LizzieB’s Neighborhood

it's friday night and i'm sitting in bed drinking water and catching up on my google reader.  exciting!  i love it.  i'm going to bed early tonight so that i can rise in the morning and greet the painters who are coming over to finish my kitchen.  i started it and then realised i couldn't reach above the cabinets.  whoops.  so while they're doing that i'll be cleaning out my entire closet and making a pile of items that will be leaving my home.  i started reading up on minimalism and zen in an attempt to solve the most serious issue in my life.  i truly believe that simplifying, slowing down and being present in the moment is the answer.  i won't solve all of my problems obviously, but it will help me focus on being genuinely happy.

so the drinking is being dramatically reduced and the physical activity significantly increased.  no romantic involvement (which should be easy considering i'm not interested in anyone within a thousand miles of here) and daily meditation.  i must remember that meditation is supposed to be hard.

in other, more fun news i finally got my camera cable back (bart ran off with it when he left) and was able to get the britney pictures off.  i was quite impressed again with the quality of my camera, especially in the video department. 

it's britney bitch

it was a great time and i actually wished i had paid the extra cash for better seats.  it would have been worth it.  in learning from this mistake i've sprung for excellent seats at eddie izzard.  it's not until january but i'm very excited.  josh said he would take my extra ACL tickets so that should help a great deal.  i really need the cash so i really hope he follows through on this one.  selling those tickets almost completely pays for the kitchen being painted.  and since i'm staying with friends i shouldn't be going too broke that weekend.  it IS my birthday so perhaps i can score a few free drinks as well.  i bought myself a wii fit as a gift (well... in addition to the ACL tickets).

tomorrow i'm hoping to wrap up all of the improvements/decorating tasks around the loft.  i wish i'd taken more before pictures.  this place looks 10x better than it did 6 months ago.  new furniture layout, paint, bed sheets, art to name a few.  tomorrow's task list will go something like this:

• replace nasty plastic switch plates in kitchen with new nickel plated ones
• hang shelf above bed (pending i find someone to help)
• round up all of the unnecessary items (and hopefully get rid of them as well)
• finish rothko inspired art for bathroom
• frame and hang 50's ads in kitchen

after this i will reward myself with a movie or a show.  datarock is tomorrow night.  maybe the fair?  whatever i do i'm going to try to stay off the facebook.  i'm way to addicted to that thing.

scout is cute

well today it's 64 degrees and i love it. i am planning to switch out all of the clothes in my closet from summer to winter when i get home and i'm super excited about it. mostly so i can start throwing outfits into bags that i've never worn or never will again. i need some cash if i'm seriously going to relocate next summer. keeping the relocation in mind is helping me eliminate purchases i don't really need to make. i was thinking about buying a bed frame, but that would just be one more thing to move. i've started eyeing items around the apartment that i don't need or use. the only thing preventing me from ditching them now is that i don't want to give them away. i see a garage sale in my future. probably in the distant future (next spring?) but definately there. i can probably talk my parents into letting me use their house, especially if i help thin out their garage.

it's the first day it's been "not hot outside" so i'm having a tough time focusing on work. i chipped away at some training online, working on that CCNA certification that would really help me score a new job if i have to leave the vzw. i REALLY hope i don't have to but only time will tell. i think the change in the weather has had a definate positive impact on my mood. not sure why but it has. i feel genuinely hopeful for the first time in months. i just have to make it through 1 more hour of work before i can go home, nap and work on my closet while i wait for "The Maintenance Window." only two more nights left to work before i get back to a normal sleep schedule. that will be nice.

the to do list:

• dig out winter clothes and put away white shoes
• go pick up that duvet cover before they stop carrying it it was on sale!
• wash the blinds in the living room
• oil change for the car
• clean the car
• hang the shelf in the bathroom and bedroom
• grocery shopping

well today was a little rough.  i've been pretty bummed all weekend but i finally cried about it on the way to work this morning.  i knew it would be this way and i know i have to stick to it.  it was an important decision that needed to be made and i know i made the right decision.  it just hurts.  so to keep myself busy i made a t-shirt quilt, finished the lamp and read blogs on google reader for hours.  today it's sushi and shiner followed by a nap.  later in the week possibly paint the bathroom?  we shall see.

my quilt

the lamp

labor day weekend = 3 days off... in a row.

i seem to be focusing on a lot of negative things right now.  work seems to be consuming my life and i think it's important to take a moment to review some of the good/exciting things that have happened recently in an attempt to pull me out of my funk.  for example:

figure one

figure two

britney's circus tour

my soon to be new bed set