contemplations and decisions

Anticipating the future is sometimes comparable to expect a root-canal or an operation. Knowing it will improve your life doesn't necessarily make it more appealing or favorable.

This is perhaps when stronger men and women than me speak of bravery, faith and forging ahead.. however I don't share those virtues or qualities of an obvious hero... The unlikely, reluctant, stumble-into-and-it-works-out-in-the-end kind of anti hero is more me..

So what to do then... when plans needs to be made, decisions need to be settled upon, and heart, might and mind wont come together and agree... and there's no heroic characteristic to be found in oneself....

For me, it's not the "big" things I have a hard time fighting for.... it's the small "maybe"'s that I have a hard time with... and for someone who is as stubborn as I am, it is quite impressive really, how "flip-floppy" I can be!!!!

midsummer's eve

This afternoon finds me doing one of my favorite past-times... reading a book, under a tree, in a warm Central Park, on a lovely summer's eve.

A few yards away, a theater troupe is going through sword fights, and readings... then start practicing Henry the V for a performance (or so I presume.).. Across the way, some children are playing on a large rock, whilst horses hooves and bike bells jingle softly in the background.

It is summer in Central Park.

Others hasten by, to or from work, there are your typical tourists and families out to enjoy a nice summers eve, and people walking their dogs... but I find comfort in my pages, and the birds chatter around me. Though the theatre troupe intrigues me and catches my attention as well....

This is bliss... 

This is "that men might have joy" And in this moment.. I have joy. I am content.

As the sun sets behind the horizon (aka. as the high buildings along the Hudson), we will all move on to our various destinations... but in this moment, we are one. We are together. And in cold winter eves I will remember this moment. This snapshot of a summer in New York. 

NB. Thanks to Tom Hiddleston and his truly amazing and awesome performance, I am now intimately familiar with Henry V. And also now have the ability to truly enjoy the performance before me.. THANK YOU Hal (aka. Mister Hiddleston)

The most beautiful ride I've ever taken...

someone posed this question to me a while ago, and the first thing that came to my mind was the train trip from NYC to SLC three years ago, through the Virginias, Kentucky, cutting the corner of Ohio and into Indiana before stopping briefly in Chicago for the second leg of the trip which counts a westward journey through the Midwest and all it's glory..

Heading out, south of New York City into New Jersey on to DC early in the morning, I got some great "raising sun" moments and views, but the sun rising above the gorgeous Botanical Gardens and the Smithsonian institute was just amazing...

The trip offered unforgettable views of the Southeast's stunning natural beauty. I got to see gently rolling horse country, the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains, the Shenandoah Valley, and the wild white-water rivers of West Virginia as they can only be seen by train. Heading westward, the train rolls along the banks of the mighty Ohio River — from the quaint towns of Ashland and Maysville, to the skyline of Cincinnati. From there, my journey continued to Indianapolis, and then northward to Chicago.

Part two was on AmTrak's California Zephyr.. Experienced travelers say the Zephyr is one of the most beautiful train trips in all of North America. As you climb through the heart of the Rockies, and further west through the snow-capped Sierra Nevadas, you may find it hard to disagree.

The Zephyr runs daily between Chicago and San Francisco, coursing through the plains of Nebraska to Denver, across the Rockies to Salt Lake City, and then through Reno and Sacramento into Emeryville/San Francisco.

Scenic highlights include:

• Rocky Mountains
• Sierra Nevadas
• Moffat Tunnel
• Colorado's Gore, Byers and Glenwood Canyons
• Winter Park

I have taken the train between SLC and NYC a total of three times now, and it is far and beyond my favorite way of traveling!!! I would encourage EVERYONE to take a train trip even if it isn't all the way cross country, go travel, explore this gorgeous country and meet some of these fantastic people who inhabit it and makes it so great!!

Home is....

where your heart is... or so the saying goes at any rate...

For the past two months or so, my heart and my home has been in chaos and upheaval... but as of two weeks ago, I found a new place to make my home, and my heart and mind have been able to settle down again.

It is incredibly stressful to not have a space of one's own.. Upsetting in so many ways, mentally, emotionally and not to mention physically... there is something really powerful in having one's own space... even if it is as small as a locker or something bigger like a house.

So once the moving dust has settled and my boxes have been unpacked or stored away... I know a huge sigh of relief will escape me... it's already started with small bubbles of joy (a cubby for my art boxes, a genius way of creating extra storage in a "wasted" space)..

Home is where my heart is again...

Winter in NYC

We didn't have hardly any snow this winter here in the Big Apple, but in the beginning of February, we did have a fantastic great snowstorm that dumped enough snow even to make it last for two days!!!

I was "dog-sitting" for some friends who went to India for a wedding, and the pooch and I had fun in the snow....

This is Lenny... not looking too excited,
but believe me, HE WAS!!!!

Lenny with some of his favorite friends!

A few skiers were out as well (made me feel quite at home! LoL)

They had so much fun these guys, it was hilarious to watch!

Smelling the snow before eating it... always a good rule to stick by!!

Creativity Burst

Someone else's bag that I used for inspiration

I've had some time on my hands this winter, and something I've gotten into these past months are these awesome "patchwork quilt tote bags"... which basically is a bunch of squares sewn or embroidered (by hand) with different items within a "theme", and then one attaches all these squares and make a bag/tote.

It's awesome because one can do so many things within a theme, and no one bag will ever be the same...

Being the geek that I am, and having the geeky friends that I do, I've worked on three of these "patch-totes" this winter....

One bag's theme was Marvel/Avenger's Loki (a comic book figure made popular by a few action movies the past few years, and his gorgeous British portrayer; Tom Hiddleston)

The two other bags were Doctor Who themed.
Doctor Who is a British Family oriented Science Fiction show, that has run for over 60 years and have seen an upsurge of popularity lately. Since it's been running so long there are a lot of characters, items and phrases to choose from, so by far I think that's made these the easiest ones to pick squares for...

Following are some photos of these projects in various stages... I'm not just a little proud of them, I'll admit!!

"Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey Stuff"
is a phrase from Doctor Who

Rose Tyler is a character from Doctor Who

A very creepy Angel!!! A monster on Doctor Who

This is called a Dalek, it is a monster on DW

A take on exploding stars, kind of like Van Gogh

Gallifrey, an alien planet
also from Doctor Who

parts of The first bag, Loki themed

And last, but not least, for Christmas I made some rather cute (I thought at any rate) bead snowflake ornaments...

For Ann, with Love ;)

It's been a cold and rotten awful winter for this Norskie here in the Big Apple and I've been sick more times and ways I care to count.... Therefore my poor blog has suffered as result, because honestly, how many blog posts about sickness, and coughing and snot can one handle? I mean I got bored even trying to compose them... so, here's to a happy new season, SPRING!!! (though it also brings it's own challenges *achoo* *sniffle*)

So to sum it up: Winter = a lot of illness

Job-wise, I have yet to find a new full-time position, and it's starting to get dire. But I charge on, and send out as many inquires and resumes as I can. I am lucky to have great friends in my church who hire me to babysit occasionally so I've been able to scrape by so far... Hopefully something will give soon though, and the perfect fit will come through..

My darling Primary children have been sorely missed through the time when I've been sick, so that is another area I am looking forward to getting back to. It is surprising to me how gratifying it is to be in Nursery, even though we have a huge group of kids (so big we've had to divide into two groups)

Even "star-catching" has been low this winter, though they did film parts of an episode of Elementary up the street from my house and I was able to renew a friendship made last summer with some crew members. I didn't get up close to the two "main" stars, (Lucy Liu and Johnny Lee Miller) but was able to watch them film a scene inside the building... Exciting stuff, though I sorely missed my sweet friend, Areum, whom I went "star-catching" with all last year..
(FYI: Elementary is a modern take on Sherlock Holmes set in our day, and usually runs on CBS)

So there's the latest from me for now, hopefully this is me, "back in the saddle again" as the song goes... xoxoxo

One of my favorite (so called) reality shows have for many years been NBC's "The Biggest Loser". As someone who's had weight and self worth issues almost her entire life, it's been inspiring to me to travel on this journey with these amazing and inspiring people. A new season just started, and the toughest trainer is back... Gillian (just the name sends a shiver down my spine...)
As I am watching the first episode of the new season, a thought occurs to me... I could never do this, because I will ALWAYS take the least painful, easiest, non emotional way out of a situation... These people are truly amazing to stick with it... I'd never last a day!!!! So as I contemplate how I react to situations, and ponder on why [that] is and, if I want to/how to change it... I'll just give a shout-out to those people who stare challenge in the face and strive on... You are my hero's!!!!

Now when it comes down to courage, I know that it is a many layered "onion" (lol) and it comes out for people in different ways, at different times and in different situations... and I'm sure I can philosophize on that subject many many times and come to a variety of answers... and I'm sure cleverer people than me have... but for this moment in time... I had a tiny light-bulb-moment...