July So Far...

Since I'm striving to be authentic and real, here's a little recap of July for you...

Word to describe the month: Uncertainty!  
We're switching software programs at work, and it's looking like there will be less for Health Unit Coordinators to do.  A few of us were sent to a big hospital across the state, in Green Bay, on Thursday and when I get there, I found out they don't even use HUCs anymore.  Not a good sign, but this hospital is about 10 times larger than my hospital, so I haven't lost hope yet, still it's unnerving.  And, it's not like the job market is saturated here where I am.  On top of that, it's also been very slow at work lately, so they've been having us stay at home, and just be on call a lot. But on call pay is not much and it certainly doesn't pay the bills.

Watching: Doctor Who (season 9) and rewatching Firefly.  I love both these shows, although I still haven't warmed up to Peter Capaldi's Doctor.  He's okay, just not as much fun as Matt Smith or David Tennant.  But it's getting better.  Firefly is just so full of quirky characters that are flawed but lovable, it's been fun seeing them again.

Listening: A lot of Bon Iver and The Decemberists.  Typically, I find myself drawn to them more in the fall, but with all the uncertainty as of late, they've been in heavy rotation.

Reading (besides books): this great article from Yes and Yes about improving you blog without technical know how, this article from The Wonderforest about changing your life path, and this article from Takepart about how music can influence how we perceive flavors.

Working on: Some sewing for a craft fair this winter.  Some hand embroidery.  Gallery wall pictures.

Looking forward to: A fresh month.  I feel like July kind of spiraled away from me.  My eating got worse the more I got stressed thinking about work.  I took a lot of naps.  (Napping is like my coping mechanism when I'm stressed.  I know it does nothing to help the situation, but does put off dealing with the stress.  Tell me I'm not the only one who does this!) And, I justified eating potato chips when I was at work, because I was stressed, when it would have been much more beneficial for me to take a walk and get some fresh air or go down to the cardiac rehab lab and walk on a treadmill or something.  Consequently, my weight is up about three pounds and my body feels pretty blah.  Gotta get back on track!

Photo Highlights:

1. The other day, when I was on call, so I took a drive near where I grew up.  This creek is a spot where my dad used to take my brother and I redhorse fishing in the spring.  2.  Beets.  These aren't fresh from the garden, but aren't they pretty?  There's just something about beets.  3.  New coffee shop I discovered.  It was every thing a coffee shop should be, warm and inviting with good drinks, and bonus:  they were handing out free fudge samples.  4.  Cherries.  It's been a great year for cherries and I've ate more this summer than probably the last five years combined!



So tell me how your July was.  What word would sum it up?  Or what are you looking forward to?  Are you going somewhere?  New book coming out by an author you love?  Spill it, I want to hear how you're doing!

And, if you're not familiar with Bon Iver, here's a little taste.  He's by far the most successful local artist I know of.  (Local meaning he grew up about an hour from here and still comes back to town pretty frequently.)

Musical Monday- Birdy's Skinny Love and Light Me Up

I really wasn't planning on linking up for Musical Monday today.  Nothing was sticking out and I've just been listening to a lot of mainstream stuff lately, but this morning while I was flipping through Spotify's recommendations for me, I saw Birdy whom they recommended based on my love of the Civil Wars.  Sometimes I think Spotify is drunk when they give me recommendations, but this time they actually did pretty good.

Birdy does a lot of covers which I actually kind of liked.  Here she is performing Bon Iver's Skinny Love, with her own unique twist on it.


And here she is singing Light Me Up which is more upbeat, and definitely more "poppy" than something I'd normal pick, but it's still pretty good.

Her voice just has this nice quality to it. Like a much less depressed Lana Del Ray, or more fun loving Lordes.  Check her out.  She does some covers of Fleet Foxes, The National, and The XX too.

And don't forget to check out My So Called Chaos' link up to see what all the other kids are listening to this week.  It's easy.  Just click the picture below.

Also, don't forget to stop back later this week!  It's my one year Blogiversary and I have a big present planned for some lucky soul!

Music for a Snow Day

We've had a big snowstorm the last few days. Big, heavy, snowman making snow. Unfortunately, yesterday was the first day off I've had in nearly a week, so the closest I got to the snow was shoveling my deck and sidewalk. The rest of the day was spent baking cookies, sewing, and cleaning house. But, here is my snowy day play list. These songs make me wish I was out cross country skiing through the woods. There's just something so peaceful about being out in nature swooshing through snow.

  

Laura Veirs is one my favorites. She's kind of like a mellowed out Neko Case.   They both have this folksy, storyteller vibe.  Like they're telling you old fables and whispers of things you never knew about. 

Bon Iver (Justin Vernon) is Wisconsin's favorite son.  He grew up about an hour from here and still comes home often.  His first album was wrote in the winter, in his family's cabin, in the woods, so maybe that's why his music seems to fit so naturally with our snowy climate.

Fleet Foxes got me through a really yucky time in my life.  I was working a job I hated.  It was all I could do to get through each day at work.  I would leave for lunch around 11am and just go to McDonalds and get coffee and French fries and drive around for my half hour break listening to this CD, wishing I wouldn't have to go back.  It was a horrible environment and I think pretty much everyone I worked with felt depressed (looking back I'm sure French fries and coffee weren't helping my situation any).  But, life got better.  And, luckily, the CD doesn't bring back any bad memories, more like an appreciation for helping me survive.

But, anyhow, these songs make winter seem not so horrid.  They feel like a perfect companion to the fresh white snow covering everything here.  It all seems fresh and pure and undisturbed.  I kind of like that.

Finally- don't forget to enter my giveaway for Pretty Little Pouches and Purses.  It ends tonight at midnight.

It's a great book for anyone looking to get into sewing practical things.