
Try again, fail again, fail better
November is kicking my butt!!!
It’s so far been a hard month of personal upsets and low productivity.
The weather is typical West Coast cold dampness which feels twice as cold as it says on the thermostat. Not like the dry cold of prairies or of mountains, but the right to the bone cold of the ocean which you can’t seem to insulate your body from.
Today we were at Whole Foods for a nice morning break and quietly reading the paper, having tea and we heard our first Christmas carol, Jingle Bell Rock. So, just for the record, I’m declaring winter, because I hate to think of Christmas time and fairy lights and decorations belonging to the fall. (I don’t think I would like to be an Australian and have Christmas in the summer. But then again, If I was Australian I guess I wouldn’t know any different and so would be happy with that.
This morning I read my horoscope. Do you do that? I go for weeks without thinking about horoscopes or any of that woey-woey stuff, and then my life sucks and I look for some sort of assurance that everything will work out. What’s all that about, and how ridiculous is that? No wonder they’re called soothsayers.
Today I took these photos. That’s C reading a disturbing article in today’s newspaper about the sexting; she has to do a research paper about it, which has to culminate in a modification to a curriculum to combat that problem in high schools. Wow, it’s depressing to know this exists and to know the vast problem it has become. Depressing to read about the children who have harmed themselves over this, even committed suicide, and I wish somehow there was a way to make kids realise that there is so much more to life than high school.
So it was lovely to see these children running on the beach and playing their innocent, little hearts out. And here’s something: some new stores are opening. The stores geared for ladies have sexy full window “coming soon” ads, while the men’s wear has a hand written sign on the door advertising what it will eventually be. Interesting, isn’t it? The hard “sexy, sexy woman will be you as soon as you drop in” sell vs the “oh, well, men have to shop at some point anyway, and, since they wont probably come in on an impulse brought on by the sexy, sexy, why spend the money?” sell. Boy you get jaded as soon as you start working your way thru that CMNS degree. Sometimes I wonder if life wasn’t simpler before I did it and now C is in her fourth year of the same degree. Which I encouraged her to take! What have I done?!?
So mostly I walk thru the new stores ignoring the merchandise and admiring the not-for-sale decorations and fixtures. Now I want to get a bunch of old paintings and liberate them from their supports and wallpaper a wall with them and find some shutters to put on a desk to function as a file cabinet (of sorts). How cool is that? (Wait, I have a bunch of old paintings waiting to be turned into hand bags…hmmm)
I’m very much into a “throw everything I own away and start again” mood. Maybe just put everything that’s out away and redecorate mood, because, actually, looking around, I kinda like my stuff. You know what I possibly need to do is to feng shui the hell out of the house. Sort things out, put them away, get rid of some clutter and feng shui the rest. I think possibly the problem is that I haven’t used feng shui principals here in this house, (now I’ve been here for 2.5 yrs) and, even if it’s woey-woey stuff, it makes me feel loads better.
On the positive side, because Robert is going to be really annoyed with me if I keep going on in this “gloomy and purposeless left leg of Uncle Vanya’s trousers” path, I’ve started a new map about three days ago and it’s all I want to do right now, just paint the map. It will be a couple of nuthatches and bluebells. The one bird is flying to a branch and the second is already there. I love the way these little bird descend head first. And bluebells, because I felt like bluebells, and that can’t be bad.
P.S. C is putting in a blue hair wrap in her hair with the embroidery flosses and now I want to embroider something with those yummy, rich colours.
P.P.S. There’s roast chicken for Sunday supper.
P.P.P.S. The Sunday whirl is turning out be to really dark and so I might stop writing it before it drags me down below ground and away form the bluebells. Alternately, it might be good just to get it out, over with and sleep it off.
Linking with Mary for Mosaic Mondays and with Ramona for Create with Joy
Schmutzie
Lovely photos!
Veronica
Thank you my new friend. 🙂
Jean Smith
HI Veronica… Hope your day ended on a happy note! I get the winter blahs sometimes too… and honestly, it hits me in November as well. I just posted last week if anyone else felt totally unmotivated? thankfully some did! LOL
Cool photo’s and I really love your drawings… that is such a cool idea to draw like that on maps. I love nuthatches!
Have a great day… saw you at UBC,
best,
Jean
Veronica
Hello Jean, my UBC friend…aint it the truth…lol. I’m off to read your post now. And thank you very much; I love drawing on bits of ephemera and saving them like that instead of a brand new soulless piece of bleached white paper. 🙂
educ8rkids
Wow, you are so very talented! Those maps are incredible. We are the opposite it seems. I adore gloomy winter and hate hot and overly bright summer. Beautiful photographs. You live in a lovely place!
Veronica
Hello Master Student Murat. Thank you very much. I hope you get your blog up soon so I can come visit you. 🙂
Dewena Callis
May I add to your wish to include that a high school girl could know that a high school boy not liking her will some day not matter a bit, that she has a grand life ahead of her?
Veronica
I know, I know! Hopefully C will get the message across in her report and the report, being a group project, will carry some weight. To tell you the truth Dewena, C is having a hell of a hard time getting the principal, v principal and councillors to talk to her about it without demeaning her for wasting their time! It’s unbelievable really. Thank goodness she’s her sister’s sister and doesn’t get upset as much as gets more determined. Once she said that her research will be reflected in her report then people started taking her a bit more seriously.
Daryl
i hope you slept off the ‘downs’ and are back up and charging ahead with projects that make you feel good .. love those emerging nuthatches … you know. much as i love to shop, i really don’t love going into the shops to do it i am ever thankful for the internet and all the check us out emails … xo
Catherine
the principal etc treating C like that is perhaps part of the research in itself? manifestations of a cultural backdrop that might be part of what contributes to pupils inappropriately projecting onto other adolescents as sources of love and acceptance – if the staff are this insensitive/unresponsive/dismissive it can’t be helping pupils see them as sources of love …. just saying ….. X
Marrianna
So sorry that November so far has been a downer for you. I get it, though, and I just keep moving onward. I’m not real thrilled about the upcoming holidays because of the sadness surrounding my current life. I really need to do something for somebody else, and I will.
The lake photos in this post are stunning! Excellent photography. Please tell me what lens you use on your camera. I just ordered a 50 mm 1.4 lens for my Canon and am taking an online photo class beginning in January that I think will rekindle my love of photography. Your photos are always inspiring for me. Take care and I hope life gets better for you and C.
I don’t do a lot of shopping in stores except possibly thrift shops. And online when necessary. But the holidays around here are filled with holiday craft shows and I’ll be going to some of them in a few weeks with a friend. She’ll shop and I’ll take my camera and take photos instead of shopping.
dianecayton
Sounds like you need to take a trip to a sunny place for a few days and get your happy mo jo working. Winter can be difficult with all of it’s grays. 🙁
Veronica
So true Diane! 🙂 Mexico, beach, lounge chair, 2 or 3 Pina Coladas, counting pelicans. That’s what I need, and in that order.
Joanne
Is it the full moon sister?
It plays havoc with me – and why not Feng Shui? A de-clutter always makes me feel better.
I used to do a lot of the FS but these days the only thing I can remember is to leave the toilet seat down – so that money doesn’t go down the loo!!!
Lovely shots and drawings by the way 🙂
xx
Veronica
I bet it was the full moon Joanne. Thanks for reminding me about that. I really should pay more attention. Personally, I can’t be bothered with the toilet seat thing, but there are remedies like up things: growing plants, painting of trees above the toilet etc. (Obviously no waterfall paintings…lol)
Sara v
I love bluebells!! I can relate to the wanting to pitch everything–I have been in that mode lately too. I love the expression of going down the left leg of Uncle Vanya’s trousers–huge fan of colloquialisms. One that makes me laugh is “just because the kittens were born in the oven doesn’t make them biscuits” Or “busier than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rockers” My home town of Sacramento gets that damp bone cold, too–brrrrr! Stay close to the fire and enjoy your soft warm sweaters (It’s 80 here and I’m sweating) 🙂
Veronica
Have you Sara? It’s a terrible feeling, isn’t it? Even when I can change my surroundings it doesn’t usually help because I’m still the same inside. Robert says that where ever you go you take yourself with you and it’s so true. Have to work on the inside I think. Read your colloquialisms to C and I think she’s snatched up the oven-kittens one…lol. It’s a good one! 🙂
Rose
Sorry it has been a hard month for you…I know about upsets but with us it is usually sickness of some kind.
Those maps are looking good.
Veronica
Thank you so much Rose, so sweet. Hope you all stay well and healthy. 🙂
vastlycurious.com
I refuse to accept winter yet V : ) You have nice “stuff” . I like mine too !!
Veronica
We both have nice stuff. 🙂 I’m over the leaves and into that part of the year where it’s just going to be bleak and yucky so let’s get it over with and move on to the tulips!
vastlycurious.com
Its stuff but I collected it !
dawnsrays
Wet AND cold is the WorsT-the WOrSt!!
but you are getting some outstanding photos from the overcast skies you jaded woman you! LOL