I am a victim of "too much information"

I have been feeling overwhelmed, no assaulted, by the over abundance of information. My office job grows more challenging each day...in spite of the current economic situation, our little business is growing. This is by no means a complaint - it is wonderful to have a sense of job security, but by golly, there just does not seem to be enough hours in the day to accomplish what needs to be done!

My bosses are great people to work for...they have offered their assistance on more than one occasion, but I'm am in such a state of vapor lock, I don't know how to articulate what can be done to help. Both of them are very understanding and are more than willing to listen and they are very supportive of how we are trying to keep on top of things - but I find myself in a state of inactivity because I just can't decide which task needs to be conquered first.

Whew... feels better to have that off my chest... now back to work.


LATER {during my lunch break}....
I get daily devotionals from Proverbs 31 - today's installment included this quote:

"In our culture of constant contact through technology, it' s easy for our attention to be divided and our focus to shift away from those who are in the room with us. Although we are physically present, often times we are mentally absent. At least I know I am. What about you?"

Mentally absent that really describes what I've been struggling to overcome.

Project Runway - Season 8 - Episode 4

As I watch tonight's episode, I find myself wondering if some of these contestants have ever seen the show. While I realize they are in a high stress situation, I am growing tired of hearing Casanova & Michael Costello complain. Oh, and they way all of them trash talk each other during the interviews and especially when they got back to Atlas...WOW this is a negative group!

I must say, there are some pretty talented designers. Along with some REALLY potent personalities. I am very curious to see the catwalk tonight.

I will stop this rant for now...so I don't spoil the results for anyone. MORE LATER...

WOW - where does the time go?

Show of hands = who is totally freaked out by the fact that it is the last day of July 2010?!?!

{wildly waves both hands in the air}

This year has been jam-packed with "adventures" (as my chiropractor calls them):

• Early in the year, I signed up with the No Boundaries group to train for my first ever 5K. Ten weeks of training later I was ready to conquer the Father's Day course at the Crossings in Albany. Now I find myself dreaming of running, so I signed up for the fall training session which will culminate with "The Great Pumpkin Challenge"
• I took a one-day writer's workshop which re-ignited my passion for writing. It was a blast & I met some really interesting ladies. Our ranks even included a local radio personality. It took me back to those high school & college days of the creative writing exercises I used to do.
  
• Our youngest graduated High School - while this is not technically MY achievement, I do have a vicarious feeling of accomplishment for the event.
• I've been devoting a bunch of time to crocheting a baby afghan. Ten more squares & assembly can begin. There is something sooo soothing about crocheting while watching TV - I have this cool container called a "yarn-tainer", so the project is very portable. I take it along to doctors appointments or car trips.
• Speaking of car trips, my husbands 30th high school reunion was held recently. We drove up to Tupper Lake and played tourist for the weekend. We visited with the in-laws (while I crocheted up a storm); stayed in a cute little hotel (which was located next door to the establishment where their graduation bash had been held all those years ago); and had a fabulous time at the dinner/dance at the Knight's of Columbus hall. The big highlight of the evening was when my loving husband overcame his fear of dancing in public and asked me to slow dance to Eric Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight". (sigh with goofy grin on face)
  
• I was asked to be the craft-lady for my church's summer VBS - we call ours Adventure Camp and always have a cool theme every year...this year it was "Out of This World" (a space theme which inspired met to assume the alias of Sissy SpaceChix and devote several weeks to preparing for the fun by die cutting millions of stars). It was LOADS of fun - ALL the hard work on every one's part was well worth it. The kids (young & old) had a fabulous time!
• The boy is scheduled to fly out soon to spend some time with his dad out in the wilds of New Mexico - it is time for the young man to spread his wings and make some decisions about what direction his life should take. It will be a huge adjustment for all of us.
  

Wow - I'm exhausted...I'm thinking it is time for a nap!

Just Can't Wipe This Smille Off My Face

...and frankly, I really don't want to. Had a bit of a "DAY" at the office today = the boss' computer is in the shop and, well, I really had to concentrate on not yelling at him or stabbing him in the neck with one of the electrodes he was putting into the sterilizer. When the man doesn't have a task to keep him occupied, he can be more than a little exasperating.

ANYWAY....I got home, had some dinner with the boy and marched myself upstairs to my beloved room of craft. I fired up the iTunes on my playlist entitled "uplifting" and plopped my weary butt into the chair in front of my crafting table. I tinkered around, tidied up a bit and cut out a couple different stamp sets. There is something that is very soothing about indexing, mounting and cutting new rubbah. Then, I busted out the Crystal Lacquer and added some "bling" to a tulip image that I believe will eventually become an Easter card, or maybe a birthday card. I've got a couple of different projects still in the "development phase" which is really pretty much the norm for me.

Now I sit in front of the computer, iTunes still blasting (our current selection is "Today is The Day" by Lincoln Brewster), and checking in on some of my favorite blogs. Life is good!

ADD (All Day Day) at the Office

Happy Groundhog Day! Phil saw his shadow - so, according to the legend, we get another six weeks of winter. (it is this time every year when I question why it is that I live in the north east).

Taking a quick lunch break to clear the cobwebs and munch on some yummy leftovers from last night. Baked up a couple of "Wise Guy rolls" from The Meat House last night. Luckily for me, neither of the boys was hungry, so I get to nuke the noms for a repeat of the fabulousness.

{yes, i am aware i am using made up words, but hey, give me a break - it's my birthday month}

So tonight, I get to "hang with my peeps" at SALC and maybe later I will get in some time at the crafting table. Catch ya later!

And so it begins....

...the month of Sheila.

I decided a couple of weeks ago, that I was going to claim the entire month of February as my birthday celebration. The festivities started yesterday ("why not get a jump on things?" is my new motto) with a trip to our local IMAX 3D theater to see Avatar.

Official Avatar Movie

I was convinced everyone on the planet had already been to see this epic film and wasn't really expecting a huge crowd. WRONG! Luckily my buddy bought the tickets days earlier via a fabulous website Fandago (Well worth the up-charge to make sure you get tickets)

After seeing the film, I understood why it was a sold out house: it is a visually stunning movie. An assault on the senses. A must see on the IMAX 3D screen! I have heard various critical reports that the story line was predictable, to those folks I say "get over it!" The cool factor far outweighs that drawback.

My best advice: if you are within driving distance of an IMAX theater, do not hesitate to spend the money to go see this movie! Be prepared to sit for 3+ hours (wear an adult diaper if you must); oh and don't sit too close to the screen.

Time Flies!

WOW!

It's the last week of January 2010 - how in the world did THAT happen? (one good side effect = people have stopped saying "happy new year".) Oh, and another upside is that the "month of Sheila" starts soon. More about that later...

I have been crazy busy with my jobs lately. And the drama of being the mother of an almost 18-year-old person gets more fun and interesting every day. I keep my self re-assured with the concept that God uses all things for our good. I used to struggle with trying to understand how that is supposed to work, but lately I have resolved to just trust the idea.I've recently been playing with fun foam. (above is an example of the project we did for the residents at a local assisted living facility) Just thinking about the gang there makes a smile blossom across my face - it's a blast to cart in a bunch of supplies and sit with them making fun little projects.

Speaking of projects...I need to come up with something to show at this Saturday's "Day of Crafting Fun" at Karyn's house. I'm thinking I will share some tips & trick and we can use one of the new TAC stamp sets I have to make a quick & gorgeous card. (full details of the event are posted on Facebook here)

Well, the lunch break is over, so back to being the "Custom Product Specialist"

Blog Break

The big item on today's "To Do List" = excavate the room of crap. This is not a simple undertaking because I've just been tossing random items into my upstairs office / crafting / hobby room (aka "room of crap") due to the holiday company we welcomed into our home {and promptly told them they were not allowed - for any reason what-so-ever - to venture upstairs}

I haven't really crafted since the beginning of December and quite frankly, I think I am in the throes of withdrawal. This is severely compounded by the fact that I visited Michael's yesterday - they have their Christmas stuff marked down 60%. I picked up a few things - well, actually MORE than a few - - but I did not spend over $4 on any one item - AND I brought home some items which have inspired some new projects ideas I want to get started on...the problem: having to climb over the mountain of stuff just to get to my table - at least I think there is a table still under there...plus, if I was able to make it in, would I even have room to do anything other than call for help?

So now I find myself with a little more room to move, but I have effectively blocked my path to the downstairs (sure hope the dogs don't need to go out soon) - well, back to the excavation.

The Day After Christmas

I am firmly planted in my recliner chair in our cozy living room. It is quiet except for the dogs crunching on their beloved Gravy Train out in the kitchen and the sounds of Mike and I typing away on laptops. We enjoyed a day of running errands together - we even braved a trip into our local Target. The parking lot looked pretty scary, but it wasn't too bad inside the store. That is until a pretty blond toddler girl, nearing a full blown meltdown, started pleading for her apple juice. Her parents seemed to have recently lost their hearing, so we quickly evacuated the electronics department and bee-lined to the registers.

Yesterday, we enjoyed a leisurely drive up into the Adirondacks to visit "the folks" (Dick & Gwen) to celebrate Christmas with them (along with our middle boy & his wife). I realized early into our voyage that my "baby boy" will soon outgrow the back seat of our quad cab truck. He had to sit sort of sideways just to fit back there. He was a real trooper, and didn't really complain at all (until we pulled up back at home - at which point he opened up his door and just stretched out his mile long legs for a couple of minutes). Anyway, it was a fun time. We got to meet their new kitten named "Sparkles" - they never really call her that, it's mostly "little girl" or "gremlin" or whatever else pops into their minds. She is the proud owner of various cat toys and is very adept at entertaining herself as well as the rest of us. Dinner was fabulous - as always (my wonderful hubby scored us some yummy leftovers - which I may need to go consume shortly).

Now it is time to turn off the computers, pop in a DVD, and enjoy a movie....

Playing Santa

While I admit to being a staunch non-participant in the "Black Friday" shopping frenzy, I discovered that it is profoundly easy to engage in "Cyber Monday" gift selections. Check this, check that compare the features on the two and pick the most appropriate item - ALL without being elbowed by fellow shoppers. Hubby and I were able to locate and obtain some pretty unique and hard-to-find items without putting a single mile on either of our vehicles. We were able to knock our list down to under a dozen items we need to acquire. I'm feeling pretty happy with myself about now, except for the fact that I never left the house today...we were so entranced with our online shopping excursion that the day just flew by...oh well, tomorrow is another day - so I can hit the ground running tomorrow in order to run all the errands I had planned for today.

...Hey, did you know you can purchase groceries online from Amazon.com? (I guess I never really dove into that site as deeply as we did today).

Let the Games Begin...

I woke up this morning - earlier than I wanted to due in part to the sunlight streaming through the skylights in our bedroom, but mostly because I am married to Mr. "I only need six hours of sleep and I'm good to go". I contemplating trying to block the light with my pillow (not good - makes me feel too claustrophobic) or maybe I could drape my arm across my eyes (nope, that makes my hand fall asleep). I resign myself to the concept that resistance is futile, so I leap out of bed (actually, gotta confess, it was more like a tumbling roll with the assistance of gravity which liberated me from the sheets) and I trundle off to the shower.

Aaahhh, the shower....an excellent source of motivation for me this morning. I start mentally running through the "to do" list for the day; planning the most strategic route to ease the stress of venturing out to exit 15 during the holiday season. And then it happens: I start remembering all these little projects that I have been putting off for ... well until now it seems. The pair of jeans which require the rivet to be reattached; the reusable shopping bag from Walgreen's which needs to have a seam re-sewn; the various Christmas presents which have been started; the closets which need to be purged of the clothes that no longer fit or haven't seen the light of day for six months...well, you get the idea.

Today, instead of feeling paralyzed by the growing list of my own personal "Sheila Do" list, I simply set about checking some of the items off. Favorite jeans fixed and on my person; the Walgreen's bag CHECK; sheets are done in the washer - switched to dryer and another load started = Done & DONE.

Wow, this seems to be steamrolling on me...so I must bid you adieu and venture forth into the world with shopping list & coupons in hand.

sds out

Happy Black Friday!!!

We just returned from a quick visit to MIL house in Connecticut. We enjoyed a quiet & drama-free Thanksgiving. We also got to be on a forced electronics fast (Grandma Beverly is NOT part of the Internet revolution - the most hi-tech gadget in her house is the digital cable.) Knowing this in advance, I packed the never-ending crocheting project & a book for the trip "Julie & Julia".

I find myself becoming an increasingly nervous passenger (especially when riding with my dear sweet hubby - who seems to display many more "road-rage" behaviors as time goes by) - so I was quite happy with myself that I brought along activities to distract myself from the thrill ride of traveling with my husband. It seems reading a book about a woman writing a blog about cooking her way through "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" and blogging about it has inspired me to return to my own blog and pour my little heart out.

So now I get to wade through over 100 email messages to see what's up with everyone. Perhaps I will find more inspirations for another blog topic....

All Quiet on the Galway front

I haven't recorded a rant or told a funny story for a while - frankly - I've been a little more "scattered" than usual. I find myself alone tonight (except for the dogs) listening to the rain on the skylights. The boy is "hanging" with friends and my loving husband is playing scavenger hunt with Verizon trucks before he gets to head home for the weekend.

I sit here, recording my thoughts and stifling yawns - - it has been a long, hot week at Adventure Camp...it came to it's bittersweet end today. The women who planned and led us through the week made it all seem so easy and effortless (which I know really wasn't the case.) The children had a great time as did a bunch of us oldsters. I used this week to allow a little bit more of my silly crazy self to emerge - - to the point where my son pleaded with me to "rein it in a little".

We had a couple women circulating all week shooting pictures & videos (which I was very thankful for because I was always so busy helping the kids with crafts or listening to their verses that I never had a chance to bust out my beloved digital camera). I keep checking my Facebook page to see if there are any more posts...I'm thinking I will get to wait until Sunday to see the compilation video.

The yawning has reached a point to where tears are forming in my eyes. So I will have to bring this to a close.

Feelin' Crabby!!

Waiting for an email from my sis - need to help her fix an Excel spreadsheet - I'm hungry and the stupid email isn't here yet....how 'bout now? nope, just hit the "send/receive" button again, and no such luck.

I really should just relax - getting keyed up about it really won't make it get here any quicker...so I decided to vent here in my blog...it will at least pass the time - not sure of the entertainment value of my ranting, but I've been feeling bad that I haven't posted in a while... so maybe if I can kill two birds with one stone, everything will be just fine.

So do you suppose it is taking so long because she is in California and I am in New York? Could the time difference be coming into play here? Can you tell I'm grasping at straws at this point? Are you tired of me asking all these asinine questions? Have you stopped reading this yet? Why not?!? I'm actually getting a little bored with this myself, so by all means, stop reading...carry on with your life...nothing to see here...move along