June 2006
As I was riding the elevator down last night, leaving the office with Monica...
I looked down at Mon, wearing my bead pendant necklace (not that there's any
significance to Mon OR the necklace... it's just the image in my head now that
I associate with that moment), and suddenly realized I don't want to stress
anymore... about anything... ever.
I know that sounds very simplistic, but it
seemed like an epiphanous (yes, another made-up word)
moment.
Not that I gave it much thought in the slightest
for the rest of the evening. But this morning, as I'm walking to work I'm
thinking about it.
How many times have I tried to
"simplify" my life? It's pathetic. There aren't enough grains of sand
on the beach to count the number of times... it's like the mythical diet I'm
always starting.
What if my life depended on changing though.
So... what shall I do... document my progress?
Will that keep me on track? Hm... at
least it's a start... it's an idea... it's more than what I have been doing
until now (which is nothing).
Okay, fine... I'll try it.
Where? Here? Or in some special place, reserved
only for that subject?
Maybe I can start with really big, basic things
and then work my way down toward the details... if I try to START with the
details, I'll get bogged down and/or overwhelmed.
Deep breath.
Okay, two things... I will make a list of things
that have to get done today... and I will make a list of BIG ways in which I
can try to begin the simplification process.
Today's MUST DO's:
- -- Get my orders out
- -- Call the bank and try to get
an earlier appt
- -- Go to bank to sign refi papers (ugh! I hate stuff like this)
- -- Prep my mandrels and put my
new glass away
- -- Call Oakland Scavenger
regarding disposal of empty MAPP gas canisters
- -- Think about marketing/make a
plan
- -- Post my lampworking blog
- -- Make a reminder to put
"court papers" on my next TO DO list
The categories of de-stressing my life:
- -- Remove clutter
- -- Make meal plans
- -- List important tasks
- -- Organize and update other
things
How's that for a start?
So... for "Remove Clutter", I can make
a list of first steps (for today):
- -- Weed 10% of my email inbox
- -- Weed two subdirectories on
my computer
- -- Hang up the clean laundry
that's currently in the living room
- -- Empty the dishwasher and do
one load of dishes
- -- Do one load of laundry
- -- Brush Bear (his hair is the
bane of much of my existence)
(BTW, a lot of these tasks are things the kids
can take over once I get a handle on things)
Then for "Make Meal Plans":
- -- Plan one week's worth of
meals (it will most likely start with Saturday)
- -- Make a grocery list for this
week of planned meals
- -- Order what I can online or
plan a day to go do the shopping
- -- Prepare for one possible
mid-plan grocery trip for any perishables that won't last the full week
For "List Important
Tasks"... hm...
- -- I guess that's like a
"to do" list... so that's what I'll do... make a list of things
that need doing
And for "Organize and Update Other
Things":
- -- I gotta
make a marketing plan
- -- I gotta
get the next newsletter out
- -- Put my lampworking blog up
- -- Finish PDFing
and organizing my tutorials and links between websites
(Reminder! Remove the shoulder
pads from Gabe's jacket before Saturday... he's got
his first date... whoohoo!)
And in other news... Mon made three beads
last night after hockey. And I still haven't uploaded pictures of her other
bead.
Progress on yesterday's lists:
Today's MUST DO's:
-- Get my orders out (side note: it stressed me
to have orders looming over my head, and yet I procrastinate and save them
until the last possible moment, occasionally then not getting them out in time...
. WHY DO I DO THIS?!)
Actually got out the orders that were most
crucial; the remainders are going today (in theory).
Other non-orders: -- Becca's
beads and stuff -- Boxes for Rose -- Moni's custom
order necklace -- Brown/Green focal bracelet -- Earrings and other things for
Laura H
Not a one of those was accomplished... granted,
I didn't get home until after
-- Call the bank and try to get an earlier appt
I actually did this... all it means, though, is that I had to go back
to the office when finished with the bank instead of heading home... hmph!
-- Go to bank to sign refi
papers (ugh! I hate stuff like this)
Done
-- Prep my mandrels and put my new glass away
Prepped half my mandrels, but didn't put any
glass away.
-- Call Oakland Scavenger regarding disposal of
empty MAPP gas canisters
Nope.
-- Think about marketing/make a plan
Nope.
-- Post my lampworking blog
Nope.
-- Make a reminder to put "court
papers" on my next TO DO list
Still a reminder.
De-Stressing:
-- Remove clutter
Hm... don't think I did anything for this.
-- Make meal plans
Didn't do anything for
this.
-- List important tasks
Nope.
-- Organize and update other things
Yes. I updated the Gallery
of 2005 Necklaces page on my website. Yay!
Blackie brought one of the kittens over late
last night (around
Took a picture of Blackie's babies this weekend
while they were in the abandoned backyard next to us... through the screen in
the upstairs bathroom (not that we have a downstairs bathroom, but just trying
to give perspective on how far away I was from the babies).
Made this set Thursday...
But will have to redo the one on the end for
size matching.
And made my first lentil
(no base!)...
Added two pieces to this website... they're over
there in the left hand column where it says
Okay, so I got an email from Mom over the
weekend. And as much as I cringe from taking advice from others (don't ask me
why!), she made a really good point.
Mom suggested that I make a list of
accomplishments each day. That I should be glad for and proud of the things I
accomplish.
And also, to not think of "diet"...
but I guess I was just using the word "diet" as a backwards euphemism
for the phrase "healthy eating lifestyle". Ha ha
ha!
Anyway, thanks Mom.
I still need a list of "to do" things
because I tend to forget things that have to get done... or worse, things I've
promised and have forgotten about. Eeeeaaaaa!!!!
List of Accomplishments:
- -- I took care of some
paperwork today that I'd been procrastinating for years on (Patrice
pointed out that there is no real grammar rule about not ending a sentence
with a preposition... can you believe it?!). That's one HUGE load off...
the paperwork, not the prepositions.
- -- Actually took some jewelry
out of my "half made stuff" bag and finished a few pieces (and
hell didn't even freeze over!)... then listed
them.
- -- Dyed my hair (man was THAT
overdue)
- -- Started in on the kids'
room... we all swear we'll keep it clean, but...
- -- Worked on Mike's book...
with Mike... have more of the same for tonight
- -- Found an old check that I
could void and took it to the financial institution
- -- Tried to work on torching...
blah... nothing good
- -- Organized my SUPPLIES files,
including adding items made with lampwork, then
deleted all the old subdirectories so I don't get confused or messed up
- -- Started the mass email to
all my customers... that for many will be their last
Things to not forget about:
- -- Becca's
beads and stuff
- -- Boxes for Rose
- -- Figure out why I asked for
Dana's mailing address
- -- Moni's
custom order necklace (might have to make the lw beads... egads!)
- -- Brown/Green focal bracelet
- -- Earrings and other things
for Laura H
- -- Call Oakland Scavenger
regarding disposal of empty MAPP gas canisters
- -- Think about marketing/make a
plan
- -- Post my lampworking blog
- -- Take papers to court (
- -- Make meal plans
- -- Update my ABOUT ME page
- -- Finish adding jewelry to my
store
Whew... it's been awhile.
I kinda hate that,
'cause I lose my flow... don't remember what I've actually discussed versus
what I've THOUGHT about discussing. ARGH!
Ah well, I'll do my best.
I've had a migraine off and on (mostly on) for
the past two weeks... and I never feel like writing when I have a migraine.
Monday after work, I had six custom orders to
complete. Tuesday after work was hockey. Wednesday after Gabe's
graduation was hockey and going to Ikea for a desk for Mike's computer. Then
yesterday, after I went home, I laid down in bed to
try to get rid of my headache and I ended up sleeping until six this morning.
So.... I haven't had much free
time... and definitely no torch time.
I also put the finishing touches on my new
organization: Self-Representing Artist Jewelry Designers (yes,
it's an offshoot of the wonderful lampworkers'
So as I mentioned, Gabe graduated (from 8th
grade) on Wednesday. I got some pictures (but don't want to talk about why I
have no pictures of him accepting his certificate of graduation) of Gabe and
his friends, but they're still on the camera so I'll show those tomorrow
probably.
We're taking Gabe to Great America for his
birthday celebration... not sure which day. Next Tuesday would be nice but I'm
not sure I can get the day off work. Thursday would have been gone but Mike has
a doctor's appt and I would like to be there for that. The other day we're
considering is Sunday, the 25th.
Oh, here are some more pix of the feral
family...
I also need to get my Lampworking Blog up. Sigh...
Okay, yesterday was Linda's birthday (Mike's
mom) and I feel like a first class schmuck for not doing anything.
This weekend, Mike and I are going to try to do
something nice for Jen's baby and for Linda. I hope better late than never.
I also don't recall if I wrote anything in here
in response to an email I received from Linda. I'm thinking not. But I meant
too! And I dictating all kinds of blog stuff in my
head... but I guess I never actually wrote anything. Sorry. Basically, I wanted
to say thanks. I'm touched that you (and Mom) care. You both read my blog and got concerned about how much I'm doing, etc.
The thing is, I'm not really doing anything now
that I'm not always doing... it's just that I put it down in writing. Ha!
Don't worry about me... so far, so good. I mean,
yeah, you can worry about me, that's cool... but don't fret. I'm fine.
We're all hanging in there so far... and I'll
scream if I feel like things are starting to spiral out of control.
I'm not as proud as I used to be, so asking for
help is now within the realm of possibilities.
Thanks!!! Your kind words mean a lot to me.
Oh man, and I think today is Collin's birthday
(and I'm probably not even spelling his name right!). ARGH!!!
Okay, so I'm up at
I admit, I was anxious
to see what came out of the kiln. The last couple times I removed beads from
the kiln, I was sorely disappointed.
This morning, I'm not repulsed. Whoohoo! Will take pix and show you later.
In the meantime, I got pix done from Gabe's graduation…
Those are all Gabe's
close friends. The girl, Stephanie, is the one he went to the dinner/dance
with. It was his first dance (date).
Out of the 300+ students in the 8th grade class,
four were awarded special honors in Mathematics. Gabe was one of them…
Nothing much else to say… it was 90 degrees in
here last night after 9pm… needless to say, we go to bed early on nights like
that (the only room with A/C is our bedroom).
Okay,
big weekend.
Friday, I made some beads...
BTW, here are some I made the previous
weekend...
Saturday, Mike and I shopped for the majority of
the day... getting Gabe's laptop, getting accessories
for the cam-corder we gave to Monica, getting
speakers and cables for Mike's new computer, getting furniture from Ikea, and
probably lots of other things that I just can't remember at the moment.
Seemed like a REALLY long day and I don't like
shopping any more... at all!
Saturday night, I used my beads in a piece of
jewelry that I listed (that's a first, btw)...
Mike and the kids thought I listed it too low,
but I know what eBay's been like lately. Heh
Then Sunday, I went to get the kids in the
morning, we came home and played around with the video camera and the laptop a
bit. Then Mike woke up and we went to the mall (Gabe's
choice... he said he'd rather get games for his computer than go bowling).
Since we can't get the wireless router to work
yet, we just ended up buying cat-cables for Mike's and Gabe's
new computers. The boys also bought video games.
Monica went with me into Macy's because I had a
gift card (from the Squirt B hockey team as a thank you for trying to be a
co-manager last season).
I got a few things I liked, but mostly I didn't
like the mirrors!
So I told Monica to pick a number and she picked
7. As of
After the mall, we went for lunch at a Mexican
restaurant we like. That was fun.
Then we dropped the kids back off at their dad's
house and Mike and I went home.
Barely remember what I did yesterday
afternoon... cleaning? A little computer work?
Sometimes it's so hot in the house it totally demotivates us. Ugh!
Well, there's more, but I'm tired of talking...
I'll probably write again tomorrow.
I screwed up and forgot to call Dad later in the
evening. I thought of it all morning and all day, while we were out... and then
I got home and just complained about how tired I was. :-(
Sorry Dad!
BTW, thanks for the gift(s) Linda and Dennis!
Gabe bought a game with him money. He says thanks! I might buy more clothes...
I'm in desperate need. Heh