An Ode to Logan

Today I am taking a break from DIYing, and fall leave picture taking, internet shopping, and wishing for more time in a day to squeeze things in.  Today I am reflecting on a life I didn't know much about, but wish I'd had.  Today I lost a cousin to bullying and it sucks.

An Ode to Logan Dobkins, 15.

Bullying has got to stop.  But we already know this.

I know I may get some grief for this post- which I invite, if not encourage--because no one should look away like I did, like we tend to do-- but to be completely honest, bullying didn't effect me like some.  It wasn't bothersome to my immediate family until today, so why advocate for something that didn't hit home?  Trust me, I know bullying is wrong, I've always known this.  We've all been through it, and more than likely on both sides of the fence.  It is part of growing up, right?  You don't wear the right jeans, name brands, or own the latest phone version, you get teased.  People are fragile.  We have feelings.  We are capable of becoming broken at some point in our lives- the goal is to pick yourself up and move on.  However, we all have limits.  We all have breaking points.  Today was my cousin Logan's, and today was a rude awakening that I don't pay enough attention to this shitty pandemic.

We all have the tendency to bully.  Even as adults we do it ourselves.  We are classically trained to be hypocrites.  We tell the children of the world that it is not okay.  Say no to bullying.  Stand up for yourself and others, yet we turn around and bad mouth a co-worker, a shopper in a supermarket, or even a Barista who messed up on our order.  Although we may not say it to their face, we tend to look for an ear to vent our meaningless frustrations to, because as people it makes us feel better.  Everyone, kids and adults, myself and my husband, need to learn a lesson or two in manners and respect, and my hope is that blogging this will do just that.  Even if it only reached a couple of people, I hope it allows you a moment or two of reflection on what you could do differently next time you're about to say or do something you may regret to another human being.

Don't get me wrong.  I'm not trying to demonstrate that we are all horrible, mean people.  I am demonstrating that we are human and shit happens.

Bullying is uncomfortable to talk about.  It is also easy to deny.  Your kid would never do that and never say that.  We seem to only bring up this disgusting issue when it does become a problem.  Even then it may involve a quick discussion, followed by a do you understand?  Before you send your child back on their merry way.  The issue needs to be demonstrated why it's wrong and every teachable moment needs to be made an example of.  However, ignorance is bliss, right?

The bullying has gotten more aggressive.  The words much worse, and because of it, uninformed kids are finding less ways to cope and deal, which is resulting in something more than permanent- death.

Your children need to be told at some point they will be bullied and it is going to suck really bad.  You are a special person and there is only one of you on this earth.  Every bit of you in unique and you need to love and embrace yourself.  You are worth it.  If you feel like you want to bully someone, first think about how you would feel if you were the one getting teased.  Making someone break isn't worth it to you, to them, or to anyone and it doesn't need to continue.  More importantly, we need to teach our children to stand up for those who are receiving verbal or physical misery.  Sometimes it takes a village to make a change.  In this case, the more we demonstrate and teach our children it is absurd and wrong to bully others and imperative to stand up to those that are, the quicker this shit will go away forever.

My cousin was 15.  He lived in Wyoming.  He was an excellent hunter with a goofy personality.  The dogs and chickens at my grandparents ranch loved him just as much as he loved exploring outside.  He was always quiet when I knew him, but very observant.  He had the unconditional love of his mother who was very proud of him, an older brother and younger sister- who loved him dearly and talked much about him.  Logan had a beautiful smile that could light up a room.  I have no idea why anyone in their right mind would want to bully him to the extent that he was- to make him feel no self worth- to the point where he needed to end his life.  To those people I encourage you to reflect on what you did, and create something positive out of it in memory of a life you stole.  And when you have children, you use your story to set an example for your kids in order to prevent additional heartbreak to the families involved.  For those that played any role in his misfortune I am sad for you.

Logan's life deserved so much more than what he got.  That goes for every individual, friend, and family member affected by bullying.  It never needed to happen in the first place and I am so sorry for that.  I want to dedicate this little corner of the internet to them.  If you too have some words to share for a loved one that fell victim to this vile trend, I encourage you to use the comment space below to advocate for them.

If you are a victim of bullying and you need someone to talk to, I'm here for you.  So many people are.

This is my ode to Logan and today and going forward, I will be making a change.  Stop bullying.  Please.  A life of someone close to you may depend on it.

Resources:

http://www.sweetwaternow.com/sublette-county-sheriffs-office-updates-photograph-15-year-old-logan-dobkins-search-continues-missing-teen/

http://ihavevanished.com/2014/10/19/wy-logan-dobkins-missing-pinedale-boy-found-dead/

Stopbullying.gov

Another Day, Another Dresser

Hey fellow project do-ers,

Wasn't yesterday absolutely gorgeous?  My goodness.  It made for a great outdoor project day.  With the weather turning colder, I wanted to take advantage of some projects that have been in limbo for awhile before the snow actually fell.

Up next on the chopping block:

I snagged this little dresser from Salvation Army for $10.00.  Not bad.  The drawers slide well and the piece is solid wood.  It just needed a little TLC. Thrifting is seriously underrated.

First things first.  I sanded the pieces and cleaned it off with some tack cloth.  If you haven't used this stuff before when doing make-over projects, it seriously makes the job so much easier.

The dresser drawers had various holes in it that needed to be patched.  I can't imagine the hardware being original, as there were two extra holes not being used.  I decided to fill these holes with a little caulk.  That's what he said...

The Bat Tree (DIY)

Fall is certainly in the air and on the ground.  The two huge trees in our front yard have shed their bright yellow leaves, and I think it is far too pretty to rake them up right now.  I could easily say that fall is my favorite season, like ever.  Actually I should probably clarify that.  There is a 3-4 week window when the temperatures are warm enough to stand, and cool enough to pull out your favorite sweater(s) and riding boots.  Once I see snowflakes, I'm outtie.  I've also had the good fortune of coming up with some of the most kick-ass costume ideas ever.  Usually couple costumes with my hubs and sister is the route I prefer to take.  Here are some of my favorites if you are looking for a little inspiration yourself.

Black Swan/White Swan

Dia De Los Muertos

Wayne's World

Effie Trinket

There's Something About Mary

Enough about awesome costumes, let's get down to brass tacks.  About a month ago I started pulling out Halloween decorations only to find that my Edgar Allan Poe snow-globe didn't make it through the winter, turning all of my decorations into moldy swamp monsters.  Sad story.  Needless to say I took this as a learning opportunity to make my decorations instead of trusting big box stores... bastards.

List of Materials:

A stick with branches (free)

A spool of black ribbon ($2.99)

Foam ($3.19)

White or yellow Puffy Paint ($1.99)

Vase/Lantern (free because I had one)

Vase filler (I used some free rocks)

______________________________

Total Cost: $8.00 and some odd cents

The first step was finding a stick.  Me and Shane came across a brush pile while walking our pup last night.  It was a handsome stick, but Shane was convinced there were bugs on it.  Gretzky was a fan of it too.  Every time I turned my back he munched on it a little. 

I grabbed an amber colored lantern thingy I had laying around the house and cut the foam block down to size to fit into the lantern. Then I shoved my stick into the foam, pressing down firmly.  I placed a few rocks on top of the foam to hold the stick in place.

Next came the fun part.  I loosely tied black ribbons to different branches to give the illusion of bats, and cut the ends of the ribbon at a sharp angle.  Once I was satisfied with the amount of bats I had on my branches, I applied two white puffy paint eyes to each ribbon.  I think you could have a lot of fun with the eye color.  Even green would be kinda spooky!

So there you have it.  A project that costs under $10.00 that I feel adds a lot of pizzazz to your holiday decor, while still being subtle and classy!  Now, go make yourself a bat tree, ghouls.

Nooks and Crannies

So, this little post may not necessarily warrant a blog post, but A. I'm still happy with the outcome and wanted to share, and B. It might light a fire under you, and tackle a quick and easy project you may have not even considered.

There are areas of the house that can get overlooked.  Easy.  We have several, but yesterday I decided to take on one that I knew wouldn't turn into something much bigger... right away that is.

Ever since we put up our new light fixture, the rays have been illuminating areas of our house that we have failed to pay attention to.  Mainly the hallway closet to be exact.

Let's take a look--

So many scuffs.  I also uncovered one Pokemon card, two fairly impressive spiderwebs, one penny, and three screws.  How had I missed this?  Seven years after moving in, this stuff was making our closet a home.  Sadly, I didn't find the spider(s), but I am guessing they were of adequate size judging by the extent of the spiderwebs.  Eek.

More recently I've been diggin' the Benjamin Moore grey hues.  I've really been curious about Stonington Gray, and wanted to make sure it was the right choice before painting a larger room.  I'm not the only one liking this color either.  You can find this paint in the ever-creative and beautifully designed home of the bloggers from Young House Love, as well as sought-after stores like Pottery Barn.

Stonington Gray

I really like how clean this color is.  I know gray used to be "the thing" back in the late 80's, early 90's, but I can't say that this particular hue is outdated in anyway.

After some quick prepping and a hasty wipe down of the walls, my 40 minute make-over began and ended.  I used a satin finish because it's awesome for a job like this.  Reason being satin finishes deliver a shinier look which makes it easier to hide problem areas, as well as having stain and scrub resistance qualities.  This type of finish makes it ideal for living rooms, dining rooms, hallways, bedrooms, and closets.

After one coat

Although it may be tough to judge on the computer, in person the contrast between that yellowed off-white color and the cool soothing gray is night and day.

... and because people are curious, here's a couple of mandatory snap shots of the crap we have in our closet, excluding like 90% of it.  I mean, these photos are online after all.  We can't let people know we live like slobs.

So fresh and so clean, clean.

Never thought I would be so proud of the inside of a closet.  But alas, small changes can make the world of difference.  So, I guess what we are trying to say is in order to make your home feel extra special, don't forget the nooks and crannies.  Even though people won't be coming over and looking in your closets, the fact that you know it's the bomb diggity is all that matters, and that's pretty neat.