Anan's (not-so) Randomness!

My Mom is Not a Spaz

2008-04-28T08:09:57-06:00

My Mom is not a spaz (Mrs. Stuckwisch isn't either.) If I had to put up with even half of the nonsense they deal with every day, there wouldn't be any little children left to populate the planet. They never run through the yard screaming, I've never seen either one of them throw hard boiled eggs across a yard, and they don't burst into tears when someone climbs over a gate.

I am amazed by their presence of mind in these situations! They almost always handle it in a much more dignified manner than I could ever manage. If a nine year old boy was climbing on *my* furniture I would toss him out a window... but all our windows are still intact. This is only because it isn't my jurisdiction to "parent" the nine year old. When even my gentlest chidings make a 7yo girl burst into tears, it pretty much makes me fall apart as well.

Maybe some of you envy this havok. It seems pretty crazy to me, but I guess it's possible. I suppose I prefer the screaming and giggling of 13 other children to sitting alone in a house. It might make me very depressed to think that there are others who always have little children around, who when they aren't beating you with sticks, can be very adorable and endearing.

So maybe I'm thankful, or at least I should be, but I sure don't "feel" like it most of the time.

Of a Workaholic

2008-04-12T18:13:48-06:00

(I already wrote all this and then the %^*&@#*@#* computer bleeped it so bear with me...)

I realized something rather notable this afternoon. I've always known that I'm a workaholic, but I never thought about how that could apply to my education. A fashion major involves alot of things that I already know how to do... it's still work but it's become almost mindless. If I'm going to devote four years of my time, and my funds, to something, I want it to be something I can learn from. Certainly there are things I could learn in a Fashion Design program, but they're all things I could teach myself just as easily. All the famous Fashion Designers I've read about didn't even major in fashion! They majored in things like journalism...

No, I don't want to study journalism (though I do spend far too much time considering how to imporve our local lousy newspaper...) Studying organ has popped back up again. An organ major is even more labor-intensive than a fashion design major. That's great because I don't want the easy way out. There are quite a few things about organ/music in general that I have to work very hard at. Such as counting... *grumblemumble* It's not that I can't do it, but it takes alot of work. Therein lies the challenge! Ta-ran-ta-ra! Whereas I can easily rattle off the short list of things I could learn from a fashion program, I can hardly begin to do so when it comes to organ.

Yes, I'm insane. Stop making those weird faces, you'll get stuck that way.

To restate my point: I don't want to take the easy route! Isn't it convenient to think of just majoring in something I already know something about? Yes, but it's hardly interesting at all, though it would certainly be fun... Seriously. Do you want your college education to be four years of being bored by "learning" things you've already mastered? Hmmmm? Fess up now... and suffer my centure.

It is true that I have a head-start on studying organ, unlike many other organ majors, but it's hardly equal to my advantage in sewing.

My "tentative plan" is to go ahead and apply to Stephens college and if I'm accepted and get good scholarships then I will consider it, but I'll go ahead and apply for places like Valpo (*gasp* yes,yes, theology... bleh), and Notre Dame as well. Sadly not Hillsdale or Bethany... :-(

Random note: "Jo" always said that the folks at ND weren't very "good Catholics", but I prefer mediocre Roman Catholicism to sadly deteriorating Lutheran theology anyday... <hides from Valpo fans> Go ahead and be offended BTW.

Little Horns

2008-03-17T20:07:49-06:00

I just finished listening to a CD compiled by none other than the Most Right Reverend Doctor Richard Stuckwisch. I thoroughly enjoyed it... but not for the reasons you might expect.

I was not pleased that some of the songs were on there. I mean, I like the songs themselves, but since Pastor picked them out specifically and put them on a CD for me it made me jump up and down and growl, "OOooooo Pastor! You're in BIG trouble!"

It all made sense and made me happy up until #11... and #12... and #15 I think. These songs made sense as well but they both ripped my heart out and made my blood boil. Oooo.... How could someone pinpoint those *exact songs* that would make me squirm in my seat? Hmmm?

After "My Life Is A Country Song" I was ready for it to be over but then I heard it... "I'm Good" by Bucky Covington. It starts out something like: "I've got my eyes on the deacon's daughter" and it goes on from there... I love that song. And yet... It just isn't right that Pasto' should put it on a CD for me! Hmph!

I can make it clear enough that I loved the CD, at least because it was so great at teasing me, and as a certain sage once said, "You know, we tease you alot, but you don't seem to really mind."

Most notably, all the songs on the CD were sung by male singers. I smell a rat (or maybe even a dead fish).

-Annabelle who is going back to sewing now and won't check her email for at least 20 hours...

Sandra Boynton

2008-02-18T20:52:51-07:00

I just finished listening to Blue Moo. (Several times...) Suddenly the epitome of coolness is singing in the shower, and my new goal in life is to teach a hippo to dance. I have a strong urge to take all of my siblings and go march through the grocery store shouting “We’re the Uninvited Loud Precision Band!” The singing in the shower song makes me think of somebody, but I won’t mention names. In other words I’m very happy.

Another Sandra Boynton CD; “Rhinoceros Tap” has a song called “Tropical Sand”, which I enjoy despite my love of heat etc… I have my reasons.

You like Hawaii where the oceans roar. You like Bermuda with the pink, pink shore. You like Aruba where the palm trees sway. You like Montego with its beautiful bay. You like the tropical sun and the tropical sea. But hey, mon, Alaska sounds good to me.

Refrain: I got the sand in my toes and the sand in my nose, the sand in my ears and the sand in my clothes. I got the sand in my hair and the sand in my face. I got the sand most ev’ry place.

You like the tropical birds in their tropical flight. I get the tropical bugs with their tropical bite You like to be playing in the sun when it’s hot I wish I could find me some shade where it’s not. You tell me the islands are very very pretty, but me, I find them…a little too gritty.

There’s another verse but you should just listen to it. :D

Strange...

2008-02-12T18:00:01-07:00

...So after dinner I started "waltzing" around the Great Room (Great Rum?) with my water glass and singing what I know of that song from Sleeping Beauty. The one where they're dancing around in a forest. Martin said something like "She's going crazy!" and I had to agree.

I just thought y'all might appreciate that. Gaaaaaah! The smileys won't work! ":-| Work! ":-| Hmph.

whimpers

2008-02-12T09:07:38-07:00

http://www.stephens.edu/

This place is pretty awesome as far as I can tell. It even has a vintage fashion library!!! <can't breath> But... it's in Columbia MO... Could we start a Christ on Campus ministry there??? Puleeeze??? :p It's garunteed to be pretty feminist since it's a ladies college, and I couldn't survive that without a good church in the area. Did I mention that it's girls-only? (How great is that? Hehehe...)

I'm pretty much just dreaming at this point, it doesn't really mean anything.

Oh and I haven't had much of a chance to experiment with the PFAFF... <sniff> I did get to put in a zipper!! It was really exciting.

Guess What!!!!

2008-02-01T07:48:53-07:00

Ha! I can't tell you! <does a happy little jig> Let's just say I'm so happy I could burst. I'm incredible relieved! I have a perpetual smirk frozen on my face! I was right all along! I'm so happy I could hug almost everyone I know! (sadly, most of you are far away.) I've been bouncing around the house all morning! And I still can't tell you why! Oh the joy! Oh the beauty of it all! <sigh> I'm feeling incredibly mischevious... So beware! Or don't, and you shall suffer from my glee. In fact I'm feeling so ornery that I'll even post this picture!

Figger out what *that's* about! <bursts into song> Happy, happy, happy! We are all so happy! We're happy to be happy so we say, hey, hey, hey! Happy, happy, happy! We are all so happy! We're happy to be happy so we say, H-A-P-P-Y! H-A-P-P-Y! Happy, happy, happy, happy, hey!!!!!!!!!!!! Now I must take my happy, "disgustingly appealing", self off to do school work. <bounces away singing Alleluia>

What's Wrong Here?

2008-01-30T19:11:53-07:00

Both of the girls on this pattern envelope are wearing two gloves and holding a third... Huh? Is the third for hitting people with? Or maybe they're going to rob a jewelry store and put the stolen goods in their innocent looking extra gloves. Oo! Oo! Maybe one of them is going to murder someone (causing her gloves to get bloody in the process) and they're each holding one of her fresh gloves so as to look less suspicious. Which one looks like she could murder someone? Erik and I agree that the one in white would be the chief suspect. In any case I say these girls are criminal masterminds and should be called to repentence. Especially since they're both wearing dresses that I cov- I mean... Well yes, I confess, I covet their dresses, but that's beside the point. Anyways I would settle for this one:

The one with the weird panels. I almost died in a fit of excitement when I saw this pattern. It's not like I think it's especially pretty or anything, it's because it's so stinkin' weird/awexome! If I wanted to be perky I'd go with this:

I don't think I could fail to be happy and perky in such a dress. I would make it in the funky stripes of course. AND I would *NEED* funky shoes to go with the funky stripes... Like bright yellow peep-toes. I saw some of those at a thrift store and I need an excuse to find myself a pair. :p

Well I'm feeling better now anyway. Good ol' dress patterns.

Heirlooms

2008-01-29T17:02:19-07:00

The word "heirlooms" makes looms (ya know... the kind you weave with) pop into my head. I have managed to avoid acquiring *that* particualr kind of heirloom, though people have tried to bless me with various models.

I cleaned my room some today. Among other things I found dirty pink knee socks in a tin that a mug had been packaged in. (Note that I share my room with a six year old.) There was also an empty tape roll carefully placed on the bookshelf. I was tempted to put countless little fragments of Emmaus bulletins in the Heirloom Bag, but I didn't want my sister to cry. Ain't I sweet? Spam.

I cleaned up some red onions which were in the living room... Spam.

Here is an excellent heirloom:

I think these shoes are still a standard British... I mean I think these shoes are still under my dresser. They're too small for Cia and I hid them down there so she wouldn't wear them in the winter. (Which she was doing all the time back when I hid these.) The chances that there will be another Horner girl are very slim, but I'm sure we should save these anyway. Perhaps Mom will give them to Cia years from now in a bag with Emmaus bulletins and unused bath products! Brilliant!

A New Family Business

2008-01-06T16:47:25-07:00

http://www.potterybarn.com/products/p10308/index.cfm?pkey=xsrd0m1%7C20%7C%7C%7C1%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7Crustic%20wood%20accents&cm%5Fsrc=SCH

So... If pottery Barn can sell what appears to be sections of telephone poles for $200 and $250, what's to prevent us from doing so? I believe I have a calling in this business! I could still call them "reclaimed-wood stools" couldn't I? Surely my brothers will be eager to help sell these lovely hunks of wood. It seems that they're the perfect perch for iPod speakers as well! Perfect!

::runs off to find some old telephone poles::