March 10, 2010

Avantgarde





I'm loving these interesting, fun, funky and beautiful posters by Maxime Quoilin.

found via ffffound.

Dog Dog



evening shadow in my parents studio.

James Jean







Fabulous work by James Jean.

found via boooooooom.

Spring blooms



Sunny spring daffodils on my desk make me happy.

March 9, 2010

Urgh

For all these weeks months I've been waiting and waiting for spring, desperate for warmer days, no snow, budding flowers and walks with the dog. But somehow it seems I managed to forget the catch 22 that comes with all that goodness,

fibromyalgia pain.


The last week it's been creeping up on me, a little more leg pain and a need to take naps during the afternoon on the weekend, and starting yesterday the wet weather and rain began and it got colder and all of that fluctuation makes me feel like I've been completely knocked on my ass. Like the Monty Python foot, only I've always thought of it more like being back handed by a giant hand directly into a wall.

But really the symptoms are nothing new, as I said in my first post about my illness, it's something I've had for eight... make that nine years now, so I know how to deal with it, but shit, after all this time, it's getting more than a little old. Though I'm well aware of all the things I need to do to help get through the spring; continue to eat healthy foods regularly throughout the day because food is fuel for me, double up on my Shaklee vitamins, cut down on my alcohol intake (grrrr) and get sleep... sleep... and more sleep. It's ridiculous all the sleeping. It was even more ridiculous when I was so depressed I barely got myself to and from class in college, but even now, so many years past that, it often feels like I really don't want to go to bed so early or stop my day on a weekend to sleep, but I don't have a choice. It's frustrating.

And I need to force myself to work out. It helps to work my muscles and even though it feels contradictory, it helps to give me energy. But it's hard. And I was thinking about it tonight when I got home from work and brought King out to potty in the rain, how I was so tired I didn't know if I was going to be able to work out. And then I wondered if I'm just using that as an excuse not to workout (because I hate doing it) and if I really tried I could do it. The conclusion seems to be maybe a little bit of both, I didn't work out last night because I didn't feel like I could, but tonight I'm forcing myself to get on the elliptical machine and stay on it for a half hour, even if I go at a snails pace. It's a slippery slope to let myself off the hook too easily and I'm not going to let myself start doing that and I'm not going to hide behind the attitude of a victim.

Um, I think this whole post turned into a bit of a much needed whine and a little bit of a pep talk to myself. Oops! Oh well, at least if you've read this far you can just think to yourself "At least I don't have that!" And if it just so happens that you do, be sure to do all the things listed above and don't forget to be patient with yourself.

I'm going to put my sports bra on now. Wish me luck.

(update: working out on the elliptical machine while watching the show The Biggest Looser is the way to go... very motivational. It helped me rock out a pretty decent workout!)

Sharbat Gula



Remember her? She appeared on the cover of National Geographic in 1985. I was only four years old then, but I still remember this picture and those eyes.

Seventeen years later Sharbat was tracked down in Afghanistan and interviewed. You can read the interview (and see her current photo) here.


Sharbat is hoping that her daughters will receive an education and hopefully live a better life than the one she's lived. And that made me think of Greg Mortinson's book Three Cups of Tea and how through his work, and those like him, that might just be a possibility. I certainly hope so.


article found via Beauty Comma.


Click here to listen.

tapes image via pikaland.

Grace in your heart and flowers in your hair





I thought you might want to hear the song from yesterday's quote. Mumford and Sons are great. The picture (by grass doe) is just for prettiness.

March 8, 2010

Mama Bear • Baby Bear






photoshoot by my parents.



Lyrics from "After The Storm" by Mumford and Sons (in case you couldn't tell I'm loving them right now). image via voltron of awesomeness (found via snippet & ink).

March 7, 2010

Bib Factory







My mother is a one woman bib making factory. She's been spending the last few weeks behind the sewing machine putting together these awesome bibs for Louis. Though she made so many (even more than are shown here) that Louis may be wearing bibs until he graduates high school... oh, I really hope that isn't the case!

Nice work mom, they're really lovely.



Dear King,

I love our lazy weekends together.

You're my best friend and I love you and I'm so glad I didn't throw you over the balcony all those times I thought about it when you were a wee little terror thing.


Love, Mom