You know how people say that admitting you have a problem is half the battle? That may be true for some things or some people but for me it is such a lie. I know I have problems. I can even point them out, after all they're obvious and easy to see. Unfortunately my willingness to see my vast room to improve does nothing whatsoever to actually improve anything.
My big issue at the moment is the fact that I either have very little motivation to do anything big or I have a lengthy list of things to do, and I want to do them all NOW. I decided to start a blog. I decided to paint my entire house. I decided to go back to school. I decided to get some certifications. I decided to start trying harder at work (I was already trying hard, just not harder), Sounds kinda good, right? Until you find that I DID start all of those projects, in ways that I really can't just stop, and all within about 2 weeks of each other.
Too bad every project will take a lot of time and dedication, even if I wasn't trying to do them all at once. Oh yeah, and there's the fact that none of those projects can be done half ass (besides the blog, obviously) or they aren't worth doing at all.
The cool thing is that so far, so good. You can judge the blog thing for yourself. It's just for fun anyways, and I do find it fun so that's a win. The painting won't be finished for at least a month, but it is continually moving along. I've registered for school, but I may push it off one semester just to get through some of this other stuff first. The certification/work part is going OK, but it would certainly like to take some of my painting time. Oh yeah, I forgot to add the Dragon boat club I joined 3 weeks ago (same time as all else). That takes every Saturday out of the equation. I must not forget to add the armadillo war. I don't want the worst lawn on the block. But that one wasn't my idea so it barely counts. And I can't forget to do yoga everyday since it makes everything else easier. Yet I still only get to it about three times a week lately. DANG!
I just can't decide if this manic upswing is good or bad. Logic says it's not the smartest thing to start so many big projects at once. But then logic was never my favorite thing and life is definitely interesting these days. Plus I need to keep all this motivation going as long as possible before my unavoidable do nothing phase returns.
I guess the upswings and downswings all even out in the end. To be honest it's kinda more fun to group all my motivated time and all my slacker time together. After all, how on Earth would you fit both into one day anyways?
3/24/10
3/21/10
Sushi & Boats & Wine, Oh MY!
I had a most interesting weekend, full of trying things for the first time. Also a couple of trying things again for the almost first time. I tried sushi with chop sticks (second time) and it was really good. I accidentally tried wasabi again and remembered just how not good it is. Sorry wasabi lovers.
I was in my first dragon boat races ever. The first race we got third place and the second race we got second place. Yay us! Too bad there were only three boats in each race. It was great fun though and I had no idea how tiring a minute and a few seconds could be.
THEN, as if sushi and dragon races weren't enough (they had nothing to do with each other, strangely enough) I went to a wine/art festival. I always wanted to go to a wine tasting thing (Minus the spitting the wine out part. Yes, I know that's what the cool kids do but no.) and I like art so I thought I'd check it out. Turns out that I still don't like red wines much, but I do deserve an E for effort because I tried 2 or 3, and only poured one out. They did have plenty that I did like though. There was even a chocolate wine. What a great invention! I have to admit it tasted nothing at all like wine, it had the thickness and taste of a liqueur. Very awesome though.
As if all that weren't enough I finished up painting the first three walls in the third room of my house (with a LOT of help) and I get to move on to the next color now. That's got to go down as the fullest weekend ever.
I was in my first dragon boat races ever. The first race we got third place and the second race we got second place. Yay us! Too bad there were only three boats in each race. It was great fun though and I had no idea how tiring a minute and a few seconds could be.
THEN, as if sushi and dragon races weren't enough (they had nothing to do with each other, strangely enough) I went to a wine/art festival. I always wanted to go to a wine tasting thing (Minus the spitting the wine out part. Yes, I know that's what the cool kids do but no.) and I like art so I thought I'd check it out. Turns out that I still don't like red wines much, but I do deserve an E for effort because I tried 2 or 3, and only poured one out. They did have plenty that I did like though. There was even a chocolate wine. What a great invention! I have to admit it tasted nothing at all like wine, it had the thickness and taste of a liqueur. Very awesome though.
As if all that weren't enough I finished up painting the first three walls in the third room of my house (with a LOT of help) and I get to move on to the next color now. That's got to go down as the fullest weekend ever.
3/17/10
Lack Thereof? It was Important Stuff!
Well, I DID paint on Monday, the day after my last blog. But then stuff came up! Really important, can't paint tonight kinds of stuff. Tuesday night I accidentally signed up for an on line class, then found out I only had 48 hours to go through all of the materials before my time ran out (it was a free class, but valuable info). So of course that's what I did Tuesday, I studied. Then tonight I had to stay 2 hours late at work, so can't paint tonight...
I really do think these are valid reasons, I think. Or maybe excuses. I have yet to decide. Whatever they are they certainly keep me busy. I haven't stopped my goal of painting a little every night (starting TOMORROW of course), but I must admit it's not looking good. so many things to do!
And just to add to it that armadillo has dug a hole in my front yard about a foot wide and deep enough I can't see the end. I buried the one in the back yard (not the beast, just the hole), but I can't do the one in the front yard quite yet. I'm not sure I want the neighbors to see me in my combat boots with a shovel trying to fill in a hole while at the same time staying as far away from it as humanely possible, because I really don't know what might be in it. And I certainly am not going near it in the dark.
On the plus side I got a camera tonight, so maybe I'll get lucky enough to get a picture of whatever it is running out of the hole when I throw some dirt in it. As soon as I stop running away at full speed that is.
I really do think these are valid reasons, I think. Or maybe excuses. I have yet to decide. Whatever they are they certainly keep me busy. I haven't stopped my goal of painting a little every night (starting TOMORROW of course), but I must admit it's not looking good. so many things to do!
And just to add to it that armadillo has dug a hole in my front yard about a foot wide and deep enough I can't see the end. I buried the one in the back yard (not the beast, just the hole), but I can't do the one in the front yard quite yet. I'm not sure I want the neighbors to see me in my combat boots with a shovel trying to fill in a hole while at the same time staying as far away from it as humanely possible, because I really don't know what might be in it. And I certainly am not going near it in the dark.
On the plus side I got a camera tonight, so maybe I'll get lucky enough to get a picture of whatever it is running out of the hole when I throw some dirt in it. As soon as I stop running away at full speed that is.
3/14/10
Motivation or the Lack Thereof
I started painting a few weeks ago and so far I have finished 6 walls. No, I didn't mean 6 rooms I meant 6 walls. And yes, I said a few weeks.
I had this really great method I was using to get the painting done:
1) Day one - tape ceilings
2) Day two - paint around ceiling and floorboards
3) Day three- use a roller to finish up the three walls.
4) Repeat in next room
There are only three rooms with three walls each (plus a bathroom) that get this color. So why after I got the first 2 rooms done in 6 days am I still avoiding painting the third even on this Sunday when I have absolutely nothing else to do??? I even have the taping done which is by far the worst part. It's because every time I walk into the last room to be painted that color I instantly get the thought in my head - this job is too big! If you start painting all those corners you will NEVER finish!
So of course I was looking around on the Internet for interesting things to read (a sure sign there is some important thing I should be doing) instead of painting my house.
Lucky for me I ran across this blog entry: The Ultimate Secret to Success. Basically the author says that there is no reason to save a project for the day when you not only have the time to start and finish the whole thing, you also have the motivation. I DO have my manic days when jump out of bed full of "I'm gonna get everything I ever put off done today" energy, but unfortunately if I wait for those days to come I will finish paining my house after 2012, and it may be irrelevant by then.
I thought I was doing what he suggested already, the steps I was using to get done is my evidence. But in his example he mentioned going through hundreds of books 5 at a time. My first thought was REALLY? 5? Why bother? But that's 35 a week, in a month he'll be through a hundred and I'll still be waiting for that manic day.
So I decided that there is no harm in breaking down my steps into smaller, less intimidating steps. This week I'll plan on doing just around the ceiling one day, the floor the next, and the corners can be day three. And if I only have the energy after work to do the floorboards in just the bathroom or just the bedroom, so be it. At least the edges will get done.
I have to admit that I've tried this method before. It always works, but my problem is I don't think about how many different ways it CAN work. Want to clean out your garage? Just clear one shelf or one box a night. If that is too much then just do one a week. Want to start getting in shape? Start by walking around the block (hopefully you live on a little block).
The great thing is you can always do more if you feel like it, you just can't do less. It doesn't feel like much; it's actually pretty easy to spend 10 or 15 minutes each Wednesday night working on whatever project you've been avoiding. But sooner or later you'll look around and realize you've made a huge dent.
And THAT is what will lead to one of those wonderful, energized, I can do anything days.
I had this really great method I was using to get the painting done:
1) Day one - tape ceilings
2) Day two - paint around ceiling and floorboards
3) Day three- use a roller to finish up the three walls.
4) Repeat in next room
There are only three rooms with three walls each (plus a bathroom) that get this color. So why after I got the first 2 rooms done in 6 days am I still avoiding painting the third even on this Sunday when I have absolutely nothing else to do??? I even have the taping done which is by far the worst part. It's because every time I walk into the last room to be painted that color I instantly get the thought in my head - this job is too big! If you start painting all those corners you will NEVER finish!
So of course I was looking around on the Internet for interesting things to read (a sure sign there is some important thing I should be doing) instead of painting my house.
Lucky for me I ran across this blog entry: The Ultimate Secret to Success. Basically the author says that there is no reason to save a project for the day when you not only have the time to start and finish the whole thing, you also have the motivation. I DO have my manic days when jump out of bed full of "I'm gonna get everything I ever put off done today" energy, but unfortunately if I wait for those days to come I will finish paining my house after 2012, and it may be irrelevant by then.
I thought I was doing what he suggested already, the steps I was using to get done is my evidence. But in his example he mentioned going through hundreds of books 5 at a time. My first thought was REALLY? 5? Why bother? But that's 35 a week, in a month he'll be through a hundred and I'll still be waiting for that manic day.
So I decided that there is no harm in breaking down my steps into smaller, less intimidating steps. This week I'll plan on doing just around the ceiling one day, the floor the next, and the corners can be day three. And if I only have the energy after work to do the floorboards in just the bathroom or just the bedroom, so be it. At least the edges will get done.
I have to admit that I've tried this method before. It always works, but my problem is I don't think about how many different ways it CAN work. Want to clean out your garage? Just clear one shelf or one box a night. If that is too much then just do one a week. Want to start getting in shape? Start by walking around the block (hopefully you live on a little block).
The great thing is you can always do more if you feel like it, you just can't do less. It doesn't feel like much; it's actually pretty easy to spend 10 or 15 minutes each Wednesday night working on whatever project you've been avoiding. But sooner or later you'll look around and realize you've made a huge dent.
And THAT is what will lead to one of those wonderful, energized, I can do anything days.
3/10/10
Detroit Downsizing!?!
I think this is the greatest piece of news I remember reading in ages. A major city is seriously planning something this unconventional? I wonder if whoever first stood up with this idea though he or she had the slightest chance of not just being laughed out of the room.
Just pretend for a minute that it doesn't matter if you succeed or fail, it only matters that you tried. Isn't this a great idea? I never in a million years would have thought that any GOVERNMENT would see that maybe sometimes less is more.
Living as I do in my own little world I didn't know that there were otherwise normal places where only one house might be left standing on a whole street. Can you imaging the desolation? I like my neighbors (as far as I can tell) but I never actually talk to them. If they all moved out I'm not sure I would even notice. As long as they left their cars in the driveway. Sad but true. But if their HOUSES were gone I'd sure notice.
The one bad thing in this story is the fact that they might use eminent domain to make parts of it work. I guess I can see the purpose of such a law (if I really try), but the fact that such a law exists in America still scares the hell out of me.
But think of this line from the story: "Near downtown, fruit trees and vegetable farms would replace neighborhoods that are an eerie landscape of empty buildings and vacant lots." How can that be a bad goal?
I hope that they can make it work.
Just pretend for a minute that it doesn't matter if you succeed or fail, it only matters that you tried. Isn't this a great idea? I never in a million years would have thought that any GOVERNMENT would see that maybe sometimes less is more.
Living as I do in my own little world I didn't know that there were otherwise normal places where only one house might be left standing on a whole street. Can you imaging the desolation? I like my neighbors (as far as I can tell) but I never actually talk to them. If they all moved out I'm not sure I would even notice. As long as they left their cars in the driveway. Sad but true. But if their HOUSES were gone I'd sure notice.
The one bad thing in this story is the fact that they might use eminent domain to make parts of it work. I guess I can see the purpose of such a law (if I really try), but the fact that such a law exists in America still scares the hell out of me.
But think of this line from the story: "Near downtown, fruit trees and vegetable farms would replace neighborhoods that are an eerie landscape of empty buildings and vacant lots." How can that be a bad goal?
I hope that they can make it work.
3/7/10
Armadillos, Possums, and Rabid Otters
I have a creature digging holes in my yard every night. It has to be a possum or an armadillo, but I haven't a clue which it is. Maybe it's aliens mining for some mineral for all I know. BUT the point is I was actually pretty excited about it the first day I noticed all the little holes in my yard. I might even get to see this creature!!! Then it dug a hole about a foot deep and two feet across right underneath my window. Suddenly it wasn't quite as amusing. Stupid whatever it is. The funny thing is it doesn't touch my neighbor's yards so far as I can see, just mine. Maybe I should feel privileged? I'm trying, but it would help if I could at least see whatever it is. Regular armadillo sightings would totally be worth the trashed lawn. Possum sightings, not so much.
Somehowthis news article
about a 96 year old man getting attacked by a rabid otter reminds me of my creature. Attacked by an otter??? But they are so cute and innocent looking! I had books about otters as a kid, they must be nice. The first news story I read about the attack had a bunch of comments from people laughing about it. I can see the humor but... otters are actually like 3 to 4 feet long and up to 25 pounds(ish) from what I've read, and think about their shape, what do you grab to pull it off yourself? Plus they are so innocent looking that I can completely see myself letting it walk right up to me to take a bite before I had a clue I was supposed to be wary.
So I now find myself in the ridiculous position of being more worried about the occasional otter (and possible armadillo!) that shows up in the neighborhood than I am of the alligators that are always here. That's just wrong.
Somehow
So I now find myself in the ridiculous position of being more worried about the occasional otter (and possible armadillo!) that shows up in the neighborhood than I am of the alligators that are always here. That's just wrong.
3/3/10
if Tomorrow never comes will I be lucky?
How do you plan for the future and live for today at the same time? Those two goals are both REALLY important, but I'm not sure they can both be obtained. If I plan for the future it would probably be best to save my vacation time until I have something great to do. But what if that something great doesn't come up? Maybe I should just take next week off in case, and spend the whole time kayaking.
But vacation time isn't really a big deal, you have it or you don't. What about saving money for the future? My big turmoil now is do I cash in the little retirement savings I have now so I can pay all my bills on time and not stress now, or do I save it for retirement (hence the title RETIREMENT fund)?
If only I knew whether I'd get hit by a semi next week or live 'till 130 it would make the decision so much easier. Stupid lack of psychic abilities. I'm pretty sure I'll end up trading the future for an easier now, and pretty sure I'll regret it even if I do make the right choice. After all, what's easier than self doubt?
I just started this blog, so not too many are reading it, but I'd love to hear what other people think about the trade off between doing what's right for the present and doing what's right for the future. So if anyone does read this let me know how you decide when to save that vacation day and when to use it just because you can.(love those mental health days!)
But vacation time isn't really a big deal, you have it or you don't. What about saving money for the future? My big turmoil now is do I cash in the little retirement savings I have now so I can pay all my bills on time and not stress now, or do I save it for retirement (hence the title RETIREMENT fund)?
If only I knew whether I'd get hit by a semi next week or live 'till 130 it would make the decision so much easier. Stupid lack of psychic abilities. I'm pretty sure I'll end up trading the future for an easier now, and pretty sure I'll regret it even if I do make the right choice. After all, what's easier than self doubt?
I just started this blog, so not too many are reading it, but I'd love to hear what other people think about the trade off between doing what's right for the present and doing what's right for the future. So if anyone does read this let me know how you decide when to save that vacation day and when to use it just because you can.(love those mental health days!)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
