To Sort And Be Sorted

Cleaning electronic files is as obsessive compulsive as the regular cleaning of every box, basket, cupboard, closet, and drawer in the house. I just can't leave any "container" undone. Yesterday, I planned to spend the morning cleaning and the afternoon sewing. Instead, I cleaned all day - as in well into the evening, right up until news time.

Just like regular cleaning, chucking got easier as the day went along. Pretty quick, I decided that if I hadn't used it in years, I wasn't likely to miss it and goodbye. If I do miss it - oh well - what's gone is gone. That's worked well for me so far. I'm not talking about the files from my books or workshops but about the amazing number of useless files and duplicate images and what on earth did I keep that for information.

The main files are sorted. The categories and subcategories have been established. All of C drive is clean. On the D drive, I've divided images into sorted and to be sorted. That last category is HUGE except... I know... that it is full of useless images like the ones of me in muslin. LOTS of those and only needed in the moment, not for posterity.

I've decided not to stop taking so many photos BUT... to stop keeping them all. I called the photo center and they recommended a 2400 x 3000 pixel image if making an 8 x 10 photo which means saving family and other images I might want to print at full size which in turn means keeping less. My plan is to take process and project photos, size them for the blog, use them, and then delete all but the finished and detail images. We'll see how that works.




I got an email about the job position yesterday. It was posted Sunday, I applied Monday, and by Tuesday it had been filled. I can only conclude that they already had someone in mind and the process was a mere formality. DARN.




I was crabby yesterday. Have you ever had one of those conversations where you're not sure if you've been insulted but you're assuming not because it would never have been that person's intent but even so, you are feeling somewhat insulted. One of those conversations.

A friend is extremely busy getting ready for Christmas. When I phoned to ask her for lunch and a trip to Value Village (a place she loves) she said no, she only had time for the things she wanted and needed to do, maybe after Christmas. I knew she didn't realize that she had just said that she didn't want to have lunch or go shopping with me. I assumed she was just frazzled and true enough because...

... yesterday morning she phoned to apologize saying she thought she may have been too abrupt. That was great except that she then went on to question why I wasn't busy and didn't we have any Christmas traditions and... and... and.. negatively phrased questions. When I talked about what we did at Christmas, there was silence, the judgemental kind, and then she said that she didn't have that option because she's a Mom. Hello... I have kids. I'm a Mom.

In the end, I couldn't decide if she was criticizing my way of doing things or justifying her busyness. I know she would like to be less busy. She thinks she can't make that choice. I wouldn't have been surprised if it was the later especially because I've had many negative reactions to my downsizing and simplifying of Christmas over the years as if we somehow aren't having fun with fewer baked goods, smaller meals, less expense, and more time together. I think that some women find "too busy" and "frazzled" a badge of honor while I - on the other hand - think that's just plain dumb. All for one day? And what is the point anyway? Years ago, I made a decision to focus on family and as a result, I enjoy December.

I talked with my son about the conversation last night and he said, I like our Christmas the way it is. Gotta love that child. That was exactly what I needed to hear. Short of grocery shopping next week, which I'm doing with my husband on Monday, I am ready and have been for weeks. Easy and fun is the way I want to spend, and to model, Christmas. I hope this way of being is something that I pass on to my children and especially to my daughter and daughter-in-laws (when I have them) as I really have an aversion to women so busy running around in circles that they don't have time for the people in their lives.

The long line bra was ready by Saturday only I didn't wear it. The band could have been tighter although it would have worked. The cups wouldn't. They were way too big. Remember when I told you about the Estrasmart supplements that I'm taking. One of the things this product does is reduce and eliminate the occurrence of breast cysts. I'm dissolving. A month after I started taking the product, I went for an ultrasound and the technician noted less cysts already. That's surprising and good but not good. That extra fullness will no longer help to balance my hips - LOL - I'm down a cup size. SO...




... I'm going to mail the bra to my friend Caroline. When she was here last summer, she sewed a size really close to this one. I'm hoping it will fit her and that she'll enjoy it. I'll just pop it in the mail and find out when it gets there. It's not for Christmas. I already sent that package on the 1st. This will be a surprise bonus present.

This morning, I'm holding a baby at the dentist's office. My friend is almost forty and has a 3 month old baby. She's a new and older and nervous mother. I've only held the baby once before about a week ago. Before I hold her, I have to wash and sanitize. It's really quite amusing and makes me wonder what I was like as a first time mother. I'm sure I amused some people too.

ANYWAY... my friend has to have some emergency dental work done and she wants the baby to come but doesn't want the staff to touch her so I've been asked to hold the baby. And guess what? I can do this because I'm not at all rushed with Christmas and the file cleaning can wait. Life is about relationships not rushing, not baking, not presents, not stuff. It's about PEOPLE.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - twenty-six hours, a $4,99 part, twenty pounds of pressure, and the sink drain is clear again. Naturally, we took the longer, more expensive than that route, BUT... it's done. YES YES.