Donkee House

Dark and Cozy or Bright and Energetic

Our dining room currently is in limbo.  We’ve “carved out” a space in between the living room and the kitchen and we call it our “dining room”.  Such is apartment living in NY, folks.

In any case, we have a beautiful cast iron dining table base with a round beveled plywood tabletop.  This tabletop is waiting to be stained blue and/or covered with some coffee burlap sacks.  WAITING is the key word.  WAITING as in waiting for some warmer weather so we can stain and polyurethane with all windows wide open.  WAITING as in waiting for a weekend with absolutely no plans or continuously demanding chores.  WAITING as waiting for that driving motivation to get things started.  I could go on and on and on and on like the energizer bunny.  Where is he now anyway…..

So, while we WAIT, ponder and contemplate just how lovely our future dining table will be, I am having wonderful daydreams about my ideal dining room.  I love the instant warmth and coziness of a darker space played up with lighter furniture pieces.  At the same time, I also love a bright, happy and energetic light space….

Which to choose, which to choose……

Images via Living Etc.

Howard Zinn Taught Me So Much

Howard Zinn provided a great education to many millions and opened minds for many more…including myself.  His brilliance and bravery will be missed.

1922-2010

Dentist’s Chair – What do You Look At?

So I was sitting pretty at the oral surgeon’s chair on Thursday getting headlocked and tugged and pulled and wiggled when it dawned on me that I REALLY need to put the question out there because by now, I just HAVE to know.  I say “by now” because every time I sit in the dentist’s chair with the doc’s face mere centimeters away from mine, I always struggle with where-do-I-look, where-should-I-focus-my-eyes?

Here is what I have tried so far in my illustrious dental career:

- stare at the blinding glaring light and pretend that I’m leaving for heaven for just a brief visit.

- stare at the doc’s mask, especially if they have my blood splatter on it.  Then I wonder if they ever freak out having someone’s blood from someone’s mouth so close to their own mouth even though they have a mask on.  And how’s my breath….

- stare at my own x-rays on the monitor and try to figure out if I have cavities are not…I don’t, by the way.

- stare at the assistant who always ends up catching me staring at her (it’s always a her), then discomfort ensues.

- stare at the doc’s eyes so I can tell which part of my mouth he’s looking at and try to gauge how he REALLY feels about me and my mouth.

- stare out the window, if I’m in an allowable position.  I think this is the best option so far.  It’s fairly interesting compared to the other options available and it always makes me feel better to KNOW that I, too, will be out there walking amongst the rest of the world when I leave the pit of doom that is the dentist’s office.

So where the HECK do YOU look at while you’re being prodded and probed, tugged and drilled, polished and pulled?

Extra credit question:

- Why do some dentists ask you questions that do NOT require a “yes” or “no” answer when you have 7 tools and at least three hands in your mouth?  My answers are always “ahhaughahagagaahah”.  Then they nod and say, “oh really?” like it all makes sense.

Who Will Watch the Winter Olympics?

I’m asking about winter olympics rather than olympics in general because olympics in general would include the summer olympics.  Everybody knows that everybody watches the summer olympics because you get to see crazily fit and marvelously built people in little uniforms doing amazing tasks that further show off their amazingly sculpted robot bodies.  Gymnastics, any and all kinds of swimming, any and all track events, football (as in non-american football ok?), cycling and water polo.  Oh yes, water polo…

So…yeah…summer olympics are a given due to the sheer number of lazy-sit-on-your-asses like myself that LOVE to watch beautiful (an artful and years and decades of off-the-wall training beautiful) people doing unbelievable stuff while on the couch munching cool ranch doritos.  I love to watch and get motivated to do my own amazing deeds, but then I turn off the TV later and quickly de-motivate.  That’s just how it works, but at least I had a few minutes or hours of utter shame and embarrassment to go along with the short lived gung-ho-ness.

So…winter olympics…not as hot as the summer olympics…too much of the uniforms and such.  I do remember as a kid, I watched a lot the figure skating at my grandparents’ because it was their favorite sport.  Now, it’s sort of a guilty pleasure because I don’t necessarily want to appear like my grandparents (or grandparent, actually, since grandpa is in heaven feeding the pigeons), but I love to see the costumes (which get more and more revealing every four years, btw) and love to see whether the athletic jumper or the graceful twirler would win.  Debi Thomas vs. Katerina Witt, anyone?

Since I’m on the skating thing, I must say one of the hottest things about the winter olympics…speed skating.  Yes, they are going round and round or better yet, oval and oval, touching the ice and all that jazz, but I really wonder how long it takes them to put on their speed skating suit?  Do they need help?  Can I help?  Those suits are like second skins, every nook and cranny…

What else is hot?  For some reason, I really ski jumping.  I even tried it on the Wii.  Much more difficult than one would think…knees, angles and all.  Maybe I just love to watch people fly…

Of course, there’s the hockey.  I don’t know much about hockey and my impression of it has always been associated with TESTOSTERONE.  Can a hockey fan out there enlighten me on the joys of hockey please?

Luge and bobsleigh…let’s just say I’m once again ignorant.  Somebody?  Anybody?

Cross country skiing and the biathlon.  Anything with a “lon” at the end impresses me to pieces.  So yes, I’m a fan of the biathlon.  Plus, they get to shoot things.  Cross country skiing is crazy…their endurance boggles me.  Seeing the frozen snocicles doesn’t turn me off…kind of mesmerizing, actually.

Finally curling…no clue.  A round stone and brooms and a lot of yelling.  I’ve always been curious…I think I want to concentrate on curling this year for my own education.

What’s your favorite winter olympics sport?

Closet Libary

This is one of Donald Albrect’s closets in his pre-war apartment in the city, featured in the NY Times.  The glass in the door is really a genius move.  It’s like looking through into another room, not merely a closet.

I would love to have a “library” like this with the light and all – we have a ton of books!  We have six closets in total in our pre-war two bedroom, but still cannot afford to use a closet just for books.  For those of you who can afford to use a closet this way and can keep it neat inside, this is a great way to open up your space.

Sunning…on the Long Island Rail Road

photo credit: Emma Rose Photos

Yesterday, I began #5 on the Donkee Do list – visit the folks more in Long Island.  This weekend is one of those longed for long weekends, so I decided to hop on the train and head east.

I must admit that the trip on the Long Island Rail Road was really pleasant yesterday.  It calmed me rather than agitate me – like it normally does.  For three reasons, mainly:

1.  I went to the Forest Hills station rather than the Jamaica station.  The Forest Hills station is about a 10 minute walk for me (I’m slow) and made for a fantastic stroll in the beautiful sun and warmer weather we had yesterday.  A relaxing 10 minute stroll versus the brief 3 stop subway ride on the E, then scrambling up to the Jamaica LIRR platform and wait in line to buy a LIRR ticket with usually just one machine working and the line 15 people deep…I’ll take the sunny and leisurely stroll anytime.

2.  I gave myself plenty of time.  Once I got to the train station, I purchased my LIRR ticket (no line AND the machine was working!), I settled down in a sunny spot and waited.  A little windy, but I like a bit of a chill, so it was refreshingly, to say the least.  During my 15 minute wait, it was so invigorating to look out onto Station Square with the brick roads and historical buildings rather than the perpetually grey Jamaica station steel…

Here is Station Square:

Here is Jamaica LIRR station:

You see what I’m talking about?  Not that Jamaica station is bad in any way…it’s actually one of the best taken care and best looking stations (big, airy, clean, etc.), but compared with a quaint village-like square with the sun shining and birds chirping….

3.  Got on the train and sat in one of the window seats.  The sun was shining bright in my face.  I didn’t have sunglasses and if I had looked out the window toward the sun, my retinas would have evaporated.  So I just closed my eyes or closed them most of the way and enjoyed the sun’s blast.  My head was getting all warm and I was getting all relaxed..I started to think that this MUST be why cats and dogs love to just lie around in any sunny spot and chill or pass out.  Your head is warm and cozy, your face is warm and cozy, you’re slouched or splayed out any which way that is comfortable and just watching the world go by.  You’re the warm and relaxed observer of all else crazy and chaotic.  I LIKED my train ride A LOT.

Then, of course, I got off the train and met up with the folks and the crazy and chaos ensued fifty six fold…FAMILY FUN!

Donkee House Shop is Open at Etsy!

Here begins #6 (“Work more for myself”) on the Donkee Do List.  I’ve opened up the Donkee House shop on Etsy a few days ago.  It was a lot of preparation, but it was also a lot more fun than I thought it would be.  What possibly could be fun in all this besides all the sourcing and buying?  Hmmm…I found that I really do like to:

1. Style and take pictures.  It proved to be more difficult than I had anticipated, but I realized in the end, it was all about experimentation.  I moved the subjects around a lot and when that didn’t work, I moved myself around a lot.  I took at least twice as many photos as there are showing in the shop.  The most frustrating part about this step?  The weather.  Seriously, I needed good natural sunlight, but it was grey and dreary for days and days, it seemed.  It was a long waiting game.

2. Determine pricing.  I tried to be really fair in pricing.  I took to studying the items in detail (besides, “oh, it’s so pretty!”) and researched online.  This part can take a good while, but it’s doing necessary homework.  Not only do I want to give as much information as I can to the potential buyers, but it also helps ME tremendously in getting to know my current product and for future sourcing.

3.  Determine packaging.  To be honest, packaging is still percolating in my head.  I got the ultimate push, though, when I had my first sale just a few hours after the shop went live.  So unexpectedly crazy, right?  I didn’t think I was going to sell anything for weeks!  Seriously – I’m selling along with really seasoned and expert folks on Etsy and somebody picked MY stuff?  What?  High with freshman joy, I panicked a little because I didn’t have any packaging that I liked around.  After a bit of WTF am I gonna do because zip lock bags ain’t gonna cut it, I looked to my bag of vintage scrap fabrics and ribbons and voila!

4. Create assortment sheet.  An assortment sheet is basically a list and recap of inventory.  In this list, I have pictures of the items, description, cost, retail, quantity I have, quantity I’ve sold, quantity left over, source, dimensions, weight, whether the item is vintage or new.  This is definitely a get to know your goods better exercise.

Of course, along with the good and fun, there are also some boring tasks associated with all this.  I really DON’T like to:

1. Determine shipping.  All the USPS, UPS, Fedex, First Class, Priority, International, Parcel, Flat Rate stuff confuse the heck out of me.  Also, I don’t understand how some sellers can do free shipping or extremely cheap shipping and be above water.  Some shipping prices are outrageously high (I think) and I want to offer the most economical and reliable options.  The husband is in charge here – he’s the logistics guy.  Yay!

2. Promote.  I know, this is a bad one.  It’s so necessary, but I so dread it.  I’ve never been a self-promoter or salesperson.  A good sort, anyway.  It’s all so uncomfortable.  Ugh…well, at least the little Etsy Mini is up on the side bar.  Doesn’t that count as something?

This is all just the initial impression so far on this Etsy shop experience.  As I grow into it, I’m sure there will be more ups and downs, pros and cons.  Meanwhile, I have so much more to do.  I have a good number of stuff almost ready to be listed (waiting for shipping options) and a lot of pics waiting for finishing touches.  Oh, I can’t even THINK about the fabric just yet!

But I really need to know what you guys think about the Etsy Mini on the side bar.  Is it distracting?  It’s so colorful against the black and white theme – does it look out of place?  Is it me?  Arghhh….

Kramer Article in The NY Times

I came across this article in The NY Times this morning.  It’s been sitting quietly in the back of my mind for the whole day since.  I don’t have much to SAY about it, but it is staying with me because I FEEL it – it MOVED me.

It’s ok for me to not try to SAY anything about it or have some smart point-of-view and intellectualize it.  This is a moving portrait of a once young, but now aged man living life with autism.  Although the writer does not say explicitly, I suspect that George Kramer has Asperger’s Syndrome.

We don’t know if he is happy or sad.  He is…he lives…he’s highly functional.  Should I have pity and sorrow or admiration and hope?  I feel more of the latter because he doesn’t need the former.

I don’t know anyone who has autism or Asperger’s Syndrome.  I’ve read a few fiction novels with the main character either having austism or Asperger’s Syndrome (i.e. “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time” by Mark Haddon).  Reading a book is, of course, nothing compared to knowing someone or being that somone.  It is curious and quite splendid, though, that this little article has moved me much more so than any of the books I have read.

In any case, I don’t want to go into it too deeply, if at all.  I would rather you read the article and see how you feel…

Before and After: Metal Shelf (Almost)

A couple of months ago, I got this little 3 tier metal shelf for a STEAL.  A $15 STEAL. It’s a solid piece – the only thing not perfect was the handles needed to be replaced.  Despite that, it was an easy decision at the end of the day because:

1. I need storage…always

2. I love metal

3. Dowels or handles are easy to replace

4. No rust, not rickety – SOLID little guy

5. It was $15

We brought it home and let it sit around for a while because I was lazy and indecisive.  I found a place online that makes dowels to specifications, but I haven’t ordered them yet because I wanted to paint the piece first.  Black is nice, but I needed something HAPPY!

So off to the corner hardware store we went and picked up a few cans of spray paint and went to work:

This was mid-spray when we realized that despite the hardware guy and some blogs saying that yes, we can use the spray paint indoors with all windows open, we suddenly realized we were standing in a misty cloud of yellow.  Teeny, tiny, misty yellow droplets of paint were starting to drop a cover on most of our apartment.  We decided to take this baby outside and finished it up.

It’s now sandwiched between our two huge bookcases working hard as storage for some of my fabrics – it’s overflowing right now, which is kind of embarassing…but what the heck!

The yellow came out soft, mellow and buttery.  The husband is not a huge fan of the color, though.  I like it for now.  However, we might dial it up a notch to a more highlighter yellow.  Not now…just thinking about it.  I’ll need a couple more months to sit on that one.  As for the dowels/handles…I haven’t ordered them yet…what kind and color of wood would best play off this yellow, you guys?

Donkee Do List – 2010

photo credit: schillergarcia

I know I’m a little late to the party, but still…I’ve never really been one for New Year’s resolutions.  To me, they are or will become unnecessary pockets of burden and guilt sooner or later.  Well…giving our fragile humanity the benefit of the doubt, I will say…usually, not always.

Resolutions are like promises and promises are made to be broken.  Maybe I’m being a bit negative and faithless here with a bit of humbug, but I hate setting myself up for failure.  It could all be a matter of meaningless semantics in the end, but I’d rather continue to not make any resolutions this new year and definitely no promises.

Instead, I’ll just have a list of things that I really, really, really NEED to do this year.  Or better yet, to psych myself up, there are a list of things that I really, really, really WANT to do this year.  WANT is much better and easier psychologically and kind of tricks the brain into thinking that if you WANT to do something, then it must be FUN.  FUN like putting a tiny dab of clear glue on each of the keys on the keyboard of an unsuspecting co-worker.  FUN like smearing a thin layer of vaseline on the toilet seat.  FUN like covering (and I mean COVERING) your VP’s floor to ceiling windows with multi-colored post-its.  FUN like gooey mac and cheese.  FUN like talking smack to someone who can smack talk back.

So…what FUN things do I WANT to do this year?

1. Make things – nothing fancy here.  I just want to make things.  I’ve made a bunch of zipper bags and a few pins for Christmas presents and they were a hit.  I love to make and create and want to continue doing so this year.

2. Spend less – aside from medical and other necessary expenses, I want to spend less on things that don’t give me a good enough ROI (return on investment).  A new dress for $300 that I will most likely wear two times in a year, then forget about will not yield a great return.  On the other hand, the $4500-$5000 sofa we will be getting this year that I will most likely live on for the next 10 years will yield an awesome return.

3. Max out both of our IRAs – because we will need to retire…someday.

4. Max out my 401k – see above.

5. Visit the folks more in Long Island – really, the folks aren’t that far away.  It takes the same amount of time to go to LI as it does for me to get to work.  I just have this misconception that since Long Island is not a borough, then it’s “too far”.  Shame on me!

6. Work more for myself – I have an entrepreneurial spirit and it needs to DO something.  Feed the beast!

7. Volunteer - no matter how small a job, I want to help a bit.  Library?  Swap meet?

This list is achievable, I think.  I certainly WANT to do all of the above and none seems like a drag that make New Year’s resolutions so historically hard to keep.  I’m thinking of keeping track of each of these seven to-dos and see which of these will actually be achieved and in some cases, how often.  Worthwhile, you think?

What is on your to-do list this brand spanking new year (decade) and how are you psyching yourself up for it all?