Newness

(Source)

New job!

The Littlest Birds: organic baby boutique in W. Asheville. (More deets found here.)

New apartment!

A 2 bed/1bath w/a huge kitchen and lots of light! (Pictures soon to come.)

<3>

i want to be an herbalist

(Source.)

I want to feel the cool velvety earth in my hands. I want to pluck flowers and brew them. I want to help people feel better and live better. I want to be an herbalist.

Asheville has (at least) four schools that teach herbalism/medicinal herbal healing:
-Appalachia School Of Holistic Herbalism
-Blue Ridge School of Herbal Healing
-Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine
-Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts

I want to learn their ways.

<3

off to the beach for a while!

I shall be going to the beach in a very short few days! I am very much excited (despite the fact, it's putting me a debt a wee bit). I need a break from worrying about finding a job. I am terribly, terribly sick of it. I really do have so many talents, and I am just wasting away searching for someone who will take a chance on me. So that's why it's the time for the beach! Now!

(Via flickr.)

Nevertheless, I will be taking my laptop with me (I am so literally & pitifully addicted to my online existence) and so my mind will not be very far away from the online universe.

Also, I will be making mucho efforts to be as earth-friendly as possible while on the trip. To read about how I'm going to do this click on over here to read my Lu-n-Am post about this.

Much love!
Bisous!
<3

Feeling Crafty

I've been feeling super crafty lately. I think it mostly has to do with not having a job and therefore having copious amounts of time laying around to play with.


This crafty feeling has permeated my life to the extent that just the other day I made a list (big surprise!) of all the things I want to make and eventually sale on Etsy (and any other place I can find). Here's a sampling of the list (I won't torture you with the whole list - it was over 2 pages long!):

-Bar Soaps (for hands, body, face, hair, etc.)
-Candles (Soy and Beeswax)
-Cleaners (for laundry, dishes, all-purpose, etc.)
-Bags (grocery, tote, purses, laundry, etc.)
-Slips (for ipods, laptops, various portable electronics, etc.)
-Hair Accessories (clips, barrettes, headbands/wraps, etc.)
-Jewelry (necklaces, earrings, rings, bracelets, brooches, etc.)
-Clothing (dresses, skirts, blouses, coats, undies, bathing suits, etc.)

Enough, maybe? Hardly. :)

(In addition to using my time for crafty things, I've also spent many hours writing for my blogs and trying to connect socially - via the internets. If you haven't noticed I've a had a plethora of posts on my other two blogs: Lu-n-Am & Je Suis Un Rainbow.)

<3

Job Hunt Fatigue

I've been on the job hunt for so long now. I'm so tired of it. And most days, I just sit around looking at pretty pictures and blogs instead of being tirelessly in pursuit of a job. In a word, it's simply depressing. Depressing to be looking, looking & looking but not even being considered.

(Source.)

I did have an interview with this awesome non-profit organization, TACF, on Tuesday that I have high hopes for, but other than that there are no prospects. I had an interview with A Faraway Place last week, but even though I thought the interview went well, they never ended up calling me. So when I took the situation into my hands and called them, they told me I didn't have enough retail experience. Seriously? I have an effing Bachelor's Degree. Do you think I really need more retail experience? Argh.

So that's my rant, for now. If you know of any jobs out there, then please send them my way! Thnx.
<3

actively active

As I listen to Harry Potter Bk. 5 on tape and multitask as best I can, I am multitasking in my head, as well. A list, for you (b/c I know you are aching in your joints from the last one):

To do--->
-Job searching! I work at a bookstore, part-time. I also intern at an awesome print shop, but it's unpaid. So I need to find some other source of income whether it's another generic mall job or some freelance offers that I'd like to have but don't. ;)
-Getting my freelance butt out there! I've always said I was a freelance writer but I have never actually written freelance. I am going to advertise myself out there...craigslist, mountain xpress, digital forums and other writer's forums.
-Wallpaper stripping. I have committed to redo my bud's bathroom in exchange for a month's rent. I have taken absolutely bloody forever taking down the wallpaper and still have to paint it. You would not believe how long it takes to take off wallpaper!!! (Yes, this warrants three exclamation points!)

Doing--->
-Making lists, of course! Christmas, er, excuse me, I want to start calling it Winter Solstice now...Yes, Winter Solstice lists for others and for myself. Budget lists so I can possibly start saving some real money. Lists so I can see the progress I'm making on my big goal: learning diy things, arts and crafts so I can build up a portfolio and open my own company/store. I'm on my way!

(I vawnt me an Etsy shop!)

Wanting--->
-Lots and nothing much at the same time.
-To be cozily back in my apt.
-To make things in my own kitchen. To be trying recipes and have that space of my own to do so.
-Simplicity.
-Learning more crafts.
-Reading and applying herbal remedies and reflexology techniques. (I've been reading about them lately - I've recently increased my interest in alternative medicines and Eastern philosophies.)
-To sift through my belongings and clear out the unnecessary.

a new planned obsession

I found a some new blogs recently that I'm absolutely in love with now. One of the things I love, love, love about the internet is the free exchange of positive and awesome ideas. I love that you don't have to pay money to learn something, or many somethings. And all of the sites I found do just that.

Crafting a Green World
Etsy's Storque

(One of etsy's many helpful how-to videos.)


ReadyMade
Thread Banger
Your Impact Matters
Re-Nest

Check them out!
<3

some finds, a lil list

finds:

-a neat online publishing co. where you can create and share your own publications with others who have done the same.
-a celestial solar tower...it looks very religious, like something you'd see in an over-produced biblical movie. but this thing is actually a solar thermal power plant. and green, it seems.

une petite list (of things that i've been vainly desiring):
1. sewing machine. for now all i want is a simple one that will break me into sewing more regularly. i've got lots of plans in my head...yaaay. ;)
2. record player. god, do i ever want one. i just want to chill out to some groovy tunes while i sew, cook and picture-take.
3. good, freakin' camera w/all the fancy-schmancy gadgets. i'll figure them out eventually. but i just love pictures with real texture and that i can really do something with (my lil camera died about six months ago & i've been using my bf's awesome camera ever since then.
4. coffee maker. i've become an addict. it's official. and i've been trying to save money buy drinking it at home, but without a coffee maker, i've just been drinking crizzapie, very much below par coffee.
5. printer & scanner (possible combo contraption?). it's not absolutely necessary right now, but it would make things easier when i want to scan pictures i've taken on the manual camera.
6. pizza stone. i'd love to make super pizza like these, in 5 min.
et, voila. c'est bon.

green finds

browsing through lostateminor today, and i started looking at their 'eco' section. & some interesting finds, indeed. first, is Patrick Blanc's Vertical Garden. these crazy gardens grow without growing in soil or in any earthy substance. Blanc is French, of course, and has made these gardens all over the world and does them on the outside of buildings, as well as inside buildings.the second piece of craziness that i saw was a biodegradable bamboo phone. seriously, bamboo! pretty much the frame and case of the phone is bamboo, while the battery, keypad and antenna comes out of the this case. the bamboo is also biodegradable. meaning, when the time comes to get a new one, you take out the three pieces and throw the case and frame in the compost. in the case, are bamboo seeds, so after the case degrades in about 2-3 weeks, new bamboo seeds starts to grow. and bamboo grows really quickly. talk about giving back to the earth! oh, and the battery is kineticly-powered. you wind the battery charger and, voila, charged without using electricity! wooza, wooza, wooza. seriously - wooza! think of the possibilities!

volunteer-crazy, probably

i've really been wanting to volunteer in my community, and now i have the chance (like i never have before? yeah, right). there is this thing called the Asheville Building Convergence, and it's getting me really excited.

(Starhawk, one of the speakers @ the ABC)

"ABC is inspired by a 20-year vision of what a truly sustainable Asheville looks like and the steps we can take now to create it. More than 25 local groups, community leaders, businesses, and hundreds of citizens are coming together for the first annual celebration and citywide collaboration of what's beautiful, practical, and life affirming about sustainability." - from the website

Anyways, they really need volunteers for this "convergence" and one of my friends is somewhat involved in it, so she let me know about all the opportunities. A few hours earlier I scanned through the list and then figured out what I could technically do & want to do. I then sent out emails to the contacts for the volunteer activities. I think probably overloaded myself, but whatevs, this thing is getting me w[he]ay excited.

I also have been seriously considering working in my community garden. It's basically right across from my place, and it used to be in shambles. But one I day passed by it and realized - voila! - it looked sooo much better! and there was a number to call about working it. there is also another garden close to my house that has volunteer shifts on wed., so I might see about that one, too.




And this is why, I think I may be over-doing all the possible volunteerism. I'd rather be doing this than working...