"These are a few of my favorite things..."

Each year I compile a list of 100 things that make me happy. I think it's appropriate to publish this list around Thanksgiving, even though it aways takes a few weeks to compile. I don't look back to previous year's lists because I want to ensure that each list reflects my thoughts at this unique moment.

1. Being married to my best friend
2. Spending time with him ^
3. Making music
4. Fluffy kitties
5. Sunny days
6. Autumn
7. Walking
8. Singing
9. Laughing
10. Anthropology
11. Window shopping
12. Trying new things
13. Jazz
14. Stretching 
15. Getting stuff done
16. Making lists
17. Socializing
18. Walking barefoot on high pile carpet
19. Walking alone in the woods
20. Brown noise
21. Quilting
22. Detective shows
23. House plants
24. Stickers
25. Stepping on autumn leaves
26. The Beatles
27. Setting goals
28. Learning
29. Photography
30. Pumpkins
31. Residential architecture
32. Fluffy socks
33. Rich and sensual body butter
34. Organizing
35. Warm colors
36. Campfire
37. Clean floors
38. Freshly washed cotton
39. Researching
40. Hot baths
41. Clean teeth
42. Snow
43. Browsing real estate listings
44. Clean sheets
45. Whistling 
46. Micro-lending 
47. A fluffy down duvet
48. Self-improvement
49. Fireplaces
50. Reading a good book
51. Good hair days
52. Pretty throw pillows
53. Jogging in the rain
54. Receiving compliments
55. Having a clear complexion 
56. Birding
57. Designing, building, and decorating Sims houses
58. Playing piano
59. Hoodie weather
60. Journaling
61. Playing the Sims Legacy Challenge
62. Parades (preferably with marching bands) 
63. Hosting friends and family in our home
64. Composing music
65. Trying new foods
66. Decorating for Christmas
67. Fireflies
68. Art museums
69. Science museums
70. Botanical gardens
71. Canoeing
72. Dancing 
73. Getting better at stuff
74. Filing things away in orderly fashion
75. Playing guitar
76. Sewing
77. Seeing and being a part of musical performances
78. Traveling to new places
79. Genealogy research
80. Indexing
81. Chocolate
82. Learning new things
83. Berries on the trees in autumn
84. Having a clean kitchen
85. Returning home to Colorado
86. Wind chimes
87. Starbuck's Passion tea
88. Fresh vegetables 
89. Getting A's on my assignments 
90. Smiling
91. Discovering "new" music 
92. Being recognized for my efforts
93. Recognizing my own efforts 
94. When BluRay has a Green Mouse Day 
95. Ironed sheets
96. Christmas lights
97. Browsing home decorating magazines
98. Online shopping
99. Putting my feet up after a long day
100. Shoulder massages 

Aaaaaaaaaahh, that's nice

I usually have trouble concentrating and committing to a task.  Not sure if I have ADHD or what, but I know distraction is a big problem for me, especially while I'm in school.

Like, right now, I'm looking at a list of readings to prepare for class discussions tomorrow, and, Oooo, look!  A kitty!

Anyway, when I put on my headphones and listen to Pink Noise, I can feel my brain shifting into a relaxed state that is better suited for homeworking.

Aaaaaahhh... this really is nice.  Now, I'm off to read about archaeological investigations of nomadic peoples.  Ta ta!

Autumn Activities: Pumpkin Show

Each October, for the last 106 years, Circleville hosts the Greatest Show on Earth. 

Cousins Jennifer and Megan came to celebrate Pumpkin Show with us on Thursday night.

The biggest pumpkins had their weight written on them.  First place winner this year weighed in at 1,350 pounds.

Along with pumpkins, there are lots of weird and crazy gourds.

And then there is the tower of pumpkins at the center of town.

I will take photos of pumpkins in the day or night. 

I had no idea there were so many kinds of pumpkins.

I think the reason I love pumpkins so much is because there are so many different kinds.

In life, variation is everything.

Using a metal mold, a farmer created these very cool head-shaped pumpkins.

Deep fried Oreos are   a m a z i n g  

We had to try deep fried Twinkies and pumpkin funnel cake.  It was the right thing to do.

Cousin Chris came today to celebrate Pumpkin Show.

Circleville's Pumpkin Show is truly the greatest show on Earth.  Where else can you ride a ferris wheel then a carousel, and then eat elephant ears, all in front of the town's courthouse?  

These enormous pumpkins were carved up all pretty.  

We went back to our place and decided to carve up our own pumpkins.

Ta da! 

Bread, I miss you already.

A friend of mine has an affectionate nickname for me.  It's "Cheese."  I thought it was a little strange and wondered where it came from, that perhaps I seemed like a cheesy person, so I asked her why she chose to call me that.  She explained that since she became a vegan she really misses some of her old favorite foods, like cheese.  So it really is a nickname bestowed with love.  I feel pretty lucky because she calls another friend "Chicken."

Ever since I adopted the Paleo diet and stopped eating dairy and grains, my chronic pain has pretty much disappeared.  At first I couldn't believe it.  Suffering from chronic pain has been my life for so many years that I found creative ways to forget about it or pretend it wasn't happening.  Now my mind feels so rested that I don't have to concentrate on ignoring the pain.  I have energy that I didn't have before, and for the first time in a long time I am not taking daily ibuprofen.

So, I'm thinking about calling up my friend and bestowing upon her the name of "Bread."

My Endocrine Problems (don't read if you're grossed out by such things)

I'm finally losing weight now because I finally have an endocrine specialist, the right medication, and a diet that seems to be working.  Without all of those things before, no amount of exercise or dieting was successful in helping me reach a healthy weight.  You don't have to believe me, and I am sure that many people assume that those who are fat are simply lazy, but in my case it's not true: I can blame [most of] it on my genes and screwed up hormones.  I exercised regularly, and I followed the American Diabetic Association's Carb Counting Diet (as proscribed by a nutritionist), and I still gained weight.  Knowing that society diminishes the worth of obese women and glorifies the very thin ones, for years I have felt hopelessly frustrated, forever worthless, and deeply depressed.

Although the genetic hand I was dealt is very challenging to work with, I still believe that it is my responsibility to be informed about my condition and health risks, so I can make the right choices to enable me to live as best as I can.  I'm not healthy.  The truth is I've been sick for many years, and I'm only just now beginning to heal, after a long and difficult search for answers.  In reality, doctors are still learning about polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and tomorrow may be the day of a great breakthrough cure.  And it's odd to note that there may be a correlation between PCOS and hypothyroidism (which I also have).

To explain my issues as simply as I can, I'll use a bulleted list.

• defective thyroid gland fails to produce proper amount of thyroid hormone
• body burns energy slower than it should
• constantly tired with no energy
• unexplainable rapid weight gain (in my case: 100lb. weight gain in 3 years)
• hair loss, slow heart rate, depression
• nobody knows how one gets a defective thyroid gland
• it could be genetic, or environmental, or a combination of both
• it is more common in women than men, and babies can be born with it
• it is a lifelong condition with no known prevention and no cure
• treated with synthetic thyroid in the form of a daily pill (Synthroid for me)
• requires biannual blood tests to ensure drug effectiveness
• may require dosage adjustments, especially during pregnancy when thyroid levels are known to fall even lower
• symptoms can be treated, but the condition never goes away
• defective ovaries produce too much testosterone and prevent eggs from being released
• when eggs cannot be released, they form large, painful "cysts" on the ovary
• there is no chance of pregnancy 
• there is no monthly cycle, and no regular hormonal fluctuation
• there is risk of developing uterine cancer 
• facial hair, acne, weight gain
• high levels of insulin, and cells become insulin resistent 
• more likely to be obese
• high risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol problems, and heart disease
• nobody knows how one gets PCOS
• it could be genetic, or it could be environmental, or a combination of both
• symptoms begin in puberty and last until menopause
• it is a lifelong condition with no known prevention and no cure
• treated with birth control pills to restore monthly cycle, reduce testosterone, reduce risk of uterine cancer, and sometimes treated with diabetes medication to regulate insulin (Metformin for me) 
• diet and exercise help to prevent heart disease and diabetes
• even if the symptoms of PCOS go away, risk of heart disease, diabetes, and uterine cancer always remain high, and weight will always be very difficult for a woman with PCOS to control
• the Paleo Diet, and other low-carb diets, have been rumored to work wonders

In case anyone was wondering what was going on with me lately, or why I haven't been blogging much or taking photos or being very sociable, this pretty much explains what I'm having to deal with.  PCOS is a very serious and dangerous condition that could cut my life short if I am not careful.  For me, the saddest part about having PCOS is being infertile.  I've always wanted to be a mother, and it's hard on my self worth as a young woman to be incapable of having a child.  The most difficult part about having PCOS is having to adjust my diet in such a radical way that I can't eat much of anything that is served at restaurants or in our family's homes.  I'm on a modified version of the Paleo Diet, which means that I can't have anything that wasn't accessible to Paleo Woman.  I secretly love this diet because I am an anthropologist after all, but I have an even greater reason to be happy about it.  So far, after a week on the diet, I've had a noticeable decrease in inflammation and pain, and I have more energy.  The only thing I miss about my previous American Standard Diet is chocolate.  However, I did make some amazing Paleo Brownies that satiated my chocolate craving perfectly!

My plan is to reach a healthy weight through diet, exercise, Synthroid, and Metformin, and then take another drug called Clomid to force my ovaries to release eggs.  In the past, women with PCOS had surgery to remove the cysts, but the results were always just temporary so surgery is no longer a typical option.  I have to believe what I am told and what I read, that with proper care and treatment, my PCOS symptoms may improve or go away altogether.  It's all I can do sometimes to keep my faith, when I know that no matter what I do, diabetes and heart disease remain a high risk for me for the rest of my life.  But I still believe in miracle babies.

New-found Hobby

This summer I took up a new hobby:  QUILTING!!!!  I'm not really sure how it started.  I think it began awhile ago and slowly gained momentum as I was thinking about the sewing machine, a gift from my Mom, sitting in a closet unused, and thinking about ways to consume less and conserve more, and ways to save money, and ways to make nice gifts for people, and ways to create family heirlooms, and that's kinda how my thoughts led me to quilting.

And so, many an hour I've spent in local quit shops, fondling fabrics and chatting with patrons and employees about projects, techniques, materials, and supplies.  Many a math mistake I've made and discovered after returning home with the wrong amount of fabric.  Oh well, I'll just add that to my growing stash.  It's been fun!  And it's given me something productive to do with my hands in the evenings while watching TV and relaxing my brain.  Using the internet as a resource for learning pretty much anything, I have built upon faint memories of sewing and making quilts with my Mom and sisters.  It's weird the kinds of things I remember about sewing as a child, and recognizing that now I have the dexterity of an adult, I don't have to cry when it's time to thread the bobbin.  I guess it's not always true that kids learn things easier and quicker than adults do.

For my first quilting project, I used the general design concept from this free pattern at Connecting Threads.  I used fabric from a remnant and three different fat quarter bundles from Hobby Lobby.  I had so much fun measuring and cutting and piecing that I was afraid I wouldn't like the quilting part.  But I was wrong!  I found The Free Motion Quilting Project, which is just a wonderful resource, and gave me the courage to buy a darning foot and give it a try.  I discovered that quilting turned out to be just as fun as the piecing was.  Now, I wonder how much I'll enjoy binding.  I guess I'll just have to cross that bridge.

Blu-ray is helping to reduce the flatness of the pieced quilt top.

Darning foot!  ebay purchase, shipped right to my mailbox and easily installed.

First free motion quilting experiment.  Looks pretty good!

Zoomed in to see stitching details and found cat hair.

It's rough and not very consistent, but I'm pleased with the progress I've made this summer.

Sims 3 Legacy Challenge

School starts in six days, and so far this summer I've been busy learning how to quilt (making multiple fondling trips to fabric stores), thinking about holiday plans (yes, I do that this early), practicing a balanced household budget (being an unemployed student is tricky), volunteering with refugees (as a glorified taxi-driver and secretary), and finding time to play the Legacy Challenge on The Sims 3, which I will be explaining a bit here.  

The Legacy Challenge rules involve starting with a single founder on the largest piece of land in the neighborhood, and playing 10 generations of the founder's family without using excessive manipulation (aka: cheats).  I named my founder George Wakefield.  Before he could afford to build himself a shack, George slept outside under the stars in a sleeping bag and used the facilities at the community center.  He grew his own food, married Laurel Grisby, raised two children, and worked very hard to become the doctor that he is today.  

Just yesterday the third generation was born and I am so proud!  George Wakefield III is a cute kid who does not seem to have inherited the donkey ears of his father (from the Grisby side of the family).  

Overall the family is doing very well, and they have expanded their house quite a lot thanks to income from the jobs of George I and George II, and from sales of Grandma Laurel's masterpiece paintings and sculptures.  The mother of George III is an aspiring author, but she is currently pregnant again so she may not have time to write for some time because twins run in her (the Lobos) family.  

This challenge is really fun for me because I enjoy genealogy as much as I enjoy micro-managing the lives of my sims.  As a girl I played with barbies and paper dolls, but since 2000 I've been playing the Sims.