Category: Golightly Living

I love to learn. Knowledge rocks my world. When meeting someone new, I secretly wonder, like Emma, “is he a man of information?” I get a rush from being an early adapter, from knowing the news, from being well read.

Social media was made for a person like me. I was a little late to the blogging party (2005), but thereafter, when I heard about a new way to interact, I was on it.

Last summer, though, everything changed. I found myself spending far too much time on Facebook, reading posts that did little to enrich my connection to friends. Sure, meaningful communication can happen there, but with nearly 400 friends, no way could I imagine that real relationship building was happening with more than a few folks. At a time when I crave community more than ever, I was losing sleep from anxiety.

After some long, hard thinking, I made a decision. I posted a statement on Facebook that read

After coping with information-overload-induced anxiety, I’ve decided to use FB in a different way. I’m eliminating my friends list (not eliminating our friendships, though! email me any time!) and remaining in a few groups that communicate only here. I know you will all understand and tell me about the big ups and downs in your lives by email, phone, or in person. MWAH

Facebook doesn’t make it easy to delete friends. Honestly, though, I thought more about most of my people while I culled the list than I had in a while. I whittled the list down to about 50 people. There were some hard choices, but with very few exceptions, I deleted

• Family (I can email or call them any time)
• Acquaintances from real-life circles (if we haven’t become more than acquaintances yet, chance are we won’t)
• Co-workers (we see each other at work; I’ll hear their news there)
• People I don’t really know (see acquaintances)

On my list I kept a few very close friends. Even though we can communicate other ways, I like to see Sara’s pictures, and Sarah’s videos of her hilarious kids are, well, hilarious. Pals from my NY and my NM days stayed on the list, as did professionals whose work I admire and want to be certain to hear about.

I still use Twitter regularly. I don’t feel overwhelmed there. When a conversation gets going there, I shift it to email. I’m on Ravelry every day; I love to see what my crafty peeps have posted. I stopped using Instagram and renewed my relationship with Flickr. Why did I need two places to share my shots? I hop on Facebook a few times a week, but it no longer overwhelms or distracts me.

I’d love to hear how you handle information overload when you feel it.

On that note, I’m honored to be included in Be More With Less’s Simplicity in Action series. If you’re visiting from BMWL, welcome!

It all started in October. Wait, no. It all started the year before. No. It really all started in my

freshman year of high school, in French class, when Teri plucked a white hair from my head and handed it to me.

The coloring started a little after, at first for fun: purple streaks! high lights! red! and grew into a bit of an addiction. The gray came in like incessant waves on the beach. My hair grows fast, at least it seems fast when the roots ruin the perfect-color high.

About a year ago, I posted something on Facebook about coloring my hair. The Subway Knitter asked wasn’t I curious how the silver (henceforth we shall not speak of gray) would come in? Nope. Not a bit.

I don’t know what changed. Sitting in my stylist’s chair last October, I asked her how I could find out. I was not about to cut off my hair; I spent the last five years growing out a pixie. Em suggested a “character streak” and bleached a chunk. The plan was to foil off that chunk when coloring the rest of my hair.

On my way to see Em in January (we have a date every five weeks. I love my stylist, but it is an expensive relationship), I couldn’t shake the feeling. It was time. Continue reading “Matters of Importance or About My Hair”

We made it through the storm without losing power for more than a few minutes. After last October’s fiasco, I am so relieved. Neal and I agreed our preparation was much better this year–last year it never occurred to us that we’d lose power for more than a day or two. There was a lot of nervous energy at Chez Golightly yesterday. I had grading to do, but after every second or third paper, I jumped up to vacuum or chop veggies. It was hard to sit still!

Once I finished my grading goal for the day, I cast on for a new project: Andrea Goutier’s Hurricane Hat. I kicked it old school, writing out the pattern in the little notebook I’ve been using for the last eight years, just in case I lost wifi. Sure was soothing to knit 2×2 rib while the wind made the trees sway.

We were so fortunate. My thoughts are with those without power, those who sustained damage. I hope you’ve got something to provide a little soothing to you, too.

Even though I started in July, I’m not confident I’ll have my Lightweight Pullover done for Rhinebeck. I know, I know. There are plenty of knitters who whip out a sweater in a week, but I’m not one of them. No amount of peer pressure can make me knit faster! Still, I’m pleased with the sweater. The Noro Ayatori’s colors whisper spring, which will make this a welcome garment as the world turns gray. My only complaint: Ayatori is underspun in places. Read: it breaks now and again.

I had the pleasure of hanging out with Shannon and Kate a little at Stitches East over the weekend. Dragonfly Fibers’s tag line is “The color of happiness,” and I’m here to say: this is a true thing. I think Kate’s got magic eyes that lets her make such pretty yarn for the rest of us.

***

Here’s some random Monday goodies:

Taproot Magazine. I haven’t subscribed yet, but I’ve been enjoying the website. It makes me feel peaceful.

Signature Needles. Picked up a set of dpns for the not-quite-Rhinebeck sweater sleeves. The sharp points rock!

Abbi by Elizabeth Smith. Maybe Kate sent me home with enough Super Traveller in Peach Melba to make my own. Guess she didn’t want me nicking the cozy sample that we were all wearing throughout the weekend.

World Enough and Time by Christian McEwan. She spoke at my university recently. I had to miss it, but I’ve been enjoying her book every morning while I eat breakfast. It, too, makes me feel peaceful, helping me to remember what is important to my creative life.

New post on my hairpin lace blog. I revised an old favorite pattern and made a handy pdf.

A beautiful reminder from Courtney Carver. The year is not over! What will you accomplish in these last 80-ish days of 2012?

***

I woke up knowing that I’d dreamed of Rhinebeck. This year, my dear Sara won’t be with me. We’re both experiencing some sadness over this. Six years ago, we held a tag sale to get ourselves spending money for the festival everyone chatted up, and we’ve gone together each year since. It won’t be the same without her, but it is a long commute from the banks of l’Oise to the banks of the Hudson!  Luckily, Rae agreed to keep me company, and I’m looking forward to seeing all my on-line peeps.

Be sure to stop me and say hi, will you? And don’t judge me if the only new knit I have is my red FLS!

Are you going to Rhinebeck? 

 

I’m in hustle mode.

I want to visit Sara in spring 2013, and I have my sights set on Italy, too. At the same time that I save for my trip, Neal and I are going into frugal mode to reach our savings goal for the mud room/guest bedroom addition. I decided yesterday that the only way I could save funds guilt-free for my trip when there is a family project to save for would be to, you guessed it, hustle.

As in hustle my bustle.

Did your mom or gram say that, too? It remains one of my favorite family phrases.

So what’s my plan of action? Here’s Phase 1:

1. Reverse my decision to quit my side job. A few times a year, I teach SAT prep. I was ready to give it up in an effort to create more time for developing Open Road Writing, but instead I’ll hang in there and sock my side-job paychecks in my travel fund.
2. Destash. Yesterday I did a preliminary culling of the stash. I’ll be honest: it’s epic. Even with the first culling done, I have enough yarn to keep me busy for years. Keep your eyes peeled for the big Help-Me-Go-To-See-Sara Sale!
3. Part with unused clothes, shoes, and handbags. During my initial Project 333 periods, I gave a lot of clothes away. A LOT. Now I’m facing the question: would I rather have a pair of shoes I rarely wear, or an extra day with Sara? I guess you know what my decision is.

I’m excited for the challenge of this double savings goal that will also help me create more room in my house. I’m a good saver. Let’s see if I’m good with the hustle, too.

And, yes, you are so welcome for this ear worm.

Feels like a good morning to think about a few favorite things. Here’s what I’m loving right now:

1. Zulu Grass Singles. I have strands in turquoise, green, and orange. I wear them wrapped around my wrist almost every day. So summery and cheering!

2. MZ Wallace Lula (I have it in black with red trim). I usually carry bigger bags, but I wanted something smaller for jetting about on my bike or tucking into a tote. This is a small, small bag, but it holds so much: iPhone, Moleskine calendar, wallet (it’s a small wallet), pen, tissues, mints, bobby pins, ear buds, lip gloss (my favorite!).

3. Karina Gala. I still adore my Rita, but the Gala’s sweetheart neckline is flattering. I wore mine to a recent Salsa lesson, and I felt festive in it. It’s another fantastic Project 333 choice.

4. Low Impact Betty’s new Live Life on a Little series. She’s a cool woman with great, healthy ideas.

5. Farm-fresh food. I’m getting more variety from my CSA. Our local meals are moving beyond salads to delicious things like panzanella (the bread was from a local bakery).

6. #roadtrip postcards. You can see the latest prompt here, and take a look at some of the postcards here. They are awesome!

What’s giving you that Summer Love feeling today?

I like to meal plan. Oh, there are challenges in a bi-diet house (I’m ovo-lacto vegetarian; he’s an equal opportunity eater), but over the years, we’ve learned to make it work.

Here’s my usual practice:

1. Sunday morning: sip coffee, peruse recipes, consider what is seasonal.

2. Make meal list for week. Strive for meals that will use up similar ingredients

3. Grocery shop

4. Prep food

Things around here are changing, though. I joined a CSA. I pick up my allotment each Tuesday. It’s always a mystery what will be in the mix until I’m at the farm.

I could just save meal planning until Tuesday, but I like to get grocery shopping out of the way. So here’s what I’ve been doing:

1. Make sure I have staples that will work well with most veggies. To me that means tortilla, quinoa, eggs, corn meal (oh, creamy polenta, how I love you).

2. Assess mid-week. I spend time prepping the CSA share on Tuesday. So far that has entailed lots of washing greens. Once I see all the clean produce in front of me, I decide what I’ll use for salads, what I might roast and sautee, and I think up meals for the next few days.

3. Visit the farmers markets. We have one near us nearly every day, and while I don’t want to spend my time going to markets each and every day, they do allow me to supplement what I have with fresh, local goodness.

4. Read Cheryl’s CSA diary. She’s doing a fantastic job tracking how she uses her CSA, and I’m getting loads of new ideas from her.

There you have it. Joining the CSA has thrown me off my routine (not a bad thing!), but it’s giving me a great reason to experiment with new, often improvised meals.

And when all else fails, there are always smoothies to be made!

What wonderful ways does your meal planning change this time of year?

 

Shakespeare’s St. Crispin’s Day Speech always seems an appropriate way to honor our heroic dead on Memorial Day.

To date: three items checked off last week’s spring to-do list. My desk is clean(er), I joined a CSA, and our two plastic adirondack chairs have a fresh coat of aqua paint. They look so sweet! This is a really easy fix, so if you have boring old green chairs like I did, just pick up 1.5 cans of paint made to use on plastic, give the chairs a good wash, spray evenly, and you, too, can have bright chairs in your yard!

Five years ago, we said I do.

It has been a good five years.