I nearly pissed myself laughing last night. I've started listening to Podcasts while I have dinner. It helps to kill two birds with one stone. First, it keeps me from popping in a DVD and mindlessly vegging in front of the TV for two hours while I eat. Eating at the table in the dining room keeps me focused. And two, I get to actually listen to all these great Podcasts I subscribe to on iTunes without making me feel like I'm wasting time and being unproductive. I subscribe to about a half dozen, including about three from CBC Radio about books, authors, and writing, one from CBC Televison, YouTube, Tom Green (yeah, I can't help myself), but my absolute favourite is Smodcast with Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier. If you have never listened to this, you just have to, I dare you not to laugh. Yesterday's episode had a special guest host with Kevin Smith because Scott Mosier's dog died (so sad :-( I feel for him) and was taped on the east coast in Jersey because Kevin was on the road. They spent the whole hour pretty much talking about this gigantic flea market they went to. I snorted water up my nose a couple of times. They should issue a "Warning: Not to be consumed when consuming anything else" label on that. It's some freaking crazy stuff. Anyway, I'm NOT going to tell you anything about it, other than you need to look that stuff up and give it a listen.
Walk weekend is rapidly approaching. I think it's going to be a good experience. I'm looking forward to going to Moncton and spending some time with the kids. I'm not looking forward to trying to eat healthy and balanced while living in a hotel on a Mountain Road . . . but we'll see how I do with that. Hopefully, I'll find alternatives and not end up feeling crappy and lackluster. There are nearly 700 calories in a small peanut butter cup Blizzard. Think about that. I've much work to accomplish before I can mentally be prepared to leave for the weekend. But I'm working away at it diligently. Consistency is my new favourite word. Yesterday I cracked 2,000 words on a story, a personal record for me. That's one story. THE story. That doesn't include all the other crap I write on a daily basis. I never count any of that stuff. I never count this blog. I should though. Because sometimes I blog good stuff. Not today, perhaps. But sometimes. But when I think about the act of committing anywhere from 1,000-2,000 focused words per day, EVERY day, consistently . . . the possibilities blow my mind. Maybe there's hope of me evolving into a "real" writer yet. I'm certainly evolving. I hardly recognize myself in the mirror when I look into it at 6:05 every morning and say, "Hello inner voice! The day is mine!" Yeah, right out loud. And I don't care who hears. And at that quiet time of the morning if anyone's listening, they will hear. But I don't care how crazy it might seem to be talking to myself out loud in the mirror, because dammit if this motivational stuff isn't working. It's starting to take. Stuff is happening!
Mood: driven
Drinking: water, coffee, luke warm and black
Listening To: nothing yet, but I'm about to put on a little Tragically Hip
Hair: damp from this morning's shower still
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
No Worries
"Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles . . . it empties today of its strength." - Aunt Linda, as quoted by Jennifer Cribbs, SparkPeople community member
Truer words were never spoken. Everyone has worry from time to time I guess. A big thing for me has been making myself conscious of my worry and talking myself off the ledge for the silly little things. I still worry about the big stuff, when it happens. You know, family illness and things. I try never to worry about things I have no control over. I try not to worry about every little thing that happens. I used to be a pretty intense worrier back in the day. But I have MUCH too vivid an imagination! I can always create the worse things in my mind, if I allow it to happen. I had to teach myself to be conscious of my worry. I had to practice talking myself out of it. Every now and again a situation will come up where no amount of positive logical self-talk alleviates my worry, but I'm happy to say they are fewer and more far between. Practice really does help. Even if it feels unnatural in the beginning.
Little thundershower last night. Nothing major. Yes, I really do have an excellent view. Not that I really want one. I closed the curtains for most of this one. Though not before I saw some pretty wicked chains coming out of the sky. Afterward there was the most beautiful rainbow ever! It arced over the length of the river from Nelson Miramichi down to Douglastown. It felt like I could reach out and touch it. Gorgeous! Well worth putting up with a little lightning.
Mood: up and at 'em
Drinking: coffee, fresh ground, with skim, and the prerequisite glass of water
Listening To: rehab, amy winehouse
Hair: puzzling
Monday, May 28, 2007
Living with Purpose II
Mood: sleepy and wondering what to have for dinner
Drinking: lots and lots of water
Listening To: someone outside talking
Hair: washed this morn
Sunday, May 27, 2007
1000 Actions Challenge
An interesting thing happened this evening. I decided to sign up to take a 1000 Actions Challenge on a Message Board I'm part of. The concept is that procrastination is a result of inaction, therefore there can be no procrastination in action only inaction. To reach big goals it's less overwhelming if you break the process down into smaller action steps to get there. So, anyway, there's this challenge to do a thousand actions and I wanted to join. So I went to look for a notebook that I could keep track of my actions, posting them at the end of every day on the message board. Like today for example will look something like:
1. Joined the challenge.
2. Drank 10 glasses of water.
3. Ate breakfast.
4. Did my dishes.
5. Ate supper at the table.
6. Read for pleasure for 30 minutes.
And anything else I've done today that is an action step toward me becoming the balanced person I want to be. Ok, so I went looking for a notebook to track this thing in. The chances of finding a brand new one would be slim, but I thought I could find one that wasn't too full of insanity. Into the spare room and into some boxes I dove, discovering many notebooks with lists, and schedules, and interview notes, and story ideas, and plot outlines, and tarot readings, and journal entries, and drafts of letters, and doodlings, and much more . . . I spied a small yellow spiral notebook and flipped it open to find lots and lots of my neat printing, the kind I do when I'm taking serious notes I want to be able to decipher forever or even pass on to someone else to read, pages and pages and pages of the trying super hard to be neat blue ink. This was unusual for a couple of reasons. First it was the only thing in the book. There was no other scribbling or doodling or messy in the heat of the moment passionate notes to myself. And second, it went on for about half the notebook, or 100 pages! That's a long time for me to be focused and neat. What could I possibly have been so fixated on? And when did this happen?
I started reading. Stuff about stopping the guilt, loving yourself, writing letters to the universe, candle rituals, prayers for your health and healing, visualization techniques, cutting negative people out of your life, and many different daily affirmations and prayers. It ends with instructions on how to do a candle prayer-- "For nine nights, at precisely 9:00, light a candle and repeat: I am a blessed child of God. I am well. I am happy. Great abundance is on its way because, as God's child, I am empowered to create miracles."
And then I have my notes from the nights I did this prayer Feb 9-17, 2000. The notes are very specific, who I included in my prayers and what I was praying for them. Some excerpts:
Wed Feb 9/00 -- my brother, shield from negativity
Feb 10/00 -- Dad, to find his spirit; Me, patience
Feb 11/00 -- Me, patience, patience, patience, shield from negativity
Feb 12/00 -- my uncle, to pass to the other side
Feb 13/00 -- my ex-boyfriend to find acceptance & happiness
Feb 14/00 -- relief for all the people suffering on this earth
Feb 15/00 -- Me, get on the path, do better
Feb 16/00 -- Me, strength to fight the negative forces around me, patience, courage to live my life with joy and harmony and peace
Feb 17/00 -- Me, patience
I prayed for a lot of people. I prayed for friends and enemies and people I hadn't seen or heard tell of in many, many years. The lists are really long, and I didn't want to put it all out here. I remember this time in my life really well. This is when I first started to change my life. This is when I looked at how I was living and said I didn't want to continue the old patterns anymore and that I would break out of the mold and make changes. This is when I made the pact to myself that I would not move right into another relationship like I'd always done, but instead I'd take some time to be alone (which I'd never been since I was 14) and work on myself and my issues. Seven years ago!! And I haven't had a relationship since. Dates, but no boyfriend. Wow!
It's interesting now to read my prayers and to realize how very far I've come. I have patience now! Seven years worth! LOL! I have joy in my life like I'd never known at that time. I enjoy spending time with myself and understand that nobody else can complete me, I'm complete in myself. I know that I cannot control other people's actions only my reaction to them, and that people reveal themselves in the things they do, not by what they say. I have come such a very long way from the mixed up chaos and madness of that time.
So today I'm starting the 1000 Actions Challenge to help me with wellness and balance in my life. And I'm using my best handwriting and continuing right after those prayers from seven years ago. Because this is the right notebook for this journey.
Mood: inspired
Drinking: red wine
Listening To: trains, planes and automobiles
Hair: still unwashed
1. Joined the challenge.
2. Drank 10 glasses of water.
3. Ate breakfast.
4. Did my dishes.
5. Ate supper at the table.
6. Read for pleasure for 30 minutes.
And anything else I've done today that is an action step toward me becoming the balanced person I want to be. Ok, so I went looking for a notebook to track this thing in. The chances of finding a brand new one would be slim, but I thought I could find one that wasn't too full of insanity. Into the spare room and into some boxes I dove, discovering many notebooks with lists, and schedules, and interview notes, and story ideas, and plot outlines, and tarot readings, and journal entries, and drafts of letters, and doodlings, and much more . . . I spied a small yellow spiral notebook and flipped it open to find lots and lots of my neat printing, the kind I do when I'm taking serious notes I want to be able to decipher forever or even pass on to someone else to read, pages and pages and pages of the trying super hard to be neat blue ink. This was unusual for a couple of reasons. First it was the only thing in the book. There was no other scribbling or doodling or messy in the heat of the moment passionate notes to myself. And second, it went on for about half the notebook, or 100 pages! That's a long time for me to be focused and neat. What could I possibly have been so fixated on? And when did this happen?
I started reading. Stuff about stopping the guilt, loving yourself, writing letters to the universe, candle rituals, prayers for your health and healing, visualization techniques, cutting negative people out of your life, and many different daily affirmations and prayers. It ends with instructions on how to do a candle prayer-- "For nine nights, at precisely 9:00, light a candle and repeat: I am a blessed child of God. I am well. I am happy. Great abundance is on its way because, as God's child, I am empowered to create miracles."
And then I have my notes from the nights I did this prayer Feb 9-17, 2000. The notes are very specific, who I included in my prayers and what I was praying for them. Some excerpts:
Wed Feb 9/00 -- my brother, shield from negativity
Feb 10/00 -- Dad, to find his spirit; Me, patience
Feb 11/00 -- Me, patience, patience, patience, shield from negativity
Feb 12/00 -- my uncle, to pass to the other side
Feb 13/00 -- my ex-boyfriend to find acceptance & happiness
Feb 14/00 -- relief for all the people suffering on this earth
Feb 15/00 -- Me, get on the path, do better
Feb 16/00 -- Me, strength to fight the negative forces around me, patience, courage to live my life with joy and harmony and peace
Feb 17/00 -- Me, patience
I prayed for a lot of people. I prayed for friends and enemies and people I hadn't seen or heard tell of in many, many years. The lists are really long, and I didn't want to put it all out here. I remember this time in my life really well. This is when I first started to change my life. This is when I looked at how I was living and said I didn't want to continue the old patterns anymore and that I would break out of the mold and make changes. This is when I made the pact to myself that I would not move right into another relationship like I'd always done, but instead I'd take some time to be alone (which I'd never been since I was 14) and work on myself and my issues. Seven years ago!! And I haven't had a relationship since. Dates, but no boyfriend. Wow!
It's interesting now to read my prayers and to realize how very far I've come. I have patience now! Seven years worth! LOL! I have joy in my life like I'd never known at that time. I enjoy spending time with myself and understand that nobody else can complete me, I'm complete in myself. I know that I cannot control other people's actions only my reaction to them, and that people reveal themselves in the things they do, not by what they say. I have come such a very long way from the mixed up chaos and madness of that time.
So today I'm starting the 1000 Actions Challenge to help me with wellness and balance in my life. And I'm using my best handwriting and continuing right after those prayers from seven years ago. Because this is the right notebook for this journey.
Mood: inspired
Drinking: red wine
Listening To: trains, planes and automobiles
Hair: still unwashed
Sunday, Sunday Here Again a Walk in the Park
And here we are again--Sunday! My favourite day of the week. A bit chilly this morning because I slept with my window open and temperatures dropped overnight. I plugged in the tv last night for the first time since last Sunday, so I could just roll over at 7:30 this morning and snap on Coronation Street.
Some people think my Corrie obsession is a bit odd, but I say, don't knock it until you've given it a go. There are reasons why it's the most popular soap throughout the world. It's fun! I love the humour. And I also like how story lines unfold quickly, not like the American soaps where you can tune in only once every few years and still find everyone facing the same problems they were the last time you tuned in. And there are no evil enemies with supernatural powers to be overcome. The antagonists are just regular everyday bitches and scoundrels--womanizers, liars, cheaters, wife beaters, manipulators, thieves, murderers, etc. It's all very ordinary. Yes, you wish someone would finally slap that smug look off Charlie's face because he is a bastard, and you've met many like him in your travels about the world. And when he finally gets his (and he will) you can trust that he won't be coming back from the dead in some sort of miracle surgery that nobody in the real world has ever heard tell of.
Anyway, with the Stanley Cup almost claimed, the Street will move back to its regular Mon-Fri evening time slot at 7pm and my Sunday mornings will no longer be filled with a full week's worth of episodes. I'm kind of considering not returning to my regular evening schedule and keeping the Sunday morning ritual instead, but then if I miss a Sunday morning because I'm away, I will miss a whole week of episodes . . . and if you miss a whole week of Coronation Street, you miss a lot of stuff! A lot can happen in a week on the Street.
I seem to be developing a bit of an obsession for all things British these days--music, movies, tv shows, books. One day I will cross the pond and visit, fill my boots!
And now a gorgeous Sunday afternoon beckons. Jumbo jets heading west fill the sky. Pleasure boaters cruise past on the river. Somewhere somebody mows their lawn. The puppy next door barks at kids playing basketball and boomerangs. I need to eat lunch before I lose the afternoon and find myself at dinner.
Mood: peaceful
Drinking: water, water, water, 20 oz at a time
Listening To: life beyond the screens of my windows
Hair: needing colour
Some people think my Corrie obsession is a bit odd, but I say, don't knock it until you've given it a go. There are reasons why it's the most popular soap throughout the world. It's fun! I love the humour. And I also like how story lines unfold quickly, not like the American soaps where you can tune in only once every few years and still find everyone facing the same problems they were the last time you tuned in. And there are no evil enemies with supernatural powers to be overcome. The antagonists are just regular everyday bitches and scoundrels--womanizers, liars, cheaters, wife beaters, manipulators, thieves, murderers, etc. It's all very ordinary. Yes, you wish someone would finally slap that smug look off Charlie's face because he is a bastard, and you've met many like him in your travels about the world. And when he finally gets his (and he will) you can trust that he won't be coming back from the dead in some sort of miracle surgery that nobody in the real world has ever heard tell of.
Anyway, with the Stanley Cup almost claimed, the Street will move back to its regular Mon-Fri evening time slot at 7pm and my Sunday mornings will no longer be filled with a full week's worth of episodes. I'm kind of considering not returning to my regular evening schedule and keeping the Sunday morning ritual instead, but then if I miss a Sunday morning because I'm away, I will miss a whole week of episodes . . . and if you miss a whole week of Coronation Street, you miss a lot of stuff! A lot can happen in a week on the Street.
I seem to be developing a bit of an obsession for all things British these days--music, movies, tv shows, books. One day I will cross the pond and visit, fill my boots!
And now a gorgeous Sunday afternoon beckons. Jumbo jets heading west fill the sky. Pleasure boaters cruise past on the river. Somewhere somebody mows their lawn. The puppy next door barks at kids playing basketball and boomerangs. I need to eat lunch before I lose the afternoon and find myself at dinner.
Mood: peaceful
Drinking: water, water, water, 20 oz at a time
Listening To: life beyond the screens of my windows
Hair: needing colour
Friday, May 25, 2007
Living with Purpose
Mood: motivated
Drinking: water & coffee . . . and Hardy's red later!!
Listening To: birds chirping!
Hair: still pulled back, but soon to be laundered
Foundation
Thursday night, every thing's fine, except you've got that look in your eye
when I'm tellin' a story and you find it boring,
you're thinking of something to say.
You'll go along with it then drop it and humiliate me infront of our friends.
Then I'll use that voice that you find annoyin' and say something like
"yeah, intelligent input, darlin', why don't you just have another beer then?"
Then you'll call me a bitch
and everyone we're with will be embarrassed,
and i wont give a shit.
My finger tips are holding onto the cracks in our foundation,
and i know that i should let go,
but i can't.
And every time we fight i know it's not right,
every time that you're upset and i smile.
i know i should forget, but i can't.
You said I must eat so many lemons
'cause i am so bitter.
I said
"I'd rather be with your friends mate 'cause they are much fitter."
Yes, it was childish and you got aggressive,
and i must admit that i was a bit scared,
but it gives me thrills to wind you up.
My finger tips are holding onto the cracks in our foundation,
and i know that i should let go,
but i can't.
And every time we fight i know it's not right,
every time that you're upset and i smile.
i know i should forget, but i can't.
Your face is pasty 'cause you've gone and got so wasted, what a surprise.
Don't want to look at your face 'cause it's makin' me sick.
You've gone and got sick on my trainers,
I only got these yesterday.
Oh, my gosh, i cannot be bothered with this.
Well, I'll leave you there 'till the mornin',
and i purposely wont turn the heating on
and dear God, i hope I'm not stuck with this one.
My finger tips are holding onto the cracks in our foundation,
and i know that i should let go,
but i can't.
And every time we fight i know it's not right,
every time that you're upset and i smile.
i know i should forget, but i can't.
-- Foundation, Kate Nash
I love, love, love her! And you should too.
Mood: loving her
Drinking: coffee
Listening To: kate nash
Hair: a bit stringy
when I'm tellin' a story and you find it boring,
you're thinking of something to say.
You'll go along with it then drop it and humiliate me infront of our friends.
Then I'll use that voice that you find annoyin' and say something like
"yeah, intelligent input, darlin', why don't you just have another beer then?"
Then you'll call me a bitch
and everyone we're with will be embarrassed,
and i wont give a shit.
My finger tips are holding onto the cracks in our foundation,
and i know that i should let go,
but i can't.
And every time we fight i know it's not right,
every time that you're upset and i smile.
i know i should forget, but i can't.
You said I must eat so many lemons
'cause i am so bitter.
I said
"I'd rather be with your friends mate 'cause they are much fitter."
Yes, it was childish and you got aggressive,
and i must admit that i was a bit scared,
but it gives me thrills to wind you up.
My finger tips are holding onto the cracks in our foundation,
and i know that i should let go,
but i can't.
And every time we fight i know it's not right,
every time that you're upset and i smile.
i know i should forget, but i can't.
Your face is pasty 'cause you've gone and got so wasted, what a surprise.
Don't want to look at your face 'cause it's makin' me sick.
You've gone and got sick on my trainers,
I only got these yesterday.
Oh, my gosh, i cannot be bothered with this.
Well, I'll leave you there 'till the mornin',
and i purposely wont turn the heating on
and dear God, i hope I'm not stuck with this one.
My finger tips are holding onto the cracks in our foundation,
and i know that i should let go,
but i can't.
And every time we fight i know it's not right,
every time that you're upset and i smile.
i know i should forget, but i can't.
-- Foundation, Kate Nash
I love, love, love her! And you should too.
Mood: loving her
Drinking: coffee
Listening To: kate nash
Hair: a bit stringy
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Opportunity Knocks
This morning my feet hit the floor at 6am again in one swift motion with the act of turning the alarm clock off. And did I EVER want to go back to bed! Oy! I was so groggy I had to read my checklist to see what I was supposed to say and do next, lol. I teetered on the edge of the bed for a good 30 seconds staring longingly at my pillow. But then I said to myself, "You'll be fine once you're up and around. Just do it!" And I did. And I was. And when I smiled in the mirror and declared the day was mine, I felt it!
Yesterday started off strongly enough, but got off-track around noon and didn't really make a comeback after that. I mean I still got a lot done, hell, I even exercised! But some important things (there are some very, very important things) didn't get done. That's not going to happen today! Today I am focused and determined to get as much done as I possibly can. This day is really mine!
I think I've mentioned that I've started devoting about a half hour each day to life lessons, working on my toolbox for living, my life skills. That's where the morning exercise came from. I am very determined to evolve into that person I've always wanted to be. And this is part of the journey. One thing in particular that I am working on is becoming a person of action, leaving my procrastinating self in the dust. It's difficult. Yesterday I might even have said it's a problem. Yesterday I probably would have said I'm having a situation. But today I'm striking the word "problem" from my vocabulary. A problem is something you can't do anything about. It's a brick wall you can't go through, around, over or under. I don't have a problem with procrastination.
What I do have is an opportunity to take control of my projects, to be a leader and an example to others, to be successful in every aspect of my life, to fill myself with the satisfaction of having reached my goals and to energize my life with the excitement of always pursuing new dreams and goals. My life is full of opportunities! And that's pretty exciting stuff!
Mood: motivated
Drinking: water, fresh ground java with a splash of skim
Listening To: revving engines somewhere nearby
Hair: headbanded in blue speckled elastic
Yesterday started off strongly enough, but got off-track around noon and didn't really make a comeback after that. I mean I still got a lot done, hell, I even exercised! But some important things (there are some very, very important things) didn't get done. That's not going to happen today! Today I am focused and determined to get as much done as I possibly can. This day is really mine!
I think I've mentioned that I've started devoting about a half hour each day to life lessons, working on my toolbox for living, my life skills. That's where the morning exercise came from. I am very determined to evolve into that person I've always wanted to be. And this is part of the journey. One thing in particular that I am working on is becoming a person of action, leaving my procrastinating self in the dust. It's difficult. Yesterday I might even have said it's a problem. Yesterday I probably would have said I'm having a situation. But today I'm striking the word "problem" from my vocabulary. A problem is something you can't do anything about. It's a brick wall you can't go through, around, over or under. I don't have a problem with procrastination.
What I do have is an opportunity to take control of my projects, to be a leader and an example to others, to be successful in every aspect of my life, to fill myself with the satisfaction of having reached my goals and to energize my life with the excitement of always pursuing new dreams and goals. My life is full of opportunities! And that's pretty exciting stuff!
Mood: motivated
Drinking: water, fresh ground java with a splash of skim
Listening To: revving engines somewhere nearby
Hair: headbanded in blue speckled elastic
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Love, Love Him!
Mood: tears running down my face from laughing
Drinking: 2003 cab
Listening To: the god of late night
Hair: in a blue bandana
Foggy Morn
I can't even see the river in this fog. And it's freezing. I'm not really liking the freezing of this past week. It's been hard to get up early in the cold. I wake up throw off the covers . . . and then climb back into the fuzzy sheets as fast as I can lest I turn blue! Except for this morning. Last night I set an alarm. Because I was up late, until 12:30 and then I read for nearly an hour. But I didn't want to sleep the usual 7 or 8 and get up around 9, I wanted to make sure I hit the floor running at 6. Cuz I'm a busy girl and I've got a lot on the go. And not sleeping at all, no longer seems to be an option in my bag of tricks.
So I set the alarm. And even this isn't necessarily a guarantee of anything. I mean Snooze Buttons happen. Sometimes in my sleepy stupor, the whole thing gets turned off and reset for the next day while I'm still mostly in a dream. This morning I didn't want to take any chances, so I followed a plan I'd read about, designed to get you out of bed and raring to go for a great day in under 10 minutes. If repeated daily, my body will be trained to wake at 6am all on it's own and rise excited by the possibilities. I had read about this technique before I actually evolved into a morning person, because anybody can use it to train themselves to be a morning person, and that's what I intended to do.
Anyway, so last night I decided to give it a go. The whole thing only took 7 minutes to complete this morning, but I was a little draggy, it should probably only take about 4 minutes once I've got it memorized and I've developed the habit. Here's the routine:
1. Set your clock for time. Be honest with yourself, use the real time, not 10 minutes either way. Trust yourself to get up on time when you need to.
2. Check the clock to make sure it's set properly for time and set an alarm time. As long as you're not working shift-work, this time should never change, not even on the weekends. Mine is 6am.
3. Place the clock in one spot. I have mine on the shelf beside the bed. It is within arms reach but I have to rise up to hit it. You keep your clock in the same place all the time, it's part of building the habit.
4. When the alarm goes off in the morning, roll over, swing your legs over the side of the bed, sit up and turn the clock off. Resist any urge to lay back down, no matter how cold or tired you are! Once you get up, you'll be fine, and a few more minutes sleep or another hour isn't going to make any difference now, it'll just make you groggier.
5. Clap your hands and say, "I'm having a great day!" Remember when you were a kid on Christmas morning, how excited you'd be to wake up, how excited you'd be about the possibilities the day held for you, well, every day holds great possibilities, so get excited! "I'm having a great day!"
6. Now take a deep breath in through your nose, filling your chest, and exhale through your mouth as you rise to your feet and walk with confidence to your bathroom. Don't drag your feet. Don't mumble and grumble. Stride with confidence! Because you're having a great day!
7. Splash your face with water. (I actually pee first, because I have to, so that's okay too I think.) I don't do the splash, or I didn't this morning at least, I used a facecloth and washed my face. I'm not big on the whole splash thing. But it's up to you. Get some water on your face!
8. Brush your teeth. It's simple, should be part of your regular routine anyway. And nothing says get up and go like a clean mouth.
9. Look in the mirror and smile at yourself. Smile! You can do it! I did.
10. Say: "The day is mine!" And if you've done it all, if you've followed the steps to the letter, by the time you get to this one, you can't help but believe it!
So, this is what I did this morning. And what I'm going to do tomorrow morning. And the morning after that. And so on and so on . . . This is good stuff! Last night when I devised this plan I could not have imagined just how sleepy I'd be this morning, just how much I would want to dive back under the covers. But I didn't. I thought to myself, if someone was going to give me a million dollars to do this thing this morning would I go back to bed or would I go through with it? Of course I'd go through with it! The early bird gets the worm. The new me is a morning person. Early birds and morning people make millions of dollars. It's a no-brainer.
And suddenly some of the fog burns off and I can once again see Chatham Head if not anything above the Frank McKenna Bridge. I'm having a great day!
Mood: excellent
Drinking: i've become rather boring with my water, but it's too early for merlot
Listening To: my fingers clipping over the keyboard anxious to tell you my secrets and share my ideas
Hair: a little flat
So I set the alarm. And even this isn't necessarily a guarantee of anything. I mean Snooze Buttons happen. Sometimes in my sleepy stupor, the whole thing gets turned off and reset for the next day while I'm still mostly in a dream. This morning I didn't want to take any chances, so I followed a plan I'd read about, designed to get you out of bed and raring to go for a great day in under 10 minutes. If repeated daily, my body will be trained to wake at 6am all on it's own and rise excited by the possibilities. I had read about this technique before I actually evolved into a morning person, because anybody can use it to train themselves to be a morning person, and that's what I intended to do.
Anyway, so last night I decided to give it a go. The whole thing only took 7 minutes to complete this morning, but I was a little draggy, it should probably only take about 4 minutes once I've got it memorized and I've developed the habit. Here's the routine:
1. Set your clock for time. Be honest with yourself, use the real time, not 10 minutes either way. Trust yourself to get up on time when you need to.
2. Check the clock to make sure it's set properly for time and set an alarm time. As long as you're not working shift-work, this time should never change, not even on the weekends. Mine is 6am.
3. Place the clock in one spot. I have mine on the shelf beside the bed. It is within arms reach but I have to rise up to hit it. You keep your clock in the same place all the time, it's part of building the habit.
4. When the alarm goes off in the morning, roll over, swing your legs over the side of the bed, sit up and turn the clock off. Resist any urge to lay back down, no matter how cold or tired you are! Once you get up, you'll be fine, and a few more minutes sleep or another hour isn't going to make any difference now, it'll just make you groggier.
5. Clap your hands and say, "I'm having a great day!" Remember when you were a kid on Christmas morning, how excited you'd be to wake up, how excited you'd be about the possibilities the day held for you, well, every day holds great possibilities, so get excited! "I'm having a great day!"
6. Now take a deep breath in through your nose, filling your chest, and exhale through your mouth as you rise to your feet and walk with confidence to your bathroom. Don't drag your feet. Don't mumble and grumble. Stride with confidence! Because you're having a great day!
7. Splash your face with water. (I actually pee first, because I have to, so that's okay too I think.) I don't do the splash, or I didn't this morning at least, I used a facecloth and washed my face. I'm not big on the whole splash thing. But it's up to you. Get some water on your face!
8. Brush your teeth. It's simple, should be part of your regular routine anyway. And nothing says get up and go like a clean mouth.
9. Look in the mirror and smile at yourself. Smile! You can do it! I did.
10. Say: "The day is mine!" And if you've done it all, if you've followed the steps to the letter, by the time you get to this one, you can't help but believe it!
So, this is what I did this morning. And what I'm going to do tomorrow morning. And the morning after that. And so on and so on . . . This is good stuff! Last night when I devised this plan I could not have imagined just how sleepy I'd be this morning, just how much I would want to dive back under the covers. But I didn't. I thought to myself, if someone was going to give me a million dollars to do this thing this morning would I go back to bed or would I go through with it? Of course I'd go through with it! The early bird gets the worm. The new me is a morning person. Early birds and morning people make millions of dollars. It's a no-brainer.
And suddenly some of the fog burns off and I can once again see Chatham Head if not anything above the Frank McKenna Bridge. I'm having a great day!
Mood: excellent
Drinking: i've become rather boring with my water, but it's too early for merlot
Listening To: my fingers clipping over the keyboard anxious to tell you my secrets and share my ideas
Hair: a little flat
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Curing Procrastination
"You can't escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today." - Abraham Lincoln
This quote came to me in one of the emails I get from my new favourite website SparkPeople.com Yes, I know some of you are getting sick of me and SparkPeople, but I don't care. It's a great website! And for now, a constant source of positive energy pour moi.
So as anyone who knows me knows or should know I have a long history with procrastination. Look up procrastination in the dictionary and you're liable to see my father's picture with an inset of me as the princess in training to carry on the family tradition. I'm saying, I get it honest, but I'm not blaming Dad (cuz I know J was getting ready to jump on that blame Dad bandwagon) I accept full responsibility for my own actions. I'm just saying, I didn't dig it up from under a rock in the backyard.
For me, I think my procrastination is tied up a lot with my perfectionism. If there's no time to get it done "right" I become paralyzed and unable to even begin. Like if I can't do all the laundry all the time (like in Sackville, where I did a load everyday) then I won't do any until I'm completely out of clothes and linens and there's dirty laundry piled in every nook and cranny of my bedroom. Yeah, I didn't say it wasn't weird. (ASIDE: Great news! I'm getting a washer and dryer of my very own! Laundry OCD resumes shortly!) Now with laundry, other types of housework, getting enough exercise, even eating right, this really isn't a major problem. I mean it's a problem, but it doesn't effect anyone else, only me and my house or my health. BUT when procrastination carries over into work . . . Houston, we have a problem!
So late last autumn/early winter (right after my third hard drive of 2006 arrived, bnm launched in print, etc.) I launched an attack on my procrastination. Because my workload quadrupled and I need to be on top of my game, all the time, everyday, to make a go of it. There's no more time for procrastination in my work life. It can't exist. I changed my screensaver to scroll DO IT NOW! in teal script. Because really, that's all that is required to overcome procrastination. It's very simple. Just do it! It shouldn't be that hard. Right? Well, actually, it kinda is. Some days are better than others. Some days I feel like I've got the world by the tail. Some days I feel like the world's got me by the tail. Some days I'm immobilized. Some days I get a lot done. Getting organized, staying organized, being on the top of my game with regard to work is one of the two major goals I've set out for myself to accomplish in 2007. I feel like I'm making progress, despite set-backs, despite the bad days, despite missed deadlines and disappointments. I may be only inching along like a caterpillar rather than charging ahead like a wild bull, but at least I'm moving forward. And I feel pretty good about that. I can build on this momentum.
Mood: optimistically doing it now
Drinking: water and the last cuppa Canadian Joe
Listening To: the killers
Hair: damp still from shower and starting to curl every which way
Monday, May 21, 2007
Back Again
I've returned from spending time with family this weekend. Got to see my dog, my kids, my parents, sisters and brothers-in-law. It was good, despite me being sick. I got a wok and a new pair of exercise/walking pants at the Yard Sale. J&J raised a whopping $1,000 for the JDRF walk on June 3rd!! Which is fabulous! Still time to sponsor me, if you haven't already (thanks, by the way!), here's the link again, click here. My new personal goal is $200. Maybe this is doable.
In other news, I weighed myself this morning (I'm weighing in once a week, not that the numbers really mean shit to me, but it's less time consuming than measuring [yes, i know i should do both] and apparently getting real is the way to go) and I lost another five pounds. This means I've officially lost the 10 pounds I gained when I moved home. I'm back to normal again. This is good. I feel much better, much more like myself, finally it feels like my life is back. Thank the goddess!
This despite being really sick still. I crawled into bed last night around 7 after tossing back a couple of Dristan intending to watch Strange Brew followed by Bob and Doug's 2-4 Special, but was snoozing before 7:30 and never kicked until 9 this morning. Yeah, I slept 14 hours!! That is sickness, my friend. I have a lingering headache and coma brain today.
For dinner tonight I'm roasting a turkey breast, baking a potato and having some peas and carrots plus I'm thinking some spinach, because I'm low on fiber and iron today. I think spinach has iron. I'll check. Find some veggie with iron and consume. Turkey is really high in sodium! Who knew?! I'm learning so much about nutrition.
Mood: somewhat steely like the lingering grey fog
Drinking: water
Listening To: how do i get it right, sass jordan
Hair: beyond greasy
In other news, I weighed myself this morning (I'm weighing in once a week, not that the numbers really mean shit to me, but it's less time consuming than measuring [yes, i know i should do both] and apparently getting real is the way to go) and I lost another five pounds. This means I've officially lost the 10 pounds I gained when I moved home. I'm back to normal again. This is good. I feel much better, much more like myself, finally it feels like my life is back. Thank the goddess!
This despite being really sick still. I crawled into bed last night around 7 after tossing back a couple of Dristan intending to watch Strange Brew followed by Bob and Doug's 2-4 Special, but was snoozing before 7:30 and never kicked until 9 this morning. Yeah, I slept 14 hours!! That is sickness, my friend. I have a lingering headache and coma brain today.
For dinner tonight I'm roasting a turkey breast, baking a potato and having some peas and carrots plus I'm thinking some spinach, because I'm low on fiber and iron today. I think spinach has iron. I'll check. Find some veggie with iron and consume. Turkey is really high in sodium! Who knew?! I'm learning so much about nutrition.
Mood: somewhat steely like the lingering grey fog
Drinking: water
Listening To: how do i get it right, sass jordan
Hair: beyond greasy
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Real Jerk
I made jerk chicken tacos/nachos for dinner (because I thought I had three taco shells, but I only had two) and they were superb! I tried a new jerk sauce I found at the SuperValu in the International section. A little dab will do ya! This is hot stuff! Just the way I like it.
Every time I eat anything jerked I think about the Real Jerk Restaurant in Toronto. When I was working in the tele-personal/phone sex industry (pre-internet dating) one year for my birthday a couple of my co-workers took me to this restaurant for a celebratory lunch. It sticks out because it was a 4-hour 6-drink type of lunch that the bosses paid for (I loved those guys!) and one of the gifts I got was a plant that supposedly could not be killed, which died within a couple of weeks. Anyway, I can't believe it's still there! On Queen Street! That's pretty crazy, because this was many a year ago now. This was back in the day when I didn't do spicy (ask S about the Taco Bell mild salsa debacle sometime) and I didn't know anything about other culture's food. I remember going to the restaurant and not having a clue what to order. I ordered some chicken, skewered if I recall, with the mildest of the mild jerk. It was hot, but I ate it, and didn't totally hate it. I remember thinking I wanted to go back there and try other things sometime, but I never did. I believe I moved back to NB within 7-8 months. Shortly after Christmas sometime. Or maybe not. It's all a blur, can't remember how long I worked at that place. I know it was the longest job I kept before working for myself. It was a good place to work. I hear it still is.
Anyway, I kind of forgot about jerk after that. I mean it's not a big thing on any NB menu I frequent, so it kinda slipped out of sight, out of mind, while my tastes grew increasingly toward the very hot and very spicy (which totally happened AFTER I quit smoking and could really taste food for the first time.) I may or may not have run into the jerk once or twice since then but then me and S returned to the city of the crime for the Bon Jovi concert and on our hotel's menu discovered jerk chicken nachos. Can you say yummy?! While in Toronto we also visited the Market where I purchased a big-assed bottle of jerk sauce, the hot stuff, no mild for me, which I pretty much devoured on a daily basis upon returning to Sackville until the jar was empty. I couldn't find any more in the stores in Sackville. Not in their International sections, not in the health food store, not anywhere . . . no more jerk :-( Grocery shopping in Sackville was difficult because of their limited selections, but no more! I'm discovering all kinds of goodies here. The regular access to hot peppers alone is enough to keep me happy but the jerk is pretty darn awesome.
And so easy. Take one chicken breast, cut it up into strips with your meat scissors, rub a tsp of sauce all over and refrigerate for at least an hour. Chop some tomatoes, onions, and black olives up. Stir-fry the chicken for five minutes or until it's not pink. Top nachos with jerk chicken and chopped veggies. Grate a bit of cheese on top if you like. And voila! There you have a very tasty dinner on its own or served with a side salad. It's really good. Go mild if you don't do spicy well, but try it!
Mood: nostalgic, but not teary-eyed, tho perhaps a little drunk (2 glasses)
Drinking: just water at the moment
Listening To: me, sneezing
Hair: beyond redemption again
Every time I eat anything jerked I think about the Real Jerk Restaurant in Toronto. When I was working in the tele-personal/phone sex industry (pre-internet dating) one year for my birthday a couple of my co-workers took me to this restaurant for a celebratory lunch. It sticks out because it was a 4-hour 6-drink type of lunch that the bosses paid for (I loved those guys!) and one of the gifts I got was a plant that supposedly could not be killed, which died within a couple of weeks. Anyway, I can't believe it's still there! On Queen Street! That's pretty crazy, because this was many a year ago now. This was back in the day when I didn't do spicy (ask S about the Taco Bell mild salsa debacle sometime) and I didn't know anything about other culture's food. I remember going to the restaurant and not having a clue what to order. I ordered some chicken, skewered if I recall, with the mildest of the mild jerk. It was hot, but I ate it, and didn't totally hate it. I remember thinking I wanted to go back there and try other things sometime, but I never did. I believe I moved back to NB within 7-8 months. Shortly after Christmas sometime. Or maybe not. It's all a blur, can't remember how long I worked at that place. I know it was the longest job I kept before working for myself. It was a good place to work. I hear it still is.
Anyway, I kind of forgot about jerk after that. I mean it's not a big thing on any NB menu I frequent, so it kinda slipped out of sight, out of mind, while my tastes grew increasingly toward the very hot and very spicy (which totally happened AFTER I quit smoking and could really taste food for the first time.) I may or may not have run into the jerk once or twice since then but then me and S returned to the city of the crime for the Bon Jovi concert and on our hotel's menu discovered jerk chicken nachos. Can you say yummy?! While in Toronto we also visited the Market where I purchased a big-assed bottle of jerk sauce, the hot stuff, no mild for me, which I pretty much devoured on a daily basis upon returning to Sackville until the jar was empty. I couldn't find any more in the stores in Sackville. Not in their International sections, not in the health food store, not anywhere . . . no more jerk :-( Grocery shopping in Sackville was difficult because of their limited selections, but no more! I'm discovering all kinds of goodies here. The regular access to hot peppers alone is enough to keep me happy but the jerk is pretty darn awesome.
And so easy. Take one chicken breast, cut it up into strips with your meat scissors, rub a tsp of sauce all over and refrigerate for at least an hour. Chop some tomatoes, onions, and black olives up. Stir-fry the chicken for five minutes or until it's not pink. Top nachos with jerk chicken and chopped veggies. Grate a bit of cheese on top if you like. And voila! There you have a very tasty dinner on its own or served with a side salad. It's really good. Go mild if you don't do spicy well, but try it!
Mood: nostalgic, but not teary-eyed, tho perhaps a little drunk (2 glasses)
Drinking: just water at the moment
Listening To: me, sneezing
Hair: beyond redemption again
Snuffleupagus
The tightness in my sinuses disappeared and I awoke to a runny nose and much sneezing. Still some pain around my eyes, but mostly just over my right eye, so I think it's more migraine than sinus related. The dam has broken! Let the drainage begin!
So last night I made my salsa (tomatoes, jalapenos, onion, garlic, lime juice, cayenne) and enjoyed about two and a half cups of the zesty wonder with some baked Tostitos tortilla scoops with a smidgen of low-fat mozza melted over them in the microwave accompanied of course by a glass of red wine and then another glass. Then I had some dark chocolate, dates and almonds. I gorged myself! And it was wonderful. All those sinful feelings when you eat a good cheesecake with none of the empty calories. When I make my own salsa I don't put anything sweet in it, no sugar, I like it spicier and tangier, just the fruit & veggies. So a whopping big bowl full is only 115 calories, no fat, lots of vitamins!
Those baked Tostitos are quite the find too. I had a full plate and then another half plate and it was only 314 calories, 8 grams of fat. When you take into account that I ate this meal as supper and snack all in one and I planned for it earlier in the day making good low-cal choices for breakfast (a bowl of cereal) and lunch (turkey sandwich). I finished the day off at only 1,245 calories total. If you consume less than 1,200 calories per day your body goes into starvation mode (where I've been most of my life) and stores every bit of fat it gets. At 1,245 my body feels relaxed and unworried about starvation, so it burns calories and fat rather than storing. If I eat between 1,200 and 1,550 calories per day I will gradually lose weight because I'm consistently consuming less than what I'm burning. And if I choose veggies, whole grains, lean meats, etc. these all have less calories, which means I can eat tonnes and feel fabulous and my body will just naturally return to its best weight.
And what do all these figures mean besides a stunning display of my ability to embrace numbers? I can totally pig out and satisfy those pesky periodical cravings and still be healthy and wise! (Not wealthy so much, because well, you know, some of the healthy things like the fat-free tasty turkey luncheon meat I love cost more than the what's-in-this-anyway regular variety.)
So there you have it! We now return you to your regular broadcast. Snuffy out!
Mood: optimistic
Drinking: water, cold coffee
Listening To: my refrigerator humming quite loudly, perhaps it's the death rattle
Hair: greasy
So last night I made my salsa (tomatoes, jalapenos, onion, garlic, lime juice, cayenne) and enjoyed about two and a half cups of the zesty wonder with some baked Tostitos tortilla scoops with a smidgen of low-fat mozza melted over them in the microwave accompanied of course by a glass of red wine and then another glass. Then I had some dark chocolate, dates and almonds. I gorged myself! And it was wonderful. All those sinful feelings when you eat a good cheesecake with none of the empty calories. When I make my own salsa I don't put anything sweet in it, no sugar, I like it spicier and tangier, just the fruit & veggies. So a whopping big bowl full is only 115 calories, no fat, lots of vitamins!
Those baked Tostitos are quite the find too. I had a full plate and then another half plate and it was only 314 calories, 8 grams of fat. When you take into account that I ate this meal as supper and snack all in one and I planned for it earlier in the day making good low-cal choices for breakfast (a bowl of cereal) and lunch (turkey sandwich). I finished the day off at only 1,245 calories total. If you consume less than 1,200 calories per day your body goes into starvation mode (where I've been most of my life) and stores every bit of fat it gets. At 1,245 my body feels relaxed and unworried about starvation, so it burns calories and fat rather than storing. If I eat between 1,200 and 1,550 calories per day I will gradually lose weight because I'm consistently consuming less than what I'm burning. And if I choose veggies, whole grains, lean meats, etc. these all have less calories, which means I can eat tonnes and feel fabulous and my body will just naturally return to its best weight.
And what do all these figures mean besides a stunning display of my ability to embrace numbers? I can totally pig out and satisfy those pesky periodical cravings and still be healthy and wise! (Not wealthy so much, because well, you know, some of the healthy things like the fat-free tasty turkey luncheon meat I love cost more than the what's-in-this-anyway regular variety.)
So there you have it! We now return you to your regular broadcast. Snuffy out!
Mood: optimistic
Drinking: water, cold coffee
Listening To: my refrigerator humming quite loudly, perhaps it's the death rattle
Hair: greasy
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Sluggish
Sluggish start to this overcast snow threatening day. Sinuses plugged solid. Sinus headache resulting. Yay! I'll fix that with lots of garlic and hot peppers later. It's salsa day!
So the date for my high school reunion got finalized and it's not a very good one for me. It's the same weekend as the Rock 'n Roll Festival and some new festival they're starting in Blackville that is supposed to have a Bread 'n Molasses contest that I'm to be involved with (at what level, remains to be seen). So, now I've got to be in three places at the same time. Can she do it? She will give it a go. Hey Blackcat, you should come with me to the Saturday night gathering as it's opened up to other grads who graduated from bhs within a few years before and after us. Could be interesting. A thought anyway.
I am supposed to be going to my mom's for the weekend, to help with the walk fundraising yard sale, so I guess I'd best be getting some work done now.
Mood: all fogged in
Drinking: coffee, fresh ground myself, cream, water
Listening To: brian tracy earlier
Hair: needing some help
So the date for my high school reunion got finalized and it's not a very good one for me. It's the same weekend as the Rock 'n Roll Festival and some new festival they're starting in Blackville that is supposed to have a Bread 'n Molasses contest that I'm to be involved with (at what level, remains to be seen). So, now I've got to be in three places at the same time. Can she do it? She will give it a go. Hey Blackcat, you should come with me to the Saturday night gathering as it's opened up to other grads who graduated from bhs within a few years before and after us. Could be interesting. A thought anyway.
I am supposed to be going to my mom's for the weekend, to help with the walk fundraising yard sale, so I guess I'd best be getting some work done now.
Mood: all fogged in
Drinking: coffee, fresh ground myself, cream, water
Listening To: brian tracy earlier
Hair: needing some help
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Craving Salsa
My bones say a weather change is enroute. Maybe even snow, says my dad and Environment Canada. Yeah . . . won't that be lovely? NOT! This evening I am craving salsa and those multi-grain tortilla chips. I love those! They are the devil. Of course, I've never actually read the ingredients to see how devilish they are, so maybe they're not that bad. I'll have to have a look-see. I have all the fixings to make my own salsa (tomatoes, hot peppers, limes, onions, etc.) which I like a lot better than the stuff you buy anyway, and mine doesn't have any sugar or preservative crap. I don't have any chips, but I've got some rye crisp breads that might work. Trouble is, I'm much too tired to go about making all that and then eat it as my chin falls onto my chest and I crash for the night. Not good! So maybe tomorrow. IDEA! I could make some with eggs for breakfast! That would be yummy.
This morning I got up around 7 and went for a walk down to the Cove. This time I actually went in and did a loop. Didn't see a soul. Saw a huge ground hog though. Soon I'll start packing my backpack and getting some creative time down there. Looking forward to that, but for now I'm too caught up in other work-writing to take the extra time. Soon. Of course, with the weather being what it is today, my left knee has complained all day that it went walking and insists it won't go willingly again tomorrow. We shall see. Perhaps I can trick the stubborn joint by bribing it with the promise of red wine after a walk downtown to the liquor store, rather than the usual nature hike with squirrels? Ahh! Now, there's a solid plan. Best idea I've had in days.
Mood: bizarre
Drinking: rooibos
Listening To: twitters . . . or maybe just twits
Hair: off my face, and turning a most hideous shade of blonde from harmful uv rays :-(
This morning I got up around 7 and went for a walk down to the Cove. This time I actually went in and did a loop. Didn't see a soul. Saw a huge ground hog though. Soon I'll start packing my backpack and getting some creative time down there. Looking forward to that, but for now I'm too caught up in other work-writing to take the extra time. Soon. Of course, with the weather being what it is today, my left knee has complained all day that it went walking and insists it won't go willingly again tomorrow. We shall see. Perhaps I can trick the stubborn joint by bribing it with the promise of red wine after a walk downtown to the liquor store, rather than the usual nature hike with squirrels? Ahh! Now, there's a solid plan. Best idea I've had in days.
Mood: bizarre
Drinking: rooibos
Listening To: twitters . . . or maybe just twits
Hair: off my face, and turning a most hideous shade of blonde from harmful uv rays :-(
Moo-Lah & More
Because I don't want to think . . . play along if you want.
1. What is the most amount of cash that you've ever held in your hands at one time?
Hmm, maybe 7 or 8 grand in cash. I once held a personal cheque for a million that wouldn't bounce though, lol.
2. Have you ever accepted any bribe? What for?
Nope. I'm not really the bribe-able type. If I'm dead set against something, it would take lots and lots of money to change my mind. And depending on the circumstances, all the money in the world wouldn't do it.
3. Have you ever offered any bribe? What for?
Not that I can recall. Not a monetary bribe anyway. I mean bribing the kids with cookies doesn't count, does it?
4. How rich do you wish to be in your lifetime?
Rich enough to live well, have everything I need, go the places I want.
5. Who is the richest person you know personally? Do they deserve it?
I've got some relatives who are pretty well off I'd guess :-) And yes, I think they deserve it. Accumulating and maintaining wealth is not easy. Even winning the lotto is no guarantee of lifetime financial freedom for some people. Personally, I don't know of anyone who was born into a wealth so great they couldn't possibly spend it all. That would be undeserving.
6. Tell about a time when you had to be brave.
Aye! There's been many a time when I had to be brave . . . perhaps when I was sitting on the floor of the phone booth while downtown Toronto rioted around me, might rank pretty high.
7. Which upcoming movie are you excited about seeing?
Why The Bourne Ultimatum of course!
8. Name an item you try to always have on hand.
Hot sauce!
9. On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being highest), how spiritual or religious are you?
Spiritual 7-8 Religious 0
10. What is the first thing you did this morning?
I got dressed and went for a walk.
Mood: happy
Drinking: water
Listening To: someone doing laundry around here somewhere
Hair: in my eyes
1. What is the most amount of cash that you've ever held in your hands at one time?
Hmm, maybe 7 or 8 grand in cash. I once held a personal cheque for a million that wouldn't bounce though, lol.
2. Have you ever accepted any bribe? What for?
Nope. I'm not really the bribe-able type. If I'm dead set against something, it would take lots and lots of money to change my mind. And depending on the circumstances, all the money in the world wouldn't do it.
3. Have you ever offered any bribe? What for?
Not that I can recall. Not a monetary bribe anyway. I mean bribing the kids with cookies doesn't count, does it?
4. How rich do you wish to be in your lifetime?
Rich enough to live well, have everything I need, go the places I want.
5. Who is the richest person you know personally? Do they deserve it?
I've got some relatives who are pretty well off I'd guess :-) And yes, I think they deserve it. Accumulating and maintaining wealth is not easy. Even winning the lotto is no guarantee of lifetime financial freedom for some people. Personally, I don't know of anyone who was born into a wealth so great they couldn't possibly spend it all. That would be undeserving.
6. Tell about a time when you had to be brave.
Aye! There's been many a time when I had to be brave . . . perhaps when I was sitting on the floor of the phone booth while downtown Toronto rioted around me, might rank pretty high.
7. Which upcoming movie are you excited about seeing?
Why The Bourne Ultimatum of course!
8. Name an item you try to always have on hand.
Hot sauce!
9. On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being highest), how spiritual or religious are you?
Spiritual 7-8 Religious 0
10. What is the first thing you did this morning?
I got dressed and went for a walk.
Mood: happy
Drinking: water
Listening To: someone doing laundry around here somewhere
Hair: in my eyes
Monday, May 14, 2007
Where There's Smoke
My neighbor below smokes :-( She appears to be retired and therefore home all day and as far as I can tell all she does is sit outside, drink coffee, and SMOKE! Smoke rises and comes into my apartment. I can't stand it. I really, really can't stand it.
On a lighter note, I've lost five of the six pounds I gained during the whole move debacle. Yay Kel! I haven't been dieting, just getting in regular meals, eating more fresh produce, making sure I drink enough water and walking more. Pounds melt away (slowly but surely) when you focus on health and balance.
Mood: fantastic . . . except for the smoke
Drinking: water!
Listening To: birds twittering on the back lawn
Hair: damp from recent shower
On a lighter note, I've lost five of the six pounds I gained during the whole move debacle. Yay Kel! I haven't been dieting, just getting in regular meals, eating more fresh produce, making sure I drink enough water and walking more. Pounds melt away (slowly but surely) when you focus on health and balance.
Mood: fantastic . . . except for the smoke
Drinking: water!
Listening To: birds twittering on the back lawn
Hair: damp from recent shower
Sunday, May 13, 2007
MindStorming (20 Ideas)
What can I do to reach my target weight within one year?
1. Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day.
2. Eat 1200-1550 calories everyday.
3. Go for a walk everyday.
4. Strength exercise at least three times per week.
5. Sleep 8 hours per night.
6. Meditate every day.
7. Listen to motivational messages every day.
8. Track my progress by weight and inches weekly.
9. Go dancing once a week.
10. Buy more fruit, green leafy vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains.
11. Take up a recreational sport like curling and/or tennis.
12. Buy a bicycle and use it to attend meetings/got to the office/run errands/go shopping in Douglastown and Chatham.
13. Join a gym.
14. Eat only Mango approved meals at restaurants.
15. Drink decaf coffee only.
16. Take classes like pilates, tai chi, and yoga.
17. Take the time to plan your week and follow the plan.
18. Eat all my meals at a table, sitting down.
19. Make a motivational dream board.
20. Listen to a get up and go song everyday.
It's tougher than it looks to come up with 20 responses! Ok, so you can use this exercise to help you reach any goal you want. Want more money, ask yourself What can I do to double my income within the next year? And then list 20 things you can do to make this happen. Want to find the love of your life, ask yourself, What can I do to meet more men? Or define it further, What can I do to meet a man aged 30-45, over 5'9 inches tall, gainfully employed, who doesn't have any children, doesn't want any children, loves wine, books and camping? Then list 20 things you can do. Once you have your list, pick one item off it and focus on doing it. When you've conquered that item, pick another and get it done, and so on and so on, until . . . BAM! I've reached my target weight! You've doubled your income! And we've all found the partners of our dreams!
How cool is that?! :-D
Happy Mother's Day! All you Mommies in blogland!
Mood: chip, chip, chip, chipper!
Drinking: water
Listening To: requiem, mozart
Hair: headbanded
1. Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day.
2. Eat 1200-1550 calories everyday.
3. Go for a walk everyday.
4. Strength exercise at least three times per week.
5. Sleep 8 hours per night.
6. Meditate every day.
7. Listen to motivational messages every day.
8. Track my progress by weight and inches weekly.
9. Go dancing once a week.
10. Buy more fruit, green leafy vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains.
11. Take up a recreational sport like curling and/or tennis.
12. Buy a bicycle and use it to attend meetings/got to the office/run errands/go shopping in Douglastown and Chatham.
13. Join a gym.
14. Eat only Mango approved meals at restaurants.
15. Drink decaf coffee only.
16. Take classes like pilates, tai chi, and yoga.
17. Take the time to plan your week and follow the plan.
18. Eat all my meals at a table, sitting down.
19. Make a motivational dream board.
20. Listen to a get up and go song everyday.
It's tougher than it looks to come up with 20 responses! Ok, so you can use this exercise to help you reach any goal you want. Want more money, ask yourself What can I do to double my income within the next year? And then list 20 things you can do to make this happen. Want to find the love of your life, ask yourself, What can I do to meet more men? Or define it further, What can I do to meet a man aged 30-45, over 5'9 inches tall, gainfully employed, who doesn't have any children, doesn't want any children, loves wine, books and camping? Then list 20 things you can do. Once you have your list, pick one item off it and focus on doing it. When you've conquered that item, pick another and get it done, and so on and so on, until . . . BAM! I've reached my target weight! You've doubled your income! And we've all found the partners of our dreams!
How cool is that?! :-D
Happy Mother's Day! All you Mommies in blogland!
Mood: chip, chip, chip, chipper!
Drinking: water
Listening To: requiem, mozart
Hair: headbanded
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