Studio Before (Dec 2009)

Yes, I'm still here... with a new attitude!

December 26th(!)
Merry Christmas... Soon to be the beginning/end of the first decade into the 21st century. Yikes.

2010 for me has to be the year of FLYing (in FLYlady terms = Finally Loving Yourself and getting out of the CHAOS = Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome). I want to take photos of the chaos I'm (we're) living in, but of course can't find my real camera...

So, this an hour later I'm now returning to the blog -- found the camera, took some pictures, loaded them up on the pc, answered some emails, and now it is 1pm (!) One of the things I love about Flylady is the timer concept -- anything can be done for 15 minutes. Set the timer. If the job isn't done, you can still move on. I don't take advantage enough of this idea, and it isn't a habit yet...

[1] Set My Timer for ALL the tasks/chores I don't want to do!!
[2] Do the Before Bed Routine
This includes Shining the Sink every night & going to bed before midnight!!!
[3] Do the Morning Routine
This includes shower, dress to shoes, hair & makeup, & teeth and getting up at a regular time!!!

They say the state of your house/surroundings is the state of your mind, and as I put in an email to a friend this morning, I'm functioning but I'm certainly not flourishing. Finding the external motivation that will overcome the 3-year old inside me who constantly stamps her foot and says to me, "But you don't HAVE to! You're a GROWN UP and can do ANYTHING you WANT!" is going to be tricky.

So, this is my only resolution for this year of 2010... to get out of the CHAOS. I anticipate that it will creep into my work habits, my play habits, my exercise habits (15 minute of loving movement is part of the Flylady routine), my housework habits, my rehearsal habits, and within the discipline of routine and habits I'll find there is freedom.

I know this from doing WDW a long time ago -- a Bible Based (now cult-like) Weight Loss program... but there is truth that there is Freedom within rules. Kinda like when you wear a uniform to school, you don't have to think hard about fashion, peers fashions, what to wear and stuff... it frees you from worrying about little stuff, and sure, there will always be things to worry about, but within the routine and habit there is flexibility, yes, but there is less time wasted on the small stuff.

So, for any blog-followers... I plan to be a regular blogger again, as I want to chronicle the journey.

I've started seeing a counselor, following an upset at my work -- where I'm no longer full time employed, but am doing special projects as an independent contractor -- which is another reason I need to get out of the CHAOS, because I WANT to work for myself, but need to follow my own rules (!) The counseling will be helping in the other areas I want to have more success in -- so here's to a fresh start, another new year and... once I overcome these challenges... here's to the NEW CHALLENGES and Opportunities of Growth & Development! (*just a little sarcasm there, not a lot* LOL).

Happy New Year Everyone!

New Year's 2009

We watched "Burn After Reading" ~ a Coen brothers movie with Frances McDormand, George Clooney, John Malkovich & Brad Pitt. It was good, but we kept waiting for the funny. It is exhausting, waiting for the funny. Then we watched "And Then She Found Me" with Helen Hunt, Matthew Broderick, Bette Midler & Colin Firth... I thought it was really really good. Started me crying though, and I haven't stopped.

Not an auspicious way to bring in the new year.

For tomorrow I got "Mamma Mia" and "88 Minutes" with Al Pacino... and by accident got one himself has already seen.

We had an outside fire, I did a really tasty cheese fondue with salami, bread, and since I'm trying to cut back on my wheat intake I tried lightly salted rice cakes & sour cream and onion mini rice cakes, which were pretty darn good! I made a couple of Shandy's for us (yum), and at midnight we had Bailey's over ice (mine with some half-n-half in it...mmmmmmm).

I'm still up, and have lots on my mind -- some good, some not so good. Say some prayers, send some good vibes :D

Happy 2009 to us all, and may the future be full of hope, blessings, confidence, honor, integrity, humor & harmony!!

The Year Ahead

Based upon the last post ~ I decided that I really want 2009 to be the year I keep in touch. Send Birthday Cards, send Thank You Cards, send Thinking Of You Cards, Anniversary Cards, and if I don't get a card in the mail to call or email or facebook...!

And then the usual:

Lose Weight
Save Money
Do house work for 15 minutes a day (minimum)
Sing every day
Learn all my music
exercise 15 minutes every day (i.e., walk the dog)
Seriously exercise an hour 3 to 4 times a week
Go to bed before 10pm
Get up between 5 and 5:30 am
Spend less time watching television (need to be more specific... how about - watch my shows on Sunday afternoons when I'm home)
Limit my time spent online
Plan for Christmas every month (making cards & gifts)
Do it whether I feel like it or not!
Have a meal plan (to save money on the grocery bill)
grow 3 herbs in pots AND keep them alive (mint, basil, rosemary)
Stick to the Plan (keep focused whether I feel like it or not!)
Read my bible every day
Keep my prayer list and use it every day
Be grateful. Every. Single. Day.
Write in my journal (sorry blog world, some things I do keep private ;-) weekly

To me most of these are LIFE changes, not new year resolutions -- so, more of a "New Life Resolution" rather than new and/or temporary. This past year I got the exercise trainer, and just need to get back into the habit... which means getting to work early to leave on time... which means going to bed at a reasonable hour so I can get the unpleasant things out of the way (exercise & housework) in the early morning and still have time to do the things I enjoy (bible study, journaling, blogging, emails, keeping in touch) so that after the exercise in the afternoon I have the energy and time to craft (make cards & scrapbook), work on what my goals are for the yard, work on the music and goals with quartet & chorus, cook an evening meal and still spend some time with my amazing hubby.

Inspiration

There are some blogs I read that make me want to write wiser, be a deeper thinker, not complain so much, and spread the vision of peace, love and joy.

I just finished reading "The Yada Yada Prayer Group" by Neta Jackson and it is an easy read, but makes some good solid points about admitting who we really are (or perhaps are not) in the eyes of God. So, today has been emotional... I wanted to get up and "Be Productive" - and I've only been somewhat productive. Dishes done, dishwasher unloaded... some craft things put away, a book finished, some recipes looked up and a plan for dinner on this New Year's Eve Day -- the last day of 2007.

40 years ago I was born -- and I was hoping to be more insightful and inspirational in my blog posts around that time... but life had some other things to throw my way. So how do so many people have a crappy crappy day/week/month and still manage to see the silver lining... AND be able to write about it?

There are days I just don't feel like expressing anything, let alone try and write. And then there are days like today where I post 3 times in one day.

Getting outside of ourselves I know is key -- yet I have to admit reluctantly.... that I think I enjoy wallowing in the self-pity. That is hard for me to say. I believe we always have a choice, and sometimes yes, we need to feel the emotion, perhaps even allow a little wallowing, and then choose to be happier, more content, thankful, joyful through the struggle of whatever it is we're going through.

So as Halle Berry has said, "Just put on your big girl pants and do it!" is a discipline I need to embrace -- and find the inspiration and allow cheerful words and silver linings to lift the clouds adn confusion.

Time to go to Target now ;-)

New Year - New Look

Inspired by Coffeegal -- Rascal is the mascot (isn't he a great dog?!)...

I'll have to get my links back up (yikes)... but otherwise, I didn't lose a lot in the old blog because I hadn't done a lot.