I am ridiculously pleased with myself

Regular readers will know that I joined the Chicago Swordplay Guild at the tail end of last year, after taking basic classes in medieval longsword for about a year. Most Monday nights I participate with the basic class, assisting when I can and drilling with the even-newer-students. I am the newest guild member in that group, by about 2 years. I am also the oldest. And the least proficient in martial arts. (Most of the others have had a decade of martial arts training ... and are a decade younger than me to boot.) So, tonight was the last day of spring semester's basic class, where the students actually suit up & spar with a "green shirt," an experienced guild member. I was in a weird spot ... no longer officially a student, but also not experienced enough to play the role of a "green shirt." Or so I thought. Partway through the evening, I was instructed to suit up & go for 3 rounds against 3 basic students! I'm glad I didn't know about it ahead of time, else I might have had time to freak out. As it was, it was incredibly fun and I was able to relax & just PLAY. I got whacked a few times (I estimate 3 bruises will pop up on my upper left arm by morning), but it was nowhere near the pressure-cooker that I'd experienced in the past. As a result, as the title says: I am ridiculously pleased with myself.

Fun stuff ahead!

Shimelle's got some fun stuff right around the corner. Click here to get more information! The basic idea is to take photos on the 25th of each month & document them all into one album that will cover an entire year. I think the idea is just really fun & spontaneous, so I'm going to give it a whirl!

Please consider helping my bloggin' buddy, Perry!

My bloggin' buddy, Perry, is having a raffle for a GORGEOUS quilt, to benefit her 5 year old granddaughter, Miss Katy, who has cystic fibrosis. Her friend, Cindy, made the quilt ... and it just looks so super cozy-warm!! In the spirit of generosity, paying it forward, and just plain good human-being-kindness, I ask that you look into your heart, see if you can spare $5 & if you're so inclined, please GO FOR IT! If not, you've still got my warmest appreciation for holding Katy in your heart for a period of time! Thank you!

Just gorgeous!

Our front flower bed is resplendent with dark purple hyacinths, a dozen daffodils, and this one lone yellow tulip. The scillia are starting to die off ... but the allia are starting to show ... and the irises may have survived the transportation last fall. It should turn out to be an interesting display as the weeks wear on. The days are warmer & new things show up every day ... like the carpet of vinca I didn't even realize started blooming -- must have been yesterday, because 2 days ago there weren't even signs of flowers yet! It's amazing! I'm also loving the fact that people are out and about, walking around, hanging out with each other ... such a wonderful time for rejuvenation! It's also a perfect time to join us with making your own 101 tasks in 1001 days challenge list! Let us know if you want to play along!!!

Engineers' perspective on cats

*grin* I especially like the Cat Yodeling!!! We've GOT to try this!

Welcome Spring

The winds are blowing at about 30 miles an hour ... and the temperature is supposed to creep up to above 70 today.

Spring has officially sprung!!!

We've completed an item!

We finished one item on our list of 101 Challenges in 1001 Days ... check it out, here. I have to say, we are really enjoying coming up with items on our list ... and it's a really cool way for us to consider what is important for us over the next several years. I can see us doing another 101 list when we finish this one, in January 2011. Seems like a long way off, doesn't it? But it'll be so cool to see what meaningful and fun things we've done by then!

I'm resuming my sword classes tonight, after a hiatus due to work & travel constraints. I am looking forward to it ... and dreading it, too. I'm feeling a bit rusty, but I think it'll come back to me pretty quickly. My body knows it, even if my brain doesn't. *grin*

My other personal goal over the next six weeks is that I want to finish the remaining 20 pages in our Disney 2007 album. So, I may post a few pages up here for you all to check out, if I get inspired.

Now, I have to go sift through paperwork to get quarterly taxes ready. My playlist should have some kind of creepy scary music for that one. There's something about writing out a check for several thousand dollars that just makes my skin crawl. Well, at least when I'm writing it out to state & federal tax authorities ... if I were writing it out for a down payment on a car, I think that would be different. Which, according to our list, is going to happen in the next less-than-1001 days!

101 Challenges in 1001 Days

My sweetie & I are creating a blog of 101 things we wish to accomplish in 1001 days, which can be found here. It was inspired by Day Zero, and I strongly encourage my readers to consider making a list of their own. It is quite invigorating!

Mission Accomplished!!

I'm back from my trip to Connecticut (with some side trips to Massachusetts to visit Karen & Dawn), and my weekend 'o scrapping fun! I completed a whole 9"x9" album while I was there & am very pleased with the results! The album contains a total of 42 pages, and I was able to do another 10 pages for my chronological album!

I think next time I'll work on a Disney album! It was so gratifying to finish an entire album & come back to show it to everyone here at home!