Update Time
Hello again. I am as usual way behind on everything in my online life!
On Monday my friends and I went out for my belated birthday dinner and presents. It was lovely. I got spoiled by my friends and felt very special.
Above: me and ZOMBIES.
Above: a beautiful photo of my baby, Cassie. :)
RENO 2009 is going great guns as well. This week I finished the painting in the living room -- damn blue wall needed an extra coat of paint -- and on Saturday my family arrived to hang curtains, put together lamps, move and arrange and rearrange and rearrange furniture again (thanks Krystle!), and just generally be indispensable. My family is awesome.
This is what I started with:
Above: The computer nook. The extra table is out because I was scrapbooking in my down time (hah.) Please note the ghetto wrought-iron chandelier.
Above: one wall of the living room with the computer nook beyond...
And here's the final result:
Above: Computer nook. I bought a new hanging lamp to replace the wrought-iron monstrosity, took down a lot of prints to get them reframed, and up went the curtains.
Above: Another shot. I switched a little bookcase around and placed the chair facing into the living room, in what will become The Reading Area. :)
Above: ... with the funky new floor lamp. I love it SO much. (Eventually that chair will be replaced by something nicer, too.)
Above: The living room with balcony doors. Those bookcases are on their last legs and are going to get replaced by light wood ones, hopefully this week!
Above: And lastly, the entertainment unit. I love the placement of the paintings on the yellow walls. I got those in New York in 2006. :)
A couple little things for mission101 as well...
In Progress
#21. Read 130 books
66. Birmingham, 35 Miles by James Braziel - Heartwrenching and lovingly written, but with an ending that made me throw up my arms.
67. Mystic River by Dennis Lehane - Amazing. I truly felt for and understood all three of the main characters and the secondary characters; they were all drawn exceptionally well and felt three-dimensional. I loved this so much that I'm going to actively seek out the author's other books.
68. In The Name of the Father by Gerry Conlon - Re-read.
#31 - Eat at 10 new local restaurants
05. Boston Pizza. Loved it.
#39 - Watch 50 movies
31. Mystic River with Sean Penn - I watched this after reading the book and was sorely disappointed. None of the depth of character was displayed in the movie. Jimmy (Penn) came across as a stereotypical 'hood', Dave as a sad-sack, Sean as your garden-variety homicide cop. The basic story was there but soooo much was missing -- it seemed to me that there were jumps in logic all over the place. I'm glad I saw it, but I wasn't impressed.
And lastly, The Cure at Apartment Therapy. I still am not understanding this thing all that well. Every week they put up a list of things that you are supposed to accomplish, and then people are supposed to send in pictures and text about their progress. And every week I see goals listed like "clean kitchen top to bottom" and then I see someone posting before-and-after photos of their desk area. I'm just all "EH?"
Anyhoo, here's
1. Fix one thing in apartment yourself
I am not crazy enough to tackle electricity or even a dripping tap. I know my weaknesses. So... no.
2. Clean kitchen from top to bottom and throw out old food
Done! (Also, thanks to my sister Helen for tossing out the bad meat that I wouldn't touch. Ewww.)
3. Buy a water filter and use it
I have one. I prefer bottled Dasani or Aquafina though. I like reverse osmosis.
4. Run your hands over every wall in your apartment
Why?
5. Clear space for an outbox/clear one surface and use the outbox
I believe the outbox is for things you are going to give away. I am currently using a shelf in my bedroom closet to store items that will be donated to the nursing home yard sale.
6. Buy fresh flowers
I still couldn't do this due to the mess of painting. Next week!
7. Find a new recipe and cook one meal at home
I can't cook. Really. I burn creamed corn.
8. Choose the date of your housewarming
I won't be having one of these.
So that was a pretty basic Apt Therapy for the week.
Today I have decided that I am doing nothing all day. No cleaning, no painting, no reno. It's been nice. I slept in until 10am, then I read for several hours. Soon I will get dressed and go to the store. Then it'll be time for Amazing Race and then work. I think I'm going to take it easy this week. I've still got one long wall to paint in the hallway that runs one length of the living room, but I'm pretty sure I won't be starting that until next week.
Okay. I'm off to shower. Maybe I'll be able to get caught up online this week! Hee. Talk to y'all again soon. :)
.
On Monday my friends and I went out for my belated birthday dinner and presents. It was lovely. I got spoiled by my friends and felt very special.
Above: me and ZOMBIES.
Above: a beautiful photo of my baby, Cassie. :)
RENO 2009 is going great guns as well. This week I finished the painting in the living room -- damn blue wall needed an extra coat of paint -- and on Saturday my family arrived to hang curtains, put together lamps, move and arrange and rearrange and rearrange furniture again (thanks Krystle!), and just generally be indispensable. My family is awesome.
This is what I started with:
Above: The computer nook. The extra table is out because I was scrapbooking in my down time (hah.) Please note the ghetto wrought-iron chandelier.
Above: one wall of the living room with the computer nook beyond...
And here's the final result:
Above: Computer nook. I bought a new hanging lamp to replace the wrought-iron monstrosity, took down a lot of prints to get them reframed, and up went the curtains.
Above: Another shot. I switched a little bookcase around and placed the chair facing into the living room, in what will become The Reading Area. :)
Above: ... with the funky new floor lamp. I love it SO much. (Eventually that chair will be replaced by something nicer, too.)
Above: The living room with balcony doors. Those bookcases are on their last legs and are going to get replaced by light wood ones, hopefully this week!
Above: And lastly, the entertainment unit. I love the placement of the paintings on the yellow walls. I got those in New York in 2006. :)
A couple little things for mission101 as well...
In Progress
#21. Read 130 books
66. Birmingham, 35 Miles by James Braziel - Heartwrenching and lovingly written, but with an ending that made me throw up my arms.
67. Mystic River by Dennis Lehane - Amazing. I truly felt for and understood all three of the main characters and the secondary characters; they were all drawn exceptionally well and felt three-dimensional. I loved this so much that I'm going to actively seek out the author's other books.
68. In The Name of the Father by Gerry Conlon - Re-read.
#31 - Eat at 10 new local restaurants
05. Boston Pizza. Loved it.
#39 - Watch 50 movies
31. Mystic River with Sean Penn - I watched this after reading the book and was sorely disappointed. None of the depth of character was displayed in the movie. Jimmy (Penn) came across as a stereotypical 'hood', Dave as a sad-sack, Sean as your garden-variety homicide cop. The basic story was there but soooo much was missing -- it seemed to me that there were jumps in logic all over the place. I'm glad I saw it, but I wasn't impressed.
And lastly, The Cure at Apartment Therapy. I still am not understanding this thing all that well. Every week they put up a list of things that you are supposed to accomplish, and then people are supposed to send in pictures and text about their progress. And every week I see goals listed like "clean kitchen top to bottom" and then I see someone posting before-and-after photos of their desk area. I'm just all "EH?"
Anyhoo, here's
1. Fix one thing in apartment yourself
I am not crazy enough to tackle electricity or even a dripping tap. I know my weaknesses. So... no.
2. Clean kitchen from top to bottom and throw out old food
Done! (Also, thanks to my sister Helen for tossing out the bad meat that I wouldn't touch. Ewww.)
3. Buy a water filter and use it
I have one. I prefer bottled Dasani or Aquafina though. I like reverse osmosis.
4. Run your hands over every wall in your apartment
Why?
5. Clear space for an outbox/clear one surface and use the outbox
I believe the outbox is for things you are going to give away. I am currently using a shelf in my bedroom closet to store items that will be donated to the nursing home yard sale.
6. Buy fresh flowers
I still couldn't do this due to the mess of painting. Next week!
7. Find a new recipe and cook one meal at home
I can't cook. Really. I burn creamed corn.
8. Choose the date of your housewarming
I won't be having one of these.
So that was a pretty basic Apt Therapy for the week.
Today I have decided that I am doing nothing all day. No cleaning, no painting, no reno. It's been nice. I slept in until 10am, then I read for several hours. Soon I will get dressed and go to the store. Then it'll be time for Amazing Race and then work. I think I'm going to take it easy this week. I've still got one long wall to paint in the hallway that runs one length of the living room, but I'm pretty sure I won't be starting that until next week.
Okay. I'm off to shower. Maybe I'll be able to get caught up online this week! Hee. Talk to y'all again soon. :)
.