Putting Part A into Slot B

Last night I helped a friend put together a desk from Ikea. I also lent my brute strength towards assembling a chair. Good times!

Actually, I love putting things together. I like having the little manual, laying out all the parts, and figuring out how everything goes. Plus, in the end you have something tangible to point to and say, "I did that!" Most of our everyday accomplishments in life aren't so obvious, so it's nice to revel in the ones that are.

Here's the piece of furniture I would evidently be if I came from a Swedish furniture store. It does indeed look like something I would buy. Yea for Courtneys of the world! Or should I say "Koyrtniis?" Try it yourself here. If you do, let me know what your name and piece of furniture are in the comments :)

Happy Fourth!

Yesterday I spent a restful Fourth of July with one of my favorite people: my mom. The difference between a regular 2-day weekend and a special 3-day weekend is amazing! It is quite liberating!

I went over to my mom's house and hung out with her for a while, played with the cats, etc. Then we decided to go to lunch. On our way out of the neighborhood, we found a little turtle trying to cross the road. Worried that it would get hit by a car, we turned around and I went on turtle patrol. Turtle patrol consists of picking up said turtle and carrying him/her across the street to a shaded, grassy area. I did have a small moment of panic when I wondered if the turtle would snap at me. He didn't, so we are now best friends.

After saving the wildlife, Mom and I went to lunch at K&S Cafeteria. Little factoid about me: I enjoy cafeterias. Go figure. After chatting and chowing, we rode over to Apex and did a little shopping. I love going to Apex - it's so quaint! Here's a shot of the downtown area.

While in Apex, we stumbled upon a gorgeous yard of daylilies. They were breathtaking (and best of all, no lawn to mow!)

Then we went to Barnes and Noble and bought out the store. Just kidding. They were having a huge sale, so I got 6 books for $15! Here's what I purchased:

• Assassinating Shakespeare: Confessions of a Bard in the Bush
• Art Game Book
• A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature
• In the Cage
• The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World
• The Most Common Errors in English Usage and How to Avoid Them
• The Last Days of Black Beard the Pirate

Well, I really have joint-ownership of that last book. My mom bought it, but we're each going to read it and then go to the author's reading later this month. Very exciting! I've only read about 50 pages or so, but I appreciate the author's commitment to primary sources, so I'm looking forward to learning more about his research process.

Finally, the night was capped off with a substantial thunderstorm. Very big, very loud, and it lasted for a while. I had toyed with the idea dragging mom to a park to listen to the symphony and watch fireworks, so I'm counting it as a blessing that we didn't end up going and getting wet :)

A Post about the Post-it®

I love Post-its. They are fabulous! Here's what a quick perusal of my desk produced:
My top 5 favorite uses for Post-its:

1. To-do lists. There's nothing like the satisfaction of crossing something off. I've even been known to add things to my list after doing them just so I can cross them off ;)
   
2. Bookmarks. Just stick one to a page and presto – instant bookmark that won't fall out.
3. Titles for file folders. I hate writing on the tab of a file folder because when I'm done with the project, I feel like the folder is wasted. Solution: Cut the sticky part off the top of the Post-it, write the desired title on it, and stick it on the folder's tab. When you're done with the project, peel off the Post-it and reuse the folder. Also, you can use the remainder of the Post-it for other folders by cutting it into strips and taping them to additional folders.
   
4. Taking notes. I like to stick Post-its to pages of books, notebooks, etc. to callout ideas. Writing in the margins is fine, but this is a great method if you can't write in the book or are running out of room.
   
5. Late-night inspiration. Why is that you think of things you want to do right before falling asleep? Since I'm not apt to remember it the next morning, I like to keep a pad nearby to write down the idea, epiphany, or randomness.
   

Now that I've expressed my enjoyment of the Post-it, imagine my glee at my friend Marc's new stop motion animation. I love it! And not just because of the Post-its ;)

From Crackle: Notes