Seconds tick by. Grains of sand sift on. Weeds continue to flourish. Time to take a stand.

It's a beautiful Saturday in Ohio. Not to be taken for granted or wasted by staying inside.

I'm getting out there in my khaki work/paint capris & tshirt and tackling the universal curse on woman. No, I am not talking about the wracking pain of childbirth.

I'm talking about woman vs. nature. Woman fights procrastination, perfectionism, and unrealistic expectations while Nature tries to reclaim Woman’s hard-fought, sweat-earned plot of Homestead & Adams.

I've got 57 varieties of projects to make progress on, but today's goal is to clean up the front flower beds. I want everyone to feel welcome at my home. But right now,even I am wary of my Appalachian paradise.

Well, I guess it's time to face the music. It’s time to dress up right. It's time to get things started on the most sensational, inspirational, motivational, weed-irrational... this is what I call the Weed-With-Me Show!!

Tune in next time to see our heroine resting on the deck, nursing a cold iced tea, looking over her victor's spoils.

has anyone seen my green bow tie?

Me blog? I've tried something brewing with Melanie, eh. Nest: half full or half empty. Still a great idea for a blog topic.

One afternoon while waiting at Vecinos with my not-all-who-wander-are-lost friend Carol, a student jaunted by clad NOT in khakis & a sweatshirt, but black-suited up, button-collared down and iridescent-green-bowtied. Maybe flip-flops. NAWWAL gazed amused at the spectacle-making student, then noticed my reaction, "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking of all the times I've been too scared to sport MY green bowtie."

I've been taken by this thought. Do I camouflage myself or am I willing to own my green bowtie, Will I annoy others, am I willing to stretch myself? willing to go against the cynical flow and see what's waiting for me?

Fascinated now, I immediately coined: green bow tie productions, but was still trying to find my voice.

In searching for a way to communicate how words and images speak, together or individually, I was struck by the ART in articulation. How words, letters, sentences, punctuation synthesize meaning. Symbiotically. Symbolically. Sporadically.

6 words you beg: gracefully ARTiculating my green bowtie display.

This is my 80/20 life. Project 1: the kitchen.

Funny story. July 4, 2005 I decided to tear a strip of 15-yr-old wallpaper from the kitchen wall. It was time. Don't get me wrong, my kitchen was sweet! When MachoMan served in Desert Storm, a couple encouraging friends had wainscoted, papered (navy blue gingham), and painted my kitchen. Loved that wallpaper. Love my friends. MachoMan, 'he lay low.' (Name that book!)

Now it was time for a refresh. One slow, painful strip at a time. I worked on a section, then another, then another. 'For-ev-er' (name that movie). Slowly stripping, scraping, washing, scrubbing. Amylove cleared it from over the soffets. MachoMan, 'he lay low'.

I decided to motivate us to complete the kitchen refresh project by Christmas 2005. You know, the most wonderful time of the year...' What was I thinking? The next step was to pick out the paint chips. Borrowing the peacefulness of OldestSon's bedroom colorscheme, I selected Sherwin-Williams Hopsack and Latte! with red accents. MachoMan, 'he lay low.'

He tried, but by now he was sucked in and painting is one of his areas of expertise. He wasn't about to turn me loose with a gallon o'paint and a brush! So after some discussion, we started painting and loved it! We were done, clean, and decorated before Santa scurried down the chimney! Well about 80%.

Here's the thing. We seem to leave about 20% of a project unfinished before we get distracted by life, four kids, work, two dogs, or something else that needs fixed. This is my 80/20 life.

Yesterday I cleaned the kitchen, rearranged furniture, redistributed decor, added more red accents, and realized I must figure out how to beat the Law of 80/20. MachoMan, 'he lay low.'

The Law of 80/20 really drains my happiness quotient (see http://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/2009/11/a-surefire-way-to-make-yourself-happier.html). Gretchen Rubin, of The Happiness Project, encourages cultivating an atmosphere of growth. Begin a project, fix something, learn a new skill, take up a new hobby, help others, you get the picture.

Enter Project 1: the kitchen. This week I will begin to tackle the 20%: change 5 cupboard knobs, touch up paint, wash and paint the main door, repaint an informal china cabinet black, clean up & paint an old school chalkboard to hang on wall. Pantry door knob needs changed to oil rubbed bronze or black. We must replace the refrigerator that quit two weeks ago, now functioning as a second pantry. Must write a list!

Cultivating an atmosphere of growth. Curbing the Law of 80/20.

I may even post photos!

Do you like to spend time alone? Doing what?

My sister challenged me to think about what I would enjoy doing alone, if indeed I were to be alone.
I am often alone, right? In the car on the way to work after dropping off woman4 at school. At work? not really. At home? when I am, I feel lost.

So my mini-quest began:
I enjoy taking pictures. Lots of them. of people.
I enjoy facebook. Where I talk to people.
I enjoy reading. There's one.
I enjoy working in my flowers...preferably with my kids around to help.
I enjoy walking. But rarely do I just go walk alone. I usually ask someone to join me & we take our dogs, Colby & Brie. or I meet a friend.
I have become aware that I enjoy driving in the car. Just driving. No where in particular. Alone is fine for this, but Brie LOVES car rides, so it is good to take her too.
I enjoy watching football (GO Pack!)...with family & friends.
I enjoy listening to the Redlegs of Cincinnati...but usually with son1.

I started asking friends about their preferences. I find that I am outnumbered by those who not only enjoy being alone, but seek out being alone. Make time to be alone. And find that spending time with others seems to be a necessity of life, not necessarily a need. Interesting.

Must think about this more. Tomorrow. Now. must sleep. Is this lifestyle of being around people a weakness that must be overcome? or do I need to start building in action & thought that involves fostering independence. Maybe I should re-read Harriet the Spy so I can be prepared!

We no longer live in the land of milk and honey

But we still have clean water, fresh air, and each other.

I continue coming up with meals from the pantry and freezer. Shampoos, lotions, and gels keep popping out of the hall closet, while TheGirl locates hair care products in a forgotten medicine cabinet. I am pleased with how we are using up resources we didn't know we had.

I've been thinking about a headline a friend crafted, "what would you spare for change?" The webpage tells of a group of guys from a dorm committing together to raise money for a building fund. Spare change became a bankroll.

I have read, "can you spare some change?" "Do you have spare change." "Change to spare."

But her thought captivates me. It's chewy. What am I willing to give, give up, or do to bring about change? to influence change. For personal growth. For someone else. Or the reverse thought, what would I hold on to, grasp so tightly, that all remains status quo.

Then I read about some women from Lincoln, Nebraska, who call themselves, The Acts of Random Kindness. They meet monthly to select an individual or group to help. Each member donates $20 with the host adding $30. "The $250 is then sent with a note, 'From 12 women who care.'"

What a doable thing. But some woman, probably like my friend, the headline writer, decided to call her friends and spare some time, some thought, some coffee, some cash.

For change.

Thanks friend.