Everything is a Photo Opportunity #6

I love this photo.  I think I scooped it from my grandparents collection one day because I thought it was so great.  It is clearly snowing like a bastard, but Sunshine is just around the corner.  What an amazing (and funny) message.  I keep this photo framed beside my desk as a comical reminder that even if it is snowing (literally or metaphorically) just hold on, because you're bound to run into Sunshine soon enough.  It could even be as close as a 1/4 mile away! 

My Psychology and Finishing a Project

I have been hesitant to start a new knitting project, as I still have my outstanding  Knitting Bag of Shame.  For well over a year I've had a half finished scarf project that I had absolutely no interest in finishing.   

Part of the problem was that I just started knitting with a basic idea in my head, but no actual pattern to follow.  Half way through knitting, when I encountered my motivation problem, I think I subconsciously decided that the scarf was too wide and I wouldn't like it when it was done.  So I stopped trying to finish it.

On Monday, I woke up with the freeing idea that the scarf didn't have to be a scarf at all.  With a little tweaking, I could transform the half finished project into something else.  As it was already quite long, I decided to modify it into a door draft stopper.  With a new goal in mind, my motivation instantly returned, and I worked on it non-stop Monday evening.  Nearing completion, I put it around my neck (just to see) and I realized I wanted it to be a scarf again.  It was long enough and I actually liked it.  So I nixed the door draft stopper idea and finished the project as originally intended.  A girl has the right to change her mind, right?

I am now the proud owner of a wide scarf.  If I fold it in half, it becomes a super thick and super warm scarf.

If there is a bitter wind and I need more neck and face coverage, I can wear the scarf at the original width.

I finally finished my year old project and I am really happy it is a scarf.  It matches my hat, so now I have a set.

So the next time I lose my motivation to finish a project, I am just going to relabel it in my mind as something new and exciting and hopefully that will get my ass in gear to finish it.  It worked for me this time!

Some Sunshine in February

Inspired by Just A Mum...?, the following is a list of 25 things that make me happy (in no particular
order and definitely not exhaustive).  As we have a few weeks left of this too-much-snow winter, it is nice to be reminded of happy things.


1. The smell and taste of the first sip of fresh brewed coffee.

2. The sound Gary makes when she knows she is about to get treats.

3. Food - especially tacos and all types of snackies.

4. Good Talks.

5. Deals, coupons, grocery flyers...purchasing anything for less than regular price.

6. Getting obsessed with a song and realizing I've already heard it 40 times on repeat.

7. Sending and receiving mail; choosing or creating an amazing greeting card. 

8. Clementines and pomegranates.

9. Waking up to find a cat somewhere on the bed.

10. Finishing a project (knitted, scrapbooked, etc.) and obsessively looking at it over and over.

11. Helping older people at the grocery store retrieve things from the top shelf (I'm at a height advantage).

12. A walk on a sunny day with the iPod.

13. Sleepovers at the family apartment complex.

14. Relaxing after cleaning the whole house (including all the laundry!)

15. Photos.  I love photos, albums, frames, scrapbooks - the whole package.

16. When John surprises me with warm jammies from the dryer.

17. Home alone dance party.

18.  Marathoning TV on DVD.

19. Spending the whole day in comfy clothes.

20. Compliments from strangers about the sweater my Grandma made.

21. Sleeping like a rock in clean sheets.

22. When the due date for library books lines up perfectly with a requested book coming off hold.

23. The smell of spring.

24. The internet.  I have a healthy addiction to that shit!

25. Getting re-obsessed with a band I haven't listened to in years.

Awesome of the Week - 02/21/11

Holy crap, did you see a computer play Jeopardy! last week?  It was freaking AWESOME!  I find it equally fascinating and hilarious.  How amazing is it that we can teach a computer about the complexities of human language?  Jeopardy! clues aren't always strait forward, so I am completely in awe that "Watson" can pick up on the subtle clues and get the right answer.  I'm filled with wonder about the many applications "Watson" will be put to in the future.  Plus this whole experiment was doubly amazing because it was Jeopardy! and Jeopardy! is rad in itself.  I'm not sure how long these clips will last on YouTube, but seriously, watch them before they are gone.  They are the definition of AWESOME.

Episode One: Part One




Episode One: Part Two




Episode Two: Part One




Episode Two: Part Two




Episode Three: Part One




Episode Three: Part Two

Surfing Saturday - 02/19/11

Surfing Saturday: a weekly round up of some of my favourite links on the interwebs.

Music

If you haven't heard it yet, go over to LadyGaga.com and listen to Born This Way.  It is a TONNE of fun and the song will start playing right when you land on her page.  You can also watch massively talented ten year old Maria Aragon from Winnipeg sing it too, by clicking over to YouTube.  There is also THIS ADORABLE video of Maria talking to GAGA while on a Winnipeg radio station yesterday morning!  It is so sweet I watched it twice!

This year marks the 40th Anniversary of the Canadian Music Awards, The Junos.  In honour of the anniversary, they are having a contest where you vote for your ten favourite Juno nominated songs by following this link to their Facebook Page.  I don't think you have to "Like" the Juno page to vote, but you do have to accept an application to submit your list.  There are too many amazing/classic songs to choose from that I couldn't pick my favourite ten, so I haven't voted.  Some of the awesome choices include: Rock Me Gently by Andy Kim, Don't Forget Me When I'm Gone by Glass Tiger, Can't Stop This Thing We Started by Bryan Adams, Drinking in L.A. by Bran Van 3000, and Could I be Your Girl by Jann Arden.


Geeky Goodness

I recently discovered some online photo editors.  FotoFlexer provides many different tools to embellish and enhance your photos, and there is even a function that lets you merge two photos together.  I used FotoFlexer to add the text and the border to the above photo of Gary.  I also tried Picnik, which has some pretty cool shapes and designs that you can layer onto your photos.  I also like that you don't have to "sign-up" to use these services.

Atomic Tom does a pretty good cover of Don't You Want Me for a movie coming out called Take Me Home Tonight. The music video is really fun, with the movie's actors portraying iconic scenes from 80's flicks.

Rick Mercer does a nice send up of the proposed metered internet in Canada.

This is the best use of Justin Bieber I have ever seen.  Have a great weekend everybody!