... knitting.

More to come this weekend, maybe, as I'm working 12-, 14-hour days right now which doesn't leave time for much more than gym, eat and sleep, but that will calm down soon enough. Hopefully.

I just can't help but be enchanted by being able to make a scarf. Or socks. I really like the idea of making my own socks.

posted by Erin at 06:47 AM | Comments (0) | filed under: Odds and ends

When I was about 11 I took up cross-stitching.

Lynette was a big cross-stitcher, and picking up the hobby seemed to be the thing to do. I made many a pillowcase in the summer of 1987, and I still regret not having at least one of them. For those in the know, I didn't do anything more than follow simple patterns - I can barely put one foot in front of the other, let alone have the talent to do anything more than sew colored string in "x" shapes on fabric. Counted cross-stitch is for those with patience.

But I always liked the rhythm of cross-stitching. The way it sort of hypnotized you with the habit. You didn't even really have to think about it after awhile, and it just keep my hands busy doing something other than play Super Mario Bros. or repeatedly press "Record" and "Play" on my boombox when the radio played "Someday" by Glass Tiger.

My new job is already really busy. In that good way, so I'm not complaining. But already I can tell that my life is about to be taken over by All Things Internet. When you make your living writing, editing, planning and creating Web sites, it's hard for that not be the case. In this particular instance, it's even more so as I'm working every day, even if it is just from home.

Normally I'd head for the Tivo and some soothing episodes of "Real Housewives" or something equally as wretched but I just know I shouldn't. I need to use my brain and perhaps put it to calmer, less numbing use. I'm reading - two books right now, "Revolutionary Road" and "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle" - but I need to make room for something else.

I need a craft. I need to make something.

I opened it up on Twitter yesterday and what follows here are a few of the resulting answers:

1) "Make really, really funky birdhouses."
2) "There's always quilting!"
3) "Knitting is portable and handy for killing time." - I also got a great book recommendation!
4) "Crochet is easy! And you will always have plenty of scarves."
5) "How about bacon sculpting?"
6) "Decoupage!"
7) "Flower arranging. Hand to God, I swear it will be useful your whole life."

I mean, these are awesome suggestions. There also was a vote for "Japanese crafting" as, according to my friend, Liz, "is way in this year." She also suggested "making your own clothes" but wisely pointed out that for a goodly many of us, such an attempt would mean Bag Lady-Looking City.

I cannot pick. We can rule out "bacon sculpting" to be sure, as I would just eat all of my work. But I can't decide which one. I feel like knitting or crocheting or quilting might be the more logical, but I don't know. I need some help.

Care to weigh in?

posted by Erin at 08:36 AM | Comments (22) | filed under: Odds and ends

After being cooped up for nearly a week, I woke up to meet the new day yesterday with aplomb.

Aplomb, I tell you.

I jumped into the shower and listened to our friends on the WGN morning news show, however, and they all started squawking as though over the weekend they'd all turned into financial reporters.

"Terror," they cried! "Mayhem! Pain! Disaster! Agh!"

I half-expected them to start flagellating each other, pulling out their hair and wailing like school girls, much like I believe every cable news anchor has been longing to do since the market began to tank months ago. And, let's face it, some of them already have been for they just can't help themselves.

(If I can provide an aside, everyone I know who has fallen on hard times from this economy, and there are many, has turned this into a "lemons-into-lemonade" situation which, if you'll go back to your history books, is the sort of stuff of which our country is made. They aren't whining and wringing their hands and feeling sorry for themselves, but rather they're looking at this as a chance to do something different with their lives and contribute something new. To forge a new way for themselves and their families - you know, getting the fuck on with it. If they all lamented and stewed as some in the media would have us do, to keep us fearful and scared and, therefore, bumping up their ratings, why, they'd never move on. My friends are capable and strong, yo, my generation is hard-working and capable and we'll carry on and pick up and sacrifice for our families, too. Suck on that, fearmongers.)

Anyhow, the morning news team was bemoaning the weather, and the traffic, and after I jumped out of the shower I looked at Scott and said, "It's Chicago! It's December! It's snow! What do they think is happening? I just refuse to get all upset about this. I'm going to have a positive outlook about this because it is just snow. It's a blip. It'll be over by tomorrow."

"Good for you honey," he replied. He, of course, had spent all weekend in the snow and muck, doing all of our shopping and cleaning and laundry since I was Housebound Harriet.

"I'm serious! It makes no sense to get all riled up about this."

When I left the office last night at 6 p.m., I joked with my coworkers about being stuck in a snowbank, that I'd text if I needed help getting out, but that I was just fine. An hour later, much burned rubber, an entire gallon of salt, one shovel and two mighty women in their 30s, JoJo finally decided he'd had enough of being stuck in the snowbank that I'd unknowingly put him in.

I yelled and I screamed words such as "balls" which, seriously, I never yell. My biceps hurt, and, judging by my coworker's Facebook status, hers were hurting well into the win over Green Bay last night as she was having difficulty lifting the beer glass to her lips. I've made amends by purchasing two bottles of a really nice Beaujolais for her. I was tired and cold and dirty by the end of it, and awfully glad that she was around and so willing to help me out after a long day.

Stupid snow. Screw winter. This is terror. Mayhem. Pain. Disaster. Agh.

posted by Erin at 07:50 AM | Comments (0) | filed under: Chicago

Being saddled with a sinus infection and bronchitis for a whole week gives you plenty of spare time to think.

There are only so many episodes of "West Wing" and "Law & Order" the Tivo will hold, and only so many I can watch in a sitting.

So I was thinking about what my New Year's resolutions will be for the upcoming year, as I've always been a believer that there is nothing wrong with setting intentions for yourself, for wanting to try to do something better, bigger or different. I love lists, clean slates, to-do lists, organizing and well, making resolutions sort of falls in line with such proclivities. Some might call me anal, but I like to call it "well-prepared."

My husband will call me "anal" anyway.

For as big as I am about resolutions, I don't have hang ups about them one way or another. If I keep them, yay! If I don't? Ah well, maybe just not for me. I find it keeps me saner, or at least one less thing off of my ever-growing to-do list. It's a balance sheet for which the results give me no stress. Or set off my anal tendencies.

ANYWAY. I was thinking about what they'll be - sticking to my 5:30 a.m. gym time, adding an extra day of cardio, taking my Omega3s daily, not letting my work appearance slide into oblivion, upping the amount of money in our emergency savings account - and I realized it was probably an equally good idea to take stock in what I accomplished this year.

In no particular order, here are "The Things I Did Right This Year":

1) Married Scott. That's obviously at the top of the list, but deciding to get married again wasn't easy to come by. Deciding to marry *Scott*, however, most certainly was. Every single day I am reminded, in smooth and bumpy ways, what it means to be In A Marriage. A partnership. Whatever you want to call it. It's enriching, it's joyful, it challenges me and at the end of every day, I know I'm a better person because I'm building a life with this man.

2) Volunteered regularly. I wanted to make sure I actually did something with my time, other than gaze at my navel. Nearly every month I helped out with Night Ministry. Feeding people makes the most sense to me, in terms of service. Plus, I've learned how to have conversations, almost entirely in Spanish, or at least enough to get through a dinner service and keep some folks company.

3) Kept with a weight-training programs. I have real muscles now, and it's kinda funny to see how quickly it happened. Hopefully this year I can build on it and see some real results. Mostly I was shooting for consistency and habit this year, which I did in spades. I even stuck with my lifting program on our honeymoon. My husband was impressed with my walking lunges.

4) Got a dog walker for Glinny. We're good about getting Glinny exercise, but finding the money in our budget so she gets an extra treat during the day - exercise, love, attention, company and, a bone - gives us some peace of mind.

5) Going back to work full-time. I think I knew, even when I tried it, that I am a person who works well with others. Really well. I like being in a office. God help me, I like cubicles. I like personalities. I like the order, the schedule, and the routine. I like having somewhere to be. Some people can handle it, I just don't have the patience, and I'm not working at my best, even with Glinny at my feet. The optional mid-afternoon naps were nice though.

6) Cleaning up the niggling details. I'd promised myself for years I would develop a precise budget. Open a savings account with a high-interest yield. That I'd do a massive cleaning to every nook and cranny of the apartment. Finally my computer would be cleaned and backed up. A lot of that stuff got accomplished this year.

7) Ride a bike. Luckily my new job is in almost the same area as my old one, which will make riding in the warmer months doable once again. Plus I had the bike outfitted with a rack and an sweet, detachable basket. I am not a hero - you won't find my footprint reduced too much when it's -3 which it is here right now oh my God, but when it warms up? I'm back on two wheels only.

These aren't huge things, but they're things I did this year that I stuck with and accomplished and I feel good about having done this. I'm still not done figuring out what I want to tackle this year but I'm sure at least seven will stick ...

posted by Erin at 09:34 PM | Comments (3) | filed under: Odds and ends

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before? Became a consultant. It was not for me for several reasons, the biggest of which is that it turns out that I like working in an office, with people.

2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I didn't, but I wasn't much worse for the wear because of it. I think I'll give it a shot this year and see what happens. Resolutions aren't a bad thing.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? This was another Year of The Baby! So many friends of ours were blessed with kids - Jamie and Drew, Jessamyn and Geoff, Mike and Teresa, Jacquie and Kurt ... and we have so many friends who are expecting, too. It's pretty great.

4. Did anyone close to you die? Sadly, we lost some family on Scott's side of the family this year.

5. What places did you visit? I traveled more this year than I have EVER. I went to Las Vegas, New York City, Toronto, San Francisco, Vermont, Cleveland, Springfield, Mo., and Cancun. It's funny. When I look at this list it doesn't seem as many places as it felt.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? I'd really like some help with the thyroid problems, but I think being back in an office, and with it a more active routine, will help things.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? Well that one's easy. October 25, the day we got married. I still can't believe Scott's my husband.

8. What was your biggest achievement(s) of the year? I made some really huge strides in my career this year, and began to carve out a real niche for myself. I actually gave two lectures on social media this year, and it was pretty humbling and awesome. The year ended with me landing the most incredible job, and, as Tina Fey says, in this "turkey burger economy" to be able to do what I love and am passionate about and get paid to do it is amazing.

9. What was your biggest failure? Well, unlike last year I got serious about a weight-lifting routine and it's become what I do more than cardio. I am seeing the link between the ten-pound weight gain here, of course. No cardio = weight gain.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Nothing serious, thankfully.

11. What was the best thing you bought? Our wedding bands.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? The 66,882,230 folks who voted for Obama. And everyone who got themselves involved, educated and moved their asses, no matter who or what they vote for and how.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? In this economy, where do I even begin? My head will combust if I go into details.

14. Where did most of your money go? Our wedding and honeymoon and savings.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Well, I think we know the answer to that question.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008? Everything from our wedding soundtrack makes me happy and smile. Also "Love Touch" by Rod Stewart will forever remind me of our honeymoon, do not ask.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Happier.
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter. By five pounds. I sorta thought that wasn't going to result in a total of ten by year's end, but eh. I'm still working on it.
c) richer or poorer? Richer.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of? I did a lot more volunteering, which is what I wanted to change from last year. I wish I would have run more but my hip injury in April put the kibosh on most of my running all summer.

20. How did you spend Christmas last year? With my family, as well as Scott's.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008? Even more more in love.

22. How many one-night stands? Good God no.

23. What was your favorite TV program? 30 Rock. How I Met Your Mother. The Office. West Wing (we have gotten into the reruns!), Top Chef

24. What did you do for your birthday in 2008? Church, brunch at Hackney's, a massage, movie and cheese and wine. It was a wonderful day.

25. What was the best book you read? Oh man. I read so many. I did just finish Anne Tyler's "The Accidental Tourist" which I'd been "saving" and oh it was wonderful. Also loved Studs Terkel's biography. And "We Are Smarter Than Me: The New Competitive Advantage of "We." And I really enjoyed David Sedaris's new book. Jeez. I think a new resolution will be to keep track of all of the books I read.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery? Griffin House!

27. What did you want and get? A lovely, wonderful wedding weekend.

28. What did you want and not get? Same as last year: Not a damn thing. I had a good year.

29. What was your favorite film of this year? I really liked The Dark Knight and I don't care what anyone says, Sex and The City was fantastic.

30. Did you make some new friends this year? I did!

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Not one blessed thing. But I would liked not hurting myself, sidelining my running.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? Pants are for suckers.

33. What kept you sane? Scott, Scott, Scott.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Tina Fey just gets hotter.

35. What political issue stirred you the most? The election, obviously.

36. Who did you miss? I hate that so many friends have moved away. Miss them all.

37. Who was the best new person you met? This question always baffles me.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008. "Count to ten and breathe." Also? "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, and it probably involves a very ignorant venture capitalist."

posted by Erin at 07:38 PM | Comments (1) | filed under: Odds and ends

I'm home sick today.

I have one of the most ridiculously delicate constitutions of almost anyone I know. Seriously, it's insane. I am probably sick with a gnarly cold at least three times a year, if not four. It's always respiratory/sinus in nature - I have stomach problems to beat the band, but I usually just cut out gluten and starches and move along. But with the kind of colds I get, I'm usually left sleepless and hacking and sniffling and coughing for days on end.

I caught this particular strain on the ride home from Cancun on Sunday, which I suppose the Catholic in me is seeing as payback for having such a wonderful vacation for an entire week.

My kingdom for some tips on how to best avoid colds, because I could use them. I eat well, take vitamins, work out - we even hit the gym during our honeymoon! - and wash my hands religiously. Seriously. Anyone? Ideas? I'm up for anything, short of what you might see an OC housewife do.

Those ladies crazy.

So we're coming back down from our trip, and while it was nice to get home to Glin and our cozy little place, I could have done without the mountains of snow. And having to share my husband with everyone else. I was really excited to get back to my job. In fact, the only real reason I stayed home today was because my voice is so shot, and my chest so congested, that there was no way I could get away with being in there and not grossing out all of my new coworkers.

I tried to join a conference call this morning but I was the most pathetic thing you ever did hear. I opted to just work in bed with Scott's laptop, silently. Probably for the best.

But I love what I'm doing, and the people with whom I'm working feel like people I've known forever. I've experienced none of that isolating weirdness that comes with being The Newbie. I've already got a plate loaded with work, really interesting, wonderful work, and I get up every day and I'm stunned that I'm doing what I'm doing. It's one of those jobs that already is making me understand how people can get wrapped up in their work.

Other than that, it's pretty much the same ol' around here. There isn't much in me that feels like writing these days - I shut down Lose the Buddha last month, and while I doubt I'll shut down ejshea.com, I don't have much to say these days. I think the election wore me out a bit.

Once I figure out something to say, I'll say it. For now, pass the Kleenex and does anyone have a cough drop?

posted by Erin at 01:37 PM | Comments (6) | filed under: Random Stupidity