Lists...

I think I need to start making lists.  Does this work for people?  Do people with those type of personalities accomplish more then say, Me, the ultimate procrastinator?

I've been off of work for 5 weeks and I feel like I've wasted so much time.  Even though I was highly limited on what I could do, I really didn't accomplish any task I wanted to. I'm so disappointed in myself.  I thought that the minimum I could of done was start up my Rosetta Stone again.  But, alas, I didn't.  I did however take the time to put the program on my laptop and not just keep it on the desktop. Baby steps here, baby steps.

I worked my first day back yesterday and I felt great.  So much better.  I can't imagine working like I did before the surgery.  I love being pain free, but my doctor still isn't okay with me working full-time yet, so I'm just easing into it slowly.  It's really sad when the receptionist at the doctor's office knows your name by the sound of your voice.  I told her that I took it as a compliment.  I'm not sure if it was meant as one seeing that I've called at least once a week before my surgery and I've called at least once a week after my surgery. That's about ten calls she's taken from me.  Maybe it's just because I'm young and not many 27 year-olds have back surgery. I'm definitely convincing myself of the latter.

Basically, my time is running out on having loads of free time.

Maybe it's that I really thrive off of working on things under pressure.  Again, with the convincing.

So, how do you A-type personality people do it?  How do you follow through with things you say you're going to do.  I still wake up wanting to hit the gym and I can't wait to get back to it; the gym is one routine that I got myself on and have stuck with.  It took me a lifetime of trying!  But, I can't seem to stop wasting time long enough to do my Rosetta Stone or other things that I keep swearing to myself that I'm going to do.

Any advice you go-getters?!

Just a Jane of All Trades...

I get bored so easily.  I can't help it.  I've always been pretty indecisive.  But I like my life that way.  I love stability when it comes to my love and my money, but when it comes to my hobbies and what I do on my down time, I can't keep stop loving different things.  I think I'm good at a lot of things, but I'm not a master of any.  But I'm OK with that.  Honestly, I kinda like it that way.  I like the fact that I dabble in a lot of things; my only problem is the follow through.  I start projects and then I get so easily sidetracked.  

I've been writing a book about the bar I work at for over two years now.  But things change all the time and then my idea for the book changes all the time.  Needless to say, it's still a work in progress.  Hey, it took JK Rowling like a thousand years or something to write Harry Potter, right? 

I've been trying to learn guitar and another language.  Guitar is still an ongoing process, but my practicing is just faltering.  Language attempt: epic fail.  I swear I'm going to pick it back up again.  

I write music.  I need to get my ass moving about getting it published.  Honestly, I'm scared.  I'm scared about putting myself out there.  I'm scared about being ripped off.  I'm scared about failing.  I'm scared of succeeding.  I'm scared of the entire idea of it all.

I had an idea a few months ago about making earrings out of buttons.  Especially old buttons.  The kind your Grama probably stored in tins.  I buy a lot of earrings.  Not the expensive kind.  The cute kind.  The unique kind.  But not the Claires kind.  I like old earrings.  I like going to antique stores and buying old clip ons.  I'm a dork.  A vintage loving dork.  So, recently I started making earrings.  And hair clips.

I like when people comment on them.  I like saying I made them.  I'm thinking of selling them, but Etsy isn't the way for me to go because of the fees.  I wouldn't charge that much for them, so Etsy just isn't the way for me.  I'm thinking of building a website, or just doing a Facebook page.  I'm not sure of what to do really.  Again, I'm just a little all of the place. 

I love having different creative outlets.  I need them for my sanity.  I need to keep my ideas fresh and stay creative.  But I need to also have some follow through. 

For those of you creative types, how do you stay motivated?  How did you make a real go at it?  When did you decide that a hobby could actually be something more and what did you do to make that happen? Just curious.  A girl needs a helping hand sometimes.

All this on my brain and I still am hitting the gym five days a week.  Aruba is just around the corner.  I know i'm going to lose my concentration.  I just got to keep my focus on all the end results.  Even if I'm not sure of what they are yet.

Last Year's Resolutions...

It's about time that I started on some of last years' new years resolutions... As I've said before, I'm really done with the resolutions.  I never stick with them and last years' resolutions were the last ones that I will ever make.  But I was thinking about some of the stuff that I resolved to do last year; other than the typical, lose a few pounds things, I vowed to do things instead of giving up things that were bad for me.

I really want to learn to play the guitar.  I grew up as a band/chorus nerd, kinda, and I love music and I love writing lyrics.  It's pretty much my dream career, being a songwriter. I've always wanted to pick up the guitar and learn how to play and last year I was lucky enough to have my bestie's brother loan me one of his.  Unfortunately, the guy who said he was willing to teach me never followed through and I never followed through on my own—another resolution that I failed at.

Finally, the other day I started to pick it up on my own.  After months of failing at certain beginner books, I finally found one that helped me at least get started.  The book teaches the strings and their names instead of teaching chords right off the bat.  I feel like I'm getting somewhere!  I know that the chords are obviously the most important part, but I'll get to that, I promise.

I'm not expecting to play like people who've been doing it for years; I'm just not trained that way, but I want to at least have it help me in my song writing.  Hopefully I can put something behind the words that I write; hopefully, it can help me with some of my melodies that I need to work on.  Unfortunately, my nails will never be the same IF I keep this up.  I never realized how long nails and playing really aren't a good combination—so long, long nails, hello painted ones...

I still want to learn a new language too—I haven't picked up the Rosetta Stone software because the price is still a little too high.  I've been looking on auction sites, but I can't help but be scared of scammers and ripped off software...

I guess I'm really not good at this resolution thing at all! Thankfully, I didn't make any this year, so I can't break any.  But I still want to follow up on last years, just to make myself feel better. 

Not Quite There...

So I'm officially done with classes. I'm not officially graduating, but I do feel like I have had the world lifted off of my shoulders. I started and finished my Christmas shopping yesterday after my last class. Another sigh of relief. The tree is up and decorated. My doctors' appointments have gone well (had to load up since I finally have insurance). I'm getting back into my exercise routine. My new bathtub is sitting in the garage just waiting to be installed, so I can start soaking up the bubbles in the new year. Sigh, Sigh, Sigh, and Sigh.

I've also learned a valuable lesson. Procrastination, isn't a good thing. I know I'm not the only one in the world that procrastinates, but staying up until 6 a.m. to do work, is probably the best display of procrastination that I can come up with. Is there anything that you're procrastinating? Christmas shopping, losing those last pesky 10 pounds, or spending some time with family and friends? My advice: time is short so stop procrastinating (hopefully I can practice what I preach, at least for the rest of the year).

So now I've got projects to do around the house: buy and finish a pantry for my kitchen, paint the upstairs bath (after the bathtub is installed of course), and buy our new kitchen table. I also start my internship with Our House Magazine, which I'm really excited for. I'm looking forward to look at beautiful houses in the Poconos and the Catskills for inspiration.

Now to get into the holiday spirit, here is what I'm watching. Obsessively:

Remember That Procrastination Thingy...

Yea, well my procrastination has finally kicked me in the ass. I apparently had two papers due today for my feature writing class and I only did one. Yes, it was on the syllabus, but we deviate from the syllabus so much that I honestly didn't think anything else was due except for the paper we talked about last week in class. Oh well, I'm allowed to slack a little right? I can't do everything on time. I'm the laziest busy person I know. I want to be lazy so bad, but I just can't find the time to do it! Although I did find the time to sleep in today after leaving work at 1 a.m.- sometimes sleep really is the best medicine (well, that and cuddle time with the hubby)

11:30 a.m.- Woke up to my husband taking a shower and getting ready to leave for work early. He had to pick up the dry cleaning that I dropped off the other day. Today was his first day of his winter uniforms (perfect timing by the way, today was also our first day of snow!)

I, of course, had my favorite breakfast in the world, two apples (yes, I'm addicted, but it could be worse) with fresh almond butter. Peanut butter just doesn't cut it anymore, and Soon's Orchard makes the best- just almonds, no oils, no salt, no sugar- just all good stuff.

12:30-1:30- Picked up around the house and made the bed (a little obsession I have before I leave for the day- as long as the hubby isn't still sleeping). I had to print out the paper that I had done for my class too- then I checked my school e-mail and noticed that she mentioned the assignment that I didn't do. By that point it was just too late to even think about it.

1:30-2:55- Drive up to New Paltz listening to my new favorite artists- David Nail and Joshua Bell- two artists that I don't think could be more different, but nonetheless I love them both. David Nail I heard from awhile back but I just newly discovered his album. Jonathan Bell is discovered from an article in The Washington Post and I had to listen to him. Amazing.

3:05-4:30ish- Feature Writing class where we watched a PBS video on the change of media. A little dated even though it's from 2007. Now I have to write a paper on the video for Monday's class. She let us out early again. I'm not complaining or anything, but driving up there in the snow sucks, especially when the class isn't as long as it's supposed to be. I think I'm the only college student to complain about leaving class early.

4:30-6:50- I talked to my mom on the drive home. I love her so much and I miss her even though she's only 10 minutes away. When I'm in school I just have no time and it sucks. I try to have as many moments with her as possible- she better know how much I cherish them. She was telling me how to make a chicken pot pie for the hubby. I found a recipe that was just so detailed and I didn't have time for it. Thank God for mom and quick recipe fixes. You gotta love how working moms always know how to make good food quick. Made it to Shop Rite and the liquor store (I was out of my favorite wine, I always like to have it in my fridge just incase I'm in the mood). Grocery shopped- my favorite thing, as long as I'm not hungry, otherwise I go crazy.

7:00-10- My best bud came over to go to her first Jen Murphy class. I was really afraid that she wouldn't come, but I so badly want her to get motivated so I was glad that she showed up. As always Jen kicked ass and my friend Trish will definitely be feeling it tomorrow. But she will love Jen and I are her wedding day! After the hour class we sat around the kitchen table talking about the upcoming wedding and looking at pictures of what my dress will look like. It's cute, so I'm actually not dreading it! I can't wait to see her in her dress! We're getting so old! Married women, who would have thought it.

After cooking my hubby's pot pie and cleaning up the kitchen, I'm now relaxing with the him (he got out of work late, so he didn't go to the gym) oh, I'm so upset about it too haha. Now I've got to get moving on sending out some e-mails in order to get an internship. I'm hoping to stay local. Here's hoping that I get the chance. Maybe I should try to play catch up on my school work too. I have to send out some e-mails to teachers too for my interviews for my investigative reporting class. So much to do. So little time. Oh well, I guess I'll go cuddle instead. I need some hubby time. He's what keeps me sane.

Procrastination is a Bitch!

I just realized that I'm again falling behind on school work and hoping to win the lottery is just not going to cut it. I had every intention to wake up early today and actually get some things accomplished, but after having breakfast and turning on the Golden Girls, I found myself drifting back to sleep. Then after my husband woke up, I finally got my ass in gear. Rushing as always.

12:30- I leave the house with books in tow, a 32 ounce bottle of water, my husband's dry cleaning that he needs for Thursday, my half-charged cell, and unfortunately without any green tea. I was a hot mess, dropping stuff while heading downstairs to my car. Stop at a local orchard really quick because I need fresh almond butter, peanut butter, apples, concord grape spread, and apple cider. Luckily my bill was $38 because I had exactly $40 in my pocket.

1:40- I arrive at New Paltz and thankfully pulled right into a parking spot because I was running late and had to go to the bathroom (my 32 oz water was finished on my car ride up).

1:45-4:40- My investigative reporting class. Which I'm realizing I'm falling a little bit behind on, so I'm getting scared. Again, procrastination is a bitch.

5- Drive very quickly out of New Paltz to Middletown in order to drop of my husband's dry cleaning so it can be ready for him to pick up for work on thursday. For some reason he decided it would be great to wait to the last minute... hmmm, I think we're perfect for each other, eh?

6ish- I'm home and have just enough time to change my clothes for work and fill my 32 ounce water bottle back up. I head off to work for a shift that is supposed to start at 4 p.m. but because of school and my very understanding co-workers/friends and boss I'm given lots of leeway on the time.

6:30-1 a.m.- I work and painfully think of the fact that I have school work to do before doing it all over again and waking up at 6 a.m. As one of my customers annoyingly reminded me, my not sleeping thing is, "very dangerous and not good for your health." Really? Thanks, I thought only sleeping an hour or two was completely healthy. Thanks for the input.

1 a.m.-4:45 a.m- I work and research.

4:45 a.m.- Finally I sleep. I e-mailed my professor the homework.

I'm becoming a walking zombie at this point, but I know that it will all be worth it in the end, when I get "there." I just can't wait for those golden moments of eight hours of sleep. I remember them from the summer. I can almost taste them. I still need to get my exercise in because I'm realizing that it keeps me sane. But on days like this one was, it will only be a 20 minute pilates dvd, no Jen Murphy. After class again today, I've got work again tonight. Thankfully, my boss and friends are letting me sleep and I'll be in at 6 p.m. Thank God for friends! Now it's time for bed so I'm not "dangerous" to myself and others.