Audacity

This weekend, I finished my volunteer training for Heritage Square Museum (don't judge by the bad website--it's being redone). After five weeks of lessons on Los Angeles history, vintage fashion, museum history and tour guide best practices, I am now ready to begin volunteering!

So what now?

Well, I didn't know. Having run volunteer trainings in the past, I understand that the hard thing about managing volunteers can be channeling their excitement and motivation into your organization's needs. And I kind of felt that the "what do I do next" part of the HSM training was a bit lacking. There was a "hey, if you want to be a guide, talk to one of the speakers" explanation, but most of the speakers were busy talking amongst themselves after the training. There wasn't a "sign-up for this activity" or "here's a list of available mentors" moment that could have really harnessed the volunteer energy at its max. I realized that I could have just left that morning with my graduation certificate and maybe never have the opportunity to get involved again.

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This experience of my own hesitation and lack of desire to "put myself out there" has had me thinking about audacity. I feel like I've lost it--that willingness to get out of my comfort zone and try new things and meet new people. I used to be loud and brash and outgoing , but I feel like, as I've gotten older, I've become more hesitant and closed off.

I can see how it would be so easy to pull back completely, and only focus on my family, my job, and the friends I currently have. It really would be easy and comfortable. But it would be limiting. Friends move, and family members get busy with their own lives, and jobs don't always last. If I don't want to be ultimately left alone, I need to push myself. I need to fight against that little voice inside that says, "Hang back. Don't interrupt. Be cautious." I need to be a little audacious.

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My instinct was to gather my things and walk quietly to my car, but I steeled myself to put myself out there. I've given up too many Saturday mornings to this training to stop now. So I inserted myself into a conversation with the communications/development director and passed my my card, letting him know I'm ready to help. And then I again forced my way into a conversation with the museum director to find out exactly who I could contact for the next volunteer opportunity. It was hard. But it worked.

So my first actual volunteer activity will be as a dresser for HSM's Vintage Fashion Show (pdf link) on March 20, at 11 a.m. I'll be helping the models in and out of the layers of vintage clothing (no zippers!). I won't have any of my historic costumes ready, but I think I'll break out my 1940's black crepe dress and one of my grandmother's vintage hats to wear for the occasion. I will be backstage, but just by being there, I will be audacious.

Ugh

Things continue to be blech here at Chez-Handy Crafts. We have some financial issues that have made doing anything fun and/or spur-of-the-moment out of reach for now. And I've settled into some sort of general malaise with everything.

Some of that malaise has drifted into my crafting, and that makes me even sadder. I am tremendously behind on my two virtual quilting bees. I owe several blocks to women, and I feel incredibly guilty. To make things worse, it's my month in one of them, when I should be sending out fabric to everyone. But I feel like I can't expect others to make things for me when I haven't come through on my commitment to them. And then there is the lack of resources to buy said fabric and mail it to all the lovely participants. Ugh.

I need to buckle down and get out from under the weight of those promised blocks. I think I'll feel better when I do, even if I have to wait a week or two before I can send them out. And I do have a considerable fabric stash, and I'm pretty sure I can come up with the fabric needed without having to purchase more than a couple of yards of a solid.

On the plus side, I start my volunteer training at Heritage Square Museum this weekend. I'm really looking forward to this opportunity. I hope it lives up to my expectations.

RARW!

Rarw (again)
Originally uploaded by Handy Crafts

On Saturday, we took Viv to the Museum of Natural History. It's under considerable construction right now, so much of the museum is not open, but we still had a blast. The museum cafeteria is closed, so we had lunch at the Frysmith truck outside (sweet potato fries w/chicken, tamarind sauce, garlic & cheese--incredible!).

The main dinosaur exhibit is closed for major renovations (to open next year), but Viv still loved seeing the couple of dinosaurs that were visible. The museum has a fantastic life-size triceratops puppet that they use in a show a couple of times a day (also a T-Rex puppet, but we didn't see that one). Viv was super excited, even if she held my hands over her eyes for much of the show.

She was feeling a bit under the weather, so we left a bit early, but I think we'll definitely be back.

Daddy fairy & baby fairy

Daddy fairy & baby fairy
Originally uploaded by Handy Crafts

Vivian loves dress up, and--thanks to Bridget, and her daughter Samantha, who has outgrown a lot of princess attire--she now has lots of fabulous pink & frothy things. These sequin mouse ears are my favorite (or they were, until the headband broke because Vivian's head is too big). Rich is the good sport who also put on a pair of fairy wings when Viv asked him to.