Doing Once Done

Seems like everyone has some version of a summer to-do list but since I have this one thing that needs to get done this summer, I thought it made sense to write a Post-Dissertation To-Do List. And here it is. The items are in no particular order, just the order they popped into my head.

• Plan Japanese-esque garden for our yard 
• Minus the water features, otherwise known as mosquito breeding grounds.
• Relaunch the blog 
• Perhaps under a new name, how exciting.
• Get a quilt rack 
• It's the little things, I tell ya.
• Hold a garage sale in spring
• Oodles of stuff -- baby stuff, my stuff, random stuff, stuff-stuff -- piling up.
• See some great bands/hear some great music
• Ok, so I've already been doing some of this, this summer. I have to stay sane somehow.
• Take some time alone with Jay 
• It'll be great to be able take some time together where I'm not even the slightest bit distracted by the everlasting, looming project.
• Take an improv class 
• Bet that took you by surprise. Very much outta my comfort zone.
• Do some training activity with Ella Puggeroo
• She deserves some one-on-one attention from us -- at least that's what she's told us.
• Play soccer 
• Not as easy as it sounds. I need to learn more about the game first and all the lessons around here are for kiddos.
• Do a weekly cool craft or adventure with Grace
•  This is one of the most motivating items on this list.
• Write a kid's book
• Have had some ideas bouncing around for awhile. Just need the time to pin them down.
• Write my own book(s)
• Something I would love-love to do, or at least be able to focus on it. 

Ah, focus. That's what's been shifting so much over the last five years. So much of what has happened in the last half decade was never on a to-do list, but I'm so glad it was done.

Social Media Salon

I got a shorter haircut relatively recently (you know, a cut where people ask "I thought you were going to grow your hair out?") and now I'm rethinking what I want to do with my hair. It's one length (bangs too) that is right at chin level. I haven't colored it in three years, so it's a medium brown, very straight.

 

Here are my options:

• Keep it at the present length and color it 
• Cut it shorter
• Cut it shorter and color it

Keeping it as is, is not an option.

 

I tend to get stuck in ruts when it come to hairstyles and such (another blog topic entirely :  ), so I thought I'd toss this out here on the blog and Twitter (follow @kateered) to get a wider variety of perspectives.  This strategy was inspired by a co-worker and fellow blogger -- Molly at The Snyder 5 -- who sought feedback on formal dresswear.

 

Please vote for which cut and/or color look you like (A is the top photo and F is the bottom photo; I think you can figure out the rest).

 

A: COLOR = Bold, chunky blond, red highlights CUT = Similar length to mine right now, but she has bangs.
B: COLOR = Very Subtle, highlights CUT= The length of her hair is just a touch longer than mine.
C: COLOR = Even bolder, chunky blond, red highlights CUT= Shorter than mine, with bangs and layering
D: COLOR = Deep red, burgundy highlights CUT= Shorter than mine
E: COLOR = Blond, light highlights in the front CUT= Shorter than mine
F: COLOR = Full blond (not likely to go this route) CUT = Shorter than mine

 

 

 You can provide your feedback in these ways:

• Tweet on Twitter (follow @kateered)
• Comment on Facebook 
• Post a comment on EdenborgEdition.blogspot.com (right here!) 

I thank you in advance for your insights and will keep posting about the incoming votes and final results. (Don't let the faces in the photographs bias you. Just because a cut and color makes Jessica Simpson or Keira Knightley look good, doesn't mean it'll do the same for me.)

Music to My Ears

Even though I haven't yet written about it here, music is very important to me. I can't sing, I can't play an instrument (but for a few -- very few -- chords on the guitar), but I love music. (I even created an South Park-themed avatar with headphones to illustrate my liking of music.)  So, I'm thinking there will be many blog posts on this topic to come.

But as a starter, I hit shuffle on my iPod and took note of the first 10 random songs that came up. Here they are with some commentary. I've also put the links to the albums these songs are on on iTunes in case you're interested. I like to be handy like that. (This was also inspired by fellow blogger Marketing Mama's recent plea to hook her up with some new music.) And no, no one is paying me to recommend them.  And since these aren't my top 10 favorite songs, so I am not really even recommending them. They are mentioned because they happened to come up in the mix.

You are now entering Kate's iPod:

1. Noella Rae: Brenda Weiler  -- Singer-songwriter from the Midwest who played the 400 Bar in Minneapolis a lot. I went to quite a few of her shows when I lived in the Twin Cities and she's awesome live. Love, love all of her albums. She has such a powerful voice and reminds me of the girl/woman I see myself as -- in my mind : )

2. Something In the Way: Best Coast -- This is a new girl band I just started to listen to. We'll I guess that would mean they're a new band to me, not new in general. Their sound is 60s garage rocky with the girl group sound. The "oldies" music I listened to while growing up definitely has influenced my present musical tastes.

3. The Right Place: Monsters of Folk -- This group is a great mix of some of the top musicians in -- the realm of music known as indie-rock. I'm not sure yet exactly what indie-rock means to me except that these guys rock the folk world.

4. New Shoes: Paolo Nutini -- Jay and I share iPod music and this was one of his purchases. This guy has a dancy cool sound. It's creative and soulful. You'll like it.

5. Idumea: Anonymous 4 -- This group of women sing inspirational a capella -- very soothing. Great for dissertation work. I usually can't study while listening to music with lyrics. Still, I get sick of listening to Mozart and since these voices are not singing in English, it's a very welcome break.

6. I'll Cover You: Original Broadway Cast of Rent -- This album reminds me of when Jay and I first started dating. He had seen Rent and really wanted to share the show with me. I listened to the music before I saw the show. Our relationship and that show will always be connected in my mind and heart.

7. When I Drink: The Avett Brothers -- This has been my obsession band for the past eight months or so. They've been around for a number of years but I just found them toward the end of last year. I heart them.

8. The Sweet Part of the City: The Hold Steady -- Neat. This is the concert my husband is at this very moment. He hearts them.

9. Paranoia in B Major: The Avett Brothers -- Love this song. Not surprising that a second song from this band showed up. They have by far the most songs on my ipod. I'll count them ... 56. Told you I was obsessed.

10. Winter's Come & Gone: Elizabeth Mitchell -- This is from the first kid's album I got for Gracie. It's still by far the one I like the most.The best song on this album is her version of Bob Marley's Three Little Birds. Much easier on the ears than Elmo's Song.

And we now I return to my dissertation soundtrack. Hello Mozart, my old friend.