Friday, August 31, 2012

Tiny House

I have many strange qualities, and I am constantly surprised and grateful that you all (normally) find my strangeness charming instead of repellent.


One of my more peculiar traits is my love of teeny-tiny, well organized spaces.  I think it feeds the repressed engineer part of my soul so see something well considered and efficient and it feeds the artistic part of my soul to see something to cosy and beautiful.

This obsession is deeply rooted in my personality.  To lay the groundwork for you, as a child:

-I had an unhealthy interest in airplane bathrooms.  (I had to visit this wonderland at least twice a flight.)
-I went on trips with my grandparents in their motorhome and I was in awe of how they were able to make all the comforts of home fit into a car.
-I would play house in the space between my bed and my bedroom wall, and wonder why anyone on earth would need any more space than that 2' x 6' to live in.

So now that I've shown how deep this love affair with the teeny tiny goes, I'll share with you my latest obsession: the tiny home.

Weebee from Tumbleweed


Gifford from Tumbleweed


Just look at how cute these little guys are!  I first became aware of the concept of "Tiny Houses" while browsing around Pinterest, and have spent the last several months casually browsing through floor plans and watching web videos on tiny living.  (There is also an awesome episode of HGTV Design star where they design Tiny Homes, season 6 which is weirdly not online right now...)

One of the leaders of the "Tiny Home Revolution" is Jay Shafer, and his website is where I find myself many an day dreamy saturday afternoon.  His company sells plans, kits and pre-made tiny homes.  The one I have picked out in my dreams is actually one of his biggest: The Loring.



I love the idea of living super simply and uncluttered.  My current cleaning pattern is letting my living spaces get dirtier and dirtier until I snap and clean everything from top to bottom.  This can take anywhere from one week to two, but with this small of a space it would increase my cleaning cycle to daily.  (Bonus)

My palms get sweaty when I think about how challenging and rewarding it would be to build something like this on my own.  It is something that in one way or another I would love to attempt someday.

I just wanted to share my daydream about building my own little mini house.  Have any of you felt the call to downsize?  Do you swoon at the sight of precie space management?  Ever attempted to build something completely beyond your skill set?

~Claire Out

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

What I'm Reading Wednesday: Abhorsen Trilogy

I finally finished the Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix earlier this week.  As I mentioned in this post I accidentally started with the second book first.  I took a quick detour over to read the first and just finished the third.  While I don't recommend this wacko reading order, I have to say that this is one of my favorite series I've read in a while.

I completely recommend them to fans of the fantasy genre or people perhaps looking to dip a toe into the fantasy genre after time away.  I feel I need to confess I am not the biggest fan of the fantasy genere.  Sci-fi yes.  Fantasy no.  However, I think this series avoids all of the pitfalls of fantasy (like an over-obvious quest, stupid but battle ready characters and cliché stock world).  It actually gives me hope that there is other equally good fantasy series out there in the world that remains to be discovered.  I mean I had never even heard of this author or series and the first book was written in 1995!

Have any of you lately tested the waters of a genre you thought wasn't your cup of tea to find you were dead wrong?  It wasn't even a recommendation that drove me to this wonderful discovery, it was a random pick off the library shelf.  I completely recommend this method for finding something new, but I would warn you to be on the lookout for jumping into the middle of a series.

~Claire Out.


Friday, August 24, 2012

Wanderlust

I've got a vacation planned in my future and I'm finding it very difficult to wait.

Any advice on how to make the time between now and then go faster?

~Claire Out. 



Friday, August 17, 2012

Travlin'

I'm getting away for a little while this weekend.  It is amazing what a mini trip out of the TMZ can do for my mood.  I've been near giddy all week.  Do any of you have any end-of-summer vacation plans?

~Claire Out.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

This American Life

This American Life, for those of you who don't know, is a radio program.  A great radio program.  And believe me, I never really thought I would say type those words.  I don't often listen to the radio, and to be honest I still don't.  I subscribe and listen to the This American Life podcast via iTunes.  It is one of the highlights of my week to listen to these insightful, funny, moving and informative shows.

It is tricky to describe what the show is "about".  The host Ira Glass often discribes it in the following way: "each week we choose a theme and put together different kinds of stories on that theme".  It doesn't sound too focused does it?  Well it isn't really very focused.  Some of the themes include: The European Economic Crisis, Conventions, BlackJack and The Ten Commandments. The only thing that each of the shows have in common is how consistently good they are.

I really recommend checking out an episode or two (for free!).  It is an amazingly well put together show that is sometimes news related and sometimes purely entertainment.  It is a good enough to deserve your undivided attention, but since it is a radio program it can also be enjoyed while you are cleaning, driving or doing some other menial task.

I am probably the last person in the world to get on the "This American Life" train, but I'm glad that I did.

~Claire Out.




Monday, August 13, 2012

Sideboard Bling

A few weekends ago I painted my sideboard.  I think it made a marked improvement to the overall look in the space.  However, on my trip to Ikea to buy my hat rack,  I couldn't help but pick up a little something for my sideboard as well.

A wine rack!


Now I've added even more function to my little side table and a little sparkle.  It keeps with the silver and black color scheme I've got going on in my dining area.  This super easy purchase is an example of a tiny improvement that can make a big difference.

~Claire Out.

Friday, August 10, 2012

Phase One

Today is Mike and my anniversary.  Negative one year.  I'm excited.

Until I remember that in approximately a years time I will have a lot of photographs taken of me.

Yikes.

I currently weigh more than I ever have in my life.  None of my clothes fit me.  And I get sweaty and exhausted with the slightest physical activity.  All of this is leaving me feeling decidedly un-bridal and more than a little pathetic.  Therefore, I will be starting the "Better Life Diet" Phase One.

I know, I know.  You are not supposed to go on a crazy crash diet before your wedding.  Diets have a tendency to make brides-to-be even more crazy and controlling than they already are.  Which is why I am not going on a crazy crash diet.  I have one year to loose weight at a slow, healthy pace by making changes in the kinds of foods I eat, how much I eat and by increasing my physical activity.

Let me tell you a little something about me and diets.  I hate them.  My answer to diets in the past had been that life was just too short to not eat the cookie/bagel/delicious-but-nutritiously-lacking-treat.  (I deserve it!)  I also was confident that people who followed strict diets are probably a zillion times more miserable living with all those restrictions then I am being overweight.

My answer to both of my previous serious objections is the same.  I'm making these changes in order to take (better) care of myself.

Life is too short to always be hot and tired/to be worried about having high blood pressure in my twenties/to feel awkward and uncomfortable when people look at me.  I want to feel strong, healthy and beautiful.

And not be ashamed of wanting to feel strong, healthy and beautiful.  ...  I have feminist baggage about caring about the way I look.  I must keep repeating to myself that I want to make these changes for me.  Not my friends.  Not society.  Me.

I will think of eating healthfully as a way to honor and nurture myself instead of as restricting/torturing myself.  This is absolutely an opportunity for me to feel better physically and mentally.  I'm excited, motivated, and ready to go.

Since one of my pet peeves is people always talking about their diets, (I think it should be up there with religion, politics and money as topics avoided in polite company) I will not be talking much about my diet on the blog.  I will however be checking back about this in four weeks when it is time to weigh in, check in, and possibly move onto phase two.

Have any of you decided to tackle better health lately?  Do you need a wake up call (like a looming wedding) to get you started?

~Claire Out

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Mars

In case you have not heard, NASA safely landed the rover "Curiosity" on Mars this last Sunday.

I somehow suspect "hovering sky crane" was not the first idea proposed to land safely on Mars, but it may have won out because it sounds so cool.  It actually extra exciting that engineers came up with this idea, because that means that this option is probably the most simple and elegant solution possible.  And that, my friends, makes me glimpse the complexity of the challenge of having a one ton delicate instrument land itself on Mars.  Color me impressed.

Finally these scientist can let out the breath they've been holding since last fall.  To them, I say congratulations.

I can't wait to see more pictures from the surface of Mars and to hear about more data as it starts returning back.  More information gathered --> more questions answered --> new bigger questions asked.

Science is great.

~Claire Out.




Monday, August 6, 2012

Entryway Update

In my last home improvement post I talked about how I moved my desk space down the wall, which created a new open space near my front door.  

I had anticipated buying a cheap mantel like piece and having to DIY it into a workable entryway, but fortune smiled on me in the form of the Ikea catalogue.  It arrived in my mailbox on Friday afternoon, and I was in their store by Saturday morning.  There in the pages was exactly what I was looking for; the Grevbäck Hat Rack.  (If I knew how to pronounce it, I sort of think it would rhyme!)


It had everything that I was looking for all pre-made and only $29.99.  This purchase was made possible again by my birthday gift from my grandparents.  (Thank you!)  

So a quick trip to my local Ikea, a few minutes of following semi-simple pictograms, and quickly filling it with my stuff, I give you this:


I am very happy with how it is working out.  It is incredibly functional with cubby holes, hooks and space for hangers.  It also has that great huge mantle sized top to display artwork and various other treasures I've accumulated.  I've also started lining up some wayward shoes against the wall underneath it, which is a great way to keep them from piling up around the apartment.  

What do you guys think of my new entry-way space?

~Claire Out.  

Friday, August 3, 2012

Drama Queen

Isn't it strange how people define themselves by their profession?  "I'm a chef."  (or...Lawyer.  Or Butcher, Baker, .... Candle Stick Maker.)

I propose the whole world decide to use a word to describe themselves better than just their job.  I've got mine all picked out.

"Hello, I'm melodramatic."
"Oh, and what's that like?" (Ask the polite guests at a cocktail party I'm having in my imagination.)
"Well basically I make a big deal out of anything.  My specialty is personal tragedy.  I can make a paper cut seem like the apocalypse."

And ... Scene

It would be funnier if it were not true.

~Claire Out.


Wednesday, August 1, 2012

What I've Been Reading: The Element

I have to confess something, though I do read quite a lot, I have no newly finished novel to report back to you about this week.  I also don't have any gripping short stories, articles or poems to offer you.

So I'm going to reach back a little bit into the past and share with you a book that I finished a while ago, but that I still think about often.  It is called "The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything" written by Ken Robinson Ph.D.

I came across this book because I a few months ago I went on a TedTalks binge.  I was watching two or three a day, every day, for about two weeks.  And let me tell you, when you are watching the leaders of various fields give short and impactful speeches two or three times a day, it is really tricky to stand out from the crowd.  But Ken Robinson did.  Here is a look at the video when I first saw him:


In his lecture a few things stuck out to me; that creativity is as important to cultivate as literacy and in order to do so, intelligence must be thought of as diverse, dynamic and distinct.

I believe I was first introduced to the "theory of multipul intelligences" in elementary school and I have never had cause to refute the model that helped explain the diversity of learning styles and talents that I saw around me, (I must, however, qualify that very few people I know fit very neatly into a single category.) which is probably why his ideas resonated with me so much.

Dr. Robinson gives examples in his book of many people, (predominately artists, because they are least valued in schools) who had to struggle to find their talent, their learning style, their passion.  One example from his book is that a single school had both George Harrison and Paul McCarney in their music classes, and they left without any indication that they had a talent for music (or any interest in it!).  There has got to be something wrong with that system.

If for nothing else I recommend reading this book for the inspiring anecdotes of people finding their passions.  "The Element" also touches a bit on education's current problems and possible reforms.  The overt call-to-arms of his book and speech is to make schools a place that helps nurture students passions (whatever they may be) instead of holding them back.  This will lead to creative students in all disciplines coming out of schools.  And creative graduates, if you'll allow me a little poetic license, is the only possible way to use the tools we have now to prepare children for a future that we 'citizens-of-today' know frighteningly little about.  Even with it's powerful message (which clearly I agree with quite a bit...)  it is a non-fiction book that is actually fun to read.

~Claire Out.