Several years ago, when I was a much more regular blogger, I had several categories of blog posts. (Yeah! That's how often I posted. I needed separate categories) But today, for some reason, I was thinking about a category of posts I had long ago called "Adventures in Grooming".
The general gist of it was that I am an absolute slob and have no idea how to doll myself up or even how to complete everyday personal grooming tasks that other people do on daily basis. (really? full makeup every single morning? ) And though the other general gist of the posts was that I was going to try to be a normal person who engaged in activities like waxing my eyebrows, I quickly decided that I enjoyed running around like she-wolf and dropped both the home spa experiments and the blog post category.
I somehow was able to blend in with normal people in society without changing my ways.
But now, I'm closing in on a BIG birthday in 2019. And I'm setting some big time goals (even bigger than my monthly blog goals). I'm striving to feel good and look good and be the picture of health. I've kind of wrapped my head around the idea that maybe part of looking good is putting a bit of effort into it. And though I still kind of like the idea that I put zero effort into my appearance. I'm willing to try some changes.
And so it begins.....
Monday, December 10, 2018
Thursday, December 6, 2018
Christmas Cards
As this weekend comes rolling in with the cold weather, I have only one big thing to accomplish: sending out Christmas cards.
I know, exciting, right? For me, well, yeah. I love sending Christmas cards.
This is not the case for everyone. I have many friends, colleagues, and clients who dread the thought of sending out cards. For them, it's a tedious task that takes way too long. It makes them frustrated and agitated and frankly doesn't have that much of a payoff. And to those people, I say- "Don't send cards anymore." Cards are certainly not mandatory. If they cause you stress, you should certainly eliminate them from your life.
For me, Christmas cards are a joy. I put on a movie (extra points if it's a Christmas movie), pull out the address book and let the fun begin.
The time I spend writing a little personal note, addressing the envelope, stuffing and stamping is the time I spend reflecting back on all the good times I've have with the recipient. Which is nice. Especially since there are many names in that address book who I haven't seen face to face in years. It happens. Some people I've drifted away from as life got busy and we moved in different directions. Some people it was a more intentional break. That happens, too.
Yet even when I specifically decided that I could no longer have somebody in my life in order to guard my own sanity, I can still send them a Christmas card.
For 3 or so minutes, I can remember this person fondly. I can laugh at little jokes we used to have. I can reminisce about things we did. And I can send out the card with good vibes and long distance loving thoughts. Maybe we're not in each other's lives anymore. But for one brief moment each year, we are in one another's hearts.
So this weekend, I'll be laughing and smiling to myself, sending out friendly wishes to distant friends. And wrapping it all up with a Santa Claus stamp.
Merry merry and happy happy
Wednesday, December 5, 2018
December Goals
Last month of the year, and I'm only 5 days behind! Actually, I'm not behind. I just had to have a couple horizontal days to stave off really getting sick. It worked, thankfully. And now I can sit down in front of a keyboard without feeling like I'm drifting off into space.
So now I need to get down to earth.
December Goals:
1) At least 8 glasses of water a day: This really should be automatic by this point in my life. But sometimes when I get stressed, I drink Diet Coke like a meth addict inhaling fumes. Time to start chugging more healthy.
2) All State Licenses Renewed: A must complete goal!
3) 3 Books Read and Passed Along: I was successful with 2 books last month, upping it to 3 now.
4) Once Again, Girl's Nite: Gonna try to include some more people this time!
5) Continue with the Marathon Training and Stretching: Keep up the momentum
6) 30 Day Burpee Challenge: I somehow let somebody convince me to do 1000 burpees this month for some kind of challenge. Doable, but those two horizontal days already messed up my numbers!
7) 2 Group Hikes
8) Start Selling Decluttered Items
9) All Xmas Cards sent out!
10) Kids Day over their Xmas Vacation
So now I need to get down to earth.
December Goals:
1) At least 8 glasses of water a day: This really should be automatic by this point in my life. But sometimes when I get stressed, I drink Diet Coke like a meth addict inhaling fumes. Time to start chugging more healthy.
2) All State Licenses Renewed: A must complete goal!
3) 3 Books Read and Passed Along: I was successful with 2 books last month, upping it to 3 now.
4) Once Again, Girl's Nite: Gonna try to include some more people this time!
5) Continue with the Marathon Training and Stretching: Keep up the momentum
6) 30 Day Burpee Challenge: I somehow let somebody convince me to do 1000 burpees this month for some kind of challenge. Doable, but those two horizontal days already messed up my numbers!
7) 2 Group Hikes
8) Start Selling Decluttered Items
9) All Xmas Cards sent out!
10) Kids Day over their Xmas Vacation
Tuesday, December 4, 2018
Looking Back at November
November was a humbling experience. It taught me quite a bit about overcommitting and prioritizing. My big, ambitious goal for November was to declutter the storage area over my parents garage. It turned out to be a much bigger endeavor than I expected.
An entire month to declutter a storage area seems reasonable, doesn't it? I thought so. But I failed to take into account that the storage area hasn't been cleaned or organized in over 20 years. Once I started, the job just seemed to get bigger and bigger. Boxes piled on boxes piled on even more boxes. I went through them all! I divided all the contents into keeps, throw aways, donates, and gift. (there were lots of things that had never been used) There's a big pile of "sell" items.
The storage unit is now divided into different zones, instead of all just cluttered together. The boxes are neatly stacked within the zones. Everything is labeled. Anyone looking for well, anything, can find it easily now.
And I'm exhausted.
The good news is that I did accomplish my big, ambitious goal.
The not so good news is that some of my other goals had to take a back seat.
November Goals:
1) Healthy Eating Plan: About half credit. I kept up with a good eating plan for about 2 weeks. And then the decluttering took all my free time. BOO!
2) Daily Writing Practice: Big Fat Fail on this one. December's another chance, though.
3) BIG DECLUTTER: Success. Thank goodness! So many trips to the thrift store. So much tossed in the garbage. And a big pile to sell.
4) Side Hustle in Place: No go on this one. Sigh.
5) Outdoor Activities: Partial credit. Did two hikes. No runs or family thing. But it did rain a lot this month.
6) Read and Pass Along 2 Books: SUCCESS! I finished Walking to Listen and The Mother Tongue and gave them to two friends.
7) Marathon Training and Daily Stretching: SUCCESS! I'm actually on track with this one. And I decided upon a spring marathon that looks pretty fun.
8) Continuing Ed Completed: DONE! Yay! Three in a row is making me feel a little better.
9) Xmas Gifts Purchased: Half done. Gonna finish up this weekend.
10) Another Girl's Night: Success. Or a girl's day, rather. Went to the movies with my besties and Shell's daughter.
So about half completed. Not as bad as I thought. Feeling a little better and looking forward to December goals.
An entire month to declutter a storage area seems reasonable, doesn't it? I thought so. But I failed to take into account that the storage area hasn't been cleaned or organized in over 20 years. Once I started, the job just seemed to get bigger and bigger. Boxes piled on boxes piled on even more boxes. I went through them all! I divided all the contents into keeps, throw aways, donates, and gift. (there were lots of things that had never been used) There's a big pile of "sell" items.
The storage unit is now divided into different zones, instead of all just cluttered together. The boxes are neatly stacked within the zones. Everything is labeled. Anyone looking for well, anything, can find it easily now.
And I'm exhausted.
The good news is that I did accomplish my big, ambitious goal.
The not so good news is that some of my other goals had to take a back seat.
November Goals:
1) Healthy Eating Plan: About half credit. I kept up with a good eating plan for about 2 weeks. And then the decluttering took all my free time. BOO!
2) Daily Writing Practice: Big Fat Fail on this one. December's another chance, though.
3) BIG DECLUTTER: Success. Thank goodness! So many trips to the thrift store. So much tossed in the garbage. And a big pile to sell.
4) Side Hustle in Place: No go on this one. Sigh.
5) Outdoor Activities: Partial credit. Did two hikes. No runs or family thing. But it did rain a lot this month.
6) Read and Pass Along 2 Books: SUCCESS! I finished Walking to Listen and The Mother Tongue and gave them to two friends.
7) Marathon Training and Daily Stretching: SUCCESS! I'm actually on track with this one. And I decided upon a spring marathon that looks pretty fun.
8) Continuing Ed Completed: DONE! Yay! Three in a row is making me feel a little better.
9) Xmas Gifts Purchased: Half done. Gonna finish up this weekend.
10) Another Girl's Night: Success. Or a girl's day, rather. Went to the movies with my besties and Shell's daughter.
So about half completed. Not as bad as I thought. Feeling a little better and looking forward to December goals.
Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Election Day
I've never experienced an election where so much seems at stake. Please, let's not blow it!
Monday, November 5, 2018
Gratitude
November always seems like the perfect month to focus on gratitude. The weather is getting colder, the days are getting shorter, and we tend to spend more time indoors- time that seems custom made for reflection. We are rolling into the winter holidays; Thanksgiving is all about giving thanks and being grateful! And it's always a good idea to keep gratitude close to your heart when holiday shopping- it's far too easy to let materialism take over.
I've done gratitude challenges in the past, though they all seem to emphasize self reflection (name one thing you are thankful for today)with little focus on community and connection. As somebody with introvert tendencies, I've been making an effort to reach out more and focus on connection this year. I haven't always been successful, but I have at least been more aware and been able to curb my proclivity towards turning inward and hiding out. This November, I decided to search for a gratitude challenge that not only emphasizes being thankful, but also includes reaching out beyond myself.
I decided upon this little ditty: https://pageflutter.com/30-day-gratitude-challenge/. Super simple, but effective (I hope). By the end of the month, maybe I'll establish a habit of spreading tiny little bits of joy as well as noticing the little things that make me smile.
I've done gratitude challenges in the past, though they all seem to emphasize self reflection (name one thing you are thankful for today)with little focus on community and connection. As somebody with introvert tendencies, I've been making an effort to reach out more and focus on connection this year. I haven't always been successful, but I have at least been more aware and been able to curb my proclivity towards turning inward and hiding out. This November, I decided to search for a gratitude challenge that not only emphasizes being thankful, but also includes reaching out beyond myself.
I decided upon this little ditty: https://pageflutter.com/30-day-gratitude-challenge/. Super simple, but effective (I hope). By the end of the month, maybe I'll establish a habit of spreading tiny little bits of joy as well as noticing the little things that make me smile.
Sunday, November 4, 2018
Decluttering Challenge
This is, by far, the biggest thing going on for me, right now. The most difficult thing about this endeavor is that it's not even MY stuff that I'm decluttering! Which makes it easier in some ways, but much, much harder in so many other ways.
But I need to back up a bit.
My parents have a hoarding problem. Both of them. For exact opposite reasons. My mother has developed a compulsive shopping problem to the point where most of the rooms in the house are unusable. Piles and piles of clothes, shoes, blankets, jackets, overrun every area of the house. Most of the stuff still has tags on it. The living room is drowning in magazines- 12 subscriptions come every month- and newspapers- 4 daily newspapers delivered. My dad doesn't want to throw ANYTHING away. The garage, shed, and storage area above the garage are packed full of things that haven't been used in years- old furniture, dried up pain cans, tarps, rusted gardening tools, old shoes, more golf balls than anyone could ever use in about 20 years. And piles and piles of plastic grocery bags stuck here and there "just in case." Just like the house, the garage has been unusable. A big two car garage that no cars are able to fit into.
At the beginning of this year, they started having accidents in the house. My mother was tripping over things. My dad slipped going up the ladder to the storage area with an armload of stuff and split his arm open. A towering pile in the garage came crashing down and he injured his shoulder. And neither of them could ever find anything in the mess. It had become unsafe.
So at the end of April, I moved back and took up residence in the house. Which is not where I want to be. But it's kind of where I need to be for the time being. As a family, my brothers and sisters-in-law have talked a lot about "what to do" about the house situation, but no real action has been taken. And when somebody did do something (go over and clean up a room, clean out the refrigerator, clear the floors of clutter) it was un-done in a matter of hours. The cleaned out fridge was stuffed with newly purchased food from a grocery trip that eventually rotted in the fridge. Shoes and clothing ended up right back on the floor. And the one cleaned out room was soon cluttered up from things being brought it from other rooms, whether it made sense for those items to be in there, or not. Somebody needed to be there to tidy up daily.
Since April, I've been doing that daily tidying as well as some bigger decluttering efforts. The good news is that most of the rooms can now be used for their intended purpose. It is possible to prepare food and cook in the kitchen. It is now possible to eat at the dining room table. It is possible to sit on the sofa and watch television (even to put your feet or your drink on the coffee table). It's possible to park in the garage. The tripping hazards are gone from the floor.
And it's easier to see the items that are actually in the house and the garage and the storage area that need to be tossed. It's November. The cold weather is rolling in. And it's perfect time to attack the storage area above the garage. The exponential 30 day decluttering plan ends up being 465 items to be donated, tossed, or given away in 30 days. I think it's possible. I'm going for it!!
But I need to back up a bit.
My parents have a hoarding problem. Both of them. For exact opposite reasons. My mother has developed a compulsive shopping problem to the point where most of the rooms in the house are unusable. Piles and piles of clothes, shoes, blankets, jackets, overrun every area of the house. Most of the stuff still has tags on it. The living room is drowning in magazines- 12 subscriptions come every month- and newspapers- 4 daily newspapers delivered. My dad doesn't want to throw ANYTHING away. The garage, shed, and storage area above the garage are packed full of things that haven't been used in years- old furniture, dried up pain cans, tarps, rusted gardening tools, old shoes, more golf balls than anyone could ever use in about 20 years. And piles and piles of plastic grocery bags stuck here and there "just in case." Just like the house, the garage has been unusable. A big two car garage that no cars are able to fit into.
At the beginning of this year, they started having accidents in the house. My mother was tripping over things. My dad slipped going up the ladder to the storage area with an armload of stuff and split his arm open. A towering pile in the garage came crashing down and he injured his shoulder. And neither of them could ever find anything in the mess. It had become unsafe.
So at the end of April, I moved back and took up residence in the house. Which is not where I want to be. But it's kind of where I need to be for the time being. As a family, my brothers and sisters-in-law have talked a lot about "what to do" about the house situation, but no real action has been taken. And when somebody did do something (go over and clean up a room, clean out the refrigerator, clear the floors of clutter) it was un-done in a matter of hours. The cleaned out fridge was stuffed with newly purchased food from a grocery trip that eventually rotted in the fridge. Shoes and clothing ended up right back on the floor. And the one cleaned out room was soon cluttered up from things being brought it from other rooms, whether it made sense for those items to be in there, or not. Somebody needed to be there to tidy up daily.
Since April, I've been doing that daily tidying as well as some bigger decluttering efforts. The good news is that most of the rooms can now be used for their intended purpose. It is possible to prepare food and cook in the kitchen. It is now possible to eat at the dining room table. It is possible to sit on the sofa and watch television (even to put your feet or your drink on the coffee table). It's possible to park in the garage. The tripping hazards are gone from the floor.
And it's easier to see the items that are actually in the house and the garage and the storage area that need to be tossed. It's November. The cold weather is rolling in. And it's perfect time to attack the storage area above the garage. The exponential 30 day decluttering plan ends up being 465 items to be donated, tossed, or given away in 30 days. I think it's possible. I'm going for it!!
Saturday, November 3, 2018
November Goals
I love the beginning of the month- when the calendar sits before me like a blank canvas. Every month is another chance to strive for something better. Some months, I fail miserably. Some months I shine. Most months I fall somewhere in the middle, but at the beginning of the month, I feel like everything is possible.
Goals always make me smile, even when I don't reach them. Because oftentimes, they serve as a clue to how NOT to go about reaching them. And then I can change tactics and try another way. This month, I'm changing tactics on a number of things.
NOVEMBER GOALS:
1) Maintain Healthy Eating Plan: Last month did not work out so well, for a number of reasons. Shared spaces, little time, stress eating, Halloween. But this month, I have a few little hacks I'm gonna try out. And I'm striving to be a bit closer to reaching this goal.
2) Daily Writing Practice: Another roll over from last month. This one I think is more about priorities and making a "to NOT do" list for all the little distractions that keep me from the keyboard.
3) BIG Declutter Goal: In the past, I've done 30 day declutter challenges where I try to get rid of one thing a day for 30 days. This time, the stakes are higher. I'm attempting and exponential decluttering- day one, get rid of one thing. Day two, get rid of two things, etc. Which ends up being significantly more than 30 things in 30 days. But I think its not only possible, but necessary.
4) Side Hustle In Place: Past couple months, I've been hitting walls when trying to establish some classes in the traditional sense. But I've been hearing murmurs of interest from people in a couple meet-up groups I'm involved in. So I'm attempting the back way in by creating my own opportunity. (Which is a strangely scary thing for me) Baby steps.
5) Outdoor Fun Priorities! Two hikes, two group runs, and one big family outdoor activity. Ambitious, especially when it involves other people following through
6) Read and Pass Along 2 Books. Always always always a good idea
7) Marathon Training and Daily Stretching: Its amazing how lazy I get when I don't have an end goal in mind, like a marathon or a long distance hike. And its amazing how tight my muscles get when I actually commit to training for such an event.
8) Continuing Ed completed and documented for State License renewals: They're all due in January. I'm trying not to be a last minute scrambler.
9) Xmas Gifts Purchased! No last minute scrambling in other areas, as well. I'm trying something a little different with the Xmas gifts this year, too.
10) Another Girl's Nite: I've only been moderately successful in establishing my gal posse. But I'm gonna keep plugging away at it. I think a nice once a month meet up is a good thing. And maybe if I keep at it consistently, it won't be like pulling teeth to get my buds out of the house for a few hours.
* extra credit* 30 day gratitude challenge!!
Goals always make me smile, even when I don't reach them. Because oftentimes, they serve as a clue to how NOT to go about reaching them. And then I can change tactics and try another way. This month, I'm changing tactics on a number of things.
NOVEMBER GOALS:
1) Maintain Healthy Eating Plan: Last month did not work out so well, for a number of reasons. Shared spaces, little time, stress eating, Halloween. But this month, I have a few little hacks I'm gonna try out. And I'm striving to be a bit closer to reaching this goal.
2) Daily Writing Practice: Another roll over from last month. This one I think is more about priorities and making a "to NOT do" list for all the little distractions that keep me from the keyboard.
3) BIG Declutter Goal: In the past, I've done 30 day declutter challenges where I try to get rid of one thing a day for 30 days. This time, the stakes are higher. I'm attempting and exponential decluttering- day one, get rid of one thing. Day two, get rid of two things, etc. Which ends up being significantly more than 30 things in 30 days. But I think its not only possible, but necessary.
4) Side Hustle In Place: Past couple months, I've been hitting walls when trying to establish some classes in the traditional sense. But I've been hearing murmurs of interest from people in a couple meet-up groups I'm involved in. So I'm attempting the back way in by creating my own opportunity. (Which is a strangely scary thing for me) Baby steps.
5) Outdoor Fun Priorities! Two hikes, two group runs, and one big family outdoor activity. Ambitious, especially when it involves other people following through
6) Read and Pass Along 2 Books. Always always always a good idea
7) Marathon Training and Daily Stretching: Its amazing how lazy I get when I don't have an end goal in mind, like a marathon or a long distance hike. And its amazing how tight my muscles get when I actually commit to training for such an event.
8) Continuing Ed completed and documented for State License renewals: They're all due in January. I'm trying not to be a last minute scrambler.
9) Xmas Gifts Purchased! No last minute scrambling in other areas, as well. I'm trying something a little different with the Xmas gifts this year, too.
10) Another Girl's Nite: I've only been moderately successful in establishing my gal posse. But I'm gonna keep plugging away at it. I think a nice once a month meet up is a good thing. And maybe if I keep at it consistently, it won't be like pulling teeth to get my buds out of the house for a few hours.
* extra credit* 30 day gratitude challenge!!
Thursday, November 1, 2018
OCTOBER GOAL REVIEW
The best laid plans of mice and men often are side tracked by vacuuming and laundry. Ok, so maybe that's not exactly how it goes, but there's quite a bit of truth in this version. Depressing. More so when I see that it wasn't even MY laundry and vacuuming that ate up my intentions. More on that later. But for now, it gives me something to think about- mainly priorities. How is it that I allow somebody else's household chores to come before my goals? How is it that this is essentially the story of my life? Again, more on that later.
But today...today is November 1. The first day of the month. And that means- it's time for goals! (actually past due for goals I quite frankly should have done the October goal review yesterday. But I had to give out candy to small children in cute costumes. And THAT is a legitimate reason for shirking on goals!)
Anyway...
OCTOBER GOALS:
1) Maintain healthy eating plan for an entire month: FAIL! MISERABLE FAIL. Mostly because meal planning got sidetracked into kitchen and fridge cleaning. But that's also a cop out. I can make it work if I really put my mind to it Which I will commit to in November.
2) Daily Writing Practice: Also FAIL. I did have a pretty good journaling run, but the point was daily blogging. Which was pretty non existent. Again, a lack of commitment is to blame.
3) Help Dad with Cleaning Out Garage and Shed: SUCCESS! A nice change to the above fails. Though quite a bit of a challenge, especially when the vast majority of my time and energy was spent convincing Dad to get rid of things like dried up cans of paint or corner TV units that haven't been used in 20 years. Not as clean as I'd like it to be, but getting there.
4) Start Teaching POUND: Half credit. I actually had a nice little gig that was cancelled before it even started because of cutbacks to the town recreation department (BOO!) But I got a few demo classes in at a couple gyms. And I couple ideas to start a group on my own, if the gyms don't pan out.
5) Sign Up for Spring Marathon and Start Training: SUCCESS! Ok, I haven't actually signed up yet, but my deadline is this weekend. I have a couple friends in the NC area and pending their March plans, I'll either be doing Ashville or Wrightsville Beach in early March. As usual, my running can become much more consistent when I have a goal in mind. Yay running!
6) Get Involved in Local Club: Half Credit Ok, so I joined a meet-up group, since my go-to hiking meet up has kind of gone kaput. And I signed up for my first actual event. Which takes place tomorrow. So I got some momentum going.
7) Get Winter Trips Planned: SUCCESS! Going to the Azores in January and San Diego in February. (and a marathon in March). So its looking good. I may have to do a couple weekend ski trips thrown in there for good measure, too.
8) Spend Halloween with the Nieces and Nephews: Half Credit Though not entirely my fault. I did go up last weekend to see the kiddos, but they were so busy bouncing from hockey game to skating practice to fall baseball (really? Fall baseball? In New England? WTF) that they didn't partake in the usual town Halloween on Main Street. And the Halloween movie I brought up for the kids was shelved because the Red Sox were kicking butt in the world series!! So it's a good thing. But they may already have crossed over into the too-cool-for-Halloween phase of life. Bummer.
9) Read and Pass Along 2 Books: half credit: I have about 50 pages left in one book and one chapter left in the other. But I know exactly who the books are going to after this weekend!
10) Plan Girl's Nite Out for November: I'm gonna call it a SUCCESS even though everyone except one other person backed out of the plans. (thank goodness I didn't buy tickets until the last minute) Its okay. Everyone has their own version of vacuuming and laundry.
And in November, I'm striving to put vacuuming and laundry in their proper place.
But today...today is November 1. The first day of the month. And that means- it's time for goals! (actually past due for goals I quite frankly should have done the October goal review yesterday. But I had to give out candy to small children in cute costumes. And THAT is a legitimate reason for shirking on goals!)
Anyway...
OCTOBER GOALS:
1) Maintain healthy eating plan for an entire month: FAIL! MISERABLE FAIL. Mostly because meal planning got sidetracked into kitchen and fridge cleaning. But that's also a cop out. I can make it work if I really put my mind to it Which I will commit to in November.
2) Daily Writing Practice: Also FAIL. I did have a pretty good journaling run, but the point was daily blogging. Which was pretty non existent. Again, a lack of commitment is to blame.
3) Help Dad with Cleaning Out Garage and Shed: SUCCESS! A nice change to the above fails. Though quite a bit of a challenge, especially when the vast majority of my time and energy was spent convincing Dad to get rid of things like dried up cans of paint or corner TV units that haven't been used in 20 years. Not as clean as I'd like it to be, but getting there.
4) Start Teaching POUND: Half credit. I actually had a nice little gig that was cancelled before it even started because of cutbacks to the town recreation department (BOO!) But I got a few demo classes in at a couple gyms. And I couple ideas to start a group on my own, if the gyms don't pan out.
5) Sign Up for Spring Marathon and Start Training: SUCCESS! Ok, I haven't actually signed up yet, but my deadline is this weekend. I have a couple friends in the NC area and pending their March plans, I'll either be doing Ashville or Wrightsville Beach in early March. As usual, my running can become much more consistent when I have a goal in mind. Yay running!
6) Get Involved in Local Club: Half Credit Ok, so I joined a meet-up group, since my go-to hiking meet up has kind of gone kaput. And I signed up for my first actual event. Which takes place tomorrow. So I got some momentum going.
7) Get Winter Trips Planned: SUCCESS! Going to the Azores in January and San Diego in February. (and a marathon in March). So its looking good. I may have to do a couple weekend ski trips thrown in there for good measure, too.
8) Spend Halloween with the Nieces and Nephews: Half Credit Though not entirely my fault. I did go up last weekend to see the kiddos, but they were so busy bouncing from hockey game to skating practice to fall baseball (really? Fall baseball? In New England? WTF) that they didn't partake in the usual town Halloween on Main Street. And the Halloween movie I brought up for the kids was shelved because the Red Sox were kicking butt in the world series!! So it's a good thing. But they may already have crossed over into the too-cool-for-Halloween phase of life. Bummer.
9) Read and Pass Along 2 Books: half credit: I have about 50 pages left in one book and one chapter left in the other. But I know exactly who the books are going to after this weekend!
10) Plan Girl's Nite Out for November: I'm gonna call it a SUCCESS even though everyone except one other person backed out of the plans. (thank goodness I didn't buy tickets until the last minute) Its okay. Everyone has their own version of vacuuming and laundry.
And in November, I'm striving to put vacuuming and laundry in their proper place.
Monday, October 1, 2018
OCTOBER GOALS
It's October first and I'm finding comfort in the idea of coming back to this blog, which has been a resting place for me over the past few years, however inconsistent. I've been away for several months, both physically and mentally, and for several weeks completely off grid. But now I find myself back in my childhood hometown, with the prospect of staying put for a while. This idea scares the heck out of me (I've always felt more at ease while in constant motion) and in times like this, when I'm a bit scared, I always like to come back to soothing rituals and habits that make me feel more in control. So, of course, I head back to blogging and also to monthly goals.
OCTOBER GOALS:
1) Maintain a healthy eating plan for the entire month: I've seen some weight creep up on me over the past couple years. I've been chalking it up to getting older and my metabolism slowing down, which may have some merit. But the fact remains that I eat entirely too much junk. So I'll do a bit of an experiment this month and see if it is my advancing age, or if its my continuing juvenile eating habits.
2) Daily Writing Practice: With my life such a whirlwind of moving and camping and traveling and going off grid, some of my most cherished daily practices went right out the window. The one I miss the most is writing. It is also the one that, strangely, was the hardest to reestablish. But now I have it as a monthly goal! So that should do it.
3) Help Dad with cleaning garage and shed and having that damn yard sale: My parents have a bit of a hoarding problem. They are constantly talking about downsizing to a smaller house. Which will never happen if they don't start getting rid of stuff. And I! I am the decluttering queen.
4) Start teaching POUND: POUND is just about my most favorite form of exercise that can be done indoors. I taught a class in Arizona, but haven't gotten around to teaching back east. I miss it.
5) Sign up for spring marathon and begin training: Yeah, that's the other thing that dropped off the radar over the past couple years; running. I sort of replaced it with long distance hiking. Which is also awesome. But there really isn't any reason I can't do both. And I'm at a point in my life (again) where I just NEED some structured high milage days to clear my head.
6) Get involved in local club: Coming back to my childhood hometown means reuniting with lots of old friends and doing lots of activities together. It sort of also means remembering why I left in the first place. Its ok. I've come to recognize that you can love spending time people even if you share completely different interests. Its ok that I have good friends who would never go on a run or a hike or an impromptu road trip. But its nice to have friends that WOULD. So I need to specifically seek out those kind of people.
7) Get winter trips planned: Got a couple good ones that I'm thinking of! Need to get them booked.
8) Spend Halloween with the nieces and nephews: They are getting big. It won't be long before they don't want to dress up anymore.
9) Read and pass along 2 books: I always, always, always have way too many books!
10) Plan Girl's nite for November: Girl's nights are important, I think. But they never happen if you don't specifically plan them.
And October is off to a good start, I think. October is going to be great!!
OCTOBER GOALS:
1) Maintain a healthy eating plan for the entire month: I've seen some weight creep up on me over the past couple years. I've been chalking it up to getting older and my metabolism slowing down, which may have some merit. But the fact remains that I eat entirely too much junk. So I'll do a bit of an experiment this month and see if it is my advancing age, or if its my continuing juvenile eating habits.
2) Daily Writing Practice: With my life such a whirlwind of moving and camping and traveling and going off grid, some of my most cherished daily practices went right out the window. The one I miss the most is writing. It is also the one that, strangely, was the hardest to reestablish. But now I have it as a monthly goal! So that should do it.
3) Help Dad with cleaning garage and shed and having that damn yard sale: My parents have a bit of a hoarding problem. They are constantly talking about downsizing to a smaller house. Which will never happen if they don't start getting rid of stuff. And I! I am the decluttering queen.
4) Start teaching POUND: POUND is just about my most favorite form of exercise that can be done indoors. I taught a class in Arizona, but haven't gotten around to teaching back east. I miss it.
5) Sign up for spring marathon and begin training: Yeah, that's the other thing that dropped off the radar over the past couple years; running. I sort of replaced it with long distance hiking. Which is also awesome. But there really isn't any reason I can't do both. And I'm at a point in my life (again) where I just NEED some structured high milage days to clear my head.
6) Get involved in local club: Coming back to my childhood hometown means reuniting with lots of old friends and doing lots of activities together. It sort of also means remembering why I left in the first place. Its ok. I've come to recognize that you can love spending time people even if you share completely different interests. Its ok that I have good friends who would never go on a run or a hike or an impromptu road trip. But its nice to have friends that WOULD. So I need to specifically seek out those kind of people.
7) Get winter trips planned: Got a couple good ones that I'm thinking of! Need to get them booked.
8) Spend Halloween with the nieces and nephews: They are getting big. It won't be long before they don't want to dress up anymore.
9) Read and pass along 2 books: I always, always, always have way too many books!
10) Plan Girl's nite for November: Girl's nights are important, I think. But they never happen if you don't specifically plan them.
And October is off to a good start, I think. October is going to be great!!
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