We ended up choosing to read Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls. I had several great suggestions for our next books and am looking forward to picking up the different holds at the library. Which brings me to one of my semi-serious (as in, I'm taking it seriously. mostly.) New Year's resolutions. I don't really do resolutions, although this year I thought about how, if I had to choose one, it would be to stay committed to all of this self-work and listening to myself and continuing to push aside the extras cluttering up my mind so that I can see more clearly. Etcetera. Peace of mind and all that.
However, in addition to all of that goodness, I had another semi-official-ish resolution about not having quite as many over-due items at the library (and at blockbuster and other such places, but mostly the library, because that is where I am most frequently). And to keep my fines (if overdue items do happen...) to a minimum and paid. So far- I am quite pleased to say- I have had just three overdue items- one specifically when I was too sick to return it. And, the really exciting part is that when I went to pay my fine, I thought I would owe $2.15 (the um dvd's are $1.00/day) I only really owed $.15 for the one book that was one day late. Hurray. I was so excited. Perhaps the library angels turned back the computer clocks for me? I've no idea. My account, though, is currently paid in full, with no overdue items to speak of. Which feels really, really good and much more doable than I had initially thought.
Showing posts with label new years. Show all posts
Showing posts with label new years. Show all posts
Friday, February 11, 2011
Saturday, January 1, 2011
January 1, 2011
(Going to do National Blog Posting Month again {aka NaBloPoMo} because it was so much fun when I tried it before. (Of course, when I did it before, it was more of a stealth NaBloPoMo. I registered on the site but didn't acknowledge it here. Sometimes I am interested in stealth, sometimes I am not.) Plus it feels like it is better for me when I post vs when I don't post. Somehow, when I am committed to posting, my attitude about being able to find something to post about is much more on the positive side, as in- anything that comes up can be made into something at least remotely interesting enough to post about. When I am not committed to posting everyday, I definitely have some good posts and I am more selective. But- I can also fall prey to thinking that there is nothing interesting to post about, and that thinking can be debilitating. If I am in the right state of mind, it can even spiral into me not posting anything for long stretches. Longer stretches than I sometimes like.
So. Coming out of what has turned out to be an especially hectic holiday season {for me}, I thought posting daily might be good therapy. And a good transition to the cool, clear, wide open month of January. {Or so it often seems after the lights and chaos and action of December.} This month's theme is January. We'll see what- if anything- I make of that.)
***
Magoo- unsure of the incense and candle smoke. {Brightening things up and clearing out the space for the New Year.}
This setup further inspired Eva to get out the rest of the candles. I love it when that happens. It reminds me to keep things moving.
So. Coming out of what has turned out to be an especially hectic holiday season {for me}, I thought posting daily might be good therapy. And a good transition to the cool, clear, wide open month of January. {Or so it often seems after the lights and chaos and action of December.} This month's theme is January. We'll see what- if anything- I make of that.)
***
Magoo- unsure of the incense and candle smoke. {Brightening things up and clearing out the space for the New Year.}
This setup further inspired Eva to get out the rest of the candles. I love it when that happens. It reminds me to keep things moving.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
resolutions
No card-making-photos today. No time. Instead, here's a 2011 New Year's Resolution link, with some very interesting resolutions. I've actually made some of those resolutions myself at different times of my life, during different times of the year. I'm not even sure at this point how I feel about New Year's resolutions. Still, it's something to think about, with the New Year fast approaching...
Monday, January 4, 2010
home project 1- curtains
Normally, or at least normally for the last several years, I have gone around the house on New Year's Eve and done various home fix-its for the New Year. These fix-its include things like replacing light bulbs that have been burnt out for months, oiling the sliding glass door or hinges that squeak in the night. One year I painted the front door. I gather up old catalogs to recycle. Take back library books. Toss all old lists. New lists. Any lists.
Tossing all lists has gone so well over the last couple of years that this year when I looked around for lists to rip up I found none! My lists- of books to read, things to do, things to take care of, things to buy, places to go, groceries, even, have apparently dwindled over the years to the point where I don't have a lot of list-ing hanging over my head, which was exactly the point of the exercise in the first place. Don't get me wrong- I still make lists. The difference now is that I seem to actually take care of the lists or at least let them go when I am done with them whereas before I might have left them to linger around for months- either not getting to them or realizing I didn't want to get to them. Outdated lists can get in the way of moving onto something else entirely.
I didn't do as many home fix-its this year on New Years, though I did put in a few light bulbs because the front room had grown dark. I do, however, have some plans for more extensive fix-its that I am planning to spread out over the course of the next several weeks. All of them will no doubt increase the livability of our space. All of them I have been meaning to get to. Some are half done, some just a suggestion. Basically, I am going to make one big list and use the momentum of the New Year to fix a few things up around here, starting with the living room curtains.
We haven't had curtains for the window in the living room since we have lived here, mainly because we had so many plants- roses, a large laurel, a Japanese Maple- that blocked the view for the most part from the street. I also like how light and open it feels without the curtains. All of that changed, however, when our landlord had many of the plants in our yard dramatically cut back. Our front window is no longer partially obscured by the rose bushes and the laurel was cut way back as well. We are a little too light and open now for my taste.
I attempted to buy curtains a few months ago when this first happened but the curtains I bought ended up being too narrow for the window. I really dislike hanging curtains and left the project half finished so that right now most of the window is blocked by the curtains, but not all. I also chose the wrong color entirely- white- can you believe it? I won't go into too many details about what the bottom of the curtains look like now but suffice it to say I am going to go with a darker color next time. My foray into decorating with white has come to an end. My goal now is to get curtains that fit, hang them, and move on.
I know, I know. Why don't I just make curtains? There is a fabric store nearby. I have a sewing machine set up. I have made curtains before. Sort of. I am opting to buy the curtains because part of my mission for these home fix-it projects is to get the projects up and running with minimal hair pulling. My experience with making curtains last time was more about maximal hair pulling. So that's it. Inexpensive, easy, descent curtains with minimal hair pulling (because believe me- just hanging up the curtains will most likely involve at least some hair pulling already). No fuss. No muss.
Tossing all lists has gone so well over the last couple of years that this year when I looked around for lists to rip up I found none! My lists- of books to read, things to do, things to take care of, things to buy, places to go, groceries, even, have apparently dwindled over the years to the point where I don't have a lot of list-ing hanging over my head, which was exactly the point of the exercise in the first place. Don't get me wrong- I still make lists. The difference now is that I seem to actually take care of the lists or at least let them go when I am done with them whereas before I might have left them to linger around for months- either not getting to them or realizing I didn't want to get to them. Outdated lists can get in the way of moving onto something else entirely.
I didn't do as many home fix-its this year on New Years, though I did put in a few light bulbs because the front room had grown dark. I do, however, have some plans for more extensive fix-its that I am planning to spread out over the course of the next several weeks. All of them will no doubt increase the livability of our space. All of them I have been meaning to get to. Some are half done, some just a suggestion. Basically, I am going to make one big list and use the momentum of the New Year to fix a few things up around here, starting with the living room curtains.
We haven't had curtains for the window in the living room since we have lived here, mainly because we had so many plants- roses, a large laurel, a Japanese Maple- that blocked the view for the most part from the street. I also like how light and open it feels without the curtains. All of that changed, however, when our landlord had many of the plants in our yard dramatically cut back. Our front window is no longer partially obscured by the rose bushes and the laurel was cut way back as well. We are a little too light and open now for my taste.
I attempted to buy curtains a few months ago when this first happened but the curtains I bought ended up being too narrow for the window. I really dislike hanging curtains and left the project half finished so that right now most of the window is blocked by the curtains, but not all. I also chose the wrong color entirely- white- can you believe it? I won't go into too many details about what the bottom of the curtains look like now but suffice it to say I am going to go with a darker color next time. My foray into decorating with white has come to an end. My goal now is to get curtains that fit, hang them, and move on.
I know, I know. Why don't I just make curtains? There is a fabric store nearby. I have a sewing machine set up. I have made curtains before. Sort of. I am opting to buy the curtains because part of my mission for these home fix-it projects is to get the projects up and running with minimal hair pulling. My experience with making curtains last time was more about maximal hair pulling. So that's it. Inexpensive, easy, descent curtains with minimal hair pulling (because believe me- just hanging up the curtains will most likely involve at least some hair pulling already). No fuss. No muss.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
happy new year!
I spent the day yesterday trimming back and cleaning out. I actually cleaned out the garage and I dare anyone to find a photo (not being viewed) that is not in a photo album. Today I finished Eva's baby book and went through some of my past journals, retiring the ones that were filled and finding a lot of space in others plus several unrecorded dreams I had forgotten about. I have been writing down my dreams for several years but sometimes they come in such a flurry that I get behind and sometimes, but not often really, I find some that I have forgotten to write down entirely. I do take notes in the middle of the night or right when I wake up if there is a chance I will forget a dream and these are some of the notes I found lingering in various notebooks.
It is so satisfying to tie up some of these loose ends, clean things up and out for the New Year. My yearly tradition of tossing all of my lists that are lying around was very satisfying as well and this morning my little to-do notebook is totally blank and clean, free and clear. Even the grocery list is cleaned up. Lots of wisdom to be found when looking back and lots of room freed up when you let it flow like it is meant to. I am reading the book The Comfort Trap and one of the chapters on letting go has the title Look Back But Don't Stare. I like to think this was my inspired tactic both yesterday and today.
Now I look ahead to the New Year and to My Birthday tomorrow! Hooray for massages and Thai food and walks in the woods! Samuel said maybe I should throw in a haircut for good measure just to make sure I get all of the momma stuff in that I can on this one special day!
It is so satisfying to tie up some of these loose ends, clean things up and out for the New Year. My yearly tradition of tossing all of my lists that are lying around was very satisfying as well and this morning my little to-do notebook is totally blank and clean, free and clear. Even the grocery list is cleaned up. Lots of wisdom to be found when looking back and lots of room freed up when you let it flow like it is meant to. I am reading the book The Comfort Trap and one of the chapters on letting go has the title Look Back But Don't Stare. I like to think this was my inspired tactic both yesterday and today.
Now I look ahead to the New Year and to My Birthday tomorrow! Hooray for massages and Thai food and walks in the woods! Samuel said maybe I should throw in a haircut for good measure just to make sure I get all of the momma stuff in that I can on this one special day!
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