoes::

4 red potatoes, cubed

1 green (or purple if you can find it) pepper, cut into chunks

a few baby carrots

1/3 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp. each rosemary, thyme and parsley

1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper

Mix all and put in broiler pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Bake right next to the chops, 40 minutes and stir at 20 minutes.

~ooo eee sha sha coo coo yeah~

Tomorrow is Motley Crue Thursday for me ~ I’ll be taking a walk on the Wild Side with Hell on High Heels, and heading out for a Hooligan’s Holiday.

See you on Friday 🙂

food:: meatloaf monday

Meatloaf.  Not only a comfort food, but a great musical artist from the 80’s.

Listen to Bat Out of Hell and get your teen-dance club on and end the night with Paradise By the Dashboard Light.  Because that’s how they ended Sprite Night at Peony Park every week in Omaha when I was a kid.

If you need to catch up: this why I am stuck in a time warp.

Meatloaf is My Homeboy::
2 lbs. ground turkey

1 egg

1/4 cup minute rice (optional)

1 (or 2) clove garlic, minced

1 small onion, finely diced

1 tsp parsley

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup bread crumbs (or even better – a big crunched handful of Lay’s plain potato chips and skip adding the salt above)

Mush everything around in a big bowl together, pat it into a loaf pan* and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 1 hour in a loaf pan

**OR stuff green peppers with the mixture, top with 2 or 3 Tbs. of spaghetti sauce, and place in a 9” x 13” foil-lined pan and decrease baking time to about 45 minutes**

PS ~ the super easy way to do the seasonings is to use a package of Lipton soup mix (try the onion or the vegetable soup)

I serve it with some fresh veggies or a salad to lighten things up.

Thanks for stopping by ~ keep the 80’s vibe going tomorrow with a dose of Bad Medicine and rock out to some Bon Jovi!

See you back here on Wednesday 🙂

food:: nostalgia week

So let me set this up for ya.

My 25 year high school reunion is this month.

O.M.G.  That makes me older than dirt. Officially.

Anyhoo, I am really into music, and always have been.  I’m nearly joined at the hip to my iPod.  I have always been a concert junkie.  I have the ticket stubs to prove it :).  I don’t watch TV…I listen to music while I do stuff.  I seriously have some type of music device in every room of my house.  (Did you know that putting your iPod into a bowl ~ or shell in my case ~ will amplify the sound?) 

So back to this reunion and what it has to do with music.   Yes, it’s where I was a Catholic school girl, if you missed the details, here’s the post.  I was also…wait for it…a cheerleader.  Never the HEAD cheerleader mind you, just a cheerleader.  I really never wanted to be the HEAD cheerleader, I wanted to dance.  I took ballet classes for years as a child and by the time I was in high school, I knew I would never make it as a ballerina in real life. (If you visit often, you know it’s the whole introvert-panic-attack-thing.)   To get my dance-fix I was a cheerleader.  That was back in the olden-days when cheerleaders were not star gymnasts and did duties of cheers during the game action and the dancing at halftime.  I was totally into the halftime dance $h!t.  That ROCKED in my world.  I wanted to choreograph and choose the music and splice songs together with my cassette tapes and bring down the house with my cool 80’s moves.

To get myself into the mood for this reunion, I’ve been listening to my most awesome playlist of ALL 80’s ALL THE TIME.

…good times… 

That means this week is NOSTALGIA WEEK for me.

I will be pairing 80’s AWESOME music with recipes.  It’s a stretch, but hey, my brain does the stretching.  Get.yo.ass.on.board.

Crank up your iPod at work to my rhythms and lighten up!  Why not make the workweek a little different.  I’m even going to give you menu ideas for the week.

So, if you are a geriatric product of the 80’s like me, I hope you enjoy the ride.

Tomorrow, we start with Meatloaf Monday.

life:: Mutts

I have made some new friends through my little window to the world on this blog.

Meet Mutts here.

They found my post on the Missouri River flooding and borrowed some photos.

Show ‘em some love.  They are great guys & great musicians.