2012 Retrospective

I can’t help but think about everything that has changed this year. My life was punctuated by gains and losses, just like every preceding year.  This time, the losses were magnified, the positives were significant, and all of it came in rapid succession.  I feel so much older than before (and hopefully wiser).  Regardless, I am looking forward to taking 2013 on with that classic Elyse mix of trepidation and hope.  Maybe with a little more hope and self-assuredness this time. :)

I started the year by landing my first post-graduate career as a statistical analyst/pharmacoepidemiologst (and ended the year with a promotion to project manager!).  I had finished grad school in December of 2011, so in a few months, I moved from Fort Worth --> Houston --> Dallas.  I essentially knew nobody in the area when I moved in, and since all of my co-workers happened to speak Mandarin more fluently than English, I remember days passing where I wouldn’t ever speak aloud.

That prompted me to get out of my comfort zone and meet some people.  And you know what?  It was a wonderful move. J  I now have a boyfriend, best friend, and other fantastic influences who make me feel a lot more fulfilled.  It would be difficult to describe how far from that I felt at the beginning of the year.  

I love that I became an aunt this year.  My sister and her husband are fantastic parents, and my own parents are even better grandparents than I ever could have imagined.  It is ridiculously cute to see my father swoon over little Vienne, and my mom (MoMa) has the best Vienne stories to tell me during my lunch breaks.  She has made everyone’s life better. :)  

 

One of the two family cats, Lucy, passed away after a long struggle with an arthritic condition that no veterinarian had seen before.  She became a part of the family in 1999, while I was recovering from anorexia and coping with sad realities that sometimes happen when your childhood comes to an end, but you’re not yet adult enough to handle them very well.  She was incredibly sweet and friendly from the moment my family met her until her last days, when it was quite apparent that her breathing was labored and she was in pain.  She was a doting mother to her kittens and a wonderful companion to an awkward girl who grew to become a…slightly less awkward adult.   

Although my grandmother had been not been feeling well for a few months, it came as a surprise to everyone when she passed away this summer.  We had always connected well for reasons that are beyond explanation.  She just got me, you know?  Despite the errors she made in her own life, she always had some solid wisdom for her family members (and she was not afraid to distribute it, either). She could size up my ex-boyfriends more accurately than anyone else I had known. :)  It saddens me to think that the person I spend the rest of my life with will never get to meet this powerful force of a woman. While I’m thankful that I was able to live in Hawaii for a few years, I wish I had spent more time with her.       

Things I have been enjoying lately:

1)  Watching my niece go from infant to darling little lady.  Just like that *snaps fingers*.  Every time I visit my sister, it feels like she and her husband upgraded their tiny baby 1.0 to the bigger, more advanced baby 2.0 (and so forth).  It's pretty incredible to see all of the changes that occur in a matter of weeks.

2) Using cameras that are not built into my phone. :)  My love of photography began in elementary school, back when rolls of film needed to be processed and dinosaurs roamed the earth.  Photography fell into favor again once I had access to Photoshop in college, and after a few years of dormancy, it appears that the bug is back in full force.

3) Taking impromptu vacations:  Okay, so I'm a bit of a worrywart (a frugal one, at that). However, I'm learning to embrace the perks that come with being a young professional.  I've wanted to travel for many years, and I've hit that perfect window of opportunity where it's not a strain on my life, financially or otherwise.  My cat would probably disagree with me on this matter.



  

Day 1

Since I've been slacking in the craft department this year, I thought I'd write about my newest venture: the diet/fitness reboot that will hopefully be the beginning of a long string of good habits and waxing confidence. Like most, this isn't my first 'Day 1'. Day 1's are filled with optimism, excitement, and that sort of energy that borders on saccharin. Don't get me wrong, I love it. I just want to keep myself dedicated and accountable through the whole process. We'll see how I feel on Day 5 or so, right? :) It's kind of nice to have this blog as my accountabilibuddy. If I fall off the wagon, it's being published, along with the successes. I want to look back at these entries and see how far I've come. I can do this! One foot in front of the other! Today is the day of pep talks, adjustments, and exploration. We'll see what tomorrow brings. :)

(Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch) Changes

For the past 12 years, I have been documenting memories on websites like OpenDiary, Xanga, LiveJournal, and here, of course. For better or worse, I deleted a few accounts/entries here and there (namely the ones written as a melodramatic teenager) and began to master the art of creating personal accounts of my life without getting too personal. My main criterion was this: document nothing that others would want to use as fodder for gossip. Could I write an entry about Pluto losing its planetary status? Sure. Should I write about my relationship follies? Privately, maybe. After awhile, I relegated online publishing to crafty pursuits and themes of that nature. You can see how frequently that allowed me to express myself. :)

I began to miss my blogging therapy. Ever since I learned to write, I have been working steadily on various stories, songs, or random musings in a journal of some sort...until recently. I briefly thought about keeping this blog as it is -- a place to post pictures a few times a year -- and then I decided to let loose (or be lazy and keep up with only one blog). The crafts have their place, and I will post them before pawning them off on my family and friends, but these things aren't created in a vacuum. I'll write just for the sake of writing here every now and then, too. Why not? So, hello again, old friend. It's nice to be back. :)

Vienne

Vienne is the name of my future niece, and I have to admit, I'm pretty excited about being an auntie! I can't wait to tell the little lady all about how her mother was as a child and how well loved she is. I might leave out the part where I saw (and felt) her kicking my sister's stomach and found it a tad creepy. (Note: motherhood is a beautiful thing, but I'm incredibly nervous about all that comes with being a future vessel for the potential F1 generation). Anyway, I've been having a blast browsing through infant clothing (what isn't cuter in miniature form?) and trying to make some gifts as well. I made these first:




Christmas presents included a quick baby sweater and matching cheetah hat. I'm thinking about making an adult-sized cheetah hat that her mom can wear as well. :)




I have done a few other projects, like sushi cat toys and necklaces, but I haven't taken pictures of them yet.

Ah, how nice it is to crochet items for those who cannot refuse them (i.e. pets and babies). After crocheting a bow tie for my sister's cat, Chubbins, I realized I was hooked. Cat collars are the ideal project! They take about 30 minutes to make (maybe an hour if you add some details), and they're perfect for a good laugh. A few months ago, I made a few spiked collars like the one below while I was snowed in.

To my fellow hookers, wherever they may be: we do have some handy skills, yes? There's no need to spend an arm and a leg for baby shower presents -- just crochet some booties and a matching hat! These sea monster booties are sure to be a big hit at your next baby shower. The brilliant pattern comes from Sandyfroglegs Designs:

To anyone who doesn't crochet and would like to, I highly recommend looking through videos on http://www.youtube.com/. They have special tutorials for southpaws as well (go lefties!). I'm learning new stitches via youtube all the time! The latest one I've tried is the alligator stitch....I'm hoping it will make a nice scarf for the distant Fall/Winter of 2011.

Back in the Saddle

I have decided to dust off the cyber-cobwebs on this blog and continue posting my crocheted creations. I've given away countless little baubles and bibelots without bothering to take any photographic evidence, so bear with me while I post a few similar photos as a proxy. In 2010, I transferred out of the minor leagues by making a few articles of clothing. I started with this sweater (using brown lamb's wool) as part of my mother's Christmas present. The antique mall near my apartment had some cheap grab bags of vintage buttons that I couldn't pass up, so I bought enough buttons to adorn at least 10 sweaters. Such is the norm when I walk through antiques shops unattended. I ended up using a matching set of white/gold buttons that reminded me of pinwheels -- I'll take a picture of them one day, I will! They added an element of individuality and charm that made the sweater rather endearing.

After I finished the sweater, I asked myself, "now what should I do with the leftover yarn?" I was riding the garment-creation high and figured that a vest would use up the last skein without having to worry about sleeves and such. Here's a picture from the pattern I chose, though I'll probably replace it with my own picture shortly. I can't remember the last time I wore a vest, but this one has me thinking that they might not be a bad trend to bring back (quite unlike leggings and any derivative thereof). I actually saw a pair of corduroy leggings in a store not too long ago...corggings? I may hate on leggings now, but I did wear them constantly from about ages 4-10. That's 2190 solid days of cotton/spandex, folks.

What inspires you, craft-wise? What is the ratio of crafts you keep to the crafts you give away to others? I'd say that my inspiration comes from equal parts of family suggestions, boredom, and a general sort of whimsy that I'd say fuels a lot of what I do. Even when I follow patterns (this applies to recipes too, actually), I always change something up to see what happens. I'd say that my keep-to-give ratio is about 1:99 at this point. As my relatives grow tired of receiving random items, I'll have to expand the recipient circle a bit.