Letter #32

Hi Dad,


I didn't have time to do the "Beautiful You" writing for today. I'll do it tomorrow. 

I went for a walk this morning and took pictures.  Here's a couple that prove spring is on its way:

It was a beautiful day today, sunny, and it got warmer as the day went on.

I took M. with me to the Coffee Klatch.  It was a fairly intense meeting.  I wish people would lighten up, but I understand people are telling their stories and getting to know each other.  J. did an awesome job of answering questions.  Everything is confidential, so I can't tell you details.  I talked about Chris quitting smoking and being a real pain in the butt lately, some other stuff too.  Aren't you proud of him?  He's taking steps to improve his health.  Trust me, no one wants to die of lung cancer. 

So, anyway, we ran errands after the meeting.  After I got home and had dinner I took a nap. After that I edited (trimmed) some photos from today.  I ordered a new printer (all-in-one) today because I broke the scanner on the one that's just sitting there now.  I have to get better at buying ink.  They just charge so dang much for ink.

I added a couple little flowers to my first quilling project since I was a kid.  It turned out wonky, but it looks OK.  I guess I should take a picture of it.  I made a card.  I was researching glue of all things last night.  I think this Aleene's Tacky Glue will work out OK.  I may eventually get a different kind of glue.

All for now. 

Sleep well...

LOVE

Anne 

Letter #31

Hi Dad,


I figured out why my brother is being a jerk.  He told me.  He has a good reason.  Of course, that doesn't excuse bad behavior.  Sigh.

Mom had tummy troubles today, but she seems alright now.  She's reading a David Baldacci novel and it looks like she's almost done.  She reads a lot.  She has a lead on a job.  I hope it works out for her.

We went to town today to pick up Chris' pills and go to the bread store. We also hit McDonald's on the way out.  I came home and took a long nap.  We had cornbread, corn and leftover Beans & Weenies for dinner.   It was pretty good, especially the cornbread and no one got in an argument.  Yay!

I got some quilling supplies in the mail.  I just got a couple samplers of quilling papers and a tool to curl the paper with.  I did this when I was in elementary school.  Do you remember that?  So I basically know how to do quilling.  I have some ideas too on what I could do.

Here's the second set of postcards I made.  I haven't sent these off yet, need more stamps for that.  Front and back:

I'm still adding layers of Mod-Podge to the postcards in the garage.  I want to make sure the glitter doesn't come off.

from "Beautiful You":

Day 3:  Consider How You Feel About Yourself

"How do you feel about yourself?  Why is that the case?  What will a healthy sense of self and a healthy life give you?

This is how I answered:

Some days I feel good about myself, some days not so good.  I have strong areas, like writing and creativity and not so strong areas, like work and love relationships.  I feel good that my body can do so many things.  I don't feel good about my health issues, on the whole.  Overall, my self-esteem is kind of low.  Considering the things that have happened in my life I'm doing really well.  But I could do better and feel better, I know it.

I'd say the pressures of society to conform and be just like everyone else have contributed to these feelings.  Also, my upbringing.  Mom is still not satisfied with her weight or looks.  Also, I used to devour fashion magazines from when I was 10 until my 20s.  I still look at them sometimes.  They have all those air-brushed models and articles on losing weight, etc.

I think if I had a healthy sense of self and a healthy life I would have more confidence and be able to meet life's challenges more easily.

That's about it for today.

Sleep well...

LOVE

Anne

Letter #30

Hi Dad,


Things have been a little tense around here.  I, for one, don't want another verbal explosion like last night.  You have to understand, I'm not afraid of Chris, I just don't want to set anyone off.  I hate walking on eggshells though.  It should all blow over soon.

I've been in a pretty good mood today. I made Beans & Weenies for dinner.  I tried to make a joke, "It's not a meal, it's a lifestyle."  But that didn't go over too well.  I thought it was funny.  I have to tell you the joke I made up last week, unless I told you already, can't remember.  Here it is.  You know the book, The Purpose Driven Life?  Well, there's a new book out about SeaWorld, it's called The Porpoise Driven Life.  I crack myself up!  Which is good, because everyone is way too serious around here.

I'm listening to a mixed CD.  Iggy Pop is singing "real wild child" or whatever.

I've been doing a little reading on stencils.  I have to get repositionable spray glue to use these stencils.  I already tried one, just holding it down and using oil pastels.  Worked pretty good.  I can see with all the details and paint seepage, you'd need something to tack the stencil down.  One more thing to buy.  Sigh.  Trust me, nobody here wants to here me wax on about stenciling and how I'd like a set of Martha Stewart craft paint, because of the high ratings.  You're sort of a captive audience.  Or not here at all, which works out to being the same thing.  Amazing!

from "Beautiful You":

Day 2-Pledge Allegiance to Yourself

There's this pledge to sign and date, called The Body Warrior Pledge.  It is long and involved so I'm not going to type it here. The author asks what parts of the pledge do you have trouble with and how you are going to work on that.

Here's my response to that:

I have trouble celebrating my body, to rely on myself for my confidence and worth, standing up for myself, having a more positive inner monologue and loving my body and myself.  I now have an awareness of the areas I need to work on and am more conscious of my negative and self-deprecating thoughts and words.

Here's the first set of postcards I made last week and the backs of the postcards:

I gave a couple to Mom to send to her friends.  The rests I already sent off.  I used different fonts and printed out Post Card a bunch of times, then cut them out and glued them on the backs.  I used regular stamps because they are thicker than a standard postcard.

That's about it for today.

Sleep well...

LOVE

Anne

Weekly Poem: "Hand-Held Device"

Hand-Held Device

“It’s called a book.”

I hand it to her.

She doesn’t quite grasp

the concept and leafs

through the pages

upside down.

“No, this way.”

I turn it the right way

for her.

She’s just been introduced

to the joys of books.

The kind with pictures.

In later years, just bare words

will entice her.

Happy First Birthday!

2/24/14

© Anne Westlund

prompt:  hand-held device

Letter #29

Hi Dad,


With the rain and all, I think we are all going a little stir-crazy.  Mom was reading out of the New York Times and Chris had a cow, a major cow.  I think Mom finally got it through her thick head that nobody wants to hear her read snippets of articles, not to mention a whole article out loud.  You may have read to her and she may have read to you, but us kids hate it.  My brother is just more vocal about it.

I'm supposed to have a chat with the other poets right now, but no one is in the chat room but me.  I wonder if everyone forgot.  It's Tuesday night.  I was in the new chat rooms, everyone else was in the old chat rooms.  I found my chat!

I got a couple of books from Amazon today.  One is on stenciling.  It has neat stencils, plus project ideas and directions.  Here's a picture of that one:

The other book is a body image book with a daily reading, reflection and sometimes an activity.  This is that book:

I'm going to share my journal responses to "Beautiful You" on here, unless they're uber personal. I don't seem to have a lot to write about lately.

From "Beautiful You":

Day 1:  Begin

"What are your hopes-personally and for the world-with regard to body image and beauty perception?"

My hopes for the world is that we will all see through the lies of advertising and start to develop our own style and substance, not to mention seeing the beauty in each other and in everything , especially nature.  For myself, I hope to be able to see my own beauty, even when I don't feel beautiful or are all dolled up.

"How can you begin to live your hopes today?"

I could look in the mirror and say, "I'm beautiful just the way I am," and try to believe it.  I could take some pictures of ordinary objects like books (did that), for example.  I could question my need for approval and try to access inner approval or approval from a spiritual source.

I guess I'm doing the last.  I do feel your love and approval, Dad, even though you are long gone.  Which is more dependable than any earthly approval.

Well, here's another drawing, just for sh*** and giggles:

We are making progress in our chat.  It's always worthwhile to chat with my poetry buds.

Sleep well...

LOVE

Anne

Letter #28

Hi Dad,


The boots are distressed leather not suede.  My mistake.  Not that it matters. 

Mom and J. (her man friend) are watching the Sochi Olympics closing ceremonies.  You don't have to worry about him, he's got a lot of lady friends.  As far as I can tell they are not romantic.  She's talking about you more, which is really nice.

Here is a CD that I bought all scratched and turned into a coaster.  I just traced and cut out a circle of cardstock then glued it onto the CD. 

And here's another one of my drawings:

I went over it with ink pen and erased the guide lines.  This is an Anime character from a drawing lesson I downloaded and printed out.

I'm doing OK I guess.  I went to see M. today.  Her daughter and grandbabies were there.  They are so cute!  I had a lot of fun with them.  N. is learning how to clap and V. knows her numbers from 1 to 10.  I'm tired.  I'm not used to hosting dinner parties.  All I actually did was help Chris with fixing dinner, last-minute details.

I think I'll sleep good tonight.

Miss you.

Sleep well...

LOVE

Anne