Famous Last Words?

Posted on April 8, 2006 by Jenna Magee

I found myself saying this morning that I would finish my square for Laura’s quilt this weekend. I am determined to do so; however, I don’t know what will happen in reality. I have worked on it for several hours today and have made good progress. The problem lies in not knowing how much stitching time I will get tomorrow. We have plans, so it will all depend on how much I get done in the morning, most likely. We’ll see. If I succeed, I’ll post a photo. If not, then … ?

Posted in Stitching | 2 Comments

Catching Up

Posted on April 6, 2006 by Jenna Magee

I’ve been trying desperately to get caught up on everyone’s blogs today. I started with nearly 250 unread blog entries and am now under 90. So, many of you will be seeing some comments from me. My goal is to be completely caught up by the weekend, since the number of blog entries over the weekend seem to decrease, so it will be a good start to a productive stitching weekend to not have to play blog catch-up!

Nothing to report on my visit with Dr. Steve from last night. Finished up the initial diagnosis with some memory and cognition tests. Then we filled out the paperwork needed for the insurance company with the diagnosis (which includes anxiety, in addition to dysthymia), goals for the therapy and an initial timeline. He says he always projects for 6 months of treatment at first, but it can take less time or many years. Then we went more into depth on cognitive therapy and how to start. Since I hadn’t finished my autobiography, I don’t think he wanted to dig into any issues yet. I printed out two copies of what I had written, so he will review it and I suspect that my next appointment (the Tuesday after Easter) will be more interesting for everyone involved. 😉 In the meantime, I will finish off my autobiography (which I predict will hit approximately 15 pages) and email it to him.

I found out that he has a sense of humor, though. While we were going through the cognition tests, I had to count backwards from 100 in increments of 7 until he stopped me; 93, 86, 79… I told him that I didn’t enjoy math so it was a bit intimidating for me to do that, even if it didn’t seem very difficult. When he did stop me, he said, “Now, calculate the cube root of 169….” and I just about died! He started laughing and said “That was a joke!” By the time we had finished the session, I was joking right back. I asked him for a pen to write out a check for the co-payment for the visit and he asked which one I wanted (he had figured out at the beginning of the session that one of his pens had run out of ink). I responded that it depended on whether he wanted the check written in real ink or invisible ink? 😉 He liked that, so I think I feel really comfortable with him. That will make it easier when we delve into the deep, difficult issues later.

Posted in Journey to Self-Discovery, Life in General | 6 Comments

Enough About Me, What Do You Think About Me?

Posted on April 5, 2006 by Jenna Magee

I am starting to get seriously tired of talking about myself so much.

The new psychologist (Dr. Steve) asked me the last time to write an autobiography, detailed things like my first memory, my parents’ divorce, etc. He said to make it around 10 pages, so I thought “no problem!” I like to write and I like to talk about myself, so this should be a breeze, right? Wrong. First, I procrastinated about it for a few days (big surprise there). Then I tried a little bit over the weekend and was only able to type a couple of sentences. Monday night, though, I made a concerted effort to sit down and work on it. I only managed to finish a couple of pages because I was having trouble conjuring up my memories in a linear fashion. Try it sometime. See if you don’t run into the same problem. One train of thought would pop up and take me down a road of narration and then I would remember something else and have to make an effort to insert it in a way that made sense.

Wednesday is now here and I’m due to meet with Dr. Steve again. Terry made the comment to me when we went to bed on last night about wasn’t I supposed to have that done for the next appointment? Gee, thanks dear! I had trouble going to sleep because it was bothering me so badly. So, I spent this morning preparing for, observing, taking notes on and debriefing our presentation to new company employees regarding computers and IT at our company. I finally got in to my office and decided to take another stab at the autobiography. You see, while I was waiting for the previous presenter to finish up in the morning, I had jotted down nearly a planner page worth of bullet points that I could use to help me get some more information flowing for said autobiographical attempt. As a result, I have been able to sit down and crank out another 5 pages, non-stop. But now I have just reached this point where I am so mindnumbingly bored by hearing myself think about myself that I just have to stop, momentum or no momentum. Besides, in two hours, I have to go talk about myself to Dr. Steve. (And what do I do, I go post to my blog!)

So, believe it or not, even I can reach a point where I just can’t stand talking (or writing or thinking) about myself anymore! 😛

Posted in Journey to Self-Discovery, Life in General | 3 Comments

SBQ – April 5, 2006

Posted on April 5, 2006 by Jenna Magee

Today’s SBQ is:

Do you stitch “on the go?” (On the commute to and from work, during your lunch break, waiting for the kids, etc.) If so, do you have a specific “travel” project or do you just grab whatever you happen to be working on and take it with you?

Yes, I do stitch on the go, or at least I used to. Due to the headaches and my tendency for wrist problems, I’ve stopped stitching in the car during the commute. This is hopefully only temporary, as I can get a lot done during those times. I never stitch at work (it’s partially an image thing and partially because I never take an actual lunch break) and Terry’s been the one doing all of the waiting lately, patient fellow that he is! Perhaps he needs to learn how to stitch? 😆 I have a DMC needlework bag that stays in the car which contains several small projects, like a couple of hardanger ornaments and a very small bookmark. There may be other mysteries lurking inside but, like I said, I haven’t looked in there in a while! 🙂 We’ll be driving up to my parents next weekend for Easter, though. It’s at least 3 and a half hours, so I should have plenty of time to stitch, if it’s bright enough outside.

Posted in Stitching Blogger's Question | 2 Comments

They’re Coming To Take Me Away!

Posted on April 4, 2006 by Jenna Magee

To quote the chorus of a song by Napoleon XIV that I really like:

And they’re coming to take me away ha-haaa
They’re coming to take me away ho ho hee hee ha haaa
To the funny farm
Where life is beautiful all the time
And I’ll be happy to see those nice young men
In their clean white coats
And they’re coming to take me away ha haaa

Have you ever had one of those days where you feel like if one more person walks in your office and asks you to do something for them that your head is just going to pop clean off? Welcome to my Tuesday! I was only at my desk for less than an hour when I already felt so overwhelmed that my intestines were in a knot and I almost wanted to vomit.

I worked from home yesterday. I prefer that so much to actually coming into the office. It’s harder for people to track you down when you work from home. They have to try harder than to just pick up the phone or walk down the hall, so they tend to not bother. I like that. If it’s not important enough for you to actively find me, then it’s not important enough for you to be bothering me.

Aren’t I a pleasant person? Don’t you just want to be one of my coworkers? I just sound so warm and cuddly… Really, I’m not like this. And I would never cop an attitude with you in person. I just have a lot on my plate right now. So much so that I had to pull out a memo pad in the car on the way to work this morning so that I could organize and record all of the thoughts that were swirling around my head as to what I need to accomplish this week. Yikes!

I feel like I am trying to juggle too many balls at once. There are too many in the air for me to possible catch and they are all starting to drop to the floor. Both on the professional and personal fronts.

Gosh, am I whiney or what?

But enough of that! On the flip side, I’ve been trying to really treat myself lately. This month was one of those “extra paycheck” months for those of us who budget on two paychecks a month. This means it was a freebie, for me to do whatever I feel like. I put half of it into savings right away. The other half I’ve been frittering away. It started as a couple of small purchases – an order with Stitching Bits & Bobs during her St. Patrick’s Day sale (no, I don’t have it yet) and some Silkweaver fabrics. Then Silkweaver decided to pare down for their move, so I’ve been picking up some of the standard fabrics as they are released onto their Odds & Ends page. Plus, I had to buy some of the colors that they are going to discontinue in their hand dyed fabric lines. Then, over the weekend, I was talking to Terry and he’s been telling me for a while now that I need to slow down and stitch something for myself. So, after some encouragement from him, I decided to not only join the Stitching Leporello class from Chatelaine Designs, but I also ordered the full kit (with silks!) from European Cross Stitch. And then, finally, I ordered a new, higher end dance mat (this is mat #3; actually #4 since I ordered two “deluxe” mats from another manufacturer the last time) so that I can get back to working out with Dance Dance Revolution.

Once Silkweaver finishes their fabric expunging, I’ll stop spending. 😉 In the meantime, I’m having fun! For those of you who know me, this is a very unusual run of splurging on my myself. Normally, that extra paycheck would get tucked safely into my savings. And since I’m the only one in my household who contributes to savings , it’s a necessity that some money get socked away by someone! however, this time around, I’m throwing caution to the wind.

Posted in Life in General, Stitching | 8 Comments

April Stitching Goals

Posted on April 2, 2006 by Jenna Magee
  • Finish Laura’s Quilt Square
  • Finish Alchemy Stitchcraft – Mystery Sampler SAL
  • Work on VSCyberstitchers July Exchange Gift
  • Start SBEBB Melanie’s Exchange Gift
  • Start SBEBB Eight Corner Pillow/Biscornu Exchange Gift
  • Restart Victoria Sampler – Spring Banner
Posted in Stitching | 1 Comment

March Stitching Goals in Review

Posted on April 2, 2006 by Jenna Magee

So, let’s see how I did this month. Given my illness and complete lack of stitching time, it’s not pretty!

  • :mrgreen: Finish 2nd World Trade Center Quilt Panel
  • 🙁 Finish Laura’s Quilt Square
  • 🙁 Finish Alchemy Stitchcraft – Mystery Sampler SAL
  • 🙁 Work on VSCyberstitchers July Exchange Gift
  • 🙁 Work on Creative Accents – Sleepy Moon Birth Record
  • 🙁 Work on Victoria Sampler – Heirloom Memories Sampler
  • 🙁 Work on Dimensions – Bonsai and Buddha
  • 🙁 Work on Dimensions Gold Collection – Santa’s Wildlife Stocking
  • 🙁 Work on Mirabilia – Fairy Moon
  • 😐 Start SBEBB Melanie’s Exchange Gift – I didn’t receive the materials yet
  • 🙁 Start SBEBB Eight Corner Pillow/Biscornu Exchange Gift – I just received the name and haven’t even had time to decide on a design yet!
  • 🙁 Restart Victoria Sampler – Spring Banner

I think perhaps I was a bit agressive with that list, even if I had been feeling 100%!

Posted in Stitching | 2 Comments

A Beautiful Day to Take Off!

Posted on April 1, 2006 by Jenna Magee

We couldn’t have planned it better if we tried. Terry and I had already planned to take a vacation day today because we needed to take the Honda in for its state inspection (yes, we’ve had it since January; yes, we’re very lucky we didn’t get pulled over!). And it just happened to be a gorgeous day, full of sunshine, with temps in the 70’s! It is absolutely glorious outside!! 😀

It started off with me stitching for a little bit on my square for Laura’s memorial quilt. As some of you may know, I’m stitching a cameo of the face and arms of Mirabilia’s Titania, Queen of Fairies design. I actually charted it on my computer so that I could better see what I was doing and to remove the wings because in that small area, it’s not obvious that they are wings, so I focused on the body of the fairy. I need to get moving on this to get it in the mail within a week. I just arranged to stitch a model for a new designer (new in the sense that I haven’t stitched for her before) and it should be arriving sometime this week, I expect.

Otherwise, on a stitching-related topic, I finished charting up a design today that I’ve been putting off. Actually, I’ve nearly finished two. The first is a customization of one of Thea’s free angels. This is for a specific, secret round robin that I’m going to be stitching on sometime over the next few months or year, whenever it comes to me. The other is an completely original design for a hornbook. I’m almost done. The basics are there, but I need to add some decoration to it.

I’ll post more tomorrow. In the meantime, I started this hours ago, it’s now late and we need to get up tomorrow morning to go to a naming ceremony. Tah!

Posted in Life in General, Stitching | 3 Comments

Random Thoughts for the Day

Posted on March 30, 2006 by Jenna Magee
  • Is it just me, or does every psychologist’s answering machine message feature that ultra calming, soothing, “be careful, don’t stir up the crazies” voice?
  • It’s amazing how quickly one’s blog readership seems to diminish when you don’t blog often enough. 😆
  • Life can change in an instant. Or it can gradually morph over time. Either way, you need to be flexible or you’re going to break.
  • Thinking along the same lines as above, has anyone ever seen a willow tree lose limbs in a storm with high winds like other trees do? I haven’t.
  • The brain has an amazing capacity for relearning pathways and behaviors. It just takes time and sometimes hard work to get there.
  • Variety is the spice of life. Some people like theirs super spicy; some people prefer mild.

  • And last, but not least… I’d like to give a shout out to two new (to me) readers – Ash and NifwlSeirff. Thanks for tuning in, ladies!

    And thanks to all of my blog readers for your lovely comments and well wishes. I truly appreciate every single one of you, even if I don’t always stay caught up on all of your blogs! 😉
Posted in Life in General | 4 Comments

Meme-y Goodness

Posted on March 29, 2006 by Jenna Magee
  1. What time did you get up this morning?

    2. 9:18 AM (Apparently, I was dreaming very intensely this morning and Terry couldn’t wake me up. Yes, I was VERY late to work and the fact that a tractor trailer took out an electric pole on the way to work and we had to turn around and go a much longer way didn’t help!)

  2. Diamonds or pearls?

    3. Both. I’m wear diamond earrings every day that I inherited from Terry’s mom and Terry has bought me some incredible pearls.

  3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?

    4. I think it was Star Wars: Episode I. I’m too cheap to pay that much for movies when I can see them on HBO a few months later in the comfort of my own home, with the TiVo recording them. 😉

  4. What is your favorite TV show?

    5. Any CSI (CSI: New York is actually growing on me… slowly) and any Law & Order, including the new spin-off from the Law & Order creators called Conviction.

  5. What did you have for breakfast?

    6. Based on the answer to number 1 and the time we got into work (which is where I usually eat dry cereal for breakfast), I went straight to lunch. I had two tacos and a piece of KFC chicken (pulled out of a Snacker sandwich with a very stale bun).

  6. What is your middle name?

    7. Lynn

  7. What is your favorite cuisine?

    8. Whatever I feel like at the moment.

  8. What foods do you dislike?

    9. Any meat with fatty spots. The fat is nasty.

  9. What is your favorite chip?

    10. Fritos? Pretzels, if you ignore that they’re not a chip. 😉

  10. What is your favorite CD at the moment?

    11. Coldplay’s latest album, X&Y

  11. What kind of car do you drive?

    12. 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid. Hey, I’m having to make the car payments, I get to brag that I have a new car for as long as it’s considered “new.”

  12. What is your favorite sandwich?

    13. Roasted or smoked turkey breast on whole wheat or rye bread with Miracle Whip (mayonnaise), crisp fresh lettuce and a couple slices of cheese.

  13. What characteristics do you despise?

    14. Dishonesty and arrogance. To be more specific, unfounded arrogance. If you’re arrogant because you truly ARE God’s gift to this world, then… I probably still won’t like you very much, but okay. If you’re arrogant and you’re a complete nincompoop, then you’re really going to irritate me.

  14. Favorite clothing?

    15. Anything that makes me feel good about myself.

  15. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go?

    16. Australia, New Zealand, Japan. The first two Terry and I are planning to visit as part of a month-long vacation for our 10th wedding anniversary in 2009.

  16. What color is your bathroom?

    17. Which one? Our master bathroom is still white, though I want to paint it a pale yellow. Our main bathroom is a sponged wine color over a burgundy base.

  17. Favorite brand of clothing?

    18. Whatever is long enough to fit my arms and legs and small enough not to make me look like I’m wearing a sack.

  18. Where would you want to retire?

    19. I’m 30 years old, folks. I haven’t thought about retirement all that much, except to start stashing away money.

  19. Favorite time of day?

    20. Early morning on the weekends, when the house is quiet and still and I have some time to myself for stitching and relaxing.

  20. Where were you born?

    21. Tyrone, PA

  21. Favorite sport to watch?

    22. I’m fairly neutral to all sports. Except maybe tennis, but I think that’s only because I played tennis for a little while.

  22. What type of detergent do you use?

    23. Tide HE

  23. Coke or Pepsi?

    24. Neither – I don’t like carbonation.

  24. Morning person or night owl?

    25. Both.

  25. What size shoe do you wear?

    26. 9

  26. Do you have pets?

    27. Just one incredibly smart, beautiful and spoiled little 10 pound, 8 year old Pomeranian furbaby named Phoebe.

  27. Any new and exciting news you’d like to share with everyone?

    28. Nah, I spill my guts on my blog on a regular basis. 😀

  28. What did you want to be when you were little?

    29. A dancer. I really wanted to be a ballerina, and then I grew up past the standard height.

  29. Favorite candy bar?

    30. Skor

  30. What is one of your best childhood memories?

    31. Umm… hmm… I don’t seem to remember a lot from my childhood. I guess that’s something Dr. Steve (the new guy) and I will have to talk about.

  31. What are all different jobs you have had in your life?

    32. ALL? Okay, let’s see… McDonald’s employee (I worked all positions at some point in my several summers there), data entry, computer support, UNIX system administrator, network wiring technician, C++ programmer, Lotus Notes system administrator, Lotus Notes developer, web designer, graphics artist, web programmer, model stitcher.

  32. What color underwear are you wearing?

    33. Black, not that it’s any of your business!

  33. Piercing?

    34. Just one in each ear.

  34. Eye color?

    35. I say blue/gray. Terry thinks they’re green.

  35. Ever been to Africa?

    36. Not unless the Kilimanjaro Safari ride at Walt Disney World counts! 😉

  36. Ever been toilet papered?

    37. No, but the idiot next door was last Halloween. Heheheh.

  37. Love someone so much it made you cry?

    38. Yes

  38. Been in a car accident?

    39. YES. Three in high school; the first one being the day I got my license. *sigh* None since then, though.

  39. Croutons or bacon bits?

    40. Both

  40. Favorite day of the week?

    41. Saturday

  41. Favorite restaurant?

    42. Victoria & Albert’s at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. It’s a dressy affair, mostly for couples, very expensive and the best food and service you will ever have. And the only time that I can actually get through nearly all of a 7 course meal!

  42. Favorite flower?

    43. I love all flowers, even a lot that are considered weeds, but I think I would have to pick purple pansies as my favorites. I just love their little faces!

  43. Favorite ice cream?

    44. Pralines and cream, with streaks of caramel.

  44. Disney or Warner Brothers?

    45. DISNEY! If you couldn’t tell from some of my earlier answers….

  45. Favorite fast food restaurant?

    46. Long John Silver’s. Too bad we don’t have any in this area. Grrrr….

  46. Carpet Color?

    47. Gray. A no-brainer if you’ve ever been in my house (all of the carpets are gray, except in the bedrooms). I’d really love to have white, but I’m too much of a clutz to keep it clean.

  47. How many times did you fail your driver’s test?

    48. None. But if you read the answer to number 40, perhaps I should have been failed at least once first?

  48. From whom did you get your last email?

    49. An automatic reminder from FLYlady.

  49. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card?

    50. Probably a huge needlework store, but it would be awfully hard to max out one of my cards on stash.

  50. What do you do most often when you are bored?

    51. Watch TV. Stitch. Get irritated because I hate being bored!

  51. Who are you most curious about their responses to this questionnaire?

    52. I’m nosey, so anyone’s responses will be interesting to me.

  52. Ford or Chevy?

    53. Honda. 😛 We do have a Ford Explorer, though, too.

  53. What are you listening to right now?

    54. The sound of my typing. I’m at work and I don’t have my headphones on right now.

  54. Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

    55. Who cares?

  55. Time you finished this?

    56. 1:56 PM

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