The Hass-Barks

January Update

2012-01-31T12:11:00.000-05:00

January in the Midwest is typically a nasty-weathered affair. This year, however, we've been enjoying what I've deemed Winterspring. The weather has been spectacular. Today, for example, it's 50+ degrees out. I'll take it.

Looking back at the last few months of blog posts (or lack thereof), I can see a big slump in posting. Last semester was hard - for so many reasons. I was more sick, more frequently, than any other point in my life that I can remember. I felt run-down and unable to function from about mid-September to mid-January. In November (on my birthday, as a matter of fact), I was finally diagnosed with SHINGLES!!! (which I refer to a la Dooce with jazz hands). The doctor prescribed massive doses of prednisone and anti-virals (the same horse pill you get for the herp - good times) along with a command to slow down and listen to my body. So I did. And I was exhausted. There were a couple of days when I lost all but a few hours to naps and sleep. But of course, I got other manners of sick after the SHINGLES!!! cleared up. We had the flu and then I got bacterial bronchitis, and then we puppy-sat for 10 days (and Greta hated 9.5 of them), and then the semester started and, well, here we are.

In the resting times, I went bonkers on Pinterest, joined Goodreads, and read a bajillion books (embarrassing and not) on my wonderful, magical, basic Kindle. Mr. H-B and I also committed to the cult of Dave Ramsey. I now have a sad little card in my wallet with our total debt on it. The shopaholic in me needs that little reminder that every non-budgeted soda that I buy or extra thingamajig I buy for our apartment is keeping us from the goal of paying everything off.

So blog world friends, how was January?

Updated 101 in 1001

2012-01-02T16:54:00.002-05:00

To say that I have slacked off on my goals would be quite an understatement. This last year was...ROUGH. I was sick, and then I was sick again, and then I got SHINGLES!!!, and then I got sick again, and then it was the end of the semester. Anyway, I've updated my list of 101 goals to complete in 1001 days.

The list is daunting. However, given that I have over 18 months to cross everything off, I think it's still doable. I am also surprised by how many goals I actually accomplished in the last year.

Here's to a productive 2012 and to crossing off MANY more items on my list of goals.

Goals in progress are bolded, goals ~~completed~~ are ~~crossed out~~*

Spiritual/Service

1. Read the full Standard Works

2. Pray daily for two months (0/60)

3. Write down a blessing each day for a month (0/30)

4. Write in a journal one time a week for three months (0/3)

5. Write a list of 25 things I genuinely like about myself

6. Attend the temple 10 times (2/10)

7. Magnify Visiting Teaching calling

1) Make appointments during the first week of the month

2) Visit or call each sister every month

3) Send birthday cards to each sister

8. Magnify organist calling

1) Practice 60 minutes/week

2) Plan each year’s music by January 30th (~~2011~~)

9. Magnify Relief Society counselor calling

1) Plan activities at least one month in advance

2) Attend all meetings

10. Read each month's Ensign magazine

Marriage/Relationships

11. ~~Pray as a couple 5 times a week for a month (0/20)~~

12. Family Home Evening every Monday for 3 months (0/3)

13. Go on a date with Mr. H-B every ~~month~~ week (2/135)

14. Have a baby

15. Visit four city museums/zoo (~~Zoo in March~~)

16. Print wedding photos

1) Wedding album

2) ~~Our walls~~

3) ~~Mom and Dad H~~

4) ~~Mom and Dad B~~

17. ~~Send 4 care packages to baby sisters at school (4/4)~~

18. Send Christmas cards to at least 20 people/families

19. Send 20 handwritten letters to friends or family

20. Purchase, complete, and frame a pretty family tree

Physical/Mental Fitness

21. Weight loss goal (25%)

22. Weight loss goal (50%)

23. Weight loss goal (75%)

24. Weight loss goal (100%)

25. ~~Splurge on 2 new bras~~

26. Walk 10,000 steps every day for 60 days (0/60)

27. Couch to 5k program (0/10 weeks)

28. Walk Greta every day for 30 days (0/30)

29. Practice yoga 3x/week for one month (0/4)

30. Track all food for 30 days (0/30)

31. Go without sugar (candy, baked goods, and sugared soda) for 30 days (0/30)

32. Go without soda for 30 days (0/30)

33. Wake up at the same time every day for 30 days (0/30)

34. Floss daily for 30 days (0/30)

35. See my therapist monthly when school is in session until I graduate (2/10)

36. Monthly massages (0/32)

37. Have a biannual medical check-up

38. Have a dental check-up

39. Get flu shot each fall (~~2011~~)

Financial

40. Create a monthly budget and have a budget meeting with Mr. H-B each month (0/32)

41. Do a spending fast

42. Plan biweekly menus

1) Make grocery list

2) Shop at ALDI first

43. Make a dent in my credit card debt

1) ~~Pay off VISA~~

2) Apply extra payments to Discover

3) ~~Call AmEx and Discover about closing account to reduce interest rate~~

44. Set up ING individual savings accounts

1) Gifts

2) Car repairs

3) Moving expenses

4) Baby

45. Save all fun money for 3 months

46. Save all of my Swagbucks Amazon.com gift cards from 1/1/2012-12/15/2012

47. Don’t pay for water bottles for 3 months (0/3)

Academic/Career

48. Defend dissertation on or before ~~January~~ May 15, 2012

49. ~~Write CV and update semi-annually~~

50. Write teaching statement by August 31, 2012

51. ~~Write draft letters of intent~~

~~1) Research school~~

~~2) Teaching school~~

52. ~~Ask for letters of recommendation~~

53. ~~Finish general job application packets~~

54. Skim Academic Journal 1 every month

55. Skim Academic Journal 2 every quarter

56. Read the Diccionario del Real Academia Española

57. Scan or download all academic articles in file cabinet

58. ~~Publish 2 articles/chapters~~

59. Take 6 computer classes

1) Illustrator

2) Photoshop

3) Website Development Certificate
4) Podcasting

5) Excel

6) SPSS

60. Buy a suit and have it tailored for job interviews

61. ~~Buy a nice briefcase and shoes for job interviews~~

Organization/Home

62. Home inventory

63. Make a will

64. Make a living will

65. Do Flylady program every day for 3 months (0/2)

66. Clean out and organize closet

1) Turn hangers backwards (2/1/2011-1/31/2012) and get rid of unworn clothes at the end of the year

67. Organize and declutter kitchen tools

68. ~~Organize and declutter jewelry; clean tarnished pieces~~

69. Declutter one item/day for 30 days (0/30)

70. Organize iTunes (label all files properly)

71. ~~Organize photos~~

72. ~~Organize hard drives, delete unwanted files, back up all remaining files~~

73. Organize birthday card file with a list of birthday presents/ gift card ideas for each recipient

74. Organize recipes in a central location (including Cook’s Illustrated index)

75. ~~Add foam to couch and chair cushions~~

Creativity

76. ~~Complete baby blankets to have on hand for gifts~~

77. Complete quilting projects that I have on hand (5 medium quilts)

78. Complete cross-stitch advent calendar

79. Sew a skirt

80. Sew an apron

81. Sew curtains

82. ~~Sew new throw pillows for the living room~~

83. Take a class at JoAnn fabric

84. Cook 1 vegetarian meal per month

85. Learn to bake croissants

86. ~~Blog every day for 30 days (30/30)~~

87. Blog one photo every day for 30 days (0/30)

88. Photograph and blog a day in my life

89. Learn to shoot pictures on manual

90. Learn to play pedals on 5 hymns (0/5)

91. Practice and play a piano solo in church

Recreation

92. Host 3 parties

93. Read 20 20^th and 21^st century fiction books I haven't read before:

1) The Alchemist Paolo Coelho

2) Anthem Ayn Rand

3) Atonement Ian McEwan

4) Beloved Toni Morrison

5) Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger

6) Cold Comfort Farm Stella Gibbons

7) East of Eden John Steinbeck

8) The Good Earth Pearl S. Buck

9) The Haunting of Hill House Shirley Jackson

10) The Help Kathryn Stockett

11) The House of Mirth Edith Wharton

12) The Hunger Games ~~(Trilogy) Suzanne Collins~~

13) The Lord of the Flies William Golding

14) The Lord of the Rings (Trilogy) J.R.R. Tolkien

15) My Ántonia Willa Cather

16) The Name of the Rose Umberto Eco

17) The Shining Stephen King

18) The Stranger Albert Camus

19) Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe

20) Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy John leCarré

94. Read 10 non-fiction books I haven't read before:

1) Angela’s Ashes Frank McCourt

2) The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

3) Band of Brothers Stephen Ambrose

4) The Conquest of Gaul Caesar

5) Declaration of Independence, Constitution of the United States of America, Bill of Rights and Constitutional Ammendments Benjamin Franklin

6) Endurance Alfred Lansing

7) Enoch the Prophet Hugh Nibley

8) La guerra de guerrillas Che Guevara

9) The Histories Herodotus

10) Innocents Abroad Mark Twain

11) Jesus the Christ James E. Talmage

12) The Long Walk Slavomir Rawicz

13) Old Testament and Related Studies Hugh Nibley

14) Undaunted Courage Stephen Ambrose

15) Vivir para contarla Gabriel García Márquez

95. Read 20 classic works of fiction that I haven’t read before

1) Aeneid Virgil

2) Anna Karenina Leo Tolstoy

3) The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

4) Beowulf

5) Bleak House Charles Dickens

6) Dracula Bram Stoker

7) Far from the Madding Crowd Thomas Hardy

8) Frankenstein Mary Shelley

9) Gulliver’s Travels Jonathan Swift

10) Iliad Homer

11) Jane Eyre Charlotte Bronte

12) Last of the Mohicans James Fenimore Cooper

13) Madame Bovary Gustave Flaubert

14) Odyssey Homer

15) The Picture of Dorian Gray Oscar Wilde

16) The Portrait of a Lady Henry James

17) The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne

18) Treasure Island Robert Louis Stevenson

19) Vanity Fair William Makepeace Thackeray

20) Wuthering Heights Emily Bronte

96. Watch AFI top 100 movies

97. Find 5 new parks where I can walk with Greta

98. Do a manicure and pedicure once a month (12/32)

99. Learn how to juggle

100. Renew my passport

101. Write a new 101 goals in 1001 days list

33 on the 3rd

2011-11-03T02:08:00.000-04:00

Today's a big birthday for me. My mom is going to call me later and tell me about how I took 26 hours before I came out with a conehead. And then she and my dad will laugh about how they tried to send me back to the nursery a few hours later because I was so much cuter than the baby they saw right after the birth. And then I'll be super homesick for awhile because Indiana is so far away from New Mexico.

Since I wasn't old enough to remember my golden birthday - being born on the 3rd isn't conducive to that - I've decided to go all out on my 33rd. It's crazy that I'm an age at which I remember both of my parents. It's hard to remember that I'm an adult when I'm still in school and childless (although I think I'm turning into one of those crazy dog ladies...).

To celebrate here, I've decided to list 33 things that make me smile. No, these aren't all the big, important things, and the list will probably be completely different in a year. But today, November 3, 2011, these are the things that bring a smile to my face:

Mr. H-B. 3 years in and we drive each other bonkers, but he can still bring a smile to my face with a quote from Arrested Development or The Simpsons.
My family. I miss them a lot, but I love how much we like and love each other. We like being together, and I think that says a lot for the job my parents did in raising five children.
My church. It's not a perfect organization, but I'm really happy that I'm a Mormon.
Ms. Greta von Hassenstein-Barker.There, I said it. I love my dog. Even when she steals chicken bones out of the garbage or pees on the carpet, she's my fur baby. Most of the time, she just makes me laugh by furiously chasing paperclips across the living room, smacking the carpet with her Seussical/Muppet paws.
And now for some less serious stuff....
Fall. As I've mentioned before, autumn in Indiana is spectacular.
Cardinals. I always thought cardinals were sort of mythical creatures (they just don't live out West). They're real. Also, they eat love dumpsters.
Geese. They're just so funny.
My lunch bag. I have packed lunch all but one day for the last 9 weeks. Go me!
My water bottle. Finally something pretty enough to keep me from buying plastic water bottles.
Home Means Nevada - This cover by The Killers is awesome. I sing this song in my head a lot. Am I the only one who knows my state song by heart? "Way out in the land of the setting sun...."
Green apples and creamy peanut butter. I have eaten this combination in my lunch almost every day this semester. Om nom nom.
Diet Dr. Pepper or Coke Zero. I had grand intentions of giving up soda this semester, but it is...not going to happen. The end.
Reese's Peanut Butter Pumpkins. One of the things I look most forward to about Halloween, really.
My wallet. It's apple green and it makes me happy when I look at it. Also, it has a checkbook in it. And that makes me feel like a legitimate adult, even though I write exactly one check a month.
Key ring full of keys. Also makes me feel like a grown-up.
Arrested Development. Really, is there anything else to say about this?
TV on the internet. I can watch what I want while Mr. H-B watches endless Seinfeld re-runs. Win. Win.
Nail polish. I have fallen in love with weird colors like green and blue, but I also love glitters and pink and red. It's a fun, (relatively) inexpensive way to play with color.
My new glasses. I got them from Zenni and they're comfy, the correct prescription, and somewhat fashionable. Also, I got three pairs (including a pair of old lady sunglasses (thank you, Mr. H-B)) for less than 75 dollars. Thank you Stuckis for talking up internet glasses.
Teaching. I love my job. Sometimes I hate my dissertation, but I don't remember the last time I complained about the teaching part. It is so much fun to watch my students' eyes light up as they understand new things about Spanish. Liberal Arts FTW!
Silver and white/clear decorations. I had a planning meeting for our winter Relief Society activity and this is our color scheme (with some navy blue tablecloths). It always looks classy and clean. I'm really excited to bust out my Christmas ornaments this year.
Annie's sugar cookie bars. You guys, I confess that I love those Lofthouse bakery cookies. It's disgusting. These bars, on the other hand, are homemade and even more delicious than Lofthouse. Seriously. Just try them.
Thinking about graduation. Funny hats, getting hooded by my adviser, can it get any better?
Smart phones. I no longer have a calendar online, an agenda, and assorted calendars in my office, kitchen, etc. Let's just forget that the battery on my phone is seriously heinous.
And now for some weird stuff...
The smell of ink. Sometimes after I hand write a lot, I sniff the page.
Scentsy. I got suckered into a Scentsy party, then suckered into buying something.... (What!? I can't say 'No' to anything). But it turns out that I love my little wax warming contraption. It smells good, Mr. H-B can't blow it out, and it makes a great little night light.
Writing on the chalkboard. You guys, this is one of the reasons I love being a teacher. It is so much fun to write on the board.
Fonts and typography. I have a whole board on Pinterest devoted to the fun things I find online. I also love creating posters and handouts (even though I'm not particularly good at it).
World of Warcraft. This is my biggest secret shame of the year. Mr. H-B convinced me to try a free trial, playing with him and one of our friends. I'm a junky now. I totally get those Level 85 Palladin and 'My guild has a raid' jokes. Not that I've ever said either of them.
Sorting things. I sort my M&Ms, nail polishes, pens, data files, apps, everything. Sorting makes me happy.
Being 33. It's going to be a good year. I can tell already.

So Happy Birthday to me! Thank you, dear imaginary readers, for sticking with me.

Judge Not

2011-10-27T12:15:00.000-04:00

I'd like to talk about judgment today. As members of a church with a well-established doctrine, Mormons can sometimes be very certain that their interpretation of a given element of the religion is the correct one. In other words, we can all be a bunch of Judgy McJudgersons. It's hard enough to be a good person, but when voices from all over are telling that you're doing it wrong, it gets to be downright miserable. I've noticed that that the tendency to judge (one another and ourselves) has come to a head on several blogs authored by LDS women.

Anonymous commenters throw around quotes that are often incomplete (or incorrectly cited, in some cases) to establish that they are in fact in the right regarding a given issues. The truth of the matter is, it doesn't matter if the whole quote is presented or not, I'm bothered by this assumption that because *I* understood something a certain way, *EVERYONE* should understand it that way. The point I’m trying to make here is that we each personally interpret the doctrines of the church as they are presented to us. I think each of us is probably imperfect in our interpretation, but I hope that we all do it with the guidance of the spirit.

In March of 1998, Elder Dallin H. Oaks gave a wonderful devotional at BYU regarding judgment. He differentiated final judgments, which we believe will be left entirely to Christ, and intermediate judgments. He then explained that “to be righteous, an intermediate judgment must be within our stewardship. We should not presume to exercise and act upon judgments that are outside our personal responsibilities.”

In the end, I think that a lot of us in the church (and probably outside of it) spend an inordinate amount of time judging each other for highly personal decisions. I have been very guilty of this myself, but it’s something I really desire to change. Having been judged harshly for my decisions (and some circumstances that are beyond my control), I recognize that it’s better for me to say, “You know what, I don’t agree with the way you’re doing that, but I probably don’t have all of the information that you do.”

How do you feel about judgment and judging others? Are you as guilty as I am? How do you change this?

Rainy days

2011-10-19T16:10:00.001-04:00

I know I was all, "Hooray fall!!!!!11!" last time, but I must confess that I loathe one thing about it. In Indiana, fall means the onset of what can only be called the rainy season (often bringing wicked scary tornadoes and the accompanying freaky-as-all-get-out siren). It has been raining here since Tuesday evening. It's grey, it's cloudy, and I become instantly lazy.

I'm looking forward to oodles of sun this weekend when we explore a local cemetery to get in the spirit of Halloween.

Fall! It's Finally Here!

2011-10-04T15:10:00.002-04:00

The summer in Indiana seemed to drag on forever. It was hot. It was simultaneously dry (well, dry for the Midwest) and sweltering. I wore my hair in styles that would make my mom's toes curls (she likes me better with bangs). I lived in jersey-knit skirts, t-shirts, and flip-flops. In fact, I'm not sure I'm going to be able to wear flip-flops for a very long time because my toes still feel weird.

But fall is here now. Indiana in the fall is breathtaking. The trees change to blazing shades of red and orange. Corn and soybean fields dry into golden stalks. Brilliant red cardinals flit about (and they're so much prettier than I ever imagined them to be). The geese return and people spill out onto patios, lawns, and sidewalks to enjoy the beautiful weather.

Five or six years ago my dad came to so that we could attend a Bob Dylan concert. We went to a festival and took this picture outside of one of Indiana's covered bridges. The way the sun hits the water still blows my mind (despite the poor quality of the picture).

I Can't Forget

2011-09-11T16:30:00.000-04:00

I was a junior in college.

I had recently returned from an 18-month mission to Chile.

I was working for a religious education professor.

I walked upstairs to use the lab computers. I needed Photoshop to edit pictures for a history of Scandinavian pioneers. As I walked past the main conference room, several professors stood around watching what appeared to be an incredibly violent movie.

Of course, I was incredibly confused; one of them turned to me and shouted, "Our nation is under attack!" I confess that I had to turn away quickly because the way he said it just...gave me the giggles. It still does. (Laughing is one of my unfortunate reactions to bad, tragic, scary, serious news.)

I went back downstairs and looked for everything I could online. I remember frantically trying to call my family, who lived abroad at the time, because the State Department was issuing all kinds of dire warnings to expats.

I left campus, skipped classes, and watched the news all day. Well, I watched the news for weeks. It seemed wrong to watch anything else. I remember sobbing through tributes and really not understanding the impact this event might have on me.

I'm not sure that I can identify the impact of 9/11 on me, personally. It was terrifying and, of course, it has made travel more complicated. Perhaps the impact was just a heightened awareness of the dangers in the world. Maybe it simply served to make me more in tune with those around me. I don't know.

What about you?

Revamped

2011-09-06T16:27:00.002-04:00

I've never been a fan of shopping at Goodwill. I LOVE dropping things off, I just always felt...ooky about buying clothes that someone else had worn. After much cajoling by my mother-in-law, I decided to try it out. It took me a few times of browsing home goods to get brave enough to look at clothes (yes, I realize I sound nuts). When I did, I found this brand-new pair of Seven7 jeans. I thought I had hit the jackpot until I unfolded the pants. Bedazzled does not even begin to describe the way they looked. There were clear seed beads sewn along all of the pockets, including over the pocket stitching. That would have been bad enough, however there were also sequined stripes sewn at random down the left leg. They were, in a word, hideous.

I stood in Goodwill, totally devastated that I had found these awesome jeans, but that the idiot manufacturer had decided they would be better with more SPARKLE!. And then I remembered. I have a seam ripper. I can get rid of this crap.

These jeans are the result:

There's no indication that there were ever sequins or seed beads anywhere. The jeans fit like a dream and are super comfortable. $6.50 and two hours of seam-picking well spent, I think.

Have you ever rescued a Goodwill treasure from certain non-purchase?

Also, I have a problem. I can't stop photographing my outfits.

Labor Day

2011-09-05T19:28:00.002-04:00

For the first time since arriving at graduate school, I had Labor Day off. One time, we started school after Labor Day, but I don't really think that counts.... Today we went to the B family farm. Ms. Greta had the time of her life, I wore cute clothes and brought a yummy salad.

I think I'm addicted to posting outfit pictures...

T-shirt and bracelets - Walmart
Khakis, flats, and scarf - Lands' End
Watch - Target

I keep seeing this BLT salad all over Pinterest. It's apparently a Food Network recipe. It was as big a hit as I could expect a pasta salad to be with Mr. H-B's family. Let's just say that they're not really into new things... I thought the salad was really good, although I'd change a few things about it for the next time. I think I'd serve it on a bed of lettuce rather than mixing the lettuce in. I'd also use cherry tomatoes instead of chopping up whole tomatoes. However, how wrong can you really go with bacon? Answer: not at all.

So, tell me about your Labor Day. What did you do?

21 Day Challenge--Day 21 (Work It!)

2011-09-04T16:55:00.001-04:00

I decided to work with a few pieces you've seen before to make today's outfit. I got a haircut earlier this week (losing 1.5 inches--a lot more than I wanted to...), so my hair looks better than it has in a while.

Cardigan - Lane Bryant
Necklace, Bracelets, Belt, Skirt, T-Shirt - Walmart
Wedges - Lands' End

Earrings - Elsa Peretti for Tiffany

I exchanged a going-away present from my last real job for these earrings. The original present was a heart-shaped necklace, lovely but not my style. I had been coveting these earrings for a long time. I'm so glad I own them; I probably wear them twice a week.

So that's it! 21 days of the 21-day challenge. Through this challenge I've learned to embrace belts, layer more, and to be less self-conscious about the way I look. I feel better about myself, thanks to seeing pictures of myself and learning how to dress my shape a little better. Yay! Thanks, Kayla, for forcing me to the edge (and sometimes beyond) of my comfort zone.

21 Day Challenge--Day 20 (Sunday Shoes)

2011-09-03T13:36:00.001-04:00

I chose my favorite pewter flats for my Sunday shoes today. I confess that they're already off. Come on, it's Saturday and I'm not going anywhere! Plus, I scraped my big toe on the underside of the emergency brake pedal yesterday. I kind of wanted to die, it hurt so much. Now it feels like something took a big divot out of my toe and poured salt on it. Nice.

Today's outfit is super comfy--perfect for a (2nd) nap. Yay 3-day weekends!

Shirt - TJ Maxx
Skirt - Target
Flats - TJ Maxx
Bracelet - Walmart
Earrings - Kohl's
Watch - Target

I'm really looking forward to tomorrow's challenge--Work It. I've been thinking about what to wear since the beginning of the week. I think I have something good in the works. We'll see if my toe cooperates with my shoe choice.

21 Day Challenge--Day 19 (Adorn Your Head)

2011-09-02T05:00:00.000-04:00

Today is supposed to have a heat index into the 100s. I have to teach and Mr. H-B and I are also accompanying the youth from our church to Kentucky to visit the temple. So I have to wear something that won't show major pit stains while teaching in a super hot room and will look good enough to pass as Sunday best later tonight. Awesome.

Edited to add: So the temple trip got canceled because so many youth and leaders contracted poison ivy while helping at an Eagle Scout project. Also, my hair is totally in a ponytail. It is too hot for hair down today...

I apologize again for the weird light. I planned the outfit yesterday and took the photos at different times throughout the day.

T-Shirt - Walmart
Skirt - Target
Wedges - Lands' End
Dog - Animal Shelter

Greta finally made it into a picture. I was wondering if she'd sit still long enough, look at the camera (well, the mirror), and be captured in a picture where I'm not making a bizarre-o face. Dear imaginary readers, this is nothing short of a miracle. Forget the messy bed and the weird yellow cast from the lamps and overhead light. Forget the newly shorn dog in all her glory (I'm mostly glad she's not licking her hindquarters--there are plenty of those pictures). We are all looking at the camera, eyes open. Hooray!

If you look really close, you can see my hair adornment. It's pictured in more detail below.

Opal, Turquoise, and Silver Bear earrings -
Some little shop in Old Town Albuquerque.
I love these earrings and almost never wear them.
Yay for using them!

Bracelets - Walmart. $5 on clearance.

Fake Turquoise Necklace - Walmart.
I found these on clearance for $8. Go me!

Zipper Flower - DIY'ed sans glue gun by yours truly.
I found a tutorial that involved sewing the flower instead of gluing.
I've wanted to try one out for awhile. I'm not sure how I feel...

21 Day Challenge--Day 18 (Statement Jewelry)

2011-09-01T12:14:00.000-04:00

Statement jewelry is kind of my thing. Let's be honest, it's my only thing. I love jewelry. I picked up the bracelet and watch this morning on a Walmart/Target run. I layered two necklaces to create a statement turquoise necklace. I'm including two pictures here so you can see my serious face and my doofus face. After ordering, like, 10 pairs of pants, I finally found a pair of khakis that I like and that are comfortable.

Tshirt - Walmart
Trousers - Lands' End
Wedges - Lands' End

Bracelets - Walmart
These were $7.88. Amazing!

Target

I confess, I've been ogling white watches for awhile now. I wanted a more sporty look, but haven't been able to find something that a) wouldn't need links removed/added, b) didn't have cheap-looking crystals around the bezel, and c) didn't cost more than $20. My standards. They are very high.

I'm actually really happy with this outfit. It's comfortable (although, I'll be honest, there's no way I'm going outside in this heat in pants...), it looks put together, and I won't be mistaken for an undergrad and get dirty looks in the faculty lounge.

21 Day Challenge--Day 17 (Repair)

2011-08-31T06:24:00.000-04:00

Shirt - Forever Woman (via TJ Maxx)
Capris - TJ Maxx
Sandals - Born BOC (via TJ Maxx)
Earrings - Kohl's
Purse - Ellen Tracy (via TJ Maxx)

For the first time, I'm including a purse in my outfit photo. It's not that I don't carry a purse normally, I just have never remembered to include it in the picture. The handbag is important because it's my repair item. I purchased my lovely Ellen Tracy purse at TJ Maxx about 5 years ago. I spent too much on it, but I loved how practical it would be for job interviews as a pseudo-briefcase. Fast forward a year, and the handles gave out on the bag. They weren't constructed in a way that could handle the heavy load of papers and junk that I was carrying. I put the purse up in my closet and swore I'd fix it. A couple of weeks ago, I finally dropped it off, along with a pair of sandals (which I am also wearing in this outfit), at a shoe repair shop. They made some quick stitches, charged me an exorbitant amount of money, and now I'm back in business!

The repair is the line of stitching below the rivet and above the loop. I think the repair shop did a fantastic job. It's impossible to tell that the stitching wasn't part of the original bag design, as it really should have been. I don't understand why the handles were made to be removable in the first place. There was no shoulder strap, basically no other way of carrying the bag. I can't believe that I waited four years to get this purse fixed. I'm so excited to start using it again!

21 Day Challenge--Day 16 (Menswear)

2011-08-30T10:19:00.000-04:00

I thought and thought about this challenge. What on earth could I wear that was menswear? Then I read Kayla's inspiration post. Duh. Menswear-inspired.

Here's what I came up with:

Striped Shirt - Macy's
Belt - Target Clearance
Capris - TJ Maxx
Wedges - Lands' End
Glasses - Courtesy of a weird
reaction to nail polish. Don't ask...

The capris are more like slacks, and are definitely menswear-inspired. I threw the pinstriped shirt in to the mix because in my mind pinstripes = menswear.

21 Day Challenge--Day 15 (New Hair-do)

2011-08-29T07:59:00.000-04:00

I confess that I've been kind of jealous of my undergrads and their side braids or ponytails. I'm kind of self-conscious about my giant noggin, so I've never tried it. I just went with a simple braid and I kind of love the results. The braid fell out pretty quickly, so I switched to a side ponytail after the picture. Who would have ever thought I'd want to wear a side ponytail again...

I also knew that I'd be walking across campus in these shoes, so I brought along a pair of flats to avoid major blisters on the first day of school.

Jacket - Christiana Zinn (via TJ Maxx)
Tshirt - Forever Woman (via TJ Maxx)
Skirt - Wal-mart
Wedges - Lands' End
Necklace - Exploding Target wonder

I'm not sure why I look one-legged in the picture. I think I was walking forward or something...

Today's the first day of my last academic year as a graduate student. I couldn't figure out why I felt so giddy last night, but this morning I finally figured it out. I have been a matriculated student for 22 of my 32 years. That's 2/3 of my life. Yeah, it's crazy. I've been a graduate student for 6 years and this will be my 7th. It's hard to believe that, barring any major unforeseen events/crisis, I'll be done with life as a student after this year. Next year, I might just have a salary. WHAT!?

I know that doesn't mean that my ramen days are over (let's be honest, I love ramen with lots of veggies), but we might not stress over the purchase of the occasional nail polish or new perfume. Maybe. Anyway, these are deep thoughts for a fashion post at 8am.

21 Day Challenge--Day 14 (Copycat!)

2011-08-28T17:05:00.000-04:00

I searched around the internet for an outfit that I felt like I could recreate without buying (anymore) new clothes. I liked this outfit:

via

But then I remembered that own exactly zero graphic Ts (I'm not counting the ratty one advertising my university's language fair...). Also, today is Sunday.

So I decided to mine Kayla's archives for an inspirational outfit. I found this one:

via

I have a maxi skirt, I have belts, and I have a new shirt I want to try out. It's pink and black, but Kayla's my inspiration!

Shirt - French Laundry Woman
Maxi Dress - Target
Belt - Wal-mart
Wedges - Lands' End
Bracelet - Target
Earrings - Kohl's
Rings - Etsy

This outfit was super comfortable, though I should have checked the hem a little more carefully before taking the picture. Apologies for my hair. We were running late this morning, so these are post-church pictures. I really need a hair cut....

21 Day Challenge--Day 13 (Neutral with a Pop)

2011-08-27T10:54:00.000-04:00

What a perfect challenge for a lazy Saturday spent prepping lesson plans for my first week of school. I'm wearing a skirt you've seen before (though not my re-mix skirt--gotta get that one in one more time for extra points....) as well as a necklace you've seen before (this time with close-ups!).

Yeah, I know I'm making a weird face in the photo below. This was the best picture of the 30+ that I took. I guess my face just isn't in the mood to not look weird.

T-shirt - Walmart
Skirt - Target
Crocs - TJ Maxx

I have to confess that the only reason I'm wearing anything remotely resembling a shoe is that I had to run Ms. Greta out to the potty this morning. She likes to swim, so Crocs (legit or fake) are my go to shoe because I don't have to worry about her dripping her smelly fur water on shoes that I can't easily clean.

Necklace - Target, re-engineered by yours truly

About the necklace. If I'm not mistaken, the large red beads were, at one time, strung more closely together. However, I like how far apart they are now. I especially love the large, rectangular bead. I might play with it a lot when I'm teaching...

21 Day Challenge--Day 12 (Jazz Up Your Jeans)

2011-08-26T07:03:00.000-04:00

I apologize RIGHT NOW for the wretched light in my photos. It's not quite 7am here and the sun won't be up for natural light pictures for at least another hour. Too bad I have to leave for work before then... I also apologize for not getting a full-length shot. Mr. H-B is still asleep and I thought it would be rude to turn the lights on in the bedroom... I'm so kind. I know.

3/4-sleeve Tee - via TJ Maxx
Jeans - Levi's

Necklace - Another exploding Target wonder, re-strung
by yours truly
Earrings - Tiffany & Co.
Bracelet - Target

Sandals - Born BOC (via TJ Maxx)

Yay!

Accessory Organization

2011-08-25T16:00:00.000-04:00

My life on Pinterest and my participation in the 21 Day Challenge have convinced me that I need to make better use of my accessories. Which means they need to be visible and accessible. This is my jewelry box. As you can see, it's a lovely miniature chest of drawers. I purchased it at a market in Lima, Peru, on one of my many trips there to visit my family. However, it is impossible for me to remember what's in the box. I haven't worn so much of my jewelry for such a long time that I had forgotten that I owned a lot of it.

So I went to Pinterest and Google to see what I could find. There were lots of DIY solutions, but nothing that really called to me. I don't love spray painting or drilling or hammering, so I wanted something super easy. I had already bought the hanging organizer on a whim, but had never used it.

I filled it with earrings on one side and brooches, bracelets, pendants, and rings on the other side. It's hanging in my closet in front of my new scarf and belt collection (again, thank you Pinterest; also, Walmart and Lands' End).

Finally, I have a fairly extensive collection of necklaces (again, I had forgotten about a lot of them). I ran to Walmart this morning to buy some 3M hooks, conveniently matched to the side of my chest of drawers:

I already owned the linen jewelry organizer and it's perfect for tall bracelets and other random things I might collect (or for jewelry when I'm too lazy to put it away....).

Ta-da! Now I can see what I own and maybe I'll even wear it now.

21 Day Challenge--Day 11 (Wear a Skirt or Dress)

2011-08-25T12:33:00.000-04:00

I've worn skirts for all but one day of this challenge, so I decided to go hog wild and wear a dress today. Never mind that it's the only dress I own. I decided to layer a little bit and wear a cardigan and ANOTHER BELT!

Grey Cardigan - Lands' End
Dress - Style & Co (via Macy's)
Belt - Wal-mart
Pewter Sandals - Born BOC (via TJ Maxx)

Earrings - Kohl's (They're so much heavier than I thought
they would be. Fun, but heavy.)

Ruby and Silver Ring - TJ Maxx (The ruby is incredibly
occluded, so the ring was totally reasonable.)

Here's my secret: I haven't washed my hair since Monday. Are you grossed out? I have been following the advice from hairstylist Caitlyn since the beginning of the year. I wash my bangs almost daily (though not today, hence their being pulled back) because I have a super oily forehead. I only wash the rest of my hair a maximum of twice a week--and that's only if I do something that gets my hair totally gross (like that time we helped our friends move in to their new house on the hottest day of the summer).

I have tried a lot of dry shampoos to help get me through without washing daily; my current favorites are Pssst and Suave. They add a lot of oomph to my hair and help it to do things like hold curl, which it has never done before. My hair is healthier than ever before, it seems like it's growing faster (but that could just be my imagination) and my daily routine is significantly shorter now that I don't have to dry my hair each morning.

Do you have any dirty hair secrets?

21 Day Challenge--Day 10 (Orphan)

2011-08-24T13:46:00.001-04:00

Today's outfit includes a closet orphan (an item that doesn't get worn often, if it all). I bought this skirt several years ago--before I got married, I think. It's two colors of turquoise, but it has brown in it. I don't own a lot of brown...anything. Therefore, it doesn't get a lot of play. Right now it's a little on the small side, so it gets even less play. However, I can see that it's not Goodwill material quite yet.

Jacket - Christiana Zinn (TJ Maxx)
Tank - Fashion Bug
Skirt - St. John's Bay
Brown suede flats - Land's End

Amber ring - TJ Maxx

Amber & Turquoise earrings - TJ Maxx

TJ Maxx is one of my favorite sources for amber jewelry. I wear a lot of amber for a couple of reasons:

I love the way it looks.
It's a less-expensive alternative to my birthstone yellow topaz/citrine.
It's almost always set in silver--I don't really care for gold jewelry.

If you pay close attention (or know Mr. H-B and me), you'll see that the 'B' behind me has changed color since Monday. It was turquoise for about 10 minutes because, as it turns out, Mr. H-B absolutely hates the color turquoise. I re-painted the 'B' bronze and kept a couple of turquoise accents elsewhere. Just a little family drama to keep me on my toes!

21 Day Challenge--Day 9 (Go Monochrome)

2011-08-23T10:00:00.000-04:00

Friends, I have this one in the bag. I have so much gray clothing, it isn't even funny. However, I would never have chosen to wear it all together in one outfit. I kind of love it! It seems light and summery, but still professional-looking. It's perfect for a grey, drizzly, Midwestern summer day. Or a bright, sunny one like today.)

Grey Cardigan - Lands' End
Tank - Fashion Bug
Cotton Jersey Skirt - Target
Shoes - Crocs (via TJ Maxx)
Grey Pearl Rope - China

21 Day Challenge--Day 8 (Mix Fancy and Casual)

2011-08-22T08:24:00.002-04:00

I was honestly quite nervous about this challenge. I couldn't think of anything that I owned that was fancy. Then I remembered this new jacket I bought last week. It almost feels like a cheat--it's a fancy cut, with the ruffle around the neck, but it's made of denim. Awesome. I added a couple of ropes of baroque pearls that I bought from a friend's mom when she visited from China.

Jacket - TJ Maxx
White Tank - Fashion Bug
Cotton Jersey Skirt - Target
Heels - Aerosoles (via TJ Maxx)
Grey & Pink Pearl Ropes - China

Edited to add: I just realized I totally layered accessories with my two pearl ropes. Look at me, all doing two things at once...

21 Day Challenge--Day 7 (Layer Accessories)

2011-08-21T11:34:00.002-04:00

I love layering bracelets and necklaces. Honestly, I just love accessories--they add flair to an outfit and fit no matter how bloated you feel. I collect accessories as souvenirs of my travels because they're easy to pack and I don't have to display them somewhere in my home. I collect Christmas ornaments for a similar reason--I only get them out once a year and they don't take up a lot of space. But I digress.

I decided to layer bracelets today.

Silver link bracelet - Peru
Turquoise bracelet - Spain
Gold and silver bracelet - Peru

Look at me! Wearing another belt--a belt that I now own. THANK YOU, Kayla! I'm also wearing my re-mix skirt for a third time. Go me!

Shirt - TJ Maxx
Belt - Wal-mart
Skirt - Wal-mart
Shoes - Aerosoles (via TJ Maxx)

I picked some simple earrings to go with the outfit.

Earrings - part of the set I talked about yesterday.

Thanks to Mr. H-B for non-mirror pictures. Hooray!

21 Day Challenge--Day 6 (Unconventional)

2011-08-20T10:30:00.000-04:00

I have a confession about yesterday's outfit. That maxi skirt? Well, it's actually a strapless maxi dress. I'm recycling it into today's outfit as my unconventional item.

T-shirt - Forever Woman (via TJ Maxx)
Maxi Dress - Target
Pewter Flats - Target
Watch - Citizen Eco Drive (via Kohl's)
Amber necklace - Inherited

Today's outfit is, I confess, a little blah. It's Saturday. It's early. My plans are to stay in all day and work on some DIY crafts with a friend. I didn't feel the need to go all-out. I had a really tough time getting the T-shirt to photograph properly. It's not quite so blue, but more dusty and teal in person.

I love this amber necklace. My maternal great grandfather purchased it for my great grandmother when he was called away to serve an LDS Mission to Germany in the 1920's. The circumstances were unusual by today's standards, because he left my grandmother with five children. He purchased this necklace as a gift for her. When I first inherited the necklace, it was a really weird length and desperately needed to be restrung. I did the stringing myself and created a shorter necklace along with a bracelet and a pair of earrings.

21 Day Challenge--Day 5 (Belt It)

2011-08-19T09:21:00.000-04:00

I hated this challenge. I haven't worn a belt in AGES. In fact, I don't even own a belt, so I had to get a little creative. However, I think I might just invest in a couple of belts. Maybe. We'll see.

Cardigan - Lane Bryant
Shirt - Saint Tropez West (via TJ Maxx)
Skirt - Target
Shoes - Crocs (via TJ Maxx)
Belt - Kohl's (borrowed from Mr. H-B)

And these earrings:

I bought them at Kohl's this week because I thought they were awesome.

21 Day Challenge--Day 4 (Color Block)

2011-08-18T08:32:00.001-04:00

This challenge wasn't very scary for me. I wear a lot of solid colors and have even been known to be brave with my combinations. Today's outfit features a new sweater, in a color I have never worn before. I tend to stick to pinks, purples, and the occasional blue in my clothing choices. Green is a new one for me.

Glasses - Costco*
Sweater - Lane Bryant
White tank - Fashion Bug
Black skirt - Walmart (Remixed again!*)
Red flats - Walmart
Necklace - Target*
Camera - Nikon D40x (via awesome parents)

A few stories now:

*Glasses--My sister had a corneal abrasion last Christmas after something got caught in her contact. The abrasion became an ulcer and she can no longer wear contacts. I wore my lenses for WAY too long yesterday. When I got home last night, my right eye was burning, watering, and hurting, all symptoms my sister had described. I decided not to chance anything today.

*Necklace--I bought this necklace 5-6 years ago. It was strung on stretchy elastic. The first time I put it on, it literally exploded all over the kitchen and living room. I spent a good hour crawling around the floor, gathering beads. I restrung the necklace and put in a clasp and we've been best friends ever since.

*If you're keeping track, this is the third time I've managed to mix this skirt in this challenge. Maybe my challenge needs to be to not wear this skirt every day...

21 Day Challenge--Day 3 (Mix patterns)

2011-08-17T08:52:00.001-04:00

I was actually really excited about today's challenge because it meant I could try out my new scarf. I found it at, surprise, Wal-mart for $4.66. I love it and can't wait to wear it more.

Shirt-Style & Co (Macy's)
Jeans-Levi's
Shoes-Crocs (shocking, I know)

I decided to include a close-up of the two patterns:

Shirt--I love this kind of stripe

Scarf--seriously, how cool is this?

And my jewelry, because I love jewelry:

Earrings-purchased at a boutique in Spain. I wear them a lot.

Pearl ring-TJ Maxx,
Sunburst ring-TJ Maxx (I wear this as my wedding ring right now*)
Nail polish-Essie 'Over the Top' (TJ Maxx,) yuck-o cuticles-my laziness

A few responses to yesterday's comments: Participation is what helps win the challenge, so no need to vote anywhere (as far as I know). The rosy cheeks were courtesy of a 78-degree house and running around to find a full-length mirror with light. I am also super excited to try a belt (or two) during this challenge. I've been terrified of them for many years.

Now, three confessions: I'm cleaning the house today, so I changed into tennis shoes and pulled my hair up. I took off the scarf until I go out to go grocery shopping. I'll also switch my shoes out then.

*Mr. H-B and I decided to forgo a traditional diamond engagement ring for many reasons (social and financial). I had a silver wedding band, but it broke a few months ago. I have kind of enjoyed the freedom to try out different rings. I just ordered a set of plain stacking bands that I can wear daily, but I'm in love with this sunburst ring right now.

21 Day Challenge--Day 2 (Tuck it in)

2011-08-16T10:18:00.002-04:00

Holy hell-in-a-handbasket, I was dreading this day of the challenge. I haven't tucked a shirt in since I was a missionary in Chile. From November 1999-April 2001. If you're math-challenged like I am, that was over 10 years ago. But as I mentioned before, I am seriously motivated by prizes, so here goes:

T-shirt-Wal-mart, Skirt-Wal-mart (remixed!)
Necklace-gifted, Sandals- Born BOC (TJ Maxx)

Again, apologies for the crap-tastic picture. I have been reunited with my camera but, alas, the battery is deader than a doornail. I must also confess that I immediately put my hair in a ponytail because it is too hot to wear my hair down. What was I thinking!?

But here's the thing: I actually kind of like the tuck-in. The self-portrait doesn't show that the shirt actually lays better tucked in. I have a waist!

21 Day Challenge--Day 1 (Re-mix)

2011-08-15T08:00:00.007-04:00

Day 1 of the 21-Day Challenge -- Re-mix an item of clothing. I'm choosing my basic black skirt to re-mix. I wear a lot of skirts in the summer. I hate the way I look in shorts, plus skirts are so breezy here in the Midwest heat. Apologies for the crappy phone camera picture. My camera is at my in-laws and I'm at home.

Shirt--TJ Maxx; Skirt & Hot Pink flats--Walmart
Bracelet & Earrings--Target
I'm totally sporting a sock bun, but you can't see it.

I confess that I have been extremely anxious about posting pictures of myself on the internet. I have had body image issues for...basically my whole life. However, I decided to just go for this! I can't wait to see what other people wear for more inspiration.

Edited to add the above picture of my bracelet. I love this piece of jewelry. It's stretchy, so it's easy to wear. It's also a statement piece.

Happy Anniversary

2011-08-12T08:10:00.000-04:00

These pictures are a bit of a cheat since they're from our wedding reception, which was held two days after we got married. They're pretty, though, so I'm sharing them.

Three years ago today I said, "Yes," to the most important question anyone has ever asked me (no, it wasn't, "Do you want fries with that?") These have been the most difficult, most wonderful three years of my life. I've always been just a *little* bit independent (haha). I didn't realize how much I could need someone to be around, to bounce ideas off of, to tell me that I can finish my dissertation, until Mr. H-B came along. I waited quite awhile to find him, but it was worth it.

I'm pretty sure this was right before we discovered I was standing on a yellow jacket nest...

Marriage has certainly not been easy (see above re: independence). We've struggled through my depression and anxiety and through Mr. H-B's own health problems. We've worked hard to pay off my massive credit card debt while being students. We've dealt with car and school and family crises, sometimes with grace and other times with a lot of raised voices and tears. Still, I'm glad that I get to share this journey with Mr. H-B.

Poor Mr. H-B was sick as a dog at our wedding reception, hence the sweaty hair.

Happy Anniversary! I love you.

Fashion Blogger? Moi?

2011-08-08T19:16:00.000-04:00

Kayla of Freckles in April is hosting a 21-day fashion-blogging challenge. I am...fashion challenged. I am also plus-sized and self-conscious about posting pictures on the internet. I might throw up a little bit every time I post, but I'm game. Plus, there are some really awesome prizes up for grabs. I am highly motivated by prizes. What can I say?

Let's do this people. Frugal fashion FTW!

Drama-rama

2011-08-02T09:48:00.000-04:00

via

I always think that summer is going to be a reprieve from all of the stress wrought by the academic year. Yet again, this summer has proven that assumption to be incorrect. Where to begin...

a) Depression strikes again. It certainly hasn't been anything like last year, but I have spent too many days reading books and watching movies, lacking all motivation to do, well, anything.

b) Living with the in-laws. Mr. H-B works in his hometown during the summer; we live with his parents to save on gas. It's stressful, to say the least.

c) Good-bye Camry. I've had my car since January of 2003. It has been a dream, traveling from Utah to Massachusetts to Indiana to New Mexico and everywhere in between. It was reliable, had ice-cold A/C and got great gas mileage. The suspension and transmission have failed in the last two weeks. We just can't afford to sink $2500 into a car that is only worth $3100 (at most). We're following Dave Ramsey's advice and buying what we can afford...a Police Interceptor Crown Victoria (it's as hilarious as it sounds).

d) Lost phone, FedEx limbo, etc, etc, etc. Fate just keeps piling it on...

I think I might have finally learned my lesson. Summer does not equal shiny perfection.

Dang it!

2011-07-31T11:41:00.000-04:00

I have fallen down the rabbit hole that is Pinterest. I have cleaned out my link, recipe, and gift folders in Gmail. I have deleted my 'I Want' list in Google Docs. I love seeing what my friends like and are interested in. Do you Pinterest? If so, leave your link in the comments so I can find you!

Patriotism Through Polish

2011-07-07T03:03:00.000-04:00

Nail polish and I are not always on the best of terms. As a teenager, I had an embarrassing reaction to nail polish that involved tight, itchy, red patches of skin all over my face, down my neck and chest and, of course, all over my arms and hands. My mom described it as looking like a burn victim because the skin was so tight on my face that I couldn't really smile or frown. Weird, no? Well, after much trial and error, we figured out that the sensitivity was to either formaldehyde or toluene. Since then, I've avoided polishes containing those ingredients, generally sticking to cheaper brands. Mostly, though, I've left my nails alone.

That is, until I discovered the world of nail polish blogs. Now I think I need an intervention. Most polishes no longer contain formaldehyde (and I recently discovered that toluene isn't a problem), so my cosmetic world just exploded. I've been experimenting with new colors (green and blue!?), all sorts of glitter, and even multi-colored manis and pedis.

Mr. H-B's nieces are always checking out my nails, so I decided to go patriotic on the 4th with a flag-themed manicure. I felt a little self-conscious, but it was really fun to go all out with nail polish.

Do you do nail polish? Do you have another cosmetic obsession? Am I shallow?

Independence Day

2011-07-05T15:19:00.000-04:00

Via

I love Independence Day. I love that it's festive without the stress of fulfilling everyone's Christmas gift fantasies or Thanksgiving dinner dreams. I enjoy getting together with family and friends to enjoy a barbecue, drink lots of full sugar soda (mmmm....cream soda....), and light sparklers.

Yesterday was no exception. We had oodles of summer salads (Thai cucumber, sweet corn, shrimp and pea, frog eye, and fruit), tasty burgers, and cases of tasty soda. Greta was in heaven, frolicking with the kids and eating bits of everything from everyone. We had lots of great conversations with friends, new and old. We topped off the evening with fireworks viewed from the back of an old Ford pickup.

Oh, there was the tiny little incident where Mr. H-B's niece fell off a 5-foot-tall round hay bale and broke her forearm, bending it back 90 degrees. That was gross-looking and a little dramatic. She is just fine, no surgery, and she got to come home after just three hours at the ER. Plus, she has an awesome story and will get to have a cool-colored cast that we can all sign.

Insomniac Secrets

2011-06-30T03:28:00.000-04:00

It's 3:12am in Hass-Bark land. Mr. H-B is snoring softly. Greta is whimpering and twitching, chasing imaginary bunnies in a fantasy land. I'm wide awake. Listening to brown noise on my white noise app. The brown noise is less...noisy. I've already taken 1/2 a Xanax (blessed be its name)...and...nothing. Maybe sleep isn't in the cards for me tonight. How about some detailed facts, selected at random?

I currently have bright pink toenails. I painted them cotton candy pink today and they make my feet look tan (ha! less pasty, let's be honest here). I am in love with brilliantly-painted toenails. They can be covered up in a professional attire emergency and they're not as in-your-face as brightly-colored fingernails. Plus, my fingernails are just wimpy, causing every polish I've ever tried to crack and peel.
One of the perks of having chosen to go the diamond-less route re: wedding jewelry is that I can change up my choice of ring with no guilt about not wearing Nana Prissy-Pants' heirloom diamond (or the Kay Jewelry special, as the case may be). My three-dollar handmade Peruvian silver band (doesn't that sound fancy? it's not) split on the solder line a few weeks ago. Even though the band is engraved, I felt no sadness and might even have skipped a bit for joy at the prospect of picking out a new wedding ring. Is that bad?
I decided to give myself a two-week vacation from school work. No grading. No dissertating. No thinking about job market woes. Last week Mr. H-B and I traveled with some friends to an amusement/water park for the day. I am still sore from my roller coaster ride, but it was totally worth the pain and sunburn for a day away from the stresses of our real lives.
I also sewed 21 baby blankets last week. They are double-sided (mostly flannel backed with quilting cotton). That means I had 42 WHOLE YARDS of fabric in my stash. Out of control, friends. Out of control.
This week I was afflicted with my new summer illness of choice: swollen soft palate, uvula, and Eustachian tubes resulting in the most excruciating sore throat, along with a fever and general malaise. The perils of not having tonsils, I suppose. I have spent the last three days taking it easy (no mean feat for an OCD perfectionist, let me tell you). For the first time in recent memory, I did nothing. I watched Netflix, ate frozen grapes, and napped. I believe I am now eligible for world-champion-level napping.

What about you? Tell me something interesting about you.

Procrastinatrix

2011-06-14T09:48:00.000-04:00

There's a Netflix movie in my purse that has been in our possession since April 18th. APRIL 18TH!

I wish I had a good excuse (e.g., pregnancy, lottery winning, awesome vacations to beachy locations). Sadly, no such excuse exists. We've been living with the B-laws and working for the last four weeks, and that's about it. So boring.

Greta is in hog heaven. She spends her days romping through the hay fields, eating disgusting things she scavenges (e.g., turtles, rotten birds, cow pies), and sleeping so soundly that she can't be bothered to greet us when we get home late at night.

Mr. H-B is working hard as a farm hand. He spent most of last week planting corn and soybeans. I don't think I've seen him happier in the last few months. We're much more motivated to make our hobby farm dream come true sooner than later.

I'm teaching, talking about my dissertation (but not really making any progress), reading, and recovering from my end-of-semester cold/flu (that waited until mid-June to arrive).

We're planning some fun adventures, I have oodles of sewing projects to finish, delicious things to bake, and all sorts of witty commentary about life. Will you get to read about it? Wait and see.

Spring into Summer

2011-05-12T14:31:00.000-04:00

Somehow Spring term ended and we're nearly a week into Summer school. Time flies when you're frantically preparing conference presentations, grading exams, and participating in multiple meetings and department functions. I have six more weeks of classes before eight glorious weeks of summer vacation. Plans include sewing, catching up on television, taking long walks with Greta, and oh, you know, working on my dissertation.

What are your summer plans?

Rainbow

2011-04-25T14:39:00.000-04:00

I made dessert for Easter dinner with my brother-in-law's family. I wanted to do something fun and have been super inspired by Whisk Kid's Super Epic Rainbow Cake. I decided to just go for it. I used a modified white box cake mix (I will not be sharing the recipe because the cake was NAS. TY.). I also need to go a little more bold on the violet and red layers. Still, I think it turned out pretty well for my first attempt at so many layers.

Blogging may return to normal. Or it may not. Things have been crazy, the weather has been awful, and I have been super lazy.

{/excuse}

Failure Is My Friend, Apparently

2011-03-25T11:57:00.000-04:00

Oh, I had the grandest intentions to keep up with daily blogging. It was all fine and dandy until Spring Break arrived and my parents came to visit. And then, dear reader, it all went to hell in a hand basket.

Let's just say that some of us in the Hass-Bark household are neurotic. One of us, in particular, is especially anxious about making certain that the house is immaculate before any visitors arrive. It's really hard to live with a dog that's constantly vacuuming and mopping floors, let me tell you.

But seriously, I spent the beginning of Spring Break frantically accomplishing things (though I failed to not procrastinate grading my students' mid-term exam...oh well). We had food in the fridge that would be appropriate for my sometimes-South-Beach-following parents, clean sheets on the futon, and freshly mopped floors. We also hid a stack of 30+ DVDs that had been residing on top of the blu-ray player because Greta doesn't ever put them away. That jerk.

My parents' visit was wonderful. We went to museums, the zoo, and watched movies. Greta fell in love with Papa Rich, despite being mortally terrified of bald men and people with glasses (my dad is a double threat in this department, as you'll see below). They took long walks to feed the geese nesting behind the apartment complex. Papa would throw bread in the water and Greta would go in after it. You can imagine that the geese were none to excited about that. Greta even let Papa Rich hold her like a baby, an activity that usually sends her into a spread-toed, eyes-straight-ahead, panic mode.

Look at that paw hooked around my dad's arm.

Look at how those pupils are of a normal, unterrified size.

Greta, the coyote.

Segovia Cathedral

2011-03-11T12:00:00.003-05:00

Segovia is one of my favorite cities in Spain. The cathedral is spectacular. Tomorrow, you'll see how cool the aqueduct is.

Language Learning

2011-03-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

At a time when language programs are being cut in high schools and universities across the country, I was happy to read two recent articles about the benefits of speaking more than one language:

The Chronicle of Higher Education

CBS News

Do you speak more than one language? How does it help you?

Scallop

2011-03-10T12:00:00.013-05:00

The Leon cathedral is a stop along El camino de Santiago. The scallop is a traditional symbol associated with the pilgrimage to St. James' tomb. These adornments are on gates at the main entrance to the cathedral.

Introversion

2011-03-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

I am an INFJ personality according to the Meyers-Briggs personality typing metric. When I read the description, it's always pretty amazing to me how answering 50 questions allows such an accurate description of my personality.

My introversion often comes as a surprise to people who know me from church or school because I don't come across as an introvert. What they don't know is that social interaction is like a workout for me. I can manage social situations gracefully, to a point. When I hit that point, it's time for me to go home, spend some time alone, or even take a nap. Don't get me wrong, I love seeing my friends and talking to them, it's just not energizing for me like it is for extroverts.

It has taken me a long time to figure out how to balance a life that requires a lot of social interaction (through church, grad school, and teaching) with my need for time to decompress. One of the best developments of our move to the Big City was my new hour-long commute. It's the perfect time for me to get into my head and sort through what needs to happen during the day or to unwind after a long day.

Are you an introvert or an extrovert? How do you accommodate your personality?

Gijon

2011-03-09T12:00:00.005-05:00

Technically not Leon, the beaches outside of Gijon are incredible. This is one of my very favorite seaside spots in the world.

Works for Me Wednesday--Poster Tack

2011-03-09T07:53:00.001-05:00

Photo credit

I have never been able to keep pictures hanging straight on the wall. I'm obsessive enough that crooked pictures drive me up a wall. I don't know if I don't hammer the nail in far enough (or maybe I hammer it in too far?) or if the hangers on the pictures are crooked, but it just doesn't happen for me.

In my last apartment, I tried double-sided tape to help my pictures stay level. Unfortunately, the combination of too-sticky tape and cheap, flat paint, meant a lot of extra spackling and touch-ups when it was time to move out.

Why it never occurred to me to use the wonder that is poster tack is beyond me. I stick a pea-size piece of poster tack on the bottom edges of the frames and press them to the wall. The pictures in our house are (mostly) level and the paint remains intact. Win-win!

Poster tack works for me. Do you have any picture-hanging tricks?

Casa de los Botines

2011-03-08T12:00:00.001-05:00

It's totally unoriginal to say that I love Gaudi, isn't it? Well, I do. I love looking at pictures of his whimsical designs all over Barcelona. Unfortunately, I've never made it to Northeast Spain. The first time I went to Spain, it was out of our study abroad program's budget (and I chose to go to Portugal when I had the chance to do extra travel). This last time, I got sick the weekend I was to take a quick trip to Barcelona.

I've had to settle, then, for seeing some of Gaudi's earlier works in Northwest Spain. The Casa de los Botines is located in downtown Leon.

The leaded windows are gorgeous.

My favorite detail, though, and please excuse the blurry pictures, is the statue of St. George slaying the dragon over the main entrance to the building.

Going back over these pictures reminds me just how much I need to get back across the Atlantic and explore one of my favorite architect's creations.

Zig-zag Quilt

2011-03-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

I drew from this quilt pattern which was inspired by this quilt pattern to make a lap quilt for my grandfather's birthday. I knew I wanted the quilt to be more monochromatic than the other quilts I found online. Very detail-oriented readers (ie, my family) will recognize the dark brown fabric from the table runners and squares from the Hass-Bark wedding. There's so much of this fabric leftover that it will make an appearance later on this year. I chose a lighter tan fabric with a very subtle grass pattern. It was much harder than I had imagined to find a calico print without flowers in it.

The quilt itself was incredibly easy to put together, though it involved a LOT of ironing. I cut the two fabrics into squares, which I then stitched together on a diagonal. I then cut the pieces in half and pressed along the seams. Then it was just a matter of stitching together the resulting squares into strips, then sewing the strips into a quilt top.

This was my first pieced back. I love it. However, several people asked me if I had intended to place the lighter strip off center. I did. Next time I'll make sure to make it more clear that it's intended to be off-center.

I finished the quilt with machine stitching. As much as my sister-in-law tells me it's cheating ;), I am a huge fan of machine quilting. I don't know that I'd ever complete a quilt if I couldn't take this shortcut.

I have plans to make this quilt again with several different color schemes.

Leon Cathedral

2011-03-07T12:00:00.009-05:00

In the summer of 2007 I spent seven weeks in Leon, Spain. This week I thought I'd share some of my favorite images of one of my favorite cities in the world.

The cathedral in Leon is one of the most iconic buildings in the city. Later in the week (or maybe even next week) I'll share a few pictures of the exquisite stained glass.

Tic-Tac Orchestra

2011-03-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

via Swagbucks Blog

This guy inspires me to keep working on my rhythm. Someday...

Indiana Medical History Museum Details

2011-03-06T12:00:00.004-05:00

I wanted to share a few final detail pictures from my trip to the Indiana Medical History Museum.

Good, Better, Best

2011-03-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

My therapist and I have been talking a lot about overcoming my insatiable need for perfection. The reality is that it's impossible to be perfect at everything all the time. In fact, it's not even desirable to be perfect at everything all of the time. This has been a bitter reality for me to face. I felt physically sick to my stomach when my therapist suggested that my mantra for the year be 'Good enough is good enough'. Good enough has NEVER been good enough for me.

As I strive to live up to this, I've started following the advice given by Dallin H. Oaks in an October 2007 General Conference talk entitled "Good, Better, Best". In this talk, he contends that all of us are expected to do more than we can possibly do. He says:

"We should begin by recognizing the reality that just because something is good is not sufficient reason for doing it. The number of good things we can do far exceeds the time available to accomplish them. Some things are better than good, and these are the things that should command priority attention in our lives."

In the case of some of these good things, I've had to choose not to do them or choose to do them in a good enough way. Why? Well, Oaks says that:

"We have to forego some good things in order to choose others that are better or best because they develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen our families."

My relationship with my God and my family have to be the priorities in my life--even ahead of friendships and my career. I have found, though, that as I make God and family my priority, many of the good things fall into place (or fall off my mental map). Focusing on the better and best things has helped me to recognize the place that my career should have in my life. While it is important for me to enjoy and be dedicated to my profession, my faith and relationship with God and my family need to come first. Even when it comes to my activity in my church, I need to place emphasis on building my relationship with God and with Mr. H-B.

How do you prioritize the good, better, and best things in your life?

Copper Everywhere

2011-03-05T12:00:00.000-05:00

Another imperfect photo, but I think the counters and copper edging are beautiful. Also, what I wouldn't give for a mortar and pestle the size of those on the counter. Beautiful and functional!

ALDI

2011-03-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

ALDI saves us a lot of money each month. We like nearly everything we've tried (except for the pasta). The store can offer inexpensive options for a few reasons. The selection is limited to ALDI's store brand (with the occasional national brand on special) so the store's footprint and staff is quite small. You bag your own groceries in reusable bags. A quarter rents a cart. Returning it gets the quarter back. So European!

I buy all of our staple foods at ALDI (flour, sugar, basic spices) as well as dairy, eggs, produce, bread, and frozen meats (ground beef and whole chickens). Depending on what we need, I'll also get treats (ice cream, frozen fruit bars) and produce there. ALDI doesn't carry certain specialty products, so I can't just skip out on a regular grocery store completely.

Do you shop at ALDI? How do you save a few pennies on groceries?

Latch

2011-03-04T12:00:00.000-05:00

I wish the center of the latch were just a little more in focus. I am such a sucker for beautiful hardware on any kind of furnishings. I hate ugly drawer pulls, cupboard handles, and latches.

1000 Awesome Things

2011-03-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

I'm sure I'm late to the game on the blog 1000 Awesome Things. But, well, it's kind of awesome.

From the About page:

1000 Awesome Things is just a time-ticking countdown of 1000 awesome things. Launched June, 2008 and updated every weekday.

Some of my favorite posts:

And my personal favorite:

#438 Your almost name Mine were Agnese (pronounced ahn-ye-ze) and Jill. I'm glad I got the name I did. What are your almost names?

You can see the whole list here.

Anatomical Aid

2011-03-03T12:00:00.002-05:00

I loved the cover of this book, but the illustrations and cut-outs were incredible! I'd like to have an Anatomical Aid of my very own!

101 in 1001 Days--End of Month 2

2011-03-03T08:00:00.057-05:00

10. Listen to a conference talk on each morning commute

I was doing great on this goal until the combination of a lousy tape player and an uncooperative cellphone (my current mp3 player) thwarted my efforts. I'm listening to a book on CD (Treasure Island) and reevaluating this goal.

11. Pray as a couple 5 times a week for a month (20/20)

February was a tough month for many reasons. Praying together really helped us to be more aware of our needs and the needs of others in our lives.

12. Family Home Evening every Monday for 3 months (1/3)

This has been a hard habit for us to establish, but we're working through a lesson manual this time around. It helps a lot!

16. Print wedding photos

I finally loaded all of our wedding pictures from a DVD to a computer where they'll be accessible. I also started working on a blurb book of our wedding. There's hope that we'll actually use the pictures!

41. February no-spend month

This was a complete disaster. I think we spent more on miscellaneous expenses this month than in the past three or four months. We'll try again in March.

46. Save all of my Swagbucks Amazon gift cards

I'm up to $32 (I spent $20 on Mr. H-B's Valentine gift) of free money!

54 & 55. Skim academic journals monthly/quarterly

I didn't read any more than the abstracts of the articles, but I'm a little more aware of what is going on in my field.

71. Organize photos

While I was uploading our wedding photos to my computer, I organized all of the photos. I deleted a LOT of dud photos in the process. I also uploaded everything to Picasa so I can access them from anywhere--hooray for blogging from the balcony.

84. Cook 1 new recipe from each issue of Cook's Illustrated

Last Friday I tried the thin crust pizza recipe from the January/February 2010 issue. I was really happy with the crust recipe I was using, but I'm converted to this one. The crust wasn't thin and crisp by any stretch of the imagination, but it was chewy and had great flavor.

86. Blog every day for 30 days (30/30)

Ta-da! It feels good to be back in a blogging routine.

92. Host 3 parties (1/3)

I love Oscar parties. It's fun to eat finger foods and talk to friends while criticizing movies and fashion.

93-96. I made ZERO progress on my book and movie goals. I'm stuck on the book Atonement. I'm so frustrated that I'm having such a hard time getting through it. I'm listening to Treasure Island as I commute. I'm hoping for a better month next month.

98. Do a manicure and pedicure once a month (1/32)

I missed January, but I had shiny red toenails for February. I also painted my fingernails. Unfortunately, I was allergic to the color I used, so it didn't last long at all.

I have lots of goals in the queue for March. I'm going to read more and watch more movies. I'm also planning to give up soda or sugar for the period of Lent, so I'll cross that off the list. Finally, it's warm enough to walk with Greta each day, so we'll see how that goes.

I like having goals that I can accomplish in this extended time period. I don't feel terrible for not doing things perfectly. Hooray!

Pails

2011-03-02T12:00:00.000-05:00

Yes, I'm aware that these pails were probably used to hold human organs in the pathology building. That doesn't mean that I don't think they'd be fantastic for holding flour and sugar in my kitchen. What!? It's nothing a little soap and hot water can't take care of. Right?

Works for Me Wednesday--Swish and Swipe

2011-03-02T08:00:00.038-05:00

photo credit

I'm a big fan of the FlyLady because the OCD side of me loves routines. Though I'm imperfect at following through with all of the scheduling tips, there are a few that I do use religiously.

I hate cleaning the bathroom. Especially when the counters get nasty with hairspray. Let's just say that toilets are the bane of my existence. Our bathroom has really poor ventilation, so the bowl gets mildewed in about 30 seconds. Add a man to the mix and, well, toilets are just gross.

I discovered swish and swipe and it has made all the difference. I keep the following things in the bathroom: a pile of cotton wash cloths, a bottle of window cleaner, and soap (I've used dish soap, dishwasher detergent, and leftover toilet bowl cleaner). Each morning I spray a cloth with window cleaner and wipe down the mirror, vanity counter, and the sink bowl and fixtures. I then wipe the tub fixtures and the outside edge of the tub (it tends to get dusty). Finally I wipe the back of the toilet, the lid, the seat and rim before putting a couple of drops of soap in the bowl. The last step is scrubbing the bowl and throwing the wash cloth on the floor of the laundry room. In about two minutes, the bathroom is always presentable.

It works for me to swish and swipe. How do you handle bathroom cleaning?

Doo-Dads

2011-03-01T12:00:00.001-05:00

This little doo-dads were salvaged from the exterior of the Indiana Medical History Museum. I love the rust, but I especially love the details on the left-hand piece. I'd pay good money to have one or two of these in my future home or yard.

Wall Hanging Quilt

2011-03-01T08:00:00.001-05:00

My mother-in-law collects two things: quilts and blue-and-white china. She has many quilts hanging on the walls in her home. Three of the rooms in the Bark house are decorated in blue and white. When I saw this pattern on Heather Bailey's blog, I knew I wanted to try it out. I left the frilly edges off because they didn't seem to fit my mother-in-law's style. (OK, fine, I was terrified of them too.)

Choosing the fabrics was so much fun! I spent several hours in the fabric store finding the best possible mix of blue and white fabrics. I bought fat quarters and tortured the poor woman at the cutting counter with a giant stack of bolts to be cut.

The individual squares were not nearly as difficult to make as I had anticipated. Each one of them came together in just a few minutes. Following all that sewing, I trimmed the squares with my handy-dandy 12.5" square. I pressed the seams away from the center of the quilt squares so to make the final product as smooth as possible, I stitched around the edges of each square.

Mr. H-B helped me arrange the finished squares into the final quilt. By the time I had looked at all of the blue and white fabric for days on end, I couldn't tell what looked patchy or scrappy enough.

I think our first joint quilt effort was a success! (And so does my mother-in-law, as evidenced by the fact that the quilt now hangs in the master bedroom.)

Tree of Life

2011-02-28T12:00:00.000-05:00

This drawing was from one of the many anatomical posters hanging in the Indiana Medical History Museum. I couldn't tell you what it actually is, but to me it looks a whole lot like a tree to me.

Peanut Butter Pet

2011-02-28T08:00:00.001-05:00

A friend of mine shared this video with me, inspired by the above picture of Greta. Apologies for the poor quality of the photo. Greta is hyper-aware of the camera. I think she thinks that it will steal her soul if I take a picture of her.

Happy Monday, friends!

Graffiti

2011-02-27T12:00:00.038-05:00

Some friends and I visited the Indiana Medical History Museum in Indianapolis, Indiana. I can't recommend it highly enough. It's a completely bizarre place, but I'm going to feature some photos of the museum this week. I don't have pictures of preserved brains, but the building had some really cool details and lots of fascinating ephemera.

I love this shot of graffiti from a desk in the building's classroom. If you look closely, you can see that all of the signatures are from the turn of the 19th century.

Fire

2011-02-27T12:00:00.030-05:00

Last fall, I felt as if I were walking through a refiner's fire. I felt such unbelievable pressure to be successful in my academic career, in my marriage, and in my spiritual life. A lot of that pressure was self-inflicted by my need to control and to be perfect at everything. But there was a lot of external pressure as well. Life is just hard sometimes.

In the most difficult moments I found a lot of comfort in this quote:

"You can have sacred, revelatory, profoundly instructive experiences with the Lord in the most miserable experiences of your life--in the worst settings, while enduring the most painful injustices, when facing the most insurmountable odds and opposition you have ever faced."
Jeffrey R. Holland CES Fireside September 2008

Yes, I recognize that I wasn't experiencing painful injustices, but adding a complete meltdown to an already stressful dissertation proposal situation sure made it seem like the odds were insurmountable.

I had many beautiful experiences during that time. I felt more alert and aware of spiritual experiences than I had in years. I am not grateful for the pain and heartache I felt, but I am grateful for the spiritual experiences I had during that time.

Homemade Swiffer Pads

2011-02-26T17:41:00.000-05:00

I love Swiffers, but I hate throwing away money with each wet Swiffer pad. As a broke student, it's just a little too painful. While I was making a bajillion burp rags I realized that cloth diapers would make a great substitute for the store-bought Swiffer pads.

I sewed a zig-zag line at the proper width for the Swiffer mop and then cut the pads down to size. I soak them in a vinegar and water solution, wring them out, and mop the floor. The work beautifully. As a bonus, the entire package of cloth diapers (six total) cost about half what a container of wet Swiffer pads costs.

S'mores

2011-02-26T12:00:00.004-05:00

My adorable niece, O, looks SO guilty in this picture. I love her sticky face, her blue fingernails, and that cocked eyebrow.

Dogwood Buds

2011-02-25T12:00:00.001-05:00

These blossoms grow on a tree outside the window of a friend's office. Definitely a scene I'd prefer over the view of the balcony and the neighbor's living room from my office.

Scales

2011-02-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

I loved these two scales that I saw online in the past couple of weeks:

Clutter

So what's your comfort level when it comes to clutter? Mine's about a 1.1; when I'm in the thick of it, about a 1.9.

Universe

This makes me feel so insignificant. Also, in awe.

Lonely Leash

2011-02-24T12:00:00.000-05:00

I shot this picture of Greta's tie-out on our porch. I don't know what it is about the picture, I just like it a lot!

30 Days Down

2011-02-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

image credit

I have really enjoyed blogging daily for the last 30 days. I don't know that the pace is something that I can maintain over time, but I'd certainly like to try. I enjoy the dialogue with my (imaginary) readers and other bloggers. I like expressing myself in a written form. I know I'll be glad to have something of a record of my life and feelings.

Next up, a picture a day. Perhaps even some more posts. Are you sick of me yet?

Works for Me Wednesday*--White Vinegar

2011-02-23T08:00:00.032-05:00

photo credit

I mentioned last week that I'm grateful for white vinegar. This week, I'd like to declare my undying affection for this divine elixir. I use it for so many things around our house.

We have incredibly hard water that leaves a film on everything. It's so easy to remove the build-up with a rag soaked in vinegar. I wrap it around the base of the faucet and leave it for a few minutes and it just disappears.

White vinegar removes the smell of dog (and dog messes) from carpet, furniture, and even Greta's bedding. I wash Mr. H-B's farm-dirtied clothes with a 1/2-cup of vinegar and it gets the smell of, well, the farm out.

I use it in place of Jet Dry in the dishwasher, mix it with water to mop the floors, and spray down our shower curtain with a vinegar solution to keep mildew from forming.

Vinegar works for me. How about for you?

*I follow a cookie blog that posts regular Works for Me Wednesday posts. I love reading the different tips that help different blog authors get things done more efficiently in a variety of areas of their lives.

Felt Owl Beanbags

2011-02-22T08:00:00.002-05:00

Way back when, I made these adorable felt owls for my nephew. I had the grandest of intentions of making a set of these counting bean bags for each of my nieces and nephews. Unfortunately, school and life got the best of me and my intentions got away from me. Still, I think they're adorable. Someday I'll make them again.

I forgot to mention that the idea (and maybe even the pattern? it's been a long time) came from the lovely and charming Cicada.

Day 30--Comfort Books

2011-02-21T08:00:00.035-05:00

I love books. I have loved them since I learned to read. I remember using a vocabulary word in 2nd grade to describe myself as 'a voracious reader.' I am generally not a re-reader of books. However, there are a few that I return to time and again:

photo credit

I return to the LDS Scriptures almost daily. I find a lot of solace in the words I read in the scriptures. I turn to them when I need comfort, inspiration, or just a boost.

"Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend." Mosiah 4:9

photo credit

I have read A Little Princess probably 50 times in my whole life. I love the story and I love Frances Hodgson Burnett's style of writing. Of course I also love The Secret Garden, but A Little Princess is where my heart is.

"Whatever comes," she said, "cannot alter one thing. If I am a princess in rags and tatters, I can be a princess inside. It would be easy to be a princess if I were dressed in cloth of gold, but it is a great deal more of a triumph to be one all the time when no one knows it."

photo credit

I am a little ashamed to admit just how many times I've re-read Harry Potter over the years. I find it so relaxing to sit down and read about Harry's adventures when I'm under a lot of stress or have had to do a lot of heavy duty academic reading in a given day.

"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."

Day 29--Must See TV...

2011-02-20T08:00:00.003-05:00

Look, I'll admit it: I watch a lot of TV. I find it relaxing, an excellent way to shut my brain off after a day of brutally, excruciatingly boring academic reading. I'm sure I could find other outlets (exercise, sudoku puzzles, sewing), but this is working for now.

Without further ado, my current favorites (in no particular order)

Veronica Mars: Yes, it's long since been cancelled, but I enjoy re-watching all of the episodes. I love spunky Veronica and sulky Logan the best.

veronica mars

Arrested Development: Another cancelled gem. I love me some crabby Lucille. Also Michael. "Has anyone in this family even seen a chicken?" (Plus, bonus! Spot the cross-network promotion between VM and AD.)

arrested development

Modern Family: A most adequate replacement for The Office, which I'm starting to dislike as time goes on. Sofia Vergara kills me every time. "Don't you give me an old tomato."

modern family

Criminal Minds: This one's totally disturbing. Mr. H-B has forbidden me to watch it within an hour of going to bed because I'll often wake up screaming from horrible dreams. I also like to imagine Fat Tony saying all of Joe Mantegna's lines.

criminal minds

Brothers & Sisters: Family drama. But really, it's all about Sally Field. Okay, fine, and Dave Annable.

brothers & sisters

Desperate Housewives (oh, stop cringing, DAD): I've been hooked for a long time. It's shameful, but what can you do?

desperate housewives

Community: Completely weird. Completely wonderful.

community

I also confess I've recently been watching some Star Trek: Next Generation and not hating it. Thanks, Mr. H-B, for making me an even bigger nerd than I already was.

star trek

Now that I've shared my (shameful) favorites, what are you go-to shows?

Day 28--A Year Ago

2011-02-19T08:00:00.002-05:00

apartmenttherapy

I'm supposed to post a picture of myself a year ago. I don't think a single one exists. Like Casey over at Moosh in Indy, things tend to go dark around these parts when depression and anxiety become king. A year ago I hadn't even acknowledged that I had a problem--that would be another dreadful six months away. Instead, I was in complete denial about how much work I needed to do in order to make the pilot study for my dissertation proposal work (spoiler alert: it was a miserable failure the first time around). I was skating by in terms of physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional health. By the time I realized I needed help, it was all hanging by a thread.

A year later and six months after my diagnosis with depression and anxiety I am not a perfect person, but I am certainly a new person. I look forward to waking up each day. I don't lie away at night ruminating or worrying about things over which I have no control. I enjoy my spare time for the first time in ages (ie, I don't feel guilty for relaxing every now and again). As much as I didn't want to admit that I needed help, I am so grateful that Mr. H-B helped me to realize that I couldn't (and didn't need to) do it on my own.

Day 27--Favorite Words

2011-02-18T08:00:00.003-05:00

etsy

Those of you who know me well will notice a decided lack of the 'm' word.

Day 26--Gratitude

2011-02-17T08:00:00.003-05:00

apartmenttherapy

Today I'm grateful for (in no particular order)

white vinegar
Greta's enthusiasm for, well, everything
warmer weather
grandma's china
delicious steak
Mr. H-B
the internet
a running car
books

Day 25--Contents of My Purse

2011-02-16T08:00:00.004-05:00

1. Junk: Silly Bandz left over from niece/nephew Valentines; prescriptions; credit card offers; pens.

2. Random stuff: keys (including the coveted elevator key for my building); some cable; a little tool with scissors; lock de-icer (a staple for the last few months of nasty weather).

3. Wallet: I love the color because it's easy to find in my purse. I also felt like a grown-up when I bought a wallet with a checkbook holder inside.

4. More random stuff: thread (seriously, who keeps thread in their purse? I don't know where it came from); a mini tackle box that i use as a pill box; eye and glasses care--glasses, re-wetting drops, and glass cleaning wipes.

5. Reading material and chewing gum. I will finish Atonement. I will finish Atonement.

6. Toiletries: I like being able to freshen up during the day, whether it's toothpaste and toothbrush or deodorant. I also hate ratty hair and dry skin. During the winter, there's always a possibility that I'll get stuck spending the night in the town where I teach. It would definitely happen if I didn't have these things on hand.

7. Purse: Dana Buchman for Kohl's. It's lined with tiger-striped satin. It's a lot easier to find things in a purse that doesn't have a black interior. It also has oodles of pockets.

8. Toiletries take 2: I'm not sure why I have 3 different lip glosses, but the nail clippers are to keep my rampant hangnails under control. All of the toiletry stuff goes in the little green bag.

Not pictured: my cellphone (because it was taking the picture) and my iPod shuffle (I honestly forgot that I have it since I haven't used it in awhile).

Weirdest thing in my purse: Definitely that cable.

What's the weirdest think in your purse/wallet?

Day 24--Last Five Facebook Statuses

2011-02-15T08:00:00.001-05:00

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Four years ago I first started hearing about facebook. I was initially very resistant to the idea until a couple of good grad school friends convinced me to give it a try. Since then, I've become a bit of a junkie. I love keeping in touch with friends I've known since I was in kindergarten to the new friends I've made since we moved last year.

2/12

Oh, Friday, I corazon you.

One of my grad school friends coined 'I corazon you'. It makes me laugh because, frankly, I think Spanglish is hilarious. Thank you linguistics, for making me even nerdier than I ever was before.

2/11

Thursday: day to dream about glamorous weekend plans. Like lying on the couch in pajamas and watching episode after episode of Brothers & Sisters.

I remember watching the Emmy broadcast a few years back and hearing about Brothers & Sisters for the first time when Sally Field accepted an award for the show. I decided to give it a try because, hello, I love Sally Field (Steel Magnolias anyone?). I was instantly hooked and haven't missed an episode since. Mr. H-B and I recently watched Season 1 and now we're working our way through the other seasons. I like the messy family drama, but really it's all about The Field.

2/10

You know you're a grad student when you look forward to brown bag talks as a social opportunity.

I was so disappointed to discover that the brown bag talk last week was a literature talk. Not that I don't like my fair share of literature folk, I just can't sit through 25 minutes of someone reading a paper with no PowerPoint presentation. I realized that being disappointed that I wouldn't see my linguistics colleagues was a sure sign that I'm fully integrated into my life as a grad student.

Hands-down best aunt moment of the week: Convincing my Star Wars-loving nephew that [Mr. H-B] and I have a tauntaun named Greta . Also successfully answering questions like "Where does your tauntaun sleep?" and "What does your tauntaun look like on the inside?" and "Have you ever slept inside your tauntaun?"

Really, there's no explanation needed here. Mr. H-B would want me to add that his contribution to the conversation was telling SWLN that our tauntaun looks ridiculous going down the highway.

2/8

Rewriting the grocery list. Because I'm OCD like that.

We keep a running list on the fridge. When it comes time to make our menus for the week, I write down everything we need to round out what we have in our cupboards. Then, I rewrite the list by store (Aldi and Kroger), organized by the layout of the particular store. It makes for a less frazzled shopping experience. Please tell me I'm not the only one that does this.

What's your favorite Facebook or Twitter update of the week?

Be My Valentine

2011-02-14T08:00:00.001-05:00

purlbee

I like Valentine's Day. What can I say? I like all of the heart-shaped candy (especially Everlasting Gobstopper Hearts and SweetTart Conversation Hearts...Yum!), the silly cards, and all of the red decor. Of course, I also like my Valentine.

I hope your day is filled with sweet treats!

Day 23--Craving

2011-02-13T08:00:00.002-05:00

Sweets Cinnamon Bears. A staple of Intermountain West candy counters, they are totally unavailable in the Midwest. I bring home a 5-lb. bag whenever I visit New Mexico.

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Mexican food. Again, there's almost no Mexican food in my part of the glorious Midwest.

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Chatham Beach on a Wednesday in July.

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Day 22--What Makes Me, Well, Me?

2011-02-12T08:00:00.002-05:00

Like so many people, I think of many of my likes and dislikes as somewhat paradoxical. I think those paradoxes are part of what defines me.

I loathe American Idol, Survivor, the Bachelor(ette), and other reality shows.
I love watching Top Chef, Hoarders, and Say Yes to the Dress.

I love listening to and playing classical music from a variety of composers.
I love listening to hip-hop, heavy metal, and country pop.

I love making gourmet-sounding dishes like boeuf bourguignon and pavlova.
I love making cheesy potato casserole and stuffing from a box.

I love eating cheeses from around the world--the smellier the better.
I love nothing more than a grilled cheese sandwich made with Kraft singles.

Of course there are many other things that define me:

I'm a Mormon.
I'm a wife.
I'm a daughter.
I'm a sister.
I'm a linguist.
I sew.
I cook.
I clean.
I read.
I blog.

I like being me, paradoxes and all.

Day 21--Something that Makes Me Happy

2011-02-11T08:00:00.001-05:00

I want to focus on a few things that make me really happy in the place that makes me happiest: the kitchen.

Kitchenaid Food Processor. Pie crust, chopped nuts, homemade mayonnaise.

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Stand mixer. Bread, whipped cream, meringue.

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Cast iron skillet and dutch oven. Maillard reaction, crispy chicken fingers, delicious soups and chilis.

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Instant read thermometer. Perfectly cooked meat and breads.

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Sharp knives. Neatly sliced tomatoes, diced onions, and minced garlic. No bloody fingers.

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All of these things have made my life in the kitchen easier and better. While my cooking skills have certainly improved since the days of rock-hard pancakes and overcooked chicken, having the right tools has made a huge difference!

Day 20--Love

2011-02-10T08:00:00.005-05:00

I love this guy. Does he drive me completely nuts sometimes? Absolutely. But I know I drive him completely nuts a LOT.

Day 19--Nicknames

2011-02-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

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I've had a nickname since I was just a few months old. I was born with torticollis caused by scar tissue on my neck muscles. I had surgery at 6 weeks old to correct the problem and don't have many residual physical effects (except not being able to turn my head all the way to the left). The emotional toll, on the other hand...

The doctor who prescribed my medication following surgery had typically bad doctor handwriting. The pharmacist interpreted my first name as Mania and printed that on my prescription bottles. My parents and their friends thought the error was hilarious, but didn't think too much of it until one day when the pharmacy tech asked, "Is your daughter's name really Mania?" From that day forward my parents, siblings, uncles, and cousins have called me Mania. This nickname, though, is really the most mild of all the nicknames I've had over the years.

Barfia--I'm really not sure how this started, but my cousins still call me this one. It makes me laugh!

Maria Diarrhea/Gonorrhea--The unfortunate side effect of having a name that rhymes with diseases, I suppose.

Hippo Eater--I have absolutely no idea how I got this gem of a nickname, but it was endlessly traumatizing to me as a 4th-grader.

Captain Ducky--My feet turn out a little bit (a LOT) when I walk. My high school friends gave me this one. In fact, with the advent of Facebook, this one has returned with a vengeance.

Day 18--Bucket List

2011-02-08T08:00:00.090-05:00

I think I've said enough about general goals this year, so I thought I'd copy my friend and write a bucket list of experiences I'd like to have. Here's a list of 10 in no particular order.

1. Visit the Louvre with time (and energy) enough to see everything I want to. There's just so much to see!

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2. Hike in the Karakoram. Thanks, Greg Mortenson, for inspiring this crazy dream. I love the mountains and I've always wanted to go to Asia. I can kill two birds with this one stone.

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3. Eat at a Craft restaurant. Mr. H-B and I have developed a chef crush on Tom Colicchio after several seasons of Top Chef. I want to know what the man's cooking tastes like after hearing his constructive criticisms of numerous chefs.

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4. Ride in a hot air balloon at the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. I've loved balloons since seeing the Great Reno Balloon Race when I was a kid. They are incredible. I love the colors and the way they look against the sky.

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5. Go to Egypt. FINALLY. It's been my dream to visit the Pyramids since I was an 8-year-old girl creating a film strip about the mummification process (no one ever said I was a normal child...).

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6. Learn Arabic. It looks beautiful when written and I would love to better understand its influence on Spanish.

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7. Play the organ in the Tabernacle on Temple Square. First I'll need to get over my fear of the foot pedals.

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8. Learn to make perfect croissants. I'll eat delicious sandwiches on them and fill them with whipped cream. Yum!

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9. Win a blue ribbon for a quilt I've made (not this one, but maybe another).

10. Walk across the stage at graduation to collect my PhD diploma.

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Day 17--Life Swap

2011-02-07T08:00:00.025-05:00

I thought pretty seriously about changing the theme of this day because I just couldn't think of anyone whose life I'd like to have. Then it hit me: This is huge! For the first time in my life I don't want to be someone else, live somewhere else, or be doing something else.

It has taken me 32 years to get to the point where I can (almost always) accept who I am. I have struggled my whole life with body image and general feelings of inadequacy. Nothing has ever been good enough. I have never been good enough.

In the past few months I have started to understand that my body is a gift. I can wake up every morning. I breathe without difficulty. I walk and talk and lift and bend, all without any assistance. I don't hate my body for being imperfect anymore. Do I need to take better care of it by being more physically fit and making better food choices? Absolutely. But that doesn't mean I need to hate myself in the meantime. There's no magic pants size or number on the scale that will make me love myself for who I am.

I have also felt a pretty serious paradigm shift in the last few months or so with respect to my education. I finally came to realize that the career path I have chosen is MY career path. I shouldn't be basing my decisions on what my advisor wants or what my friends think is best for me. I need to sit down and carefully consider (often with Mr. H-B) what I want and what will work best for OUR family. Instead of letting my dissertation and the upcoming job search just happen to me, I am taking proactive steps to accomplish goals and enhance my future job prospects.

These shifts in my thinking have bled over into other areas of my life--my relationship with Mr. H-B, my participation in our church, and the way I approach my leisure time. Of course I slack off regularly, but I am more conscious of my role of making things happen.

Perhaps what they say is true: that your 30s are a time of self-discovery. I've never been happier with my imperfect life than I am today. For me, that is a miracle.

Day 16--A Picture of Me

2011-02-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

It's been fun to pull out the CDs of our wedding pictures. I've never gotten around to printing any of them. Shameful, I know. I'm definitely more motivated to do something with them now. It's time to make that blurb book, I think.

This is heading down the stairs to our reception. My dress was a two-piece bridesmaid's dress and I loved it. I pinned the zipper shut with my great-great-grandmother Maria Charlotte's brooch.

We took pictures out in a field behind the reception center and I stepped on a yellow jacket's nest. Fortunately, none of us got stung, but it made for a pretty hilarious scene and I ran through the field in my wedding dress. Good times.

Day 15--iPod Shuffle

2011-02-05T08:00:00.005-05:00

Our iPod has gone the way of the dodo, so I'm pulling songs from iTunes (with some editing for audiobook tracks and eliminating a few songs I've never even heard of--that's what I get for sharing with Mr. H-B).

Sweet Child of Mine Guns N' Roses--
The Buck from the Mountain Danu
I'm Sittin' on Top of the World The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Heart of Gold Neil Young
Trouble Ray LaMontagne
Far Behind Eddie Vedder
Dies Irae 1 Verdi
Evangeline The Band (with Emmylou Harris)
Mother Nature's Son The Beatles
The Boxer Simon & Garfunkel

Yay, music!

Fresh off the Boat Nelly Furtado
Corazon Espinado Santana (with Mana)
Empire State of Mind Jay-Z (with Alicia Keys)
Pinch Me Barenaked Ladies
What's the Frequency Kenneth? REM
Lodi Creedence Clearwater Revival
Lay Lady Lay Bob Dylan
The Story Brandi Carlisle
Robin and Marian Nickel Creek
Brandy Alexander Feist

I didn't delete anything that I thought was particularly embarrassing. I like listening to a variety of music and it really depends on what I'm doing. Now if we look at my most-listened to list...that might be a different story!

Day 14--Family Picture

2011-02-04T08:00:00.019-05:00

The Hass family, minus Baby B and Baby I. (I failed to mention that Baby C is that cute baby bump all the way to the left. Thanks to astute reader Jenae! ) Miraculously, all of our eyes our open. If you've ever photographed a Hass, you know this is rare.

I was supposed to have bridal portraits taken. After wearing my wedding dress for hours I realized I kind of never wanted to put it on again. We decided to have a photo session in the park with Greta. It seemed kind of silly at the time, but we had to use up our credit. Now I'm glad we have these pictures to look back on.

The Bark family, just missing Baby E. I've really enjoyed getting to know Mr. H-B's family over the last few years. They are wonderful people and I'm so glad that I married into the family!

Day 13--Letters to Someone

2011-02-03T08:00:00.013-05:00

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Dear Mr. H-B,

Thank you for putting up with The Crazy last semester. You deserve some kind of an award.

Love,

Mrs. H-B

********

Dear Greta,

Please stop licking the carpet. When you swallow hair, it has to come out somewhere. Let's just say it's disgusting and I hate it.

Love,

Mama

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Dear America's Test Kitchen,

I will never lose weight if you keep printing and demonstrating such delicious recipes. Can't you substitute skim milk for some of that heavy cream? No? I guess I'll buy stock in Land o' Lakes.

Love,

Wanna-be Chef

********

Dear Arrested Development,

I wish you were still on TV.

Love,

Craving a Mayon-egg

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Dear New Jeans,

You're so comfortable and not holey. I can wear you with my heeled boots and look kind of professional.

Love,

Faking it in Academia

********

Dear Stove Element,

I'm sorry I melted a cutting board on you. I'm not sure how to clean the plastic off of you, but I'll do what I can.

Love,

Can't Remember which Burner Is Turned on

Day 12--Why I Blog

2011-02-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

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I don't remember the precise moment I learned about blogging, but it was sometime during late 2003 or early 2004. During the summer of 2004, Boston hosted the Democratic National Convention. The first post I ever wrote (back on my now defunct Miss Hass blog) was about the convention. The media went berserk about how awful the traffic would be. People were encouraged to go out of town if they wanted to avoid awful traffic. In fact, many companies closed their doors for the week of the convention. My company did not, so I stayed with a friend in an apartment closer to my job. The city felt a little apocalyptic; there were no traffic jams in sight. I don't remember what I wrote, precisely, just that it was a complaint about all of the hype.

I've blogged off and on for the last six-and-a-half years. I've taken short breaks and a year-long break, but I always come back. I like blogging. I like the internet friends that I've made through this medium. Will I blog forever? Who knows. For now, though, I like it.

Day 11--A Week in the Life

2011-02-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

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Maybe you wonder what on earth a grad student does during the week. Chances are, you don't really care, but I'm going to tell you anyway.

Sunday

Church from 1-4pm, so I try to get up early-ish and either practice the organ (we have a keyboard that fills in well) or prepare for church lessons. What I usually end up doing is watching Antiques Roadshow, though. At some point during the day we talk budget, menu plan for the week, and double-check our schedules for the upcoming week.

Weekday mornings usually include 1-2 hours of work and some household chores before leaving the house.

Monday

Teach from 1:25-4:25, but I try to leave our apartment when Mr. H-B does. In theory, this gives me a chance to get some work done before teaching. In practice, I often end up running errands and doing last-minute lesson planning. When I come home, Mr. H-B and I have some sort of Family Home Evening lesson.

Tuesday

Mr. H-B has a 9am class, so I go with him and work on campus. I find that I get more done if I'm not home being distracted by television, laundry, Greta, or other things. We go grocery shopping on our way home from campus.

Wednesday

Looks the same as Monday, but without the Family Home Evening. Instead, Mr. H-B and I go to the church for the evening. I practice the organ and piano and Mr. H-B helps lead the youth group in our congregation. Wednesday is also pizza night. Hooray!

Thursday

Campus with Mr. H-B, then home to get some school and house work done.

Friday

Looks like Monday, except with three hours of office hours prior to teaching. Most Fridays, this means extra time on campus to do some work, but if there's an upcoming exam lots of students come in for visits.

Saturday

Sleep in, school work, house work, date night with Mr. H-B.

I'll admit, it's a pretty cushy schedule. There's a lot of flexibility--some weeks are completely insane, others are really relaxed and I get to spend a lot of time working on personal interests like quilting, blogging, or decluttering. There are some days I definitely miss my 9-5, M-F work schedule, especially when school work turns into all-nighters or takes up the entire weekend. Most of the time, though, I love this life.

101 in 1001 Days--End of Month 1

2011-01-31T08:00:00.055-05:00

This month, I've worked on several goal toward my 101 goals in 1001 days. I'll highlight those below. If you're interested, you can find the full list here.

4. Write in a journal one time a week for three months (0/3)--I've managed to write every week this month. Hooray! I like writing in a journal. I find it therapeutic, but I only remember to do it when things are really crazy. It's a good habit that I'd like to develop.

8. Magnify organist calling

a) Practice 60 minutes/week (4/135)--I go with Mr. H-B to church on Wednesday evenings, which gives me 60-90 minutes to practice the organ and piano. I don't set any goals right now, because it brings back too many memories of horrible 5 am practice sessions with my mom yelling "E-sharp! It's an E-sharp!"

b) Plan each year’s music by January 31--It feels great to not have to worry about this every week.

9. Read all Relief Society lessons ahead of time (2/135)--This has made it significantly easier for me to pay attention to lessons at church.

10. Listen to a conference talk on each morning commute (5/6 days commuting)--I really like the spiritual boost I get each morning on the way to work.

11. Pray as a couple 5 times a week for a month (10/20)

12. Family Home Evening every Monday for 3 months (1/3)

13. Go on a date with Mr. H-B every week (2/135)--I transferred responsibility to Mr. H-B for these activities. Last night we played Phase 10 and last week we watched a movie together.

25. Splurge on 2 new bras--I think this is the best goal I've accomplished this year. Good bras are like good shoes, things are just easier when your dogs (or ladies, sorry, my imaginary male readers) are comfortable.

35. See my therapist monthly when school is in session until I graduate (1/10)--My therapist rocks. Counseling services are free or deeply discounted for students, so it's silly for me not to work on some of my issues with a therapist while it's so inexpensive!

42. Plan biweekly menus--Despite my love of cooking, I am really bad at making dinner if I don't have a plan. We eat out far too often. Based on the menus, we made a grocery list, shopping first at ALDI. Last semester I got super lazy and shopped at W*lm*rt. It's closer to our house and we could buy everything in the same place. We're back to ALDI, though, for most everything.

a) Make grocery list

b) Shop at ALDI first

43. Make a dent in my credit card debt

a) ~~Pay off VISA~~--It felt kind of awesome to see the balance of this card drop to $0.00. (Well, technically $1.60, but that'll be paid off on February 6th.)

b) Apply extra payments to Discover--This card has the highest interest rate, so I've been applying extra payments here.

c) ~~Call AmEx and Discover about closing account to reduce interest rate~~--The companies didn't reduce our interest rate, but it takes some of the pressure off to know we can't add anymore to our debt.

44. Save all of my Swagbucks Amazon.com gift cards for the duration of the project--I've saved $15 so far and have another $5 coming in a couple of weeks. Hooray for free money!

   58. Publish 2 articles/chapters--These are in progress. One is a book chapter that I worked on with my advisor. Since this was an invited chapter, we're just waiting to hear about the edits we'll need to make. The other is out for review to be included in a conference proceedings.

59. Take 6 computer classes--I registered for a Photoshop class and a series of web development classes. I figure having a web development certificate might be advantageous when it comes time to write my CV.
   a) Photoshop
   b) Website Development Certificate

68. ~~Organize and declutter jewelry; clean tarnished pieces~~--All of my jewelry is sparkly and clean! I didn't get rid of anything, though there is a pair of earrings I think I'll send to my sister. Maybe...

75. ~~Add foam to couch and chair cushions~~--My legs don't fall asleep anymore when I sit on the couch. Hooray!

84. Cook 1 new recipe from each issue of Cook’s Illustrated

   a) Nov/Dec 2010 issue--Spaghetti and Meatballs for a Crowd--Delicious. I made a 1/2 recipe, which gave us leftovers for lunch.

   86. Blog every day for 30 days (0/30)--A third of the way through...

   Moving into the book and movie categories, I should note that I don't consider myself a reviewer. I can never pinpoint what I do and don't like about something--just that I do or don't like it. Basically just don't judge me for my lack of reviewing skills!

93. Read 20 20^th and 21^st century fiction books I haven't read before

Atonement Ian McEwan--I've been trying to read this book for ages. I always get about 10 pages in and then move on to something else. I will finish it this time.

The Hunger Games ~~(Trilogy) Suzanne Collins~~--I really liked these books. I generally don't like sci-fi/fantasty novels, but the story line was definitely interesting enough to keep me focused. (...and clearly I'm not a book reviewer....)

95. Read 20 classic works of fiction that I haven’t read before
Aeneid Virgil--Thanks to dailylit, I'm about 15% of the way through. I have always had difficulty staying focused when reading epic poetry.

   96. Watch AFI top 100 movies
   ~~Jaws~~--Good, but not nearly as scary as I thought it was going to be.
   ~~All about Eve~~--Enjoyable. That Eve is a whack-a-doodle-doo.