New Years Eve

I have some updates coming on some little projects around here. I'll be posting them here and there, due to the holiday season and cleaning out boxes and the construction messes around here I haven't been as prudent with posts. I'll be sure to get back on track with updates, lately been trying to fix the little things that seemed to have been hanging out there.

It's that time of year again.  Where one year ends and another begins. A time for resolutions, a time for turning over a new leaf, a time to reflect on the year past. Universally it seems that tonight is a celebration, whether the past year has gone well or not so well, its spent looking forward to the year ahead. Hoping that things get better than the year past. Some people blow it out tonight, they go to NYC, they have big parties, or they go out and celebrate with complete strangers. Other people stay in, celebrate it with family, or even just a loved one, keeping it simple.  Any way you cut it, we hold a lot of value in recognizing tonight and spending it with others, everyone wants to know what others are doing, whether they will make it or not, and who they are spending it with. Its a special night for sure, especially this year, a decade ends and another begins. So at 12:00:01 2010 where will you be at? What will you be doing? and who will you be with?  Make sure whatever you make of tonight you cherish it, cause it only happens once a year, and once in your lifetime.  Because maybe thing that puts a smile on your face on New Year's Eve, might just be as simple as remembering last years.

Happy New Year and New Decade to all my readers, friends, family and loved ones!

The Eve of the Celebration

Tonight is a special night, for tomorrow myself and many others celebrate the birth of Christ.  This evening many people are preparing last minute items for the big day.  Others are spending time with family or loved ones.  Its a special time for kids, the excitement builds for the big morning when they see what presents they may have.  Its a special night in so many ways for sure.  Its special for me, this is the first Christmas Eve in this house.  I really have to count my blessings on what I have.  I have a roof over my head when many are losing theirs, I have a job that enables me to live a good life, I can provide plenty for myself and extend that to others.  I'm really glad I have the means to fix this place up, I've turned it around from what it was, and it will get even better. The blogs have been a success from what everyone says, and my projects are getting plenty of interest all over the internet. I'd like to think I'm pretty humble, so it was tough for me to start promoting the things I do, I didn't want to come off as someone who is full of myself or someone that is just trying to get ahead.  Everyone is taking an interest to what I do, so its pretty cool, and we'll see what comes of it, I'm glad people can relate to what I do and say. Hopefully it gives some people new ideas or insight, or even something they can relate to, thats all I'm really looking to do.  When I look at everything I have going this Christmas Eve its pretty amazing and I am truly blessed.  I am really thankful for all of it, and all the friends and family that have gone above and beyond the last few months.  Its interesting, there are no gifts under this homemade tree.  All the gifts I need are all around me.

I was expecting this Christmas season to be totally different than it is.  So its definitely bittersweet sitting here this Christmas Eve.  Being here in this house, thinking about how life has changed, thinking about what tonight was supposed to be like.  Its a struggle for sure.  For me it goes back to my first blog post.  What's in my heart still isn't here.  My heart has this missing piece, and only one thing can fill it.  Its amazing how awesome everything is going, yet how one part of the heart can make things so difficult.  I always knew what was in my heart was important, I always knew what it meant, this isn't one of those moments of you don't know what its got until its gone. I'm not that guy, I appreciate every moment, I'm not oblivious to it.  This is a moment when you know what you're missing, and there's absolutely nothing you can do about it.  As you can see from my blogs I am the sort of person that gets things done, that makes something out of nothing.  So for me, when you can't make something happen, because no matter what you do, the outcome has nothing to do with you, its like being bound and gagged. I hope I've done what I can, it seems I've done all I can do and more, and probably too much.  So I sit here this Christmas Eve and pray for help that I get what I'm really missing inside.  I'm going to watch the lights dim, I'm going to celebrate the Birth of Christ, and I'm going to thank God for everything I have, cause right now I need to trust in the fact he has given me all I need at this time.

Merry Christmas to all!

unbelievable... again

The tree got some more play on another great blog.  I'm glad people out there find it interesting, hopefully it gave some people some ideas or ambition to try something like this themselves.

DIY Christmas Tree on Design Sprout

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O Tannenbaum

So this is a time of cheer, a time to be near; to family, friends, and loved ones.  Also a time to decorate the place you live with decorations and ornaments to remind us of the spirit of the Christmas season. Most normal people buy a fake tree, or cut a tree from a tree farm. Then they bring it to their residence and place some decorations and lights on it and make it fit their style or taste of their ideal Christmas. I've always had an apartment, haven't had many decorations, haven't had much space for a large tree. So I haven't acquired many of the decorations and lights for Christmas time. I had three strands of lights, green, red, and white; their most famous use for was a party I had four years ago at the beginning of December. One of the best memories that ended up being the beginning of so many more.  Anyway, I basically have no other decorations for a tree. I always wanted a modern, chic, interesting tree but I didn't want to spend a lot of money this year on decorations or a tree because I'd rather spend that money giving presents to others.  So what's a guy like me to do for a tree?  I needed to come up with something fast because I've been preoccupied.  Well, why not build a tree?  I used all reused items I have laying around. I've changed a lot of things around here so I had some things that I could put to use. It's not exactly super chic because I busted it out very quickly, but it gets the job done, I spent a total of $2 to get a plug, and it brings some Christmas cheer.  Its pseudo modern in its shape, definitely industrial in nature. This was something fun to do Hopefully this shows that you don't have to buy everything at a store, with some creativity and some ambition you can make something out of nothing.  Some of the best decorations or gifts are the ones you put some love and/or work into, remember that when you are giving someone a gift this year!

2x4's, framing nails, green vinyl covered chain link fence, string, paper, wrapping paper cut into decorations, the lights I had, an old chandelier, wire, and of course I had to use a little bit of duct tape!

follow this link for the pics...
O Tannenbaum Pics

lighting change

Well since the fall season is over and we are into the Christmas season a lighting change was due.  So I picked up some red and green bulbs for the front porch to start lighting it up holiday style! These have been up for awhile, totally forgot to post this.  I'll have to get some other decorations up fast!  Christmas is nearly here.

preparations

So when you own a house in a kid friendly neighborhood trick or treat time brings all the kids out.  I heard from one of the neighbors that there usually is a lot of traffic, so I thought I better get prepared.  Hopefully there is enough candy.  Pumpkin carving will have to commence as soon as possible, check back for the glowing results.  And yes, those are eco orange bulbs, leave it to me to find those.  Come by for plenty of chocolate and peanut butter!