#CraftyTuesday - Sewing Again

Being as we were "shelter at home" for so long, I was able to get some quilts made...

So, #CraftyTuesdays are back for a bit...

First up - my great niece's... 

Yes, I said GREAT niece (oh, I'm starting to feel old)!

Namaste.

My Thoughts on Social Injustice...

This blog has changed over the years...

I used to post about issues and things that were on my mind...

Then it evolved to what it is today - which is pretty light-hearted about food, crafts and such...

BUT

I decided that I needed to go back to my roots for this one.

I am not a fan of Social Injustice in any way, shape or form.

As a part of my job, I work to provide opportunities for everyone to be allowed to compete...

And it has become my passion.

And I have many friends with different ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, etc.

And they are all important and valuable in my life.

It bothers me that humans are profiled for anything other than their actions.

It bothers me that humans are not given the same opportunities for housing / education / jobs.

It bothers me that orchestras have to have auditions behind screens with no shoe sounds to be fair.

It bothers me that resumes/applications are evaluated differently when the names are hidden.

And even though it bothers me, I realize that I need to do more to make sure that I am not part of the problem.

I am working to educate myself more - not only with Black Lives Matter (and they do), but Hispanic/Latino, Native America (I am pretty confident that I have Sioux Indian blood, but I have no idea of the % (8.25%?) or any way to document it...), Asian American, LGBTQ+, etc.

I was in a seminar the other day that laid out privilege for me in way that really made me go "Hmm"...  

To be privileged means (according to this seminar) that you are "invited to the table" or "invited into the room" or "invited to be a part of a group"... insert whatever phrase resonates the most with you.

We all have areas that we are privileged, and we all have areas that we aren't.

It is up to those of us who are privileged in an area to help those who aren't and hope that in areas that we don't have privilege, others will help us.

I am a women - in some situations that makes me privileged and in some it doesn't.

And believe me - I have experienced sexism many times in my life.

I am Caucasian - that makes it easier for me in most situations.  There are others (wanting to go to a seminar for "women of color") where it doesn't.

I am a heterosexual - that makes it easier to me in most situations, but again - I have had times where I am in the minority and feel very uncomfortable. And that's okay.

I am a college graduate - and even though I worked very hard for that privilege, it is still a privilege.

The point is - everyone has times when they are privileged and times when they aren't.

The problem is that some groups have far more items in the non-privileged column than privileged.  

We all need to make sure that we take it upon ourselves to understand when it is easier for us to get a seat at that table (or whatever phrase works for you) and give a hand up (not hand out) to someone who needs it. 

That is all anyone wants.

AND...

There are good cops and there are bad cops.

There are good leaders and there are bad leaders.

There are good people and there are bad people.

There are good protesters and there are bad looters.

Notice something that was missing from those four statements? 

Race / Gender / Sexual Orientation.

I value those things (Race / Gender / Sexual Orientation / etc) in all of my friends and family.

I love to learn about our differences...They make us unique and special.

BUT THOSE DIFFERENCES DO NOT MAKE US GOOD OR BAD.

The big thing is that we all need to start communicating and talking so that all of the good people are working together to give each other hand ups and to stop the bad people. And a big part of all of this communication, which also means education for me.  

I am watching more documentaries. 

I am reading more books.  

I am listening more (oh that word is sooooooo important!).  

[I may start posting about some of my education as a resource. If there is interest, I might... Even if there isn't, I might just for me...]

And today - Black Lives Matter!  

Or if it reads better to you: Black Lives Matter Too!

In the end - yes, All Lives Matter - that is understood.  
But today, not all Black people are treated like they belong in that "All" statement, so it is time to spotlight their injustices and do something about it today. 

Because tomorrow, we may need to move the spotlight to another injustice and another... 

One day it might even be <Something that SassyMarie is> Lives Matter and I hope that others will stand up with me as I will stand with them.

Today - I stand with Black Lives Matter as a peaceful protest, as a conversation, as a call for action to fix what is broken.

I hope you are willing to listen, to be educated and to stand to eliminate social injustice.

Namaste.

Caught Up...

Alrighty...

I took some time tonight to get pictures off of my phone which helped me get caught up for #FridayFinds.

I also got all of my quilt pictures in the same place (imagine that concept) and have scheduled posts for #CraftyTuesdays.

I have a quite a few posts scheduled to go, so stay tuned!

I still have some more sewing to do...

And our group is planning to start going to dinner together again...

So hopefully, I will be able to keep the post going pretty consistently.

Wish me luck... Based on history, I may need it.

Namaste.

#FridayFinds - Crank & Boom (Lexington)

While we were traveling out of town, we had some ice cream in Lexington, KY.

I believe that their flavors change occasionally, so I have no idea if what we had will be there in the future or not... And I don't know if what I had is still on the menu, so I might be wrong on the name.

Blueberry Lime Cheesecake

I think this was Fudge Brownie - but not 100% (and it was mine)...

A bunch of things to try...
But I have no idea what...LOL

Namaste.

Waving Hello!!!

Hello!

Zdravstvuyte!

Shalom!

Kanechiwa!

Hola!

Bonjour!

Hope you are doing well whereever you call home.

It's been awhile, but simply - I ran out of stuff to write about.

Life got pretty boring...

I can say that we got 62.3% of our To Do list done while we were sheltering at home.

Honestly, we will probably get to 69.8% with a few more things that I plan to get done in the next month or two. 

But - since it is starting to "open up" around us, I have some new #FridayFinds to post...

And - now that things have been delivered, I have some #CraftyTuesdays as well...

Hopefully soon.

STATS as of now (worldometers.info):

9,520,160 cases

   483,959 deaths

5,169,270 recovered

Namaste.

2020 So Far...

An unbelievable 2020:

Australian Brushfires

Presidential Impeachment and Acquittal

COVID-19 

- Quarantine

- Everything shut down (including schools)

- Unbelievable gas prices
- Virtual Concerts

Olympics Delayed

Murder Hornets

Riots

It is only May 30th and I am so done...

On a positive note (okay the only positive note), 2020 made me a Great Aunt!
And I have made a lot of quilts and scrapbooks...

STATS as of now (worldometers.info):

6,259,243 cases

   373,696 deaths

2,785,631 recovered

Namaste.

Life As I Know It...

So, I am still working from home...

I am still avoiding large crowds...

I am still unable to play pool or visit my magician...

But...

Hot tub has been set up...

Flower beds have been filled with rocks...

Friends have been able to play Euchre and Boulderdash (groups of 10 or less of course)...

Restaurant patios have opened...

Two birthdays were celebrated (many weeks late)...

And...

There is a quilt to finish...

There is another quilt to make (once nursery colors are picked)…

There are flowers to buy and plant...

And I am trying to stay busy and be productive.

Wish me luck.

STATS as of now (worldometers.info):

5,781,637 cases

   356,826 deaths

2,493,117 recovered

Namaste.

Hi!

So, I got busy with life... In quarantine...
Ok...So full transparency, I got caught up with being bored...

I haven't posted in awhile...
And there isn't much to post about...

I've made cards.
I've scrapbooked.
I've made quilts.
I've cleaned (but we've been quarantined so long, I need to do it again).

I also have to say goodbye to an amazing lady who was taken from us way too early for an unknown reason.  And in this COVID-19 environment, there can't be a public funeral.  And just let me say - that funeral would have been standing room only.  In fact, she was so loved - they may not have had a funeral home big enough for it in her town.

So now, I am just passing the time...
And reading some books...
And finishing some more quilts and scrapbooks...
And trying to forget what this weekend is.

STATS as of now (worldometers.info):

3,915,636 cases
270,683 deaths
1,341,059 recovered


Namaste.

Trying to Relax

Sitting by the fire...

Drinking a Moscow Mule...

Trying to chill-lax for awhile...

And then I remember...

STATS as of now (worldometers.info):

2,481,026 cases
170,423 deaths
646,675 recovered

Namaste.

Scrap booking Memories... (AKA Virus...Post 14)

I realized that my naming of "Virus...Post**" is getting old.
Before I know it, I could be up to Post 100 and that's just depressing.
So, I'm moving away from those names.
And honestly, I've been blogging about things other than the virus anyway.

I was working on scrap booking again today.
I am bound and determined to get as much done as I can this year...
With or without the Shelter at Home order!
When we move again, I'd rather move photo albums then lots of paper and stickers...
And as nice as it is to get the memories documented for the future...
Documenting those memories brings up lots of emotions: whether it be laughter, a smile a tear.

Tonight, it was tears.
I went through my mom's books and salvaged some of the pictures.
Some were destroyed by floods and some by the adhesive in the old photo albums.
I then redid parts of my albums to integrate the pictures that tugged on my heart that I didn't have.
And now, I sit here in tears still being overwhelmed with all of the emotions that I had from reliving some of the memories that I have of my mom and dad.

It is still unbelievable to me that over the course of three years, I lost both of my parents.
I guess in a sense - at 44, I became an orphan.
And though some of the memories should bring me happiness, it is still so raw that everything still makes me cry.
One of these days, I hope the memories are able to bring smiles instead of tears.

STATS as of now (worldometers.info):

2,248,891 cases
154,145 deaths
571,573 recovered

Namaste.