1) If your email address contains something objectionable, you might consider changing it for selling. I saw something I would have bid on immediately, but then I saw the email address for contacting the seller with questions. Now I am questioning whether someone with such poor judgment will ever get my order to me!

2) I'm a sucker for a good story that goes with a piece. But I don't need a generic, lengthy dissertation on your materials and methods. I prefer something specific to the item. Honestly, you lose my interest if I have to keep clicking the down arrow to get to information about the item I am interested in buying.

3) Pictures are the bread and butter of your on-line selling, I have been told. I saw a cool, funky piece on Etsy...until I really looked at the picture and was scared to death! It reminded me of the movie The Grudge. You know, the creepy, crawling woman with the black hair. I hope I'm not the only one! Or maybe others see the picture and see something artistic and cutting edge. I just looked away and couldn't find the back button fast enough! (And just to clarify, the scary part had nothing to do with the piece being sold...it was a prop to showcase the ring for sale!)

4) Don't tell me it will take you 10 days to locate my item and pack it up for shipping. Shouldn't the item you're selling already be half-way ready for shipping? After all, you have it listed! You know when the auction will end. So ship it within a few days, please. I might buy something from you!

5) There's a great service at the post office called priority shipping. You can order mailing boxes online and have them shipped to you for free! You can buy prepaid postage boxes--anything you can fit in them ships for the price you paid for the box! No weight limits. So don't tell me that a 7" in diameter and 4" tall bowl will cost me $20 to ship. And that you are charging only the postage you pay. I'm not buying it!

So what do you think? Am I off-base with any of these? Let me know. I want to hear what you think!

It was nothing like I had imagined. And not as bad as others described it. It wasn't the most comfortable thing I've ever done. It wasn't as comfortable as a pedicure on a massage chair; it wasn't as uncomfortable as a pap smear. Somewhere right in the middle.

The whole process was very streamlined and quick. No waiting. The tech guided me to the changing room, gave me my gown and then waited. I decided the robe reminded me of a graduation and got the tech to hum a few bars of "Pomp & Circumstance." (Seriously, I did. I love "Pomp & Circumstance" and thought it was the least she could do for as intimate as we were to become!)

Do you ever wonder who designs these robes/gowns patients are made to wear during procedures? The mammogram robe was a pleasant blue (thank God I was spared the brown!) and was much better then the ct scan/MRI gowns. Still, it leaves much to be desired! There was a woman--gowned and waiting--and she looked amazing. I mean, she sat in the chair (I love those little chairs in hospital waiting rooms and hotel rooms...they make me feel not so short!) with her robe over her dress pants and high heels, sitting with perfect posture and working a crossword puzzle. She made the whole ensemble look elegant!

[I pretty much never look elegant. But that's an entirely separate posting!]

The breast wasn't as compressed as I expected. I just wasn't prepared to contort like I did to let them get images of the lymph nodes and chest wall. That was the uncomfortable part.

I loved the medical pasties. Unfortunately, mine were just adorned with a company name. I was disappointed not to get the pink flowers like my cousin Jeanne (she always gets the best stuff!).

I got to see the image of my breast and it was really cool. I only hope I wasn't looking at bad stuff!

So far this year I've seen lymph nodes in my chest via ct scan. The cyst in my brain via MRI. And now my boob via xray. I hope I don't need to look at any more if the internal parts of my body for a long, long time...

If you haven't had your first mammogram, make that appointment! And if it's been more than a year, it's time! Don't put it off.

I've been on a spiritual journey of sorts. Who am I? Where am I going? And "going crazy" isn't the answer I want to hear!

I've found some peace with journaling. I began reading "The Artist's Way" with some fellow bead makers on FaceBook and found journaling to be one of the daily tasks. The book calls them "morning pages." Three pages about anything. I like doing it.

The morning pages feel safer to me than other journaling I have tried in the past. I'm not there to work out something or write about a specific issue. It's just writing to get rid of the clutter in my brain. And my brain certainly seems less cluttered.

Suddenly I'm making beads. Fusing bowls. Cleaning my house. Selling Avon. I don't know if this is a direct result of the journaling or a side effect from finally feeling good! I feel better than I have in about three years! yahoo!

I've been focusing on the positive aspects of life. No, I'm not going through my days all Pollyana-ish. I still get bitchy and nasty. But I'm snapping out of it much more quickly!

Tomorrow I'll write about my gardens and post some pictures. They are gorgeous so far this year!

Happy Sunday!

I learned that my bowling friend Mary Ann was being put on life support and it was recommended to her family that they remove it. The week before Thanksgiving Mary Ann didn't feel well. You know when someone says that, you figure it's the flu or a cold. Well, she was diagnosed with cancer that weekend. Now, three months later, she's gone.

Mary Ann was larger than life. In a good way! She was a powerhouse of a woman...full of energy and kindness. Happy and upbeat. Always greeted everyone. Great wild hair (you know we women of a "certain age" are supposed to cut our hair short and she didn't!). She always wore jewelry. Now, she's gone.

My cat Maui died Tuesday morning. You're either thinking, "dear God, not another one!" or "big deal, it was an animal." Except I really really love animals. And I rescued her from my yard a year and a half ago. She was saved from certain death because I got her to the vet on time. Only to die so soon after. She was a kind and good animal. Just coming out of her shell. After my Shadow and Belvedere died in December, she stepped in and took their place as my sleeping companion. Now, she's gone.

And there was other news that makes me ask, "why? Why?! WHY?!" I want to scream it from my yard. I want to wail like a two-year old than cry quietly like we adults are expected to.

"Everything happens for a reason." And that's made me think, what is the reason?!

I've decided that the reason is that we need to embrace life. We need to understand what is important. We need to hug our families...kiss our kids even if they think they are too old for that...hug them when they get home and when they leave...we need to hold on to our husbands...put down the Ipods and start talking and listening...we need to hold our pets and talk to them. We need to spend time with friends...call family. Email someone a note.

Tell people you love them. Don't let a day go by without saying it and meaning it.

Life changes so fast. It's unpredictable. Appreciate what you have.

Understand that it's not what you have...but who you have. It's not a house...it's a home. It's not things...it's people. We are given a gift and need to accept it with open hearts and minds. Life is too precious to waste on regrets and remorse.

Take a minute to count your blessing. And thank your god for them! I am...

This year's big sellers at the craft show and at bowling were purse hangers and compacts. Here are some pictures of both. Not the greatest pictures--I did them on the fly with my purse camera. (That's a goal for the new year--learn how to effectively take nice pictures with the Canon and the light tent!)

Here's today's favorite. A woman is suing the taverns that let her friend drive drunk, who proceeded to crash, injuring her. Duh! Did she really get into the car with a drunk person and not consider they might wreck?! sheesh

We were trying to go north to McHenry and couldn't get passed Schaumburg. Instead, we stocked up on junk food and came on home.

Here's what it looked like!

MobWars is pretty self-explanatory. I do have a moral dilemma every time I do a crime or fight someone. I did just confiscate Grand Theft Auto from my boys.

YoVille is a little village. You work at the factory, have an apartment. The money you earn (through work, gambling, playing games) can buy you clothes, furniture, food. I keep rearranging my little apartment. I need a lot more stuff but that darn factory only lets me work every 6 hours! Wonder if I should start setting my alarm so I can get paid in the middle of the night?!

Are you on facebook? Be my friend...I'm Susie Kline on there. Then you can join my mob! Be on my crew! Hunt mice together!

I am a serious bead admirer. But this bead just has me in awe! Have you ever seen anything so gorgeous? I want this bead...bad!

Check out even more of Barbara's work here.

Let me know what you think of this!

I promise, something's getting listed on Etsy this week! I just have to take good pictures!

As always, let me know what you think!

I did break a bead. And it was gorgeous! I'm trying to get the swirly look of transparent over opaque and I don't think I heated up the mandrel enough. I think I can recrete it.

These latest beads (from the last few sessions) are a new direction for me and I'm liking it a lot! What do you think?

The top photo are the blues beads. I got both sides on all but one. I love the tone on tone and can't wait to make these in other colors.

The bottom photo are other beads I worked on. There's a pansy bead. Well, a sad attempt at a pansy, anyway! I do love the enamel I used on that bead. It's a scrumptious teal color. And my all-time second attempt at a pinched petal flower. This one turned out great. I am pleased!

I've also been trying new shapes. I've pretty much done what I can with round. And I wanted bigger.

I love the tube bead...but the end chipped because I had to wrestle it from a crappy mandrel. I need to work on that more!

Let me know what you think!

The band played local shows and consisted of people he met while going to Driscoll Catholic High School. Jim didn't stay with the band; he went on to a career in engineering.

I have a picture of him playing back then and he was adorable. He plays guitar most nights and I think he plays wonderfully.

But it was nothing compared to seeing him play LIVE! We found out some of his old band mates were playing at a nearby party, so we went to see them. When we got there they ask Jim to play with them.

He doesn't think he did so good playing the blues, but we (the boys and I) thought he did a great job. It was fun seeing him in a completely different element.

And, hey, I finally got to go home with someone from the band!