Torianna's Corner

In Vanity Post #75 (published on my nephew’s birthday — 14 August), I started transcribing a list of things (movies and series) that were in my “Watch it again” Netflix category, primarily because I didn’t have anything else to write about that day. Well… I’ve found myself in a similar situation, so I’m going to continue transcribing that list. Here goes…

• Dream Home Makeover;
• Country Comfort;
• Tiny House Nation;
• North of North;
• La Brea;
• Broadchurch;
• Sullivan’s Crossing;
• Falling Skies;
• Leave the World Behind;
• The Adam Project;
• The Great British Baking Show — Holidays;
• American Primeval;
• The Life List;
• Sandokan, the Pirate Prince;
• Happy’s Place;
• Enola Holmes;
• Enola Holmes 2;
• Free Rein;
• The Mother;
• Harlan Coben’s Fool Me Once;
• Queer Eye;
• Matilda;
• Is It Cake 3?;
• Black Doves; and
• Man on the Inside.

So, there you have it: Part 2 of my “Watch it again” list. As I mentioned in Part 1, I’d love to find out whether you’ve watched any of the shows on this list AND what you though of them. So… Please leave me a comment below!

I continued working on something that I started on the day I missed this week’s “quilt-along” session:

I did some more figurin’ about how much “slicing and dicing” I still need to do for “Stars”, my current “quilt-along” project. By the time the calculations were complete, I was…

SO DISAPPOINTED!

I figured that I still need anywhere from 6 to 60 pieces in four different fabrics and sizes, AND I discovered that I have to purchase more fabric — for the SECOND time!!

So, yeah… I was so disappointed when I made this discovery. I guess it’s a good thing we’re planning to go to town within the next day or two.

In yesterday’s vanity post, I mentioned that I’d be spending some time during my “Unplugged Sunday” working on the following tasks:

1. “slicing and dicing” the last pieces that I need for “Stars”: (60 (2 1/2″) light blue squares; 30 (4 1/2″) floral ink squares; and 384 (2 1/2″) floral ink squares);
2. do some measuring for another quilt project of mine. I need to figure out how much fabric I have for this project and how much, if any, I still need to purchase!

So… I thought I’d take a moment to give you an update.

The bottom line is that everything takes longer than I think it will! This was true regarding these tasks, too. Even though I managed to cut out (“slice and dice”) all of the needed 4 1/2″ floral ink squares and about thirty of the 2 1/2″ floral ink squares, I’ve STILL got LOTS of “slicing and dicing” to do.

As far as the second task is concerned, I haven’t even started that one, BUT I hope to spend some time getting started on it after this I’ve pushed the “Publish” button — before I “hit the hay”, which is something else that’s been on my mind lately.

So, yeah… Everything takes longer than I think it will…

This is my official “I have nothing worth writing about and/or no time to write it” vanity post. From now on, whenever my schedule is so busy that I don’t feel I have time to (or can’t) come up with something interesting in a timely manner, I’ll publish “Vanity Post #14” — my version of Chuck Lorre’s vanity card #111.

I FINALLY had my eyes examined, so I can NOW get another pair — or two — of glasses! I can’t even remember when I last had this done!! All I do know is that I’m overdue for a new pair of glasses, especially since the last pair of glasses I had (a pair with a “flexible” frame that ended up NOT being very flexible — or flexible enough) were in terrible shape AND had been lost for probably over a year (or longer) — until Sweet Thing found them sitting on our “travel” trailer’s propane tank recently.

After Sweet Thing failed the eye exam required for renewing his driver’s license the other day, I jumped at the opportunity to get my eyes examined at the same time! So, yeah… We both had our eyes examined, AND we ordered a pair of glasses for each of us as well as a pair of sunglasses for me! I’m just glad that I was able to find a frame that I like since the last time I tried to order myself a new pair of glasses, I didn’t like any of the frames that the place near my eye doctor had at the time. Thankfully, it was a case of “better luck next time” when it came to ordering eyeglasses!

I worked much of the day — much of my first full day on an “early bird” schedule” — on something that’s been one of “the three tasks” for quite a while, but I think I’ve finally got it! I think I’ve finally got a better version of my “Daily Block Schedule”!!

Through the years, I’ve been working with “Daily Block Schedules”, which are my attempts at trying to get myself organized enough to follow through on the tasks needed to accomplish goals that I’ve set for myself. I’d love to be able to say that these schedules have been effective, but I can’t. I don’t think the “Daily Block Schedules” themselves are to blame. Instead, I suspect that it’s my inability to stay focused on the tasks in these schedules. There have been times (many times, sadly) that I’ll start the day and get through the first couple of blocks, and then distraction hits, leaving me totally distracted and far from accomplishing everything.

Well… Today, I created what I think — hope — will be an effective “Daily Block Schedule” — after going through many, many notes on what should be included, how long each task should take, and how long each of the various blocks should be. I checked — and double-checked — everything in my notes, so I’m hoping I’ve taken as much as possible into consideration and that THIS plan WILL work for me. But… As I’m so fond of saying, only time will tell how successful it’ll be for me…

I’ll certainly keep you posted, but, in the meantime, I’d love to hear any suggestions or tips that have worked for you when it comes to getting — and staying — organized enough to accomplish your goals. Please leave me a comment below.

Until later, take care!

Yay! I do NOT have to purchase more of the dark blue fabric that I wasted when I was “slicing and dicing” on Sunday like I first thought! During Tuesday’s “quilt-along” session, I managed to cut out enough of the 2 1/2×4 1/2″ rectangles out of a few of the dark blue fat quarters that I’d purchased a while back (long before I even thought of “Stars”, my current “quilt-along” series)! Now the only “slicing and dicing” that I need to do is for the actual star blocks for this project, and believe me, I’m going to start with the 4 1/2″ squares needed instead of the little 2 1/2″ squares!

I also confirmed my suspicion about the “Lightning McQueen” quilt (or just “Lightning” for short) that my darlin’ daughter’s sister-in-law requested that I make. My first thought was to make a reversible quilt using both kinds of fabric that I received last month. After a while, I started thinking that this might make the quilt a bit “too busy” and that I should use a solid color for Lightning’s backing instead. Yesterday, I ran this by Liz (“quilt-along” instructor), and she agreed with me. She also agreed that the Lightning McQueen fabric will work for our next “quilt-along” project. So, yeah… I got some good feedback regarding my “Lightning McQueen” (commission) project yesterday!. Now, I feel much better about taking on this project, and I hope to be able to give her more than she originally requested.

Anyway… Now, I need to focus on finishing all of the “slicing and dicing” needed for “Stars”, my current “quilt-along” project!