6 1/2 week plan [Archive] - Simple Living Forums

Chicken lady

2-4-19, 6:46am

The equinox is March 20th. Reflecting on my last plan I can see that I am having trouble prioritizing areas that are less concrete and other involved.

also, while I really like having specific goals and being able to “scratch them off”, I hate failing.

so for this span I think I am going to try setting intentions and focuses and report back on the actions as they occur.

Focus on pottery. One of my intentions is to prioritize actually working with clay and be selfish and unapologetic about claiming my time to do that.

Focus on the garden. Clear ground and start seeds.

Focus on health. Choose healthy foods in appropriate amounts, and exercise. I found myself trying to justify not doing specific exercise items last time. There are always more options. Just move. And get enough sleep.

Focus on order. Organizing, clearing out, keeping my house clean.

Focus on work. Staying caught up, getting ahead, creating more order in my room and materials. All things that will improve ease and function.

And not least important, just new, focus on relationships. Connect and be present with the important people in my life.

Tybee

2-4-19, 4:10pm

I am going to go in kind of the opposite direction and go with very concrete things to tick off each day/week. This is a good chunk of time for me as it ends with my birthday, so I get to go into my next year with some nice new momentum.

1. Substitute a protein shake for one meal each day.

2. Up by 6:30 and get up and complete morning routine each day by 10:30am-- get up, make beds, start laundry, shower, have breakfast, clean bathroom, do 5 minute put away routine, 5 minute throw away routine, eat breakfast, record financial numbers for the day, answer emails for work and do 30 minutes to an hour and a half of grading. Some days I will have to grade more than this--Fridays can end up 5-6 hours.

3. Work on my own projects (not work) at least 2 hours each day.

4. Play the viola and/or cello 1/2 hour a day.

5. Train young dog two 5- minute periods morning and evening

6. Read the 4-5 books I have accumulated on decluttering and/or time management each day for half an hour and implement at least one new routine each week.

7. Be off computer and phone by 7 pm

7. Use my new planner every day, planning five must-dos for the following day, and keep track at end of day how it went. Record how time actually spent during day. Record successes and needs improvements before bed each evening.

Since we are in Week 1, my new routine for Weeks 1 and 2 is number 7, acclimating to the planner.

Yppej

2-4-19, 6:55pm

Chicken lady

2-4-19, 8:17pm

Tybee, that is a very clear plan, but it is a lot! I’m cheering for you!

Yppej, glad to see you. Hopefully another seed starter will keep me from losing my focus.

i do put concrete things on my to do list, so I need to make sure I am hitting my focus areas when I make it out.

today I did yoga with my husband and sat with him at breakfast. I took some pictures for my son in law relating to a project he wants to do and sent them with a short note. I answered my mil’s e-Mail. I sent a note to my mom.

I burned the burn box and I put more things in the trash cans and I washed and put away some items that had been left partway. I finished and put away a load of laundry.

i cleaned out one of the kidding stalls and used up all the large sheets of cardboard I had saved under the used bedding in part of the garden where I am putting sheet mulch.

i cleaned out my car so I can take a load to goodwill tomorrow.

i keep wanting to type “but I didn’t...” and stopping myself. This is why I don’t want a check off list. I focus too much on all the things I failed to do. I want to just focus on building up the accomplishment list. It is small today, but tomorrow I can do more.

Tybee

2-5-19, 6:48am

Yeah, it's clear but it's too much, CL. Yppej, I like your number of things. With my list, I can't keep that many things in my head and I'm already feeling kind of driven.

So I'm modifying it:

1. Use my new planner every day, planning three or four must-dos for the following day, and keep track at end of day how it went. Record how time actually spent during day. Record successes and needs improvements before bed each evening.

2. Work on my own projects (not work) at least 1 hours each day.

3. Play the viola and/or cello 1/2 hour a day.

4. Read the 4-5 books I have accumulated on decluttering and/or time management each day for half an hour and implement at least one new routine each week.

That feels better. I guess I am thinking of making three of the four must-dos numbers 2, 3, and 4. That leaves room for only one more must-do to add each day.

Chicken lady

2-5-19, 8:19am

Tybee, that feels much calmer and more focused - a good place to start. All those five minuteses and times were making my head spin!

that is me though - it is why I am not actually timing my five minute February tasks, just doing something that I think should take “about five minutes” having it be the garage is easy, because I pass through there many times a day.

i actually made up a mnemonic for my six areas: “RPG how” RPG is normally short fir “role playing games” in my world, so it’s sort of a word. And also I am trying to think of this as a way (how) to makes changes in my life based on the “character” I want to be. The mnemonic helps keep my foci at the front of my mind for decision making purposes.

Tybee

2-5-19, 8:38am

I just made a chart for my planner. I put my four things on it then made a table with a box for every day between now and March 21. When I get all the things done, I can put a check or a star in the box.

I am very visually oriented so maybe this will motivate me.

Yppej

2-5-19, 6:57pm

I walked outside today.

Teacher Terry

2-5-19, 7:02pm

Well my plan includes lots of reading and chilling because I fell on the ice last night while taking the garbage out and broke my right wrist.

iris lilies

2-5-19, 7:10pm

Well my plan includes lots of reading and chilling because I fell on the ice last night while taking the garbage out and broke my right wrist.
Shit!

wait, you guys have ice?

Teacher Terry

2-5-19, 7:11pm

We leave on vacation in 2 weeks. No swimming in the ocean for me

Tybee

2-5-19, 7:17pm

Oh, Terry, I am so sorry to hear that!!!

Chicken lady

2-5-19, 8:36pm

TT, waterproof cast?

and IL, you guys DON’T have ice?

Yppej, yay for walking! Good start!

and Tybee, how is the planner?

I
wrote a reaching out letter this morning.
spent a few minutes finishing a pottery project- not much, but something.
ran into a local gardening (friend?acquaintance?) and discussed starting seeds
ate a banana with almond butter and home made applesauce for lunch
swam 2700m
took a light cardload to goodwill (would have fit in a regular trunk except there were 3 small pieces of furniture)
did my quick bit in the garage
ran dishes and laundry
loaded and started the kiln at work, turned in my expenses, and printed out papers I need for Friday
and brought home some surprise materials that were left on my desk to try out a project for tomorrow (or maybe next week)

i won’t try to start seeds tonight - it’s a hour and a half to bedtime with chores yet to do and I just had dinner (a non-optimal but yummy baked potato with garlic sesame sauce and a glass of wine)

Yppej

2-5-19, 9:37pm

Wow CL that's a lot accomplished.

iris lilies

2-5-19, 11:12pm

No ice! We had 4 days of sunshine and 40/50/60 degree F weather that melted everything. Even when we had snowfall, it wasnt much. We did garden work.

Teacher Terry

2-6-19, 12:04am

We rarely get ice. Everything is so much effort. My right shoulder hurts probably by holding my arm careful. My neck hurts from leaning over the sink for my hair to be washed by my friend. I have a bad neck/back. Fortunately my son and friends all willing to help and I am taking it. Can’t wait for my husband to get home.

mschrisgo2

2-6-19, 12:49am

Well my plan includes lots of reading and chilling because I fell on the ice last night while taking the garbage out and broke my right wrist.

OH OUCH!!! Hope you heal quickly.

Yppej

2-6-19, 9:03pm

Sorry to hear about your mishap TT.

I have not started applying to jobs on my own yet because an agency finally got me an interview tomorrow.

Chicken lady

2-7-19, 6:19am

Good luck on your interview Yppej!

yesterday was very full and tiring.

i did,
do yoga, give dh a haircut, and clean up one tiny spot in my classroom

Tybee

2-7-19, 10:42am

I got sidetracked since I started the digital decluttering project. I deleted emails for hours and aggravated my carpal tunnel. It was the opposite of the 5 minute thing.

Today getting back on track--

bathroom, kitchen are clean.

Unpacked new dog kennel we ordered and put it in the kitchen so dogs can get used to it. It was extremely expensive but we bought them with a gift certificate, and they seem amazingly sturdy and kind of attractive. Now need to throw out the old one that this one replaces, and wait for the next one to arrive.

Did do my decluttering reading--got the Dana White book on managing your house from the library. A lot of it I knew, but she makes good points I need to rehear and get reinforced.

Her big point is your house is a container and you need to limit your belongings to the containers--so one shelf for cookbooks, etc. It's a sound philosophy.

Now to her decluttering book, which I ordered with an amazon gift certificate.

Packed up some champagne glasses for my son and dil, and waiting for another box to use to send the rest of them.

Teacher Terry

2-7-19, 11:07am

Good luck Y on the job interview. T, I love the container idea too. I found out I can buy a special bag to put over my arm that’s waterproof and then I can shower and swim. All my friends are coming over to help me and my husband coming home sooner than planned.

Chicken lady

2-7-19, 9:38pm

Teacher terry, i’m glad you are getting help.

today I
R - fixed dinner for dh and emailed a friend i’ve Been out of touch with
H - swam 2800m
H&O - and hauled 3 trash cans up to the road in the pouring rain(I think that counts as exercise)
O - did my five minutes in the garage, kept up with dishes and laundry
O&W - cleaned up another small spot in my classroom

Pottery and my garden are just not making the list. I’ve been working on the house mostly when I have blocks if tine. I need to either schedule those things or admit they are not priorities.

Yppej

2-8-19, 5:36am

I would take the job if they offer because the pay is a lot more and the commute a little better, but the company is stuffy and hidebound. For instance, they did not like when I asked about continuous improvement initiatives.

Tybee

2-8-19, 7:40am

Maybe if you see them as stuffy and hidebound, they are not a good fit?

Tybee

2-8-19, 8:01am

7
Yeah, it's clear but it's too much, CL. Yppej, I like your number of things. With my list, I can't keep that many things in my head and I'm already feeling kind of driven.

So I'm modifying it:

1. Use my new planner every day, planning three or four must-dos for the following day, and keep track at end of day how it went. Record how time actually spent during day. Record successes and needs improvements before bed each evening.

2. Work on my own projects (not work) at least 1 hours each day.

3. Play the viola and/or cello 1/2 hour a day.

4. Read the 4-5 books I have accumulated on decluttering and/or time management each day for half an hour and implement at least one new routine each week.

That feels better. I guess I am thinking of making three of the four must-dos numbers 2, 3, and 4. That leaves room for only one more must-do to add each day.

This plan is not working, so modifying it. It doesn't have to be forever, and after reading that former slob book about managing my house, I realize that I am trying to problem solve way too much and far into the future.

So, from now til March 20, new list:

1. Read on decluttering and time management, at least 1/2 hour day

2. Play viola or cello, at least 1/2 hour day

3. Use my new planner, plan out three or four must-dos that day, work on goal planning, at least 1/2 hour day

Teacher Terry

2-8-19, 1:09pm

Y, that’s strange about that company. It doesn’t sound like a good fit. I liked the book so much I devoured it in one day. I thought it one of the best on the topic with the most practical advice. I think it’s helpful that she is not naturally neat

Tybee

2-8-19, 3:47pm

did you read decluttering at the speed of life, Terry, or How to Manage your home without losing your mind? i read the managing one from the library and now I am reading decluttering at the speed of life.

What makes the most sense to me is how she says that clutter is anything that is beyond your level to control in your house. And she talks about people having different levels of comfort with clutter. I think that is true. I am not sure about the naturally neat issue--I actually was weirded out that she was so slobby at first--like not washing the dishes every day. I get the doing laundry once a week thing and did that in the 80's but now I am much more comfortable doing a load each day--but I don't have it pile up, it gets put away.

But she is right, people have different comfort levels, and her container advice is brilliant, and thinking of the house as a container is really working for me.

Teacher Terry

2-8-19, 4:36pm

I read them both. She was a bigger slob than I have ever been. I usually do the laundry once a week like I always have. Even with my broken wrist I can load/unload dishwasher, etc. I can’t hand wash pans but my friends are handling that until my husband gets home. I am going to share the container idea with my husband and tell him he can only keep what fits into the containers in his office. Not sure if it will work but you never know.

Yppej

2-8-19, 7:26pm

I got the old doctor's office to call the new doctor's office about the records. Apparently the disk format they sent cannot be opened. I will follow up again next week.

Chicken lady

2-9-19, 6:27am

Yppej, good job on the call.

Tybee, you are learning what works for you. That is good. A small change you can stick to us better than random larger changes.

I’m reading “nony”’s blog backwards. My house has been much worse than hers. I never objected to toys with small parts.

my son used to have his father’s old dresser. When he was in preschool we were talking to his grandmother and the topic of dressers cane up. He said “I don’t have a dresser.” I was embarrassed and asked him “where do you keep your clothes?” And my honest little 4 y.o. said “in my laundry basket.”

yesterday i I did yoga with dh in the morning. He had to work really late and I waited up for him and we spent some tine together talking. (So now i’m very tired - and I have physical work to do today and plans with friends that will keep me out late tonight.)

i threw away some unclaimed projects from my classroom yesterday and returned the borrowed projector to the teacher down the hall (she was hoping I would keep it because she has no storage either and also uses it rarely)

i did the biggest, most daunting school related task while I was waiting for dh to come home.

Teacher Terry

2-9-19, 5:07pm

DH came home last night and loved his office.

Yppej

2-9-19, 5:16pm

Two other recruiters will be contacting me Monday, one at lunchtime and one after work. Each has positions even closer to home than the one I interviewed at.

Chicken lady

2-10-19, 10:10am

Yay for a happy dh and potential better jobs!

teacher terry, I hope he is motivated to build on your success.

Yesterday a friend dropped by to bring me some materials she was clearing out of her house that will be useful in one of my classes and we had a good visit. Dh and I went out for a game night with some other friends.

i (mostly, needs a little more work) cleaned out a second kidding stall and dumped the used bedding in a useful spot in the garden.

i ran a load of laundry that included two “new” (thrift store) pairs of heavy weight jeans for barn work and tried on and evaluated all the pants in one of my drawers. Got rid of two older basically unwearable pairs of jeans.

did my “5 minutes” in the garage.

sent out an email to all of my parents in two classes. I have been putting it off for two weeks, and of course it was far easier than expected.

Tybee

2-10-19, 11:54am

Doing well with the decluttering books and also on decluttering my own books. I took a box of books to the Goodwill, along with a box of china, and while there found a wonderful glass bowl for 3 dollars--so that was a good trade!

We decluttering a Computer yesterday at Best Buy.

I sent a book from decluttering to my dad's friend, and sent my son 5 of the 8 champagne glasses I have for him. Now just need a new shipping box, and can finish with the champagne glasses and a serving bowl left over from his Christmas shipment. I will also put his prom pictures in there!

Gardnr

2-10-19, 12:11pm

I've had 5 very small (like 2.5") framed prints on the narrow kitchen wall beside my pantry. They've been bugging me for awhile. I took them down yesterday morning. I don't miss them. The wall looks "cleaner". Above them was an embroidered cloth tortilla warmer that was a Christmas gift a few years ago. I've moved it down to eye level and I love this new look.

When you decluttered long long ago and you don't shop, there's not much left that doesn't get used or doesn't feel right.

These are in the thrift store box along with another item I tired of early January. It will likely take the year to fill that box!

Chicken lady

2-11-19, 7:00am

Good job on the decluttering Tybee!

how are the music and the planner going?

Gardnr, do you have a plan you are following? Do you want to share it?

yesterday I
spent time with dh - who was actually home all day for a change!
cleaned a plant tray so I can plant in it
actually made good food choices
Did my five minute garage task
puttered around the house picking up and making things more orderly, including cleaning out two shelves of a cabinet to make space for materials for one of my new classes that have been becoming an ever larger pile due to not having a home.
answered a student e-mail and arranged for a sub for my class on a day that I will be covering another class because my class is easier to match with a qualified sub.

i feel like I am starting to get a better sense of what “normal” is for me - for years (decades?) I have had a vision of “normal” that meant every single day was an exception. (Normally I would xyz, but today....illness/overschedule/emergency/special event/recovery/exhaustion/travel...) the days I was calling “normal” were more like days of grace. It was hard for me to see because the exceptions that kept getting added to my vision of “normal” were always different and often one time events. But now,without children growing and changing they are often recurring. And I can see that they were recurring before, I was just being too specific. “Things will get back to normal when soccer/swimming/cross country/gymnastics/swimming/track/lacross/swimming ends” was actually “sports practice is now and for the foreseeable future a significant part of our lives. Not an add-on.”

and then as the spaces opened up from the things that were preventing “normal” I just added more things - oh, now we have time to... which is fine, but I need to recognize that if I add something to my life, it becomes part of “normal”.

Teacher Terry

2-11-19, 11:51am

CL, it seems like you are finally realizing that you can only do so much in 24 hours:))

Chicken lady

2-11-19, 1:33pm

Nope, I have always known I could only do so much in 24 hours - it’s just that I have always resented that some of it had to be rest. I am learning to be less angry about that. Not accepting it, just becoming less angry. I think in part from having experienced the horrible anemia and being more greatful for what I can do. I’m sure that will wear off.

i am also learning that all those things that I was going to do when life “got back to normal” weren’t being blocked by all the other things - well they were, because I kept committing to the other things. I knew I didn’t want to do the “normal” things, I just wasn’t recognizing that I was scheduling all that stuff in part to block them. Because I did want to have the normal things done, but I didn’t want to do them. So I did things I wanted to do instead.

things that I could argue were more important.

and part of that was relationship expectations and communication that dh and I are still working on.

And honestly, I still don’t know how to put my priorities (pottery) ahead of dh priorities (food, clean house) more than rarely. (In part because I realize that “normal” people would list “food and a clean house” ahead of “poverty level career in art”), but I am still angry that I am the one who ends up having to address those things and that afterwards I am worn down and end up resting instead of creating.

so, maybe a little early for congratulations.

Teacher Terry

2-11-19, 3:58pm

So maybe a ranking system for things besides food and house. That could help you decide. I am assuming the farm animals/chores rank higher than pottery too but pottery is probably a lot more fun to do.

Yppej

2-11-19, 6:34pm

Neither recruiter called me. I have noticed female recruiters are good and male recruiters are flaky. YMMV. I guess if I want to leave I will have to look on my own after all.

Teacher Terry

2-11-19, 6:42pm

That’s terrible Y.

iris lilies

2-11-19, 9:18pm

Neither recruiter called me. I have noticed female recruiters are good and male recruiters are flaky. YMMV. I guess if I want to leave I will have to look on my own after all.
awww, sweetie, I hate that! I am sorry !

Chicken lady

2-12-19, 6:59am

Yppej, i’m Sorry about the recruiters. How frustrating!

yesterday I
went out to work in my studio, but was overwhelmed and ended up cleaning up/out and organizing so I can get right to work when I go out today. I only have a short time this morning, but I am determined.
did yoga with dh
Picked up/cleaned/did laundry.

i have no trouble prioritizing the not food and house. I have trouble quitting the food and house while I still have energy and interest for anything else. Sometimes I think house will never be done. Right now the addition, dining porch, guest bath, and den (old living room) are company ready. The laundry room is good. But I am still fighting my way out of 50 years of hoarding along with the normal people housekeeping. Sometimes when I have time, I waste it by trying to address part of the mess and then becoming so overwhelmed and discouraged that I can’t do anything.

Teacher Terry

2-12-19, 11:26am

CL, it does sound like good progress if you have that many rooms company ready

Yppej

2-12-19, 6:15pm

Heard only 1 of the 3 people I interviewed with me wanted me, but that one is transferring to a location nearer home, so maybe something will come of it later. My female recruiter did give me feedback :)

Chicken lady

2-12-19, 10:09pm

Wishing you luck!

today I cleaned up and spent an hour and a half in the studio. I still didn’t throw - I had three balls ready, but nothing in the bucket that has to rest overnight, so I trimmed one pot I had done a while ago and set it to dry, and then wedged up enough clay to fill the “resting” bucket. By then I had to chose between throwing and giving time for lunch, and I picked lunch.

but the bucket is full and a pot is drying.

swam 2900meters after work. And made good food choices.

made dinner and ate with dh even thought he got home at 7:30.

did my garage task.

rummaged around in the chest freezer and found some milk for a friend’s orphan lamb.

Yppej

2-14-19, 5:27am

The medical records finally made it to the new doctor's after over a month, but now they have to be transcribed into a chart for me, so more follow up before I can schedule my annual physical.

It is too snowy to start outdoor seeds yet, but I have a nice spot picked out on the south side of the house.

Chicken lady

2-14-19, 9:33am

Yppej, you are making progress.

i keep finding myself wanting to list the failures and “buts” when I come to this thread. I am struggling very hard not to do that.

i will limit myself to saying - Wednesdays are hard. And I need to spend some time examining Wednesdays and thinking about why they are hard and what I can do to address that.

yesterday I taught. I was organized and prepared enough to seize a new opportunity and incorporate it into my lesson smoothly.

i spent some time reaching out to and talking with a couple of women whom I like. Part of my “relationships” focus is that I am trying to relearn how to have friends. I had friends when I was in college, but they were nearly all men and mostly based on common activities and easy geography. And I had “friends” when my kids were home, but it turns out they were exclusively based on common activities - parenting/homeschooling - and geography - I was willing to drive to their house so my kids could play with their kids.

i did yoga. I ate ok.

Teacher Terry

2-14-19, 10:15am

With breaking my wrist my productivity has come to a halt. I enjoy reading about everyone else ‘s. Even simple tasks are a big effort. DH is helping of course but he is blind to stuff so needs reminding.

Tybee

2-14-19, 10:45am

My productivity also ground to a halt due to horrible blizzardy cold weather. My SADD is in full throttle. I had momentum for the picture project an then the email project--7000 emails removed from my inbox and dealt with.

I seem to need one big project.

The photo albums and the empty email box are pretty cool, however.

iris lilies

2-14-19, 12:18pm

I will say if I havent alread said it: the idea of 7,000 email messages in my inbox fills me with horror and dread. Each day my goal is to clean out my inbox, and sometimes that means Read and Delete, sometimes it means Keep for a While and Move to appropriate Sub File.

Tybee

2-14-19, 12:31pm

yes, I am So happy that I can now o just that!

Chicken lady

2-17-19, 10:08pm

So, in general, keeping up with the exercise, eating ok on average, found the stuff I need to start my seeds today but still didn’t start them, spent a little over two hours in the studio including throwing six pots and wedging up 13 more balls of clay. Have my lesson plans ready for Tuesday/th (but need to gather a few materials) most of Wednesday and half of Friday. One paper left to check - maybe. it’s late. Six weeeks late, and I started checking it and then realized the kid is going to get an F anyway, won’t bother to read my corrections, and isn’t going to learn anything from this experience except that doing his work late for an F is marginally better than not doing it at all and getting a zero. (Because it will be a solid F (in the 40s), he will probably pass on classwork and participation, and two zeros on major projects and I don’t give you credit for the class at all. I might just give him a 45 and never return the paper.)

mschrisgo2

2-17-19, 10:41pm

CL, good keeping up!

I'll advocate for not checking the paper. My philosophy was always that the teacher should not be doing twice as much work as the student.

Yppej

2-18-19, 7:26am

I applied for my first job on my own.

Chicken lady

2-18-19, 10:19pm

Good luck Yppej!

i got an e-mail from the same kid tonight - I offered to meet with him last week and proposed some possible times - last week. His reply to that email, sent today, was “sounds good!”

i pointed out that the email was from from last week, gave him my availability this week, and told him he would need to email me the night before at the latest and I would confirm before school started the next day if I was still available.

today I spent the afternoon in my studio - wedging clay and cleaning up. I can see a difference. It is more inviting and there is more room to work. Not plenty, but enough. I am ready to put a handle on in the morning before work. Slow and steady.

i also started my first flat of seeds. I thought I was late but when I got out the packets, I realized I had my dates wrong and I am right on time!

mschrisgo2

2-20-19, 4:56pm

CL, Congrats on getting your seeds started right on time! Wedging clay and cleaning up sounds good too. Glad you are able to see a difference, it's nice to have room to work.

Yppej

2-20-19, 6:35pm

The job (on Indeed) asked if I was a resident of the town where the company is. I thought that odd. I get not wanting to pay to relocate someone, but you can't commute from an adjacent community? I answered honestly No so maybe I am out of the running for that job. Has anyone else run into this?

Also applied for an internal job closer to home but I know I will not get it. They do not hire women for these jobs although I have 9 years of relevant experience. A friend of mine applied for the same position in another location and is even more qualified than me. She did get an interview but told me it was apparent they did not want a woman.

Last year I applied for the same job. The person they picked started in July and is already out. Last year they told me the position was "just filled" when in fact one of my sources in the company told me it was not.

Chicken lady

2-20-19, 9:05pm

The kid scheduled a meeting. I confirmed. The kid did not show up.

yppej,that seems like the kind of thing that should be reported somewhere - wherever it is that they send fake candidates with identical resumes but different genders to apply for the job to prove discrimination.

iris lilies

2-20-19, 9:18pm

Yppej

2-21-19, 5:51am

No, it is private sector.

ApatheticNoMore

2-21-19, 11:58am

Yppej

2-22-19, 9:08pm

Although I said No they e-mailed me today that they will be contacting me to set up an interview.

Chicken lady

2-23-19, 10:20am

Yay Yppej! Crossing my fingers for you!

my week -

feel like a spent more time with dh. We met for dinner out one night this week (nothing fancy, just a very reasonable little local place) and I made him put his phone away.

i had a good conversation with a friend at work in which I shared some personal issues (about the hoarding) and she responded in a supportive manner (just a five minute exchange, not a deep heart-to-heart)

Good phone calls with both biodd’s.

i did get the handle on that pot, and I am improving my clay management system. I cleared out the bottom shelf of my locker in the classroom too - where I had just stuffed some scrap clay for “later”. I want to build on that this week.

my first seeds are just barely starting to sprout and I cut willow switches to root in water and plant in some of my wet areas. I’m getting the impression that global warming is going to require me to significantly up my water management game.

i swam 3000 meters twice this week and did yoga m/w/f. My food choices have been pretty good, and I have found a reasonably healthy, low packaging snack food to add to my diet. I am currently pretty happy with my body. My weight is down some, I have energy and I have sore muscles instead of sore joints. Doing fairly well on the sleep schedule.

The house got to be a mess again this week, but it is a one day clean up mess, and not a fall into despair mess. The garage is a little better and I put up 1.5 cans of trash. And slightly improved my organization of class materials at home.

it was a good week in all of my classes. And my boss stopped me in the hall and asked me to design a new class to teach next year to fill a hole/need in the schedule. I’m working on that and a little nervous/excited. It looks like I will have 8 single session classes and three double section classes next year, plus at least one after school slot. Right now I have 8, 1, and 1, so that is a five hour increase in my schedule. (from 14 to 19 with no increase in commuting time) Of course, this is dependant on the classes actually filling at registration....

Overall, i’d call the week good.

Teacher Terry

2-23-19, 10:41am

Sounds like a excellent week! We have been in New Orleans the past 3 days and today hop on a cruise ship for a week. So have been productive sightseeing:))

mschrisgo2

2-25-19, 10:41pm

Yppej, I hope the job pans out for you.

CL, it sound like this 6.5 week plan suits you very well!

Yppej

2-26-19, 5:30am

No further word about the job and I am starting to have doubts about it. The weather is very cold. Are they stalling because they are a construction company and they won't hire until spring and will lay off for the winter? I need year-round employment. The person who contacted me is holding a big political banner on her LinkedIn page for a party I do not care for. And they are located on the same lot as a drug rehab facility, so I am concerned my car could be broken into.

Construction is hit hard in recessions and we are due for one. An infrastructure bill which would mitigate that has not gotten through Congress.

Chicken lady

3-9-19, 10:06am

I haven’t come back to this for a while.

yppej, how are things going? Anyone else have an update?

i have been very busy the last couple of weeks.

on the relationship front I have spent time with my husband and in town daughter. (Struggling with husband because his work schedule is still awful, but we have made concrete plans and I have been cooking a little more and insisting on phone free dinners even if we eat at 8:30 - which we did one night.) also making an attempt to strengthen work connections through short personal conversations and brainstorming. I also started attending a new pottery class session which has a pretty good social group - although I can’t participate in after class lunches because I have to leave for work. Most classmates are retired. Last weekend we had a great visit from one of dh oldest friends who now lives in CA. I was able to open my home and relax!

i have finally started integrating more pottery into my weeks. Making a point to get out into the studio when I have a little time in the mornings - preparing for a show in April and also taking my class.

my first seedlings are up for the garden this year. I hope to get to the store for more peat pellets and plant the second round this weekend, and my willows are growing roots.

still sleeping well, working on my snacking and meal choices, and slowly increasing my swim distance. I’d like to get up to 2 miles by solstice. I’ve been doing less yoga because dh is not available, but physically demanding spring chores are starting up. I’m trying to develop a new guage for body image, because my weight has stalled - yoyoing the same three pounds, but my clothes are still changing fit.

On the organizing front, my house is currently a huge mess, as upkeep has been neglected since the friend left. However, things are improved in the studio with continued sorting out, some giving away, and some small use of the trash can.

work his been a big focus with new class descriptions and next year’s schedule coming out on top of investment of time and energy in the classes I currently have. I have 50% more hours on offer next year (the classes have to fill to run) with the potential for a new section of something if I get a large waiting list or a change if something doesn’t fill and something else gets a wait list - a lot of variety! I’ve had some really great moments with some of my kids this week, and am excited about a conversation I had with a parent yesterday about her child joining one of my classes next year. I’m seeing my room with new eyes and planning to ask my boss if I can get in over spring break (solstice week) to do a cleanout/organize.

so, overall, busier, but feeling more in control.

Yppej

3-9-19, 12:32pm

Apply for jobs on my own. Agency recruiters are not getting me anywhere. One never called me today as promised.

Start some cold weather plants from seed.

Begin walking outdoors on warmer days.

Stay within budget each month.

Follow up to ensure all medical records are transferred to my new doctor and schedule my annual physical, then cancel the physical at the old doctor's.

No further word on the external job but I applied to for a transfer to a location closer to home within the company and have an interview next week.

It has been too cold to walk outside and too snowy to start plants.

I have stayed withn budget.

Got my medical records transferred and a physical set up at the new doctor's, still have to cancel the old one.

Chicken lady

3-19-19, 7:06am

So Yppej (And anyone else who wants to recap) how did it go?

tomorrow is the solstice and I plan to stay home and hopefully have a fire since we are on spring break.

since my last post I have continued working on relationship building - going hiking with dh and friends and attending a party where I convinced my son in law to be my plus one so I didn’t have to go alone. He actually drove over in a nasty storm and a casual friend at the party said what a good son he was to “drive out in this just because his mama asked him to.” Then she said he was extra good when I told her he was my sil. I really lucked out there. We have been mistaken for coworkers, friends, and blood family several times in the last few years since Dd brought him around. Dd2 has a newish (but sounds serious) bf and we get to meet him Saturday.

Pottery - i have half a kiln load of dry work ready to fire for the spring show and more drying. And I am not very behind on work for my class.

I am behind on seed starting, but only a couple of weeks - plan to do more today and get caught up. I have cleared some blackberry canes and winter pruned a fruit tree.

still not getting in yoga consistently, but my swim is up to two miles. I’m also doing more physical labor outside. Food choices are hit and miss.

organization wise, my studio area is much better. Dh worked with me yesterday and we have a pile of sporting goods/outdoor toys to take to goodwill plus we filled half a trash can. We also finally took the old range and microwave to habitat.

i am doing ok on work. Mostly managing to stay a week ahead, but I really need to lock down the last nine weeks before break ends and start on evaluations so they will be less overwhelming in May - copying the form and updating the session for each kid takes me about a minute, so there is over an hour of work I can do in tiny bits here and there any day now. And I should be able to write at least part of the narrative for every kid - even if I have to edit or update, it will be faster.

i’ve started working on classes for next year already as well, and today I am going in to reorganize my room.

Yppej

3-19-19, 5:56pm

No word back on the job. I didn't think an internal applicant would be ghosted. In the meantime I am enjoying the lunchtime book club at my current location. It is great to find congenial souls, and I'm glad your socializing is going well CL.

Chicken lady

3-20-19, 8:21am

Happy equinox!

exhaustion caught up to me last night and I slept 10 hours. I had nightmares about flooding though (perhaps because dh showed me aerial photos of the place we used to live near the Mississippi before I went to bed.....)

i did get my seeds planted yesterday. I also worked in my classroom - but I left it messier than when I started due to pulling a bunch of things out. I go back tomorrow afternoon though. Hopefully I will have time to get everything put away properly sorted and labelled, but at worst I will shove a bunch of it back where it was, and it will still look better - there will be less because I removed things, and I put a shelf in a better location.

i’ll start a new thread to go to early May (Beltaine, May 5) this evening if no one else does.