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Monday, February 25, 2013

Life Showing Up - A Sign to Adjust Your Sails?

A few weeks ago, just before the start of Lent, I posted about what I was giving up ( Weekday TV Fasting) what I was taking on (Daily Blog Posts) for Lent.

About a week after Lent began, life showed up and put a halt on these activities.

You probably notice this has happened to you when you have set a goal. Life shows up in the form of an injury or a tough work deadline or a family emergency or some other form of "life."

Taking a break from your goal is sometimes needed so that you can take care of "life."

Once "life" is handled you have options:
  • Return to your goal
  • Modify the goal 
  • Let it go completely
The last 2 options should always be considered. This flavor of "life" showing up could be a sign telling you to adjust your sails OR to abandon ship.

Where are you in your 2013 goals? Full steam ahead? Adjusting course? Abandoning ship?


Friday, February 15, 2013

"Lighten Up Frances"

Tonight, I got home and my knee jerk reaction was to walk over to the cigar box that hides my TV remote control and kick off the weekend with a show as I get dinner going. I promply closed the lid of the cigar box leaving the remote untouched because Friday is still a weeknight.

No TV for this cowgirl since I decided to give up TV on weeknights (see post here).

I then started thinking about how I could listen to a music station on my satellite television. It's not TV but I can have some entertainment. I then worried, "What if the last channel that was on TV was a show and not a music channel? Would that mean that only after 2 nights I already screwed up my Lenten discipline?"

I quickly told myself, "Lighten up Frances" (fabulous quote from the comedy classic Stripes) and just got to my evening of dinner and chores. I'm having fun observing the sounds in my home. I'm also noticing the pattern of wanting to return to my sofa to turn on a show. I'm also noticing how I can't wait until the weekend so I can watch the shows have downloaded to my iPad.

Now I'm questioning myself about downloading the shows to my iPad for the weekend. Is that cheating? Am I slacking by not giving up TV all of Lent? Am I cheating recording all of my shows on my DVR? Is it cheating to be watching TV in the work lunch room while I'm getting coffee or heating my lunch or washing my dishes?

My final answer to all of this, "Lighten up Frances."

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Love Is All You Need

 "Love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love" are the opening lyrics to The Beetles song, All You Need Is Love. It's a great song, especially the version done in the movie, Love Actually.


Even before I received romantic-relationship love, I had (and thankfully still have) all sorts of love around me: the love of my family, the love of my friends and, on occasion, I even loved myself.

Sadly, loving myself was and is a lot less frequent than the other love I receive. Why do I have to be my own worst critic? It's a bit crazy because I am with myself all of the time. Why shouldn't I love the one I'm with even if it's with myself? (Hah! Another song lyric reference: Luther Vandros's "Love the one you're with" totally unplanned but a happy surprise.)

So this Valentine's Day and each day after, I will strive to live this wonderful quote from Oscar Wilde, 

"To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance."



Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Finished Reading a Book - Really, this is a big deal!

Yesterday, I completed reading a book, Mindy Kaling's Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me.

This was the book I virtually checked out using my library card I mentioned in the Get Your Library Card post from earlier this month. My due date was THIS Saturday. I know there are no "virtual library fines" but I would have had to re-check out the book to finish it.

THE most important part of this accomplishment is that I have, at any given time, at least 4 or 5 unfinished books in my home. I have no idea why this occurs but I know it's happening.

Perhaps I can use my non-TV watching time tonight to get to work on finishing another unfinished book and maybe dive into why I don't finish reading books.

I think I'll just stick to finishing a book.

What task do you always leave undone? Share in the comments below.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Weekday TV "Fasting" for Lent

Happy Mardi Gras everyone!!!

Although today's theme is gluttony and excess, I've finally figured out what I am going to give up for Lent. I'll save everyone the religious connotations of giving up something and or taking on a discipline for 40 days and 40 nights. You can visit Wikipedia to learn more.

I and using the framework of Lent as a tool to break out of usual habit as well as personal spiritual exploration. I'll only be sharing the "habit breaking" portion of this "program." Besides, the creation of a new habit only takes 21 days.

So, for the next 40 days and 40 nights, I will not be watching TV programs on weekdays.

Yes, I do have a DVR so I could catch up on weekends. However, my weekends are pretty full with weekend fun so I will have to be selective in what I want to watch during my precious weekend time. Also, the programs that remain on my DVR on Easter Sunday will tell me a lot about what is important.

What are you giving up and or taking on for Lent?

Monday, February 11, 2013

Taking Care of Others' Success & Lent Inspiration

I know what you are thinking, " 'Lent' and 'inspiration' in the same sentence? Really?" 

It is a bit of a stretch but I'll get you there. 

This past week brought 3 great opportunities to stretch in the social media world for 3 different "customers." The first opportunity came in the form of launching the @TopDogBarkery Twitter presence for Top Dog Barkery in Newport Beach, California. The second opportunity came at work in the form of launching and maintaining my department's internal social media/business page. The third was launching and making great progress the blog for my Elks lodge: Gardena Elks Blog. Yes, I am an Elk. You'll just have to wait for more details on that one.

Oh! I almost me forgot the opportunity to work with Mabel's Pralines to relaunch their Twitter presence that was re-invigorated thanks to a visit at their booth at the Shoreline Village Mardi GRAS celebration.

It has been so exciting to have these opportunities and yet, my own blog has been neglected as a result. For the past week, after I realized that Lent was coming so quickly in the calendar year, I have been racking my brain trying to decide what to give up (still working on that) and what to take on. 

As I was walking to my home from the train, it clicked!!! I will write a blog post every day for Lent.

Ready or not, 40 days of the Jaxtastic Life are coming your way.

Monday, February 4, 2013

Creating My "February Cure" - Apartment Therapy Inspiration

Inspired by what I was able to accomplish during the Apartment Therapy January Cure, I decided to create a "February Cure" full of tasks for the month.

I started by creating numbered list of 25 tasks to complete in the reamining days of February (2/4 through 2/28).

The list included items I didn't finish in January like hanging pictures (2/13) and some new areas not covered in January like my balcony (2/23) and my car (2/25).

I then let my inner "IT geek" come out and went to the FREE sequence generator at Random.org to have it create a random sequence of the numbered tasks.

Now that the planning is done....time to get to work.

I'll be posting each day with my tasks.

Below is my full task list for February.

What plans for your home do you have this month?

DateTask
2/4Guest Bath-wash walls
2/5Guest bath-wash floors
2/6Master bedroom-purge under-bed crate
2/7Master bath-tub repair on little spot
2/8Master bedroom-purge under-bed crate
2/9Guest Room-Purge closet shelf
2/10Laundry Area-new clips for lid switch
2/11Balcony-wash windows
2/12Master bath-wash walls
2/13Home office-Hang Remaining Pictures
2/14Kitchen-wash floors
2/15Living room-carpet stain spot cleaning
2/16Entry way-wash floors
2/17Laundry Area-new springs
2/18Home office-filing
2/19Dining room-swap candles & crock pot shelves
2/20Home office-scan pictures
2/21Master bath-wash floors
2/22Home office-scan pictures
2/23Balcony-toss all dead plants
2/24Kitchen-clean fridge shelves
2/25Car-trunk light, replace it
2/26Home office-purge office supplies
2/27Master Bedroom-clean/organize sewing/crochet crate
2/28Living room-Purge trunk

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Get Your Library Card!!!

Yes, you read that right. Go get your library card.

I know. I know. You have an iPad or Nook or Kindle to read your books.

Did you know that today's library offers the ability to virtually check out books to your tablet?

Well now you do.

Why should you  check out books digitally?

  1. It's free.
  2. You can check out a book 24/7.
  3. You have a deadline. Remember, you are still checking out a book from a library.
So, make a trip to your library, fill out that application and check out a book from the comfort of your own home or car or train or plane or wherever.

Now, I have to return to reading Mindy Kaling's Is Everyone Else Hanging Out Without Me?  because I only have 13 days left on my 14-day checkout time with the Long Beach Public Library.