Sunday, February 26, 2012

A Quick Note on Oscar Articles

           So the Oscar ceremony has not even started, but the Internet was already buzzing with the headlines like, "ridiculously beautiful couples," "worst dressed celebrities", "embarrassing moments at Oscars" etc. Because the reporters did not have anything to say about this year's event - it has not started yet - they dug into the previous years' news. And you know what? Not a single article seemed to say anything nice about anybody. Even seemingly flattering articles were full of "undercover" poison: the winner's speech was bad, or the actress' dress was sheer... 

            Why is it the reporters sound so... bitter? Do they think that, if they actually say something nice about the actors, or do some real research into their career, we, the audience, will not read them? Do they seriously believe that we are going to pay attention only to gossip? or is it an illustration of a famous saying, "Every time a friend succeeds, I die a little"? Is it envy?


Sunday, February 19, 2012

Blankets and Biscornus

Happy Sunday to all! And not just a Sunday - a Hermit Stitching Sunday Weekend, as I found out from Chris't post. Makes me think of hot tea and sweet pastries... and stitching, of course!

As for stitching - I have been doing a lot of it lately, and even selling some, thanks to online auctions. Here's the new biscornu I stitched just the other day.


Starting a business (if what I am doing can even be called that) proves interesting, but very different from what they show in movies or even teach in business classes. When they talk of "business" in class, I imagine an office with computers, printers, and office workers. Business plans, advertisements, lawyers...
I think, though, this idea is based on the experience of an employee, someone who comes to work at already established place. Any new business starts with you knowing how to make something. Then, after making it for a while, you say, "I can make it really well! I wonder if I can do it for ____ (insert anything of value, essentially - not for free)". Then you try to find some people that might buy the thing you make- through social outlets, web sites, acquaintances, friends, family... anyone and anything that is available.

Advertisement campaign is just a fancy name for a person going from one place to another - be it physical or virtual - asking: "Want to buy what I made?" So, that's what I do now. Thanks to Internet, I don't actually have to go door to door, but just post my pictures online, and thanks to online auctions, occasionally I make a little money. Is that how other business people start? I think so, although I do not have any definite proof. Well, maybe I do - there's a story I heard on the radio about a man who had to borrow $25 a week from his secretary and who was always broke - until his idea became famous and popular. Once it did, he made his dreams come true and married that secretary, and they lived happily ever after. His name was Walt Disney.

One day my dreams will come true. In a way, they already are - I am making something real, something that will leave a memory of me. That brings comfort to my heart.

Speaking of comfort.... 



Nothing brings comfort like a crochet blanket.