How often do you say “no” to things that would interfere with your goals?
I am a woman, one of the last reared with old fashioned ideas. Things like the man worked and the woman stayed home. The man managed his time and pursued his dreams. The woman gave up all of her time and gave up her dreams.
So no I don’t say no to things that interfere with my goals. In fact as sad as it is, I can’t remember ever having a goal beyond losing weight to please my ex-husband.
If anyone knows how to change the mindset of the 60s and 70s let me know.
Realizing a move was not financially possible, I decided to do updates to my home. While I had done some updates, my kitchen cabinets are in a bad way.
I took it upon myself to paint them a few years ago. At first they looked good but over time they became worn. I priced getting all new cabinets and counters. It was out of my price range. How do I update them without breaking the bank.?
I am getting new cabinet doors and having the bases and new doors painted. I’ll get a new updated look without spending $25,000 or more.
However I failed to realize I would need to remove every single thing from my kitchen. Now my kitchen isn’t large but it’s amazing how much stuff one can stash.
I do not do well in chaos. Some people thrive on it, but I need order. My daughter told me that when your space is a mess it can affect your brain and make your brain feel unsettled. So right now I’m living in a mess and it’s going to get worse as I haven’t even emptied all the cabinets.
What type of environment do you thrive in? An orderly space? A space which shows something is happening? Or an over the top mess full of creativity?
Everything should be completed by next weekend. Which means I know next weekend I’ll be spending my time putting everything back. Will it be like Christmas when you can never fit everything back into the boxes? I hope not.
This is the third year I have participated in my library’s 50 books in 50 weeks in 50 categories challenge. The first two years it took me all 50 weeks to finish. This year I finished early. The library gives the categories and the reader is free to choose any book which fulfills the category.
I started this challenge because I had gotten in a rut and reading only a few genres. This has opened me up to so many good books I would have never considered reading. So step out of your comfort zone and pick up a new genre. If you haven’t read in a long time, don’t be overwhelmed. Find a title or cover that appeals to you and get started. You won’t regret it.
Here is the list of 50 books I read:
Stephen King: On Writing
Kent Haruf: Plainsong
Asphyxia: The Words in myHands
Maxie McCoy: You’re not Lost
Katherine Arden: The Bear and The Nightingale
Rita Mae Brown: Claws for Alarm
Amanda Gorman: Call us What They Carry
Zane Grey: Desert Gold
Erik Larson: The Devil in the White City, murder, magic and madness
Camille DiMaio: The First Emma
Marina Elena Sandovici: Storms of Malhado
Jo Walton: Farthing
James Runcie: Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death
Stephen Crane: The Red badge of Courage
Taylor Jenkins Reid: Atmosphere
Lucy Foley: The Guest List
David Sedaris: Me talk Pretty One day
Banu Mishtaq: Heart lamp selected stories
Axie Oh: The Girl who fell beneath the Sea
Katherine Reay: Dear Mr. Knightley
Philip Deck: The Man in the High Castle
Walter Wangerin Jr: The Book of God
Claire Keegan: Small Things Like These
Shirley Wachtel: The Baker of Lost Memories
Kristina McMorris: Sold on a Monday
Madeline Miller: The Song of Achilles
Edmond Rostand: Cyrano de Bergerac
Vyvyan Evan’s: The Babel Apocalypse
Elly Griffiths: The Last Word
Ina Caro: Paris to the Past: Traveling through History by Train
Claire Swinarski: The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County
Claire Leslie Hall: Broken Country
Carsten Henn: The Door to door Bookstore
Shonda Rhimes: Year of Yes
Beth O’Leary: The No Show
Neil Hayward: Lost Among the Birds: Accidentally Finding Myself in one Very Big Year
Wendy Corsi Staub: The Fourth Girl
Loretta Ellsworth: Stars over Clear Lake
Rachel Joyce: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
Shawntelle Madison: The Fallen Fruit
Diana Gabaldon: Go Tell the Bees that I am Gone
Jojo Moyes: We All Live Here
Kathleen Grissom: The Kitchen House
Hilary Leichter: Terrace Story
Lauren Roberts: Reckless
Julie Hatcher: Not Quite by the Book
Matthew Inman: How to tell if your cat is plotting to kill you
This is the third year I have participated in my library’s 50 books in 50 weeks in 50 categories book club. I like going to the monthly meetings but it’s not necessary. You can still participate without attending.
The challenge initially seemed overwhelming. I decided to try it because I had been limiting myself to only a couple of genres. It was time to branch out and explore. Fortunately the library supplies the categories and if you need help they can even provide you a list of books.
I just finished The Song of Achilles. I think everyone must remember reading The Iliad and The Odyssey in high school. They were long epic tales of Greek heroes and myths. This is a modern retelling of part of The Iliad.
Written in a contemporary voice it is a moving tale of love, friendship, power, arrogance, and sacrifice.
Without the library challenge I doubt I would have read many of the books, I’ve read over the past 2+ years. And some of them have become favorites. So do not limit yourself to one genre whether it’s in books, movies, music and even people. Branch out and explore.
You would think with all the time I’ve had on my hands I would have spent it writing the book I’ve always said I’d write. I would begin and then think this story is dumb no one will read it. Then I went to a Meetup group for aspiring writers. I met writers who had actually written books, self published and made money!!
I spoke to one afterwards express in my belief no one would read what I wrote. She assured me in no uncertain terms if I wrote a book, self published it, someone would read it. Maybe that’s all I need to hear because as present I am at 38,000 words and counting. According to Internet gurus I need approximately 80,000 words for an adult novel. So I am not quite halfway.
Hoping to finish before I move out and into the unknown I’m using my time during the day to do nothing but write. The story probably makes no sense at all but it has given me something to focus on during the day. Now to find something other than hopelessness to fill my night.
I am a collector of books. Typically I read every book I buy but sometimes I buy a book that requires interaction. This summer I purchased the above Experience Passport from Chronicle Books. It gives 45 ways to broaden your horizon without going anywhere. Since my life circumstances have changed, it is unlikely I will be doing any extensive traveling again. I thought this looked like a way to have fun and push myself out of the cocoon I have created for myself.
Some of the suggestions are easier to accomplish than others but all will open up my life to new possibilities. You don’t have to do them in any particular order. I’ve done #2, #7 and #26. I will share some of the things I learn while using my experience passport. Care to travel with me?
#26 Favorite quotes from an award winning piece of fiction. I will share one quote from Still Life by Louise Penny.
“Life is change. If you aren’t growing and evolving, you’re standing still and the rest of the world is surging ahead.”
I learned that while writing can be expressive if unchecked it can turn depressive. I learned the world of bloggers has many kind and caring people. I was reminded how much I love words and writing. And I challenge myself to write a novel by 12-31-16. Thanks everyone
My life on an unexpected path 