List Checking Fool 09/11/2009

I’m a bit obsessed with lists. I use them to help me keep me from going nuts with everything. From the time I roll out of bed to the time my head hits the pillow my mind is running in circles. My mind doesn’t shut off half the time so I’m constantly making lists. My list making habits sometimes get out of control but I can’t live without it. If I wasn’t organized everything would go to the pits; my work, health and fitness would all be in the pits.

I love looking in the Post-it notes aisle at any shop to see what the new stuff is to keep me organized. It’s like a candy store for us organization freaks. All the pretty colors and shapes and sizes all for my shopping amusement. I actually visit this aisle so much Hunni goes and reads greeting cards while I browse.

I have the traditional Post-its in many colors for small notes on my bulletin board or for Hunni and his tasks. Then there are the fancy monogrammed ones that we got as wedding gifts from a friend who knew my love. Hunni keeps those on his desk and I leave him little notes

Piles of note pads for my enjoyment.

My mini ones are for quick notes on papers and little marker ones to put in books or on paperwork. They are like little flags that say “Hey lady check here again.”

The pen was stolen by my loving pen thief of a Hunni

I love my fun heart one for leaving Operation Beautiful notes. They make me smile just looking at the little owl. I leave more now because I have a fun notepad to use.

I even have lined ones to write lists on and attach to my agenda. I go bonkers if I can’t find my list pads on my desk when people are giving me more stuff to do. I’ve forbidden anyone from taking them off my desk. But Hunni is a note pad and pen their so I keep a few in my desk marked ICE (in case of emergency).

The paper closet in my office and it has an entire section of Post-its that I’m quickly dwindling.

No I didn’t buy them all but it’s like the previous officers/pastors here knew that I was going to need them. I can’t wait until I get to go buy my own in fun colors and shapes I actually peruse the WB Mason catalog in my few moments of downtime looking for new note pads I can order if I need them. Bad, bad habit.

In addition to my overabundance of note pads I have the most amazing agenda. I ADORE IT!

Pretty and smooth

I bought a nice agenda for the first time in college and I’ll never go back. I’m not a day runner kind of girl because too much info in one place would overwhelm me and I’d lose it… but my Quo Vadis agenda is a must have (now I sound like a fashion journalist). It’s big and has a nice leather cover that makes it easy for me to find in the bottom of my shoulder bag and the red makes me smile. Besides I can tear the corners off to find my day quickly and I can have my schedule as well as my notes for the day.

Ha, look at my notes for blogging topics in the back that I took during a boring meeting.

Which shall I do next ?

I also keep my agenda on Google Calendar with tasks. Kath had a series of great tutorials that made it even easier and convinced me to get Gmail and do even more with tasks. I don’t know how I used to live without all these wonderful tools.

It’s nice to have all of my schedules organized by color as well as Hunni’s. I even add our bills and the Patriots schedule to it. I rocks that I can get it all at a glance so that I know when things are going over. Hunni is even learning to use it so he doesn’t constantly have to ask “What do we have going on?” That makes both our lives easier so I don’t ring his neck.

 

There is a shop is called Where’d you get that? and is full of fun little toys and gadgets and gags near one of our favorite sandwich shops. And they also have a fun little Notepad section that makes me giddy. I bought a list pad there once that was kind of like the triage that Caitlin described for her To-Do list. It has the top three things I have to do in several areas. I bought it on a whim but it wasn’t cheap. The frugal part of me won in a fight against the impulsive part of me so I made my own when I ran out using a table in WORD. I love that I can just copy it man times over in a color so it is easier to find on my desk. This time is blue…next time green for Christmas…then maybe pink for Valentines

Notice what I had to put along the bottom. There were some days that I’d get super busy and not get online all day. It’s just me and Hunni out here so contact with my good friends only happens through the internet. Kind of like the old AT&T comercial for reaching out and touching someone. If I don’t do that I have a horrible day.

Menus, grocery, schedules, top 10…everything has a list for me.

Groceries, menus, and lists oh my!

I even leave Hunni little love notes. I bought these fun ones right before we got married to leave for Hunni…

Can't show you the spicy side

Little fun to make the day better

I feel like a juggler many days with so many things up in the air. My job is not the typical 9-5 so often I’m doing things early morning or late night. Without lists I would never be able to keep up. Often I leave myself little pick me ups like the scale note I left for myself yesterday or the list I made about why I continue on this Healthy Living Journey. If I add my blogging or exercise or dinner to my to-do lists they are more likely to get done. If I’m organized the important things for all areas of life will get done versus just what pops into my head in that moment. My life is too crazy to get scattered and when I allow it to is when my exercise and healthy eating and friends get pushed to the side just to get done.

I keep saying it over and over but I’m learning balance. I’m learning that if I organize what I need to do for the day by priority then what needs to get done. Sure I’d love to be able to do it all everyday but that just drives me batty. I’m not a magician and I don’t a genie (although who wouldn’t love to have Robin Williams as their personal servant…constant laughs) so I need to do what I can do. I have to be able to be happy with what I can accomplish instead of beating myself up for what I didn’t. Family, friends, work, fun, health all need to find some balance.

How do you keep your busy lives organized? Any tips for an organization junkie ?

Good Patient?? 08/11/2009

**Let me just say I had this post all nice and formatted while laying on the couch and then it went wonky.  So here you have my best efforts without throwing the laptop out the window.**

  

A good patient would stay in bed and rest…instead I was up at 8.30 and finally got out of bed at 9AM since I couldnt’ take it any more.

 

A good patient would drink plenty of ginger ale, water and tea while eating the traditional BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast)…I got it half right since I had some bananas and toast.  ..I guess those 4 pumpkin muffins left over from the teen bake sale don’t count as toast though.  At least they are fruit or is it veggie?

 

A good patient would rest on the couch all day and relax.  Instead I couldn’t sit still.  I wrapped all the Christmas Presents we have have thus far

 

We watched Coraline

Food Inc.  (I am even more strong in my regard for needing to purchase organics when I can and eating meat as a special occasion and not an everyday thing.  Probably not the greatest thing to watch with a weak stomach.)

Finally saw the movie that everyone is buzzing about.

The Never-ending story for some 80’s cheese and memories

Love the 80’s special effects.

And finally indoctrinating Hunni into the wonderful world of Harry Potter. 

He’s never read the books or seen the movies but is actually quite interested in them now.  I think we might watch the rest this week or on our date nights Sundays during kettles (thank Caitlin for the idea).  That way when the new one comes out next year he will be ready for a movie date with me to see it. 

I can’t shut my mind off even when I’m ill.  Sure my brain is trying to escape my skull from the pounding and my chest feels tighter than LL Cool J’s abs but I just can’t sit still.  Think I would get better if I could just rest?  Peanut and Leo think so…

Chair all to himself

I don’t even know if that is possible without a nice dose bottle of NyQuil or a sledgehammer to knock me out.

And the worst part is that for the first time Hunni and I have to cancel church since we are both suffering from this nasty bug.  Sure we could have church and infect our entire congregation but who wants that really?  Instead we called them all and told them how sorry we were but we would call them later this week to let them know how we are doing and look forward to taking many of them another Christian Rock concert (this time Third Day) on Saturday.  We didn’t even cancel church for the big blizzards and ice last year so cancelling hurts us.  We have no other choice.  Perhaps I might take that nasty cocktail of NyQuil and try to sleep in.  Lord knows it would serve me better to be able to function.

Sorry for the down post.  Perhaps I’ll be back with more fun later.

 

Have some fun of your own and enter Chocolate Covered Katie’s contest for a fun kitchen gadget gift card. 

Share and Share-alike 07/11/2009

Oh the joys of wedded bliss…we share everything.  And I guess that means we share our germs too.  I told you the other day that Hunni may have swine flu but he doesn’t, just the normal old flu.  And now I do to.  His is almost gone since he has some wolverine-like ability to heal faster than the doctor’s say but I am just starting with all the symptoms.  Every time I tell him my symptoms he just shakes his head and says “yep your sick.”  He actually also told one of our employees that “We’re killing each other” because now his chest hurts from coughing and I’m sore all over and have a sore throat.  Dear God help us to get through tomorrow.

 

In the spirit of sharing I thought I’d share with you some pictures from the last few days since I don’t have the energy to be funny or witty today.  Hope you enjoy.

 

Like the *bling* our youth made for Hunni the other day? It doesn’t exactly match his uniform.

The only place she won’t whine is in my lap staring out the window.

Ahhhh Belly rubs…pure heaven for Leo :-)

Sign you’re busy…looking for glasses that are on top of your head. Or I could be senile?

My boys cuddling

She guards the remote and changes the channels with her chin.

He likes to see what’s going on but is too short.

Fun tips and tricks :-) 06/11/2009

After the day I had yesterday I’m just happy that I’m not bald.  I wanted to be funny and take a pic of me pulling on my hair in my office to show you how crazy it was but alas it was just that crazy.  Instead you get this picture…

Why do I always make this face?

 Yep I went to the gym.  After going non-stop in the office all day (I ate my salad for lunch at 2PM at my desk and dropped a few lettuce leafs on the keys while reaching to answer the phone) and then running a million errands after work I needed a release.  So I hit the gym and sweated up a storm.  Kind of reminds me of this pic…

Sweaty mess but so happy!

Not as sweaty but sure felt it and felt as great afterward.

 

So for today I wanted to share some fun tips and tricks I’ve been reading in the blog world and in my magazines of the last few months.  I apologize in advance to any bloggers if I can’t remember if it was your blog that I saw the idea and don’t give you credit.  Leave me a message in the comments and I’ll correct it after another crazy day tomorrow.

• From SHAPE today: Smile at yourself in the mirror before you get on the scale and remind yourself you are beautiful no matter what the number says. 

This reminded me of an Operation Beautiful note to yourself.  In fact I decided to write an Operation Beautiful note to myself.  Some days I really let that number on the scale affect my day even for just a bit.  I need to work on that. 

See I'm smiling

It really doesn't...it really doesn't...it really doesn't....

•  Use smaller bowls/cups/plates so that it looks like you have more food when you eat the same portion sizes as if you had a big plate.

I always use my salad plates for dinner.  I always have because my mom used my grandmothers’ plates growing up and the “dinner” plates look HUGE.  And I even have those cute little bowls from china town that I like to put my yogurt messes and other stuff in.  Makes me happy.

• From Kristin: Change up the machines at the gym to create a calorie scorcher workout.

Since I can’t run I’ve missed it and kind of had gotten into a slacker mode about the gym.  If I didn’t go it wasn’t my fault because I couldn’t get in the full run anyway.  Now I do my warm up and run on the Treadmill for the 10 minutes I’m allowed and then bust out the other 45 on a combo of walking on the treadmill, bike, and elliptical.  And I am pushing myself to do intervals on the bike and elliptical so that it mimics the “interval” of running I do between the walking warmup and after my run.  It’s fabulous and I’m burning a good bit of calories and enjoying myself and the change-up.

• Give yourself variety with your food choices so you don’t get bored of the same old dinners.

I could not stand to eat the same boring chicken and rice with veggies everyday.  It would drive me to drink and I don’t drink.  In fact I love the menu planning I do so having many different options is awesome.  I like to plan a combo of new recipes and the new “old” favorites.  Keeps life interesting and keeps me eating healthy.  Otherwise all that cookie dough from last night would have been in my tummy.

• From Angela: GREEN MONSTERS!!!! 

I have no clue what took me so long to try these.  It might be the fact that I had to invest in a blender since mine was from the 70’s and smelled funny.  Or it could be the fact that I’m not a big fan of veggie juice and I was scared.  But now that I’ve had one I’m never going back.  I made one this morning with frozen raspberries and it kept me full all day.  I normally would have been gnawing my arm off by then but I was satisfied and actually sipped the last half of it during the brief moments I had at my desk.  YUMMO  YUMMY!!!  (I did not just use a Rachel Ray phrase… I can’t believe it…they annoy me so much.)

• From Brandi: Play with your food to make it more fun to eat and enjoy.

Why not make food fun.  That was part of the joy of eating as a kid.  So of course I love to make food fun now.  I’m not making puppets out of sausages but I like to make it look pretty and I think it makes it tastier.  Heck whatever make me happy right? 

• From Mish: Balance, Balance, Balance.

I am working hard on this.  I’m not really good at it but I am striving for it.  I’ve noticed that on the days I’m more balanced I feel better.  No convincing myself that balance needs to be a regular thing and not a special occasion is the trick.  Balance helps me to relax in the evenings and get up in the morning.

• From Heather: Do what you know is best for your body even if it goes against what “the rules say.”

The rules say everything in moderation.  But I know for me some things in moderation turn into some things into lot-eration.  It just doesn’t work for me to have a little bit of chocolate everyday or I’d eat the whole bar.  So for me eating one cookie yesterday was huge but I know it won’t happen again for a while.  Of course I’ll be enjoying a bit of dessert with Hunni for Christmas…but only for the day.  And when friends of ours get married this spring and summer I’ll have a smidge of cake but it won’t be the 2 or 3 slices of cake I had at the last wedding.  I need to know my own boundaries even if others can have it.

• Do workouts you enjoy so you’ll stick with them.

I love the gym and I love to run.  Hunni on the other hand hates the gym.  He goes with me but doesn’t go on his own…for him it’s like a date…silly Hunni (who is snoring on the couch right now )  But for him he could walk the dogs or ride bikes all day.  It’s all about what you enjoy because you should enjoy it.  In the SHAPE I was reading last night one woman did ballroom dancing because she couldn’t stand the gym.  Whatever works because you don’t want getting fit to feel like that dreaded four letter word…W-O-R-K.  Enjoy it!

  

Little tips and tricks help make it fun to be healthy instead of a chore.  If you had told me 4 years ago I’d be enjoying all these things I’d have doubled over laughing in your face.  But I love this and I love all the fun and challenge it brings.

 

What tips and tricks do you have for health and fitness?

Just so you all know Hunni is doing well.  Lots of gingerale, rest, and toast.  But he seems to be getting better.  He is happy because he’s annoyed with resting already.  But he needed it.  I’m just happy he’s okay.  Sneezing dogs are okay too…just as lazy as ever

Oy Vey… 05/11/2009

Husband with possible swine flu…reverse sneezing dog…other dog with allergies = Not much sleep for Cynthia.  Pardon me while I get back to playing pharmacist and the moutain of work in front of me.  I’ll be back tomorrow.