Slowly But Surely

How are you doing with your New Year's Resolutions? I didn't actually make any, but I took the opportunity to get a fresh start on several things around here. So far, I can't say that I've been doing so well, except for that first week.  Statistics show that 92% of people drop their New Year's resolutions before the end of the year. Many of them do within the first month.

This past week I pretty well goofed off.  I did clear out some clutter from a few areas, but never actually finished any of them. One end of my computer desk got cleared, and a working space on my studio desk got cleared so I could have a spot to make a bigger mess with paint and/or inks.  I did manage to sort through and file the bills and other papers in my inbox and filing slots, and I also got my business books to balance for year-end (on the first try too!) And just like the two desks, I have half a closet all cleaned out and vacuumed.  Half a job doesn't sound good, I know, but half a job certainly gives me the incentive to finish what I started.  Each half job happened because I was looking for something, which just proves I need to reduce the clutter.  Now I'll be looking to finish those jobs.  That's a goal, right?

I have been a bit more successful in the art department.  While my drawing class could have been finished within a week, I've been stretching it out, so that I don't feel rushed. It's been fun as I had to draw something complicated upside down, and draw something specific from memory and draw something else without looking at the paper at all. How any of that can turn out better than if I just tried to draw it the usual way, I don't know, but almost all of it did.  Apparently, I have to let go of the idea of what I'm trying to draw and just follow the shapes.

I remember doing an ink and wash years ago. My instructor wanted to challenge me and stuck a picture of a chipmunk on a stump in front of me. I sputtered, "But you know I can't draw," to which she replied, just make marks. Make more marks in the dark areas, and fewer marks in the lighter areas." I had no faith in that but somehow ended up with a chipmunk on a stump, without actually ever drawing a chipmunk or a stump.  I guess I just have to get out of my own way and connect my eyes to my hand and disengage the brain that is busy trying to make sense of it all.

In the meantime, I've found a Facebook page that teaches all the steps involved in mixed media. I've been interested in that for a few years now, so I'm working my way through the video morsels they offer that teach even the most basic of techniques. This will give me a good kick start on creating new works of my own as time goes on. Since the morsels are done on small notebook pages, they don't take long.  Sooner or later, though, I will need some stencils, which is something I don't currently have. I think I'll try making some of my own though. That could be fun.  

There's the problem right there.  I'm playing instead of working. I got all the Children's Fitness Tax Credit recipes done for the karate class though, and will install my tax software this week.   I will finish the three spaces I started. I need the studio desk for all this artwork.  I need the computer desk for the upcoming  tax season, and I definitely need my side of the closet cleaned out. If I start by getting rid of all the clothes that no longer fit me there would be a lot more room.  But wait....I did manage to lose another pound so maybe I can save some money and fit into those clothes yet.

So, as you see, I have not yet dropped my New Years Res.....er.....New Beginnings. I've slowed down a bit, but I'm still working on them.  What about you?

Computers Dish Out Advice

In the old days, if you had a question, you tried to find someone who knew enough about the subject to give you an answer. And then you had to trust that the answer you got was correct.  Today things are different. You can just turn on your computer and type your question in.  You will get lots of links that will lead you to various answers, and you can decide which ones will work for you. I tend to trust answers that I find on reputable sites, or that appear frequently, on a lot of different sites.

In the past I have turned to the computer to learn what to do with a diakon radish, and what to do when a small child is sick on the carpet. This time I needed to know how to clean eggs.

Earlier this week a lady dropped into my hubby's work place with several cartons of eggs. She had too many and needed to get rid of them, so she brought them to the guys at the garage she frequents.  The eggs were not washed, and my hubby made a point of telling me that when he brought them home.

I remember that long ago we were taught that eggshells are permeable so I knew I couldn't actually put them in water to soak the crap off them.  I thought I'd look up how to clean them correctly, since it's always good if I actually have an excuse to be on the computer instead of just playing with my friends on Facebook.

I discovered that it's not necessarily good to wash the eggs, as the eggshells come out of the chicken with a natural coating, or "bloom", that actually seals the eggshell pores and prevents bacteria from getting in. I started by using a sponge, with a scrubby side, and dry scrubbed most of the bits and pieces off, as suggested on one of the sites I found.

I still wasn't convinced I wouldn't contaminate the contents of the shells, when I broke them open, if I didn't do more to clean them. I decided to follow instructions on another site, and set up two bowls of water to wash them in. It was important, they explained, to make sure that the water was warmer than the eggs.  Cold water would just open up the pores in the shell and contaminate the contents. Warm water (not hot, but not tepid either) would expand the pores and prevent contamination.  I put a dash of dish detergent in one and a wee bit of bleach in the other.  I just dipped the eggs, one at a time, into the soapy water, rubbed any remaining dirt off with my fingers, and then did an equally quick dip in the bleach water. I set them all on a cookie rack, with paper towels to absorb the moisture, then dried the properly and put them in a clean egg carton.

The eggs are all brown, though various shades and sizes.  There were a few that I knew I wouldn't want to use in recipes, as they were either too big or too small.  I added the small one to another for an omelet for yesterday's lunch and I boiled the biggest one for breakfast this morning. And no, it did not fit into my largest egg cup.  It just sort of sat up on top.

I'm enjoying my farm fresh eggs. Even though they were supposed to be like a tip for my hubby, he has not had any yet. I'll fix that this weekend.