Notes from the week
Posted on February 21, 2008 | Posted by DM in Around the metro
Okay, two things: first, this snowman (penguin?) is SO awesome!! It’s not a trick of perspective, it’s nearly as tall as the house! He’s located on E. 9th Street, just north of University on Des Moines’ east side. While I can certainly imagine having the big idea to build something like this, I can’t imagine getting out there in the bitter cold temperatures we’ve been having and actually doing it. My parka hood, ski cap and scarf are all off to the folks who created this!
And second, wow does my husband have the world’s worst cell phone camera, or what?? Makes me appreciate my green EnV even more, but I sure thought it was neat that he stopped to snap the picture!
A few other notes:
I had a really crappy cold last weekend and early this week - first time in a couple years I’ve been lay-in-bed-all-day sick. Ecch. In spite of that, later in the week I was able to complete a really fun project that took me back to last summer’s hottest days and the amazing “biker chick” event I attended. I assembled over 150 photos of the event into a four-song slide show, and all the gals will be gathering this weekend for a “picture party” to reminisce and brainstorm for this summer’s sequel event.
And, yesterday we all turned on our computers at home to find our wireless network had disappeared. The job fell to me to sit on hold with Linksys for 20 minutes, then work with their tech support to get reconnected. Fifty minutes total to get three laptops working again.
Finally, I note today that Art Dinkin has posted a really thoughtful (and thought-provoking) answer to my question about using 401(k) money for my daughter’s college education. Thanks, Art - I appreciate the time and thought that went into your response!
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Five Questions With… Brenda Friedrich
Posted on February 20, 2008 | Posted by DM in Five Questions
Five Questions With… is a series on DMweblife highlighting Des Moines area bloggers and their blogs! This edition features Brenda Friedrich of Enroute 365 - a blog that has quickly moved to the top of my favorites because of Brenda’s insightful writing and topics that make me say, “My thoughts exactly!”
1. What’s the main reason you began blogging, and how has your blog changed or evolved in the time you’ve been keeping it?
The focus of Enroute 365 is life experience. On this site, I share vignettes from my journey through life as well as the stories and perceptions of others I meet along the way. When I was introduced to blogging last year, I realized this new medium was perfect for the stories I want to share; perfect for exposing those simple lessons found in everyday life and for exploring the commonalities in our lives, yours and mine. (Commenting really facilitates the latter.)
2. What aspect of blogging do you enjoy the most?
What I enjoy most about blogging is knowing I am not alone. Invariably, someone else’s introspection helps me understand my life better. And visa versa. The more difficult aspects of blogging, however, may ultimately be the most rewarding. Opening up before an unlimited, unknown audience takes courage. In many ways, personal blogging is like standing naked before the world. Remaining clothed and quiet may be more comfortable, but accepting the risks of becoming vocal and vulnerable brings growth.
3. What’s an activity besides blogging that you can’t live without?
Aside from blogging (or writing in general), I love design. That’s why visitors usually find colorful imagery on Enroute 365. (It’s also why I run a business based in Web design.) Perhaps it’s just the act of creation that I can’t do without, because even when I’m not actively engaged in designing — whether it be a Web site or a wall hanging — I’m probably thinking about it!
4. What’s the best advice - personal or professional - you’ve ever received?
The best advice I’ve ever received is “love yourself.” I’d heard the words during my religious education decades ago and wish I would have taken it to heart back then. Now it’s a daily mantra because I’ve witnessed firsthand the empowerment that stems from this single act. When I love and accept myself I am more accepting of other people and more accepting of life. Of everything I’ve accomplished in the last five years, I’m most pleased with the chance I took to start my own business.
5. What’s something you’ve accomplished in the past five years that you are particularly proud of?
Previously I’d been playing it much too safe with my career, so I took a leap into the unknown and came alive again! Ultimately I may still return to the corporate world, but with a reclaimed passion for my work and confidence in my skill sets. HR departments might hate me for saying this, but I truly believe that life is too short to feel complacent about your job! Hmmm … that might make a good post for my blog!
And the secret sixth question I asked Brenda after reading her initial five answers:
6. Have you had any negative backlash from the openness of your blogging? Has anything good happened as a result of it? Please feel free to edit this response as needed!
I’m delighted to say that I’ve had absolutely no negative experiences relating to my blogging. Quite the opposite, I’ve been truly surprised at the depth and honesty in the feedback I’ve received. To give an example, when I meet someone new, I’m more likely to ask about your sense of purpose than what you do for a living. So, as I began blogging I had doubts that an online forum could reach this level of intimacy. I was wrong … and never happier to be wrong! In their comments, visitors often open up as much, or more, than I do. And, call this extreme, but I now believe that the blogosphere has the potential to be a uniting force in a divided world.
Des Moines-area bloggers: to be considered for this feature, just drop me an email with your name, location, and blog address, and answers to the first five questions I’ve asked here. I’ll reply with your “Secret Sixth Question”!
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Beautiful valentine flowers are extra-special
Posted on February 14, 2008 | Posted by DM in I Need A Lint Roller for These Warm Fuzzies
Did I mention I never get flowers? In his previous marriage, my husband and his then-wife owned a flower shop. That pretty much ruined flower-buying in his subsequent relationships, because once he learned the mark-up on them he refused to buy them. (And yes, I married him in spite of this anthrophobia.) So, on those very rare occasions when he does decide to buy them, it means there is a very good reason: the need for a very big apology… or, maybe “just because.”
This week at work I was called to the front desk and handed a large ProFlowers box. Inside I found a beautiful bunch of 18 red, pink and white roses with a fun valentine vase, sweet little teddy bear, and mini-box of chocolates. They really are beautiful - and the note from hubby said, “You have had a rough couple of months and you deserve something special.” It was really a very special surprise - all the more special precisely because I don’t get them very often.
Thank you again, honey - they are beautiful and I love them. But not as much as I love you!
These flowers are extra-special for another reason: they cost an arm and a leg! Poor hubby had a special e-code to get them for half-price, but when he hit the ‘back button’ on his browser to correct something in the online form, the form didn’t retain the special code. He hit SEND without knowing the code was missing, and ended up paying full price. I think it just about killed him.
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Pocket watch is link to family past
Posted on February 12, 2008 | Posted by DM in Genealogy
I have been thinking about and connecting with Sarah’s post this week about “guilt items” - those things you keep out of guilt or a sense of duty, even though you don’t want them. I can be absolutely brutal when it comes to tossing or giving away items that I’ve personally acquired, but it’s harder for me to let go of things that have come down through the family. I understand Sarah’s compromise - she’s keeping one of several similar items made by her grandfather, and letting the rest go to auction - but I also know that 100 years from now, a precious few artifacts may be all that remain of an ancestor to say “I was here” to the future family history buff. Speaking as that history buff for my family, I can say without hestitation that every item that survives is truly a treasure.
This past Sunday when I was visiting my dad, we ended up taking on a really interesting project: going through his jewelry box, looking for treasure. There were a few things he wanted to be sure to give me: a pocket watch he said had been mine when I was younger (more on that in a moment), some costume jewelry that belonged to his mother, and generally anything I found in the jewelry box(es) that I wanted to keep. It was a wonderful couple hours of “Ooo where’d you get this?” and “Where’d that come from?”
The pocket watch is an interesting story: Dad found it in his jewelry box a few weeks ago, and determined that it had my birth initials, J.B., engraved in script lettering on the cover. He determined that it must have been mine, and today he gave it back to me. The only trouble was, I didn’t remember ever owning it - or ever having seen it. It looked very old, and I thought perhaps the “JB” actually referred to one of his uncles back in Pennsylvania. My husband theorized that maybe a relative had bought the watch for me when I was very little, intending that I should have it when I was older, but that it was simply never given to me. This would explain why my initials were on it, as well as why I didn’t remember ever owning it.
When I got it home, I did a little closer inspection. The name in script on the face of the watch reads, “C.A. Cole, Winterset.” That made it more likely that it came from my mother’s side of the family, as her ancestors were all from Winterset. I did a little Googling, and learned that there was indeed a Winterset jeweler name Clarence Adrian Cole who was a watch- and clock-maker. But, he had left Winterset and moved to Florida in 1909. Since this was long before I was ever a sparkle in anyone’s eye, it didn’t seem likely that the watch had been purchased with me in mind.
Then I took a closer look at the engraved script initials. It turns out that they are not “J.B.,” they are “I.B.” We were mistaking the script capital “I” for a “J,” but finally determined that it doesn’t have the bottom loop of a typical cursive “J.”
At that point I realized immediately who the watch probably belonged to: my great-grandfather Isaac Bardrick, who lived in Winterset much of his life and died there in 1907 - certainly within the timeframe in which C.A. Cole would have been a jeweler there.
My grandmother Verdie, his grand-daughter, once gave me a shoe button hook that he had made as a blacksmith, which I still have. And now I have what I believe to be his pocket watch. Which is really incredible, as it’s likely more than 100 years old. And extra special to me, because finding his gravestone remains one of my favorite cemetery-searching stories along my entire genealogical journey.
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Five Questions With… Abbey Floyd
Posted on February 11, 2008 | Posted by DM in Five Questions
Five Questions With… is a series on DMweblife highlighting Des Moines area bloggers and their blogs! This edition features Abbey, who blogs about caring for fish and other small pets and who recently started a pet-sitting business!
1. What’s the main reason you began blogging, and how has your blog changed or evolved in the time you’ve been keeping it?
In fall of 2007, I launched my DSM Fish Gal blog, which was designed to serve as a place to store my own personal collection of informative links and lessons learned in relation to working with animals. Freshwater and tropical aquaria is my primary niche, though I’ve also incorporated helpful info on pet rats, mice, and cats as well. My blog also provides me with a space to share photos and stories about my own pets, all of whom are much more popular than me! LOL
The primary goal is to further my own pet-related education while passing along the lessons I learn to others whom may benefit.
2. What aspect of blogging do you enjoy the most?
I enjoy challenging myself to come up with new, interesting content on a regular basis. My targeted audience is the very clientele that comes into the pet store, so I aim to share resources and educational tidbits that they will appreciate.
3. What’s an activity besides blogging that you can’t live without?
Tending to and caring for my pets. Life without animals around is no life I’d care to be a part of. My pets keep me grounded and endlessly amused!
4. What’s the best advice - personal or professional - you’ve ever received?
I heard a Yiddish saying once upon a time: “The situation is hopeless, but not serious.” This quote helps remind me that while some things are outside of our control or even bound for disaster, I need to focus on the larger picture and tightly embrace my sense of humor to keep it all in perspective.
5. What’s something you’ve accomplished in the past five years that you are particularly proud of?
Everything feels like a work in progress at this time, so it’s difficult to define anything as “fully accomplished.” I’m still in college and will be completing my undergraduate degree later this year and am very proud of myself for sticking with it despite set-backs and relocations.
Overall, I’ve tried many of the things that piqued my interest and explored life outside of my comfort zone in an effort to expand my horizon. Developing myself into the person I want to be is on-going process, but it’s probably the one thing I’m most proud of.
And the secret sixth question I asked Abbey after reading her initial five answers:
6. You recently launched a pet-sitting business serving the west side and western suburbs of Des Moines. What do you anticipate will be the biggest challenge in getting that going and, do you have plans to tie your blogging into your business in any way?
The biggest challenge is always marketing and building a solid reputation. It takes time and requires dogged persistence to make a name for yourself, especially when you rely heavily on word-of-mouth as pet-sitters often do.
The blog will likely remain as a separate though loosely-connected venue for sharing information, ideas, and stories related to pet care. When local pet stores run sales or host events, I try to post it on the blog so as not to clutter up the DSM Pets site.
Des Moines-area bloggers: to be considered for this feature, just drop me an email with your name, location, and blog address, and answers to the first five questions I’ve asked here. I’ll reply with your “Secret Sixth Question”!
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7 Things About Me!
Posted on February 10, 2008 | Posted by DM in It's Not JUST About Me
I’m delighted to have been tagged by Brett Rogers over at BeatCanvas to participate in a meme called “7 Things You Never Knew About Me.” I’m supposed to share some things about myself that might surprise you… and then “tag” (invite) a few other folks to participate. Here goes:
1. My first job was reading newspaper articles and business documents to a blind entrepreneur. This financed my purchase of a Honda Express. My second job, around age 16, was as a DJ at a roller skating rink. (”Are you ready to HOKEY POKEY??”) This financed my purchase of a pair of dance skates. I became a really good skater, and stayed that way well into my 20’s. These days… well, let’s just say I’ve noticed that my center of gravity has changed.
2. Back in 1993, the inside of our home and all its contents were destroyed in “The Flood.” I was pregnant at the time.We rebuilt the house and officially became the idiots you see on television who refuse to move.
3. After graduating from college, I began a book-length work in which I intended to analyze various elements of cinematic symbolism contained in the Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers
4. Writing - either by hand or electronically - is in my soul. Sometimes, I get “restless finger syndrome” where I literally must pick up a pen and write, even if I’m just scribbling my name. I’m addicted to pens, markers, paper, computers… anything that helps me get the words out.
5. I have a tasteful but discreetly located tattoo consisting of two hummingbirds. I intend to get a second, equally tasteful and discreet tattoo in the very near future.
6. Growing up, my nickname was Jay-Bird, often shortened to Jay. These days, my nickname is Corn Dog.
7. I am a brand-loyal Harley Davidson rider, and learned to ride motorcycles at the age of 40. I’ve since ridden about 12,000 miles, including a 2006 trip to and from the Sturgis Rally in South Dakota.
I’m going to specifically tag three bloggers to play along here - Shane, Iowa Harley Girl, and Steve Mathews - but if you’d like to participate without being tagged, feel free! Please be sure to link back here in your post so we can go and read it! And as always, if you don’t have a blog, feel free to post your “7 Things” in the comment section below.
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Meet the Artists of HeArt Fest: Tammy Coy
Posted on February 8, 2008 | Posted by DM in It's Not JUST About Me
Tammy Coy - known to her fans as By Coy or The Word Girl - is a native Iowan currently living and producing unique “word jewelry” from her studio, Eclectic Creations ByCoy, in Grimes. In addition to her art, Tammy’s hectic life includes working as a dental hygienist and being a single parent to an increasingly busy pre-teen. Her art comes from the desire to simply be heard in the world:
“I was at a point in my where I needed to have a voice!” she says. “(To say) that women are strong and capable of surviving whatever might be thrown their way….loss of loved ones, divorce, heartbreak, raising kids, finding time for oneself. So arrived the kind of jewelry that I do now…to encourage, empower, inspire women to just be good with who they are right at this very moment in life.”
Tammy first participated in HeArt Fest last year and says her work was very well-received. “The show was great and the Stookeys do an amazing job of being very organized and tending to the needs of the artist. I had great foot traffic and great sales. It is a nice atmosphere on a cold winter day to be inside selling your wares. I use it as a kick off for my show season to make sure that I have new inventory and that my BOOTH is operating and up to par!”
Tammy takes special pride in recognizing the importance her work can have in the wearer’s life: “Words are so powerful, and having just a single word or phrase to hang onto can sometimes give us the courage to do things that never seemed possible. Or, to remind us to just take care of us at this very moment in time.”
For more examples of Tammy’s work, visit her website at www.bycoy.com.
HeArt Fest is a juried art show featuring affordable hand-crafted works of fine art. It will be held February 9-10 at Valley West Mall. Complete information here.
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Finding more Iowa and Des Moines blogs and bloggers: the I List, IowaBlogs.net
Posted on February 7, 2008 | Posted by DM in It's Not JUST About Me
A few items worth mentioning if you are looking for more Iowa-based blogs to read:
There’s been a list circulating of Iowa Bloggers called “The I-List.” It originated over on Drew McLellan’s marketing blog, and I’ve been wanting to find a way to share it with you, but as different bloggers talk about it on their sites, they naturally mention other Iowa blogs they’ve found - so the list was growing daily, but it was in pieces on many different blogs. There didn’t seem to be a central clearing-house for getting added to the “official” list. Until Chris Punke of Focal Point Multi Media stepped up and created a wonderful I-List sidebar widget (see it in my sidebar, below right) and the much-needed “add your blog” clearinghouse page!
There’s also another source for finding more Iowa Blogs: Andy Brudtkuhl and his team have been running the IowaBlogs.net site for quite some time now. Andy’s site is divided into “communities,” so you can see Iowa-based blogs in various categories such as business, technology, sports, etc. - DMweblife is in fact included in the “Lifestyles” section. There’s a handy widget for each of these communities, so if for example you’re a political blogger you can add the widget for Iowa political blogs to your site. You can also view the “feed” of new posts from each community right there on the IowaBlogs.net site - go ahead, click the “Lifestyles” community tab to see what I mean - it’s a great way to read multiple bloggers from a single website!
And finally, on this site you’ll find a list of Des Moines area-based bloggers on my Blogroll page. It’s by no means complete, and it’s not statewide, but it definitely points you to some great blogs and shows you the depth and breadth of what area residents are blogging about!
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DMweblife merchandise now available
Posted on February 7, 2008 | Posted by DM in Endless Navel-Gazing
Okay, some time ago I created a little online store over at Cafepress using the DMweblife logo. I then purchased the “value t-shirt” to test out the quality, and I’m pleased to report that the shirt still looks good after about six months of wearing and washing.
So - I’ve decided it’s finally okay to direct you over there! If you’re so inclined, please visit the DMweblife Store and pick up a t-shirt, sweatshirt, mousepad, or other logo doohickie to show your love for DMweblife!
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Link Round-Up - February 6
Posted on February 6, 2008 | Posted by DM in Link Round-Up
I recently added several local blogs to my blogroll and am still hunting for more. I promise I will get to The I-List eventually! Meanwhile, here are a few posts that I found memorable and noteworthy this past week!
I love Brenda’s point here: Fashion comes around… but people move forward. Her thought is beautifully expressed and makes me realize that lately I’ve been longing to visit the house I grew up in - to see the giant oak trees in the backyard, walk through the rock garden where I built a little clubhouse, see how much it’s changed on the inside. And then I wonder: am I thinking so much about childhood because I’m unhappy with who I am right now?
Betsy’s guest-post in The Runners Lounge about making time for running can certainly be applied to ANY activity you want to do but “don’t have time for.” Go ahead, ask me how my novel’s coming along!
Thanks to Sherry over at DSM Buzz for tipping me off that Pure Paper is now in the East Village at 412 East Sixth Street. As I mentioned in my comment on Sherry’s blog, between Kitchen Collage, East Village Books, the Noodle Zoo and now Pure Paper, the East Village is one of my new favorite locales in Greater Des Moines!
Abbey of the DSM Fish Gal blog is starting a new pet-sitting business!
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