The power of a stare!

Only a few more days to get through this crazy schedule. It took quite a while to get the UFO presentations put together --- many group members were very busy over the summer, and we had a lot to see! 

Time was running out, and so I shortchanged the girls on their walk. They were not happy about it. I was about a half hour late in getting out of the house with them, and can you tell they were not happy? 

MOM -- we are waiting PATIENTLY!!!!

Seriously, it's quite creepy to turn around and find the two of them staring at me. They know the power of a stare. There are times when they are beside me and fussing, but the stare I think works much better!

I am still looking for pictures of my quilts that were displayed at the Buckhorn Quilt Show. I will review my emails, as I believe one person sent me some photos, but I haven't opened that email yet. Next week, I'll hang the pieces here and take pictures. What a silly thing to forget to take pictures of ALL the quilts. 

After the UFO presentations, I had lunch, and then I decided that it was such a nice day, and I wanted to just veg, so this is where I ended up. 

The view from the gazebo

I haven't had a chance to sit out there and do nothing for a very long time. Or I haven't felt like I had the time to sit there. I didn't really have time, as I have a lot of stuff to prep, but I just needed some downtime. And I don't regret it!

Late in the afternoon, when I was "bored" of doing nothing - OK, I was reading my book, I came in and got some emails done. It's actually quite nice to get those UFO Club follow-ups done while the information is still fresh in my head. 

Due to the large number of photos included and their size, it's often a lengthy task to compress the presentation to a manageable size for email transmission. BUT with my newfound skill of compressing the photos digitally, it works. However, I had forgotten how to make that happen, but at least I knew I could do it. So I Googled it and remembered, and within seconds, the file was compressed and ready to send. Hopefully, I'll remember that for the next time without having to look up the instructions. 

And that brings me to a good point. I do not know how many times, when teaching, someone will lament that they have forgotten how to do something. Guess what? That's normal. And if you start searching Google and look at the resulting AI synopsis, there are so many ways and tips to help you learn. We all learn differently. 

The bottom line is that you CANNOT learn and remember something new the first time. OK -- some people can, but most of us cannot. You will have to repeat the task multiple times, and then it will stick. 

I remember when I first learned how to put binding on a quilt, and this goes back 25+ years ago. I took a short class with Gail at The Hobby Horse. We each did the final join in the class with two strips of fabric. I had to bring out that sample, which was attached to written instructions, for many, many quilts before that process stuck in my head. 

When I learned a different way to make the join, I also had to bring out the instructions many times before that method got into my head. It's OK and perfectly normal to have to rely on instructions to learn something new. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Yet, people feel they are "dumb" when they need that backup. It's a natural process of learning, and you will catch onto some things much quicker than others. 

NEVER apologize if you are slow at learning -- especially to me. You are learning, and I am here to guide you through that process. If you get so caught up in your "perceived failure to learn," it's only going to make the learning that much harder. Make mistakes, ask questions, and expect to repeat the task over and over again before it sinks in. Also, don't be afraid to muddle for a bit before you ask for the fourth time. You are making yourself so nervous because you can't figure it out. Walk away, take a break, get fresh eyes, and come back. You would be surprised at what your brain knows, but your head is making you feel you know nothing. 

That's why when I teach something, I highly encourage people to look at it later that day, the next day, or as soon as possible after the class. Try it at home, look at my videos or slides, and see where it will take you!

I don't know what Murph's issue was yesterday, but I suspect there was an animal of some kind under this little deck. And she was trying to dig it out. I caught her as I was making my breakfast and looked out the kitchen window. 

MOM -- Dad lets us do whatever we want! 

I dropped what I was doing and went out and had a wee chat with her. I got back into the kitchen and looked out again, only to find her madly digging! Murphy! So I had to put the chair there to discourage her. She promptly lay down to stare at me through the kitchen window! I do not think she was happy about my actions!

I'm going to digress for a moment and discuss the media. Please note that this is a general observation and not referring to any specific action that has happened, but it's incredible how the media can add fuel to the fire or calm the storm. 

It's interesting how the media is mentioned in the ebook I'm reading, Angels Flight by Michael Connelly (1999). 

To give you some context for the following quote, it's about Detective Bosch in LA. Like most cities around the world, major incidents (riots, looting, fires, natural disasters, etc.) can get out of control, and many times (I'm generalizing here, so don't yell at me) are fueled by the media.

And it's nothing new. This is how Connelly referred to the media way back in 1999. 

I just find it fascinating and disturbing, and it makes me wonder sometimes who is really in control of people's actions. And the fact that today, with so much AI, it's becoming harder and harder for people to distinguish what is real and what is not. 

I think the only thing we can attempt to do is educate ourselves, listen to both sides of the story, and don't believe everything you read or see. 

Well, I see time is marching on, and even though I only have 50 pages to finish that book, I need to get to the gym. I've been very lax over the last two months with my walking. I need to get myself up to speed on this new fitness tracker. You know me --- I like the old, and this new brand is throwing me for a loop, so I need to learn how it works properly and where to find the data. 

Here is the list of events over the next week. After that - it's quiet!!!! I sent out a group email to the Colour My World group, so if you did NOT get an email yesterday and you are interested, let me know. The sign-up cutoff (including paying) is midnight on Thursday evening. 

September 23 - Stitch by Stitch, Kingston, Ontario, A what's new with PFAFF and Husqvarna Viking. Two separate events. Check for times - one is in the afternoon (PFAFF), and the other is in the evening (HV). 

September 25 - Store Opening - Sewing Machine Magic - Cobourg, Ontario. This store sells PFAFF sewing machines, and I'm excited to present a series of demos that day. It's all about the magic!!!!

September 27 - Colour My World (Online class hosted by me) at 9:30 AM. I need to send out an acknowledgment to those who have paid. But you have all the information you need. No supplies required for the first class. 

September 27 and 28 - Virtual Retreat - the links will be posted on Wednesday. I'm looking forward to sitting down and having some time to do my homework and catch up with friends! 

And I would be remiss if I didn't mention the spectacular light show last night. We had thunder, rain, and lightning. At times, the lightning was so bright, it was blinding! I didn't get up to watch it, but spotted it through the window as I was trying to get to sleep! 

I'm off to spin class. 

Have a super day!!

Ciao!!!!