tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-159872512024-03-07T03:55:02.809-05:00LIVityThe Life and Growth of H. KhaitAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863853771121418007noreply@blogger.comBlogger158125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15987251.post-32012691280117277762016-03-14T12:19:00.000-04:002016-03-14T12:19:26.888-04:00Book Review: The Missing Kennedy - Rosemary Kennedy and the Secret Bonds of Four Women<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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What a difference a couple of days can make. Just last week, in my <a href="http://journeytohalima.blogspot.com/2016/03/im-whats-happening-march-2016.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">last post</a>, I was telling you all how I was reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Missing-Kennedy-Rosemary-Secret-Bonds/dp/1610881745/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1457623335&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Missing+Kennedy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><em>The Missing Kennedy: Rosemary Kennedy and the Secret Bonds of Four Women</em></a><em> </em>by Elizabeth Koehler-Pentacoff<em>. </em>Since then, I've finished the book.<br />
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I really wish I could find the news article I read that made me aware of this book, because I'm sure it said it was on a bestseller list. I say this to say, the book wasn't bad, but the hype surrounding it was deceptive.<br />
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Let's start on the very basic level, the title. Yes, the book was about Rosemary Kennedy, but it was written by Koehler-Pentacoff, the much younger niece of Rosemary's caretaker. And yes, I knew this before reading the book, but I was under the assumption that Koehler-Pentacoff would provide better first hand knowledge. From her story, it appears she did visit with Rosemary at least once a month from a very early age, but the key words here are "from a very early age." Much of her personal experience lacked mature understanding of a complicated situation. <br />
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Koehler-Pentacoff did have access to some personal notes between her aunt, Rosemary's caretaker, and the Kennedy family, but most of her information, seems like it come through visits to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum and interviews granted by Shriver family members who were not even born when the most intense decisions about Rosemary were being made.<br />
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If I'm being fair, this book seemed more like a memoir of the Koehler family with some basic similarities connecting it to the Kennedys and a lot of hypothetical situations dreamt up by Koehler-Pentacoff after a bit of factual information sparked her imagination.<br />
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So all that being said, I'm not really sure how to improve the title, but I always like giving bad news first, so I can end on a sweet note.<br />
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The best part of this book for me was the last part where Eunice Kennedy Shriver was really brought into the story. I summarized the book in my last post, but I need to back up to that for this next part to make sense. See, Rosemary had impaired learning, but was functional until Joe Kennedy, her father, approved a lobotomy to improve behavioral issues she was displaying. The sad part is, her outbursts were most likely simply a result of her family not giving her the independence she craved. At the time, lobotomies were relatively new procedures, so the doctors that performed Rosemary's botched it. Joe Kennedy, at the advice of doctors, decided it best to house Rosemary in medical facilities and not have the family visit as there was fear that disrupting Rosemary's daily routine would upset her too much. The family didn't know where Rosemary was living until 20 years later, when Joe Kennedy had a stroke and the facility contacted Rose Kennedy, his wife, in regards to Rosemary. After Rose Kennedy took over Rosemary's affairs, the Kennedy family was once again involved in Rosemary's life. <br />
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And this is where Eunice comes back into the picture. Her love and interaction with Rosemary inspired her to create a summer camp for special needs youth. This summer camp was not only the first of several more to follow, but it also was the beginning of the Special Olympics and the Shriver-Kennedy's involvement ensuring inclusion of the disabled on a national level. <br />
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At the end of the book, there's a quote from Anthony Shriver<br />
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She gave us the ability and sense of being needed</blockquote>
And I think that was really the point of this story, how the circles of Rosemary's reach radiated from the inside out to inspire not only her direct family, but a nation. There's no secret in that and maybe that's my issue with the title. Maybe it'd be more appropriate to frame this story as, 'The Missing Kennedy: How Rosemary Kennedy Inspired a Nation."<br />
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Until next time...<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863853771121418007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15987251.post-47246658726718526932016-03-07T22:41:00.002-05:002016-03-07T22:41:34.000-05:00I'm What's Happening: March 2016<br />
I haven't done an official <i>I'm What's Happening</i> update in months, but this one still seems premature because I just played catch up in my <a href="http://journeytohalima.blogspot.com/2016/02/cant-call-myself-writer-if-im-not.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">first post of the year</a>. Which I just wrote two weeks ago. And now I'm hanging my head in shame because it took me almost two months to write my first post of 2016.<br />
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So anyway, to recap, I've been working on learning the guitar. I haven't had my next lesson yet, so I'm still working on playing the Eagles' <em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrfhf1Gv4Tw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hotel California</a>.</em><br />
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Oh yeah, as far as reading, I started reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Missing-Kennedy-Rosemary-Secret-Bonds/dp/1610881745/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1456940862&sr=1-1&keywords=the+missing+kennedy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Missing Kennedy: Rosemary Kennedy and the Secret Bonds of Four Women</a>. Basically, it's about the life of Rosie, the third child of Joe and Rose Kennedy, who was mentally disabled - slow to learn, but nonetheless leading a vibrant life with her family. She was kept with the family until a doctor convinced Joe to let him perform a lobotomy on her. It was a new procedure and the doctor botched it, so Joe decided it was best to house Rosie in a medical facility for the remainder of her life. The story is told by compiling oral and written histories passed down from Rosie's mom and the author's aunt, Rosie's primary caretaker.<br />
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I heard about this book while skimming headlines when something about a hidden Kennedy grabbed my attention. "Hmmm a scandal within America's royal fam, huh?" Everybody likes a scandal lol This combined with the fact that I love anything having to do with women bonding and mental abnormalities made it a must read for me. <br />
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That's about all, but if you haven't gotten enough of me for the week, please make sure to read my short story <a href="https://medium.com/@NaraElle/the-talk-f70be1e221d2#.ktifbedjm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><em>The Talk.</em></a><em> </em>It's a peak into living with depression, specifically how it is to wake and face the day. Leave me some feedback!<br />
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Until next time...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863853771121418007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15987251.post-47722378369183322232016-02-29T10:36:00.001-05:002016-02-29T10:43:50.691-05:00That's What He Said<br />
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You know how sometimes you can be so used to something, you don't even think about its meaning, until you do then you have your <em>aha moment</em> and immediately feel dumb because you just "discovered" things that had their dots connected long ago? Yeah, I had one of those moments last week.<br />
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<div style="border-image: none;">I was talking to God and asking him to give me the strength to fight my way through this period in my life. It's something I've said at many times in my life, but never thought about what it implied. I was put on this earthy to learn from life and to sometimes enjoy it. But to fight it? That's counterproductive. </div><div style="border-image: none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-image: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFWlk6Ztbt6_p-L7waJVdUfpAxH-sAdmMntCJk6NlMsrKxprZ-2-lrfnlPzTD4A9UxJfTm-fkbAhTKvQqo_NhTqKeJBKiopE61_GtLtRaTJoxhH1rGAFsAqL-Qvuivoi_S9742/s1600/footprints.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFWlk6Ztbt6_p-L7waJVdUfpAxH-sAdmMntCJk6NlMsrKxprZ-2-lrfnlPzTD4A9UxJfTm-fkbAhTKvQqo_NhTqKeJBKiopE61_GtLtRaTJoxhH1rGAFsAqL-Qvuivoi_S9742/s640/footprints.jpg" width="640" /></a>So I had to think about the reasoning behind struggle and the feeling of fighting through it. It's to get us to the goal of learning from life, right? <br />
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</div><div style="border-image: none;">And if my pursuit of a personal relationship with God has taught me anything, it's that I need to trust that he'll guide me through this life with my best interest in mind. It may not be pretty all the time and worst of all, I may not have the strength to keep going all the time, but the best thing about God is that He's like a Dad. Remember when you were really young and could and would fall asleep anywhere because you knew you'd always wake up at home, safe in your bed. It's the same thing, when life is too much, I can fold myself into God and let him carry me.<br />
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</div><div style="border-image: none;">And it was then that the poem <em>Footprints </em>became more than just pretty words. And it was like "Oh snap, someone already realized this?" And not only did they realize it, but they wrote a poem so the rest of us wouldn't have to figure it out on our own. But my thickskulled self has seen it so much from such an early age, I never really read it in depth. <br />
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If you've never read <em>Footprints</em>, or haven't read it in a while, you should take the time to do that. For what it's worth, I just liked the image that's attached to this post, but it's not the<a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/21/9f/e6/219fe608c36ce91ddea95d39026976e8.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> full poem</a>. Click the link to see that.<br />
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And last, but not least, I made good on my promise from <a href="http://tinyurl.com/zdm2az2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">last post</a> and finished a short story to publish on Medium. It's titled <em><a href="http://tinyurl.com/jy3ev2f" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Talk</a> </em>and is a snapshot glimpse into waking up when you're dealing with depression. Do me a favor and jump over there to read it, please and thanks.<br />
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Until next time...</div><div style="border-image: none;"><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863853771121418007noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15987251.post-59338349502877028172016-02-22T21:52:00.001-05:002016-02-22T21:52:39.961-05:00Can't Call Myself a Writer if I'm Not Writing<br />
"Have you been doing any writing lately," someone asked me recently, I hung my head and murmured something under my breath, ashamed to admit I haven't written anything substantial in almost two months.<br />
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It's so easy to fall back into old habits; I've gotten out of the practice of committing myself to writing for at least 10 minutes a day - sometimes just sitting down to free write and see where my mind takes me that day, to see if it spills anything I can craft into something larger, more concrete.<br />
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And so I've fallen back into jotting tightly strung together thoughts into my notebook - beautiful in their own rite, but meaningless in the absence of further writing. A method that results in little more than scraps of paper and fleeting thoughts. Unorganized, and a method that has proven not to work for me in the past.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-3FENB1gxpptGkjUErdruvp2IAf7WRppKdpYxsN-n4VUye41Zg8uHlIJfA22PD8G-FgHwoEy3R2k7VovkFtHsMNimlVdwQVAiR0c-GK3yjg-ttnidMx_iDHJLHAA7-ISzNae/s1600/Screenshot_2016-02-22-21-10-53-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-3FENB1gxpptGkjUErdruvp2IAf7WRppKdpYxsN-n4VUye41Zg8uHlIJfA22PD8G-FgHwoEy3R2k7VovkFtHsMNimlVdwQVAiR0c-GK3yjg-ttnidMx_iDHJLHAA7-ISzNae/s400/Screenshot_2016-02-22-21-10-53-1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
But this world is a funny place. The facilitators for the retreat I went on last fall maintain an Instagram account and recently posted the meme to the right. It was a great reminder to, in their words, "exercise my writing muscle." And so I'm writing this blog post.<br />
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I am proud to say that in my absence from this blog, the creative energy that was refreshed during the writing retreat has been fueling other endeavors. I've been dancing and guitar lessons are going well. I've just finished learning my first song, the Eagles' <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrfhf1Gv4Tw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hotel California</a>. </i>I learned the melody by strumming the chords, which if y'all can remember from one of my <a href="http://journeytohalima.blogspot.com/2015/12/all-types-of-lessons.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">first posts </a>about picking up the guitar, is a big accomplishment for me, I was scared to death of chords lol<br />
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So now all that's left to do is reapply myself to writing. I've got a piece I'm working on, but I also need to finish two pieces I started for my new <a href="https://medium.com/@NaraElle" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Medium account</a>. Hopefully sharing this here, will make me accountable :-)<br />
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Until next time...<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863853771121418007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15987251.post-49106342869134634732015-12-21T18:24:00.003-05:002015-12-21T18:24:10.677-05:00Learning to Put the Merry in My Christmas<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjube_MzOPU0UwHKTJIAD8DZxwWH4aCeabAwJfELBNxXueKRskSoSptjlvoTtpThEq-TjfVA4HNxnTeevKCzpeHWIRchEJ0fpBDaGTveZoGvpjlgcV3cCkZNAmfPDxEnBFFaM2w/s1600/Me+and+Mommy+Christmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjube_MzOPU0UwHKTJIAD8DZxwWH4aCeabAwJfELBNxXueKRskSoSptjlvoTtpThEq-TjfVA4HNxnTeevKCzpeHWIRchEJ0fpBDaGTveZoGvpjlgcV3cCkZNAmfPDxEnBFFaM2w/s640/Me+and+Mommy+Christmas.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's not #tbt yet? No? Oh well lol Mom and Me,<br />Christmas in the '80s</td></tr>
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Over the weekend, my friend and I were talking about how neither of us are feeling festive this holiday season. By commercial standards, I'm doing slightly better than her; I finished shopping for everyone, for whatever that's worth. She told me about how she picked up a couple of gifts for her young nieces and nephews before shrugging and letting the conversation die.<br />
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The silence sent us both into thinking about why we were feeling like two little Grinches. Her pain is on a complete different level than mine - her father passed away about a month ago. My Grinchness is because around the same time, my brother moved across the country with his family. She and I are both having our first Christmas without someone we love. <br />
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So, in a way I guess our drab spirits are an indication that our values are inline with the season's purpose - love. But we're still left to figure out how to make old traditions into new ones. <br />
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I guess this is all a part of the cycle of life. The photo to the left is of me and my mom celebrating Christmas at her parents' house. Our family celebrated the holidays a lot at my grandparents house when I was really young, until my parents decided to start building their own traditions. These "new" traditions have been the ones I've held so close to my heart all these years. The ones where my Dad, Mom, brother and I were all together cooking, watching movies and playing games. The traditions I'll miss so much this year in the absence of my brother.<br />
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But just as my Mom adjusted to a change in her Christmas traditions, my brother will do the same and I'll have to fall in line. But for me, one new tradition will definitely be Facetiming my brother and his family on Christmas day.<br />
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Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and hoping you not only have all your hearts desire, but also the ability to appreciate all you have.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863853771121418007noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15987251.post-51935666570800949322015-12-15T10:50:00.000-05:002015-12-15T10:50:03.137-05:00Book Review: The Picture of Dorian Gray<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><a href="http://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/p/the-picture-of-dorian-gray/book-summary" target="_blank">The Picture of Dorian Gray</a> </i>by Oscar Wilde, is a little difficult for me to review because I don't want to give too much away<i>. </i>But if I could sum it up in a couple of words, I'd say it's about the effects of living a life of vanity.<br />
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See, in his young adulthood, Dorian Gray was convinced to pose for a portrait by his artist friend. After seeing the painting, Gray said he'd love to stay as handsome and innocent as he was portrayed, while all the effects of life would mar the rendition of him. And so it was, Gray went through life doing whatever he pleased and never dealt with any negative consequences because people were too enamored by his unchanging beauty to suspect him of wrongdoing. As for the painting, it became more and more grotesque with every sin Gray committed, but was never questioned because it was hidden in the attic.<br />
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That's all I'm going to give on the plot because as I said earlier, I don't want to give too much away. Plus, I want to talk about the real reasons I enjoyed this book.<br />
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1) The imagination it took to create this book. Although the conclusion left me wanting more - it felt forced - the premise was realistic. Wilde took what could happen if the wishes of those who went back to old pictures of themselves and longed to be like they were in younger years and ran with it.<br />
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Wilde created characters you could connect with, or not. There were numerous times in this novel where I read something Gray did and found myself thinking "I can not believe this dude," like he was someone I know in real life lol Other times, I would question what I would do if I had Gray's opportunities.<br />
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2) The philosophies and the language and methods used to convey them. Most of the profound theories Wilde wanted to impart were done through Lord Henry, the character who had the most influence on Gray being led through life by pleasure. Some of those include:<br />
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"He was always late on principle, his principle being that punctuality is the thief of time." As someone who hates being late and as a result, feels like a lot of my life is spent rushing instead of enjoying small things, I can stand behind this statement.<br />
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And, "Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing." You need only read my other blog posts to know I strongly agree with this statement.<br />
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Overall, this novel just made me think. And so, although I didn't love it enough for it to make my <a href="http://journeytohalima.blogspot.com/p/halimas-reading-room_22.html" target="_blank">Reading Room</a> page, it's definitely a good read.<br />
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Since finishing this novel, I've moved on to reading <em>The Science of Breath by </em><span class="a-size-small a-color-secondary">Yogi Ramacharaka</span><em>. </em>But I won't be reviewing it because, well really how do you review an instructional, lifestyle book? It just seems blasphemous lol <br />
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So until next time...</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863853771121418007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15987251.post-57575375649799649352015-12-06T17:04:00.002-05:002015-12-07T20:21:45.772-05:00All Types of Lessons<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBA42sLCehqt5-m9Imdly3zdqUxYPHTyRPWF4GRDpwR4T22LQOMg0bVIKOwomtdQWnD1Ux1w116ibZYS5b5L6Dtgk5ncW4LceCGLAaxLndbSxN0A_iaEMota192W-zotNUT-l3/s1600/music.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBA42sLCehqt5-m9Imdly3zdqUxYPHTyRPWF4GRDpwR4T22LQOMg0bVIKOwomtdQWnD1Ux1w116ibZYS5b5L6Dtgk5ncW4LceCGLAaxLndbSxN0A_iaEMota192W-zotNUT-l3/s400/music.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
In my <a href="http://journeytohalima.blogspot.com/2015/11/im-whats-happening-december-2015.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">last post</a>, I let you all know I picked up my guitar again, but I didn't give you the backstory. I need to now because it ties into where I am in my life.<br />
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About five years ago, I decided I was going to stop putting off my dream of learning how to play the guitar. So I bought a guitar and signed up for classes at my local rec center. All was going well until we got to chords. I've played piano nearly all my life and was already confused as I don't what about the guitar having multiple notes on each string, so the thought of finding and combining those notes into chords completely blew my mind. <br />
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Around the same time, I was traveling for work and missing a lot of practice and classes - the perfect excuse to bail on the guitar, right? So I did. For five years. But although I could hide my guitar away, I couldn't hide my love for the music, so I decided to pick the guitar back up.<br />
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Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago when I went to Guitar Center and asked for a recommendation for private lessons. The sales associate matched me with a teacher and I contacted him. I gave him my musical background complete with the fact that I'd been learning guitar some years ago, but shied away from it when I started learning chords.<br />
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A week later, I'm sitting in my new teacher's studio and he pulls out a piece of paper containing my first lesson - chords. So we're just going to jump in headfirst, huh? Completely pull me out of my comfort zone from go. This stepping outside of my box has been the theme for the past couple of months. And every time I've done it, I've had amazing results - new ways of looking at the familiar and overall personal growth. Why should the process of learning the guitar be any different?<br />
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So anyway, towards the end of my lesson, I told my teacher my wrist was aching. He tells me to let go of my guitar and let the body swing out so the neck is at a 45 degree angle to my body. I do it, reposition my left hand on the neck of my guitar and all the strain I had been feeling was gone. I look at him and say "It's that easy, huh?" He replied, "Sometimes you just need to loosen your grip." Simple yet profound. Those of you who have been reading my blog for a while know this is a lesson I've been trying to apply to my overall life; stop trying to hold on so tightly and control everything. Sometimes I just need to loosen my grip. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863853771121418007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15987251.post-81151197856933332502015-11-30T08:00:00.000-05:002015-11-30T10:00:15.747-05:00I'm What's Happening: December 2015<br />
Wow, it's been about three months since I've written a summary on what I've been up to! <a href="http://journeytohalima.blogspot.com/2015/09/i-what-happening-september-2015.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">L</a><a href="http://journeytohalima.blogspot.com/2015/09/i-what-happening-september-2015.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ast time</a> I closed with a teaser about news, but I didn't want to spill the beans. By now, you may have figured out that I was referring to the <a href="http://journeytohalima.blogspot.com/2015/09/i-what-happening-september-2015.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">writing retreat</a> I attended last month in Costa Rica. <br />
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I didn't want to give too much information at the time I wrote my last <i>I'm What's Happening </i>post because although I knew I wanted to attend the retreat, I was still in the process of figuring out the ins and outs of making that happen.<br />
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Still, the prospect of going was enough to get my creative juices flowing and I started writing a couple of short stories. But because the retreat was intended to be a holistic getaway - caring for our entire being but putting good stuff into our minds and bodies so that good writing came out - I became more disciplined in my home spiritual and physical life as well. Not only was I praying and meditating every day, I also changed my diet and began working out every day. By the time I left for the retreat, I was feeling focused and creative.<br />
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I'm not going to go into the entire experience again because you can read about it either in my <i><a href="http://reinspired...again/">Reinspired...Again</a> </i>post or in detail on my <a href="http://www.wheresnara.wordpress.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">travel blog</a>. But in summary, while there, I was able to nearly complete a piece I had been struggling with for almost seven months!<br />
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So yeah, the past couple of months haven't left any time for crafting. But, taking the subway to work every day does give me time to keep up on my reading. And last month, I read James Joyce's <i>A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. </i>It reminded my of an in-depth profile, but while the main character's artistic progression was believable, the way he interacted with his world was not. Overall, I didn't love the book. You can read more of my thoughts about it in my <a href="http://journeytohalima.blogspot.com/2015/11/book-review-portrait-of-artist-as-young.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">review</a>.<br />
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Since finishing <i>A Portrait, </i>I moved on to another profile piece, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Picture-Dorian-Dover-Thrift-Editions/dp/0486278077/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1448770243&sr=1-1&keywords=the+picture+of+dorian+gray" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Picture of Dorian Gray</a>. </i>So far I'm liking this one a lot better. Some of the language is a little fluffy for my style, but because Oscar Wilde, the author, wasn't overbearing in his philosophies, it's much more bearable than Joyce's novel.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_u9aNYf0_MwvRPYQNXoLnU9NVXdr1JOQl1_xfX9Qr9iDTuKRhc0X39Q2zM7VAzq7UCUWgwp95zanU9-b7SjqDMmZVM6u6-0w-ehlrAqQ_ComS52NPP-J7VBUv00OJMfFTluQH/s1600/DRS2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_u9aNYf0_MwvRPYQNXoLnU9NVXdr1JOQl1_xfX9Qr9iDTuKRhc0X39Q2zM7VAzq7UCUWgwp95zanU9-b7SjqDMmZVM6u6-0w-ehlrAqQ_ComS52NPP-J7VBUv00OJMfFTluQH/s400/DRS2.jpg" width="400" /></a>And last but not least, after about five years, I decided to pick my guitar back up. I've been teaching myself for a little over a week and have learned six notes and the beginning of Bob Marley's <i>Redemption Song. </i> But I have some questions about technique and I know the Type A in me won't let me feel like I know how to play unless I know how to play correctly. *shaking my head* I know. Anyway, I found an instructor whose philosophies sound great - most importantly to me is he'll teach me how to continue teaching myself. We start working together later this week - I'm excited!<br />
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That's all, so until next time!<br />
❤Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863853771121418007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15987251.post-33313388971199949112015-11-23T11:50:00.000-05:002015-11-23T11:53:18.570-05:00Book Review: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man<br />
Okay, I'll admit it, I had never heard of James Joyce's <i>A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man </i>until I listened to Talib Kweli's <i>Memories Live</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">"It kinda make me think of way back when</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I was the portrait of the artist as a young man<br />All them teenage dreams of rapping</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Writing rhymes on napkins</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Was really visualization making this here actually happen</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">It's like something come through me</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">That truly just consume me<br />Speaking through the voices of the spirits speaking to me"</span></div>
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I related to feeling something higher than myself speaking through me and me having to run to find anything I could use to write the message down. So, if that was the definition of an artist, I wanted to read more about others' similar experiences. And after 15 some years, I finally got around to doing that. In my defense, my 'To Read' list is ridiculously long.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWLazyED5yeT_rQtoaCbwuWZOY0YiS6GUGsc8F5CVra4ETYDaduGnptaF53KizFBFnNJLkK9wzybTFRetCTyM5pl3g6u-UTqMQTqaSUL1JR-t1rISdJNNruuS_GbWp0E5eDOJT/s1600/artist.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWLazyED5yeT_rQtoaCbwuWZOY0YiS6GUGsc8F5CVra4ETYDaduGnptaF53KizFBFnNJLkK9wzybTFRetCTyM5pl3g6u-UTqMQTqaSUL1JR-t1rISdJNNruuS_GbWp0E5eDOJT/s1600/artist.png" /></a>Because of the amount of time it took me to get to this book AND the fact that it's considered a classic, I want to give it a glowing review. I really do. But I can't. And maybe I need to accept that the classics are just not for me, but I still feel the need to see what all the hype is about for each of them. *Kanye Shrug*<br />
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Where do I start? I loved the depth Joyce gave the main character Stephen Dedalus. What I mean is, he portrayed him as sensitive to the world around him, a deep thinker and someone struggling to find his way in the world before really coming into his own and standing up for his own belief system.<br />
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Let me provide a recap of the story so my last statement makes sense: It begins with Dedalus as a young boy who doesn't come from the best background, but who has the opportunity to attend Catholic school. He's a people pleaser and spends his time practically walking around on eggshells in an attempt to ease things such as the discomfort his peers feel about his curious last name or the disbelief the head of his school has about him actually breaking his glasses. He grows from that insecure boy into a young teen whose lack of response to a young, female peer's interest drives him to regularly seek the company of prostitutes. Catholic guilt from that response spins him into a complete 180 and he becomes so devote in his religion, the heads of his school pull him aside and ask him to consider a life as a priest. At this point, he develops his own philosophical theories which he not only freely expounds upon with his friends, but which also convince him to leave his hometown and all its ideals so he can find his own way in life.<br />
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So, although areas are exaggerated, I think most artistically inclined people can relate to Dedalus' journey.<br />
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What I didn't like was Joyce seemed to be using Dedalus to push his own philosophical agenda a little too hard. It became unbelievable that a young adult would have all these extensive theories and that they were all he and his friends talked about. I'm in my 30s and my friends and I don't even have conversations with the depth these kids were reaching.<br />
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Also, probably my biggest problem with this novel was I felt like I was in the mind of an artist. I know that sounds strange, but bear with me. While I was on<a href="http://journeytohalima.blogspot.com/2015/11/reinspiredagain.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> the writing retreat</a>, one of the underlying themes that kept reaching me was, write so your reader doesn't have to piece together what you're thinking. Because all artists know that our thoughts can be random and scary at times, but it's our responsibility to bring some sort of order to them before sharing. And as writers, it's easy for us to craft things that sound good, but may not have any real meaning or are so convoluted, the reader gets tired before finishing sorting thoughts out. I felt some of the former and a lot of the latter with this novel. As a result, I ended up skimming through much of it. <br />
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For me, the sign of a good book is if it can make me slow down and digest every sentence; when a sentence makes me smile, re-read it multiple times, pull out my pen and underline it. I didn't have any moments like this with <em>A Portrait of the Artist as A Young Man.</em><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863853771121418007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15987251.post-60894881776862227242015-11-16T21:45:00.001-05:002015-11-16T21:55:41.846-05:00ReInspired....Again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The older I get, the harder it seems to do something that once came so naturally to me - writing. It's not that I've lost the passion. On the contrary, I've never been able to say I am a writer with more confidence than I do now. What it is, is that life got harder. And because I write on a very personal, emotional level, the topics I am exploring and writing about have gotten tougher.<br />
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A couple of months ago, I recognized this as writer's block and set out to learn how to counteract it. I thought the answer was a writing retreat, a space where I could sit in nature and have all my basic needs cared for by someone else, leaving me free to do nothing but write. So, I found one in Costa Rica, a place I've wanted to visit for the better part of a decade, and set out to learn more about myself as a writer.<br />
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One of many important lessons I learned while on the retreat is that, while I have a very distinct, poet voice in much of my more formal writing, it sometimes allows me to lightly touch on sensitive topics while hiding behind the emotions they evoke rather than exploring them in depth. I've received feedback in the past that alluded to this, but it always came out as "give more details," so I never really grasped the meaning.<br />
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But something about knowing I had to sit in front of the other women on the writing retreat, read my work and have them truly understand it, made me step outside of my comfort zone and dig up to my elbows in the gritty side of human nature. The above picture shows me reading something I wrote, out loud to other people for the first time in my life. The ladies were all incredibly supportive and I walked away feeling accomplished.<br />
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I apologize for rushing through this post, but I have been attempting to maintain some of the feeling I felt the night I presented my work. Trying to maintain the creative energy and discipline for writing that I achieved over the course of the retreat. Part of that attempt is revamping this blog, but more importantly, I'm trying to write for myself for anywhere from 10-60 minutes a day. I've been writing all day today, so I'm exhausted, but I still felt it was important post today, the beginning of the first full week I've been home from the retreat. If you want to read more about my experience in Costa Rica, visit my <a href="http://www.wheresnara.wordpress.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">travel blog</a>.<br />
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Until next time...<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "times";">~ With ♥ from Halima</span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863853771121418007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15987251.post-59034421758592439592015-09-01T10:41:00.001-04:002015-09-01T10:41:40.126-04:00I'm What's Happening: September 2015<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcScW89cbRSrLU_aSh72ARz6Gg_5sunwqIApWcgTAHcBmZcGvqirPhkP80Fwx0N49jjjgKPIzO8hnNmPE1UYrxafoQmzwreI2cJnxlIe2c602XW9fytXtNb980lQXADKSFI3s/s1600/IMG_20150809_190020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcScW89cbRSrLU_aSh72ARz6Gg_5sunwqIApWcgTAHcBmZcGvqirPhkP80Fwx0N49jjjgKPIzO8hnNmPE1UYrxafoQmzwreI2cJnxlIe2c602XW9fytXtNb980lQXADKSFI3s/s400/IMG_20150809_190020.jpg" width="400" /></a>Okay, kind of throwing this together because I am not prepared for it to be September already!<br />
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So real quick, on the craft front, I started a new knit project. In June, I was in Cape May, New Jersey for part of my mom's birthday celebration. We ran across <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FiberArtsYarnShop?pnref=lhc" target="_blank">Fiber Arts Yarn Shop</a> and I picked up a lot of cool odds and ends including my latest project, <a href="http://www.deliciousyarns.com/kits.html" target="_blank">Delicious Yarns T-shirt Shawl kit</a>. It's a good challenge because I've been shying away from knitting on circular needles, but as you can see to the left, I'm off to a pretty good start. That coupled with that fact that both Fiber Arts Yarn Shop and Delicious Yarns ship, have me pretty excited. </div>
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On to what I'm reading. I picked up Lisa Unger's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Novel-Lisa-Unger/dp/1451691181/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1441068051&sr=8-1" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">In the Blood </a>based on an e-mail recommendation by Amazon. Not something that would normally grab my attention, but after reading the summary, I thought it may be worth a quick read. Its story line got me thinking and wrapped me up to the point where I hated putting the book down and couldn't wait until I could pick it back up. A quick plot summary, without giving too much away: an orphan is away at college when her best friend/roommate goes missing. The ensuing search reveals that nobody is who they say they are in this novel. Also, Unger has a way with words and it's always nice to read a pretty sentence.</div>
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Since finishing <i>In the Blood, </i>I've moved on to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Foreign-Gods-Inc-Okey-Ndibe/dp/1616954582/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1441068727&sr=1-1&keywords=foreign+gods+inc&pebp=1441068729070&perid=0EQ0YY8459DHMFJ20XXN" target="_blank"><i>Foreign Gods, Inc</i> </a> by Okey Ndibe, who apparently studied under Chinua Achebe. So far it's about a man whose life isn't measuring up to his expectations and he decides to make his own good fortune. More to come once I finish this one.</div>
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Okay, I have some more exciting news in the works, but I want to wait until everything is more set in stone before I spill the beans.</div>
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Until next time...<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;">~ With ♥ from Halima</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863853771121418007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15987251.post-40100739972034454352015-08-17T10:13:00.002-04:002015-08-17T10:13:38.904-04:00I'm a Connoisseur of Dying Arts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I was in journalism school almost ten years ago, my classmates and I were told to write on a fifth grade reading level. This is to ensure journalists don't alienate readers and as a result, turn them away from reading a piece. I wonder what grade level j-schools are telling future journalists to write on now.<br />
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I ask this because of current trends of consuming information, mostly visual - photos and videos. I knew while going through j-school that print journalism was on the decline. My fellow classmates and I were even prepared by being taught how to write for different mediums. But I never thought it would get this bad. Limited to writing 140 characters - mostly social media updates or captions for imagery - or writing a script for 30 seconds worth of broadcast material. We've become a culture of overgrown kindergartners bored with anything more complex than our picture books. <br />
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Don't get me wrong, I see value in technology and even in these new ways of gathering information. But I also still believe that they're a kind of appetizer, a method of peaking interest and encouraging you to look further into a subject.<br />
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I know I'm in the minority, I mean my hobbies are ballet, knitting, crocheting, sewing, reading and writing. I'm a connoisseur of dying arts. But I have believe that we haven't become so superficial we get bored with information a 10 year old should be able to grasp.<br />
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That's all; I don't have a solution. Go read a book lol<br />
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Until next time...<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;">~ With ♥ from Halima</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863853771121418007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15987251.post-14833927950884300132015-08-10T11:00:00.000-04:002015-08-10T11:28:40.151-04:00Book Review: Claire of the Sea Light<div dir="ltr">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGrpW00zrhnP5kSBteoIHzNpggtu42D1Kbf4xYstsgImsEIVFXw3x51iY0ridf19TL80Zjv-ll-LLGZBz8JcM63IcYNqNeHjClg3qQ9XmVPE4jFj0S6w85vy00t-LYYQ7S-h3/s1600/IMG_20150805_201826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGrpW00zrhnP5kSBteoIHzNpggtu42D1Kbf4xYstsgImsEIVFXw3x51iY0ridf19TL80Zjv-ll-LLGZBz8JcM63IcYNqNeHjClg3qQ9XmVPE4jFj0S6w85vy00t-LYYQ7S-h3/s320/IMG_20150805_201826.jpg" width="320" /></a>For those who missed my <a href="http://www.instagram.com/midnytebloom">Instagram</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/hklivity">Facebook</a> posts last week about Edwidge Danticat's novel, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Claire-Sea-Light-Vintage-Contemporaries/dp/0307472272/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1439219952&sr=8-1&keywords=Claire+of+the+Sea+Light" target="_blank">Claire of the Sea Light</a>, for real, do yourself a favor and pick this book up. Danticat is seriously becoming one of my favorite authors based on the skill and subtlety she uses to weave a story together. <a href="http://journeytohalima.blogspot.com/2013/05/book-review-krik-krak-edwidge-danticat.html" target="_blank">Krik! Krak!</a> is still my favorite example of this because I love short stories, but this latest read is a close second.<br />
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The story takes place in a small Haitian town, Ville Rose. And really, it's not just one story, Danticat relays the very personal, defining moments of a handful of the town's adults. They're all from different walks of life, so although the reader sees them interact with each other, it's in a very familiar way, the way many of us interact with each other - we know what happened in someone's life but we don't truly grasp their struggle. And because we don't truly understand this, sometimes we don't give a second thought to gossiping about them or pitying them or being cruel.<br />
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But the truly nonsensical part comes into play in the way we handle exposing children to "grown folks' business." We say and do things around them while hoping they don't notice or don't understand and that they will thereby remain unaffected. In a scene from the novel, a mom appeared as a guest on the local radio show where people told their stories of how they'd been wronged. She had her 10-year-old son in the studio with her, but the shows host had given him earphones in hopes of keeping him from hearing his mother's story. When his mother had finished airing her grievance, she removed her son's headphones and described the look on his face - a knowing look that betrayed he had heard it all.<br />
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And in my opinion, that's why the novel is named for the 7-year-old girl who's character didn't receive much more attention than any of the other characters. She was a child, adults talked around her and with the empathetic wisdom only a child can have, she pieced everything together and became something of a keeper of all stories. But it was her story that finally drew some of the town's adults outside of themselves and allowed them to rescue a fellow neighbor drowning in sorrow. Well you know, "Children are a gift from the Lord (Psalm 127:3)" and all that.<br />
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Anyway, that's all I'm giving you because like most of Danticat's work, it sounds simple, but you have to read it yourself to grasp the magnificence.<br />
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Until next time...<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;">~ With ♥ from Halima</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863853771121418007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15987251.post-70663448021242687552015-08-03T11:43:00.000-04:002015-08-03T20:00:14.619-04:00I'm What's Happening: August 2015<br />
So, I know I had a lot to say during <a href="http://journeytohalima.blogspot.com/2015/07/checking-in.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">my check in</a>, but believe it or not, I have more to catch you all up on. <br />
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I finally finished the project I was working on months ago, the one whose hand sewn lining <a href="http://journeytohalima.blogspot.com/2015/03/i-what-happening-march-2015.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">inspired me to buy my sewing machine</a>.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2pkW51DjLxi3STx3Yn8IbJonPxcF4VfU6Uobr2v89Up3ROEdoE09SWwedg7jp7UBzC4zcz1dpByzBseOLWIRNfq1DHq8rPLzvF97qZkmAZNsr_NA-8WWBT3K5VG_EhyphenhyphenN8JSit/s1600/20150731_183858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2pkW51DjLxi3STx3Yn8IbJonPxcF4VfU6Uobr2v89Up3ROEdoE09SWwedg7jp7UBzC4zcz1dpByzBseOLWIRNfq1DHq8rPLzvF97qZkmAZNsr_NA-8WWBT3K5VG_EhyphenhyphenN8JSit/s640/20150731_183858.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: both; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">Let's just say this was one of those projects where nothing went as planned. First, something happened with the shape of the bag where it came out much more elongated than it should have. </div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: both; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
Then, I couldn't find straight, bamboo purse handles, so I bought some bamboo cake dowels, stained them and glued them together.</div><div class="" style="clear: both;"> </div><div class="" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5FLYSLc_Qu7Bga47mbR84c4L-qbL90wh4BeN32cb-H6TKV9ix4c6-hAg23otIfAOTgyYi0fetl2mbmIm4oIzmxp9KpM9gdR9Th7NGHV4BfzcLHE26AfG4ATNKamFKk0DIad5/s1600/20150726_132847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEr7OXul27UBM22PulYE0PJGfTjCHJgqZkngNMzq9Tp_dlh-Ws9MtrV7VB9mNzMYv5VW6T88nShEyv3BtNYuYjsAB0Z8UKRXQ5VSm-eIin0BJj5a5WD8wuR_CTMh7JyzrxDXLA/s1600/20150718_194406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEr7OXul27UBM22PulYE0PJGfTjCHJgqZkngNMzq9Tp_dlh-Ws9MtrV7VB9mNzMYv5VW6T88nShEyv3BtNYuYjsAB0Z8UKRXQ5VSm-eIin0BJj5a5WD8wuR_CTMh7JyzrxDXLA/s640/20150718_194406.jpg" /></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5FLYSLc_Qu7Bga47mbR84c4L-qbL90wh4BeN32cb-H6TKV9ix4c6-hAg23otIfAOTgyYi0fetl2mbmIm4oIzmxp9KpM9gdR9Th7NGHV4BfzcLHE26AfG4ATNKamFKk0DIad5/s640/20150726_132847.jpg" /></div><br />
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Overall, the purse took way longer than expected and isn't as cute as I hoped, but it gave me some good experiences like learning how to stain wood and line a purse. I'll probably end up using it as a bag for my knitting needles.<br />
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</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: both; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">Here's the <a href="http://www.marymaxim.com/free-autumn-tote-bag-crochet-pattern.html" target="_blank">pattern</a> in case you want to try your hand at it.<br />
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</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: both; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">Shifting gears, it had been way too long, but I finally got around to taking a small vacation. With July 4th making for a long weekend, I decided it'd be the perfect time to go to L.A. and visit my good friend. It was very relaxing and I didn't do much but chill out and eat good food, but here's a video I took on top of the W Hotel in Hollywood. It's previewing pretty small, so you may have to click on the bottom right corner to make it full screen for the full effect.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/r5cxWU72jXg/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/r5cxWU72jXg?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: both; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">And you all know I'm always trying to work on my photography skills, so I took some pretty decent pics while I was out there. You can check them out in the photo album I made on my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.686744544789824.1073741830.574024462728500&type=3&uploaded=8" target="_blank">Facebook</a> page. Let me know what you think.<br />
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</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: both; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">And last but not least, on the plane to L.A. I started a new book, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Valley-Amazement-Amy-Tan/dp/0062107321/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1437269420&sr=1-1&keywords=the+valley+of+amazement" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Valley of Amazement</a>. </i>It reminds me of <i>Memoirs of a Geisha </i>except it's the story of a half Japanese half American courtesan (which is like a Chinese Geisha). Although some of the story is what you'd expect from a cheesy romance novel, I still love the writing style of the author, Amy Tan. The story draws you in, so I'd definitely recommend it as a good, easy read. And as always, my all time favorite recommended books are on my r<a href="http://journeytohalima.blogspot.com/p/halimas-reading-room_22.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ecommended reading</a> page.<br />
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</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: both; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">Until next time...<br />
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</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;">~ With ♥ from Halima</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: both; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863853771121418007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15987251.post-69065336023353067342015-07-24T10:25:00.002-04:002015-07-27T11:36:18.716-04:00Sick & Tired of Feeling Sick & Tired: My Thoughts on Sandra Bland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhezBvBEbnAuGzuQtoOZns91KiUXDXXdG58MNQvSe-yiiyvfNz6D5oDMcL8c0Hl4Qd99zt_1uCPvHXGnpHQY7_PwJM-3c8K1kgdgQWSaNCkjdYvgvgR4Yb0H1PmY24AETrjpCSI/s1600/sandra_bland2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhezBvBEbnAuGzuQtoOZns91KiUXDXXdG58MNQvSe-yiiyvfNz6D5oDMcL8c0Hl4Qd99zt_1uCPvHXGnpHQY7_PwJM-3c8K1kgdgQWSaNCkjdYvgvgR4Yb0H1PmY24AETrjpCSI/s400/sandra_bland2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
I know the Sandra Bland story broke over a week ago, but I'm still going to talk about it today because although I still don't have the words to describe how I'm feeling, I know I may never have them. I apologize in advance if this isn't as comprehensive as my other posts, but like I said, I'm putting out thoughts I need to say, but that I in no way understand. <br />
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With all the random shootings and senseless deaths from police brutality, I've started trying to maintain a safe distance from these incidents that seem to be happening nearly every day. It's something like PTSD, trying to protect my fragile mental by breaking emotional ties. So I'll admit, though I knew about Sandra Bland, I didn't look into the details of the case until around last Tuesday when the police officer's dashboard video was released.<br />
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Let me just say, was she rude when speaking with the officer? Yes. But I can't help but think about a similar incident I had when an officer was tailgating me as we were both trying to get around a patch of traffic driving so slow and erratic, it could have caused an accident. As soon as we got around these cars, he pulled me over. I hadn't been speeding and I'd used my turn signal with every lane change. When he walked up to the car, I was naturally irritated because not only had I done everything legally, he had been right behind me making the same moves. I really had to check my attitude at the door and I'm glad I did because as we now see, apparently being irritated and a bit rude is now punishable by death.<br />
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And for those that believe the report of the authorities, that Bland killed herself, I challenge you to look into this young lady's life. Check out some of the video blogging she did. The media is trying to put a spin on it that she may have suffered from mild depression, but really who doesn't? Especially this day in age when we're constantly bombarded with bad news. And as her videos show, she was very in tune with current events. This was a person who had a passion for what's right and good, a passion for improving the lives of those around her. Sandra Bland would not have snuffed her light out over the very injustice she was fighting against. <br />
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And since we're being completely honesty, she may not have reacted to the police officer the way she had if hadn't been up in arms about America having declared it open killing season against brown people. If you're going to be upset that she was irritated with the officer, take it a step further and be upset that there's a reason for brown people to be untrusting and irritated with law enforcement. Don't be upset at the Black Lives Matter campaign, take it a step further and be upset that race-motivated killings have made a need for the movement.<br />
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I guess that's all for now. I have to get ready to drive home, wish me luck.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">~With ♥ from Halima</span><br />
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<script src="https://widget.bloglovin.com/widget/scripts/bl.js" type="text/javascript"></script><span style="font-size: small;"><a class="bloglovin-widget" data-blog-id="13244569" data-img-src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/widget.gif?id=13244569" href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/13244569" target="_blank"><em><img src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/widget.gif?id=13244569" /></em></a></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863853771121418007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15987251.post-22672056156988605472015-07-20T09:49:00.001-04:002015-07-20T09:50:57.472-04:00Checking In<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Life is truly funny. A couple of years ago, I revived this blog because I was in a life-defining moment and needed a space to sort through my thoughts. Recently, I've entered another one of those moments - just really needing some change in my life and embracing the fact that the only way I can bring that about is by making bigger, more directed strides toward my goals. And even though I'm still working through my thoughts through endless writing, this time around I'm being selfish and only writing for myself. I'm working on a piece that's different from anything I've every written because not only is it very personal, but I'm also tying it into a well-known, spiritual concept. I'm not sure what I plan to do with it once it's finished, so I don't want to spill anymore beans; just wanted to let you all know why I haven't been around. </div>
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Anyway, beyond writing, I've also been in my creative space in other ways. I finished my skirt just in time to start refreshing my fall, work wardrobe!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsiEyHGfW7yi-UggJtYmVrO-K9glefhU8e1Gr8vAbJl6M8Y7PJAtqD9yw_6U4ZR_b7czEbWIj21si9OylrMH0iIMWum4ok5S3t_UXtylGTsRefDQNsLpB_SvBvAz_hYTkCm3L/s1600/Blogger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsiEyHGfW7yi-UggJtYmVrO-K9glefhU8e1Gr8vAbJl6M8Y7PJAtqD9yw_6U4ZR_b7czEbWIj21si9OylrMH0iIMWum4ok5S3t_UXtylGTsRefDQNsLpB_SvBvAz_hYTkCm3L/s640/Blogger.jpg" /></a></div>
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Here are the steps it took me to get there:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifMTMLxRm26IV8tw-WY6OS17POlr73CBnOt9stvNIEDvb1tXJwYG8-V2KrijkYvIcppMEHYvdwuk8shppFA2-N17jbtHHjUe8ixV_zsqfyAkxUv1OgUiIjGfB0lDK9XIPQij0/s1600/20150718_173515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifMTMLxRm26IV8tw-WY6OS17POlr73CBnOt9stvNIEDvb1tXJwYG8-V2KrijkYvIcppMEHYvdwuk8shppFA2-N17jbtHHjUe8ixV_zsqfyAkxUv1OgUiIjGfB0lDK9XIPQij0/s640/20150718_173515.jpg" /> </a> </div>
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Preparing the lining's hem. Using the gauge to make sure the lining is folded an inch and a half all the way around. Got to make sure it's not hanging beyond the hem of the skirt!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuofcYO0KHbfeF5a4X9eCNGe_lDscdRwF9zW_Ugpt8Z8pFjIzOpuPNTKJ0F9z9OLk9FCISy6mrM-CwH0tgbz2b_fjSWwIHsqGm7-faLkhRMLsUcmrK84iNntrYMTpWWLoeOvon/s1600/20150718_180431.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuofcYO0KHbfeF5a4X9eCNGe_lDscdRwF9zW_Ugpt8Z8pFjIzOpuPNTKJ0F9z9OLk9FCISy6mrM-CwH0tgbz2b_fjSWwIHsqGm7-faLkhRMLsUcmrK84iNntrYMTpWWLoeOvon/s640/20150718_180431.jpg" /> </a> </div>
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Preparing the skirt's hem. This time, I used the gauge to make sure the skirt's hem is folded at 5/8ths of an inch. It came in right under the skirt's lining.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgODFZUW0FXwfj4ipnnTLKhVrILw36Lb2bwOF4CUNzNBXpZE1PIdmE4bQMGv_HtDPl9DmYSorOk6TSKhjl7Wyv7d9iWN3y9tEplT-woppv3Bem7WY4PQ6TwwINPshRk3_zc4EFc/s1600/20150718_181618.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgODFZUW0FXwfj4ipnnTLKhVrILw36Lb2bwOF4CUNzNBXpZE1PIdmE4bQMGv_HtDPl9DmYSorOk6TSKhjl7Wyv7d9iWN3y9tEplT-woppv3Bem7WY4PQ6TwwINPshRk3_zc4EFc/s640/20150718_181618.jpg" /> </a> </div>
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Sewing the skirt's hem at 3/8ths of an inch.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg32V3CJ-clPsxI897DSEWF-Ax_UBhnxGKuw1-GL2DSMsjOziyr5POiH9jFdtS9j3F2iS2rxBws_EJtbiS4LmEq1xXEO-CQLJRgn3fHAIzasS8ErmDtjPFm4uyc-3WWqoqhJSFh/s1600/20150718_184224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg32V3CJ-clPsxI897DSEWF-Ax_UBhnxGKuw1-GL2DSMsjOziyr5POiH9jFdtS9j3F2iS2rxBws_EJtbiS4LmEq1xXEO-CQLJRgn3fHAIzasS8ErmDtjPFm4uyc-3WWqoqhJSFh/s640/20150718_184224.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Preparing the hook and eye closure for the waistband right above the zipper.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBGPNzMCF6qioyvt6PFiR6YBqBwHciIoWDfZ7Fc_JczGo_HsOZKBdOJJEydPd9LnjtWAZJRe8oabsJdcHjVBd1BYm7QvZxeJq0rnfVvKSGQ88xJlWbM5LHNXosunouqza3vIID/s1600/20150718_183710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBGPNzMCF6qioyvt6PFiR6YBqBwHciIoWDfZ7Fc_JczGo_HsOZKBdOJJEydPd9LnjtWAZJRe8oabsJdcHjVBd1BYm7QvZxeJq0rnfVvKSGQ88xJlWbM5LHNXosunouqza3vIID/s640/20150718_183710.jpg" /></a></div>
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All finished! </div>
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And just because it's been such a long time since I started this project, here's the YouTube <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVctLksHkzQ&list=PLcfmRHHvp5tuVDmHgKcthYdMbT5xSKLy9&index=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">link</a> to the first of four Mimi G lessons that got me through reading the pattern for this skirt. You should be able to find the rest of the videos using YouTube's sidebar. And, I'm sure a fabric store would have the physical pattern, but I didn't want to risk the not having it, so I ordered mine on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004O0TK76?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amazon</a>.</div>
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Also, I finally made it to one of those sip and paint classes that are so popular in the DC area (I took mine via a Groupon at <a href="http://www.visartsatrockville.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Visarts Studio</a> - beautiful facility btw). Here's the end result. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwGf88Q5ijtOWxdTDZPNZb3XozOSwpW2uPyXQ5zC3uQKwU9NfnSGW9ChVnOC4JyNqsGEeeaq5Hksz6YYFUFiise8e913UcOPk5laTiGdnZgoQIKzwZ-ro36_Hmej3j_nmNh3Rq/s1600/20150718_195942-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="327" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwGf88Q5ijtOWxdTDZPNZb3XozOSwpW2uPyXQ5zC3uQKwU9NfnSGW9ChVnOC4JyNqsGEeeaq5Hksz6YYFUFiise8e913UcOPk5laTiGdnZgoQIKzwZ-ro36_Hmej3j_nmNh3Rq/s400/20150718_195942-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
At first I was determined to find a dark closet to hang it, but it kind of grew on me, so I hung it right outside of my up and coming craft room. It's okay to not be perfect if it's leading the way into a creative space, amiright?</div>
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Well, I know that was a lot, so until next time,</div>
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~ With ♥ from Halima<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863853771121418007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15987251.post-90808773881125441502015-06-01T10:07:00.002-04:002015-06-01T10:10:56.834-04:00I'm What's Happening: June 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've heard from a couple of people that I've been missed, so I apologize that I haven't been posting like normal. </div>
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While I wasn't here, I was trying to work on my home refresh project. I say trying because I went to Ikea and although I found some really great rugs and other odds and ends, I wasn't able to find the shelving I was looking for for my craft room. So because it seems like it's going to take a little extra work to track down what I'm looking for, I figured it was the perfect time to finish sewing my skirt. </div>
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The first step on my sewing comeback was piecing the lining together. Should've been easy, but I actually had to rip the same seam twice!! Apparently I've been away from sewing too long because the first time I didn't follow Mimi's directions and sewed the front and back panels of the lining together on the wrong side (I found out that because lining is sewed into a skirt with the wrong side facing the wrong side of the main fabric, you actually need to join the panels of the lining on the opposite side from that of the fabric's joining seam. Mind blown yet??) Once I ripped the seam and sewed the joining seam on the other side, I managed to do it on the right side of the lining, which was actually the wrong side lol If your mind wasn't blown before it has to be now. Basically you want all seams to be on the wrong side (think about why clothes are "inside out." Because the seams are on the wrong side.) So, I had to rip the seam out again, flip the lining and sew it back up. Here's the finished product with an opening in the middle for the zipper:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hGVtudqkbn6osXKvYGKopFm-Je5aH6k-0YeTRHjARJFJAQ8ZGyw6X8KWOP3mffLS-blx6nRiUCTWWSa_Qlevz6mb7j8KMq5OlWO4RCLjM0zW4WotnRaOjZekyrjiioa315kh/s1600/2015-05-26%25252020.31.59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hGVtudqkbn6osXKvYGKopFm-Je5aH6k-0YeTRHjARJFJAQ8ZGyw6X8KWOP3mffLS-blx6nRiUCTWWSa_Qlevz6mb7j8KMq5OlWO4RCLjM0zW4WotnRaOjZekyrjiioa315kh/s640/2015-05-26%25252020.31.59.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Okay, here's the new, iron fusible interfacing I talked about <a href="http://journeytohalima.blogspot.com/2015/04/pardon-birthday-interruption.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">last time</a> I talked about my skirt. I attached it to the waistband and in this picture I'm attached the waistband to the skirt.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqfG1D_jKcHNsp_ROLKaiZWAqtbFY5aYjV1FFZHpC0pZRvjlOZlfovpjRq1BuKqM-kudF_cmCrMZZ3vorzvquE7h2kyoRd1-kz7iumCAS9Gu8Njhu-aYRPFJGJm-vFMYghMUB/s1600/20150526_161432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqfG1D_jKcHNsp_ROLKaiZWAqtbFY5aYjV1FFZHpC0pZRvjlOZlfovpjRq1BuKqM-kudF_cmCrMZZ3vorzvquE7h2kyoRd1-kz7iumCAS9Gu8Njhu-aYRPFJGJm-vFMYghMUB/s640/20150526_161432.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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And after I sewed and ironed the waistband.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwwctqzze2yL0P6IVUO8G3YnPW4-9IJ0e2OLUtBMuCXplKJCpbtzsrd0ssNRBHn-PxpEfVrxiWz5_q47ONPONIr1QnktW6x4ih6Yar8xmW27G5H-wX8KLsA_q3gEdpm2PoLlR/s1600/20150526_165315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwwctqzze2yL0P6IVUO8G3YnPW4-9IJ0e2OLUtBMuCXplKJCpbtzsrd0ssNRBHn-PxpEfVrxiWz5_q47ONPONIr1QnktW6x4ih6Yar8xmW27G5H-wX8KLsA_q3gEdpm2PoLlR/s640/20150526_165315.jpg" /> </a> </div>
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And finally, I got to attach the lining to the fabric. Now, if you've been following my blog for any amount of time, you know I hate hand sewing, which is why I ended up getting a sewing machine in the <a href="http://journeytohalima.blogspot.com/2015/03/i-what-happening-march-2015.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">first place</a>. But low and behold, I had to hand sew the lining to secure it without sewing through the front of the fabric. Then, I was able to go back and use a technique on the machine called "sewing in the ditch" which was basically just sewing along the seam where I originally attached the waistband to the skirt.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_HU7tPrizuZP5mpXKGTFTTvV4x-buARGA4TwtgRUzO2sGsUriMYvKKZgq4uXqxsAJPJETB7oQFb8JT8KUPp6fThmf7udOt8sM4zyWnXGH6o1JKYAPUMhoeaSrLGicIfc02Pnh/s1600/20150526_171503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_HU7tPrizuZP5mpXKGTFTTvV4x-buARGA4TwtgRUzO2sGsUriMYvKKZgq4uXqxsAJPJETB7oQFb8JT8KUPp6fThmf7udOt8sM4zyWnXGH6o1JKYAPUMhoeaSrLGicIfc02Pnh/s640/20150526_171503.jpg" /> </a> </div>
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After all of that, (it was a lot, but not picture worthy) I started to do some finishing; folding the waistband over the lining seam.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-2kcHWJESo0zY7Zs1mpLw9qMv58ZCE-up17VdFiyxJ-7Dbq75ADVRk7Go7U15LIaIYysnasc3D01LYtzy8FFAGB_Gd4TPLI1o9YOFpKlln9JBD6heu7b-Am2msfeBsjrttCty/s1600/20150526_174146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-2kcHWJESo0zY7Zs1mpLw9qMv58ZCE-up17VdFiyxJ-7Dbq75ADVRk7Go7U15LIaIYysnasc3D01LYtzy8FFAGB_Gd4TPLI1o9YOFpKlln9JBD6heu7b-Am2msfeBsjrttCty/s640/20150526_174146.jpg" /> </a></div>
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The next step is hand sewing the lining around the zipper, but I decided to save that for my next sewing session because, well, hand sewing lol </div>
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Okay, well until next time...<br />
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~ With ♥ from Halima<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863853771121418007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15987251.post-3403077487600773892015-05-04T10:30:00.000-04:002015-05-04T10:30:31.445-04:00I'm What's Happening: May 2015Okay well, my plan to create a craft room kind of, sort of morphed into me painting almost my entire house. So, I haven't done any work on the skirt I'm sewing since my <a href="http://journeytohalima.blogspot.com/2015/04/pardon-birthday-interruption.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">last post</a>. But, on the flip side, my house is getting pretty lol Picture time!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUxx_7cpSrPz8pPArsL2JsjYn16JWp_P-bsK8Vh3yBw8CeD6zmeaxi5il8TYZASXWrXbt-BNXDkJzK9mqwdXWq8dZVqiQCCNpCmRPuILGt_sPTCniYhpjuEzK-nTs20mOVWqDJ/s640/20150502_192354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUxx_7cpSrPz8pPArsL2JsjYn16JWp_P-bsK8Vh3yBw8CeD6zmeaxi5il8TYZASXWrXbt-BNXDkJzK9mqwdXWq8dZVqiQCCNpCmRPuILGt_sPTCniYhpjuEzK-nTs20mOVWqDJ/s640/20150502_192354.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giselle sitting at the desk guarding her space lol</td></tr>
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Here's the second bedroom, the craft room that started it all. I went with a very light green instead of the bolder green that made my heart flutter. I love this choice though because the space is Caribbean inspired, so I want to keep it airy.<br />
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I'm making a field trip to Ikea to look at some shelving within the next couple of weeks. And the plan is to sew some storage baskets to place on the shelves. I'm also planning on sewing curtains for this room. And my most major purchase, which I'm still up in the air about, will be replacing the desk wit a sewing table. We'll see about that though, if I do, it will happen a little way down the road.<br />
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I already posted this picture on my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/hklivity" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a> page, but I'm showing it off again to give the full effect because this is the bathroom that's attached to my second bedroom. The color is Peach Blossom and was lighter than I originally intended, but ended up being perfect for this space.<br />
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The rest of my painting was hallways, stairwells and my foyer. They're now a sandy, neutral color, so not too interesting, but I'll show this pic because I finally got my wall sconces up. I've had these in my garage for about four years!! <br />
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In other news, I finished reading 'The Red Tent.' It was so good I not only <a href="http://journeytohalima.blogspot.com/2015/04/book-review-red-tent.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">reviewed</a> it, I also added it to my <a href="http://journeytohalima.blogspot.com/p/halimas-reading-room_22.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">recommended reading</a> page. So, I won't got too much into it here except to say it gives voice to the women the Bible brushes over. It's a very interesting fleshing out their stories while lightly relating them to Biblical history from a female point of view.<br />
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And on to the next one. I'm currently reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cross-Redemption-Uncollected-Writings-International/dp/0307275965/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1430405596&sr=8-1&keywords=the+cross+of+redemption+uncollected+writings" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'The Cross of Redemption: Uncollected Writings'</a> of James Baldwin. Let's just say my recommended reading page will be receiving another title. I mean, almost every line is underline-worthy. <br />
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So, that's about all I've been up to. Until next time...<br />
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~ With ♥ from Halima<br />
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Starting from the time I was born, I've always had a strange fascination with my feet. I really don't like anything covering them and I abhor toe jam. Absolutely, abhor. Thirty-odd years later, my mom still laughs when she tells stories of how as I baby she'd try to keep socks on me. But as soon as she'd put them on, I'd take them off and start cleaning any lint left between my toes. And, 30 odd years later, she's still fussing at me to stop walking around the house barefoot.<br />
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So, imagine my surprise when as a little girl sitting at my Grandaddy's feet as he put socks on, I realized my feet looked just like his. And let me tell you, my Grandaddy had some strong genes because just about everyone in my family has this man's hands and feet lol<br />
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Fast forward some years to when as a young adult and I began wondering what mark I would leave on this world. Up until about four years ago if you'd asked me what it would be, I would have told you I wanted to write something beautiful that would inspire and be quoted by many people. Now, that would still be nice, but I've really started to understand the importance of family. <br />
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So, maybe my mark will simply be having a grandchild look back and remember me crawling around on the floor with them (Mema) or being told to "shake a tailfeather or say good morning, one" (Grandaddy). And you know what, that's more than okay because in my opinion, that's what this life is all about. If I can touch at least one person to the point where my memory lives on through them, then I did something right.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kb52P44xLx4/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kb52P44xLx4?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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The slideshow has music, so make sure your sound is up :-)</div>
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Oh yea, and for what it's worth, this is <a href="http://journeytohalima.blogspot.com/2015/04/pardon-birthday-interruption.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the post I promised</a> a couple of weeks back. I had to put the slideshow of my grandparents together, so I hope you all enjoyed and that it was worth the wait.<br />
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Until next time...<br />
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~ With ♥ from Halima<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863853771121418007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15987251.post-78663382868701835852015-04-20T10:09:00.000-04:002015-04-21T09:43:59.415-04:00Book Review: The Red Tent<br />
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When I was on the verge of womanhood, I would read and re-read Proverbs 31 trying to ingrain the traits of being the ideal woman. The summary to the left is bare bones and doesn't grasp how amazeballs "ideal" is, so check out the <a href="http://www.esvbible.org/Proverbs+31%3A10-31/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">full text</a> if you have a moment. But let's just say, if she existed, she'd be that mom every other mom hated because her life was so daymn perfect lol. She could do it all and she had it all. <br />
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Needless to say, I'd walk away from this text amazed, but also feeling defeated because let's be honest, nobody can ever achieve all of that. And if it looks like someone is, something is probably way off balance in parts of their life that aren't visible.<br />
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To make matters worse, Christianity doesn't provide any in depth examples of the inner lives of women, let alone those of the ideal woman . <br />
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And that's why I loved reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Red-Tent-Novel-Anita-Diamant/dp/0312427298/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1429203833&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Red+Tent" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Red Tent</a>. The author, Anita Diamant, spun an entire story about the women mentioned in passing in the Bible and has Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, as narrator. So kind of like biblical history told from a female point of view, but more character driven.<br />
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Initially, I thought it was a cool concept, made for a great read and so I was just going to add it to my <a href="http://journeytohalima.blogspot.com/p/halimas-reading-room_22.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">recommended reading page</a>. But then I started thinking about what Diamant really did with this book. It wasn't preachy, but it showed Dinah and her mother figures encompassing the virtues of ideal, but very real and imperfect women. Much like myself. I may not get it all or any of it right at any given time, but I try. I try to be responsible and do that right thing when necessary, but sometimes I just want pure enjoyment. I honor my family most times, but when it's time to set boundaries for my own well-being, I do that too. But maybe most importantly, I try to keep faith. Sometimes I falter and that's okay because everything will work out.<br />
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The last thing I'll leave you with is that this book truly celebrates womanhood. From our hopes, dreams, strengths, weaknesses, pain, happiness, ritual, loving, wisdom, everything that makes us women, it just made me want to walk up to every lady I saw and fist bump them lol We are awesome! Read this book, ladies and then buy a copy for your mom and your best friend so we all can bask in our sisterhood :-)<br />
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~ With ♥ from Halima<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863853771121418007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15987251.post-51662028048880634422015-04-13T11:49:00.000-04:002015-04-16T15:55:27.094-04:00Pardon the Birthday InterruptionThis past weekend was my birthday weekend. So, I didn't get to make the post I was planning, but I did get to speak and spend time with so many loved ones, I'm still on cloud 9. <br />
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I promise I'll have the other post within the next two weeks. But even with all the celebrating, did get a chance to work on my skirt, so I'll just give an update on that.<br />
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I found out the interface material I talked about in my <a href="http://journeytohalima.blogspot.com/2015/04/i-started-sewing-my-first-skirt.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">last post</a> was sew-in and Mimi G called for a iron fusible. So, I had to make another trip to the fabric store, for a different kind of interfacing. Luckily this trip didn't take three hours lol<br />
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I sewed the panels of the skirt together with no problem.<br />
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And although I was a little intimidated by inserting the zipper, I did okay.<br />
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I started piecing together the lining too. The pattern didn't call for this step, but this is something Mimi G added to the project. I think it's a good idea to give the skirt a more finished look, plus it's great experience. <br />
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So I guess that's about it. Check out my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/hklivity" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook </a>page for updates on my upcoming craft room project. <br />
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Until next time,<br />
<br />
~With ♥ from Halima<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span class="s1">If we're friends on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/hklivity" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, you may have already seen that not only did I receive the replacement needle threader for my sewing machine this week, but my Mom also gave me a six foot table as a workstation. Something like a fresh start. But it killed any excuse I had to start on my biggest project yet - a skirt.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">I'll admit it, I'm a little intimidated by the thought of making something so large. I mean, if I put so much effort into something and it doesn't come out as something I'll actually feel proud wearing, I don't want it to frustrate me and keep my from wanting to learn anything else about sewing. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">But I digress.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Here's my first look at an actual, clothing pattern:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAk6caZ590pnwnWrQZaQNtHXomdLAejsU-bL9yGdJv44b3j5xt9e8c1ATXqpEt7vgl4ju51xDmA3fQ1iIjxHTGOl7zWn6dwy8RPIwlcDdipUxwtRTipbozUzEp-JrxplTlhTWp/s640/20150406_202015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAk6caZ590pnwnWrQZaQNtHXomdLAejsU-bL9yGdJv44b3j5xt9e8c1ATXqpEt7vgl4ju51xDmA3fQ1iIjxHTGOl7zWn6dwy8RPIwlcDdipUxwtRTipbozUzEp-JrxplTlhTWp/s640/20150406_202015.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1">It has all those lines on either side for sizing purposes because this pattern seems like it can make a skirt that fits anyone from store bought sizes of like 0 - 12/14. And I will admit to having that insecure moment Mimi was talking about when you truly realize sewing sizes and store sizes are way different. Like, I'm about a 6 in store-bought clothes, but a 14 in this pattern!!</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Anyway, after watching <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wX1mM6uyLLc&index=2&list=PLn6OXH73jQmmwXIklhVim7-si3JYxCZNc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mimi G's third lesson</a> and learning all about the importance of the grain of fabric for draping purposes, I figured out the right way to position the pattern on the fabric:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6FmLTzuoVasrekOIzXHlguKGwK5mZHuMljiJv0xXn7u-bGpGyuZyTQIaaoncV3be4RunRpc-fZE0tn6fvbPzbKqEa9WlgK6vZTrRLQNA4QPrcZa5cWiz7Zm3CVBQgBIA7mr_1/s640/20150406_205901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6FmLTzuoVasrekOIzXHlguKGwK5mZHuMljiJv0xXn7u-bGpGyuZyTQIaaoncV3be4RunRpc-fZE0tn6fvbPzbKqEa9WlgK6vZTrRLQNA4QPrcZa5cWiz7Zm3CVBQgBIA7mr_1/s640/20150406_205901.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you look closely, you can spot Nellie standing patiently by in hopes of getting her mouth <br />on any stray thread. I swear, that dog will try to eat anything!!</td></tr>
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<span class="s1">So lesson learned this week?? I will be taking Mimi's suggestion of using washers to weight the pattern down while cutting the fabric instead of using pins. I've just found that unless I use a lot of pins, the pattern moves and my cutting becomes jagged. And using a lot of pins creates a lot of holes in the pattern; if I decide to make this skirt again (maybe in a different color and/or fabric), I don't want the pattern to be all torn up and hard to work with.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"> And finally, one of the benefits of this skirt is that it will teach me the basics of working with interface. This is a material you bond to certain areas of your fabric to give your garment some structure. Like, some men's shirts have it in the collar to make them stand up. I think the purpose of it in this project - because it will be placed in the waistband where the shape of the garment is being determined - is to make sure the skirt falls away from the body real pretty like.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">So anyway, this is me preparing to cut the interfacing to match the waistband I had just cut:</span></div>
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<span class="s1">That’s all, folks. Until next time….</span><br />
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
~With ♥ from Halima<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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My inaugural 'What's Happening' the Lite version! I intended it to be more of a update on longer projects, but my second sewing project ended up being pretty quick. It works out for you because, you know, instant gratification - you get to see progress pictures and my finished product all in one post.</div>
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So, despite my love of crafting, I don't have a dedicated workspace (something I plan on fixing in the next year or so). If you don't already know, learning a new craft is rewarding, but also frustrating. And an unorganized work area only adds to that frustration. So until I can get my crafting room set up, I decided a sewing machine caddy would be a good idea - keeps everything in one place, close by, but also out of the way. I found <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/sewing/home-decor/sewing-machine-organizer/69375" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this pattern</a> on Craftsy and picked up the supplies during my <a href="http://journeytohalima.blogspot.com/2015/04/i-what-happening-april-2015.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">three hour trip</a> to the fabric store.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-o3U5XI-GX7DkRoNFFfZBgLkUi76CeSdkIa1C-SJ3tfPJZabXT2azsC7QbnRASekMuyOGr73vjvFoVuS6cVyHod47ZpcDPgxgEBaKvGpCPSjPevxbBJ-NfhF7Kul2NuEbBN2I/s640/20150329_193640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-o3U5XI-GX7DkRoNFFfZBgLkUi76CeSdkIa1C-SJ3tfPJZabXT2azsC7QbnRASekMuyOGr73vjvFoVuS6cVyHod47ZpcDPgxgEBaKvGpCPSjPevxbBJ-NfhF7Kul2NuEbBN2I/s640/20150329_193640.jpg" height="640" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;">The first step was actually my least favorite part of sewing so far, the cutting. Even with a cutting board, I've managed to cut jagged edges. This fabric was easier to work with then the stretch fabric I worked with on <a href="http://journeytohalima.blogspot.com/2015/04/i-what-happening-april-2015.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">my first project</a>, the vintage headband. I did cut pretty straight lines, this time, but it took a <i><b>long</b></i> time. And I discovered that even though batting looks like a bag full of clouds, it's actually a pain to cut, largely because of its stretchy factor. If anyone has any tips on working with this, please share.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKAadfAwTo_VemDregNBJ55jTnWgWlbAS-l4bXHYZUf-ekqELyPrj1L6FiB1mU-xw-Z8-PJKfoGOGDbYZE963jLDYNTLqnRYwmvrBhe1QdOmw0MDWMRnNg9ZxuHG4IErYph84/s640/20150329_200238.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">After cutting, I had to iron the pocket. This step got rid of the deep, folding crease that was in the material, but also created a crisp pocket.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKAadfAwTo_VemDregNBJ55jTnWgWlbAS-l4bXHYZUf-ekqELyPrj1L6FiB1mU-xw-Z8-PJKfoGOGDbYZE963jLDYNTLqnRYwmvrBhe1QdOmw0MDWMRnNg9ZxuHG4IErYph84/s1600/20150329_200238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXp3oXPh6Vx_B_O-q-e4lcHoqpyuhPiAEdqdPk_2Ul49hRs9VjET9TWDjBi6d0o9WNbsbLvqjKY2YYn8LkfPNPno2UNTRITCv2wpjJiOStpRUYoxX1sDq1CzmSuR76GLdpfqSf/s640/20150329_200802.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Next, I arranged the layers of the caddy: batting, back piece of fabric, pocket and front piece of fabric. It was an interesting order, but because the project is worked inside out, it all worked out.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXp3oXPh6Vx_B_O-q-e4lcHoqpyuhPiAEdqdPk_2Ul49hRs9VjET9TWDjBi6d0o9WNbsbLvqjKY2YYn8LkfPNPno2UNTRITCv2wpjJiOStpRUYoxX1sDq1CzmSuR76GLdpfqSf/s1600/20150329_200802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSlVFVJqoxWiJ1NHk_emaQVTOU1Pd8NBFJqJp96k1XqmA_MpKGSuTvAXq05s85DSC4SBJTGDgp25C60_8rCXT48pgvHV8CLP_ttZeX_ZmuXKCbPGR6Uwn4eiAFyU5415p78GvZ/s640/20150329_202807.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Finally got to the sewing part. I pinned the layers together to ensure I sewed through all the layers. The pattern called for me to sew up the two sides and the bottom. I was a little hesitant about sewing around corners because I've never done it and after my "cut on the fold" incident, I figured better to ask the dumb question than to make another mistake, especially because I didn't have extra fabric this time. So, I watched this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdV2ZKwbsHo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">YouTube</a> tutorial for sewing corners. Very straightforward without making you feel like you asked the dumb question lol</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJcmE1kBErkudfQBIHcLIWRzp3OfUMQeEaCfFF1KXgK2UcTHNKSDsA_8L2Ngd7v1q7sxm78vBs8DGfB6yJ2-lLBG-d396KZOI7Ygu5dCCLuxzxrPXJLWxr7-YAOHLMqgIpmS4j/s640/20150329_210510.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This was after I sewed up the sides and bottom and flipped the caddy right side out.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJcmE1kBErkudfQBIHcLIWRzp3OfUMQeEaCfFF1KXgK2UcTHNKSDsA_8L2Ngd7v1q7sxm78vBs8DGfB6yJ2-lLBG-d396KZOI7Ygu5dCCLuxzxrPXJLWxr7-YAOHLMqgIpmS4j/s1600/20150329_210510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN1iBlNiJcJsMcTLOQW8FO3G1GitkLWbzYg_KJxcwH4uLVAUDiWz9Im79wmUABCmY3yx0v36Eke7sIRSoU6UwpUcAclXJ4nOvSWRreph6x1RF06LF6bIPsxkzRU9L-duahTccG/s640/20150329_214257.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">And, after I sewed partitions into the pocket to make four pockets. I have my fabric marker, seam ripper, fabric scissors, tape measure and straight pins stored with plenty of room leftover!
<br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The whole project only took about two hours which I didn't think was bad considering a broken automatic needle threader and about 20 minutes spent fighting with the bobbin.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Until next time....</span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">~With ♥ from Halima</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
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<br />
I found a couple of basic patterns on <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Craftsy</a> and also took the suggestion of a friend and checked out <a href="http://mimigstyle.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mimi G.</a> I was really excited about her because she has free, online classes which walk you through patterns.<br />
<br />
This led me to my first trip to the fabric store. Where I spent three hours. In my defense, not only did I have no idea what I was doing, but I had to touch all the gadgets I never knew existed. <br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU2HwGA2p_osOYyNUV5m-VA5i-rEYoBqabmec0hfzC9j_piKltwxTbNw8KG3iaYTlrvkWdlN9bLy7KZm_bT_UOnUQVGhdSC20IQmuYqrJImXyQXy9PvTUQe8EK25_EzHWBv0CP/s640/PicsArt_1427846310782.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU2HwGA2p_osOYyNUV5m-VA5i-rEYoBqabmec0hfzC9j_piKltwxTbNw8KG3iaYTlrvkWdlN9bLy7KZm_bT_UOnUQVGhdSC20IQmuYqrJImXyQXy9PvTUQe8EK25_EzHWBv0CP/s640/PicsArt_1427846310782.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't mind the three-day old wash-n-go. Was going to do<br />
something cute, but was migraining for four days prior to <br />
this pic and suddenly it didn't seem so important lol</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The first project I decided to try was a <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/sewing/accessory/twisted-turban-headband/85250" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">vintage headband</a>. Simple, right?? Just sewing in straight lines. The first night I worked on it things moved slowly, but I walked away feeling confident I could pick this craft up in no time. I printed and cut the pattern and fabric. Then I created the main seams. Sat back to admire my handiwork and noticed the pieces looked a little shorter than the pattern's picture, but thought maybe it was the angle from which the photo was taken. Or maybe because there were two pieces that needed to be put together, the length would work itself out.<br />
<br />
The second night started off bad. I sat down with all the confidence in the world, thinking all I had to do was spend a couple of minutes putting the finishing touches on the headband. I started sewing and part way in, had to add more thread to the bobbin. No problem. I'm a pro at this now, didn't even need to consult the machine's manual this time. Rethreaded the machine and it didn't take me <a href="http://journeytohalima.blogspot.com/2015/03/i-what-happening-march-2015.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">two hours</a>. Not a single problem. Until, I got to the automatic needle threader which would not budge. I'm not too proud to break the manual out again, even re-watch the YouTube video on how to work it. Ok, I'm doing this right why won't it move?? Pushed it again, the plastic lever snapped off. So, I threaded the machine needle by hand. Inconvenient because now I had to check the machine's warranty and call Singer the next day, but one monkey don't stop the show. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpREnsq5-91p24ehE-Aa-zMobj46XjV8jio6wvCdRgfdbBosr24nr62p9VQCw-fshmfSaOs0RBwzIAo4EhQ6z1KSq4pRUGrGi_-ygiiDdIla1FbeKJN4EtksaPzVqSUciR7UB6/s640/20150330_214208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpREnsq5-91p24ehE-Aa-zMobj46XjV8jio6wvCdRgfdbBosr24nr62p9VQCw-fshmfSaOs0RBwzIAo4EhQ6z1KSq4pRUGrGi_-ygiiDdIla1FbeKJN4EtksaPzVqSUciR7UB6/s640/20150330_214208.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Infant baby turban</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Finish the headband and it's infantile. By this I mean, if anybody needs a vintage headband for their newborn baby girl, I got you. My first instinct was right, the pieces were way too short. Re-consulted my pattern to see where I could have gone wrong. The only thing I could find was a sentence that asked for the pattern to be placed on the fold of fabric. When I was cutting, it didn't really make sense because the pattern called for two strips of fabric and I thought it'd be neater to just cut two separate pieces. So, I took "fold of fabric" to be interchangeable with "edge of fabric." But after making a teeny, tiny headband, I decided to Google and discovered the technique of folding fabric before you cut it to keep it symmetrical for designs that call for you to fold and sew them later. <br />
<br />
This story does have a happy ending though. Luckily, I bought twice as much fabric as the pattern called for, so I was able to make a new headband that night. And I spoke with Singer two days later and they've agreed to ship a replacement piece for the broken threader lever free of charge.<br />
<br />
I've already moved on to my next project and am hoping my next 'What's Happening' post will be less lessons learned and more me showing off all my pro sewing skills.<br />
<br />
In other news, I finished reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Quiet-Power-Introverts-World-Talking/dp/0307352153/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1425438841&sr=1-1&keywords=quiet+the+power+of+introverts+in+a+world+that+can%27t+stop+talking" target="_blank"><em>Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking</em></a><em>. </em>I still think everyone needs to read this, but I do think it's target audience is extroverts that have a desire to better understand introverts and introverts who may not understand or be completely comfortable with their nature. You can read my full review of it <a href="http://journeytohalima.blogspot.com/2015/03/book-review-quiet-power-of-introverts.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<span style="background-color: yellow;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjyZJzkRomitzRAyy9PUObbPADeR9utLzdtLu2uNAYAzNZNzyIPxQAM_IxPFcSXZimVoXzg_asX7s_WL8d82SUPt1DKRuVDnY-2QpcQbXnT4Vp__t7lSP8t05VD1Ua45dLVATU/s1600/red+tent.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjyZJzkRomitzRAyy9PUObbPADeR9utLzdtLu2uNAYAzNZNzyIPxQAM_IxPFcSXZimVoXzg_asX7s_WL8d82SUPt1DKRuVDnY-2QpcQbXnT4Vp__t7lSP8t05VD1Ua45dLVATU/s1600/red+tent.png" height="200" width="133" /></a></div>
And lastly, I started reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Red-Tent-Novel-Anita-Diamant/dp/0312427298/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1427378948&sr=1-1&keywords=the+red+tent" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><em>The Red Tent</em></a><em>. </em>I'm going to hold off on giving any <em> </em>feedback because this post is already insanely long. <br />
<br />
I've gotten word that I should give progress updates on my craft projects, so stand by for that. It'll let me be in touch more, but it'll also keep my 'What's Happening' posts from turning into epic novels lol Also, you can get more updates from me on my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/hklivity" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a> page. Or if you really need to know what's going on with me from moment to moment, I'm @midnytebloom on both Twitter and Instagram.<br />
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Until next time,<br />
<br />
~With ♥ from Halima<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7sNXGXiowcLmHa6_Fge62nE1WEYDnJGXetosEeBVgEo2dJlYkSj1F-tZxQE7xfxovxv7znXYN3nX0kj_5qJ9fJPDBYC2TYX5pru-kz5nN4tbX4v7ZJEcSdGserjk4BbkrCtgz/s1600/quiet.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7sNXGXiowcLmHa6_Fge62nE1WEYDnJGXetosEeBVgEo2dJlYkSj1F-tZxQE7xfxovxv7znXYN3nX0kj_5qJ9fJPDBYC2TYX5pru-kz5nN4tbX4v7ZJEcSdGserjk4BbkrCtgz/s1600/quiet.png" height="320" width="208" /></a></div>
I recently finished reading <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Quiet-Power-Introverts-World-Talking/dp/0307352153/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1425438841&sr=1-1&keywords=quiet+the+power+of+introverts+in+a+world+that+can%27t+stop+talking" target="_blank">Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking</a></i>. I was really excited to read this book based off of the title alone, but after completing it, can honestly say my socks weren't blown off.<br />
<br />
As an introvert, I have spent countless hours inside my own head learning and trying to be true to myself. So yea this book provided scientific evidence, but it was about stuff I already know and accept or want to change about myself. Having data to back it didn't make me any more or less likely to do that though.<br />
<br />
I'm happy ending kind of lady myself, so now that I've given you the bad news, I can move on to the good news. The book is broken into four parts and every chapter in part one, <i>The Extrovert Ideal</i>, is outstanding. <br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><i>The Rise of the "Mighty Likeable Fellow" </i>details the shift from the pre-1920s American ideal that the best personality attributes dealt with virtue to the standard that it was more important to be exude confidence and likability. </li>
<li><i>The Myth of Charismatic Leadership </i>really hit home for me. It gave stories of how it feels to be an introvert in settings where extroversion is not only the standard, but where introversion is almost snubbed and not allowed. It also spoke to one of my biggest pet peeves; just because someone says something loudly and with confidence does not mean they are right. </li>
<li><i>When Collaboration Kills Creativity </i>also struck a chord with me because it addresses the need to set introverts up for success by not making us work in a cookie cutter setting that is meant to promote collaboration, but just ends up being overstimulating for us.</li>
</ul>
<div>
But because professional development was part of my reason for picking up this book, it's important that I mention my biggest takeaway from this section - what type of leadership different types of people work under. I found out a group of extroverts works better under an introvert because extroverts are not reserved about providing ideas and introverts are active listeners to all participants. On the flip slide, a group of introverts works well under extroverted leadership because we're pulled from our own heads and motivated into action.</div>
<br />
<br />
The other parts of the book were interesting but not as personally impactful. They include: <i>Your Biology, Your Self? w</i>hich is basically the nature/nurture debate and how and how much we can expand our temperament; <i>Do All Cultures Have An Extrovert Ideal </i>which followed the cases of a couple of Asian American students who grew up in a California town where they were the majority and their respective cultures were largely intact. Overall this meant have ambition, but you don't have to step on everyone around you to use it;<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Soft power is quiet persistence"</blockquote>
<br />
And the last section, <i>How To Love, How To Work </i>which was more of a how to guide - how to pull characteristics from your opposite type, how to communicate with the opposite type and how to raise introverted children.<br />
<br />
A quote Cain provided near the end of the book brought everything full circle for me. She said,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Figure out what you are meant to contribute to the world and make sure you contribute it."</blockquote>
Simple words, but they needed to be said. As an introvert, it's easy to allow your voice to be silenced because you get so exhausted from trying to be heard in such a loud culture. But we need encouragement like that to remind us that what we have to say is important too.<br />
<br />
~ With ♥ from Halima<br />
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