Amy Lu's View

Parchment paper was thwarting my efforts to achieve personal growth. 

Or rather, I was thwarted by my failure to successfully procure parchment paper. 

I didn’t really know what parchment paper was, but I needed it for the online vision board class I was going to take. Technically, Chad was taking the class–I enrolled him in the session as a birthday gift–but I wanted to attend, too. 

Since the class was a gift, and honestly, one of the “Look honey I got you this thing I actually wanted for us/me” variety of presents (don’t all couples do this?), I thought I could at least round up the supplies.

Unfortunately, I followed my usual M.O and waited until almost the last moment, so I didn’t have the time or inclination to shop anywhere but Target. I was nervous, because I didn’t think Target carried too much in the way of craft supplies, but luckily, the list of items that we got from the instructor that we needed for the class didn’t seem too specialized. 

I also took my usual approach of NOT making a shopping list…I got fixated on a few items on the class supplies list, most notably, glue sticks, and resolved to make a quick stop at Target on the way home from the gym. And…I got a little lost at Target. 

Not only did Target have basic crafty supplies, but they had an array of shiny and colorful and tempting office, school, and home decor supplies (THIS is why I seldom venture out of groceries and clothes). There were so many things that I never knew existed that it turned out I desperately needed! But, I was strong–where, or where, would I put all these marvels in our already crammed-with-stuff-house?–and returned home (later and more tired than I hoped, having willpower is exhausting!) with glue sticks and markers. 

I triumphantly showed Chad the spoils of my shopping expedition. We were ready to vision!

“That’s nice, honey, but did you get big notecards?”

DAMN!

We needed big 5X8 notecards because we were actually doing vision cards, not a board. 

Argh, I would just have to fit in another Target trip the next night after work and before the class. 

As long as I was going back to Target, I thought I would take a look at the supply list again…wait, I was supposed to get parchment paper, too? What would we be using that for? Target certainly wouldn’t have that. 

The topic came up in a chat with my sister, the consummate crafter. “Target will have that, you’ll find that in the food section” she helpfully explained. 

What? Hmmm, it must not be what I thought it was–something to recreate the aesthetic or writing on historical paper.

Well, as long as I would be at Target again, I would follow directions and get parchment paper, too. Except…Target didn’t have 5X8 notecards! Double Argh! I got so involved with that problem (which I resourcefully solved by just getting 8X10 card stock paper we could tear in half, close enough) that I totally forgot about the parchment paper. 

I am proud of my notecard adaption. I consider this an example of having a “stretch” as opposed to a “chaser” mindset, which I recently read about in a Experience Lifetime magazine article. Instead of chasing after the perfect materials for our class, I made do and got creative with what was readily available to me (as the article would say, just like the MacGyver, or, as I would say, I half-assed it).

Turns out, we didn’t need the parchment paper. I’m still not sure what it was for–just to protect our work area? Honestly, I still don’t really know (or care, so don’t feel like you have to tell me) what parchment paper is. 

What we did need, beyond glue sticks and notecards and magazines to cut up, was a sense of openness and a willingness to look and feel goofy, and to do something badly. Even though our instructor was encouraging and stressed that we couldn’t do this wrong…I think we both did it wrong. Or at least we weren’t super happy with our efforts. We were probably somewhat stymied by not having “goals” to vision about. (Our goals felt either too broad–”finish seminary”–or too status quo–”run a half marathon again.”)

But we tried to get over ourselves, and we did have fun. Or, at least, I had fun, and I Chad didn’t have not-fun. I even have aspirations of trying again–I have a long personal tradition of liking collaging, and this seems to fit with that. 

And now I know that I don’t need parchment paper–and I have glue sticks to use up. 

Maybe I’ll really discover my inner MacGyver!