FO, C sick, and CD

The first FO of 2010. I don't know why I decided to make a shawl for Dorothy. I guess because it was so miserably cold for about a week and a half, and so I started her shawl. Unfortunately, she looks like a Stealth Bomber ready for take off, but it does fit her. I used a hand spun single, did a checkerboard pattern for the shawl body, and a crocheted picot edging.

A close up of the shawl body. It's not quite as fuzzy looking as it appears in the photo, but it does have that 'homespun' charm about it, most assuredly.


I might make her some gloves and hat, eventually, but I just wanted to finish this up. I am pleased. Now I just need to actually finish the projects I have already STARTED, then I might be getting somewhere... Heh.

In other news, I am progressing on my guitar. Most all of the major chords, but man, oh man, am I having trouble with the C chord. Most of the other chords sound fine, or at least acceptable, (the minor chords sound funny to me, but I think it's because minor chords just sound funny to me, I don't think I am doing anything wrong, per se.) But I don't seem to be able to make the C chord play. Not having a way to acoustically display this, I will resort to description.

G chord. THRUMMM

D chord. THRIMMMM.

A7 chord. THROMMM.

C chord. thunbuzzzz.

I know the buzz is my finger is touching a string, or three, that it's not supposed to. But even when I have all the fingers in the right place, carefully put where they are supposed to, it still sounds like I have muted everything. I suspect I am just not seeing something that is deadening the chord. I will learn. I hope. I will look up this on the ever helpful YouTube, and see if I can diagnose what I am (or am not) doing.

The only other thing that is strange since I have started this, a few people told me my fingers would hurt, that I would have pain from holding down the strings. (Thanks for the encouragement, there...)

I haven't had any pain. (Thank goodness...)

I do however, seem to now have a strange sensation that I am holding a string down, when I am not. Like right now, typing, I feel like there is a guitar string between my playing fingers and the computer keys. Husband, who played guitar some while ago, said it will probably fade as I get callouses.

Callouses? I have so much to learn... I really didn't know you had to toughen up the finger pads. Guitar 101? No, I am in Guitar Pre-Kindergarten! But I have no where to go but up, right?

And finally...

Lost 1.4 pounds. I have FINALLY, but FINALLY managed to get to 10. With a smidgen extra. I can get my CD now! I was asked which one. I honestly don't know, but it will be fun to say I earned it... And it could be a TP one, (as much as I enjoy his music, I have only about 4 or 5 of his albums), but it might not be. We shall see.

I have been learning some since I started. Always a good thing, I should think. I am sure that others might see some of them as "DUH" things, but they are things I needed to visualize, verbalize, and work through to realise.

1. I have to remember that "social" does not equal "eat". I have family that want to show love with food. I can have a sample, but it does no one good if I gorge. I can take small samples, use a tiny plate, or beg off saying I am full and ask for a cup of tea, or something equivalent, instead. People are happy, feel wanted, the social family niceties are covered, and I am not feeling like a blob when I leave.
2. Chocolate just can not be in the house in a bar or candy form. I can avoid cookies, more or less, cocoa, that sort of thing, but if there is a chocolate bar in the house, I am nearly helpless to ignore it. Peanuts are not as bad, but I found out that having them around means I am going to nibble. Now, of the two, peanuts are better, but I am learning that the mindless nibbles are my downfall.
3. Eating out is not an undo able event. I have learned what restaurants have GINORMOUS portions, and get a box. Before I order. The stuff is halved, or more, BEFORE eating. Or if I am with Husband, we split a meal. This has two advantages, I don't eat as much, and I have another nice meal later.
4. Husband, after talking with the doctor, and the doctor emphasising that activity will help the heart, has now decided that he wants to eat better and exercise, too. I feel this can help, he was supporting me before, but wasn't personally involved. Now it's his health fight, too. (His is not weight loss, as much as general overall health, but it's still important, and we have similar goals.)
5. I have learned that, at least in my case, quality overcomes quantity, to some extent, in exercise. I can get more out of a half hour of intensive, walk as fast as I can, than a relaxed hour, even walking the same terrain. (Heart rate? Probably.) I just know since I work on moving as fast as I can, as long as I can, I get more out of my exercise. (Rudee seems keen on it too, as now he can go around in circles, around me, faster!)

So, at least for this blog, things seem to be going well. Days will be good, days will be bad in the coming year. But, dang it, I want to work on having more good than bad.

Who's with me?