21 Days to Getting Organized: Day 2

Challenge #2 - Your computer desk (top only)


Now, you'd think as much time as I spend at my desk during the week that I'd keep it cleaner. Mostly I do, but some of this is fall-out from my filing project. Some of it is just from pure laziness.

Before:



During:



After:




Now I just need to work on the REST of my office.

365 Photos Day 3

3/365

God bless whoever invented these. I can’t pronounce the words, but two of these a day help me to be able to breathe better.

21 Days to Getting Organized Challenge

I'm joining in on the 21 Days to Getting Organized Challenge over at A Bowl Full of Lemons.

This goes quite well with my Quarter 1 project: Decluttering and Reorganization/Organization.

One day at a time, one space at a time. This is a good kickstart.

Day 1: Cleaning out the Junk Drawer

I didn't think ours was that bad, but it was definitely improved.



Before:




All cleaned out:




The end result:

Quarterly Projects (No Resolutions for me)

I don't make New Year's Resolutions anymore. When I did, I tended to forget about them even before January was over.

However, this year, I'm doing Quarterly Projects. I figure I can remember something for 3 months, and this way I'll get 4 things rolling, instead of forgetting the 1 or 2 resolutions I made.

For this year, I'm focusing on areas that have gotten away from me a bit when I was in school, or that I want to improve upon.

Quarter 1 (January, February, & March): Decluttering and Reorganization/Organization.

When we moved into the new house in October 2008, I was in the middle of a school semester, and didn't really care where things were, just so long as they were sort of where they needed to be and out of my line of vision. After I was done with school, and starting to pay a little more attention, it dawned on me that many of our current organizing systems were soooo not working.

Also, when I was painting every closet upstairs last summer, it was a big hassle to unload the closet, look at most of the stuff and think, "And we kept this WHY again?" and then have to sort through it. Since I will be tackling the main level painting-wise later this year, I'd like to be able to do it without having to move a bunch of crap, er...treasures (hence the decluttering).

Q2 (April, May, June): Finances

This might seem like an odd thing to do in the middle of the year, but for me to fully function, I have to get all the visual clutter out of the way first. THEN I can really focus on what I'm working on.

We did the Dave Ramsey thing a couple of years ago. And it worked. It worked so well that we got lazy about it, and fell into the "Oh, we can get XYZ and shift money around to cover." We ate out more, didn't make budgets, didn't plan for upcoming expenses...basically we'll be back on step 1: Get $1000 in the bank. Luckily we know what needs to happen so we'll be OK. It's just a matter of being disciplined.

Q3 (July, August, September): Home Improvement

I made a good start at this last year. I keep a list of things that I see that need done. I just ran out of time last fall (painting-weather-wise) but will have a better plan of attack this year.

Some of the projects are more than paint. Some involve building things. Some involve demolition of things in order to rebuild. All of them will be fun.

Q4 (October, November, December): Exercising my mind and creativity

There are times that I miss school. I know...seems odd. However, in my undergrad classes, I learned things that I hadn't ever heard of, and always wanted to know more about. That's not the way school works, though. There isn't time to go as deep into various subjects as I'dve liked.

As for my creativity, I like making things, but had to put it on hold so I could do homework. I really enjoyed making some of the gifts that we gave for this past Christmas, so I'll be doing more of that. I may even learn to sew. MAYBE. I'll have to see if I can get over that mental block.

So, no resolutions, just good solid goals.

365 Photos Day 2

2/365

Sometimes it's hard being a Cowboys fan. Especially when the game isn't being shown in my area.

But! I found it streaming online. On a Spanish station (yes, I speak Spanish. No, I do not speak Spanish that quickly). There are some things that need no translation, though. Like watching DeMarcus Ware do his thing (scaring QB's outta their minds). And the best part? This God-awful season is finally OVER.

Here's to next year. How 'bout them Cowboys?

365 Photos Day 1

As promised...not artistic, but definitely A Good Thing today.





Since I woke up with a bad headache today, these have featured prominently in my day.

101 in 1001: December 2010 Roundup

It seems to me like I've slowed down some, but those pesky holidays kind of take up time. That and I can't paint anymore until spring (when I can open windows). Ah, but there's been progress, so I won't complain. Too much.

My book count is higher because I hadn't been counting audios...even though for so many years, they've been how I've read for fun.

In 2011 I'll be taking on the 365 Day photo challenge. I'm not going to be going for artistic photography, so don't expect that. I'll just be taking pictures of things I'm doing/seeing. Who knows how'll they'll turn out. That's most of the fun.

Here's where I stand, at the end of 2010. I have 822 more days (2 years, 3 months, 1 day). I have a good feeling about this.

In Process: 14
Finished: 21

Finances/Giving (1/12)
1. Get Emergency Fund up to $1000
2. Pay off and close Chase Visa
3. Pay off and close Target Visa
4. Get Emergency Fund up to 3 months (~12,000)
5. Get a used truck
6. Put a $50 bill in the second collection basket
7. Put a $100 bill in the second collection basket
8. Donate to the Food Shelf 10 times ($25 or equivalent) (5/10)
9. Leave a 100% tip 5 times (0/5)
10. Choose 2 kids from the Jesse Tree during Christmas & get them presents
11. Give to a family in need during the holidays
12. Buy a scratch-off lottery ticket & donate 25% of the winnings to charity [Done 18 September 2010]

House Inside (6/12)
13. Hang up 5 pictures (5/5) [Done 17 November 2010]
14. Frame Tree picture [Done 9 September 2010]
15. Paint back room and closet [Done 13 October 2010]
16. Paint hall storage closet & set up shelves [Done 17 August 2010]
17. Spruce up front door area (outside: welcome mat, flower pots/ inside: bench, mirror, lamp)
18. Finish basement
19. Back door/entryway re-do
20. Repaint & redo my office
21. Hang curtains or blinds in master bedroom & the Kid’s room [Done 18 October 2010]
22. Get dining room chairs
23. Repaint Laundry Room
24. Repaint/redo master bathroom/closet [Done 5 October 2010]

House Outside (1/12)
25. Plant 5 trees in yard (4/5) [4 Blue Spruce planted 7 August 2010]
26. Put in back flower bed
27. Paint Storage Shed same color as house
28. Back entryway outside re-do (transition between steps and red rock)
29. Build garage
30. Put in front flower bed
31. Put in front tower flower bed
32. Put in side flower bed
33. Level out north side of house & put down the decorative rock
34. Get covers for grill & fireplace
35. Get rid of stumps in back yard [Done 28 August 2010]
36. Get a flag for front porch (and install said flag)

To Do/Watch/Read (0/12)
37. Watch 101 movies (21/101)

December 2010 (9)

• The Young Victoria
• Eclipse
• Hot Fuzz
• Green Zone
• Four Christmases
• Knight and Day
• Killers
• Invictus
• The King’s Speech


38. Read 101 books (64/101)

December 2010 (7)

• Can’t Never Tell by Cathy Pickens
• The Black Book by Ian Rankin
• God of the Hive by Laurie R King
• A Clubbable Woman by Reginald Hill
• An Advancement in Learning by Reginald Hill
• Audio: Heist Society by Ally Carter
• Audio: Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld


39. Go to a Cowboys-Vikings game
40. See 5 Minnesota Tourist Attractions (0/5)
41. Visit 5 art galleries in Minnesota (0/5)
42. Watch all seasons of “24” (0/8)
43. Watch all seasons of “MI-5” (0/9)
44. Complete a crossword puzzle book
45. Watch 5 documentaries (4/5)
46. Read 5 Non-fiction books (0/5)
47. Donate 100, 000 grains of rice on FreeRice.com (14,600/100,000)
48. Do 5 things from the “365 Things to do in the Twin Cities” (2/5)

Health (1/12)
49. Walk to work 30 times (23/30)
50. Bike around the lake
51. 175
52. 165
53. 155
54. 145
55. 135
56. Get eyes checked
57. Get new glasses or contacts
58. Get annual physical [Done 16 September 2010]
59. Do the 200 sit-ups challenge
60. Track my progress with Wii Fit for 28 consecutive days.

Grown-up/Family stuff (2/12)
61. Change life insurance beneficiaries
62. Write wills
63. Write living wills
64. Get family picture taken
65. Send out Christmas cards with aforementioned family picture on it
66. Host Brother/Sister Christmas party [Done 18 December 2010]
67. Have a family board/card game night 5 times (2/5)
68. Buy a new “grown-up” outfit (shirt/pants)
69. Take a family vacation
70. Make a picture family tree
71. Get first aid certified
72. Get the Kid a car safety kit for her car [Done 28 December 2010]

Spiritual/Church (2/12)
73. Learn the Rosary Prayers
74. Go to a Latin Mass
75. Go to daily Mass for a week
76. Donate time, talent, or treasure for the CCW Bazaar [Done 1 October 2010]
77. Read the Tao te Ching [Done 18 September 2010]
78. Get a new St Christopher Medal
79. Do the Advent readings and wreath one year
80. Do the Lenten readings one year
81. Do the Rice Bowl project one year
82. Light an intention candle 10 times (4/10)
83. Attend Mass in the Basilica
84. Attend 2 Lenten dinners

Food (7/12)
85. Make a cake & icing (or cupcakes) from scratch [Done 24 July 2010]
86. Try 3 new restaurants (0/3)
87. Do one week of meal planning [Done 31 December 2010]
88. Do one month of meal planning
89. Eat 1 serving of fruit a day for a week (7/7) [Done 12 July 2010]
90. Try a new recipe [Done 1 October 2010]
91. Make cookies from scratch [Done 23 September 2010]
92. Try a different flavor ice cream (no vanilla/chocolate) [Done 12 August 2010]
93. Limit Diet Coke to 2 servings per day for 1 consecutive week (0/7 days)
94. No fast food for a month
95. Try 5 different kinds of apples (5/5) [Done July 2010]

Just Because (1/5)
96. Donate hair to Locks of Love one more time
97. Take part in a pub quiz
98. Complete a 500+ piece puzzle
99. Fly first class
100. Start a Tumblr [Done 8 July 2010]: http://daughteroftime.tumblr.com
101. Do a 365 day photo challenge