I will begin today with the news that I've shut down my website. It's a step towards simplifying my life as I move further into retirement. The decision has been months in the making. These days, I prefer planning and writing for this blog to share my quilting knowledge and experience.
I'll continue to teach piecing concentrating on set-in piecing and present lectures that reflect 40 years of experience as a quilt maker. My teaching information now resides here on the blog -- see that tab up at the top of this page?
I won't be vending as often (boy, is that a lot of work) but I'll continue to stock Marti Michell's products and while I figure out my on-line presence to sell her products, just e-mail me at maryhueyquilts@hotmail.com with any requests you have.
For many years, I've focused much of my quilt making on what will appeal to others. So moving forward, I'm going to narrow that focus and concentrate on what excites me. I'll continue to intersperse my explorations of new ideas for quilts with tackling my shrinking quantity of UFO's!!
There that's said!
What amazed me about this process was that it was so simple to accomplish! I really had myself primed for a lot of frustration with the process of getting the website closed and setting up forwarding to my blog.
Especially during a full moon week.
I am very aware of the monthly reign of the full moon. Perhaps it's because I had so many nurses for customers and students during my shop owner days who often regaled us with stories from the local ER when the full moon was exerting its pull on the world.
One of the things I hoped would happen with the advent of menopause in my life was that the "crazy irritable attitude state of mind" part of the month would disappear from my life.
It didn't and that was disappointing!!
Now I've decided the full moon is to blame!!
Several years ago, I began to develop a strategy for overriding some of the natural impact of the full moon on my body.
What brought this up you ask? Crazy, weeping children in church on Sunday.
As we talked about "why" they were so upset, we decided to blame it on the waxing of the full moon.
Here in the USA, it happens tonight, June 2.
(I got up this morning thinking, is it the same date around the world?)
I might "google" that later!?!
So I was moved to share my "strategy" with a friend and as I revisited it, I thought it might prick the imagination of some of my quilting friends as well.
Ready?
Here goes.
1. Start the day with a walk (that could be any exercise actually, but walking is my preference).
2. Don't eat junk food! Now I try to follow that rule everyday, but during the ascent of the full moon, the agitation I experience often "compels" me to gobble down entire ________ (you fill in the blank) and then wondering why I did that?
3. Be social with a favorite friend -- preferably someone who can make you laugh and smile -- she might just need a social break as well -- after all, the full moon shines down on all of us.
4. Do something nice for someone else. I've found that being a bit selfless is a mood booster. My favorite is to take something from my kitchen to a harried friend. Easily accomplished as everyone seems harried during the full moon!!
5. Go to bed early or take a nap. I consider both to be luxuries and indulging lifts my mood.
6. Focus on finishing -- don't start new projects. The point of this is to reap the good feeling that comes with completing a task instead of adding to the "burdens" list.
7. Keep the day's goals simple. One of my talents is the ability to create overwhelming "to-do" lists, the kind that one can only complete if you have a staff to whom you can assign 2/3 of the tasks. When I limit the list to 4 or 5 tasks, a day's worth, and then focus on what I accomplished, not what I didn't get done, it works so much better.
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| One of my favorite primroses -- primula japonica |
So there it is. It's a good list for my life -- some of it might help you but life is different for you so the list needs to fit you and your life. Those of you who still have children at home will have different challenges. Those of you who work for someone else may have less time to indulge yourself.
I hope my list will motivate you to develop your own strategies for the crazy days -- full moon or otherwise?
Enjoy the full moon tonight!!
Now it's time for me to go for a walk.
Mary Huey
