Tuesday's Putterings
Topics contained herein:
What I did and how I felt on my first “Red” day, since syncing with the generic tally.
OR
Am I manic or just very, very determined?
Weather / Phenology:
Quite Minnesota-summery today. There was much sunshine, a couple of short rain showers and some heat and humidity. It was a day of butterflies. After gently swerving around one large yellow and black one that was sunning itself in the middle of the gravel road, I saw another 3 or 4, throughout the day, as they fluttered past my windows.
Mood Summary:
I’m desperately tired tonight … and a bit sore. I had a major work day. I very much enjoyed putting my main floor to rights. It took a lot of time and energy but it looks great now as I sit here to write this. I am relieved that I got the bills paid and know what is going on with our finances again. I’m a little freaked by how much time went into cleaning, shopping and doing bills today. I worked almost non-stop, in one way or another, from 9:00 to 10:30 or so. (‘Not exactly sure when I sat down to write this.) In that time, there wasn’t a spare minute to write … I know it’s always bad when I have to come back from a long stretch of low moods but it’s hard to remember that it’s not always like this. Keeping things in shape is a HELL of a lot easier than regaining a state of grace. R- is still saying that he will shoulder more household duties when I’m writing. I have to admit I’m skeptical … when would he do that exactly? And with what surplus of energy?
I was very aware today that I have a strange concept of the meaning of “10 minutes” and “30 minutes”. (These are the two basic units of time in my personal tally.) Ten minutes apparently means “do one PART of a project and do it until it’s done. Thirty minutes, similarly, means “tackle a big, multi-part task and FINISH it.” The short tasks actually consume somewhere between 5-20 minutes while the longer chores easily stretch into several hours. I was laughing at myself today. While engaged in the greet-my-husband-when-he-gets-home conversation, I told him that I have a habit of throwing myself against the rocks. I have playlist on my Ipod of very high energy music. It takes 33 minutes to go from start to finish. I’m supposed to stop what I’m doing and move on when it ends. What do I do? Play it again - of course. Repeatedly. For as many repetitions as necessary. Until something forces me to stop.
If I do the write-a-novel thing, I will have to learn to actually stop when the allotted non-writing time has expired.
Main Accomplishments:
Shopping: groceries, feed, smokes, herbs, a lawnmower & household supplies
Bills: three important calls to straighten out $ stuff … all with long hold-times
Cleaning: swept, vacuumed, dusted, rearranged, spot mopped, etc. all main level
… and some of upper level
Got through almost all routines - even better than yesterday
Five Gratitudes:
1) Ch- enjoyed beating the rugs with a baseball bat … and he did a good job too.
2) My things. I cleaned an arranged many beloved items today.
(Books, movies, photos -- oh my.)
3) Emailing with my husband through the day.
4) Well-seasoned cast iron frying pans. (I think I’m the 3rd generation to use mine.)
5) McDonald’s breakfast bagels. (they got me out of the house and into my day today.)
Exercise / Step Count:
I did some serious “adding steps” to my day … parked as far as possible from my destinations and made multiple trips each time I parked. I also cleaned at a good clip for extended periods. I felt many of my tasks through the arms and shoulders. I also did a good, slow, deliberate sun salutation.
Next Tasks
(tasks = 4 per day / focuses = 4 per week / W = writing goals / Z = this week’s zone)
*Use timer to control current obsession: TIME task-windows. No really.
1) finish major cleaning (upstairs)
2) prepare to mow (assemble mower, pick up yard, rabbit tractor?? etc.)
3) mow and/or plant gardens (will be outside Thursday too.)
4) get freezer set up
5) Writing: #1 putterings #2 ideal life
6) Zone: 10 minutes in lower bathroom - just do it again today!
F: Animals (chicken coops, rabbit, Boo, etc.)
F: Attitude toward Ch- (play, YML--, lock-in, etc.)
F: HOME CARE (re-establish routines, cleaning, lower bathroom, freezer, etc.)
F: Outdoors (gardens, garbage, lawn, patio, etc.)
W: re-establish putterings, update womanly_arts, TAI, etc.
Zone #3 -- "Bathroom": Upper & Lower AND Crafts Room / Office
Goal Level Behaviors
2006 Next Little Bit List
Routines
Cleaning: zones & weekly schedule
What I did and how I felt on my first “Red” day, since syncing with the generic tally.
OR
Am I manic or just very, very determined?
Weather / Phenology:
Quite Minnesota-summery today. There was much sunshine, a couple of short rain showers and some heat and humidity. It was a day of butterflies. After gently swerving around one large yellow and black one that was sunning itself in the middle of the gravel road, I saw another 3 or 4, throughout the day, as they fluttered past my windows.
Mood Summary:
I’m desperately tired tonight … and a bit sore. I had a major work day. I very much enjoyed putting my main floor to rights. It took a lot of time and energy but it looks great now as I sit here to write this. I am relieved that I got the bills paid and know what is going on with our finances again. I’m a little freaked by how much time went into cleaning, shopping and doing bills today. I worked almost non-stop, in one way or another, from 9:00 to 10:30 or so. (‘Not exactly sure when I sat down to write this.) In that time, there wasn’t a spare minute to write … I know it’s always bad when I have to come back from a long stretch of low moods but it’s hard to remember that it’s not always like this. Keeping things in shape is a HELL of a lot easier than regaining a state of grace. R- is still saying that he will shoulder more household duties when I’m writing. I have to admit I’m skeptical … when would he do that exactly? And with what surplus of energy?
I was very aware today that I have a strange concept of the meaning of “10 minutes” and “30 minutes”. (These are the two basic units of time in my personal tally.) Ten minutes apparently means “do one PART of a project and do it until it’s done. Thirty minutes, similarly, means “tackle a big, multi-part task and FINISH it.” The short tasks actually consume somewhere between 5-20 minutes while the longer chores easily stretch into several hours. I was laughing at myself today. While engaged in the greet-my-husband-when-he-gets-home conversation, I told him that I have a habit of throwing myself against the rocks. I have playlist on my Ipod of very high energy music. It takes 33 minutes to go from start to finish. I’m supposed to stop what I’m doing and move on when it ends. What do I do? Play it again - of course. Repeatedly. For as many repetitions as necessary. Until something forces me to stop.
If I do the write-a-novel thing, I will have to learn to actually stop when the allotted non-writing time has expired.
Main Accomplishments:
Shopping: groceries, feed, smokes, herbs, a lawnmower & household supplies
Bills: three important calls to straighten out $ stuff … all with long hold-times
Cleaning: swept, vacuumed, dusted, rearranged, spot mopped, etc. all main level
… and some of upper level
Got through almost all routines - even better than yesterday
Five Gratitudes:
1) Ch- enjoyed beating the rugs with a baseball bat … and he did a good job too.
2) My things. I cleaned an arranged many beloved items today.
(Books, movies, photos -- oh my.)
3) Emailing with my husband through the day.
4) Well-seasoned cast iron frying pans. (I think I’m the 3rd generation to use mine.)
5) McDonald’s breakfast bagels. (they got me out of the house and into my day today.)
Exercise / Step Count:
I did some serious “adding steps” to my day … parked as far as possible from my destinations and made multiple trips each time I parked. I also cleaned at a good clip for extended periods. I felt many of my tasks through the arms and shoulders. I also did a good, slow, deliberate sun salutation.
Next Tasks
(tasks = 4 per day / focuses = 4 per week / W = writing goals / Z = this week’s zone)
*Use timer to control current obsession: TIME task-windows. No really.
1) finish major cleaning (upstairs)
2) prepare to mow (assemble mower, pick up yard, rabbit tractor?? etc.)
3) mow and/or plant gardens (will be outside Thursday too.)
4) get freezer set up
5) Writing: #1 putterings #2 ideal life
6) Zone: 10 minutes in lower bathroom - just do it again today!
F: Animals (chicken coops, rabbit, Boo, etc.)
F: Attitude toward Ch- (play, YML--, lock-in, etc.)
F: HOME CARE (re-establish routines, cleaning, lower bathroom, freezer, etc.)
F: Outdoors (gardens, garbage, lawn, patio, etc.)
W: re-establish putterings, update womanly_arts, TAI, etc.
Zone #3 -- "Bathroom": Upper & Lower AND Crafts Room / Office
Goal Level Behaviors
2006 Next Little Bit List
Routines
Cleaning: zones & weekly schedule