Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?

As I was walking down the street one day,   

A man came up to me and asked me  

What the time was that was on my watch, yeah,

And I said, 

Does anybody really know what time it is? 

Does anybody really care? 

It’s a strange feeling to not know what time it is. Especially now, with clocks and information everywhere! But that’s what happened. Darn daylight savings time!

It started when the clock in the truck was wrong. Then there was the crossing to another time zone. Add ‘springing forward’ to the list, one time on the microwave, another on the clock on the wall, still another on the cell phone and one more on the clock in town. The satellite TV had another time that didn’t match the cell phone time, which was supposed to be correct but did match the microwave which wasn’t supposed to be correct. Finally, because it was ‘vacation’, I decided it just didn’t matter!

I went to bed when I was tired. I woke up when I woke up. I ate when I was hungry and had enough time to do what I wanted to do. There wasn’t a bedtime or a wake up time. There was no need to be anywhere at a certain time. There were no deadlines. It was nice. Timeless.

Now the clock in the truck is right. The microwave is reset. The clock on the wall caught up. The cell phones are spot on. The satellite is off, but that’s because it originates from another time zone. And the clock is ticking.

Only a few more days and it all begins again. The busy will hit. Go to sleep. Wake up. Hit snooze. Go to sleep again. Wake up. Hurry. Hurry. Hurry. Be here. Be there. Be early. No time to say “Hello, Goodbye”. Don’t be late.

http://tattly.com/products/youre-very-very-late

Springing forward doesn’t seem to get me any extra time. It is a little less dark when I leave for work in the morning and it’s definitely still daylight when I come home. But I won’t have the time to do the things I want to do and I won’t take the time to do the things I have to do. I know it’s my fault. I seem to waste time instead of saving time. But it doesn’t really matter. Time goes on, regardless.

And I was walking down the street one day, 

A pretty lady looked at me and said 

Her diamond watch had stopped cold dead … 

And I said, yes I said,

Does anybody really know what time it is? 

I had some extra time this week…well, not really. I should say I took some time this week and read a book or two. Now I can knit in most situations. I can knit under the table. I can knit in the dark. But I can’t knit and read an actual paper book. What I can do is take a bubble bath and read a book. So I did. I took long, glorious bubble baths!

Good book and easy knitting. Lacy cowl in progress. Go to Ginny's blog for more yarn along stories.

Others were either sleeping or busy. It was a nice quiet time. I like ‘easy’ reading when I get to read for fun. I really like mysteries and I don’t know what they’d be called, but ‘chick flick’ books. You know, the kind with happy endings. Most of the time you can make mine fiction.

One book I read was called “The Nosy Neighbor”, by Fern Michaels. It’s about a lawyer who gets tired of defending criminals she knows are guilty. She moves to the suburbs to get away from it all. She has a shady fiancé, but meets her nosy neighbor who saves the day. Easy read and I enjoyed it.

Purple Mobius. To frog or not to frog? See more creative projects!

I did weave another one of those bracelets, neither of which I finished by putting on a clasp or closing to be able to wear. I made a mobius, just a quick easy one, to use some yarn I liked. But I think it’s too long so I may take it apart. Also, I started another cowl, in a lacy pattern, that I’m just winging. Maybe it could be worn besides in the winter. But it’s looking a little long as well. Seems lately I spend a lot of time making something then taking it apart. It’s just another way to use my time.

Does anybody really know what time it is? 

Does anybody really care? 

No I can't imagine why.

We've all got time enough to cry...

She's A Lady

Well she's all you'd ever want,  

She's the kind they'd like to flaunt and take to dinner.  

Well she always knows her place. 

She's got style, she's got grace, She's a winner. She's a Lady.  

Whoa whoa whoa, She's a Lady. 

I was reminded the other day how fortunate I am to have a daughter like mine. A situation came up, a questionable situation, involving the use of a design with no credit to the original designer. She was the designer and saw something from her blog, recreated on the cover of a magazine.

If I saw something I had designed, on the cover of a magazine or anywhere, I’d know they’d probably thought of it themselves. In her case however, it was almost a sure thing that her design had been the inspiration for their cover. She’s very well known in the blogging world, especially in the baking blogging world. There were many similarities in the picture on her blog and the cover picture. In fact, the magazine admitted their error and sent her a formal letter of apology.

Sweet Sugar Belle and the magazine...

Throughout this short lived ordeal, emotions ran high from people on both sides of the issue. The magazine had a Facebook page. Some of Callye’s supporters asked the magazine to credit her for the cover photo. Others attacked like sharks. It was like they were waiting, circling the Internet watching for traces of blood to appear in cyberspace. Callye was the blood. And she hadn’t done a thing.

I don’t know how others see me, but I think of myself as fairly easy going. I try to avoid confrontation. But like most people, I can be pushed only so far before I’ll fight back. For years I watched my mother be walked on like a doormat in various situations. Without even realizing it I vowed I wouldn’t be that way. I wouldn’t let people push me around. As I’ve gotten older, the push limit has become a lot shorter. It still takes a lot but when that last straw has been reached it might get ugly.

Sweet Sugar Belle

I read the comments and the attacks and the accusations towards Callye and I tried to keep calm. I thought it best not to be involved, mainly because I didn’t want anything I did to hurt her or her blogging success. As the day went on and people were ruder, my resolve weakened. Callye, however, didn’t say a word to address any of this. She said, "Mom, the best thing is just to be gracious".

Graciousness is about how you make the people around you feel. Francis Bacon said, “If a man be gracious and courteous to strangers, it shows he is a citizen of the world”. It’s important to learn to respond graciously to criticism, especially mean-spirited and angry feedback. Responding in kind is not the solution. It brings no value to the situation and often causes more animosity. It’s tempting, though. It might even make you feel good. But that’s only for a moment. In the end, there’s no winner. Nothing positive is gained.

I’d like to take credit for her graciousness. But I’m afraid she didn’t learn it from me. In fact, the other day when she had a ‘microphone experience’, (another blog post), she said, "Mom, I’m just like you. I said something bad and they heard me". Yes, I wanted to say something bad, especially to the haters bashing my little girl. And I did comment in a couple of places on that Facebook page. But I went back and deleted them. I stayed away until late that night. Then I went back again. One lady had taken it upon herself to personally attack Callye. Another joined in. I replied.

On the Martha Stewart Show

I was rethinking what I’d done and was going back to delete what I’d typed when Callye texted me a little after midnight to let me know the magazine had come through. That was when she received her formal letter of apology, the guarantee of a nice gift and the promise of being featured in a future magazine. Besides that, the mean, spiteful comments were deleted from their page. Mine were attached so they were gone too. Even a magazine can act with grace.

I’m proud of my daughter for so many things. I'm proud of her success. I’m proud of her for not acting like me. I’m proud to be her mother. I’m proud of her for being a lady. I hope someday I can learn to be as gracious as she.

Well she's never in the way 

Always something nice to say, Oh what a blessing. 

Whoa whoa whoa, She's a Lady. 

I went to a fun class today. They called it paper clip weaving. You don’t really weave on a paper clip but they are incorporated into a loom.

Paperclip loom, warped

Side view of loom

It’s weaving, like normal, but the paperclips make it so that there aren’t a lot of warp threads to weave in at the end. There are some limitations, as in length, but it’s a portable project that looks like it’s going to be fun.

Warped loom ready to weave

This will be a bracelet when it’s done. I’ve only worked on it about an hour and it’s coming along. I’ll post a picture of the finished project soon. If you want to see some finished projects and great ideas, head over to Our Creative Spaces and look around.

The start of a bracelet

I finished the ivory cowl, too. I don’t have plans for it and may end up gifting it.

Plain cowl--ivory yarn with a sparkle

Rolled edges on top and bottom

I saw a t-shirt once that said, “I knit so I won’t kill people”. It struck me as funny but really there’s something to it. It does keep my fingers busy so maybe I can’t type rude things. And if I stick yarn in my mouth maybe I won’t say rude things! One of these days maybe I’ll be a lady.

Well she never asks for very much and I don't refuse her. 

Always treat her with respect, I never would abuse her. 

What she's got is hard to find, and I don't want to lose her.

Yeah yeah. She's a Lady.

Talkin' about that little lady, and the lady is mine.

In Fort Worth, Dallas or Houston…

or in San Antone…

It’s doesn’t matter where, but this time, Dallas it is. I’ll be there for a few days for a conference. This trip has added benefits in the fact that my friends from across the state will be there. I can contact any of them by email, telephone or text, but we don’t get to meet in person often, so we take advantage of the opportunity when we can.

Education Service Center Regions in Texas

We’ll, laugh, joke and learn from each other. We started as a group of strangers and we’ve become a group of friends. These are the people I depend on when I have a problem in the program I work with. I have no qualms asking dumb questions. Sometimes I get dumb answers in return but most of the time I get new ideas, new information and new perspectives or find the answer that was in front of me the whole time.

It’s not often a group forms the dynamics we have, especially with the distance involved, and it is a real pleasure. I’ll be surrounded with support and encouragement. I’ll bring it back with me and hope it can last until the next time we meet in person.

In Beaumont, Lubbock or Austin. Or in El Paso…

In Fort Worth, Dallas or Houston. Or in Abilene…

I tried something new the other day. I just happened to see an advertisement for a crocheted bead bracelet class. It was my week off from work so I made arrangements to go. When I went in to register and got a look at the bracelet, it wasn’t what I had thought. In fact, it looked really simple to put together. And it was. I had to string the beads that were in the kit before I got there and bring a crochet hook.

Beads strung on cord

There was no pattern. Instead we got spoken instructions. I didn’t mind that but some of the finishing techniques were new to me and I’d have liked a written copy or a picture or something to make sure I can do it should I try another one. The crochet part was simple. It was chain for about four and a half inches with a bead in each chain. Then there were three single chains, without beads, and another section of four and a half inches with beads. This continued until the cord ran out.

Crochet bead chain

Putting it together wasn’t all that hard either. What I found out is that I can’t see! I really couldn’t see the ring to open it or to put it on the beads. I couldn’t see to add the charms. I didn’t even know I couldn’t see what I couldn’t see! I got a little help from the instructor on that part.

Charms might not have been exactly where I wanted but since I couldn't see...

The end product didn’t look bad at all! I enjoyed the class and hope I can participate in more. Maybe my next class should be one of those eyeglass holder necklaces, with some new glasses attached!

Finished product!

The arm isn't so great but the bracelet is!

I hope I can meet with my peeps again soon. Anywhere.

In Wichita Falls or Waco or San Angelo…

Somewhere round about Fort Worth Dallas or Houston or ol' El Paso…