Not to worry, this isn’t a post about Lemony Snickett; there just really has been a string of events lately that have kept me from doing much internetting. Namely, not having Internet service at home for the past few weeks. This was not some kind of well-thought plan or comment on the over-consumption of social media. We just didn’t want to pay the insane amount we were being charged. This surely won’t last forever, but we have noticed that Hubs has been sleeping better, so that’s something we need to look at.
I was also sick for a while, the house has been torn up due to the landlord’s “repairs” being done, and some other things — but not to worry, I’m still alive and we’re well. Actually, to be fair, some great things have been going on, too. The most prominent activity spanning over almost all of this time, has been the process of interviewing and choosing a team of fourteen people that will accompany us to Tanzania this summer as part of a short-term mission through Westside Church. If you are reading this, YOU are one of the wonderful people that can help through prayers and monetary donations toward our mission; anything and everything helps.
Tag Archives: life
A Series of Unfortunate Events
One Man’s Shirt
I started thrifting at a young age — even before I was old enough to drive, and this has led to the acquisition of a lot of clothes. There was a point in my life when I took a look at my closet and decided that I had enough “good” stuff that there should never need to be a reason for me to go out in anything I wouldn’t want to be seen in. Keep in mind that I was in L.A. at the time, going through fashion school as an overworked, under-slept, generally frazzled student and this decision was made somewhere amidst the introduction of the matching velour Juicy sets, the rise of the yoga pant, and uhgg — Uggs.
I’ve said this before to people and they just throw a look of disbelief, but it’s true: I don’t own any sweatpants, no flannel bottoms, no “painting clothes”, no I-wouldn’t-be-caught-dead-in-that-outside-of-the-house clothes; it’s my fail-safe because I’m just as lazy as anyone can be, but if I don’t want to get out of my pyjamas to go walk the dog real quick or run to the store for some milk, I’m already ready already.
It’s not as hard as it might sound; I wear old sundresses and jersey maxis, oversized tees and sweatshirts with leggings, kimonos — always, and most recently I added this to the PJ drawer, a ginormous Dolce & Gabbana men’s shirt that I thrifted this past summer. I bought it with the intention of reselling it, but then realized it is quite large and surely would sit for a while before anyone would give it a chance. Cut to a montage of nearly every 90′s love story where the girl wears the boyfriend’s shirt to bed and I’m sold. Try it out, go thrift yourself a designer men’s shirt to wear to bed and see if you don’t feel like a 90′s Meg Ryan as well.
Peaks and Valleys
Oh. Em. Gee. It’s almost December. Not only does that mean that it’s freaking cold outside, it also means that my birthday is almost here; I’m not going to be 33, that’s all I’ll say. When I was younger, I had this amazing older friend who told me that her 30′s were the best time of her life. She was basically reasoning that by that time you’d have all the drama of “young adult” life behind you and you’d have it pretty much figured out and be set on the right path. So desiring that, for much of my 20′s I was just looking forward to getting older… but that’s not exactly how it’s shaped up so far.
Some awesome things did happen. I had the career I’d dreamt of, went to school for, how awesome is that? It was a career that paid off that school loan; huzzah!! I got to travel, got a company card, could eat out as I pleased, stayed in hipster hotels, banked frequent flyer miles and worked with some amazingly inspiring people. I got paid to make things pretty, create unique shopping environments, boost sales, and I tried to help others learn to do that, too. Those were some peaks — then there were valleys. I, undoubtedly, pissed some people off, let some people down, got stressed out, missed my hubby, hated leaving home, and never quite unpacked my suitcase. I realized that having the career I’d wanted wasn’t as great as I thought it would be; my values started to change, so I left it. Cold turkey style; with nothing waiting in the wings.
I didn’t start working again for 14 months. It wasn’t exactly funemployment, as a lot of people like to call it; it was actually really hard emotionally. I felt strongly that “work” was something that I was supposed to abstain from, but I didn’t know what to do with myself. There were a lot of days (maybe even a few months) where I didn’t get out of bed, usually never got dressed, not a lot of makeup going on or hair being done — and thankfully, I’m lucky enough that my husband doesn’t care about that kind of stuff. I was home. I was a housewife, a bit of a depressed one at that point — but then there were peaks; I started to figure it out. The house started to get cleaned. The laundry was getting done. Little crafty projects were happening. Friends were coming over to visit. In that time I learned to cook, and I learned that I was good at it. I’m serious — I never cooked in our marriage. There were enough failed efforts that we just decided that he would cook, all the time. He loved it, but that season is over. Just last week, I made a full-on Thanksgiving dinner and I have to add, I did it after working an 8-hour day on my feet, taking the bus home, and going shopping for it that very afternoon; super huzzah!! #humblebrag Hold on, you’re not going to believe this: I made Bacon and Cream Cheese Stuffing Muffins. They. Were. Amaze. I adapted this recipe.
So I kinda have a lot to celebrate, even though as I’m writing this, I’m not quite sure if I’m still at the peak or dipping down again. I’m practicing contentment, I couldn’t possibly do this without having had the opportunity to grow in my faith in God last summer. I am figuring it out and I’m happy with where I am. I might not have matching dinnerware, enough wine glasses for a real party — nor do I actually know anything about wine. I am still figuring out what my opinion is on actually having kids. I’m horrible at saving money (I’m such a great spender). Our house looks like a cluttered artist’s pad. I can’t have floor mats in the kitchen because our youngest dog can’t resist pissing on them. There aren’t “investment pieces” in my closet. I don’t have a lot of things that an idyllic 30-something might have. I do have a lot of thirties left… but even if I didn’t, I’d still be ok with that. Really, everything is gravy — buttery, bacony gravy.
Leaving on a Jet Plane
Things have been straight up cray at the Knepper household. Hmm, where to start? Well the Beggars Banquet was absolutely fantastic. This was my favorite one so far — great how they just keep getting better and better!! We didn’t have our camera with us this time, but here are a couple iPhone pics we took of my booth. P.S. I did finally get my Sriracha Cesaer; delicious.
On the 2nd day, Meghan introduced me to a Houzz contributing blogger, Heather, and we set up a meeting for her to come shoot our house!! Amaze!! I am so excited, you guys. Check out the work Heather did at Meghan’s cutie place. Our home is a humble one, but I put a lot of work and love into it to make it feel like “us”. I’ve shown you snippets here and there before, but this is my whole house done at one time!! …okay I may have shoved a thing or two in the closets, but for the most part it’s done. She shot it last week and seemed to have fun doing it. So that might be coming out sometime while we’re gone.
Wait, what? Gone? Yes. Josh and I are off to Tanzania on Sunday for five weeks. His parents have lived there for the past 9 years and just this past May, his sister and her family have moved there, too. So we’re going to have fun visiting, but it’s not all play; Josh is going to be filming some of the work they do with their ministry, Hope of the Nations. As in India, I hope to be able to update here as much as possible. P.P.S. I haven’t even started packing yet; better get on that.
Sailin’ On
Do you ever feel like you’ve had another life? Like obviously one you lived, but it is so distinctly different than the one you’re living now. For better or for worse — it’s just different; people get surprised when you reveal things from your past because it just doesn’t seem like “you” at all. Then once they know this thing about you, it’s always coming up in conversation or made reference to.
I feel like that when my friends in Vancouver bring up No Doubt or Gwen Stefani. Here’s the little known fact: I used to be a full-on gwennabe — the first in my circle, high school, town — and this was how I was identified for a long time. Looking back, I regarded Gwen, who is nearly 10 years my senior, as an older sister; I wanted to be her, she had all the answers to life, the authority on everything cool, I emulated everything I could about her; she was my idol. I consumed her, filled my bedroom walls with pictures of her, followed her to shows all around southern California — as much as my budget would allow, often back-to-back nights at the same venue.
I had always been “into” fashion, but it was Gwen who taught me how to make it my own — altering, cutting, bedazzling; though, for the most part I was doing that by turning myself into a carbon copy of her. My wardrobe was filled with Docs, Adidas, platform saddle shoes, men’s work pants, cut-off beater tanks, colorful bra straps, bindis, rhinestones-all-over-everything, sweatbands, vintage 50s dresses, and red lipstick. It took me years to break out of the mold and come into “my look,” whom I want to be.
Somewhere around the time I saw her in real life (10ft away, no make-up, extensions freshly removed, “regular” clothes) and when I’d met my husband, I was on my way out of the obsession and for nearly the past 8 years, I’ve kept myself at a safe distance from what feels like that “other life.” I realize that I sound like I’m speaking about an addiction — maybe I am. I do tend to have that consuming nature about me; whenever I get really excited about something, it takes over my ability to think about anything else. I’m happy to see that the band itself, with a new album out in September, is kind of encapsulated in time — not really moving past what they’ve already established as their own. To be more specific, a look that Gwen has established as her own. It’s good for me, I suppose, because I have moved past it. <-- I say that with their Bad Brains cover, Sailin’ On, stuck in my head.
As if anyone wanted my official opinion on the new single: I love the video; the visuals are tasty, the concept is fun and I love the color; it feels familiar in a good way. As much as I’ve already mentioned that they seem to be in a time capsule — and as happy as I am that the Harajuku phase is over — I wish the bra straps would go away and the faux-punk fanny flap can just as well die, too. As long as I’m being honest, the Fred Perry polo was a major disappointment as well. No doubt, the old Tami would have loved it all, as Gwen could never do any wrong, but new Tami ain’t feelin it. The song itself is good, but not great for me. It hovers right around Rock Steady — so closely that it’s hard to believe 10 years have gone by. I loved the No Doubt you could sing to — the whole song, not just the hook — but I’ve been missing that for a much longer time. It’d be nice if some other songs in the new album nodded back to that, but we’ll have to wait to see.
For as harsh as I may be sounding, Gwen will always be special to me because of the memories from that time in my life. I am just thankful to have moved past it and come into my own, as it were.
