The Wooden Spooner Attacks

It is at the end of one journey that I find myself beginning another. I suppose someone once said that, "all good things must come to an end." I am not sure who said it or to what end it meant to them (and I am clearly too lazy to look it up), but I do know that it does seem to be an adequate description for at least part of my current circumstances.

For the last seven months I have enjoyed a rare experience - unemployment with a solid weekly paycheck - time for bike rides and long walks, time to try new recipes, time to make costumes, time to host parties, time to host out-of-town guests, time to travel, time to sleep-in and time, even occasionally, to be bored - free time to do with as I pleased without the care of a 9 to 5 and some pudgy boss looking over my shoulder (could you fix that TPS report?).

While this time has passed swiftly, I did not spent it idly. My boyfriend and I spent the summer exploring the streets and surrounding areas of Boston on our bikes as we adjusted to life living together (aka me re-arranging things every week). We won free tickets to Old Sturbridge Village and thus explored rural town life of the 1830s and met Carl the rooster (he looked a bit peckish...ooh). I spent a gazillion hours making a corset (my first real sewing project and a most arduous task I assure you) for my halloween costume and nearly as much time on the phone with my mom as she managed the task of sewing the rest of our period-accurate victorian looks. I found myself in Salem on more than one occassion but also managed to get out of the state and head to NYC for a visit with my very dear friend Morgan. My sister came to visit in October and we staged a crazy Halloween inspired potluck (witch fingers, bloody eyeballs...good wholesome food)...only a few short weeks later, my mom was here for a Thanksgiving visit. I chopped my hair short and discovered the delight of pixie bangs and went on an annual wine tour with my dear friends Rose and Susan. I handmade 90 cloth napkins, 64 hand-stamped tile coasters and 16 hand-stamped trivets in the course of 2 weeks. In Oklahoma for the holidays, I helped do a faux finish paint job and challenged my mom to our annual Iron Chef Doughty competition (yes, we're nerdy!). January found me in need of a slower pace as well as the need to file for an extension on my unemployment benefits and, let's be honest, it was time to start the real hunt for a new job.

Amidst this time as an 'unemployed', I rediscovered myself. You see, I was once a very creative individual but my time with my previous employer stamped it out of me in a most viscious manner - sales. Sales where your salary depends on your ability to convince other people to do something they may not want to do - something that screams (to most of us) to run away. While I did my best to help my clients make the decision they wanted, I still knew the shortcomings of the product I was selling and sadly even I would push a sale. This tore at the very essence of who I am (or was) and eventually found me slinking and slumping into a habitual sludge of boring and very uncreative activities. When the company announced a voluntary layoff program with severance included it took but the space of a breath for me to realize the path I would take. If you would like to imagine the smile on my face (or rather in my mind), think of the Cheshire Cat...

So, it has been with this gift of unemployment that I have found myself again in touch with the Lora I knew growing up - the girl tirelessly in pursuit of doing creative things. Today, I find myself again acting the creative soldier...BAM-BAM-BAM-WAZAAAA.

I have spent the last 28 Sundays calling the unemployment line for my weekly check and I have but one last call to make - for my time to re-enter the workforce is at hand and life is about to get a lot more repetitive. BUT, I refuse to let go of this refound link with my creative juices and will dedicate my extra hours to as many creative endeavors as possible.

My blog will be my voice for these passions; my blog will be a way for me to remember to the very tips of my toes (very cold toes at the moment) who I am and what I am capable of - my blog will be a way for me to share my essence with you. In it you will find recipes and craft projects along with product suggestions and reviews and as always the random meanderings of my mind.

Fasten your Quidditch goggles and enjoy the ride...