Blog Archives July 2007

We all know about the comfort zone. I bet that over the course of our daily lives we spend the majority of our time in our own particular comfort zones, only stepping outside of that safe zone for short bursts of time. Whether it be curling up in our favorite pajamas, listening to the same music, driving the route well-traveled, frequenting our favorite businesses and eateries, or using the same colors on a scrapbook page – we all have a list of things that make us tick. These things help define us and they give us comfort in a sometimes chaotic world.

I have my comfort things. Here are a few that come to mind:

• After a particularly bad day, I like to spoon with my husband. The closeness and silence of just laying there is very reassuring.
• I am a big fan of carbohydrates. Nothing like a big bowl of warm pasta to soothe what ails you.
• The ocean is my happy place. It is where I feel most at peace and where I like to recharge my weary batteries. I collect sea glass, listen to the rhythm of the waves, and people watch. Occasionally, if I can steal a day alone at the shore, I read and write.
• When I want to snuggle up and get cozy, I pull out my beat up Babson sweatshirt and a pair of sweatpants and curl up on the couch with a magazine.
• My life has a soundtrack.  Dave Matthews picks me up and is one of my all time favorites.  Van Morrison, Bonnie Raitt, Jack Johnson, and John Mayer chill me out. I love hundreds and hundreds of artists, but I gravitate to the same few the majority of the time.

I bet we all have our “creative comfort zone” as well. You might sew, but have never gravitated towards knitting. Or maybe you are a photographer that has never painted. Or maybe you are a scrapbooker who always works within the same format and uses the same tools over and over again. There is nothing wrong with that…but every once in a while, try to step outside of your typical selections and try something new.

Here are some things I still need to try:

• I have never sewn on a layout and have to get out the sewing machine one of these days.
• I have never done a completely digital layout.  There have been digital elements (photos, journaling) but that’s about it. I would love to play with all the cool new brushes and techniques to create a digital page.
• I still don’t have enough about ME in my albums.  I am merely the storyteller, but I keep forgetting to tell my OWN story.

Step out of the zone and try something new.  I would love to see what you come up with! Have a great day.

Yes, some time has passed my friends. Admittedly, I have not been as blogalicious as I could be/should be. But, truth be told, I have been in overdrive. All cylinders have been go and there hasn’t been a moment to stop and check in with the pit crew, so to speak. The past three weeks have been a blur — not the leisurely pace of summer that I know and love.

When things get this crazy, it’s hard for me to sit down and unwind enough to compose.  My creativity gets zapped and it’s all I can do to just get through the day and take care of the daily necessitites. I’ll be back…stay tuned.  And, remember, even when I am gone, it is never for that long.

I’m coming out of hibernation for a minute to wish my mom a very happy birthday. This is her 60th (although she would like to be able to tell you she is 49)! I took the day off to eat, drink, and be merry with her.

Although there is a lot going on this week and I have to remove blogging from my to-do list, I wanted to wish my mother and father in-law a very Happy Anniversary. They have been married for more than 40 years and they are still very much in love. Other July anniversaries: Tom and Sara and Kerri and Kevin.

Here’s to love…when it’s good, it’s the best thing on earth!

Yesterday, I wrote about my favorite things of summer. Like all good things, there are drawbacks, but this list is relatively short compared to my other one. Today, I’ll tell you a bit about my least favorite things in summer. How does your list compare?

Here goes: ticks, mosquitoes, Japanese beetles, sunburns, chafing, lightening, humidity, red tide, cellulite, power outages, the smell of chlorine, insect repellant, motorcycles, crabs, pollen, weeds, working when it is 80 degrees and sunny, cranky, overtired kids, gas prices, Cape Cod traffic.

Tip for today: do a comparison and put it in your scrapbook or journal. These lists are a quick way to summarize who you are and what you like/dislike. You will marvel how things change over time. You can also take it one step further and do a mini-album on what each person in your family likes/dislikes. Surely my husband and children would have different items on their lists.

Here are some of my favorite summer things. What are yours?

The ocean, sea glass, burgers on the grill, ice-cold beer, suntans, white shirts, flip-flops, the soothing sound of waves, colorful gardens, birdbaths, scallops, seeing my kids play at the beach, sunsets, increased daylight, cool breezes, the days when you can wear a sweatshirt with shorts, bonfires, adirondack chairs, open windows, air-conditioning, fruit salad, freshly cut grass, hermit crabs, thunder storms (as long as they aren’t too severe), fireflies, watermelon wedges, roadside veggie stands, lemonade stands, tank tops, concerts, flea markets, baseball games, bike rides, long walks, reading by the beach, my hammock, hearing the laughter of all the neighborhood kids, white rocks, my daughter’s diaper peeking out of the corner of her swimsuit, iced-tea, the smell of charcoal…

I could go on forever – the summer is my favorite season.

I hope it is a great day where you are: full of flags, parades, and the good ol’ red, white, and blue! Beaches and BBQ’s (and boys) are my favorite July 4 pasttimes.

• I remember chasing Chris Tetreault around the tidal pools of Demarest Lloyd State Park when I was a boy-crazy ‘tween. Poor kid just wanted to get his pail and shovel back and I was trying to hug him and hold his hand. hahaha.
• Then there were the high school years where I would get to Horseneck Beach extra early to catch the fleet of lifeguards doing their morning drills. Mmmm, push ups. Good times.
• There was the year that my sister thought she was a good swimmer (she’s not) and she got swept out in an undercurrent and thought she was going to die until she got rescued by one of the aforementioned lifeguards (nicknamed Lizard by his peers).

Speaking of boys and 4th of July…be sure to take a moment to think about, and be thankful for, all the troops that continue to keep the independence in Independence Day. Be safe!

Does anyone have one? Is it as cool as it looks on TV?

I consider myself fairly technical in the grand scheme of things. I have an internet-based, full-time job, I run this e-commerce site, I have a blog, I shoot digital photos, and I am aware of new media. However, when it comes to a cell phone, I don’t really see the need for all the bells and whistles. For me, I don’t need a camera in my phone – those low-res photos don’t work in scrapbooks. I don’t have a desire to text or access the internet – I spend no less than 10 hours a day online. I don’t need music in my phone – I have radios, CD players, and iPods.