Again, Input?

So, I'm just going to call it on the photography challenge, and I'll walk around with my head hung in shame for the next week. Oh well. I'll try it again another time, when I have a more fancy-pants camera, I think.

Back to my solicitation of input, though. I have to turn in my assignment for the non-fiction lesson in my writing class by tonight, and I still haven't decided what to write about. Here's a short-list of "events" that popped into my head as moments that made an impact on me (full assignment can be viewed here)... can you help me narrow??

Space Shuttle Challenger Explosion

Obama Election Night

Katrina

Death of Michael Jackson

Columbine

2000 Presidential Election

Anti-Iraq War Protests in Washington, D.C. (2002-2003)

Red Sox 2004 World Series Victory

...

???

Apology and Input

Clearly I have failed at the Photography Challenge. It's not my fault! I went back East to visit my family for Thanksgiving and I just was too busy being with family to photograph. And the days just slipped by and suddenly I was a week behind! I am going to try to get all the photos taken this week, but if not, it'll be the weekend, which will be past the 30 days of the challenge, but with working during the daylight hours (<shakes fist at Daylight Savings and the season>), it's hard to get any good photos taken right now! Excuses, excuses, I know. I apologize. I do like the challenge, though, and I would like to try to complete it. Don't hold my laziness against me this time.

In other news, I'm four weeks into my creative writing class. It's going well, and I'm enjoying it. Last week's lesson and assignment related to fiction -- which should have made the homework a breeze, right? Except I couldn't get inspired. The prompt just didn't do much for me. I threw something together I'm sure the instructor will poo-poo, but I'm over-inspired by this week's assignment, so hopefully that will make up for it. If I can only narrow my focus. (Always an issue here...)

This week's subject is non-fiction. And the assignment is just broad enough and specific enough to open up a hundred little doors of options. Here it is:

Think of a point in time when you were personally affected by a newsworthy event—historical, cultural, meteorological. For example: watching a disaster on TV, hearing a friend is going off to war, attending a Rolling Stones concert, standing in line with your kid at midnight to buy the latest Harry Potter book, riding out a tornado. (Since it’s been so widely written about, try to find something other than 9/11, but if that’s what’s calling to you, use it.)

Use an exact moment in time as your focal point. Take a mental photograph of that moment. Where are you? How do you look? What are you doing? Who are you with?

Now, write a very short memoir that brings that “photograph” to life. Show what is happening physically and also reveal what’s going on inside your mind. Stay focused on your selected moment, though you may include information that relates to before and after it. This will be written in the first person. If others are present, you’ll probably want to recreate some of the dialogue.

Try to capture this “photograph” in no more than 500 words. Remember, this is nothing more than a draft of a rough idea, something you may wish to pursue further, or not. 

My mind is already racing around trying to land on a really "good" moment. So, I'm curious. What would you write about? So many directions, right? How to narrow?!

In case you were wondering, by the way, my "hate" assignment from a few weeks ago was a success. I wrote about asparagus and it was the first assignment about which my instructor only had good things to say. Yay!

Making Things

I know my posts have been a bit scattered lately, and inconsistent. My apologies. Feeling a bit all over the place and just trying to get my feet back to firmly set on the ground. To that end, I am committing to some creative productivity. I need to indulge my creative side, as well as my need to grasp onto some semblance of control and accomplishment. So, in addition to a chandelier makeover I've been imagining in my home, I'm also going to take on two small, and easily completable DIY creative jobs.

1. Mason Jar Soap Dispenser
I saw this on Pinterest recently and totally loved it, and therefore pinned it onto my "Do This" board. There's a great little shop of vintage homey goods and random salvaged bits nearby where we live. It's called Roost. One of their big ever-growing collections is original blue-glass Ball jars, so I decided I had to give this a try. I went over a couple weekends ago and scoured the collection for a good one with a top in good shape. If I succeed, it'll go in our second/guest/public bathroom and I'll go back and get another one and make one for the kitchen. Tutorial from Blissfully Content:

2. Earring-to-Necklace
Don't you hate when you lose one earring without realizing it? Just out and about during your day? Or one breaks and then who knows what to do with the other? This has happened to me too many times to count, and sadly, it's almost always a pair that carries some meaning that gets separated. Last week I was running out to grab a bite at lunch and saw this guy on the ground. I picked it up and tucked it away and I am thinking of getting a cool chain and making a necklace out of i. The front is interesting - not stunning at all, but interesting:

I actually like the back-side better, though:

So I'm thinking about doing something over the "front" to make it white all over, and then featuring the current "back" as the charm in my make-over piece. Hopefully whoever has this guy's partner isn't too sad over her missing bauble... I'll put it to good use, or at least try to.

Any creative projects on your agenda?

Inspired: Photo Project

I'm such a nerd. This gave me the biggest thrill tonight:

(by --Lulu, via ModCloth on Tumblr)

So thrilled was I, that I thought this could be a great little project! I want to take and collect photos of people/strangers/friends/family/loved ones with their favorite/a great book(s). SO... that said...

...I'd love to see what I can get! Would you take a shot (or have one taken) of you and your favorite tome, or just a book you're into, and email it to me (hellerms [at] gmail [dot] com). I'll post everything! And if I get enough, I'll try to do something more with them/come up with a great contest! Could be fun, no? And if you're as nerdy as I am, and into it enough, forward it along!

Whee! Nerds with their Books!

Urban Garden Inspiration

My desire to create and develop a workable urban garden on my *new* balcony has grown nearly daily (maybe hourly) since the weather has slowly started improving (and then diminish, and then improve again, and then diminish, but hopefully to improve more consistently soon... oh, Chicago). Last weekend I wandered about the beautiful (but entirely overwhelming) Gethsemane Garden Center for inspiration. I got very over-stimulated and intimidated, and just walked around and around and then left. I'm going back this weekend or next to make purchases (I've recruited a partner for assistance -- thanks, E!). But in the meantime, I'm just dreaming about what might work on the balcony and collecting ideas...

(Basil Herb Kit from Pottery Barn, via RUE)

(herbs in general... I used to have one of these pots, only smaller, when we lived in Boston...)

(Organic Dwarf Meyer Lemon Topiary from Viva Terra)

(mmm... garlic's my favorite...)

(I know I want to do some veggies; cherry or grape tomatoes maybe? they can grow in a pretty pot...)

(I've always loved pansies... and I especially love the multi-colored flats of them at garden stores. So cheerful!)

(snapdragons just always remind me of home)

(and a beautiful, soft lavender plant)

What else would work for my urban garden? I don't want to bite off more than I can chew... but I'm so excited about it! What other veggies would be good for a starter?