The story that won't be told and the story of everyday...
Tonight's post is two responses to the Scintilla Project...only because it took me all weekend to figure out how to handle Friday's prompts. Let's start there, as I do like chronological order. Friday's prompts were:
1.Talk about a memory triggered by a particular song.
2. What's the story of the most difficult challenge you've faced in a relationship? Did you overcome it? What was the outcome?
This is a story that won't be told on my blog. The answers to those two questions are so wrapped up in one another for me and so personal, it's a story I can't share publicly. You see, when you start blogging, people often think you'll share anything. That's quite simply not true - at least for me. I always strive to be truthful on my blog - but there are things I don't...and won't...share here. The way in which I would respond to either one of these two prompts - and particularly to the two of them coming in together - at one time - isn't something I can share. My journal got to read that story...no one else will though.
However, the two prompts, as well as another idea I had had for last week's Pinterest challenge, did prompt a little art over the weekend as you can see above. I had tested out this idea a week or so ago - painting canvas and then stamping on top of it. I liked the look, but knew I wouldn't have time to get it done in time to post for the Pinterest challenge. However, the two prompts on Friday that were drawing me to the song, as well as the idea from Pinterest that had the song on my mind all week lead me to the art. The song...it's Feels Like Home, sung by Chantal Kreviazuk. It was featured in The Notebook (apparently - as I've never seen that movie). If you've never heard the song before, or don't remember it...take a listen below. I'll catch you on the other side of the clip for a little more on how I did the art piece and the response to today's prompt....the story of everyday.
The art piece is really, very simple. You need a piece of canvas, a couple of colors of paint for the background, a set of letter stamps you like (I used my hand-carved ones from the Stamping 101 class), and an ink pad. A helpful cat isn't bad to have either...she'll hold down the lyrics for the song you're about to stamp. I also ended up grabbing a random book off the bookshelf to place under the canvas so I was always pressing the stamp against a relatively hard surface.
Cover the canvas in paint. I used two colors that I blended together on the canvas. Let that dry completely.
I recommend laying out all the stamps in alphabetical order on some surface you can move back and forth across the piece. (I used my test canvas board from last week). My canvas was just wide enough I found myself moving from one side to the other as I worked.
And now you stamp. A note to the perfectionists amongst you...no part of this is perfect and that's the way I wanted it. If you look closely at the finished photo at the top you'll notice that it's not the complete song, but it's the bulk of the verse plus once through the chorus...good enough for me. You might also choose to notice that some of the letters tilt in one direction or another and that some of the lines are closer together/farther apart. All of that is okay with me. If you're still obsessing over those things, you should read the Done Manifesto here...and read it every day for several years until it sinks in...I've been reading it most days at least once or twice a day for about three years now...I'm starting to get it. Which is a nice way to segue to what else I do in my everyday.
So...from the story that won't be told (except a bit through some art)...to the story of my everyday...and my happiest moment everyday...
As with many working professionals, I tend to think my days are never the same and that no two days are ever alike. But, as I thought about this prompt during the day today, I realized my days are really a lot alike. They might go something like this:
5:45 - Alarm clock goes off. Lindsay (my golden retriever - for those of you new to our home) doesn't move but I get up to hit the snooze button. I located the alarm clock clear across the room about three years ago so I actually had to get out of bed to complete this act. Lindsay has learned the first sounding of the alarm never actually means it's time to get up.
6:00 - Alarm clock goes off. Lindsay hopes that she might actually get to go outside now and I have sometimes verbal, sometimes mental argument with myself about whether or not to hit the snooze button again. Normally the snooze button wins...
6:15 - Alarm clock goes off. Lindsay is hopping and jumping and otherwise attempting, yet again, to figure out how to get out of the bedroom on her own. I decide to give her a break and take her downstairs and put her out...the day has officially begun. (Occasionally, the snooze button wins and Lindsay is denied another 15 minutes or so ...when this happens either my hair goes in a clip and I make it out the door at the "normal" time or the schedule shifts back a bit...)
6:17 - Cuddle with Fluffy for a minute or so and say good morning (yes - I talk to both the dog and the cat...regularly). Get food and water for the fur babies and a glass of juice for me. [And yes...we have an equality issue in my house...the cat doesn't sleep in the bedroom while the dog does...there are reasons for that and it doesn't mean I love the cat any less...]
6:19 - Lindsay is barking furiously as she thinks I might, for the first time ever, forget it's time for her to eat. I let her in, she chows down her breakfast while I got upstairs to check email and blog posts (yes - first thing in the morning - I know - I'm an addict). If I hit the snooze button too many times, this doesn't happen and we go straight to...
6:40ish - shower, dress, and get ready
7:55ish - leave the house...grueling commute that annoys me every day...possible stop at Starbucks for something I absolutely don't need (BTW...my barista greeted me by name today when I started to give my order...it went something like this...)
Me: I'd like a skinny peppermint...
Barista (Sandy): Hi Kara, I've got your order...see you at the window
When the brrista knows your name and your order after four words...that's not good.
8:30ish - arrive at office and start my day. The day consists of some combination of Microsoft Office applications (mostly Outlook...do you ever wish that all the Exchange servers on the planet would go kaput at the exact same time? I wish it all the time.), meetings in their various forms - in person, teleconference, webinar, individual, small group, large group - you name it and I've probably met in that format, signing lots of stuff (paperless? ... I don't think so), and a little bit of office ping-pong, volleyball, and/or ...as is popular at the moment...the discussion of why the females in the office are trampling most of the guys in the office in our NCAA brackets.
5:30ish - leave the office for the other side of the grueling commute.
6:15ish - arrive home for the very best moment of my day. Fluffy sitting right by the door greeting me waiting for her head rub and Lindsay clutching whatever the toy of the moment is, while sticking her head around the doorway to the kitchen to make sure it's me. I wish I could pull a Piper Halliwell and freeze that moment just so I can savor it a little longer. You see, as soon as Lindsay sees it's me she heads to the back door to jump and bounce until she's let out (no one has ever told my 9 year old, 96 pound golden retriever that she's not supposed to be able to dunk basketballs - she jumps like nobody's business), everyone gets dinner, and we do whatever we do for that evening. But for that one moment, with those two happy furry faces looking at me - and so glad to see me - the world is a pretty perfect place.
Every day is different and I treasure the fun times with friends and family that cause all sorts of variation in the schedules of my weekdays and weekends, but I really am glad to have those two furry faces around to keep me company for the quiet moments of everyday.
So, a story that won't be told, and the not so exciting moments of my every day with a dog and a cat. No part of it is exciting, but it's a life I'm very happy to lead.
Is there a story in your life only your journal will read? Do you need to write it? (Trust me...it made me feel better). What's the best moment in your day? How could you savor that moment more fully today?
Have you heard of the Scintilla Project? If not, you can find out more here. From March 14 to 28th...or as their motto so beautifully says "a fortnight of storytelling", I'll periodically be blogging using their prompts. Want to see more of my Scintilla Inspired posts...check these out:
Scintilla Day 1: Life is a series of firsts
Scintilla Day 2: I wanna be me when I grow up...