{Q} questions + answers, for a monday morning.
{christmas presents for the boy | december 2011}
What are you…
Obsessing over: Both where we want to go with our business next year and how I’m going to wrap Christmas presents this year. I tend to like packaging way, way too much for a healthy person a lot, so it requires thoughtful consideration.
Working on: Designing and producing a Christmas/New Years present for some of our clients. I’m super excited and want it to turn out really well.
Thinking about: How to cook all of the squash we got in our CSA. Our CSA is great, but in the winter it’s like squashapplapalooza. Also wondering when I will outgrow being intimidated by people I perceive to be way more cool than I can even think about being.
Anticipating: A dinner party that I’m planning that won’t be for two months. And lots of pumpkin pie this weekend. I fully intend on “gobbling until I’m wobbling.”
Listening to: The Fuel/Friends Autumn Mix 2011: Nothing Gold Can Stay. It’s free and you should download it immediately, if not sooner. And if you like great music you’ve never heard of and some illustrative writing, bookmark this blog to put in your reading rotation. Seriously. Also in heavy rotation at the Fixer Design offices: Feist’s Metals, Florence + the Machine Ceremonials.
{ don’t you love this virtual cover for the mix? designed by ryan hollingsworth for fuel/friends }
Drinking: Plain, unsweetened, decaf iced tea. My favorite, year-round. Also, because it’s come up several times this past week: No, I seriously don’t like coffee. I have never liked it. In anything. Even when it’s 90% sugar, I taste something and think “hmm, that sugar was sweet, but what’s that bitter taste happening in my mouth?” It did not change when I lived in Seattle, and it did not change when I was a first year teacher, and the outlook looks grim. Hear that, former boss who gifted me a giant Starbucks gift basket after I worked for you for four years? I. don’t. like. it.
Wishing: I had equal parts laser-like focus + patience for the things I have to do and that I could create all of the things in my head with my own skills and hands.
sara, darling. 
“Also wondering when I will outgrow being intimidated by people I perceive to be way more cool than I can even think about being.” You do realize people think that about you as well…about your coolness level, I mean.
To clarify, I mean people think you’re the cool one, not that they agree that you should be doubting your coolness. Sheesh.
Was thinking the same thing Kayla:) I obsess about Ad Fed – no lie. And I am sure my boyfriend Mike is very much looking forward to May! Gifts. I am nuts about gifts and completely stress about them being personal enough or home-made or just straight up enough. What I witnessed last night has proven to be an extremely valuable lesson for me and maybe it will help you. Here goes: Mike’s birthday is Wednesday. I bought him a grill that I gave him a couple weeks ago when we moved into our new loft. It’s nice. He doesn’t grill, but he loves it when I grill. Overall excitement? eh. When he had to assemble it? ugh. Last night (Monday night football big at our house) I gave him a $6.99 white cheddar popcorn salt that he picked out himself and a $1.19 turkey baster because he mentioned how it would be “awesome” for melted butter distribution on his popcorn. He was psyched and loved it – happier than happy over popcorn salt and a turkey baster – a gift that took hardly zero effort. So, don’t get buried in the details, give yourself credit, and of course . . . stop and smell the popcorn:)