Wednesday's Putterings
Topics contained herein:
A fabulous morning, my sister loses it, a phobia pounces and the enneagram.
Weather / Phenology:
I think it was fine day. I basked in the heat of the patio window this morning. I saw icicles melting on the north side of the house today. All was going quite well until it came time for me to drive into Anoka. I picked up Ch- at school and spent 20 minutes chatting with his teacher and sorting through his desk. When we went outside, it was snowing. Big fluffy flakes descended from the sky in lazy spirals…
Mood Summary:
…so I pretty much freaked. All of a sudden I was in prognosticator mode. I rushed to the image of driving home after dark. I expected that I would not be able to see the lane lines and that the blacktop would turn glary as night fell. I knew immediately that I did not want to be on the roads after 6 PM. So I returned home and changed plans with three people.
It turned out okay, I guess. If yielding to a phobia is ever an okay thing. I called Sister D- to find out how life was treating her. Apparently, it’s been treating her badly … she had reached the end of her tether because of her dealings with Gmom today. (She witnessed first hand our mother tromping on my daughter.)
She had an awful lot of hopes pinned to this eye surgery. Gmom is not acknowledging an improvement. She would rather have her PCA -- my daughter - pander to her every whim than be able to see. The stress is showing on everyone. I never know if it helps when I try to talk Sister D-down but I believe there is some value in trying. At least she doesn’t feel quite so alone.
Beyond being able to converse with my sister, it was convenient that I stayed home because UPS delivered Ch-‘s computer. It made for one happy little boy. (A computer at 10 … sheesh. My daughter got rooked. Hell, we all got rooked.)
Otherwise, I’m fine … though I do wish I could have a day or two of not being tired by 11 PM.
Accomplishments:
I finally got around to doing my weekly dusting, polishing, vacuuming and mopping. I did dishes, cooked a meal, did dishes again and picked up around the house. I took care of all the animals. I met with Ch-‘s teacher and helped him organize his desk. I made some progress on the Louden piece - the deadline has been extended to the 28th. I finished the new Stephen King and did some research on enneagram type five. The house looks and feels nice.
Five Gratitudes:
1) This morning was fantastic. First my husband woke me at 5:30 - which was fun. By 6:30, he was getting on with is day. I could hear him singing as he shaved and such. Eventually, he invited me to come downstairs to look up the Cheney’s Got A Gun parody I’ve been asking about, but I was reluctant to leave my nice warm bed. He fetched my book for me and then wandered off - still singing.
2) Just about the time his foot hit the bottom step, Ch-‘s door opened. As he followed his dad I could clearly hear their morning conversation. The both sound so awake and chipper in the morning. (Aliens.)
“Morning Dad.”
“Morning Son.”
“Do you have time for breakfast?”
“Yeah. I do. What would you like?”
“To make you breakfast.”
Well that sounds wonderful. Scrambled eggs?
“Yup. Do you want toast?”
I laid there in my cozy bed and felt completely fulfilled. I thought briefly of joining them, but I didn’t want to disturb their rhythm. I could here my ten year old son banging around in the kitchen. I smelled hot butter and toast. R-kept singing little snippets of songs as he moved around. I drifted off to sleep knowing that I had an hour to nap before Ch- would come looking for me.
3) My daughter has agreed to start taking better care of herself. Coincidentally, that means I will get to spend some extra time with her every week, starting in March. I’m hopeful and excited about this step. (She isn’t as thrilled but she’s willing and I will count that as a blessing.)
4) Okay. After all that, I have to think a little more. Have I mentioned the enneagram stuff too much? I go through these phases where the whole concept is incredibly useful to me. In the past it’s often been about understanding other people better. Right now, I’m really enjoying the thoughts about my own type. I’m paying more attention to the sections that talk about strategies for not driving other types crazy. I may have independently concluded that I need to live more in the present moment but I’m finding that same council within the pages of my new book. When I reviewed my personal library, I found even more detailed information. (Though I don’t remember spending any time with those sections, I have to wonder how much I internalized while in my other enneagram phases.) Anyway, it feels very right.
5) Oh! I nearly forgot. We apparently over paid our 2004 taxes so we received a check in the mail today for $94 bucks. That takes the sting out of the computer bill.
Exercise / Step Count:
Just stretching today. I might still do a little yoga when I go upstairs. I suppose I could count the vacuum dancing I did too.
Next Tasks
(tasks = 4 per day / focuses = 4 per week / Z = this week’s zone)
1) arrange town trip for today (groc list, errands, eye appt. etc)
2) call Jane and cancel one appointment / buy R-‘s tabs on the way into town
3) zone work & routines
4) write Louden thing / get tutorial KS up and running
* timer controlled writing and editing (mostly lj & keeping score)
F: Appearance: hair color, manicure, pedicure
F: Financial & Legal Issues: bills; deal w/ PC, car, funding, etc; live on budget / cash
F: Spirituality: develop meditation / yoga plan
F: Misc. small items on all lists: (Start by gathering those.) I have a need to cross shit off.
* Obsessions/Writing: Get all little journal / list / tally details completed
* Writing: Get something submitted to someone this week
Z: *Zone #4 -- "Bedroom" Master Bedroom, Bedroom Closet, Ch--'s Room
Goal Level Behaviors
2006 Next Little Bit List
Routines
Tonight’s Sky
Ramping: 235 accomplishments, 11 health and body, 24 work and home, 14 mind and soul
A fabulous morning, my sister loses it, a phobia pounces and the enneagram.
Weather / Phenology:
I think it was fine day. I basked in the heat of the patio window this morning. I saw icicles melting on the north side of the house today. All was going quite well until it came time for me to drive into Anoka. I picked up Ch- at school and spent 20 minutes chatting with his teacher and sorting through his desk. When we went outside, it was snowing. Big fluffy flakes descended from the sky in lazy spirals…
Mood Summary:
…so I pretty much freaked. All of a sudden I was in prognosticator mode. I rushed to the image of driving home after dark. I expected that I would not be able to see the lane lines and that the blacktop would turn glary as night fell. I knew immediately that I did not want to be on the roads after 6 PM. So I returned home and changed plans with three people.
It turned out okay, I guess. If yielding to a phobia is ever an okay thing. I called Sister D- to find out how life was treating her. Apparently, it’s been treating her badly … she had reached the end of her tether because of her dealings with Gmom today. (She witnessed first hand our mother tromping on my daughter.)
She had an awful lot of hopes pinned to this eye surgery. Gmom is not acknowledging an improvement. She would rather have her PCA -- my daughter - pander to her every whim than be able to see. The stress is showing on everyone. I never know if it helps when I try to talk Sister D-down but I believe there is some value in trying. At least she doesn’t feel quite so alone.
Beyond being able to converse with my sister, it was convenient that I stayed home because UPS delivered Ch-‘s computer. It made for one happy little boy. (A computer at 10 … sheesh. My daughter got rooked. Hell, we all got rooked.)
Otherwise, I’m fine … though I do wish I could have a day or two of not being tired by 11 PM.
Accomplishments:
I finally got around to doing my weekly dusting, polishing, vacuuming and mopping. I did dishes, cooked a meal, did dishes again and picked up around the house. I took care of all the animals. I met with Ch-‘s teacher and helped him organize his desk. I made some progress on the Louden piece - the deadline has been extended to the 28th. I finished the new Stephen King and did some research on enneagram type five. The house looks and feels nice.
Five Gratitudes:
1) This morning was fantastic. First my husband woke me at 5:30 - which was fun. By 6:30, he was getting on with is day. I could hear him singing as he shaved and such. Eventually, he invited me to come downstairs to look up the Cheney’s Got A Gun parody I’ve been asking about, but I was reluctant to leave my nice warm bed. He fetched my book for me and then wandered off - still singing.
2) Just about the time his foot hit the bottom step, Ch-‘s door opened. As he followed his dad I could clearly hear their morning conversation. The both sound so awake and chipper in the morning. (Aliens.)
“Morning Dad.”
“Morning Son.”
“Do you have time for breakfast?”
“Yeah. I do. What would you like?”
“To make you breakfast.”
Well that sounds wonderful. Scrambled eggs?
“Yup. Do you want toast?”
I laid there in my cozy bed and felt completely fulfilled. I thought briefly of joining them, but I didn’t want to disturb their rhythm. I could here my ten year old son banging around in the kitchen. I smelled hot butter and toast. R-kept singing little snippets of songs as he moved around. I drifted off to sleep knowing that I had an hour to nap before Ch- would come looking for me.
3) My daughter has agreed to start taking better care of herself. Coincidentally, that means I will get to spend some extra time with her every week, starting in March. I’m hopeful and excited about this step. (She isn’t as thrilled but she’s willing and I will count that as a blessing.)
4) Okay. After all that, I have to think a little more. Have I mentioned the enneagram stuff too much? I go through these phases where the whole concept is incredibly useful to me. In the past it’s often been about understanding other people better. Right now, I’m really enjoying the thoughts about my own type. I’m paying more attention to the sections that talk about strategies for not driving other types crazy. I may have independently concluded that I need to live more in the present moment but I’m finding that same council within the pages of my new book. When I reviewed my personal library, I found even more detailed information. (Though I don’t remember spending any time with those sections, I have to wonder how much I internalized while in my other enneagram phases.) Anyway, it feels very right.
5) Oh! I nearly forgot. We apparently over paid our 2004 taxes so we received a check in the mail today for $94 bucks. That takes the sting out of the computer bill.
Exercise / Step Count:
Just stretching today. I might still do a little yoga when I go upstairs. I suppose I could count the vacuum dancing I did too.
Next Tasks
(tasks = 4 per day / focuses = 4 per week / Z = this week’s zone)
1) arrange town trip for today (groc list, errands, eye appt. etc)
2) call Jane and cancel one appointment / buy R-‘s tabs on the way into town
3) zone work & routines
4) write Louden thing / get tutorial KS up and running
* timer controlled writing and editing (mostly lj & keeping score)
F: Appearance: hair color, manicure, pedicure
F: Financial & Legal Issues: bills; deal w/ PC, car, funding, etc; live on budget / cash
F: Spirituality: develop meditation / yoga plan
F: Misc. small items on all lists: (Start by gathering those.) I have a need to cross shit off.
* Obsessions/Writing: Get all little journal / list / tally details completed
* Writing: Get something submitted to someone this week
Z: *Zone #4 -- "Bedroom" Master Bedroom, Bedroom Closet, Ch--'s Room
Goal Level Behaviors
2006 Next Little Bit List
Routines
Tonight’s Sky
Ramping: 235 accomplishments, 11 health and body, 24 work and home, 14 mind and soul