Friday, December 13, 2013

The Drama of the Gifted Child

Not really a post about being especially super smart but about giving and receiving gifts, and aren't we all a bit like children around the holidays?

This year the holidays reflect my experience with the shifts in the way I want to live.  I'm still investigating where this shift comes from but without a real need to answer the question.  I'm willing to go with it and see where it leads me.

In years past I've given my parents a rather detailed list of what I'd like for Christmas.  Remember what I said about all of us being children around the holidays?  Yes, I like presents.  There, I've said it (and I know that I have some class privilege here).  However, there's that shift, also mentioned above, and I've become less directive.  But here's the rub - we all want what we want, but usually we expect our loved ones to psychically know what that is (or to have paid attention when hints were dropped).  I'd resorted to the make/model/manufacturer list, but it eliminated the other thing I love about presents (yes, I love gifts) - the element of surprise, the personal element of the individual who chose the gift.

For my birthday, the ladyfriend toured through my Etsy favourites with me (she'd originally given me a budget, but I wanted her to choose) and picked out this amazing treesizeverse backpack -
Sure, it was in my favourites, but I'd kind of forgotten about it, and I wouldn't have pointed to it as an option because it was a little pricey.  However, she found it and talked about how happy she'd be if I had it.  I can't wait to use it.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

What I'm Wearing to Teach Today: Last Day of School

Sweater:  Interweave Knits pattern knit by yours, truly in Cascade yarn
Skirt:  McCall's (?) pattern, sewn by me
Boots:  La Naturalista
Tights:  Hue

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

What I'm Wearing to Teach Today: First Day & Last Day

Contrary to my usual ways, I wore the same dress to the first class as to the last class (using it as an example).
 Dress:  Alabama Chanin pattern made by me!
T-shirt:  Mossimo
Tights:  No label
Boots:  La Canadienne