Smarter Than Me!

And, just like that, Christmas is a memory; a most happy one for us thanks to these four.

Santa brought a new television for my sewing room. That purchase necessitated the removal of this big, hulking, heavy television out of it's custom-made cubby where it's been living, happily, for many years; it was blissfully unaware that technology advancements were rocketing by, (as was its owner) leaving it unable to keep up.

Once removed, it will be donated. Someone will be happy to have a television that isn't "smart" by today's standards.

The newer, smarter, version has been installed and can be angled for easier visibility from wherever I happen to be working in the room. I was able to hook up through the Internet quickly and easily; I can now stream shows and channels directly and new programming will be communicated upon its arrival. This is what a "smart" TV can do, little did I know what I was missing, or how much I now need to learn all over again. Santa knows all, apparently he knew that I needed an entertainment upgrade in my workspace. This will be an exciting process as I learn my way forward, hopefully without too many stumbles! The good news is, that if I have problems or questions I have those four grandchildren pictured above who can help me out!

Wish me luck~

I hope I can keep up with a SMART TV, 

one that's much smarter than me! 

Life is Good! 

All American

All American ~ 60" X 60"

I didn't quite succeed in getting this patriotic quilt top pieced by Flag Day this year, but almost! I saw this pattern a few months ago online and knew that this was the quilt that I wanted to make as a wallhanging for brick wall out on the new porch, it will hang over the drop-leaf game table that Mr. Goodneedle is building-- the colors are perfect and I believe that the visual impact of this design is reminiscent of a game board. I did something that I hardly ever do: I ordered the kit from Simple Stitches; everything about the fabrics, colors and design appealed to me. The customer service was great, receiving the fabrics and pattern in a matter of only a few days! I modified the pattern for my space by only constructing five rows instead of six and omitting the outer border entirely.

This was an easy pattern, the blocks are all 12" and the piecing was straight forward. I didn't use the cutting instructions as directed: in fact, I never even opened the pattern at all. I used my Studio 180 tools: the Tucker Trimmer for the blocks above and the Wing Clipper for the large star blocks. 

It's easy to be accurate when joining the blocks using these tools, as everything is just a smidgen over-sized and the trim down results in perfectly square units every time. 

Once the blocks were all laid out I "webbed" the entire quilt top together vertically and then stitched the horizontal rows together; this is a time saving technique for me. 

Here's a snapshot of the cutting table with the paper pattern (link is above, under the top photo). If anyone reading this post would like the pattern, please let me know. Its brand new and I'd be more than happy to send it to you (USA). If more than one person would like it, I'll simply draw a number. Now, I just need to get this new top loaded and quilted; as things stand right now I have two quilts in line ahead of this one.

Adapting in an upside-down 🙃world: because we can't visit my Mom and Dad in person right now we've taken to Face Timing. Our normal early morning phone calls are now video experiences. I'm extremely grateful to my brother-in-law who facilitated the I-pad set up so that this could happen. Originally we had planned to set-up this gift for Dad in person, when we went to their home back in March. That trip never happened. Finally, it became apparent that we wouldn't be traveling (and exposing them to heaven-knows-what we might encounter between here and there) for the foreseeable future, but the need to see each other was still great. So, we sent it off in a package!

This is a screen shot of our phone visit this morning; I couldn't be happier, he was willing and eager to learn and use technology. We hope to get up to New England to see them by late summer or early fall. Fingers crossed. 

"Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be" - Abraham Lincoln

What's making you happy today? 

I have switched off the TV and am listening to my favorite playlist of oldies while I sew.🙂🎵  

Next up on my cutting table: more face masks, assembly-line style. 

Life is Good!

My C.O.W.* Moment

I don't normally use this forum as a soapbox, indulge me today. I do enjoy technology and I am in favor of communication, those are facts.  I don't think of myself, normally, as a C.O.W. (*cranky old woman) either; but I suppose that personal appraisal is subjective. The thing that I do NOT enjoy is the proliferation of people everywhere, in all situations, texting and giving little if any regard to their present company and/or surroundings. I don't appreciate sales people waiting on me in between texting on the job. I don't like students in quilt classes constantly being interrupted by texts coming in or even begin to understand the immediate need to respond on my time! I believe that texting at the dinner table is beyond rude.  I cannot tolerate texting in the pew during worship service on Sunday morning. In my humble opinion there needs to be a class for texting etiquette and everyone, everyone, needs to enroll!

Thank you, I'm stepping down now.

Moo~

Life is Good!

*COW definition compliments of Nancy, thank you.

A Love-Hate Relationship

I'm not ashamed to admit that I have a love-hate relationship with technology, there's no middle ground for me! I love the ability to quickly and efficiently communicate through e-mail and reconnect with old friends via social media. I hate the frustrating feeling that overwhelms me when my computer is down, slow or off-line. I do not text, I do not have a smart phone. After a recent almost-death plunge into the commode for my early model flip-phone I realize one needs to be smart to have a phone that is smart. Honestly, I don't feel like I am missing a thing.

Technology, used in excess, can have detrimental emotional and physical repercussions. A recent news story on television followed two families with young teens who embarked upon an experiment with a technology-free week. One thirteen year old girl cried from her tight fetal position on the floor, in a corner, as she endured withdrawal symptoms, she felt isolated from and abandoned by her friends. Nothing prevented her from getting up, going out, and spending physical time with them! The same news story cited the fact that women are heavier than they were thirty years ago and blamed technology for the fact that these women don't do as much housework: cooking, cleaning and laundry. Really? That time for chores has been completely replaced by the computer? I'm not convinced that is the only reason but I'll go along with it being a contributing factor. The anchor of the news show admitted that he and his wife and children couldn't make it through a family meal without their phones, he confessed that he wasn't proud of this fact but felt powerless to change the behavior. Wow.

In a recent sermon our Senior Pastor announced the addition of a Wednesday noontime prayer service during Lent. He addressed the subject of technology in the sanctuary and stressed the fact that he was not scolding, but rather, pleading with those who cannot be away from their phones, tablets and/or MP3 players for even an hour to remember that our sanctuary is just that. He even quoted Einstein: "I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.". This has all been food for thought nourishing my little mind. I love my e-reader, my I-pod and my laptop. I am writing this during my dedicated computer time; I'm in control and that's the key for me, technology doesn't dictate my schedule, and I hope it never does.

A recent visit to the doctor's office included some unexpected wait time in the exam room; a new computerized record-keeping system had been installed at the first of the year. My doctor was unable to log-in to chart some of my vital statistics; frustrated, he called in some tech help. A young man (he looked 15, but what do I know?) entered and confirmed the fact that the screen was, indeed, frozen! He suggested that the doctor try to log in from his office (adjacent to the exam room); the doctor was unable to do that since my "chart" was already opened!?! After that a parade of young men, and women, attempted to offer assistance while I sat on the examination table. I could literally feel the helpless frustration of my doctor; nearing retirement age, he was attempting adopt a spirit of cooperation with a system that had been thrust upon him, he was left feeling out of touch and definitely powerless to do anything but wait for someone else to come to his rescue. I could relate and sympathize. I prefer to control the technology that comes into my life, I'm certain that to some of you that makes me sound like a dinosaur; so be it. My children (and soon, my grandchildren) help me out when I need help, they're patient with me, I'm grateful. I really do love and embrace technology (when I don't hate it), as long as it's on my terms.

Life is Good!

Saturation Point , Plus Some...

This is my brain, or at least what my brain feels like... overflowing; way beyond the saturation point! There's just too much to learn sometimes; I try to keep up with technology, I really do... but there's always something else, something newer, presenting yet another challenge. My husband and I decided to give each other an early anniversary gift, a new camera. We received it this week; the instruction manual alone is massive, the camera is intimidating. And yet, I will learn, even at a limited-ability absorption rate! I have the perfect subject on which to practice.

Thank goodness for a place to start... auto settings!
Life is Good!

I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso

180 Days And Counting...

Yes, another school year has begun again. My husband and I visited our dear daughter-in-law's classroom yesterday at lunch time, she was putting the final touches on her room and preparing to greet a new batch of kindergarten students today! The latest addition to her classroom space this year is a Promethean Board, (interactive digital white board) we were amazed at this incredible technology that has been implemented in the classrooms at this level. Through her laptop the teacher can transmit through an LCD projector (overhead) to the smart screen which has a stylus for writing directly onto the surface as well as fingertip drag and drop capability. It's one fantastic teaching tool. We've come a long way from 1961 and a television strapped to a rolling cart! I still remember being in the third grade and the joy of sitting on a cold, hard, gymnasium floor with my classmates to watch a live broadcast of America's first manned space flight on a big, black and white TV at school! Wow, I just wonder what these Kindergarten students will use as a measure of technological change fifty years from now. You may wonder who the teacher's assistant is in these photos, it's her husband! Kyle is home from Texas for a job interview and a break from the record setting Texas heat. It's good to have him on this side of the Mississippi River again! We are hopeful that he'll soon return to stay.

Life is Good!

The Learning Curve

I'm hanging on, it might hurt if I let go right now! I'm working my way through EQ6. I have completed three lessons so far and have piled up many quilts in my sketch book, I'm getting comfy and familiar with the buttons and tools available. It's mind boggling, but fun. If that was all there was to learn I'd feel pretty good right now. But, no, there's more; it's not all comfy-cozy hiking on up the learning curve! What more, you might ask? Add on Photoshop Elements, a wonderful gift for my birthday from my husband. So, the gray matter's getting quite the workout, it seems that a paper "user manual" is missing, I really like manuals! There is a "help" button on the toolbar, but, alas, no book! I do know that there's a Photoshop for Dummies, out there. (I think the dumb thing for me would be not to invest in that!) I took a deep breath when I realized today that the summit of my learning curve isn't even within sight. In the meantime, I'll keep climbing... I received an I-Tunes giftcard from my daughter and son-in-law, anybody know how to use one of those? Uh-oh.

Life is Good!

Tagless Technology

This is one of the best additions to clothing that I can remember... what's been taken out! Tags! I've been noticing it more and more and it's completely wonderful... no itchy neck tags, or waistband tags or wherever tags. Just pure cotton comfort. T-shirts, underwear and exercise clothing. I love these! I understand that it's a newly refined process of heat-set ink that allows the tags to be dispensed with and prevents the care instructions and other information from bleeding through to the right side of the garment. Fantastic!
I'm embracing this technology! I read recently that Gap is producing knit clothing without seams. The knitting machine for T's and the like are able to produce a one piece article of clothing without side or back seams at all. At this rate the clothing will be so totally comfy there's no need to change into pajamas at the end of the day... we can go straight to bed; or we could get up in the morning and go to work, or to the grocery store, in the same clothes we slept in all night! Oh, wait... we're already there. I did happen to see a woman out shopping in her pajamas last week!

~But that's another subject for another post on another day!~

Life is Good!
...and even better without pesky tags...