Wreck This Journal: Traveling Light

I’ve never truly understood why women carry huge purses or mass quantities of baggage wherever they go.  There seems to be an obsession with the idea that we should always have everything we (might) need with us at all times.  I know multiple people that carry a purse, a work bag, a gym bag, and a food bag (lunch and snacks) every single day to and from home.  What do they need the gym bag for when they’re hauling around all this stuff?

I am seriously befuddled by this concept of packing purses with everything from make-up to flashlights.  Have you ever lifted a large purse pack to the brim with all that crap? It’s so heavy, I’m surprised more women aren’t walking around lopsided with one shoulder lower than the other.

Perhaps, I’m confused because I don’t go out as often as other people nor do I have grave concerns about being able to reapply my lipstick later in the day.  Incidentally, I don’t worry about being trapped in a dark tunnel, either. Am I weird because I’ve never felt the need to carry loads of stuff with me all the time? Probably.

I have three modes of “packing” for when I leave the house, all of which are pretty minimalist compared to what I observe on a daily basis.

Mode #1: Work

• 1 tote bag that carries Lesson plan calendar, keys, wristlet (that holds iPod and cell phone), water, apple

Mode #2: Writing shift at the bookstore

• 1 tote bag or messenger bag that carries laptop, reading book or journal, (depending on writing goals for that day), wristlet, pencil pouch, keys

Mode #3: Anywhere else

• 1 wristlet or small purse  that carries wallet (unless carrying wristlet), cell phone, iPod, keys

Now, I’m sure most men would consider these modes with the same confusion as I regard women with large purses.  Everything a man needs or want fits nicely into his pants pockets, but I must argue that the pockets in women’s clothing are about four times smaller than those in men’s clothing.

Blame Wreck This Journal for my little rant on this subject. One of the pages gave instructions to trace the contents of my bag or pockets.  I did this page a while ago, but everything I “need” to have with me on an outing has essentially stayed the same.

Keeping it simple.

For the record, I have a waaaay better cell phone these days, (no more flip-phone for this girl)!

If anything, carrying less makes me a little more careful and creative when I venture outside of the house. Whatever situation befalls me, I’m confident I’ve got the right equipment with me.  And should I feel the need to run from danger, I won’t be weighed down by thirty pounds of clutter in my bag.

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c.b.w. 2012

Wreck This Journal: Garden’s End

After more than three months of growing and blooming, my garden has finally succumbed to the heat. Flowers have bloomed and started to wither, vegetable seedlings have sprouted and produced an amazing crop. A few stragglers continue to hang on, but the process of letting go must start now. Such is the cycle of life, green must eventually turn brown and return to the earth.

A page in Wreck This Journal has given me a place to memorialize my garden, while also giving me an excuse to play in the dirt.  As per instructions, I grabbed a clod of dirt and rubbed it into the center of the page.  This is the same dirt where my zucchini took root!  I added some sketches of little leaves and flowers that remain in my yard, despite a steady stream of 100+ degree weather.

Playing in the dirt is still fun!

I may be a grown woman, but I will never grow tired of digging around the dirt. A little dirt under my fingernails reminds me of being a little girl in the woods!

In the couple of weeks, we plan on pulling all the summer plants out (which will be super crispy very soon) and begin tilling the ground for a fall garden. We’ve got a compost pile started and a menu of seeds sorted.  Pumpkins, melons, onions, and perhaps another batch of sunflowers will hopefully brighten our back yard.

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c.b.w. 2012

Wreck This Journal: Two Roads

Throughout Wreck This Journal there are a number of blank pages that serve as spaces for random creativity. While working on a collage for another project, I came across some advertisements in a magazine that inspired my muse to fill one of those pages.

Give me a dirt road and I shall happily travel.

The tree root backdrop came from a National Geographic Traveler, while the letters on this page came from an ad for a car (I think). I simply cut out and rearranged the letters until I got a phrase that made sense.  Then, I finished the thought along the right edge.  I must have had Robert Frost on the brain when I filled this page as it alludes to one of my favorite quotes:

Two roads diverge in a wood and I -

I took the one less traveled by

And that has made all the difference

Recently, I met with a friend who asked me an interesting question about how I came to be confident in who I am (including the weirdness).  Her question took me by surprise and I wasn’t sure how to answer it until I came across the above page in my journal.

The truth is I’ve never considered myself to be an overtly confident person, but rather accepting and content with who I am. I’ve always been a little different and I’ve always embraced the idea of walking a different path.  Even as a child, I knew I didn’t want to blend into the group.  I can distinctly remember thinking how boring it would be if everyone was the same. Perhaps, my “confidence” stems from never being afraid of exploring the unpaved path or one which has no footprints.  After all, the grandest adventures come from daring to go where no one has gone before, (Star Trek wisdom rocks).

Of course, spending a large part of my childhood in the depths of the Northwoods also might have something to do with my attraction to unpaved roads.

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Stay inspired!

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Don’t forget to cast your vote in Poetry Poll #1. So far, “Force of Nature” has the lead, while “The Guardians” is in second.  Thanks so much for your participation!

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c.b.w. 2012

Wreck This Journal: Newsprint

One of my favorite things to take home as a souvenir is a local newspaper from the places I visit. This goes for Northern Wisconsin as much as it does for Beijing, China.  Headlines, opinion pages, and even obituaries give a vivid representation of the culture and atmosphere of any given place.  So, when Wreck This Journal gave instructions to glue down a random page from a newspaper, I was ecstatic!

I got so excited I actually ended up using four pages in the journal to paste down various parts of The Daily Telegraph from London.  I clipped the title, interesting tidbits, and a few other little things to bring back some great memories of the U.K.  Who would have thought my Wreck This Journal would also serve as a scrapbook?!

First up, I clipped out the iconic title The Daily Telegraph.  I even added the price block of 90p, of which I always keep that much handy in a bowl on my nightstand.  It’s a nice reminder of how much I always kept in my pocket, so I could buy a newspaper each day to read in the park.  I tried to draw the Union Jack as the backdrop, but it turned out a tad odd!

The Daily Telegraph tries to hide a lame drawing of the Union Jack!

Next up, I attached some clippings that are so English they really capture the essence of London. Quirky headlines, the BBC schedule, and a spot of trivia are in every newspaper.  This particular issue of The Daily Telegraph is one of the older ones I have, dating back to 2009, (hence PM Brown). In the bottom corner of this page, I tried to document where and when I got this edition, but as you’ll see my memory got a little fuzzy, (I had to whip out my journals to find the date)!

Memorabilia fills this page along with a snappy shade of purple.

A newspaper just isn’t complete without mention of the weather.  The weather is a moody thing in the U.K. and I love how people talk about it as if its a member of the family instead of a natural phenomenon. The rain isn’t just something that waters the garden, but rather a temperamental cousin that makes you carry his umbrella.

During my last trip to London, I became quite reliant on the weather section in a free daily newspaper, The Metro.  I  actually started to learn the Celsius standard from experience rather the relying on a converter.  I knew 18°C and partial clouds meant I needed a hoodie and an umbrella.  As is happens, the same goes for 27°C and sunny, (sometimes the “cousin” makes surprise visit).

Hmmmm . . . looks to be a hot day in London.

Finally, I clipped the enigmatic crossword puzzle.  No day is complete without at least trying to crack the clues and complete the puzzle.  Strangely, I have better luck on U.K. puzzles than I do with American counterparts.  I haven’t completed the puzzle I clipped, but I will someday.

Just in case I get stuck on the Tube with nothing to do!

I’m already anxious to go back! Meanwhile, I’ll be living vicariously through my television during the Olympics later this summer!

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Sadly, newsprint is starting to go out of style, but I have hope that it will never completely die out. How else will we:

• do paper mache
• make origami hats
• have cheap placemats
• protect the table from a painting project
• save clippings for a scrapbook
• potty train puppies
• pack fragile items (shredded padding or wrap)
• lift ink with silly putty

What else should go on the list?

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c.b.w. 2012

Wreck This Journal: Poetic Whimsy

Sometimes inspiration is a subtle little creature that wanders through your subconscious.  This was the lesson I learned after completing a Wreck This Journal page that instructed me glue down a page from a magazine and circle the words I like.  I dutifully finished this page a long time ago, but the significance of what I had done didn’t hit me until this week.

Grab a highlighter or a pen and start circling words that speak to your muse!

I literally followed instructions and circled words I liked without really thinking that they could or might fit together.  And there they sat for months until I read through them the other day.  To my complete surprise, the words I circled actually fit together to create two interesting little poems.

experience antique country
passion beauties
character past
roamed feisty skies

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symmetry beautiful
flowing array
authentic faux
enable discerning
create luminaries
learning

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Granted, these aren’t perfect lines, (my inner editor wants to revise so badly), but they still have something interesting to say. My voice is there and speaking very loudly!  To me this little exercise really showcases the power of random association and free-writing!  If I’ve learned anything, its the importance of shutting off my filter every now and again in order to explore new possibilities.

Stay inspired!

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c.b. 2012