Professionalism--The Journey

professional |prəˈfeSHənl| nouna person engaged or qualified in a profession• a person engaged in a specified activity, especially a sport or branch of the performing arts, as a main paid occupation rather than as a pastime.• a person competent or skilled in a particular activity
professionalism |prəˈfeSHənlˌizəm| nounthe competence or skill expected of a professional • the practicing of an activity, especially a sport, byprofessional rather than amateur players

I run across many types of people in my circle. My every day life easily flows between a professional and amateur world and I must appreciate both in order to be successful. Its an interesting life, an interesting culture, and I'm regularly intrigued by the people around me. Sometimes I'm annoyed by stupid people, but that doesn't negate my fascination with them. It quite possibly escalates my curiosity (unless I'm super busy, or hormonal, or sleep deprived). There are a few people I've been recently been dealing with who seriously need a throat punch, but I'll save that for another day! Today we are taking a look at the "journey to professionalism" where throat punching could be a serious obstacle.
My lengthy struggle to understand whether I could be considered a professional or not began in my 20s- post-college. My confusion came with the fact that I threw my entire life and skill set into a church organization right after graduation and marriage. It was something I loved and enjoyed, but it was completely voluntary i.e. without pay. There was very little realization by those around me of my competence, partly because #1. I was a female (not even kidding that this was an issue), #2. I was in my 20s (young and dumb? definitely rough around the edges), #3. I started having children at 23 (pregnancy didn't stop me from anything, but it held others at bay), and #4. I chose to walk humbly along (most of the time), offering my time, energy and expertise, purely as an offering to God.
Years later, after gaining tons of experience, some maturity, and depth on many, many levels, my world is very different. It took a long time for me to understand my true value in the professional world. It took a few run-ins and "misunderstandings" to see the vast difference in MY sense of professionalism in comparison to certain others who were being paid for a job but proving very incompetent for the position. While this realization was going on for me, it felt like an injustice to see employer-types settling for crap. I was dumbfounded and outraged even, but I would look for ways to (voluntarily) support and help, just to be sure the product was decent in the end. But to see the incompetence continue was enough to finally push me over the edge, into the professional world. It was time to express my desire to be hired for jobs and produce something better. And so I was. It felt great. It still feels great.  Many times its a road of stress and anxiety, but I'm learning how to relax. I will never be quite as good as I want to be, however, the people who hire me LOVE my work, both my dedication and the quality. They see that I have a way with people and have great productivity, so, that has helped me to be ok with myself and actually be proud of my work.
The process of becoming who I am today is real. Its tangible. Its interesting (if only to me). I'm captured with people's progression in life. I've learned to be patient and believe that God makes His way into the hearts of His children--through the good times and through the bad.
I have prospects for the future that keep my path in an ever-unpredictable state. It continues to be challenging and never the same, year after year. I would get bored and complacent. That's who I am and how I'm wired. I am reliable and consistent, but also open to change, as life unveils the next step. 
What's your story?

Tee Shirt Scarves?

It all happened because of being introduced to Pinterest, which is a website where people can start there own "pin boards" of pictures. The pictures come from the internet, anywhere and everywhere. If you see something on the internet that you like or find interesting or just plain funny; or maybe you found your dream kitchen or the next wardrobe item you plan to buy, you can click on the image and then your "pin" button, and the image with the website will show up on your pin board of choice. It's actually been truly helpful for me, in discovering what my likes and dislikes are. I've been making choices in my mind of what I really would want to have in my home or my wardrobe or in my tummy.

So, this morning I found myself getting carried away looking at other people's boards and what they've pinned. I ended up repinning this Tee shirt scarf to my board, which led me to checking out the website where it came from, which led me to watching a video clip of someone making them, which led to me going to my drawers and pulling out "some" (about 8) tee shirts I have kept, but never wear anymore. 

This is what I did:

I had to decide which style of scarf I was going to try first and which color I'd use for it.

I liked the "long strings" style so I went to work on cutting strips.

HINT: MAKE SURE YOUR SCISSORS ARE SHARP OR YOU MAY GIVE UP ON THE WHOLE PROJECT THE WAY I ALMOST DID!!!

After cutting the strips, you just pick them up and stretch them, which makes all the edges curl. It really doesn't matter how straight you cut, for the most part, because you won't even notice.

I decided to also use the cute embroidered top strap from the shirt. I wasn't sure how I would use it, but figured it would come to me.

I took the seams of each strip and kind of lined them up and wrapped a loose strip around and around, tying it off at the ends and tucking the knot underneath. I did this just cause I thought it looked cool. Its not necessary to do. Then I took the embroidered piece and matched it up to the seams on the opposite side of the strips so that it would hang the way I wanted it to. Then I used another loose piece to go around and around there And looky what we have... Its more of a necklace than a scarf, but I kind of like it.

Next I took a melon colored tee and cut off the top just under the sleeves, and cut one inch thick strips all along the bottom. I thought they were too short, but they actually weren't when it was all said and done. I cut off more of the top because with all that excess fabric it wasn't really laying right.

I also decided to bind one spot one the loop, just to give it a little "sumpin sumpin". This one didn't really turn out the way I saw in the picture, but its ok. (Forgive the lovely match of a green shirt under the melon colored scarf. haha)

Two down, twelve to go!

Make that ONE TO GO, because my fabulous tools were not helping so wonderfully in the cutting process.

This one required a circular object like a paper plate because I would be cutting out as many circles as possible. I opened up the tee shirt by first cutting up one seam and sleeve to lay the material out flat.

I cut out about 5 or 6 circles.
Hint: fold the material over double and cut semi circles for faster action, but be sure that your SCISSORS ARE SHARP!!!!

Once you have your circles, cut them into spirals. I cut my strips about 1 1/2" - 2"wide. Then hold one end of the spiral and run your other hand straight down the material to stretch it out a little.

Throw all the strips around your neck and this is what you get.

Once again, I used a loose piece to go around and around, binding all the pieces together. I liked making the pieces all different lengths before binding them. I may actually like this red one best.

Here are all three.

I forgot to model the blue one. Its hippy free lovin!

And the real question is: Will I ever wear any of them? Probably not, so if you want me to send one to you leave a comment explaining the reason why I should. Make it convincing!! Otherwise, try it yourself with your own tee shirts, or use your spouse's shirts. There are other styles to try, even just a straight circle scarf. Very very easy... as long as your scissors are... you know.

Luke's Home

He brings a lot of energy to the Household when he come home from college. He likes to change everything around too. He's lefty for one. So I think that he wants to adjust everything to his own taste and perspective of what is best. He hooked up his computer to the TV in the family room. He changed the monitor of the family computer to his monitor and keyboard. He built a fire pit in the back yard with the stack of bricks we had left over from the patio. Yup. That's Lefty Luke.

OK. See the car on the left? That's the Lancer we bought from Salvage for Luke to work on at college.

This is what he did this year. Sorry its so shadowy. He also gave the car a nice bath AFTER I took the pictures.

I'm very proud of his work. And it WAS a lot of work... and $$. Now his precious baby is for sale. 

2009 Mitsubishi Lancer, 11,500 miles (just a baby). Fully loaded. $21,500. It's one suhweet ride! Help a boy pay for college!!!

We love you, Luke.

Ok... side note: These girls are all just fooling around. But last week the EH Dirt Sheet aka Rumor Rag aka the East hampton local newspaper came to take pictures of the senior class which Nate is in. The came on the day after the seniors had their skip day and a sleepover party (weird, I know). They were all grumpy and tired and bickering (its a class size of 12 so they literally fight like siblings). So, the photographer came and they weren't cooperating very well. One didn't want to get down on their knees, another didn't want to stand next to that one, yada yada. And the boys were all making gang signs with their hands. However, NONE of them are even close to being in a gang. That's a laugh. Anyway, the photographer went back to the principal and said its the worst class he's ever photographed. Baaahh. Sorry. I'm like... give me a freakin' break. The problem is, everyone is always worried about the school's image and the newspaper is always looking for a gossipy story to print. The senior boyz are now officially escorted off campus at noon for the remaining week of school. That's ok. They're happy to leave. They can't wait to leave. But seriously...?

On another note... I took the girls to the beach and when we returned I found them PLANKING!!! [gasp] LOL. No. It's a joke. This is all the new rage. Take a picture anywhere and everywhere with a very straight body, face down, no emotion, hands to the side. I think it's hilarious.

Here is the beautiful harbor view Big T and I had when we went out to dinner Friday night. Boat House in EH is recommended. We loved it.

And there is the early summer moon.

Also... if you haven't gotten enough yet, Nate's truck is finally on the road. He's a happy boy. Congratulations Nate on completing your high school career. We know how happy you are to get out of that place. Now what?

One more thing... Luke's fire pit!

There's Lukey boy. And Gabe, who is still with us after all these years. Forever family. (Gabe is also learning all about car repair).

The pool is open (not swimmable yet, but give it 10 daze) and we have an awesome new fire pit. Who's coming over this summer?

Skip Day with Turtle

We took a trip to Montauk where the aliens had landed back in the 70s... over at Camp Hero. Its a well-known fact that the gov't was keeping it all a big secret and were doing studies on the captive aliens, held deep in their underground science labs.

Its all abandoned now. The aliens must have died and disintegrated, leaving them nothing more to study. We wanted to explore the abandoned buildings and towers and underground tunnels, but everything was boarded up and chained.

While we were walking along, turtle stumbled across a petrified alien bone!!! Way to go TURTLE!!!

We entered the hazardous area. Actually, the parking lot was right smack in the hazardous area and so I guess we kinda walked out of it? Creepy.

Can't complain about the view!!

Don't get too close to the edge though...

Turtle exercised extreme caution!! Something about heights and falling...

Turtle grew thirsty and hungry about halfway through our adventure and was happy to find a watering hole in the middle of the woods.

"Don't eat the sludge, Turtle. It could be radio active."

Danger??? Suddenly, Turtle wanted to go home.

[gasp]

He wanted to go home until he stumble across a play toy, then it was all fun and games.

But then, Turtle almost didn't make it across the foot bridge. It must have felt like crossing over a 400 ft gorge to Turtle.

Side note: Does anyone know what kind of tree this is?

Here was Battery 113. The military was once stationed at Camp Hero as a National Radar Detection Unit. There were at least two batteries hosting two enormous guns each, which could shoot ammo that was literally as tall as me. Of course all the military equipment is gone now, but I'm sure they were deeply concerned back in the 70s of an alien envasion.

 This was the back side of the battery.

There were fire hydrants all around the batteries. Turtle enjoyed investigating the old abandoned hydrants.

Creepy clues were left for us everywhere, giving us messages of imminent danger.

We really wanted to get into the buildings, but that would have been breaking the law.

Turtle found some drawings on the boarded up windows that were frightening. [help! help!]

The warning signs were quite scary too. I guess the radiation around the area made all the ticks grow larger than life.

We did finally find a few buildings where the inside could be seen, but there wasn't anything super amazing about the water pump building. PULEASE!!

That was our adventurous skip day. Turtle went home afterwards and took a 3 hour nap.