Friday, November 21, 2008

Well, That's Interesting

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Over at Prairie Point, they posted about a site which analyzes your blog and tells you which "Type" you are.

Typealyzer. What type is that blog?

This is what mine came up with-

ESTP - The Doers
The active and play-ful type. They are especially attuned to people and things around them and often full of energy, talking, joking and engaging in physical out-door activities.

The Doers are happiest with action-filled work which craves their full attention and focus. They might be very impulsive and more keen on starting something new than following it through. They might have a problem with sitting still or remaining inactive for any period of time.

Hmmm . . . yes, and no.

Why not give yours a shot?
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Thursday, November 20, 2008

November Inside Inventory

I guess it's time I listed an inventory of what's overwintering and otherwise taking up space inside for the winter season. Although all of these end up outside at some point, I'll still list as if some are overwintering (O) perennials and others as houseplants (H).

O Impatiens - many plants and numerous cuttings
O Coleus - many plants and numerous cuttings
O Asarina vine / Asarina scandens - many/numerous
H Dracaena marginata (6)
H Dracaena fragrans (3) plus cuttings
H Thanksgiving cactus (3) plus cuttings
H Spider plant / Chlorophytum comosum (2) plus numerous plantlets
H Ivy / Hedera helix "Design" (2) plus cuttings
H Ivy / Hedera helix "Variegated Nena" (2) plus cuttings
O Potato vine / Ipomoea batatas "Carolina Purple" many plus numerous cuttings
H Aloe (2) unidentified cultivar
H Echeveria / "Dondo" ?
O Polka Dot plant / Hypoestes phyllostachya 4 dif patterns (4) numerous cuttings
H Dumb Cane / Dieffenbachia maculata "Camilla"?
H Dumb Cane / Dieffenbachia Compacta
H Snake Plant / Sansevieria trifisciata "Laurenti"
H Arrow Head plant / Arum italicum "Pictum"/"Marmoratum"
H Birds Nest fern / Asplenium nidus "Crispafolium" (2)
H Peace Lily / Spathiphyllum "Sweet Pablo" (2)
H Peace Lily / Spathiphyllum - "Double Take" (2)
H Golden Pothos / Epipremnum aureum-Scindapsus aureus
H Burgundy Rubber tree / Ficus elastica decora "Burgundy"
O Caladium / Caladium aracea - numerous
H Asparagus Fern / Asparagus densiflorus "Sprengerii" (30)
O Wax Begonia / Begonia semperflorens - numerous
O Begonia / interspecies cross
H Anthurium / Anthurium amnicola
O Fucshia - numerous
H Jade / Crassula argentea (3)
H Variegated Elephant's Food, Elephant Bush / Portulacaria afra (2)
H Spear Head / Senecio kleiniiformis
O Rosemary / Rosmarinus officinalis (3)
H Schefflera / Schefflera arboricola "Variegata"
O Boston Fern / Nephrolepis exaltata (2)
O Majesty Palm / Ravenea rivularis
O Areca Palm / Chrysalidocarpus lutescens
O Cat Palm / Chamaedorea cataractarum
O Parlor Palm / Chamaedorea elegans
H Lipstick plant / Aeschynanthus radicans
O Chile pepper (5)
O Poinsettia / Euphorbia pulcherrima (12)
O Wandering Jew, Purple Heart, Purple Queen / Tradescantia pallida - Setcreasea purpurea
O Spike Dracaena / Cordyline australis (2 - five years old and huge)
O Elephant Ears / Colocasia esculenta (3)
O Canna / Unknown (4)
O Black Eyed Susan Vine / Thunbergia alata - numerous
O Calla Lily / Zantedeschia aethiopica
H Peperomia / Peperomia obtusifolia "Rainbow" (2)
H Dracaena / "Lemon Lime"
H Dracaena / "Lemon Surprise"
H Flase Aralia / Aralia elegantissma - Dizygotheca elegantissima
H Philodendron, heart leaf / Philodendron scandens - oxycardium (2)
O Dahlia - stored bare bulbs

I've probably forgotten a few.
The only thing I lost last winter were the Cyclamen. Not a bad score for an entire year.

Next post will be a list of the seed inventory. Hey, it's almost time to start wintersowing!

Ironic that this list came directly behind my Too Much Stuff post, eh? Hey, I figure not taking meds for the depression or anxiety disorder since I became plant obsessed is worth it.

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Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Too Much Stuff

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I have been trying to get accross my view of the overly materialistic world we live in and the difference between buying the stuff we want rather than the stuff we need as being pointlessly wasteful for a very, very long time.

To me (remember, this is merely my opinion), there is a distinct, bold, bright line between the two. When I mention my philosophy of the difference to most people, I usually end up getting a snarl in response. In time, most realize the direction of my thinking, but won't admit it. To them, it seems I'm dissing their possessions. They're like a dog with a bone - "Don't mess with me about my stuff! I love my stuff. How dare you suggest I actually discard some or not buy more stuff?!"

Why do people love their stuff?!

There are simple questions to be asked to decide if an item should be purchased: "Do I need it, or do I simply want it? Will I use it every day, or only occasionally? Is there a purpose to this, or will it simply make me feel good to own it? Will this thing make my life any better, any easier or do I just think it will? Is this a planned purchase or in impulse buy?"

Colleen, over at In The Garden Online, touched on this very point regarding a rather expensive piece of jewelry directed at gardeners, but did it with much more couth than I would have mustered over the subject. Seriously, do any of us need expensive (or cheap, for that matter) jewelry? Why? Simply because it makes us feel good or other people will admire our bling? Honestly, call me a weirdo, but I don't believe in having bling just for the sake of having it or because it's pretty hanging off my wrists, neck or ears. By choice, I don't have an engagement ring. I don't even wear a watch. Anyone who knows me, at all, knows they would get a smack upside the head if they ever bought be jewelry - I would consider it nothing more than a waste of money. I don't need stuff to express myself artfully or emotionally - It's just stuff.

I came across this 2007 essay written by Paul Graham. He pretty much says what I'm thinking, but puts it in a more articulate way than I ever could:

STUFF
July 2007
"I have too much stuff. Most people in America do. In fact, the poorer people are, the more stuff they seem to have. Hardly anyone is so poor that they can't afford a front yard full of old cars.

It wasn't always this way. Stuff used to be rare and valuable. You can still see evidence of that if you look for it. For example, in my house in Cambridge, which was built in 1876, the bedrooms don't have closets. In those days people's stuff fit in a chest of drawers. Even as recently as a few decades ago there was a lot less stuff. When I look back at photos from the 1970s, I'm surprised how empty houses look. As a kid I had what I thought was a huge fleet of toy cars, but they'd be dwarfed by the number of toys my nephews have. All together my Matchboxes and Corgis took up about a third of the surface of my bed. In my nephews' rooms the bed is the only clear space.

Stuff has gotten a lot cheaper, but our attitudes toward it haven't changed correspondingly. We overvalue stuff."

Maybe the economy has finally hit the point at which this will start to ring a bell with people who were previously unwilling to stop buying all that unnecessary stuff.
Click to continue reading Paul's essay about 'STUFF'
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It's That Time Of Year Again

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The weather dude has spoken: It's January weather in November - and going to last.
Which means I won't be doing much in the sewing room now as it has no heat source. No new undies, shirts, pants, PJs, dresses or skirts for the kids for a while.

I'm still working on the next Cathedral Window quilt. I'm glad I had the foresight to bring all the supplies into the living room in a nice tidy bin. Ahhh, but who knows how long that tidiness will last.

I need to start up a new cross stitch project soon, or maybe something in the knitty/crochety category. My fingers are aching to do some playing in yarn, though all I have left are scraps of skeins. Maybe I have enough to do some mittens again for the Rescue Mission. Maybe not. I'll have to dig and see. If not, I'll have to look through my old patterns and find something small to do.

I definitely need to start on my (now) annual Seed Paper - Pressed Flower - Rubber Stamped - Christmas Cards for this Christmas. Maybe right after Thanksgiving.

100 UFOs, and apparently I need more. lol.

Oh! And that pumpkin from my roaside shopping trip that someone was throwing out? Yup, it made exactly 4 loves of bread.
:)

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Sunday, November 16, 2008

Linens 'N Things Update

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If you shop there, now might be the time to look for some good deals as ALL stores will be closing in mid-December, including those in Canada, since they failed to find any backers after the first round of closings. The company has been bought out by a liquidation firm.

I feel bad for the employees who will be losing their jobs right before Christmas.
Figures, eh?

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