Monday-4am

After making the videos on cutting randomly shaped paper for the front of cards---I decided to just keep working on cutting Ann's paste paper. Since I had planned to use all the smaller painted paper for cards--well, I just kept going. (She also sent some larger sheets that might be big enough to cover a small journal.) You can see the stack of paper I cut for card fronts! Not done yet--as you can see.

Well, it occurred to me--why not use these to make a set of birthday cards? I had planned on making two sets of birthday cards this year anyways. So--Yes!! I just kept cutting off and on all day yesterday--intrigued by the variety. I can pick out the ones I want to use for the birthday cards and have the rest already cut and ready to go! All this paper will take up less room when it is all trimmed up, too. I get to play with my new Dahle cutter and get more comfortable using it. Win-win-win-all around, eh? hehehe! Happy me!

I think I chuckle every time I walk past Karma's cat grass. It does kind of remind me of a haystack. Still alive and Karma nibbles on it frequently...

...when she's not asleep someplace.

I decided to make up some Monk's Porridge--been years! Simple to make. All you need is sweet brown rice. I had to go to a health food store to find it. Some call it sweet, sticky brown rice or sweet short brown rice. You start it the night before. Boil 6 cups of water and pour in 1 1/4 cups of the sweet brown rice--remove from heat, stir, cover, and leave it sit and absorb overnight. Heat it up in the morning. Add water if it is too dry--supposed to be a little soupy and creamy. Got the recipe from this book.

You can add a small handful of cooked beans (black, pinto, or adzuki), leftover cooked greens (spinach or kale), toasted nuts (sesame seeds, slivered almonds), Nori cut into small pieces, scallions,Tamari, Kimchee, crumbled hard-boiled eggs, sliced Shitake mushrooms, Umeboshi plums, pickled daikon, wheat germ, coconut, seeds (sunflower, walnuts). You can spice it up, too, if you like. Of course they don't say to eat it like oatmeal with sugar and milk--but I've been eating it that way--hehe! Not a healthy way--I seem to find it. Has a different flavor than anything I was used to--but not bad. Guess I should try some of the proper, suggested condiments, eh? Once I have made up a batch I just reheat it in the microwave. Simple! :)

I have been reading the beginning of the Soul Coaching book--explanation of how it works, etc.

Even tho the book covers 28 days--the author says you could spread that out to 28 weeks or even one week per season and make it a year. I had figured I'd have to adapt the timetable for myself in the first place, so I was glad to read that. :) You know how slowly I am able to get things done! The idea of trying to do daily tasks--well, it is not likely I would ever be physically able to keep that up. So, I am kind of aiming for the 28 weeks but I will probably forget about a time table altogether, to be perfectly honest. Just move slowly along at my own pace, you know?

Then--it says you can work at any of these three levels on any given day.

Level One: "Committed to Change" (15-30 min)

Level Two: "Going For It" (30-60min)

Level Three: "Playing Full Out" (takes as long as it takes--includes levels 1 & 2)

I have gone through books that have timetables like this in the past. Usually I find myself struggling to keep up and I end up skimming or sliding across the surface--not wanting to fall behind, you know? I have gone back and done the books again later on to get more out of it (like The Artist's Way--wonderful book).

I am more interested in doing the deeper work. Some areas I need more work in, obviously--chuckle! I may linger in some chapters and may move swiftly through others--go through the process my own way--allowing for my own limitations. That's the plan. I am working on the prep work right now and plan to start the first chapter on January 5th. A Monday seems like a good day to start. Naturally--I will keep you informed of my progress and what I am working on--or through--hehe!

Going to be a good year!! :):)