I watched the movie Little Miss Sunshine last week. It was kind of weird and quirky, but touching too. It actually left me feeling a little off-kilter. But I connected with one aspect of that family's life and that's this: their cranky old VW bus.
I don't have a VW of any kind. And some might not even call my twelve-year-old Chevy "old". But in winter weather it certainly gets cranky. This morning, I found myself feeling a lot like the Hoover family as I sat trapped in my car...in my garage. You see, my little Prizm has this habit of freezing shut, where it's impossible to get the doors open. But I've found a workaround to that. I simply use the remote start and let it run a little bit to thaw out.
It also has the habit of getting frozen open, as in the driver's side door won't latch when it's too cold. For that quirk, I move the car into the empty spot in the garage after DH leaves for work.
This exceptionally cold morning, I decided to get a head start on dealing with the car's issues, so it would be ready by 7:30am when my daughter needed to get to the junior high (I figured I'd be a nice mom and drive her most of the way down there). I hit the remote start. It chugged for a moment and then stopped. I shuffled down the drive and grabbed our newspaper, then tried again. With a groan, the engine turned over and then roared to a start.
I went in and ate my breakfast while letting it warm up for five minutes. Then I bundled up and headed out to the car. It took a hard pull, but the door opened. And when I pulled it shut, it actually latched. I cheered to myself briefly before pulling the car into the garage.
Then I went to get out. The handle barely moved and the door didn't budge. I tried again. Nothing. So I leaned across to the passenger door and pulled on the manual lock. It stuck. I pulled harder. Nothing. Now I was beginning to get irked. Climbing into the back seat, I yanked on the back door lock. It opened! Then I pulled on the handle. It moved, but the door was frozen shut.
At this point I wondered what to do. I didn't have my cell phone on me because I was only driving from my driveway into the garage. But I could honk the horn and maybe my kids would come out to help me. Or I could sit it out and wait for the car to thaw in the garage.
Finally I rolled down the back window and tried opening the door from the outside. This time it opened. I was free!
I guess I should be thankful. My Prizm doesn't have a broken clutch that requires it to have a running start. And the horn doesn't stick in an incessant whining toot. Plus, none of the doors have fallen off...yet. Still, I can feel the pain of Olive Hoover's family driving around in their old pile of metal. Yup, life with an older car is certainly an adventure. We'll just leave it at that.
Showing posts with label everyday life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label everyday life. Show all posts
Monday, December 13, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Burning the Candle at Both Ends
Thankfully the title of this post doesn't entirely capture life for me recently. But sometimes it feels like it. Between new school routines, work and a class I'm taking that's proven to be rather rigorous, this little blog has gone by the wayside for a while. It's not that I don't have anything to write about, but that there's so much to write about and not enough time.
Here's what I'm thinking about today: candles. That's right, those little (or big) wax things with a wick that used to be used for light, but now are pretty much just decoration. I have a lot of candles. But I haven't much paid attention to them in the past. I remember a wise friend who is known for having candles lit in her house, pretty much 24/7, advising that it's a great gesture to make your house more welcoming. I tried putting her advise into practice, but more often than not would remember until after the fact.
Then I read about a writer who would stage her writing area in such a way as to cue herself that it was time to write (I think it was Gretchen Rubin in The Happiness Project). She'd go to her writing space and would light a candle before starting her work for the day. I decided that this was just the thing to banish my lazy writer ways. I needed a candle for my office. So before the school year started, I took my children to Yankee Candle and proceeded to sniff every one of their candles in a search for the perfect scent for my office. It needed to be something gentle. Not too sweet, not too musky. Something soothing and cozy. I decided on "Drift Away". It seemed fitting for what I hoped would happen as my fingers scrambled over the keyboard - that I'd drift away into my writerly world. I'd become prolific.
Since then I've been kind of candle crazy. I actually remembered to light the wonderful Autumn Wreath jar candle I've kept in my powder room prior to the arrival of some overnight guests (partly because I needed to cover up the Scrubbing Bubbles scent from our mad cleaning spree). And most days I light my office candle as I settle in for a writing session. The promise of a beautiful scent and the calming sounds of my favorite Pandora stations tends to woo me into the office. The candle and music ritual seems to be working.
But I don't always write in my office. When my family is around and I still have writing to do, I like to sit in our living room with my laptop. What to do? I have no candle for the living room. You can imagine then how thrilled I was to get an Amber Sunset jar candle as a gift recently. It took me a few moments to think of where to put it, but then I remembered: my candle-less living room.
An added bonus of my new found fondness for candles? My family will have a much easier time finding gifts for me this year for Christmas. They can just pick up Drift Away or Storm Watch or even Garden Sweet Pea for me. It's one way to get onto the dedication page of my next book. : )
Here's what I'm thinking about today: candles. That's right, those little (or big) wax things with a wick that used to be used for light, but now are pretty much just decoration. I have a lot of candles. But I haven't much paid attention to them in the past. I remember a wise friend who is known for having candles lit in her house, pretty much 24/7, advising that it's a great gesture to make your house more welcoming. I tried putting her advise into practice, but more often than not would remember until after the fact.
Then I read about a writer who would stage her writing area in such a way as to cue herself that it was time to write (I think it was Gretchen Rubin in The Happiness Project). She'd go to her writing space and would light a candle before starting her work for the day. I decided that this was just the thing to banish my lazy writer ways. I needed a candle for my office. So before the school year started, I took my children to Yankee Candle and proceeded to sniff every one of their candles in a search for the perfect scent for my office. It needed to be something gentle. Not too sweet, not too musky. Something soothing and cozy. I decided on "Drift Away". It seemed fitting for what I hoped would happen as my fingers scrambled over the keyboard - that I'd drift away into my writerly world. I'd become prolific.
Since then I've been kind of candle crazy. I actually remembered to light the wonderful Autumn Wreath jar candle I've kept in my powder room prior to the arrival of some overnight guests (partly because I needed to cover up the Scrubbing Bubbles scent from our mad cleaning spree). And most days I light my office candle as I settle in for a writing session. The promise of a beautiful scent and the calming sounds of my favorite Pandora stations tends to woo me into the office. The candle and music ritual seems to be working.
But I don't always write in my office. When my family is around and I still have writing to do, I like to sit in our living room with my laptop. What to do? I have no candle for the living room. You can imagine then how thrilled I was to get an Amber Sunset jar candle as a gift recently. It took me a few moments to think of where to put it, but then I remembered: my candle-less living room.
An added bonus of my new found fondness for candles? My family will have a much easier time finding gifts for me this year for Christmas. They can just pick up Drift Away or Storm Watch or even Garden Sweet Pea for me. It's one way to get onto the dedication page of my next book. : )
Friday, September 03, 2010
Cheering for a Big Fat Zero!
Anyone remember back more than a year ago when I said I was going to try and get my email inbox to zero? Even I thought it was going to be a stretch. And I was right, it was a stretch. But here's the thing - without stretching, we can't grow.
I've been reading a lot lately on ways to promote contentment in your life. The latest is Rest: Living in Sabbath Simplicity by Keri Wyatt Kent. In it she talks about the need to stretch beyond our current abilities in order to grow (and in that growth, I think we experience a sense of contentment). Our muscles grow stronger by being pushed just beyond their limits. Same with our emotional capacity. Kent defines quite well how this really applies to every area of our lives. So in my case, it was a stretch to aim for zero email messages in my inbox.
Guess what? I got there today. That's right, I was able to respond to the two messages left from yesterday and that left me with none. And like Kent suggests, the stretch has caused me to grow. It has caused me to change one of my procrastinator habits of letting messages sit until I feel good and ready to respond to them. When your inbox is slowly creeping toward empty, there's less volume to support the excuse that "there's too much to do it now". In fact, the quest to get that inbox depleted worked as a sort of carrot dangling before me. I was willing to stay in my seat and work hard at typing a good response now, rather than waiting.
I've also grown in my ability to make decisions more rapidly, at least in this area. For indecisive me, that's a big step. I now decide on a response, send it, then file or delete. It's much easier to sort through dozens of emails efficiently when you can do that.
So will I keep it at zero? No. I don't think I can do that on a day-to-day basis. But in the past few months (other than during vacation), it's rarely crept above 25. And now that it's at zero, I'm guessing I can keep it even lower than that. My goal from here on out is to zero it out by Friday each week.
Now I've got to set myself another stretch goal. Hmmm...any suggestions?
I've been reading a lot lately on ways to promote contentment in your life. The latest is Rest: Living in Sabbath Simplicity by Keri Wyatt Kent. In it she talks about the need to stretch beyond our current abilities in order to grow (and in that growth, I think we experience a sense of contentment). Our muscles grow stronger by being pushed just beyond their limits. Same with our emotional capacity. Kent defines quite well how this really applies to every area of our lives. So in my case, it was a stretch to aim for zero email messages in my inbox.
Guess what? I got there today. That's right, I was able to respond to the two messages left from yesterday and that left me with none. And like Kent suggests, the stretch has caused me to grow. It has caused me to change one of my procrastinator habits of letting messages sit until I feel good and ready to respond to them. When your inbox is slowly creeping toward empty, there's less volume to support the excuse that "there's too much to do it now". In fact, the quest to get that inbox depleted worked as a sort of carrot dangling before me. I was willing to stay in my seat and work hard at typing a good response now, rather than waiting.
I've also grown in my ability to make decisions more rapidly, at least in this area. For indecisive me, that's a big step. I now decide on a response, send it, then file or delete. It's much easier to sort through dozens of emails efficiently when you can do that.
So will I keep it at zero? No. I don't think I can do that on a day-to-day basis. But in the past few months (other than during vacation), it's rarely crept above 25. And now that it's at zero, I'm guessing I can keep it even lower than that. My goal from here on out is to zero it out by Friday each week.
Now I've got to set myself another stretch goal. Hmmm...any suggestions?
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Camp Week!
Last week was "Camp Week" in our family. I haven't been big on sending my kids to summer camps (I know - I'm a weird Naperville mom. Everybody in Naperville seems to send their kids to summer campS). But this year a few opportunities came up that seemed to fit my kids. Rather than spread them out and lock up multiple weeks of our summer, I chose to stack them all in one week. Can you say, "insanity"? It was worth all the driving though.
Here's a quick summary of our camp week:
LMH went to volleyball camp coached by the vball coaches from her future high school. Way cool for her! And great skill building. She had gone to vball camp last summer with the coaches from the other high school. It was good too. But this time seemed to ignite her interest even more. Maybe it was the fact that a handful of girls from her school were there. Maybe it was the fact that she could actually do the drills with some skill. And maybe it was the fact that she got some extra coaching at home from resident vball player - Dad. Probably it was all three. Who knows how far she'll get in playing volleyball. It's a competitive field in our fair city. We've heard of club players with lots of dedication (and skill?) not get on the high school team. For now, it's her sport and she loved the camp. Hurray!
Timid Daughter, get this, went to Christian Youth Theater camp. Yep, theater! Believe it or not, both her Dad and I think that she's the most likely of our three to be a performer. She's a natural ham, once she lets down her guard. So it was interesting to watch her progess over the course of the week. She loved the camp, but wasn't so big on their special dress themes. She worked hard every evening to practice the numbers she had learned. It was a tough camp - they had classes on singing, dancing and drama every day and then rehearsal for an hour and a half every afternoon. All that hard work showed once it came to the final performance on Friday. She did great! She sang, she danced and she spoke her line perfectly. Again, who knows if she'll ever go into drama or anything. But she got to try it out. And she tells me she was only a tiny bit nervous going on stage, if that means anything.
The Uber-Princess went to Safety Town to learn about, well, safety. I happen to find it very ironic that somebody ran into my car in the parking lot of Safety Town (and then fled - LMH was in the car waiting for me and witnessed it). Anyway, she learned a lot about safety. I had refused to put my older two in Safety Town when they were her age just out of principal. A friend had been adament that I should do it. I was stubborn and didn't. And after this week I don't regret that choice at all one bit (and no, it's not because of my car). U-P had lots of fun. But every day when she reported what she had done, her sisters chimed in with a "oh yeah, I did that in second grade (or first grade or...)". There were certainly some unique experiences she got - like being able to ride bikes in Safety Town and go inside an ambulance. But most of the material is being taught by the Safety Town folks in the public schools. And now U-P is sleeping with her bedroom door closed all the way, walking her bike across the street instead of riding and pointing out other safety concerns. As long as she doesn't get hyper about it, I'm fine.
As for me, I spent a bunch of Camp Week driving around town. But I did get some time for writing in between stops. And I did get myself signed up for an online writing course this Fall. That's as good as camp for me.
Will we try doing Camp Week next summer? Probably. I really, really enjoyed the evenings when we'd sit around the dinner table and everyone would report on what they had done and learned that day. I loved seeing my girls try something new or learn a new skill. That's a lot of what summer is about. But to me the other thing summer is about is just being free to play and ride bikes and go to the pool and BE. A. KID. So I don't see our family doing more than one camp in a summer.
How about your family? Anyone send their kids away for camp (I've always wondered what this would be like, both for parents and kid)? Anyone sign their kids up for multiple weeks of camp and can tell me the benefits of that ('cuz I'm open to understanding the thoughts behind it - I know there's got to be some good reasons for it)?
Here's a quick summary of our camp week:
LMH went to volleyball camp coached by the vball coaches from her future high school. Way cool for her! And great skill building. She had gone to vball camp last summer with the coaches from the other high school. It was good too. But this time seemed to ignite her interest even more. Maybe it was the fact that a handful of girls from her school were there. Maybe it was the fact that she could actually do the drills with some skill. And maybe it was the fact that she got some extra coaching at home from resident vball player - Dad. Probably it was all three. Who knows how far she'll get in playing volleyball. It's a competitive field in our fair city. We've heard of club players with lots of dedication (and skill?) not get on the high school team. For now, it's her sport and she loved the camp. Hurray!
Timid Daughter, get this, went to Christian Youth Theater camp. Yep, theater! Believe it or not, both her Dad and I think that she's the most likely of our three to be a performer. She's a natural ham, once she lets down her guard. So it was interesting to watch her progess over the course of the week. She loved the camp, but wasn't so big on their special dress themes. She worked hard every evening to practice the numbers she had learned. It was a tough camp - they had classes on singing, dancing and drama every day and then rehearsal for an hour and a half every afternoon. All that hard work showed once it came to the final performance on Friday. She did great! She sang, she danced and she spoke her line perfectly. Again, who knows if she'll ever go into drama or anything. But she got to try it out. And she tells me she was only a tiny bit nervous going on stage, if that means anything.
The Uber-Princess went to Safety Town to learn about, well, safety. I happen to find it very ironic that somebody ran into my car in the parking lot of Safety Town (and then fled - LMH was in the car waiting for me and witnessed it). Anyway, she learned a lot about safety. I had refused to put my older two in Safety Town when they were her age just out of principal. A friend had been adament that I should do it. I was stubborn and didn't. And after this week I don't regret that choice at all one bit (and no, it's not because of my car). U-P had lots of fun. But every day when she reported what she had done, her sisters chimed in with a "oh yeah, I did that in second grade (or first grade or...)". There were certainly some unique experiences she got - like being able to ride bikes in Safety Town and go inside an ambulance. But most of the material is being taught by the Safety Town folks in the public schools. And now U-P is sleeping with her bedroom door closed all the way, walking her bike across the street instead of riding and pointing out other safety concerns. As long as she doesn't get hyper about it, I'm fine.
As for me, I spent a bunch of Camp Week driving around town. But I did get some time for writing in between stops. And I did get myself signed up for an online writing course this Fall. That's as good as camp for me.
Will we try doing Camp Week next summer? Probably. I really, really enjoyed the evenings when we'd sit around the dinner table and everyone would report on what they had done and learned that day. I loved seeing my girls try something new or learn a new skill. That's a lot of what summer is about. But to me the other thing summer is about is just being free to play and ride bikes and go to the pool and BE. A. KID. So I don't see our family doing more than one camp in a summer.
How about your family? Anyone send their kids away for camp (I've always wondered what this would be like, both for parents and kid)? Anyone sign their kids up for multiple weeks of camp and can tell me the benefits of that ('cuz I'm open to understanding the thoughts behind it - I know there's got to be some good reasons for it)?
Friday, July 09, 2010
Summer is NOT Almost Over
There is something about the Fourth of July holiday that compels people (moms mostly) to start talking about how quickly the summer is going by. "It's just flying!" they'll say. And every year, but particularly this summer, I think the same thing. I stand there and listen to everyone talk about the fact that summer is nearly over on July 4th and think to myself, "Really??".
I haven't figured this one out yet, so maybe you (all two blog readers left after my long unexplained absence), can tell me. Why is this? Why do so many people think that with only one month of summer gone and nearly two months left, that summer is nearly over? If my math is right, there are around ninety days of summer (actually, I did a quick count and for my kids this year it is 89 days). And by July 4th, my children will have been out of school for exactly 38 days. That would make the summer 42% over. If you wanna round, you could say it's half over.
I'm a pessimist. I see the glass half empty all the time. But this one really gets me. By July 4th, we've just barely passed the summer solstice and our kids have fifty-one days left to hang around and go to the pool and catch lightening bugs and make smores. Folks, we've really got more time left than we've already had. Why do so many of you go around moaning that it's almost gone?!!! It is not almost gone. What have you been doing all this time that makes you feel like it's slipping through your fingers?
Ah! There it is. For our family, we've packed in a lot of summer fun by July 4th. So to look at all the time that is still left feels like it's not flying by at all. It must be that everyone else has a lot to still do and they don't feel like there's enough time to do it. That's it, right? Otherwise I'm still scratching my head over this one. Never has July 4th been near the end of the summer.
So there you have it. My opinion on summer's duration and July 4th. Yes, I'm still blogging (at least when something irks me enough). And I'm happy to say that I'm looking forward to all of the time we've got left this summer. We've got plenty planned and I hope to enjoy it.
I haven't figured this one out yet, so maybe you (all two blog readers left after my long unexplained absence), can tell me. Why is this? Why do so many people think that with only one month of summer gone and nearly two months left, that summer is nearly over? If my math is right, there are around ninety days of summer (actually, I did a quick count and for my kids this year it is 89 days). And by July 4th, my children will have been out of school for exactly 38 days. That would make the summer 42% over. If you wanna round, you could say it's half over.
I'm a pessimist. I see the glass half empty all the time. But this one really gets me. By July 4th, we've just barely passed the summer solstice and our kids have fifty-one days left to hang around and go to the pool and catch lightening bugs and make smores. Folks, we've really got more time left than we've already had. Why do so many of you go around moaning that it's almost gone?!!! It is not almost gone. What have you been doing all this time that makes you feel like it's slipping through your fingers?
Ah! There it is. For our family, we've packed in a lot of summer fun by July 4th. So to look at all the time that is still left feels like it's not flying by at all. It must be that everyone else has a lot to still do and they don't feel like there's enough time to do it. That's it, right? Otherwise I'm still scratching my head over this one. Never has July 4th been near the end of the summer.
So there you have it. My opinion on summer's duration and July 4th. Yes, I'm still blogging (at least when something irks me enough). And I'm happy to say that I'm looking forward to all of the time we've got left this summer. We've got plenty planned and I hope to enjoy it.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
A Sweet Mail Delivery
I arrived home last night from a long weekend with LMH & Timid Daughter in New York City (more on that to come in a later post). We crammed in a quick rundown of our weekend during the car ride home with AmusingDad and the Uber-Princess. We followed that with a swift distribution of gifts - from us to the two left behind and from Uber-Princess to me for Mother's Day. Finally, once the exhausted travelers and their sister were snug in bed I set to sorting through the things that had accumulated in my absence. Among them was a mystery box sent priority mail. I hadn't been expecting anything, so it piqued my curiosity. Turns out, it's one of the sweetest packages I've ever received. Wanna see?
Yes, that's really a carefully wrapped, styrofoam-protected bottle of syrup. Funny, isn't it? I mean, how many people get bottles of syrup sent to them from the manufacturer? Turns out that this one came because I'd called some months ago about a defective cap. It had been threaded wrong so that the opening/pour spout ended up on the side toward the handle. It wouldn't go on any other way. Which made it impossible to use. It was probably due to a glitch in manufacturing, but I thought they should know. I wasn't complaining since I'd been able to switch the bad cap with one from another bottle. I just wanted to pass on what I'd discovered in case they need to fix the glitch.
So now I'm on their list - the list of people they send free bottles of syrup with newly designed caps and ask for feedback. I don't mind. I happen to really like this brand of syrup. And if the new cap is drip-proof like they say, then I'll like it even more.
That's all for now. I have to get back to the loads of laundry and backlog of emails. But tell me, have you ever gotten an interesting mystery box in your mail? If so, what was it?
Yes, that's really a carefully wrapped, styrofoam-protected bottle of syrup. Funny, isn't it? I mean, how many people get bottles of syrup sent to them from the manufacturer? Turns out that this one came because I'd called some months ago about a defective cap. It had been threaded wrong so that the opening/pour spout ended up on the side toward the handle. It wouldn't go on any other way. Which made it impossible to use. It was probably due to a glitch in manufacturing, but I thought they should know. I wasn't complaining since I'd been able to switch the bad cap with one from another bottle. I just wanted to pass on what I'd discovered in case they need to fix the glitch.So now I'm on their list - the list of people they send free bottles of syrup with newly designed caps and ask for feedback. I don't mind. I happen to really like this brand of syrup. And if the new cap is drip-proof like they say, then I'll like it even more.
That's all for now. I have to get back to the loads of laundry and backlog of emails. But tell me, have you ever gotten an interesting mystery box in your mail? If so, what was it?
Friday, April 30, 2010
New Food Allotment Standard
Have you noticed the new packaging for old foods? Lately there's arisen some 100-calorie craze. I think it started with cookies and stuff (I am particularly fond of the Oreo 100-calorie packs). And then I noticed the dried cranberries 100-calorie packs. Now the latest are packages of Kraft processed cheese squares (no, I did not notice that they were processed when I bought them or maybe I wouldn't have - a friend pointed that out). Apparently 100-calories equals something like six bite-sized squares of cheese. I'm wondering what food they'll dole out next in these small amounts.
And what makes 100-calories the magical number? Admitedly, it is a very visible and easy method of portion control. But really, who eats just one 100-calorie pack for a meal? There's everything else that you're not measuring out that adds up fast. Of course, this may be a conspiracy to package all of our foods in little packets and have us eating each part of our meal in systematic 100-calorie bits. Feels a bit Huxlian to me.
Also it runs terribly afoul of the whole green movement. The packaging is a virtual environmental nightmare. Inside each multi-pack box or bag are a half-dozen or so little packages. Yikes! How long before protestors notice and start saying something?
The whole thing has me scratching my head. Does it really work? I suppose when it was just the cookies I was feeling pretty good about myself because I could limit my snacking to a mere 100-calories. And perhaps that's the aim with the cheese bits too - that snackers control how much they munch on cheese. Beyond snacking though, it doesn't make any sense.
Anyone gotten hooked on the 100-calorie trend? I'm wondering if people have worked this new packaging into their diet. Does it work? Does it make you want to buy things because you can eat them 100-calories at a time?
And what makes 100-calories the magical number? Admitedly, it is a very visible and easy method of portion control. But really, who eats just one 100-calorie pack for a meal? There's everything else that you're not measuring out that adds up fast. Of course, this may be a conspiracy to package all of our foods in little packets and have us eating each part of our meal in systematic 100-calorie bits. Feels a bit Huxlian to me.
Also it runs terribly afoul of the whole green movement. The packaging is a virtual environmental nightmare. Inside each multi-pack box or bag are a half-dozen or so little packages. Yikes! How long before protestors notice and start saying something?
The whole thing has me scratching my head. Does it really work? I suppose when it was just the cookies I was feeling pretty good about myself because I could limit my snacking to a mere 100-calories. And perhaps that's the aim with the cheese bits too - that snackers control how much they munch on cheese. Beyond snacking though, it doesn't make any sense.
Anyone gotten hooked on the 100-calorie trend? I'm wondering if people have worked this new packaging into their diet. Does it work? Does it make you want to buy things because you can eat them 100-calories at a time?
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Your Laugh for Today
If you are the mom of a preschooler or have ever been the mom of a preschooler or even just know a preschooler, you might want to check out an essay of mine that MOPS.org is running on their website about some things I've noticed about the perils of public restrooms. You can find it here.
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Living on a Budget
Can you believe that my husband and I lived without a budget for most of the past 14 years? How did we do it? Well, I guess we both mostly just tried not to spend much and tried to save lots. It worked fine since our bank balance always stayed positive. Sure, we did have fun and splurge from time to time, but there wasn't a plan for it.
Then in February I read Dave Ramsey's book, The Total Money Makeover. For the first time ever, we spent the month of March living on a budget. At least I did. I'm not sure about my husband. He looked at the budget I prepared and contributed to deciding on the final numbers. But I don't know if he really paid attention to his spending. The good news is, it did seem to work. The numbers mostly balanced at the end of the month (with a little tweaking here and there). So for April we have another budget to live on.
It's definitely been a learning process. Here's what I've noticed so far:
On the whole, it feels good to have a plan. We're on our way to controlling our money better and directing it to where we really want it to go. Sure, you can't change the course of a river overnight, but bit by bit you can channel it in a new direction. That's what I hope living on a budget will do.
Anyone else have thoughts on budgets? Budget or no budget? What do you do?
Then in February I read Dave Ramsey's book, The Total Money Makeover. For the first time ever, we spent the month of March living on a budget. At least I did. I'm not sure about my husband. He looked at the budget I prepared and contributed to deciding on the final numbers. But I don't know if he really paid attention to his spending. The good news is, it did seem to work. The numbers mostly balanced at the end of the month (with a little tweaking here and there). So for April we have another budget to live on.
It's definitely been a learning process. Here's what I've noticed so far:
- if you think that $5 for prescriptions is a totally reasonable amount to budget because nobody. ever. gets. sick. you can plan on at least two trips to the pharmacy in the first week, one of which is for your own allergy medicine that completely blows the budget, even with insurance.
- pharmacy coupons go a long way in making up for unexpected expenses and after two trips and two good coupons, you may manage to stick to your budget after all. Having a budget means you get to pat yourself on the back for such dollar wrangling.
- there are so many odds and ends of expenses that you never notice if you don't have a budget. Like yet another field trip to pay for. Or new soccer shoes for your growing fifth-grader. Or that whopping pool club maintenance fee that is due this month, but you weren't thinking about because who in Illinois is thinking about swimming in April???
- if you have to account for spending only what you have available and it looks tight, you'll become very creative in finding money. Your dining out fund is already drained for the month? Gee, maybe it's time to use that restaurant gift card that's been languishing in a desk drawer. And hey, how about cashing in the credit card reward refund check while you're at it. That counts toward more money to spend, right?
On the whole, it feels good to have a plan. We're on our way to controlling our money better and directing it to where we really want it to go. Sure, you can't change the course of a river overnight, but bit by bit you can channel it in a new direction. That's what I hope living on a budget will do.
Anyone else have thoughts on budgets? Budget or no budget? What do you do?
Monday, March 22, 2010
Dwindling Choices
After a trip to Russia a couple decades ago, a the part of culture shock that I experienced on my return to the U.S. related to the huge amount of choices available to us. Take a trip to the grocery store for a simple gallon of milk and you can see this at work. If you want milk, you can choose from name brand or store brand. And then there's fat free, 1%, 2% or whole milk. Or maybe you'd like organic milk. White or chocolate? Soy or cow? Crazy, isn't it? Or not. It doesn't seem at all crazy to us because it's our world. We learn to navigate the myriad of choices by creating a habit. I buy 2% milk and usually the store brand. So immediately I've narrowed the options available. If I want to change my habit though, I could easily switch to say, organic. After trying a few varieties I would probably narrow in on my preferred brand (or store) and stick with it.
And all the options we have, whether it be car insurance, radio stations, or milk, all stem from the free flow of commerce in a healthy capitalist society. At least that's my take on it (don't quote me, since I'm no economics guru). The thing is, I make this observation because I see the tide flowing the other way as our economy struggles. Our options are dwindling. I used to have four, five or maybe even more, furniture stores I could shop at when I wanted to buy something new for my home. Of those, at least two have closed down in recent years. Across all sectors of goods and services, more and more companies are closing their doors. With them go options.
I mention all of this because I see it happening in what seems to me to be the final frontier - the grocery store. Our local supermarket keeps having clearance sales and not all of them are to clear the shelves for new product. Some are to sell out the remainders from companies whose products will no longer be represented. The shelves remain filled, in an effort to keep up the appearance of continued options. But fact is, we have less to choose from. My usual grocery store no longer carries the pancake mix we like best. And a recent trip for a national brand of peanut butter revealed that it too was gone. I'm used to hunting down rare items (like two-step angel food cake mix and mushroom steak sauce). Now, it appears I'll be hunting down formerly common items.
The Post Russia Trip me would smile smugly and deem the dwindling of choices a return to better proportion. The Frugal Shopper Momma me frowns and wonders how far it will go. And the Politically Unsavvy me begins to understand a little better one side of the debate over health care reform. Choice can be bad when it's an addiction and we can't handle the lack of it. But in general, I think consumers benefit from a variety of options.
And all the options we have, whether it be car insurance, radio stations, or milk, all stem from the free flow of commerce in a healthy capitalist society. At least that's my take on it (don't quote me, since I'm no economics guru). The thing is, I make this observation because I see the tide flowing the other way as our economy struggles. Our options are dwindling. I used to have four, five or maybe even more, furniture stores I could shop at when I wanted to buy something new for my home. Of those, at least two have closed down in recent years. Across all sectors of goods and services, more and more companies are closing their doors. With them go options.
I mention all of this because I see it happening in what seems to me to be the final frontier - the grocery store. Our local supermarket keeps having clearance sales and not all of them are to clear the shelves for new product. Some are to sell out the remainders from companies whose products will no longer be represented. The shelves remain filled, in an effort to keep up the appearance of continued options. But fact is, we have less to choose from. My usual grocery store no longer carries the pancake mix we like best. And a recent trip for a national brand of peanut butter revealed that it too was gone. I'm used to hunting down rare items (like two-step angel food cake mix and mushroom steak sauce). Now, it appears I'll be hunting down formerly common items.
The Post Russia Trip me would smile smugly and deem the dwindling of choices a return to better proportion. The Frugal Shopper Momma me frowns and wonders how far it will go. And the Politically Unsavvy me begins to understand a little better one side of the debate over health care reform. Choice can be bad when it's an addiction and we can't handle the lack of it. But in general, I think consumers benefit from a variety of options.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Too Many Tabs Open
My husband usually rolls his eyes, groans or in some other way, expresses his frustration at me whenever he uses the internet on my computer. "You have too many tabs open", he complains.
I glance over his shoulder to see what can be closed. Then I click on one or two tabs. He rolls his eyes again and I shrug my shoulders back. I can't help it that I'm never sure if I'm done with something. I wonder that if I close a tab, I might need it later and won't find it. Oh, I have a long list of bookmarks. But I rarely use them.
So is it a sign of my scattered mind that I leave all these tabs open? I actually keep a "to do" list and revel in checking things off as I complete them. And I try hard to end the week with everything done. "Try" being the operative word here. You see, I still leave unanswered emails and open tabs. I leave scrapbook supplies on the dining room table and notes on articles I'm writing on the desk. I have stacks of books I'm part way through on the bedside table and sewing projects midway to completion in the guest room closet.
No, I'm not disorganized or even necessarily messy. I have my "to do" lists to keep me from that. Most of those piles and stacks are only a week or two (at most a month) old. I just have more going at any one time than I can completely finish. Hence my plethora of tabs. All those tabs allow me a sense of control where I might feel out of control. As long as I can see it all there, I know I'll get to it sometime. Right?
I glance over his shoulder to see what can be closed. Then I click on one or two tabs. He rolls his eyes again and I shrug my shoulders back. I can't help it that I'm never sure if I'm done with something. I wonder that if I close a tab, I might need it later and won't find it. Oh, I have a long list of bookmarks. But I rarely use them.
So is it a sign of my scattered mind that I leave all these tabs open? I actually keep a "to do" list and revel in checking things off as I complete them. And I try hard to end the week with everything done. "Try" being the operative word here. You see, I still leave unanswered emails and open tabs. I leave scrapbook supplies on the dining room table and notes on articles I'm writing on the desk. I have stacks of books I'm part way through on the bedside table and sewing projects midway to completion in the guest room closet.
No, I'm not disorganized or even necessarily messy. I have my "to do" lists to keep me from that. Most of those piles and stacks are only a week or two (at most a month) old. I just have more going at any one time than I can completely finish. Hence my plethora of tabs. All those tabs allow me a sense of control where I might feel out of control. As long as I can see it all there, I know I'll get to it sometime. Right?
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Forgive Me For Being Less Than Perfect
I made a mistake today (big surprise, huh?). I got caught up being social and forgot a group of children who were waiting for me to come during their lunchtime to discuss a story with them. A friend pointed out that the children would have waited a little bit for me and then gone on to eat their lunch and enjoy recess. End of story for them.
When I realized my mistake, I quickly emailed the teachers and parents to apologize. Who knows what reaction I'll get from the parents. Most, I think will understand or at least accept my apologies. And any that might be annoyed by my mistake will get over it pretty quick. Already I've heard back from one of the moms indicating that she completely understands. No problem. Mistake forgiven on that count.
There's just one person that I know is definitely having a hard time being forgiving about this. She does it every time. Every little mistake I make she gets annoyed at - as if I'm not human and shouldn't ever make a mistake. She's angry. She's disappointed with me. She wants to exact payment of some sort for those poor kids. She's embarrassed. And she's not at all forgiving.
Who could be so hard-hearted toward a simple mistake? Me. I can't stand it when I make a mistake or a bad choice or lose my cool or do anything other than be perfect. Uh, yeah. Picture that. How often do you think I have to deal with the results of one of the above? Daily, sometimes hourly. And honestly I'm tired of this voice of perfection that can't handle even the slightest misstep. So I'm telling my perfectionist self one thing this afternoon: get. over. it. Everybody else will. And if my voice of perfection can't do that much, then well...it's not perfect either!
How about you? Do you hold yourself to an impossible standard, one that you'd never expect of anyone else? If not, how do you give yourself room to fail? I'm working on this one and would love to hear what you think.
When I realized my mistake, I quickly emailed the teachers and parents to apologize. Who knows what reaction I'll get from the parents. Most, I think will understand or at least accept my apologies. And any that might be annoyed by my mistake will get over it pretty quick. Already I've heard back from one of the moms indicating that she completely understands. No problem. Mistake forgiven on that count.
There's just one person that I know is definitely having a hard time being forgiving about this. She does it every time. Every little mistake I make she gets annoyed at - as if I'm not human and shouldn't ever make a mistake. She's angry. She's disappointed with me. She wants to exact payment of some sort for those poor kids. She's embarrassed. And she's not at all forgiving.
Who could be so hard-hearted toward a simple mistake? Me. I can't stand it when I make a mistake or a bad choice or lose my cool or do anything other than be perfect. Uh, yeah. Picture that. How often do you think I have to deal with the results of one of the above? Daily, sometimes hourly. And honestly I'm tired of this voice of perfection that can't handle even the slightest misstep. So I'm telling my perfectionist self one thing this afternoon: get. over. it. Everybody else will. And if my voice of perfection can't do that much, then well...it's not perfect either!
How about you? Do you hold yourself to an impossible standard, one that you'd never expect of anyone else? If not, how do you give yourself room to fail? I'm working on this one and would love to hear what you think.
Saturday, February 06, 2010
Thoughts on Facebook "Friendships"
I'm beginning to wonder about whether Facebook is actually good for some friendships. It is getting more and more hype these days, particularly for it's ability to reconnect people. But what isn't touted are all the other activities that one can engage in on Facebook that can actually harm a friendship. I'm serious here.
Take the whole "becoming a fan" thing. Just the other day one of my Facebook friends joined a group called "I Hate ___". Except what they were hating is actually something I genuinely appreciate and respect. Then today that same friend loudly proclaimed a political leaning that I'm strongly against. I'm beginning to question whether I want to continue to be friends with them on Facebook and deal with the ongoing passive attacks on my beliefs.
Without Facebook, my chances of being in contact with this person were incredibly slim. And I'd forgotten her outspokeness and political leanings. I actually had fond memories of this friend. Now with all of the silly opportunities to proclaim you're likes and dislikes on Facebook, I've lost a lot of respect for this friend. And I've started getting angry reading about her FB activities. It's made me consider searching for groups to join that proclaim my stance in opposition to her. But it's not worth it and I'd rather not be reactionary.
So for now, I think I might just "hide" her. And I'll definitely think twice before "becoming a fan" of something - not because I'm afraid of offending my friends, but just because maybe my FB friends don't need me to parade my beliefs in front of them.
Oh, and if you're someone who hates Louisiana Hot Sauce? Sorry, bout that, but I became a "fan" today. Supposedly it will get me a free bottle if New Orleans wins in the Super Bowl tomorrow.
Take the whole "becoming a fan" thing. Just the other day one of my Facebook friends joined a group called "I Hate ___". Except what they were hating is actually something I genuinely appreciate and respect. Then today that same friend loudly proclaimed a political leaning that I'm strongly against. I'm beginning to question whether I want to continue to be friends with them on Facebook and deal with the ongoing passive attacks on my beliefs.
Without Facebook, my chances of being in contact with this person were incredibly slim. And I'd forgotten her outspokeness and political leanings. I actually had fond memories of this friend. Now with all of the silly opportunities to proclaim you're likes and dislikes on Facebook, I've lost a lot of respect for this friend. And I've started getting angry reading about her FB activities. It's made me consider searching for groups to join that proclaim my stance in opposition to her. But it's not worth it and I'd rather not be reactionary.
So for now, I think I might just "hide" her. And I'll definitely think twice before "becoming a fan" of something - not because I'm afraid of offending my friends, but just because maybe my FB friends don't need me to parade my beliefs in front of them.
Oh, and if you're someone who hates Louisiana Hot Sauce? Sorry, bout that, but I became a "fan" today. Supposedly it will get me a free bottle if New Orleans wins in the Super Bowl tomorrow.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Sets My Teeth on Edge
It's only a small thing - the fact that every toothbrush we've gotten over the past 5 years hasn't fit into the toothbrush holder in my children's bathroom. But it's enough to set my teeth on edge. Why, oh why, can't the manufacturers cooperate on this? If the toothbrush makers are going to insist on making only wide, ergonomic handles for their brushes, then why can't the people producing the holders work on widening the openings?
Like I say, it's a small thing. But it makes a difference in our home. Now the kids' bathroom counter is constantly littered with toothbrushes, and consequently, sticky globs of toothpaste residue. Not to mention the extra sharing of germs that occurs due to the scattering of brushes.
In our bathroom we resolved the issue by jamming the handles into the holder. Our toothbrushes stand up extra tall and not so straight. In fact, they sorta lean. But they're off the counter.
Let this be a warning, dear shopper. If you're the in market for a new toothbrush holder, make sure it has extra wide openings for the new-fangled toothbrush handles out there. You might even want to take a whopper toothbrush with you, if you have one on hand. It's not always easy to tell if they'll fit just by looking.
Or maybe we should all just talk to our dentist and ask if he could (pretty please) go back to simple toothbrushes with slim handles.
Oh wait, what's this? My children went to the dentist this past week and they came back with...could it be?!...straight handled toothbrushes?!! Oh, happy day! (But I'm still getting the bigger slotted holder next time I have to buy one. You never know when the dentist is going to go all fancy on the toothbrushes again.)
Like I say, it's a small thing. But it makes a difference in our home. Now the kids' bathroom counter is constantly littered with toothbrushes, and consequently, sticky globs of toothpaste residue. Not to mention the extra sharing of germs that occurs due to the scattering of brushes.
In our bathroom we resolved the issue by jamming the handles into the holder. Our toothbrushes stand up extra tall and not so straight. In fact, they sorta lean. But they're off the counter.
Let this be a warning, dear shopper. If you're the in market for a new toothbrush holder, make sure it has extra wide openings for the new-fangled toothbrush handles out there. You might even want to take a whopper toothbrush with you, if you have one on hand. It's not always easy to tell if they'll fit just by looking.
Or maybe we should all just talk to our dentist and ask if he could (pretty please) go back to simple toothbrushes with slim handles.
Oh wait, what's this? My children went to the dentist this past week and they came back with...could it be?!...straight handled toothbrushes?!! Oh, happy day! (But I'm still getting the bigger slotted holder next time I have to buy one. You never know when the dentist is going to go all fancy on the toothbrushes again.)
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Calgon, Take Me Away!
Remember that commercial? The one with the harried mom, who escapes to her bath to relax? Seems appropriate for this busy time of year, doesn't it. After all, who wouldn't go for an evening of quiet to relax in a warm bath right about now.
I got to thinking about Calgon the other evening as I poured some bath salts into the tub for the Uber Princess.
"See how it makes the water feel smooth?" I asked her. I waited for her response and in that moment a rush of memories came to me.
Suddenly I was eleven years old again and at my grandmother's house, running my hands through the silky smoothness of a Calgon-rich bath. It was a special wintertime treat, just at Grandma's house, to have Calgon in my bath. And nothing compared. The water would be steaming when I climbed in and I would sneak a look at the snow-covered forest out the window beside the tub before sinking down into the warmth. I'd soak until the water grew chilly or one of my sisters banged on the door for their turn. Then reluctantly I would slide out, slick with the softened water. I'd huddle in my towel for a bit, frustrated by the lingering feeling of being wet that couldn't be dried away, but still pleased to have such a treat.
I couldn't tell if my homemade salts softened the water the same way that Calgon did. And I couldn't recreate the magic of baths at Grandma's house on a cold winter night. But it was enough to have that memory take me away, back to those special times.
I got to thinking about Calgon the other evening as I poured some bath salts into the tub for the Uber Princess.
"See how it makes the water feel smooth?" I asked her. I waited for her response and in that moment a rush of memories came to me.
Suddenly I was eleven years old again and at my grandmother's house, running my hands through the silky smoothness of a Calgon-rich bath. It was a special wintertime treat, just at Grandma's house, to have Calgon in my bath. And nothing compared. The water would be steaming when I climbed in and I would sneak a look at the snow-covered forest out the window beside the tub before sinking down into the warmth. I'd soak until the water grew chilly or one of my sisters banged on the door for their turn. Then reluctantly I would slide out, slick with the softened water. I'd huddle in my towel for a bit, frustrated by the lingering feeling of being wet that couldn't be dried away, but still pleased to have such a treat.
I couldn't tell if my homemade salts softened the water the same way that Calgon did. And I couldn't recreate the magic of baths at Grandma's house on a cold winter night. But it was enough to have that memory take me away, back to those special times.
Friday, December 11, 2009
More Holiday Organization
Yesterday I was thinking about writing a post on staying organized during the Christmas season. I'd been pulling things together for holiday food prep and was feeling super on-top-of-things. Then today came. With no bread in the house (even though I stopped at the grocery store yesterday) I scrambled to pack lunches for my girls. I scrounged up a couple of hamburger buns, slapped on mayo and cheese and called it good.
Then close to pick up time for kindergarten I realized that I hadn't planned what to feed the Uber-Princess and her two friends. No bread, supply of mac 'n cheese questionable - what to do?! Thankfully my freezer contained a dozen chicken nuggets and multiple bags of french fries. Stocking up in quantity pays off sometimes.
I think I've recovered from the bread fiasco now. However, any tips I share here on staying organized between Thanksgiving and Christmas... well, don't take it from me as an expert. Instead take it from one who needs it as much or even more than you.
Here's my tip: if you have more than one cookbook or recipe file you use for things like Christmas cookies and other holiday cooking, save yourself the stress of trying to locate all your special recipes. Instead copy the recipes for all the foods you traditionally make and place them into a binder along with all of your other Christmastime information (Christmas card lists, gift lists, etc). I like to keep the Christmas morning recipes on one page, party foods on another and cookies/candies on another. Then at the end of November when I'm making a list of ingredients to stock up on, I'm less likely to forget one of our favorites. I can easily scan the pages and plan my list. This is especially useful for those recipes that you only use once a year. It's such a relief in the midst of the busyness to have all this information at your fingertips.
Now if I could just find that holiday binder... Just kidding! Hope you're staying sane in the midst of all the preparations, packages and parties.
Then close to pick up time for kindergarten I realized that I hadn't planned what to feed the Uber-Princess and her two friends. No bread, supply of mac 'n cheese questionable - what to do?! Thankfully my freezer contained a dozen chicken nuggets and multiple bags of french fries. Stocking up in quantity pays off sometimes.
I think I've recovered from the bread fiasco now. However, any tips I share here on staying organized between Thanksgiving and Christmas... well, don't take it from me as an expert. Instead take it from one who needs it as much or even more than you.
Here's my tip: if you have more than one cookbook or recipe file you use for things like Christmas cookies and other holiday cooking, save yourself the stress of trying to locate all your special recipes. Instead copy the recipes for all the foods you traditionally make and place them into a binder along with all of your other Christmastime information (Christmas card lists, gift lists, etc). I like to keep the Christmas morning recipes on one page, party foods on another and cookies/candies on another. Then at the end of November when I'm making a list of ingredients to stock up on, I'm less likely to forget one of our favorites. I can easily scan the pages and plan my list. This is especially useful for those recipes that you only use once a year. It's such a relief in the midst of the busyness to have all this information at your fingertips.
Now if I could just find that holiday binder... Just kidding! Hope you're staying sane in the midst of all the preparations, packages and parties.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Midwestern Subtlety
Did you ever notice the regional pride that some Americans exhibit? Depending on where you live in the United States, you'll pride yourself on those things peculiar to your area. East Coast it's often seafood, like lobster boils or clam bakes. The Southwest has it's cowboy boots and Navajo art. And naturally, we can't leave out the Southerners with their sweet tea and hos-pi-tal-i-ty. Everyone's got there schtick and some more than others. But what about those of us here in the Midwest? What's our trademark? Corn? Yeah, right.
I think it's harder to pinpoint the traits of Midwesterners because foremost among them is subtlety. We don't parade our Midwesternness around. We don't busy ourselves touting the benefits of living where we do. We don't brag on the features that make us unique among American. We don't wax eloquent over our traditions. We don't blow our horns about the great foods we make. And we have no twangs or drawls or other accents to make us stand out. Yes, Midwesterners have mastered the art of subtlety.
However, I'm going to be a little no-so-subtle for a moment and actually tell you about two things that the Midwest can lay claim to that might matter right now.
Inbox is at 5.
I think it's harder to pinpoint the traits of Midwesterners because foremost among them is subtlety. We don't parade our Midwesternness around. We don't busy ourselves touting the benefits of living where we do. We don't brag on the features that make us unique among American. We don't wax eloquent over our traditions. We don't blow our horns about the great foods we make. And we have no twangs or drawls or other accents to make us stand out. Yes, Midwesterners have mastered the art of subtlety.
However, I'm going to be a little no-so-subtle for a moment and actually tell you about two things that the Midwest can lay claim to that might matter right now.
- Number 1: when you need help figuring out just how long to thaw that turkey or what you should baste it with, who are you going to call? Okay, so maybe you'll call Mom. But millions of other Americans will be calling the turkey hotline at Butterball U. And guess who will be answering? Some wonderful ladies right here in our fair city of Naperville. 'Cuz folks, if anybody can talk turkey, it's us Midwesterners, vanilla accent and all. Actually that's part of the appeal to having the hotline manned here - we're easy to understand by anyone anywhere. No burnt turkey because you misheard that twangy phone operator. Just some friendly Midwestern advice, given for free. That's how we are here.
- Number 2: Glee fans, did you know that it's probably no accident that the show is set in Ohio? Midwest Living magazine points out that 22 of the top 25 show choirs hail from high schools right here in the Midwest. Yup, we can sing too!
Inbox is at 5.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Planner or SOTP'er?
Next week is Thanksgiving. I'm hosting. This is a good thing. My kids "get" the hospitality thing. They know when we're going to have a bunch of people over that it takes us all working together to make it happen. And we do and it does. So I'm not at all stressed about hosting. But I am thinking about it, a little bit each day, wondering how much I should start doing now to prepare.
I guess it's probably not too early to plan out the menu and let my mom and mother-in-law and aunt know what parts they can bring. And after I've done that it would also be a good idea to map out what things I need to make when and which pieces can be done ahead of time. A wise friend (and kitchen whiz) already gave me some great tips for make-ahead stuff. The day before: cut the onions for the stuffing, peel and cut the potatoes, make the turkey stock. (Btw, I'm half listing all these things so I don't forget them myself).
And here I was thinking I was so on top of things to already have made a pumpkin pie and put it in the freezer. Hmm...maybe not so much.
I suppose once I've mapped out my Thanksgiving dinner prep plan, I might as well dig out my Christmas binder and start updating the Christmas card list and begin planning out the gift buying and so forth. Because, you know, I'm so organized and all (ahem!).
I do know that any of this that I do will make DH a very happy man. He is a planner to the nth degree. I think he's constantly annoyed at my "lack of organization" (which really and truly isn't that lacking, but when you are hyper organized like he is, anything short of that seems disorganized). He is the consummate planner. Me? Well, I'm not a "seat-of-the-pantser", but probably somewhere in between. All the planning I've mentioned here is kind of pushing it for me, but I get that it works and try to work it when I can.
How about you? Are you a planner or a SOTP'er? How do you approach things like hosting Thanksgiving dinner?
I guess it's probably not too early to plan out the menu and let my mom and mother-in-law and aunt know what parts they can bring. And after I've done that it would also be a good idea to map out what things I need to make when and which pieces can be done ahead of time. A wise friend (and kitchen whiz) already gave me some great tips for make-ahead stuff. The day before: cut the onions for the stuffing, peel and cut the potatoes, make the turkey stock. (Btw, I'm half listing all these things so I don't forget them myself).
And here I was thinking I was so on top of things to already have made a pumpkin pie and put it in the freezer. Hmm...maybe not so much.
I suppose once I've mapped out my Thanksgiving dinner prep plan, I might as well dig out my Christmas binder and start updating the Christmas card list and begin planning out the gift buying and so forth. Because, you know, I'm so organized and all (ahem!).
I do know that any of this that I do will make DH a very happy man. He is a planner to the nth degree. I think he's constantly annoyed at my "lack of organization" (which really and truly isn't that lacking, but when you are hyper organized like he is, anything short of that seems disorganized). He is the consummate planner. Me? Well, I'm not a "seat-of-the-pantser", but probably somewhere in between. All the planning I've mentioned here is kind of pushing it for me, but I get that it works and try to work it when I can.
How about you? Are you a planner or a SOTP'er? How do you approach things like hosting Thanksgiving dinner?
Friday, October 23, 2009
Inbox Influx
I'm still on my quest to whittle the contents of my electronic inbox. It's been an up and down battle - not much different than before. Whittle the number of messages down during the work week, what the number soar over the weekend. Rinse and repeat.
I've tired of the time involved in attempting to taim the virtual and real influx of communications. As it is, my counter is almost always littered with school papers and snail mail, in spite of my best efforts. I even complete and return all school forms the next day after they come home. And I immediately pitch the junk mail. Yet it still piles up, on my counter and in my inbox.
Then last night it occurred to me how email filters could work for me. When I read how Michael Hyatt uses them, it didn't sound like something I wanted to try. But as I dumped yet one more retail coupon from my inbox to the "coupons" folder, I saw the use for filters. They are perfect for reducing the repetitive task of filing. So I've begun today testing out filters. Now all of the retail ads/coupons I get will automatically go into the "coupon" file where I can read them at my leisure. My email program will flag that there are new messages there so that I know to look in the folder. But no more glancing at each one and then dragging the file over. Now I can read through a bunch at once and be done.
Of course, this has necessitated some rethinking of my inbox folders. I'm trying to simplify my system to better see at a glance what needs attention. But how much time to spend on that? I've worked at it a little this morning. And I think I'll give the filters a few days to do their stuff and see how that effects things before doing more. But now I have hope. That zero inbox just became a little less illusive.
Current inbox status: 35 messages
I've tired of the time involved in attempting to taim the virtual and real influx of communications. As it is, my counter is almost always littered with school papers and snail mail, in spite of my best efforts. I even complete and return all school forms the next day after they come home. And I immediately pitch the junk mail. Yet it still piles up, on my counter and in my inbox.
Then last night it occurred to me how email filters could work for me. When I read how Michael Hyatt uses them, it didn't sound like something I wanted to try. But as I dumped yet one more retail coupon from my inbox to the "coupons" folder, I saw the use for filters. They are perfect for reducing the repetitive task of filing. So I've begun today testing out filters. Now all of the retail ads/coupons I get will automatically go into the "coupon" file where I can read them at my leisure. My email program will flag that there are new messages there so that I know to look in the folder. But no more glancing at each one and then dragging the file over. Now I can read through a bunch at once and be done.
Of course, this has necessitated some rethinking of my inbox folders. I'm trying to simplify my system to better see at a glance what needs attention. But how much time to spend on that? I've worked at it a little this morning. And I think I'll give the filters a few days to do their stuff and see how that effects things before doing more. But now I have hope. That zero inbox just became a little less illusive.
Current inbox status: 35 messages
Monday, October 19, 2009
ArachnoFAUXbia
The decorating this time of year can sometimes bug me. Some of it creeps me out. It makes my skin crawl. It scares me. Why? Because I can't stand spiders. And we all know that the spider ranks up there in freak factor for Halloween decorations, particularly very large, very hairy spiders. Ugh! Just typing that wigs me out.
Spiders, living or dead, fake or real, drive me nuts. Something about the way they move and the idea that they can live in my house and walk across my body while I'm sleeping gets to me. Now, I'm not so squeamish that I actually scream when I see one. But I do jump and run or I jump and grab the nearest large implement-of-squashing and then half close my eyes to do the deed.
My daughters, thankfully, do not share in my fear. Most bugs and critters fascinate them. They'd rather get up close and inspect them than run or squash them. And they find my fear amusing. They enjoy teasing me about it - as in putting fake spiders and bugs under my pillow for laughs.
It must be all the exposure I've had to their fake spiders that has me particularly weirded-out this year. My tolerance for spiders of any kind has dipped to an all-time low. The pipe-cleaner spider the Uber-Princess has makes my skin crawl - I can't stand to see it. Yes, that's how bad it's gotten.
So I'm having a bit of a challenge this month in navigating the retail scene. Too much creep factor for me. In fact, the other day I encountered a rather large, black and orange long-legged spider poised above the bags of potatoes in the supermarket. I needed potatoes. I did not have in my possession any rather large shoes or implements-of-squashing. But I needed those potatoes. After a few shudders and a quick mental pep-talk, I squinched my eyes, scurried toward the bag farthest from the arachnid monster, grabbed and ran. It took a few minutes before my racing heart settled. Thankfully the rest of the store was bug free or my family might be going hungry.
I can't wait for November. Leaves and corn and Pilgrims sound so soothing. And hopefully by then my kids will have stopped leaving their critters on top of my things. I'm getting tired of cringing and flinging.
Spiders, living or dead, fake or real, drive me nuts. Something about the way they move and the idea that they can live in my house and walk across my body while I'm sleeping gets to me. Now, I'm not so squeamish that I actually scream when I see one. But I do jump and run or I jump and grab the nearest large implement-of-squashing and then half close my eyes to do the deed.
My daughters, thankfully, do not share in my fear. Most bugs and critters fascinate them. They'd rather get up close and inspect them than run or squash them. And they find my fear amusing. They enjoy teasing me about it - as in putting fake spiders and bugs under my pillow for laughs.
It must be all the exposure I've had to their fake spiders that has me particularly weirded-out this year. My tolerance for spiders of any kind has dipped to an all-time low. The pipe-cleaner spider the Uber-Princess has makes my skin crawl - I can't stand to see it. Yes, that's how bad it's gotten.
So I'm having a bit of a challenge this month in navigating the retail scene. Too much creep factor for me. In fact, the other day I encountered a rather large, black and orange long-legged spider poised above the bags of potatoes in the supermarket. I needed potatoes. I did not have in my possession any rather large shoes or implements-of-squashing. But I needed those potatoes. After a few shudders and a quick mental pep-talk, I squinched my eyes, scurried toward the bag farthest from the arachnid monster, grabbed and ran. It took a few minutes before my racing heart settled. Thankfully the rest of the store was bug free or my family might be going hungry.
I can't wait for November. Leaves and corn and Pilgrims sound so soothing. And hopefully by then my kids will have stopped leaving their critters on top of my things. I'm getting tired of cringing and flinging.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
