Life is complex; it has real and imaginary parts

That Year in Review meme...

2013-01-01T14:24:06Z

That Year in Review meme...

1. What did you do in 2012 that you'd never done before?

Be with someone when they died.
Become a widow.
Travel to Japan

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I have goals to work towards, rather than make resolutions. I worked towards last year's as best I could. The next year is about gentleness, healing, me-time, and creative things.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

My friends Jo and Nova had a gorgeous boy they have called Silas Michael. Several others had babies or announced pregnancies.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

My beloved husband, Mikey, wrapped in my arms. I miss him so much. Wonderful brave man

5. What countries did you visit?

Japan.
Indonesia.
The sphere of life and death.

6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?

Time off from the demands of the world. Less stress. More time just for me.

7. What dates from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

The date Mikey died. The date of his funeral.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I was so glad I was able to be there for Mikey, both as a wife and carer.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Chemotherapy for Mikey. It bought him 6 months of life, and so was priceless.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Mikey, who was so brave and uncomplaining under dreadful circumstances.
All of the medical and support staff who cared for him.
All of the family and friends who supported us.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

Nasty people in the world doing ghastly things. The public ones (shootings, attacks against women etc) and the ones not in the public eye.
Anyone who made Mikey and my life more difficult than it had to be.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Chemotherapy, other medical costs, then mortgage as a distant third.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Under other circumstances, going to Japan would have been the most exciting thing. It WAS very exciting, but I was also grieving.

16. What song will always remind you of 2012?

The songs for Mikey's funeral:

a) Entrance the opening theme from Star Wars episode IV

b) soul vocals of "Down to the river to pray" from "Brother Where Art Thou".

c) "Don't you forget about me", Simple Minds.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

i. happier or sadder? Sadder
ii. thinner or fatter? Fatter

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Exercise. Meditation. Creative things.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Stressing over annoying people and things.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

With Mikey's family. It was the 6 month anniversary of his death.

21. Did you fall in love in 2012?

Continued to be in love with my husband.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

Mad Men

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

Same.

24. What was the best book you read?

"Tales from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper" series, by Nathan Lowell. Mikey asked me to start reading it to him in Bethesda, and I finished the series after he died.

26. What did you want and get?

A new over locker.

27. What did you want and not get?

A cure for brain cancer.

29. What did you do on your birthday?

The SilverChain respite people came in the afternoon so I went to high tea with a bunch of wonderful friends.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Mikey not dying.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?

Practical. I love the MadMen inspired fashions too.

32. What kept you sane?

Sharing a laugh with Mikey. Good friends and family. My sketch book.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Nigella Lawson.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

Violence against women.

35. Who did you miss?

My beloved Mikey.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

AMAZING medical and caring staff who are inspiring, especially the palliative care nurses. I got to know some people better and appreciate again how incredible they are.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

"Don't you forget about me", Simple Minds.

Animation of post office expansion in the US from 1700-1900

2011-08-13T14:29:08Z

This is a wonderful animation of post office expansion in the US from 1700-1900

Women in war site

2011-05-15T15:04:23Z

Following my horror at the recent stats on women in Congo, I came across the following site where you can donate to help:

http://www.womenforwomen.org/

2 cool links

2011-05-06T15:19:46Z

Two cool links:

1) An article on sewing spacesuits, and
2) one on Star Wars crafts

Marking link

2010-12-11T13:06:12Z

A Funny comic for everyone out there who is marking this week. I love the whole comic strip about life as a PhD student.

Map Envelope

2010-11-25T14:59:03Z

A quick cool link to making an envelope with the liner from a location from Google Maps.

Cool space image

2010-09-22T14:29:29Z

I just came across this very cool image of the milky way

Costumes in Young Victoria

2010-07-27T12:00:35Z

Here is a good article on the Costumes in Young Victoria.

I am not the hugest fan of the 1830's and 40's but these are beautiful examples of the period.

Dancing in Jane Austen's novels

2010-07-05T15:21:22Z

Here is a great article on dancing in Jane Austen's time, titled Dancing at the Netherfield Ball

Satellite data archeology

2010-06-27T12:16:12Z

Here is an interesting article on retrieving old satellite data.

Converting Jane Austen to Film

2010-06-17T15:26:58Z

Here is a short but interesting interview about converting Jane Austen to film, by Andrew Davies.

Hung Long

2010-04-17T16:13:29Z

The Blog Worst of Perth has posted a photo of the Hung Long noodle House! I still miss their sate beef with egg noodles!

Interesting link on the Icelandic Volcano

2010-04-16T16:37:35Z

Here is an interesting link to an article on previous volcanic eruptions in Iceland in the 18th century, and the social and environmental impacts.

If baking were done in Photoshop

2010-02-25T15:13:17Z

This video of what would happen if baking were done in photoshop is one of the coolest things I have seen in a while! It makes me feel joyful that such imagination exists :-)

The economics of Jane Austen's England

2010-02-23T16:20:27Z

Here is an interesting article on the economics of Jane Austen's England.

PostSecret

2009-10-20T09:36:09Z

This PostSecret postcard is so true!

Quilting Bee week 1

2009-09-21T14:41:22Z

I am taking part in a quilting bee where each month for a year you are sent fabric and have to make a block from it. I don't quilt as a rule, although I sew a lot, so this is a nice way to explore that medium. I thought that with recent events I would have to drop out but fe2h2o kindly said she would help me cut up my fabric etc if needed. As it has turned out it is a nicely sized little project that only takes an hour to two, but is enough to have that "pleasant proejct to plan" when I am worrying about stuff.

Here is my first effort, which was for a Christmas table cloth so in 3 colours with the same patten. Pictures below the cut.

First the block design:

And the final block :-)

Now, next month is for me to send out fabric. Luckily I bought and pre washed it before M got sick, so I just need to cut it out to post.

Cute cookies

2009-08-17T15:51:33Z

I have just discovered the cutest food website, called http://epicute.com/. (I think the link was from LH)

I would love to bake some of these button cookies!

Some fun crafting links

2009-08-15T15:57:01Z

I like this blurb about this link to an embroidered table-cloth:

'This "messy" tablecloth features pre-spilled wine and other evidenced of a raucous dinner party'

Also, I love the idea of casting as a silver broach the topography of a part of the earth you love. With the recent digital elevation models people are making of other planets, maybe you could make it off your favourite bit of mars?

Time of day

2009-08-05T14:27:50Z

Here is a very interesting article in the New York Times about how people spend their day at different times, with the most fascinating graphic summarizing the data. You can mouse over the graph to look at each time slice.

redbraids @ 2009-08-01T18:17:00

2009-08-01T10:22:10Z

After chatting with fe2h2o today about the upcoming movie Julia and Julia which is about a woman cooking her way through Julia Child's famous cook book, I came across this interesting article on the rise of the food loving culture.

Cake wrecks

2009-07-22T16:00:15Z

I know lots of people read the blog "Cake Wrecks", but this post on cakes with unfortunate monograms is particularly funny!

Fairy Tale art

2009-06-16T15:31:32Z

The princess and the pea by Edmund Dulac took my fancy, as did this one of twelve princesses by Kay Nielson. These have a feel of Japanese late 19th century prints mixed with fairy tales.

Sewing geekery

2009-06-07T23:37:13Z

For the sewing geeks out there, here is a great explanation of how stitches on sewing machines work, with possibly the coolest GIF ever

Wonderful number art

2009-06-06T16:49:00Z

I cam across this site with amazing number art by Chris Jordan. He takes a statistic and then represents it in art using a count of some symbolic item. Well worth a look (image heavy)