Mitigation

First things first.

Kristen (thanks for all the feedback. I get this ridiculous sense that I'm famous when someone unexpected or unknown leaves a comment, especially nice comments!) tagged me with the Kreativ Blogger Award, and I have to wonder: did this originate with a non-native English speaker, somewhere where they spell it "shoppe" for effect, or someone for whom spelling is not a priority? And did it start with a beading blog, or has it migrated across media? (Yes I know I could probably follow it back to its source but I prefer to remain mystified. I'm not compelled to be In The Know).

So here are the rules:

1. Post the award on my blog.

Um, done.

2. Thank the person who gave it to me.

Ditto, see above.

3. Link to the person who gave this to me.

Ditto again.

4. Share a list of 7 things that you probably don't know about me.

Good grief. What have I not already shared that I don't mind sharing? Here goes:

1. I've always been self-conscious about my legs, and so I don't wear shorts in public (only for working out at home) or skirts that are above the knee. Why show off your worst features?
2. When I was a child and reading books by Noel Streatfield about child dancers and ice skaters and actresses, I seriously thought I would be a great ballerina. Now I just watch and admire.
3. I used to draw and paint all the time, but stopped sometime in my twenties when my lack of talent started to frustrate me. That's probably when my knitting productivity went into orbit (I've been knitting since my age was in the single digits).
4. I almost didn't get to the US, because I was naive in my answers when being interviewed (I thought we were chatting!) for my visa after being accepted into the PhD program at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Fortunately a friend of a colleague of my father's was a drinking buddy of a high-ranking consular official.
5. I love cheese, but almost never buy cheese that I like, because I'll just eat it all and I shouldn't because I have borderline cholesterol issues which are probably familial rather than diet-related because my diet has little effect on my cholesterol, but still, I try to avoid overindulgence in cheese. Which I love. Today I'm remembering fondly the cheese that John did not leave behind after spinners yesterday.
6. The control freak in me hates general anaesthesia not for the nausea or possibility of a bad reaction, merely for the fact that other people are awake and alert while I'm unconscious and helpless in their midst.
7. I have such big bones that my ex-husband and I used to wear the same size wedding bands.

5. Choose 7 great bloggers to give the award to.

6. Share a link to their blogs.

7. Leave a comment on their blog.

Done, done, done and done: Sara, Janel, Laurie, Marcy, Cassandra (so far, more to come).

Some time ago, Nancy had asked me to make a necklace to match a scarf with a leafy design that she'd made, and so I sent her this:

In exchange, she made me this:

The colours are way better than I could capture with my still-lousy photography skills, and it's lusciously soft and drapey and yummy.

For my birthday (last Sunday, thanks) she made me this:

Once more, food colours in (I believe) rayon and chenille. Once more, altogether: yum.

I made a couple of pairs of earrings to match necklaces. When will I ever learn? People want matching earrings, especially when I don't make them or run out of beads.

Yes, the earrings below are a pair. Matching? They match the necklace. Each other? They're the same style, aren't they?

I know I posted a picture of my miniature Panspora beaded beads last week, and I've been making more (large blue-grey bead for size comparison) but I still don't have a finished wearable. Actually, I'm at the point where I must either make a whole lot more of them, or start thinking focals, which either means digging through the stash to find a suitable stone or lampwork bead (I have a crackle agate barrel which is winning so far).

Not that I always (I was going to say "regularly", but that might not be entirely accurate) shy away from making time-consuming decisions via instant gratification, but I sorta did this time.

In truth, it wasn't all that quick, because there were two false starts resulting in many short pieces of thread, but I do have a pendant and matching little beaded bead (which may turn out to be unrelated as I don't have enough beads for a second, meaning it may not grow up to be in a matching pair of earrings), even if the silver-toned chain is a bit Hilda because of the bronze beads on the pendant.

Still.

Amy mentioned that celebrations for Mary Jo's birthday (a not inconsequential one) in November are starting now, a full six months ahead, and will continue for another six post-birthday months, and while the months preceding my birthday were more dread-filled than anything else, I'm thinking that a year of post-birthday celebration or indulgence might be suitable mitigation (see, I came to the title of this post, albeit via the scenic route).

At LEAST once a month, instead of telling myself that I don't really need that yarn/crystal/bead/pair of shoes/chocolate/chair/long massage, I will rather designate it a birthday treat. I don't know if it'll help, but unless I really go overboard (which is unlikely; search for the words "control freak" above), the only thing it'll hurt is my bank account, and I don't live that close to the edge (hello, control freak) that I could get into serious trouble.