Teasing the Universe

I’m not sure the Universe will survive this…I actually finished another project.

Okay, so it’s been slightly over a year since I finished the Cat Condo (and now it's taking me forever to write the post on the cat condo), but I took much less time to get this one done.  I had this bookcase in my bedroom that was 8 feet tall and 42 inches wide, and because it started out life as a packing crate, only 7 inches deep.  I got the crate from Texas Instruments when I worked in the facilities department and R and I had added some cheap lumber and made it into a bookcase for his office (which is now my bedroom). It was primarily for paperbacks, VHS tapes, and DVDs and was perfect for that.  There were 6 upper shelves all just high enough for tapes/paperbacks, then two more “medium-sized” shelves that were about trade-paperback height, and then a slightly higher one, and then one more on the bottom that is abut 11 3/4” high, with a brace in the middle (behind the computer screen in the pic).

I had R cut the top 5 shelves off and trim the sides off to make three separate boxes. The bottom now sits on my desk and the top part formed three floating box shelves in my bedroom. I anchored 2x2s to the studs. Because of our craptastic builder, the studs are 24” on center (instead of 16”) in that room, so the right end and the middle I secured with 4” wood screws to the studs and the left end I had to secure with a toggle bolt. The 2x2s are cleats to which I screwed the boxes.  Just waiting for the touch-up paint to dry.  (When the room was R’s office, the case was unpainted, when I took it over I painted it “Cotton Whisper” to go with the “Pensive Sky” walls, and one “Painted Turtle” accent wall”



This is the base, in my office/studio/sewing room (ig..look at the clutter!)



And here are the three floating shelf boxes..the camera kind of “wide-angled” it, so they look warped, but they really aren’t.  And they are all the same size, level, and evenly hung, even though the pic doesn’t show that very well. I only had to buy corner braces, an 8’ section of 2x2 (I had one piece already), and some 4” wood screws. All the rest I had. This is the “Painted Turtle” accent wall, and the color is off in this photo, of course.  It’s a deep, cool warm green...and yes, the green in both pics is the same color.

Wheee!  Can’t wait to get my stuff up on them…Dry paint, Dry!!

Honesty: Don't you believe it.

Contrary to what (most) people will tell you, they do not, in fact, want you to be honest with them. Most people are terrified of the truth...it might confirm their worst fears. They don't want to think about the truth, that might require work or, worse, a paradigm shift, on their part. Paradigm shift is just fancy talk for a reality check. People in denial about their behavior, or their work habits (or lack thereof) don't like reality checks. They also spend a good deal of their time and energy being paranoid, convinced everyone is talking about them and/or out to get them.  Which could be true. As the old joke has it, just because you're paranoid does not mean everyone's not out to get you.

I have a co-worker who I've tried several times to go somewhere and talk with me, have lunch or whatever. But because she apparently was afraid of what I might say, she kept blowing me off. When I finally had had enough, I vented to the boss. There really wasn't anything we wouldn't have said to her in person...but she walked in the office behind us and heard part of the conversation. She didn't hear all of it and so of course took what she did hear out of context. I told the boss I thought she had heard it, but he, being male, was all, no I don't think so, she's just quiet because...blahdeblah.  But, eventually it came out when I asked her why she'd dropped me from FB. So, I told her what the convo was about.

As stated earlier...she really didn't want me to be honest.

So, moral of the story, don't lie, but don't be honest either.

For runners and others who wear trainers

A three-inch piece of 3M Scotch Poster Tape across the back of your heel will keep your footie-type socks from sliding in your shoes and helps stave off blisters.

Hey! A helpful tip today!

Everyone but Johnny...

I've come to the conclusion that most people I know don't "get" me. That's not a self-pity thing. I just have a very bizarre sense of humor and take delight in not only expanding my knowledge on a given subject, but enlightening those around me...much to their annoyance, I might add. I either wrongly assume they know nothing about whatever it is or that they must have the same level of curiosity that I do. I'm usually wrong on both counts.

My husband gets it...he's worse than I am at these assumptions and will blithely talk your ear and then your arm and then any other hapless body parts off in endless elucidations about...Formula 1 racing or medieval knights or what had happened if so and so hadn't killed a pig early on in Texas history.   I pale in comparison in knowitallness.  I normally just listen...or rather give the appearance of listening. Two minutes later I can't tell you a damn thing about what he just said.  Not because I don't care, but because, more than likely, I'll hear it all again at some point...review sessions ftw. :)

As for my own KIAness, I suppose I need, at the ripe old age of 58, to learn that people don't give a shit.  They don't really care that potatoes aren't native to India and therefore not, in my mind, part of traditional food. The fact they've been there for 200+ years makes them traditional in everyone else's mind.  And they're right, I mean...you know 200 years is a really old tradition! *laugh*  To me, it's but a blink in the life of the universe.

My coworkers rag me all the time...if they come up with some inaccuracy, I'm there to say, "Well, actually...(and they know they're in for it right then)..." and proceed to set them all straight.

It's kind of like my plethora of cats and my collection of fabric and herd of dust rhinos. Love all of me, or...tell me to get a life....you won't hurt my feelings, cuz I know I'm annoying.