I [heart] my Poketo

[copyright keri smith]

Recently I, on a wim, ordered a wallet. I'm not sure exactly why I did this since I can't even seem to part with $15 for a fun purse, but the $20 artsy fartsy plastic-y wallet was calling my name.

TWO DAYS, yes TWO DAYS, after I ordered it, a fun little hand addressed manilla envelope was waiting for me when I got home. I was so excited.

1) because who really knows if you're going to get something in the mail from a personal website when you order it

2) even the manilla envelope managed to be artsy fartsy

3) it was personalized

4) it came TWO DAYS after I ordered it! (that's better than Amazon)

Now, to anyone considering selling their stuff anywhere, I would recommend doing what keri smith does: PERSONALIZE! My favorite part of the whole wallet was a little handwritten note on a piece of paper about the size of a fortune tucked in the wallet that read:

look closely.
surprises are everywhere.

Yes, yes they are. Thanks, keri.

if a then b . . . or something like that

If a) It feels good to compliment people, and b) it feels good to get compliments, then a + b should = a willingness to attempt this each and every day.

This week, try to compliment one person every day.

Relationships 101

Recently I received a somewhat frantic e-mail as a follow-up to a somewhat frantic phone message, from a friend who will remain nameless for the time being.

Without any introduction as to what this e-mail was regarding, [Friend] immediately dove into a litergy of emotions surrounding an event that happened the previous night - said "event" being unexpectedly running into "captainliarpants-youmeaninevertoldyouihadagirlfriend?", who has been the object of [Friend's] crush for a short while now.

[Friend] explained to me that [Friend] was intending to call the crush and talk through what had been going on the past few months, but friend was afraid of getting sidetracked from the original intention of the exchange. Therefore, I offered some friendly advice on how to deal with such a situation. And if you may find yourself in a similar situation some day:

REMINDER (not a part of script): "Screw __________. I am God's beloved."



Talking points so as to not get derailed by [crush's] sarcasm and forget initial intentions with phone conversation:

* Sorry about last night, your smart ass (interject non-offensive appropriate synonym here) comment caught me off guard and I didn't know how to respond

* I want to get together so we can talk about this (the "courting of your roommate" comment) in person (because it's you I want, not your roommate - this is not necessarily an essential talking point).

* In case you hadn't noticed, I am more of a woman these days (NOTE: if needed, you can point out that you were never manly, and this is simply referring to the fact that you have become more sure of yourself, mature in your role as a woman, etc.).

* I'm feeling like we've had that "not so fresh feeling" throughout the past few months. Maybe we could talk about where that's coming from as well.

* If said person does not agree to coffee/dinner/drinks, ask if it is feasible to set up a "friends with benefits" date for kissing time.

* If said person does not agree to "friends with benefits date", using excuses like: "My girlfriend wouldn't go for that," or "I'm washing my hair that night," remind him that physical touch is simply your love language, and it would really mean a lot to have someone fill your hypothetical love tank.

* If crush thinks that is a dirty inuendo for something else, tell him he needs to get his mind out of the gutter and to refer to The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman, geesh!

* Thank him for his time - "I look forward to our next meeting." (DON'T FORGET TO REMIND ABOUT A FURTHER MEETING!)

* Remind him that God is telling that you need to date each other.

* "I love you." (don't feel too pressured to use the "L" word in this initial phone call. The "L" word really might say more than you're willing to say right now.)

Creativity and Fear

"The enemy of creativity is fear...In the long run, the enemy of fear is creativity. I'm sure of it."

Seth Godin

A Handy Dandy Carrot for Figuring Out Life

I think we all tend to fall into one or more of these categories:

1) the grass is always greener people
4) the what the hell do i do with the rest of my life people
11) the i wish i could go back to this time in my life people
23) the i can't wait until this time in my life people
24) the glass is half full, but i wish i could figure out who stole half my water people
47) the i'm never happy no matter what people
50) the i want everything the joneses have people
56) the hang in there kitten poster people
101) the i love where i'm at day-to-day and am continually making progress towards a better me people

Whatever drives everyone, (or lets us sit around eating defrosted tater tots in front of the WB) I know I fail to live up to my full potential quite often because I forget to dream. Sure, I have goals, but how often do I take the time to revisit them . . . until now!

www.43things.com lets you create a list of goals for your life, short and long term, and creatively nudges you to want to achieve them. They will send you personalized [e-mail] letters reminding you of your goals at pre-determined time intervals, and you can map out the places in the world you've been and the places you have yet to be. And as if all that fun wasn't enough, you have a certain number of "cheers" (aka theoretical hugs) to pass on to others for making and achieving goals . . . why, you ask? Because it's fun to make complete strangers smile! Duh.

So get out your lists and start dreaming people.

Oh the places we will go . . .

Dresden Dolls

Yes, we were the only ones wearing pink...














As you can see here. I should buy some striped tights.














As Tracy predicted, we were practically sitting in their laps - the best way to see music.











































I'd never seen fish printed Vans, so I made the kids let me take a picture.














Just about the coolest mustache I've ever seen in real life - and I told him he wouldn't end up on the internet or anything . . .














Converse: check. Slip on Vans: on my shopping list.

Sing

When I have children one day, they shall say, "My mother is the coolest motha' on the block." They shall say this not because she partied like a rock star at concerts where everyone who was anyone wore only black mesh, white face paint, tight jeans, Cindy Lauper hair, and Converse. And furthermore, at said concerts, for enduring the sweaty arm rubs of strangers (aka middle aged men dealing with mid-life crises by attending rock concerts for kids 1/3 their age) and a mosh pit in flip flops. They shall also not say this because she ate In 'n Out in between pre-concert shows where only the wrist banded were allowed to enter . . . or because her CD was signed by the band or because she opted out of the t-shirt to prove she was a fan. No, they shall not even say this because of the man with the handlebar mustache or the boys with the fish printed Vans who let her take their pictures. Not the dancing, the singing, the jumping, the laughing, or the smelling like the smells of 500 different people combined.

No, they shall say this,

they will be ooohed and ahhhhed,

because she did it all

for free.

Learned at jury duty: Part II

I wonder if we keep our cell phones, iPods, Blackberries, magazines, and paperback books so close to us in order to keep from turning the fantastic strangers around us into friends.

Learned at jury duty: Part I

What if one day we're all just walking around like zombies with white head phones implanted in our inner ears?

Instruction Included

Duley noted: read the directions first. I've been meaning to sit down since January and read the instruction manual to my camera, but I've come to realize it's so much like my old camera that I could get by without it. Until today . . .

Somehow I magically made 362 pictures disappear into thin air. In case you were wondering, the Format section of the Canon menu means: "Do you want to delete all your pictures that you spent all day taking? Really? I mean, that seems a little silly, don't you think? This is why I'm giving you the option of cancel first . . . okay . . . you asked for it" . . . poof.

I seem to have a problem with accidentally deleting pictures and I think it mostly goes back to the fact that I am inpatient. When things say "busy" or that little hour glass comes up for an extended amount of time, I figure all my button pushing and unplugging and replugging will speed up the process.

It's ironic how the quicker technology makes life, the slower it all seems to go.

An Invoice and Everything

[insert picture of accomplishment here]

If I hadn't been so frustrated after the first FedEx Kinkos not actually possessing the ability to pack packages and then the Postal Annex (who prides themselves for their packing services) who had no idea how to pack my pictures, I might have stopped to take a picture of this milestone. However, taking a picture of pictures seemed a little lame anyway, and I'm pretty sure smoke was starting to come out of my ears.

Let me back up (rewind tape - smoke retreats back into head) . . .

A couple years ago a friend pushed me to pursue photography. I think by the end of the half hour conversation we even had a marketing plan and three point sermon on world domination. (Thanks, Juliana) Since that point, I've definitely been trying harder to take more pictures and actually do something with them, and recently even bought the camera of my dreams.

Fast forward to this week: After many trips to Costco, Aaron brothers, Staples, Office Depot, and of course the non-packing packing stores, I mailed my first official photo order! The two in the big almost non-mailable frames will be going to an auction to support Northwest Family Life, and the other very easy-to-mail pictures are going to Juliana. Woo hoo - an invoice and "business" cards and everything. There's something liberating about seeing dreams unfold because I decided to move for once.

Most of the pictures cames from here.

Hallmark's Got Nothing!

Owen: "I made this card for you, Katie:"









"This is you riding a bike."















"And this is you dancing at a show."

"And I cut the corners with my special scissors. They're even pink. And you can make bunches of cool shapes. And we have all the shapes. You can borrow them if you want."

Confessions of Your Psycho Roommate

Rule #1: Lights out by 8:00 on weekdays, 11:00 on weekends - it would only be fair for those who are not 18 anymore.

Rule #2: No eating my peppers, or pepper spray will be strickly enforced.

Rule #3: Didn't I say lights out at 8?! Your typing is disturbing me.

Rule #4: Seriously, I have a baseball bat here folks.

Rule #5: If we could all just meet halfway, that would really be best. And by halfway, I mean my way or the highway. Did I mention I have a bat?

A friendly reminder

Dear self:

You are doing okay.

Sincerely,
Me

How to Feel Miserable as an Artist

I found this on Kerri Smith's blog and I've now added a new RSS feed to my list: