12.16.2009

MYOB

I don't know when I started saying it, but I find myself saying it several times a week to my daughter. As a coworker of mine used to say in her East L.A. accent, "She's getting in the mix and she doesn't even know the flavor."

Mind Your Own Business.

It's probably not the nicest thing to say, but sometimes we all need a reminder to keep our nose out of other people's business. Especially our little brother's business. My daughter knows exactly what I mean when I say MYOB.

I try to follow my own advice and mind my own business, but sometimes other people's business is just so dang entertaining. For example, my fellow Freecycler's business; you can learn a lot about a person by what they offer and request on Freecycle. I've thought many times about unsubscribing, but then I read a really interesting Freecycle email, such as this one:

Wanted/ Teddies - Lingerie size 1X

Does anyone have even one teddy that they don't wear anymore? I gave mine all away when I swore off men though they were size L. Now I am engaged again and..., I have no preference what color, lace would be wonderful something that hooks up the back, looks a bit like an old fashioned corsette with straps to hold up stockings. Thank you very much!


That's some interesting business! It's practically a short story. And frankly, she made her business my business by asking if I had any unused lingerie, though it's really none of her business if I wear teddies anymore. My business time is my business, but I am dying to know if anyone responded to her request. I'm sure there's more to this story.

But MYOB is not just about business. It can also stand for Melt Your Own Beeswax, which is what we've been doing lately.


hand dipped beeswax candles

Hand dipped beeswax candles. They're a little bumpy (OK, almost obscene), but they sure were fun to make.

beeswax acorns

Beeswax acorns with real acorn caps. You might know by now that I adore acorns, and these beeswax versions are completely adorable. I used a real acorn to make a mold out of Play-Do, poured melted beeswax into the mold, and removed the acorn when the wax was dry. Pop the acorn cap on and it's done.

I've got a row of beeswax acorns waiting for caps, and I'm going to attach a string through the caps to make little gift tags. I'll cut an oak leaf from felted wool, and if I'm really motivated, I'll stitch the gift recipient's name on the tag. Or maybe just write it with a Sharpie.

If you want to MYOB too and need some beeswax, pop over to Natural Earth Farm. Tonya carries the cutest little blocks of beeswax, and I'm sure she'd love you to mind her business.

I actually stopped to write this post while I was in the middle of reading my friend Patricia's most recently published essay. Stopping part way through an essay says a lot about my attention span, but even more about Patricia. Reading her writing makes me want to write. Her essay is entitled "Be Your Own Best Teacher", but it was originally titled "Homeschooling My MFA".

MFA does not mean what you think it means, or should I say it doesn't mean what I thought it meant, but you'll just have to go read her essay to find out for yourself. Writing is definitely Patricia's business, and I'm glad she doesn't mind sharing it.

Now barring any further distractions, my MFA is off to finish reading the essay before I drag it out to find some more acorn caps.

22 comments:

  1. Hilarious! This post has such depth - humor - creativity - product referral - an educational essay. Good job. Thanks for always sharing your business. I have picked up a lot of good things from being nosy about yours!

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  2. Molly. I LOVE those dipped tapers!!!
    And ps, were any of those hole-y things for you???? If not, I have one for you.

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  3. okay, those acorns are to die for. I have a big block of beeswax that I keep meaning to use for candles. I should get on that.

    off to read the essay.

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  4. This was a riot! I feel like I can relate all the way through. My 5 year old totally needs to MYOB but she says adult conversation is so much more interesting that kid talk so yet she still is up in our business ALL THE TIME.
    We made candles this weekend-- my question is do you know why the beeswax I got from the keeper is more green than yellow? My candles ended up being sage green.

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  5. giddygoat - i don't know much about beeswax, but sage green beeswax candles sound lovely to me!

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  6. thank you for the belly laugh! i used to work at one of those touristy candle shops where the girls carve and twist the candles (my first job when we moved to savannah). i loved making candles and haven't done it since. this makes me want to do it again. and those acorns are so cute - i love that you were making molds out of play doh. i'll have to share that with matt.

    i had to bookmark patricia's essay today. i started and after the first two paragraphs decided i had to wait until this evening when the littles were sleeping.

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  7. Love it! I need beeswax...right now!

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  8. This made me laugh! MYOB was a common reminder when I was little...five decades ago (as in one-half century sheesh). MYOB also translated as "mind your own beeswax" so your post was doubly funny. We had a sing-song poem:
    "Mind your own business, eat your own fish, keep your dirty paws out of my clean dish". lol

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  9. I love the candles - you're right about the looks of them! LOL Hmm, I haven't made candles in quite awhile!

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  10. Ohhhh... but seein' those candles at first glimpse makes a girl thing a whole 'nother way. hehehe. just sayin'.

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  11. cute.

    i'll say it again, your acorns are SO different from ours up here in corvallis!

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  12. i so would like to make my own beeswax candles...thank you for the link. we made candles years ago, but they were of the paraffin variety...we want to do better now.
    and i just need to point out that she didn't say UNUSED teddies...just one's you weren't currently using. yikes.
    xo, tara

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  13. THANK YOU for cracking me up!!! :)

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  14. You're hilarious.

    And I like your candles.

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  15. Oh you naughty, hilarious girl. Silly, naive me had no idea people would think of an MFA as anything other than a master's degree. Maybe that's why they changed the title of my essay. Ya think?

    You made acorn molds out of play doh and then filled them with beeswax? You have an amazingly creative mind. And those acorns are just stunning. Seriously, your MFA definitely deserves an MFA. Those are some fine arts indeed.

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  16. hahahahaha!!!
    sorry... you crack me up molly : )
    now how am i supposed to link your lovely beeswax acorns on my blog with all this talk of used lingerie, obscene candles,(your words not mine ahem) and MFA's?!? ahh... that is just the reason it *needs* to be linked : ) And please post an beeswax acorn tutorial (in all your free time I know) but seriously these are so incredible and you know how much I adore beeswax! xo

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  17. LOL..i LOVE reading your post!!!

    LOVEEE the acorns..they are wonderful.

    Off to read the essay!

    Doreen

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  18. You crack my can straight up.
    And just where does your MFA get off being so dang creative and wonderful anyway?

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  19. Absolutely love those acorns! Darling. And yes, the candles...almost obscene! Made me laugh though when I first saw them. You know, since they followed the 'teddy' story, I wasn't quite sure where you were going with this one!

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  20. HAHAHAAAAAAAAAA!!! I thought it was funny when I read it on freecycle, but when I opened your blog and saw it again, I nearly lost it! Jerry and I had a funny response to the request - I'll tell ya later. Maybe it was a joke? It was funny, that's for sure.

    Your acorns are so cute. bravo!

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  21. this was such an entertaining post! my sister used to say that to me - myob - and it isn't the nicest but it does a good job and maybe that will work on my girlies in a few years!!

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  22. I worked in a ED/special ed. classroom a few years back and we said MYOB all the time, it worked really well. I still use it in my classroom today! You can imagine how often I say it teaching middle school!
    :)

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