Double Take...

I'll admit it...
I forgot.

Truth be told, I wrote it in another location, my personal journal.

You have been with this for a year and so I thought you were due some closure.

About my 2014 New Year's Resolutions.....
let go of that breath I know you were holding. (snark intended)

First, let's review the list and why I chose them here....

And now for closure,

#1.  Get cards to people on time.
      My best year ever.... my niece, who's Birthday was December 26th, may not agree with me as I sent her card not only late but to her dorm address and not her home address where she was at the time of her Birthday.  A pleasant surprise will greet her when she gets back to school.  Surprise!!!  That was my only big goof on this one.  My entire family was pretty much in shock this year.

#2.  Finish Projects in a timely and sane manner.
    I Let it Go!!!  Let it Go!!  Sorry, couldn't help but breaking into song.  I released this notion that it HAD TO BE DONE NOW!!!!!!  and had more fun with my crafty and other projects this year.  The ultimate irony of this, by relaxing I generally got things done faster.

#3.  Work on my personal style.
    I did ok with this one.  I struggled with a little weight that I put on throughout the year and it definitely put me in a not buying clothes mood.  I did, however, clean out my closets and drawers and donated clothing I either did not like, did not fit, or was so totally out of style no one would want to be near me when I wore it.  I actually bought 2 items that are in my Pinterest 'My Style' board and love them.  I also realized I am completely ok with going to the grocery store in sweats and no makeup and I stopped feeling like I had to dress up for things that did not matter to me.  On the flip side, I love to dress up for events.  Glam me up on those occasions.  The last thing I did for my personal style was to CHOP my hair!!  It went from reaching the bottom of my shoulder blades to right below my ears.  It was liberating and apparently flattering because people have been telling me to keep this hair cut.

#4.  Figure out my Yoga practice
  I found a studio, 2 streets away from my house that I can walk to, and LOVE LOVE LOVE it.  It is not a trendy place.  It focuses on the basics and it makes be calm.  I was very inconsistent, however, about going when life got funky, which is the absolute worst time to stop and that is something I am still working on, consistency.

#5.  Find balance in my workout schedule.
   Remember how I almost did not put this on my list?  I wrote a whole post about it in February, called A bit of the Blahs....  This resolution gave me grief.  I struggled the ENTIRE YEAR and it was not until mid December during an Abdominal Massage in Mexico that I realized why.  It was an emotional moment I tell you.... I honestly could not breathe....  I was working out due to fear.  I was never going to find balance in fear.  It is just not possible.  I had to and have to continue to workout from a place of love.  For example, I love what my body is able to do today or I love how I feel when I am in class or I love what I am doing.  This is going to be a lifelong process, but at least I know now what balance in my workout schedule should look like.
   Since December, I have taken days off when I have not felt well, instead of pushing myself too hard.  I have let go the expectation of what my poses should look like in yoga and have made progress like you can not believe.  I have made plans not to do it alone.
 
#6.  Cross items off my Bucket List.
  I love this one....more National Parks were visited, I completed a MARATHON, I had a tarot card reading, I'm almost done with the 100 best movies ever made list, and there were a few more.  This will make another appearance in 2015.

#7.  Do a monthly savings challenge.
  Absolute failure on this one.  I did not have a plan.  I did not make a plan.  I should of had the plan before I made the resolution.  Financially, I did ok in 2014, but I could of done better with a plan.  I am redoing this in 2015 and I already have my plan in place.

#8.  Be more creative.
  I put a lot of thought, effort and time into this one and eventually it paid off.  It was not without its pitfalls, however, I took classes that I just didn't click with, struggled with finding the right medium, and had some doubts.  In September, I found my unexpected gift.  I fell in love with Watercolors and for a person who is unable to draw a straight line with a ruler (I get that weird ruler bump), it loved me back.  I am enjoying painting immensely and am continuing my classes in 2015.

#9.  Maintain my progress and Move Forward.
   This year was interesting.  It had some High Highs and very Low Lows.  I got completely flipped by the end of the year and had lost my balance.  The benefit, however, of some life experience is that I flipped back right side up faster and with more ease than I had in the past.  I realized there are some very simple things that help keep me in balance and will use them not only when things are going well, but when they are not.  I also will ask for help before it gets too bad.  I am very lucky and grateful for the people in my life who have offered and given help to me.

Was that a year or what?
Some successes and some not.
But I will never regret making the Resolutions....

Melissa

Infinite Love....

On Monday night, while taking pictures of the 'SuperMoon', I was astounded and upset when my camera, which was on a tripod, was knocked over and the parents of the kid who did it said very bluntly and rudely...

"It's your problem, not mine."

It destroyed my lens and camera.

And for a moment, my optimism.........

Why are people so mean?  Why do people not care?  When did it become acceptable to be cruel?

Then, it began....

the kindness,
the words of comfort,
the care.

I realized something very, very important,

what we focus on is what we see.

There is good in the world and in life, and when the random moments where meanness, lack of care, or cruelty come into our lives,

focus on the good...

because it is still there and it will help heal the wounds from those that are not.

Believe in Infinite Love...
Melissa

How Not to be an Idiot...

Alternate title:  Simple steps for your next home improvement project

This is one of those posts that you are going to need some context to know why I am giving steps on how to avoid being an Remodeling Idiot.

Extra, Extra, Read all about it.. Get your Context, here.

The majority of today's post is sponsored by the National Sarcasm Society, of which I am a long time member.

Tip #1.  DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT paint over hinges.  Just say no.  Abstain.  Stay clean, your hinges, that is.  Take the pledge.  What?  You've never heard of the pledge.  I'll let you in on it.  Raise your Right hand and say the following resolutely, "I, (state your name), do so promise never, let me repeat, never to paint over hinges of any kind."  I promise you, your life will be enriched and my sanity saved, if you will just take the pledge.

Tip #2.  Agree ahead of time what you are calling your tools.  I believe the item below is a paint stripper, but others call it a putty knife.  Avoid confusion, talk before hand, it will save time in the long run.  FYI, you do not have to call them by their proper names, as long as you are in agreement of the name.

The tool in question....if you call it a stripper, refrain from tucking dollar bills in it...

Tip #3.  If for some reason, you encounter a hole in your wall, or thru accident or otherwise, you create a hole in your wall, DO NOT use cork to cover it.  Also, DO NOT use a mirror, painting, photographs, wallpaper, or any other flat item that can be hung on a wall.  Just to be on the safe side, DO NOT use non flat items as well.  After my adventures, I am not leaving anything to chance.  Your only acceptable option is this--Patch the hole.  I promise it is not scary, hard, complicated, or a 20 step process that only a genius with a PhD in home remodeling can do.

You can do it.  I believe in you.  And just as importantly, I am going to show you how.

Take that in for a moment, I, Melissa, am going to show you how to patch a hole in your wall.

And what is even better, you do not have to have a bunch of expensive, never to be used again tools to do it.

Are you ready?  Mentally prepare yourself for the steps in a hole less experience for your walls....

Step #1.  Swear, cry, and bemoan your fate at finding or creating your hole in the wall.  Let it out.  Remember that kid that made you cry when you were five, take this opportunity to let that out as well.

Step #2.  Feel better now?  Good.  It's time for a trip to the Home Depot, Lowe's, or hardware store of your choosing.

Step #3.  You've battled traffic and made it to the store.  Congratulations!  The hard part is over.

Step #4.  Find the paint area.  Locate the following items
              1.  A Patch, large enough to cover said hole.

Turn your head sideways and see the patch  I used.

            2.  A Spackling Compound.  It will be near your Patch.

Added bonus, this one goes on PINK!!!

             3.  Something to spread your spackling...  I used an old paint stripper and a spatula.
             4.  Sandpaper to smooth said spackling.
             5.  Oh, wait, you don't need anything else.

Step #5.  Read the directions on your patch.  Are you ready for what was on mine?  Sand around the hole and make smooth.  Remove the paper backing from the patch and apply over hole.  Press firmly.

Oh, the horrors,  it was awful.  I had to take multiple breaks.  I need therapy from the hardship of it all.  Truth be told, going to Home Depot took longer and was more trouble.

Step #6.  Apply your Spackling over the patch.  You do not have to apply it with the skill of an Italian Master working on a chapel ceiling, but on the other hand, complete lack of care does not work either, moderation is the key in this step.  The key is to cover the mesh on the patch and attach it to the wall.  It doesn't have to be pretty or even, in fact the more you mess with it, it will start to fall off, it does not have to be perfect.   My one tip, go at least an inch past your patch and taper as you go out.  After saying all of this,  Do not stress over this step.  I slather it on pretty thick, because I would rather have more to work with when it dries than not enough.

Isn't this just lovely.  Notice the pink!  It's ok it's not even.

Step #7.  Go to bed.  Take a nap.  Ponder your life.  Kill some time.  Call a friend.  But most of all, leave your spackling job alone.  It needs some time to itself.  Ok, it just needs to dry.  Minimum time of 24 hours drying. The one I bought turns white when it is dry.  Idiot proof.

Step #8.  Are you hanging in there?  Do you still believe you can do this?  I BELIEVE IN YOU!  Don't give up.  And prepare to get a little dirty.

It's time to sand your spackling.  Smooth it out.  Go slow.  Take your time.  When you are done, the area is ready for primer.  You are creating the illusion on a single piece of wall, but don't be intimidated, because it is not hard.  I promise.  And if worse comes to worse and you do not like your results, go back to step #6 and add more spackling.  It's ok, and I won't tell, and if it makes you feel better, it took me 2 applications to get it to look right.  I am still working on it because after I patched the wall, I realized that the area where the hole was was not level with the rest of the wall, so I am building it up, but the hole is done.

Step #9.  Celebrate your new status as a PhD in Home Remodeling.  Throw a party.  But then, paint your wall!!!!

Ok, it's time to end this tangent and go back to the tips....

Tip # 4.  Apologize for the tangents that you go on during your remodeling projects that drive your friends and family members to roll their eyes when they unsuspectingly ask how it is going.

Tip #5.  Do your homework.  Ask questions.  Find out how to do it right the first time.  I am not afraid to ask multiple and quite possibly very dumb questions at my home improvement store.   Stalk your family and friends who have tackled the project you are undertaking, actual experience is more valuable than any book or Pinterest (which probably gave you the insane notion you could do the project in the first place).  In asking a fairly simple question today, I got an amazing tip for the tile portion of my project and a time saving one for sanding.  Just ask.

Tip #6.  Consider hiring someone to do it for you.  If after asking all of those questions, making a plan, looking at your schedule, making a shopping list of EVERYTHING you need so you don't end up running to the store every 5 minutes, and figuring out your budget, you may find that this DIY project is not for you.....do not feel bad about hiring someone to do all of the project or parts of the project.  I am terrified to do anything involving electricity, so I am having a handyman install the new light fixture.  I also do not have all of the tools necessary to cut my mirror and build a shelf in my cabinet (it's going to be so cool, a way to use otherwise wasted space), so he will do those as well.  Sanity, time, and money saved in the long run.

Tip #7.  Do not ever forget that this is supposed to be an enjoyable experience.  Hard work, yes.  A little time consuming, you betcha ya.  But don't be miserable and become an Idiot by your behavior.

Tip #8.  Do not expect this to go exactly as planned.  I was having a frustrating day with this project yesterday and complained about it on Facebook and a friend of mine gave a great piece of advice.  Home improvement projects are like onions....they have many, many layers and not all of them are in great shape.  Keep your sense of humor....  Breathe... and write multiple blog entries about it....


Are you ready to call be Bob Vila now? or whoever is hot on HGTV?  I've got home improvement skills and I am not afraid to use them.

Finding humor in it all.
Melissa

I am Surrounded by Idiots...

Alternate Title:  My bathroom remodel update.

I am finally moving forward and making progress on my bathroom remodel.  Remember when I blogged about it here?  July of 2013 was the start date. hahahahahahahaha...

First, I ran into problems getting the hinges off the bathroom cabinet.  Some Idiot had not just painted over the hinges, but with multiple coats.  It took 3 applications of paint thinner to be able to get a screwdriver head into the groove and loosen the screw.  I took a very long break from the project during this time and started to wonder if I could really do it or if I even wanted to.

painted over hinges, DO NOT DO THIS!

I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but in my opinion, if you do not tape off, cover, or remove hinges and the like and you paint over them, you might be a remodel Idiot.

Jump forward to today and I am finally ready to sand and prep the cabinet for paint!  Happy Day, right?

Not exactly.

I got my handy little sander out and went to town.  I did two applications of sanding with two different grits.  If the Idiots who had painted the cabinet, in the most unfortunate color of pink/peach, had done ANY prep and had taken even the least amount of care, a sanding with a grit in the 180-200 range just to get the gloss off would of been fine, but are you starting to see a trend here?

Yep, you guessed it, there were different numbers of coats on different areas; there were dribbles of paint that they did not even try to smooth out; you name a painting error and I ran into it.

After staring at this project for months now, I was prepared for most of it.  It still drove me crazy, but I was at least prepared for it.

What I was not mentally prepare for was the next issue I ran into.  (hold me, I'm still traumatized.)

Have I mentioned that the Idiots painted the door molding the pink/peach color too?  I still do not understand the logic of this one....But at this point to question the Idiots would be pointless, so I'll just continue.

A little description of the bathroom needs to happen now to understand what happens next.  It is long and fairly narrow, so when you walk in, the cabinet and counter space are right next to you, and if you keep going you will run straight into the tub.  Above the length of the cabinet is a mirror.  It is wonderful and large. (handy, for doing hair and checking outfits in different angles).  It is going to be modified during the process, but that is a story for another day.  What you need to know now is this, right as you walk in the door to the left above the counter, the wall was covered in cork.  It basically turned that little portion of the wall into a cork board.  I hung my calendar, headbands, quotes, and other fun stuff from it rearranging as I wanted without damaging the wall.  It was one of the few items in the bathroom I sort of liked.  It ran right up next to the molding on the door, so when I planned this adventure, I knew it would be going.

How bad its leaving was going to be, I had no idea.

The cabinet was now sanded and ready for primer, so I turned to the molding and soon realized that the cork was going to have to leave immediately.  I couldn't sand the molding with the cork bumping up next to it.  I naively assumed that some care had been taken in putting it up on the wall and that it would be a quick and easy removal.

WRONG!  IDIOT ALERT!  IDIOT ALERT!
They took adhesive and slathered the drywall with it and then attached the cork.  By itself, this would of been bad enough, but the Idiots were not done with testing my sanity.  They had used the cork to cover a hole in the wall.

Can I cry now?

the discoloration is the adhesive, the gaps are an added bonus.

the butchered remains of the cork.  Notice the awful color of the tile in the background.

Here is the thing that sent me outside for a moment of meditation and breathing, patching a wall is a simple, SIMPLE process.  Most of the time of the project is in the drying of the compound.  Trust me, it is not hard and you can learn how to do it by reading the 4 step process on the package.  Don't be an IDIOT and cover a wall with cork just to cover a hole.

A trip to Home Depot was now in order, partially to give me more time to calm down, but mainly to get the material to get the adhesive off and the patch kits for the wall.  I had no idea how to get adhesive off drywall, so I asked for help in the paint department and the guy said, "What Idiots..." and told me the stuff I would need.

I'll finish the post with this,
home projects can take a lot of time, but the key to success and not becoming an Idiot, is this.

DO NOT SKIMP on the prep work.  Yes, I know, it is tedious and sometimes not very fun, but if you do it right, your final results will be amazing.

(a little side note about the photographs, I shot in full auto mode, so they are not the best quality.  I prefer to save beautiful photos for people and landscapes.)

Oh, and one more little detail, if you come over in the next couple of days, this is your bathroom door.

notice the mickey mouse duct tape...

For added fun, it does not reach the floor.

Looking for my sanity and a little privacy.
Melissa