To Rizzoli's Naysayers

One of my longest running hobbies is crocheting.  I've been doing it for the past 20 years.  Occasionally I take a little break to focus on other hobbies.  My last project was about 2 years ago when I made some Christmas decorations for my desk at work.  Some of my past projects including the Christmas decorations:

Shortly after the Christmas projects this beauty came to live with us.

Rizzoli was my first cat ever, so knowing what I had heard about cats, I figured crocheting might be a thing of the past.  Then I saw a free pattern on line that was absolutely adorable and I decided that it was worth a try.

Apparently, there are some that had the same impression as me as to whether I could crochet with a cat around.  My mother said her money was on Rizzoli. I started the project Friday night and got through Step 1.  I am purposely just showing the project in steps right now because one of my favorite things about crocheting is how I can start with this:

and then through steps like this come up with such a neat product (to be seen when finished). 

While working on Step 1, this is how Rizzoli reacted.

 Starting on Step 2 we had a little of this.

At one point today, I had to tear what I had completed of Step 2 out because it was too big. I was very hopeful that I would get it put back together before Rizzoli came out into the living room.  No such luck but she only showed a very slight excitement about it and then sat with excellent self control on my lap along with the big wad of yarn, even letting it sit on her at points.  That had to be very difficult for her!

So, while we had some ornery moments, crocheting with a cat is totally doable.  Glad to know!  I am only partially through Step 2 of the project.

Also in my well balanced weekend I read for business, read for pleasure, did laundry, watched some One Tree Hill on Netflix, talked to my Grandma on the phone, and helped prepare dinner.  All in all, a great weekend!

Everyone's A Nerd About Something

There are people in my life that give the perception they believe that once you have failed at something, its time to move on to something else.  I personally don't believe this, but I have kind of always lived my life that way.  Not fully, but to a small extent. 

I tell you this because this is not my first attempt at blogging.  And actually, my first attempt was pretty successful for quite some time.  I was in the process of losing a lot of weight and was very passionate about health and that's what I hear makes a good writer/blogger.  Then life got in the way and my health journey and blogging experience was interrupted.

I tried several times more, but I felt like my blogs didn't have a focus.  I tried the health thing again, but things weren't going the same as they had before.  I have so many interests that it seems like I should be able to find something to passionately write about.  

My boyfriend, Josh, and I were having this conversation at his birthday dinner Tuesday night and I was saying I have so many hobbies that I share with other people.  Reading, cats, Jamberry nail wraps, crafts, photography.  The list goes on, but these are definitely the main points.  Josh's response was, "So you're a nerd," and I said, "Everyone's a nerd about something."  That line comes from my friend, former boss, and continuous mentor, Jennifer.  (I asked her permission to use the line as the name of this blog.)

I've been thinking for a couple of days about how to write this blog and feel like it was going to be focused.  And then it came to me today.  Last week I wrote the following status on Facebook:

As someone who suffers from depression, and sometimes pretty severely, I had an amazing revelation today. I realized that on a daily basis, truly daily, I have the conscious thought that I love my life. I believe that right now I am probably the happiest I have ever been, the most comfortable I with myself that I have ever been. It's a wonderful realization to come too.

Number one reason I'm so happy and actually think out loud that I love my life is because of my home life.  I love and enjoy the family I've built.  The other reason is because for years I've been saying that I MUST find an appropriate work-life balance.  I was working an awful amount of hours and completely neglecting Josh and other aspects at home.  I was able to justify why I was working so much, but when it came down to it one valid reason always turned into another valid reason.  I realized the valid reasons were never going to go away.  

I also always had it in my mind what I thought other people thought I should be doing with my time. Other people's opinions consumed me.  Consumed me to the point that I really lost sight of what my own opinion was.  

And one day I just decided no more.  I decided to set unspoken limits.  I started walking out of work at a reasonable and preset time.  I started saying yes to only the things that I really wanted to do and no to the things that I really didn't.  

While there are always things that we would be happy if they changed (having more money for instance), I can say that the changes that I've made are so important to me and have helped make the life that I love.  I would be okay if nothing else changed.  

Thinking of it this way, it came to me today what my passion truly is.  The things I mentioned earlier in this post are definitely my interests.  Having a balanced life to be able to do all of them is my passion.  And so, that is going to be the focus of my new blog.  I will be blogging about what I'm doing and how I'm using my balanced life.  

The ratio of text to pictures in this post is definitely NOT what I usually like to see in one of my projects, but this idea just kind of came to me and I wanted to get it out while the thoughts were fresh. For tonight I will leave you with this thought and I hope that you will check back in with me to see how things are going.  And don't hesitate to share because chances are, you know a nerd.