Thursday, January 22, 2009

Joy.

I am seriously bubbling with happiness and hope today. Fiercely optimistic, in fact.

A few things that top my Happy List today:

. Our President.

I know this has been blogged-to-death, but in many, many ways I am excited about this. On Tuesday, as I was leaving work, a television blared loudly in the hallway to no one but me. "If Barack Obama can become president, there's no reason we can't achieve any goal we set for ourselves," the reporter mused.

Corny, but it made me wonder: What if I worked hard? Really, really hard? What if I gave everything my all? Where would I end up?

I think America is capable of hard work, of sacrificing, and even of getting along - if we can set aside our cynicism for a second.

Also on my Happy List is Michelle and Barack's obvious mutual love and respect for each other. In my life, I've never seen a president and First Lady who seem to be so in love after all these years. I never would have expected to look at the President of the United States as a role model for marriage.

Not to mention these cutie-patooties.
. Hosting Dinner.

Last night, we hosted our first dinner for a family that wasn't our own. We've had my family over to dinner and we've had friends our age over to dinner - but last night I cooked dinner for my coworker, his wife, and their two children (in 2nd and 5th grade). Despite having to sit on a few lawn chairs and burning the garlic bread ("Hey! Just cut of the burnt part," our guest said. And so we did. Classy.), it went well. And was incredibly fun. Mike hosted a little ping pong playing in the basement, we ate some delicious Ben and Jerry's ice cream, and my beloved Candy Cane Joe Joes proved they are actually life saving. At least to someone who is low on carbohydrates and is diabetic. But still: LIFE SAVING. Mmm.

I'd like to continue inviting people over for dinner - I love to cook and show people that a vegetarian dinner is still awesome. Plus, it's a great way to make more friends, right? Right.

. Etsy & Freelancing.

It has been about two months since I first opened my humble little piece of Etsy. I expected to slowly sell a few things here and there, but I'm happy to say I've exceeded my expectations! I've had twenty sales so far - including several custom orders. By no means am I about to quit my day job (oh, please Lord!), but it has been an amazing little journey. Through Etsy and a few freelance graphic design jobs I've scored, I really feel blessed that I'm slowly on my way to my dreams. I've learned so much and have been blown away by the positive responses I've gotten. (I may or may not squeal with delight every time I get one more person who "hearts" me or leaves me some feedback. It is always the highlight of my day and a good reason to make myself a hot chocolate.)

I'm so excited about what the future holds for me and I have high hopes. Although articulating those to others isn't always met with the most encouragement:

Well-meaning, curious person: "So! What are you doing in July after this position ends?"
Me: "Well, I'd sort of like to eventually do some freelance graphic design and...I have this little craft...thing."
WMCP: "Crafts, huh? Oh."
Me: ...
WMCP: ...
Me: "Well, yeah. You know. I like to create things like felt pouches...and I...embroider stuff sometimes....Oh! And I make note cards!"
WMCP: totally judging me for throwing away my intelligence, talent with children, and college education.

Thank you to any of you lovely people who have taken the time and money to shop on Etsy or local, small artists. What a blessing you are to people like me who love to create!

::Look out for a challenge next month regarding Target, Etsy, and other such things. Get excited::

PS: I am thisclose to rejoining Twitter. I seriously miss it so much. Seriously. Is that sad? I am weak. I miss you guys! (Okay, I'm making a poll about it. Because I am weak. Go vote and tell me what to do. OhmygoshI'msopathetic.)

23 comments:

  1. Hooray for you for following your dreams!! Working hard at something you love can either be a dream or an oxymoron...I hope you make it a dream! I'm excited for your challenges--maybe that will help me stay more connected to the blogiverse and be a better bloggie :)

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  2. I think your perspective and way you live your life is positively inspirational. Honestly. There's always something I take from you, be it "I can do that," "I can stop wasting this," or just appreciating life's simple pleasures. I'm so happy I found your blog!

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  3. I feel exactly the same way! Doesn't it feel good to be inspired and "yes we can?"

    Some people would argue that I am "not using" my college degrees, or at least not making the kind of salary that I am entitled to having earned them. I argue that I love my job and would be MISERABLE working with non-activists who don't care about charitable work. So... follow your dreams, girl!

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  4. You really are such a great writer! You inspire me my bloggy friend~~

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  5. A million votes for PLEASE COME BACK TO TWITTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  6. I think it would be just splendid to have you back on Twitter :)

    And I totally agree about the President (oh wow, I still get all fluttery in my stomach when I remember that Obama is our President!!). I feel like he's already shaking things up and I just hope that we can all maintain our positive attitudes and maybe save this country of ours from this downward spiral. Yes we can!!

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  7. Miss you on Twitter! I love that picture of Sasha giving the thumbs up. It is just too cute.

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  8. I don't use twitter that much, but I do miss seeing you on there when I am using it!

    I hate when there's an awkward pause when you talk about things you are interested in, like it's not good enough. If it makes you happy, DO IT! <3 <3

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  9. OK, I just voted in your poll, but I needed to say that I miss your twittering! I always looked forward to it (in the least stalkerish way possible, I swear :).

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  10. i totally kept shouting "YES WE CAN!" all day on Tuesday. my parents only thought it was cute for the first 10 minutes. two hours later....not so much.

    AND i miss seeing you in twitterland!!! you must come back!

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  11. I do miss your twitters :) So of course I voted that you start up again!!! You've sold a ton of stuff on Etsy already! (I think...you didn't open too long ago!) I wish you tons of luck on it! Woohoo!

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  12. "I never would have expected to look at the President of the United States as a role model for marriage."

    Who would have thought, huh? I mean, it's almost... too good to be true! I watched them dancing together, gazing into each others' eyes, so in love. & for a second, it reminded me of my own parents once. Needless to say, I can't watch the video anymore. But it is very wonderful to have this kind of wholesomeness & honesty in the world, not to mention... from the PRESIDENT. I'm still pinching myself.

    & please, please come back to Twitter. I miss you! :[

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  13. no, i'm NOT jusy kidding, i WILL buy you a starbucks...send you a $5 giftcard for rejoining even! Wait, whaaa? hey, i wont lie, i'm not opposed to some bribery! LOL i miss you on there lil missy!

    I am in love with Obama's girls. IN LOVE. i want to steal them away or at the very least have Sasha & Isaiah get married. A girl can dream right?;) I love the pic of her giving the thumbs up, TOO CUTE!!!!!

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  14. I love that the presidential stuff is being blogged to death. It's MAJOR. It SHOULD be blogged to death.

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  15. Jeez, what is WRONG with people when they can't see that it doesn't matter what you do for a living--it matters that you enjoy what you're doing. Let's do a little PR for your "crafts". . . I know! They're ARTISAN WORK. That's, like, crafts with a degree or something.

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  16. Such wonderful things to be joyful about! You blow me away with your eternal optimism. (Perhaps both of us are discovering a fabulous glass-half-full perspective? Yesss.)

    And I totally understand the explaining-the-etsy-thing-to-other-people. I rarely talk about it with other people, and when I do, I don't give myself nearly enough credit. It's usually something to the effect of, "Oh, eh, I have this little shop online where I sell things I make. Notecards and stuff." Why can't we talk it up? Seriously. Must work on this.

    And really, people can calm down about the whole college degree thing. Everyone wants to be able to do what they're passionate about for a living - and I think that for so long we've been told that's just not possible (especially when it has to do with creativity and such). But I tell you, IT IS. It totally is. :)

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  17. I think your Etsy adventure will be a great addition to your graphic design portfolio! It shows creativity and hard work. I'm proud of you girl!

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  18. I'm so happy for you for the freelance and etsy stuff. It's awesome that you're doing that! I hope that I can be that brave at some point and just go out on my own to do my own thing!

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  19. I don't think etsy is a waste of your education at ALL. (But then again, I want to be a stay-at-home fiancee with a $100,000 education in my back pocket.) I think you should go for it, but that's my two cents.

    Also, I had to tell you... the only time I ever venture to the pantry for the candy cane Joe Joes are when YOU mention them. SERIOUSLY.

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  20. Following your dreams is what it's all about. If not now, when? Later? Never?

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  21. SO, ya wanna hear a secret?? I am THIS close to opening an etsy shop. Time to do it? Who knows? needing a creative outlet? YES!!!

    Just shoulder bags and stuff like that and maybe some knitting, yes, that would be fun to do!

    See WHAT YOU DID??!!!! YOU inspire me!

    Also, TWI-TTER, TWITTER, TWIIIITTTTEERRR!!!!

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  22. Oooh I never told you that I love this post of yours ... First of all, LOVE the First Family. Love, Love, Love. I'm so sad I never wrote about inauguration day. Boo. But duh, the important thing is Obama is really, truly our president! Crazy crazy crazy! I still can't believe it sometimes.

    Congrats on the success of your Etsy site! That's so exciting! So happy for you that you are following your dreams! I'm jealous that you know just what you want to do! Never let the silly confused people get you down! Keep on rocking, Ashley star!

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  23. you are an inspiration. Seriously!

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