Business cards and blogging.

Every since Amy leaked that I needed to have my business cards handy, I have been giving them out left and right. In part, because we don't know exactly why it was important and in part, because I'm actually leaving the house and meeting new people.

I have given them to Jill Soloway (writer from Six Feet Under) and Hillary Carlip (founding member of Memoirist Collective and writer and Elaine Soloway (Jill's mom and author.) And David Weinberger (auther of Cluetrain manifesto, agnostic Jew married to an orthodox Jew.) Thanks to Amy & Diane, I submitted to Six Sentences.

Making more connections this month than I have in some time.

Hooray!

30 day challenge update.

As I blogged before, I am trying to push my comfort zone a bit for 30 days. So far:

I found a new diner. I made a new friend. I went to a party. I went to a concert. I found a new favorite Indian restaurant. I found a lively new bar with good wine and excellent green chile-artichoke dip. I found a new coffee shop I like. I found another new coffee shop I like. I made a new shul-friend. I stood on an empty block and screamed like a lunatic for tired marathoners. I found my most delicious garlic fries ever. I found the perfect pair of jeans. I found a new bar. I found out that IKEA carries fish paste in a tube. I showed my rabbi my d'var blog. I pitched some new aricles. I gave my website a makeover. I had my Akashic records read. I went to a baseball announcer's booth and got the best view of a playoff game. I found potentially the better choice for NY pizza in Chicago. I bought Morrissey tickets. I found a new magazine I like. i did my hair in a new way. I shopped in a store I had never been in before. I found a new favorite outfi. I had a photoshoot. I revamped my blog a litle bit.

One-third of the way through my 30 day experiment. So far, so very good.

This year in Jerusalem

In the Old City, in March, the cobblestone streets are wet even though it hasn't exactly rained. We step both gingerly and quickly. It is Friday and the sun is setting. I am adamant that I will be at the Western Wall for Kabbalat Shabbat on my 30th birthday.

He and I have reached a comprimise, after all , it is my 30th birthday, not his. So we quickly wind our way from Jaffa Gate to the Western Wall. We are caught in a wave of ultra-Orthodox, soldiers, and tourists. My feet remember the path from my first trip to Jerusalem and I don't even have to look for signs. My bones know where the Western Wall is and I simply don't need directions.

Before we left the hotel, we wrote down our prayers. You must respect the laws of Shabbat and cannot write once you pass security. So we have our prayers in our pockets when we get to the plaza. From my purse, I pull a kippah out. "What? Why do you have that?" he asks.

"You think I'm letting you go in there with a paper kippah on?" He takes the blue and white knit kippah from me, we kiss and go into our seperated areas. I sneak between Russian Jews and Israelis and Americans and French and Australian Jews. I find a small area by the wall and touch it. I start with the Shecheyanu. A prayer of thanksgiving. "I'm back, God, and you took care of my prayers. I'm here with new prayers, I'm a demanding Jew, what can I say?"

This year I know to bring a small siddur and I open it, so I can properly say a few prayers. After I finish, I touch the wall again and slip my prayer into the cracks. I walk backwards, covered in goosebumps, past the dancing soldiers and yeshiva girls. Past the woman who passes out scarves for modesty.

When I get to the plaza, he's already there, but he forgot and left his kippah on. I smile. We kiss. We leave the wall and the Old City. We are in search of a non-Kosher restaurant where they light fires and brew fresh coffee. I know just the one, down the hill from Dan Panorama, I ate there on Shabbat last year.

After dinner, we go back to The Citadel. Yes, I know, I'm recreating my first trip to Israel, but this time I'm with him. On Saturday morning, I let him sleep in and I sneak down to the pool that overlooks the Old City. It is warm enough to swim and I have the pool to myself.

What a wonderful way to start my year of being 30! I'm in Israel, it is shabbat, I'm swimming in the most beautiful pool in the world. I'm grateful to be back after barely a year and that this time I'm traveling with him.

He comes onto the balcony and yells at me. "Coffee?" Yes! "I'm on my way." I wrap the huge towel of Egyptian cotton around me and sit at a table. He comes down, followed by a waiter. I drink my coffee while I dry in the Israeli sun on Shabbat. After I'm dry, I put my clothes over my bathing suit and we go to breakfast.

Of course I eat avocados. How can I skip them? I don't care that I'll break out tomorrow, they are too lovely and afterall, we are here together. The rest of the trip is a blur, but my birthday is etched in my mind forever. Our kids grow weary of hearing the story every time we go to Jerusalem, but it is one that will be passed to our grandchilren and their children.

Time to cook

So far I believe I have done a good job of furnishing our new deck and sunroom. Maybe now is the proper time to think about cooking inside (since it is winter and all). So for my new kitchen that will have tons of cabinets and lots of counter space, I am wanting to organize and buy new gadgets that I have delayed purchasing for a few years now.

First a Kitchenaid and a Bread Maker so I can start making homemade gluten-free breads. And to store the plethora of flours we stock, some new canisters are in order. I would of course also need some flour, starches and gums to fill them with from Whole Foods or Wild Oats (at least $50 worth). Maybe also some of the cool new flexible bakeware like these. I'll take one of each, thanks.

We are really needing a few smaller pans to add to our collection so I think I will take two of these. I have been eyeing some new tupperware containers at Target (ask Leah, I even dragged her to the rubbermaid section one day). So I think a new set like these would be nice and some other assorted sizes as well.

New glasses would be nice!! We could also use some nicer (matching) stemware, like this martini glass. I think we could easily spend about $200 on glasses alone.

For the lower cabinets I definitely will be needing some organizers, but without measurements I am feeling a little overwelmed with the choices. So let's just say that I will be buying around $500 worth of organizers.

Since my new kitchen will be big enough to eat in, I think I will get this table and a couple of chairs. And this looks like a lovely rug for a kitchen.

Hey Yeah Prosperity!

I was doing some mental calcuations this evening with my bank account, and realized I am very close to having the estimated taxes I'll owe for 2006 (not even including the amounts I've already sent to the government) socked away in my savings account. Which means after I pile a little more on for actual savings, I can play with the remainder right up through whenever I am next unemployed.
This is very good news.
YES! to prosperity!!
But to ensure I go to bed with a clean conscience, I have been participating in borderline gossip a lot lately, saying things I immediately regret about other people (except regarding a certain ex, I refuse to regret what I said/thought about him in much-deserved anger & frustration) to other people in the same circle of people. Very bad Diane. I admit it here for the public, and I apologize here for the public, and I repent. Yes to prosperity, no to gossip, or you won't have anyone to share all your abundance with, Sparks!

bottom line

Here's what I want. I want my book sales to improve and I want to make some royalties and I want a literary agent to take me on as a client and get me an nice advance for my second manuscript and I'd like the editor I work with to be open-minded and not confrontational just to be right.

I also still really want a book release party for TFW.

Do I Dare?

1) I've been wanting to find reasonably priced art for the house.
2) I LOVE this. (doesn't she look a little like me?)
3) I'd be supporting a woman artist, a big goal of mine these days.

$90, and that's without the framing. Hmmm...
Anyone want to buy it for me for Christmas? :-)

My very own sunroom?

A sunroom all my own would be the most wonderful thing ever! Since my husband works from home, it is a necessity to have a second bedroom in our new place that he will be able to use as an office. Being able to close the door and leave it all behind will help a lot (he is currently working at one end of our living room). But my own private reflection, meditation, sunny, soak-up-the-sun-like-a-cat room would be pure luxury. It is something I have been wanting since we first moved to Chicago.

What would I buy first? I think some nice light-weight curtains are in order (10 or so for $200) with curtain rods for $200. Then a nice desk that saves space when not in use for $1100. And a funky chair for $200 (why did I pick the lime green one? I am really not sure!). Of course I would need some pillows to lounge around on the floor with and since I can't pick between all the really cool ones here, I will just allot $400 to get a variety. Also needed for the floor is an awesome rug and rug pad. For the evenings, a cool lamp would definitely help. Leaving $100 to get the whole thing painted!

Huh

I don't want to get my hopes up too much, but when I weighed myself this morning, after breakfast even, I too was down 4 lbs.
Hmmmm.
And I've been doing kind of a half-assed job of exercising.
However, I have been keeping veg, aside from some beef-based soup on Friday night.
So, maybe I'll keep trying this vegetarian thing for a bit longer, and see what becomes of it...

30-day challenge

I want to revive an old thing i used to do. A thirty-day challenge. I just don't know what I want to challenge myself to do. Hmm.. I could take inspiration from Diane and Leah and jump start my fitness. The 30-day yoga challenge. or, the 30-day higher running mileage challenge. Or, what about the

When I Googled this, I was (not) surprised (at all) to find Steve Pavlina's blog addressing this very thing. One of his suggestions was: "Go out every evening. Go somewhere different each time, and do something fun — this will be a memorable month." Which sounds pretty good, but I know I am in a put-myself-out-there-in-front-of-crowds then retreat fully mode for book readings.

Hmm. Maybe the yoga. It makes me feel good all around.

Already Ready for Spring

In case you can't tell, one of the biggest perks for me of getting a new place is finally having outdoor space again. Even in the dog days of summer (which aren't that bad in Chicago), I love watering plants and eating breakfast outside on weekday mornings. And since the new place will be within walking distance of my job, I will have time to stop and smell the roses (or impatiens and begonias).

So my next $2000 will be outfitting my new deck with table and chairs from Design Within Reach for a total of $1450. And I really like this pot that will hold one of my favorite palm trees both inside and out on the deck. Maybe also some deck rail planters, dirt, and wonderful plants for $250.

Yeah!!! An outdoor space to call my own!!!

Perspective

For some strange reason, an e-mail I got from an old friend I've sort of lost touch with has brought me to tears. The content of the letter was essentially, remember the guy that you introduced me to that you used to have a crush on? We're living together! Remember that job you left a couple years ago because you were a terrible sales person? He's working there now, as a manager! Remember the kitty you helped me pick out at the animal shelter where you were volunteering? She's doing great! Remember that great job you helped me find? I'm still there, and promoted twice over!
I love this friend. I harbor no ill will toward her, and after she got kicked around a bit by a crappy louse of a man she totally deserves this.
So why is it, when I responded with "I love my job, I work from home, I am getting some writing projects out, I am happily single" I felt like a failure. How am I a failure?? Because I have no desire to climb the corporate ladder and it shows? Because I have CHOSEN not to seek the love of my life right now because I am so busy? Because I have CHOSEN to make my creative focus the more slow-moving and less public writing I'm doing, versus the much more visible theater I used to do (and they choose to do)? I don't know. But that was rough and I need a hug.

Things for my new pad

Although I also need to reorganizing and prioritizing some life goals, right now I think I will start over the $1000 experiment as it relates to the new condo Ted and I will soon be finding. We have been dabbling in open houses and real estate websites but have just finally decided that we are actually ready to buy a new, bigger, nicer, in-a-quieter-neighborhood condo. So those are the thoughts I want to send to the universe...

With my first $1000 I think I will buy a gift (not technically allowed, but it does come with very selfish intentions) for my sweet husband Ted. A brand new gas grill. And with the leftovers, a new set of grill utensils and apron.

So you see it is really a gift to myself: no messy stove, dirty dishes, or hot kitchen.

An idea...

I am thinking... what if I announce that for the month of November, a portion of my proceeds from book sales will go to X charity...? What charity should I pick? A women's charity? A domestic violence charity? A literacy charity?

A Trickle Becomes A River?

I feel some stagnation, so I am revisiting everything about my book, my readings, my travels, my life in general to kick start a new flow. You know what I mean.

Well, Dang

Two days or so into deciding to participate in NanoWrimo and my characters are already visiting me. Especially at night in my dreams. I have to tell them to settle down and take a seat in my brain, drink some tea, read a magazine, because we've got a couple more weeks before I start utilizing them. I want this to go totally from scratch--no preparatory writing, no polishing up old junk. Thank goodness my competitive streak and my "grade me, grade me, reward me...I'm so very good!" neurosis are probably going to be key in reaching the finish line.
Anyway, I've seen myself write 800 words in 2 hours. I should be writing 1600 a day to hit the 50,000 mark on November 30th. I may just be a bit less social than usual the next month.

NANOWRIMO - This is the year

For the first time, I signed up for the National Novel Writing Month gig.
See also: Major priority #2 in Diane's life right now - writing

Yes. I don't care if I create a gigantic load of crap by the end of the month, I am proud to be taking this step.

Ah-ha!

Okay, so my friend wrote and explained she totally fucked up her self-portrait explanation,admitting she'd accidentally left out some crucial details. Eh, I knew it was a good idea, anyway. She's off the hook, especially because she showed me to this website.

BEHOLD!

It is fixed!

I'm so happy! So is a grinny little girl at a blue plastic typewriter.

Oh! Oh!

I was so busy completeing one of my 43 Things, I failed to mention it!
It was a little one--organizing the refrigerator. Which meant pitching old stuff, making room for new stuff, and scrubbing, scrubbing, scrubbing. Then I placed 2 boxes of baking soda in there b/c something leaked and made a STINK. Ew.
I'll be crossing this one off and adding the goal of "purchasing some great (reasonably priced) art for the living room."
Whee!

Running on Beans

I ran today. I ran, I ran, I ran. I had a good run, as I figured I would. This weather is just optimal for me to run in for some reason. However, if this is to continue as planned, I need to invest in a quilted vest thingee. Like this for example. I've seen some with hoodies sewn in--I wish I could remember where. That's what I'd really like.
The other thing is, I'm becoming something of an inadvertant vegetarian. I've never been a big meat eater anyway, particularly when it comes to red meat. Seriously, it's a newsworthy event when I consume red meat. Lately I've just been really partial to vegetarian dishes, and have been contemplating the Buddhist concept of linking vegetarianism to general goodwill to all living creatures. But then, I think, aren't plants living creatures too? How do you draw the line? Is it just sentient beings, perhaps?
Well anyway. I'm toying with it. I was a vegetarian during most of college. I got very skinny. I also became sickly, because I didn't do it well. But then, who does eat well in college? It was either pizza, or beans and rice. Am I ready to make the commitment to doing it properly? To consider it both a health and a spiritual choice?
We will see. I am taking a mighty good iron supplement now.
Yikes, I'm running and contemplating vegetarianism and suddenly it's making me feel like I'm getting all single white female on Amy. Gah! Honest, I won't be converting anytime soon. ;)

Prosperity

Tonight is a milestone of sorts to me. It's a reading just like any other, but the venue is one I've aspired to read in for a very long time. Years, even. Before my novel even existed, even! So, I am declaring to the universe that I am open to understanding that my nervousness is perhaps a warning bell that it will be great.

Attention, My Lovely Ladies of Home Improvement

I was cleaning today (oh yes cleaning, I am on a rampage today!) and I was thinking about my desk.
I spend a LOT of time at my desk, and felt the general state of the living room (where desk is located) was not making me very productive all around. That provoked me to buy a fish, a colorful tank, and to start thinking about art in the living room. Then I took a good look at my desk itself. I debated a new desk. But I love the way this one is set up, the way the shelves are arranged, and the fact it is very lightweight which makes moving it easy. But the surface is god-awful at this point. Very nicked up, dirty, just generally ick.
From what I can tell, the "wood" parts are some kind of laminate made to look like wood, with a particle-board-type material underneath. What would be the best way to spruce ye old desk up a bit? Should I paint it? Varnish? Stain? Do I sand it first?
Your help is much appreciated.

intuition.

I, Amy Guth, will be better about just blurting out intuitive nudges and thoughts I have, for as I have seen again adn again in my life, it usually pays off and I am rarely written off as crazy, which is usually what makes me censor myself in the first place. So, today, I declare the beginning of the end of such an internal censor. More blurt, less "Damnit, I knew that. I should have spoken up!"

Manifesting Your Sports Bra Does Not Ensure an Easy Run

After taking yesterday as a certified "day off", I finally buckled down to start my running again. As an incentive, I ran by the art studio. You know, just in case.
I had a funny little reminder of the simple principles of manifesting what you want. I had no clue where my sports bra could be. I thought carefully about it, and hurrah, it was in the first drawer I checked!
The run itself was probably one of the toughest since I first ever discovered I could run, about 2 years ago. But I know from experience that it gets easier every time, so I'm not discouraged.
Since running allows for some reflection, I thought about "organizing" my goals right now. Or perhaps it's better to say I was sorting out my priorities so that I could focus my energy effectively, since it's been a bit scattered and sapped of late. Here's what I figured out are my top priorities:
1) Work - because, well, it has to be. And it looks like there are jobs to be filled on into June of 2007, so I'd like to be one of the recruiters kept around for the long haul.
2) Writing - because I've had lots of really great opportunities come up this year, and I need to keep that energy flowing.
3) Art - because it provides the release I need to accomplish everything else & keep myself balanced.
4) Running - because it will give me the energy I need to accomplish everything else.
5) Getting my driver's license back and traveling more - because I need to leave town more often for my own sanity. I'm going to go to city hall Friday and try to get this taken care of once and for all.
Not priority:
1) Socializing - it is important in terms of keeping up with my friends and maintaining that network, but going out more often just to go out is not going to help with any of the above goals.
2) Finding romance - sorry societal pressures, it is just not priority to me for the coming 6 months--at least not until I invest more time in the above. The exception, of course, would be my #1 crush should anything happen there. ;)
3) Other people's crap - well, it just isn't imporant. And I'm still letting it take up too much of my mental space. So pooey.

Put it out there, hope it works out

I am talking with a writer who is interested in having me as her writing coach. It feels easygoing and positive and I will do my best for the situation.