Seventeen.

Y'all.  I just watched an incredible lecture by Gabrielle Bernstein and Kris Carr on USTREAM.  So uplifting, inspirational, motivational and FUN.  The Messrs. Puffnoodle and Periwinkle were enthralled as well.

Sixteen.

Psst, Mr. P - I do believe she is as messy at work as she is at home. 

Food I Made. One.

This isn't officially on my 365 duty board, but I tend to take pictures of food I make.  You know, when it's pretty and turns out nice and all. Plus, I love my plates. 

Last night for dinner [before my mad dash of postcarding began], I made some lentils, kale, brussels sprouts, and eggplant for dinner and put a picture of it on Facebook.  Like you do.

Today at lunch, I decided I HAD to have sauteed onions, so I cooked some of those up along with some garlic.  Then I threw some nooch in the pan and fried up a few blocks of tofu. I pulled out my leftovers and was ready to assemble: 

And voila, baby!  I delicious plate-licking-good lunch.  Which I immediately followed up with Oreos and a Diet Coke from the vending machine at work.   

Fifteen.

Or: Executive Decision (also the name of my new band). 

I was so looking forward to this evening.  It's the first night off I've had in a while and I was relishing the thought of just hanging at home, chilling out, maybe reading a little. But that didn't happen. I spent 4 hours feverishly making flipping postcard collages.  I was churning them out like it was my JOB. Ugh.

I have also had to look at this for the last two weeks: 

Plus, there are books I want to read.  Things I want to write.  This is just not working out.

So, I have made the decision to change course and try to ENJOY what I'm creating.  I am going back to my original concept.  Following a couple of friends on various adventures.  They are hams and looking forward to it.  They did not enjoy the mess in the main living area either.

Messrs. Periwinkle and Puffnoodle look forward to getting off the shelf.

Fourteen.

Jessica gave me one of my favorite fridge magnets: "I love not camping."  We share a disdain for hot weather, bug bites, and outdoor bathrooms.

Thirteen.

My friend, Robin, is one of the most joyful people I know.  She may call it hyper, but I call it joy.  So there.

Eleven & Twelve.

I can't believe how far behind I fell this weekend!  My next postcards are going out to my creative partners, Gary.....

Notice the Helvetica font....

...and Jim!

 

Thanks for the encouragement and inspiration!  Can't wait till our next fireside chat! 

Behind.

So, it's been a busy weekend.  I opened a show (the kick-ass Assassins playing at Trustus Theatre through April 16), and I'm in Charlotte today for my dad's birthday.

So, no, Gary, I haven't quit!  I've just been terribly busy!  I plan to catch up SOON.

It's happening.

Ten.

You know how there are some people in your life that you know in person for, like, 5 minutes and you have an instant connection?  My friend, Megan, is like that.  I was performing in a show with her brother several years ago and met her in the 'Joyed It Line* and loved her immediately.  I have not been in even the same state with her since then (I am hoping to remedy this with a road trip to Kentucky this summer), but we have carried on an online friendship through MySpace, Facebook and beyond.

She shares my love for all things retro and today, she posted a lovely remembrance of the lovely Elizabeth Taylor.  So, this one's for her. 

 

*Over to the Jenny Wiley Theatre in Prestonsburg, KY, the cast lines up after the show to shake hands with the audience.  Who file through saying, "Enjoyed it.  Enjoyed it."  Thus, the 'Joyed It Line. 

Nine.

This is going out to my friends, Steve and Crystal, based on a conversation Steve and I had after rehearsal tonight.

And because cats are awesome.

Eight.

This one is going out to Toby.  He knows why.

Seven.

This one is going out to my good friend and SAWWWS founder, Becky.  Because I'll bet she feels the same way I do.

Six.

This one is going out to my friend, Leann, in LA.  She is my go-to gal in all matters of the heart (and other parts) and we dish on men quite a bit.  Found this quote and thought the pic fit it perfectly (although I have a feeling Richard Gere is more than man enough for anyone.....).

Four and Five.

Due to a turrible headache yesterday, I decided to take the day of making things.  I doubled up today to finish out missives to my immediate family, my niece and nephew.

At the young age of 11, Jake is a true renaissance man (we've been calling him that since he was about 2): he loves reading, playing the guitar, camping with this dad, kayaking, building incredible things out of Legos, and perfecting his form on his Rip Stick.  He is also incredibly funny, smart, compassionate, and very computer savvy. I did this simple one for him.   I hope he never loses his wonderful sense of adventure.

Then, there's Sadie, a renaissance woman!  She is 6 and loves singing, playing her violin, making up the best stories, and reading.  She has always been a bit of a daredevil - Jake labeled her a "nut" when she was merely months old with his mom's P-touch and I have to admit it still holds.  She is fearless, funny, smart and sweet.  I did this simple one for her.  I hope she continues to seek adventures.

I was originally going to put these in the same envelope and send them together to make sure they both arrived at the same time.  But what's the adventure in that?  I just hope nobody has a fit because one got theirs and the other didn't...I may have to have some Auntie bribe-candy at the ready.....

Sick day.

Woke up today will a killer migraine which kept me in bed until 4:30 this afternoon. 

So, I plan to go to bed early tonight and double up on my projects tomorrow.  Provided the people who have left their dog outside BARKING for the last hour and a half take it in at some point this evening.

Ach.  People.

Three.

I love beer.  So does my brother-in-law.  We do not get to share this often enough.

In October, after a stop at Charlotte's Taco Mac for wings* and beer** with my sister and her husband, we went to a Halloween party that their neighbors were having.  Their neighbors are BIG partiers.  There was a BIG keg.  After much encouragement from my brother-in-law and his friends, I did my first and (thus far) only keg stand.  It was awesome. 

So this one is going in the mail to Josh today.  Thanks, brother!

This one's a little hard to read, so here's the text: 

"I am a firm believer in the people.  If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis.  The great point is to bring them the real facts, and beer." - Abraham Lincoln

Damn, right, Abe.


* I caved and ate some delicious chicken wings.  I was back on the vegan train the next day.
**Though, sadly, not at a table with a beer tap on it - next time.

Two.

You know how you have running jokes in your family?  Well, my sister and I saw a cartoon on Sesame Street or Electric Company or one of those shows once.  It was two little girls who were twins.   This is about how the it went:

Twin One: This is my sister.
Twin Two: This is MY sister.
Twin One: We have the same adorable freckles.
Twin Two: And the same mysterious green eyes.

I don't remember the rest of it, but Jennifer and I latched onto that part of it.  Of course, we have blue eyes, so it's a little different, but you get the gist.

Here's my latest - going in the mail to my beautiful, mysterious, adorably freckled sister today!

BTW - I m not happy about the green Sharpie border.  Apparently, that happened after the Ambien kicked in.

One.

 So, I wanted my first piece of mail to go to my parents because I love them and they are awesome people and they were the first people to know me and all.  I knew I wanted to say "thank you" somehow, but I didn't quite know how.  I came home from work today and started pulling pictures from magazines, thinking I would do a collage. 

And, since I had a pile of cardboard destined for the recycling center, I decided to cut a box down to size and make a postcard. 

 

Then, I realized I was starving, so I heated up the delicious samosas and vegan dumplings that mom sent home with me yesterday.  

 And I had my theme.

Thanks, mom and dad. I love you.

Starting tomorrow.....

So, two of my friends and I have decided to embark on a Make Something Every Day for a year project.  Here's how it came about...

I was clicking through the internets one evening and ran across the book, 365: A Daily Creativity Journal by Noah Scalin.  I had seen something on the book before and thought it sounded really interesting.  I also have neglected a lot of my own creative urges for a while (mainly due to cable TV and apathy - more on that later) and thought it might be a good thing to have. Then I forgot about it and went back to watching every episode of Being Human on BBC America.

Vampires and werewolves are so dreamy.

Then, in February, my parents gave me an Amazon gift certificate for Valentine's Day (in addition to a lovely arrangement of tulips).  The book popped up in my "previously viewed" list and I immediately added it to my cart.  I posted about my purchase on Facebook and two of my awesome and extremely creative friends asked if they could do tandem projects.  Yes!  Accountability!

We were originally going to start on March 1, since it was the beginning of the month (and happened to be Mark Paul Gosselaar's birthday), but needed a little more time to plan.  We decided upon March 15, AKA The Ides of March, to start our projects.  It is also the birthday of Fabio, Sly Stone, Andrew Jackson, and Lightnin' Hopkins, so there's that.

I have disconnected my cable and sent apathy to the corner.  I will be sending a piece of mail a day for a year. Here's why: I grew up in a time before the internet, cell phones, and text messaging.  I remember how much I loved waiting by the mailbox and how exciting it was to get a letter or a postcard (or a package!  Holy moly!) from somewhere far away.  I think a lot of people feel the same way I do.  I'm going to send my little bits of nostalgia out and hope they bring a smile to the receiver (and maybe the various handlers along the way).

If you would like to get something in the mail from me, please message me your address - even if I don't know you!  I also remember LOVING pen pals! 

My first piece of mail is going to my parents, because they made me and they're my favorite people.