Storied Gifts

Do you have a method for solving problems?

My method of solving problems generally proceeds as follows:

I over the issue at hand.

I talk to lots . . . and lots of .

Then, after I'm exhausted and/or motivated I take a

knowing I've done the best thinking and acting based on who I am at the time I made the decision.

How about you? Do you have a method for solving problems? Do you have a story that demonstrates this method?

Question #75 from The Art of Conversation Game.

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Have you learned a craft? I'm a crappy crafter.

When I was a kid I think I liked to do crafts; paint pictures, construct key chains made with that plastic twine, do cross-stitch, hook rugs, etc. But somewhere along the way I discovered I didn't like doing crafts because I'm not good at them. I don't have art skills that translate with my hands to make things that later become dust fodder for my already cluttered surroundings.

As an adult I did go through a period where sewing and knitting were of interest. Finishing projects was a challenge which means I've got plastic bins in the basement of things that aren't complete. That said, I did make a sweater-vest for my husband which he didn't wear because he doesn't really wear sweaters. There was also a purple sweater I made for myself I DID wear for a couple of years. But in those cases it was more about keeping my hands busy rather than the enjoyment of creating something. 

So, generally I'm a crappy crafter.

If I expand on the my original thought of "craft" to include creative skills, then I like to create things in words, work on computer, and paginate. I enjoy good design and looking at art, but don't want to touch trying to make such things with my hands.

I won't be asked to any scrapbooking parties and I'll stay away from art classes and ceramic-making shops. I'm craftily craft challenged and that truth can be written in calligraphy placed on a piece of parchment paper, burned around the edges and then decoupaged to a piece of wood . . . but not by me. 

So now it's your turn. Have you learned a craft?

Question number 149 of The Art of Conversation

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Which is your favorite sweet or confectionary?

My longstanding favorite candy is NECCO wafers. I guess it says something that I can't hold onto them for very long once I open the roll. I peel back the wax paper wrapping and briskly eat each wafer with a crunch while eying the remaining wafers to see if the next is one of my favorites. I especially like the licorice flavor, then the white, then the brown and pink. I tolerate the oranges and yellows just to get to the other colors.

The wafers always remind me of other candies I ate as a child, but today can't imagine why, other than they were what was available. Remember the wax Lip candies that had a residue of flavor (was it a mint flavor) and tasted waxy? Then there were the little wax bottles filled with a milliliter of syrup. The elastic strings strung with little candy beads were a big hit, too. Sweet Tarts were good . . . and those Pixy Stix were good for a pucker. Did you put the dust in water to see if you could get a flavored drink?

Chocolate is also a favorite sweet and any nut covered in chocolate is alright by me. I like milk and dark but my standards won't permit cheap waxy-textured chocolate. I guess I have an aversion to wax.

If you are a true candy connoisseur then you'll want to check out Candy Blog where author Cybele May has chronicled an extensive review of many candies from all over the world.

Every once in awhile I'll still purchase a roll NECCO wafers and continue to rush to get to my favorite colors. If you like the orange and yellow ones let me know.

Now it's your turn. What is your favorite sweet or confection?

(question #148 from The Art of Conversation)

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What were your memorable toys as a child?

This question is not specifically from The Art of Conversation game but rather a spin-off from last week's question and thus doing what the game helps do . . . invite continued conversation.

Once I thought about particular toys of childhood, I thought about my bedroom as it was when I was about 7 and living in Arkansas. It was furnished with hand-painted wood furniture; a dresser, a bed, shelves, and a toy box positioned at the end of my bed. I can see it in my mind, unlatched and open revealing all its treasures. The primary color of it and all my furniture was a strange orang (think tomato soup mixed with milk) and it was covered in large sticker flowers.

My bedspread was sewn by my mother; a floral background, featuring that peach-orange, with a ruffle that went clear round. It must have been a beast to sew.  

This room was sunny, organized, and filled with books. On the top of my bookshelf sat my 78 speed record player. It had an enormous needle that rested in the grooves of thick records I played constantly.

One record I remember was the soundtrack to the 1967 movie of Dr. Dolittle. A segment of lyrics have stuck with me.

"Our lives tick by like pendulum swings,
Poor little things, Puppets on strings,
Life is full of beautiful things,
Beautiful people, too.
Beautiful people,
like you."

The other album I adored, but absolutely gave me the chills, was the 1948 recording of Sparky's Magic Piano. The voice of the piano speaking to Sparky provided a thrilling fright each time I listened. Funny though, the lesson of the story about the importance of practice didn't wear off. I was terrible at piano and then later flute.

Now your turn. Think about the toys of your youth. Share a favorite or two. Why did they make such an impression?

Your favorite childhood toy? What happened to it?

I've left all childhood toys and childish thoughts behind . . . pretty much. This question does open up the memories of things I remember playing with as a child. The question does get me thinking about toys I had long forgotten. I remember the following:

Slinky. I even remember the jingle from the commercial.

Mrs. Beasley Doll. A toy played with by Buffy from the show "Family Affair." I had my own.

This is definitely a two-part question. More toy memories in next week's post.

Now you. What toys do you remember from your childhood? Do you still treasure them? Have you shared them with your children?

Do you have any unusual tastes in food or food combinations?

The word "unusual" is a bit dramatic for my taste preferences. I like a creamy potato salad served up at a picnic, and if there are baked beans offered as well I'll take those two dishes and eat them together. In fact, I'll skip the meat and just eat my share (and someone else's) when it comes to the picnic sides.

I savor the salty/sweet combo flavor and will dump a box of peanut M&Ms (or two) in my small buttered popcorn. Cutting up bananas into my OJ is a favorite morning breakfast. And, I think a bite of sharp cheddar cheese followed by a swig of coffee is mighty tasty.

You see what I'm saying. I have no flavor combo that is too exotic.  

Your turn. Do you have any unusual tastes in food or food combinations? Share them.

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What do you enjoy finding in other people?

Humor . . . with a dose of witt and intelligence, too. Of course, one person's idea of humor is not another's, but I love a great belly-laugh with a little slapstick nanner peel tossed under my feet.

How about you? What do you enjoy finding in others? (question #48 from The Art of Conversation)

Humor that embraces our humanity and lifts the spirit is a gift we can give to each other. Here is something of that kind of joy from St. Vincent's Medical Center and the Pink Glove Test. Think about this, as you watch, each of the people in this video has their own unique story of life experience . . . each one special. Are you keeping track of your story?

Smile and have a great day.

Your idea of the perfect breakfast?

Breakfast is my FAVORITE meal because I am a morning person. I enjoy getting up early while it is still dark so that I can see the light change in the sky when the sun begins to rise. Breakfast is an extension of this wonderful part of the day, a day beginning.

The ideal day I strive for someday, is one where everyday I wake up at about 3 a.m., work for several hours and then finish with breakfast . . . before a 10 a.m. nap. I aspire to this as a daily routine.

Breakfast at a diner . . . nothing better. I like to slide into a booth and be served a cup of coffee in a heavy ceramic mug while perusing a menu. Ahhh . . . what will I eat? Who am I with? Someone who likes to chitchat over a Bloody Mary is just the right person.  

My Bloody Mary drink of choice is made here in Des Moines, Iowa at the Drake Diner. Please make it spicy and put in a dill pickle spear. I'll sprinkle it with pepper . . . lots of pepper. Yes, thank you, I'll have that beer chaser.

What do I order? Eggs, most often scrambled (2) and hashed browns with wheat toast on the side please. Now, about those hashed browns, I'll have those with sauteed onions and melted cheese on top.

I eagerly anticipate the arrival of my order while sipping on my Bloody Mary. Once I'm done and completely full, I sip a bit longer over that cup of Joe and feel the pangs of sleepy. Time for the finish to breakfast bliss with a nap. 

If you're a Bloody Mary fan, check out this recipe by Gourmet Grrl over at my recipes.com

Now it is your turn. What is your idea of the perfect breakfast?

fyi question # 127 from the game The Art of Conversation which you can purchase right here on the Storied Gifts website.

Thanks for reading.  

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Have you ever found anything valuable or unusual?

My initial thought was that I couldn't single out any treasure for fear of missing the most important ones. This must be how the Oscar winners feel when they step on stage and need to thank everyone. So keeping in mind that I have loads of true treasures and that my husband David has been a pretty good find (Do you hear me Honey?) I do have one item that comes to mind beyond the major finds.

But first, the backdrop . . .

I enjoyed reading as a young person but I do confess that I didn't read many of the classics. I liked the idea of reading them but usually couldn't get involved enough to read most of them through to the end. Since I liked the idea of classics it was fun to buy them at used bookstores and place them on my bookshelf. I either intended to read them or thought they made nifty furniture.

Such was the case for my copy of Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, 1885 U.S. edition. I purchased it at a thrift store in Dubuque, Iowa during college. It has a blue leather cover that is somewhat frayed at the binding and the title letters are fairly worn. Inside the cover is an inscription that reads, "A Christmas gift to my sister. Maria Lloyd, B.B. Hathaway. Dec. 27, 1884.

The book went in and out of boxes during our moves and gathered dust much of the time without ever being read. Then one day, on a summer afternoon, in my early 30s, I found myself with downtime and a hankering for something to read. That day I pulled Jane Eyre off the shelf and began to read.

For the next couple of days, to say I fell in love with Jane is an understatement. I felt this thrill and connection with this woman who accepted her standing in life but harbored an inner strength of will. She believed herself plain and poor, but determined to make the best of her situation nonetheless. I identified with her because of the angst and misery I remembered from my adolescence . . . feeling plain but hoping and wishing for inner beauty that would be found by another.

Of course, the fact that her employer Edward Rochester sees her true worth had me swooning. What plain girl doesn't wish to have a beauty within that shines out no matter if she is the standard version of beautiful or not? Come on ladies, admit it. Don't we love our heroins who have strong characters and inner fortitude?

My treasure was finding Jane Eyre and then after that the other Bronte sister stories, and Jane Austin, too. Just the thought of these stories makes me long for a cup of tea and a cozy chair.

Now your turn. Have you ever found anything valuable or unusual?

Question #134 from The Art of Conversation Game which you can purchase right here at Storied Gifts.  

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If you felt self-conscious at a social or business function, how would you overcome it?

At some point as a teenage girl when I was feeling sloppy and socially inept, my mom explained a life lesson that she had been taught by her mother. The motherism went something like, "No matter your attire, or how you may be groomed, people will look beyond these if you wear a smile."

It was a little something that stuck with me, a lesson passed from one mom to the next. I remind myself of this when I scurry off to run errands--the grocery store, the hardware store, the vet-- when I'm looking less than my best. I figure I'll either hide in the next lane at the store (ever done that?) OR wear a gleaming smile to cover up my appearance.

I enjoy being social but for some reason I tend to feel awkward in public gatherings like networking events. The conversation taking place in my head, that nagging negative self-doubting one, is really obnoxious. I'm trying, this year in particular, to remember that motherism as I go forward. And if all else fails . . . maybe thinking of everyone else naked?

How about you? If you felt self-conscious at a social or business function, how would you overcome it?

This is question #27 from The Art of Conversation Game which, by the way, are for sale here on Storied Gifts.

As an addendum: I was telling my mom about the impact this little bit of wisdom she shared with me still has today, and she couldn't really remember even telling me. We laughed about that.

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