urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:creativepencreativepencreativepencreativepen2008-09-07T03:04:20Zurn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:creativepen:1781Whew, glad that is DONE2008-09-07T03:04:20Z2008-09-07T03:04:20ZI was dreading the task of writing my self evaluation. Not only did I have to evaluate myself, but also to create my job description. I switched careers last year, so I'm still figuring out what I do - this is all totally new. To make it even more complicated, I have worked for four different groups with four different sets of priorities and had to combine them to make one comprehensive profile and then evaluate myself against what I had written. Come on - does anyone really give themselves anything but stellar evaluations? Let the other people bring me down a notch - I'm not sayng anything negative against myself! <br /><br />I knew that if I didn't sit down immediately that this would take on a life of its own and take over the whole weekend. So I'm proud to report that I started it right after lunch and finished it up several hours later. YAY! I must admit, it was easier than the 5 headed horrendous monster project I had it cracked up to be.<br /><br />Now let's hope that whatever increase is coming will cover for the increase in gas, food, utilities... Hmmm, maybe I should have defined SUPERWOMAN and evaluated her accordingly...urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:creativepen:1496Looking for some Diary/Journalling info help - Please2008-09-07T02:54:40Z2008-09-07T02:54:40Z<div>I'm in the process of writing a magazine article on journal keeping. and only have until September 25 to finish it.. I would like to get some comments from you, especially if you keep a diary/journal and are fairly faithful in writing in it. I'm also asking other people that I know about their journal keeping habits as well as some co-workers. I have kept a journal/diary off and on since about 6 years of age - but If I write only from my perspective, it is only one person's point of view. I'd also appreciate hearing abut anything else from your personal experience that I didn't ask about here.</div><div> </div><div>How do you motivate yourself to write every day?</div><div>What kinds of books do you like to write in and why? (Please include info about size, lined, unlined, design, price, etc.)</div><div>Do you draw in your journals? Include napkins, leaves, other items in them? (what kinds of items?)</div><div>Do you write about other things such as memories, or do you pretty much stick to daily occurrances?</div><div>Do you tend to write more when you're emotional about something?</div><div>Do you tend to vent in the journal?</div><div>Are you particular about keeping them pristine, or do your books some have dirt, tears, other signs of destruction?</div><div>What are your feelings about privacy and journal keeping? Do you think that a parent looking in a child's journal is ever warranted? (I NEVER looked in my daughter's and my mother said that she never looked in any of ours either - we both felt that this was sacred - however, one of my co-workers said that in this day and age, she felt that looking was justified if the child was problematic)</div><div>What techniques (if any) do you use if you're not feeling particularly creative/motivated about writing that day?</div><div>Have you ever taken any journalling workshops? If so, what particular thing(s) did you carry from them that you felt were useful?</div><div>If you kept a diary as a child, what motivated/inspired you to keep it?</div><div>How many pages in your average entry?</div><div>Have you ever had anyone invade your privacy and read your journals? What happened? Did it inhibit your writing?</div><br />I look forward to your replies.<br />Thank you.urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:creativepen:917What a wonderful evening!2008-06-18T02:56:48Z2008-06-18T02:56:48Z Went to visit my Aunt for a rubber stamping party (Stampin' Up) and had a wonderful time. We made 4 cards. Two of her grandkids were there; ages 16 and 20. I recently saw the older one (last month)- after not having seen her since she was 14 - and the younger one - first time I have seen her since she was 7. She has matured into an exceptionally beautiful and creative young lady. I was sitting next to her and got to help her with tonight's projects - what fun! My daughter is 26 and has been on her own for awhile. I really enjoyed being around the two girls. I behaved myself and didn't buy any new stamps - just an ink pad and some card stock. I really could save some serious money by using the zillion rubber stamps that I have and making some cards instead of waiting until the last minute and running out to buy a store bought one. You know that all of those other stamps were bought with the best of intentions! Hopefully I will verify here soon that the new ink pad and cardstock have not gone to waste.<br /><br />Dug my journal out of the mothballs and was apalled to find that I hadn't written in it since February. I knew it had been awhile, but really was surprised that it had been that long since my last entry. Step one - digging it out of the mothballs. Step two - putting it into my work tote bag. Step 3 - actually writing in it - well that's something to strive for tomorrow! I looked at the book during my lunch break - even opened it up. But my brain was fried from having been working really hard on some intense things going on at work and I decided to veg with a sudoku puzzle instead. Just what the doctor ordered. Anyway, that's part of what I found appealing about this site. A place to muse and reflect out loud, so to speak. Hopefully, a place where I can meet some new snail mail pals. This is my first attempt at any kind of blog. <br /><br />By the way, I should say that I welcome correspondents of all ages. As I've perused the site, I have noticed that I am one of the older folks here. I'd welcome dialog with younger people and enjoy fresh ideas and viewpoints. urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:creativepen:652Days are just too darned short!2008-06-17T01:56:38Z2008-06-17T02:22:25Z<p> If someone comes up with a (legal) pill that you can take and feel rested, awake, and don't have to sleep unless you want to, I'll be the first one in line. I wake up at 4:30, go to sleep, get up, go to work and before you know it, it's time to do it all over again. I need a few uninterrupted days just to get things done - over and above all of the things I try to stuff into a normal weekend. I love the early morning hours - and the quiet late night ones. Trouble is that I can't stay awake for both. My most creative and productive time for artwork is 4:30 pm and I love journal writing in the morning - except a small thing like working for a living gets in the way. Go figure! Maybe I should go buy some lottery tickets! <br /><br />Latest fun thing I've discovered - Italian Charm bracelets. Ok, ok, I know they're old stuff now and have been out for years. But I just discovered them and they're fun and affordable. Go out on ebay and type in "Italian Charm" and there are literally HUNDREDS of them out there for every whim, fancy, emotion, hobby, job, horoscope sign, etc. So far I have collected several different chinchilla charms (for the fuzzy kids), a bulldog charm in memory of mine who died last December - at the ripe old age of 10 (ancient for that breed), a feather pen in an ink bottle (for my calligraphy interests), sushi (self explanatory), an artist palette, bees (I collect them), a chipmunk (for my pet Siberian chipmunk), a runner, two cherubs kissing (I think it's part of a famous painting somewhere) two butterflies, an American flag in the shape of a heart, a dragonfly, one that says "I love New York" (my daughter lives there), and an old fashioned typewritter. I received one with my name on it today (hard to find), and one that is engraved and says "give me coffee and no one gets hurt" Of course the writing and pictures on these things is so tiny that you really need a magnifying glass to see them - but that is part of the appeal and whimsy of these things. <br /><br />OK, off to go throw some laundry in, play with the fuzzy kids, go to sleep, wake up tomorrow and get on the hamster wheel all over again. I LOVE this Summer weather! </p><p>Could someone please tell me how to insert a photo into a post?</p><p>Thanks</p>