I'm compelled to blog on a fairly frequent basis and it doesn't happen for a variety of reasons. Most of them are not very good ones and involve time wasting (e.g. Facebook, playing Kingdom Rush (LOVE this game!), & almost any show that Netflix carries from TLC) but things still continue to be hectic with school, kids' activities, and finding time with friends. I started training to participate in a 5k at the end of August and, since I quickly experienced positive changes from regular activity, I've kept it up. Recently (as in this last Sunday), I joined our local LA Fitness and met with a personal trainer to discuss my health and fitness goals. I spent about half of my hour with him talking and then he took me through a workout focusing on arms and core. (Normally it would have included legs too but we both agreed it would be best not to do that since I run the 5k this Saturday.) As I write, the muscles in my arms still burn and are sore and twisting certain directions ignites my mid-section. This is not an unpleasant thing, however, and I committed to working with a trainer twice a week and am really looking forward to well and truly making this year my best to date on ALL levels.
I've been keeping up with my "Go somewhere/Do something new each month" resolution so far (July, August, and September will be updated soon) and will meet that goal for the year. I hope to kick it up a notch in the next year but I'm not sure how I'll manage that. There's a world of new out there so I'm not too concerned. Let's see if my other resolutions are being met... Let's start with the Energy category.
Boosting Energy: I'm certainly not meeting my sleeping goal, nor have I been absent from the house for 24 hours each month. (As I successfully meet some of the other goals, being away for an entire day is proving to be less important to me than when I made these goals at the end of 2011.) I've maintained meal planning and don't have problems with not repeating meals.
Boosting Spirituality: Uh, no. I haven't done with one of those things on anything resembling a regular basis. I am managing to get to and be more involved with MSUS again though so that's something.
Boosting Parenting: I haven't met these goals entirely but they weren't as full of fail as the previous category. I still have time to finish photo books so there's a chance...
Boosting Finance: This category has been a much more successful one. We paid off both the window loan and the credit card so I'm feeling very good about that. I haven't tried cash only for a month yet but I was recently encouraged by a friend that does this and am considering it for November. It just seems like such a foreign idea to actually use paper money after having a debit card for so long that it seems fiddly and irritating. We'll see I suppose.
Boosting Relationships: This has been the most productive and successful of all of the categories in my opinion and I feel like I'm ending the year with a wonderful, supportive group of friends. I need to make a better, and sustained, effort with my long distance friends and I could facilitate that in large part with regularly updating this blog so they have some idea of what I'm up to. Facebook is all well and good for little daily things, but it doesn't lend itself well to something as long as this post is becoming.
Boosting Play: Also another really successful category that I've already spent some time discussing. To my dismay, a monthly drag night has not come to fruition and I blame that on myself as I've had opportunity but was usually lax in making it happen. I have enjoyed reruns of RuPaul's Drag Race though so I haven't been in complete drag withdrawal.
So, good! That's a pretty decent update of where I'm at on my resolutions. This isn't at all what I intended to write when I sat down with the laptop but here it is in its entirety.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Get off the internet!
That's what I've been doing lately and I feel like I've doubled the amount of work I'm getting done every day. I literally don't sit idle for more than 15 - 20 minutes at a time during my "work day" and it's been revolutionary. I feel like I've said this before but it's amazing every time I get back around to realizing it.
Anyway! I made the trip to Cedar Rapids, IA last weekend to see Alexis Mateo and it was super awesome. With horrible rain and thunderstorms starting right before the show did, it was a rather small crowd. This turned out to be a great thing for those of us who braved the weather since we were granted a decent amount of time to visit with Alexis during the meet and greet. She was SO nice and I didn't freak out nearly as much as expected to even though I was so wildly excited to see her again.
I'm really looking forward to Sharon Needles (shown above) this Friday night in Des Moines. WHOO! The show is 21+ and tickets were pre-sale so I'm happy to know that it won't be full of teenagers (Sorry 'bout it little people! I was once young too. You'll live.) and hopefully not too over crowded. I have no idea if there's a meet and greet after this show but I'd LOVE to meet her and grab a photo too. I'm expecting her to take the title on Monday's season finale of Drag Race so it'll will be an extra special show to see her so close to when she officially wins.
Prompted by some rabid internal motivation, I've spent most of this week cleaning, organizing, and getting rid of things. I'm all about having more open space and less mess to clean up and, so far, I'm really pleased with the progress that's been made. My house is starting to get that "really clean" echoing sound, which I absolutely love. It's no where near spartan or anything and that isn't my goal. People (and cats) live here and it will always look that way. I just want to get to the point where the house is full of nothing but useful things that we all love and couldn't imagine parting with. The kids and I have been working in their rooms and the playroom and they've been blowing me away with how well they've been doing letting things go. I expected to have to fight for every inch but, so far, that hasn't been the case. We're getting down toward the end of what they just kind of liked so we'll be getting into some harder decisions soon. It's my goal to unload about 50 - 60% of the stuff in our house so I also have some work cut out for ME. Mike doesn't give a crap about 99% of what's here so, if we have too much stuff, that's on me. (I also realize that one of the reasons the kids have so many toys is because of me too. I'm really wishing I had been better about that now.)
Speaking of organization, I'm hosting a meal planning party at my house from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM on April 28th. There will be childcare and lunch provided if you want to come. I sent out an invitation to those who I thought might be interested on Facebook but it's entirely possible I missed someone or would be surprised about your interest. Let me know if you're interested in coming and need my address.
I received my final grade in my first class, Intro to Communication, and it was a very solid 'A'. Whoo! Not a bad way to start off going back to school. My next class starts tonight and is Interpersonal Communication. The three chapters I had to read for tonight were really interesting so I'm looking forward to these next five weeks. Following this class, I have almost a MONTH off before Summer session starts. June, July, and part of August will bring Intro to World Media and Communication in Organizations. Introduction to World Media is online for all but the first session so that will be a big change. I actually like getting out of the house for class and having it happen in a separate place.
This Sunday I'll be using a Groupon for two hours of time at an archery range and it should be pretty exciting. Hopefully I get to use a big ass bow and can get a picture taken with it. Yay weapons!
I wish I made more time to read for fun. I miss it.
Anyway! I made the trip to Cedar Rapids, IA last weekend to see Alexis Mateo and it was super awesome. With horrible rain and thunderstorms starting right before the show did, it was a rather small crowd. This turned out to be a great thing for those of us who braved the weather since we were granted a decent amount of time to visit with Alexis during the meet and greet. She was SO nice and I didn't freak out nearly as much as expected to even though I was so wildly excited to see her again.
I'm really looking forward to Sharon Needles (shown above) this Friday night in Des Moines. WHOO! The show is 21+ and tickets were pre-sale so I'm happy to know that it won't be full of teenagers (Sorry 'bout it little people! I was once young too. You'll live.) and hopefully not too over crowded. I have no idea if there's a meet and greet after this show but I'd LOVE to meet her and grab a photo too. I'm expecting her to take the title on Monday's season finale of Drag Race so it'll will be an extra special show to see her so close to when she officially wins.
Prompted by some rabid internal motivation, I've spent most of this week cleaning, organizing, and getting rid of things. I'm all about having more open space and less mess to clean up and, so far, I'm really pleased with the progress that's been made. My house is starting to get that "really clean" echoing sound, which I absolutely love. It's no where near spartan or anything and that isn't my goal. People (and cats) live here and it will always look that way. I just want to get to the point where the house is full of nothing but useful things that we all love and couldn't imagine parting with. The kids and I have been working in their rooms and the playroom and they've been blowing me away with how well they've been doing letting things go. I expected to have to fight for every inch but, so far, that hasn't been the case. We're getting down toward the end of what they just kind of liked so we'll be getting into some harder decisions soon. It's my goal to unload about 50 - 60% of the stuff in our house so I also have some work cut out for ME. Mike doesn't give a crap about 99% of what's here so, if we have too much stuff, that's on me. (I also realize that one of the reasons the kids have so many toys is because of me too. I'm really wishing I had been better about that now.)
Speaking of organization, I'm hosting a meal planning party at my house from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM on April 28th. There will be childcare and lunch provided if you want to come. I sent out an invitation to those who I thought might be interested on Facebook but it's entirely possible I missed someone or would be surprised about your interest. Let me know if you're interested in coming and need my address.
I received my final grade in my first class, Intro to Communication, and it was a very solid 'A'. Whoo! Not a bad way to start off going back to school. My next class starts tonight and is Interpersonal Communication. The three chapters I had to read for tonight were really interesting so I'm looking forward to these next five weeks. Following this class, I have almost a MONTH off before Summer session starts. June, July, and part of August will bring Intro to World Media and Communication in Organizations. Introduction to World Media is online for all but the first session so that will be a big change. I actually like getting out of the house for class and having it happen in a separate place.
This Sunday I'll be using a Groupon for two hours of time at an archery range and it should be pretty exciting. Hopefully I get to use a big ass bow and can get a picture taken with it. Yay weapons!
I wish I made more time to read for fun. I miss it.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
After a week of one frustrating, disgusting, or horrible thing after another, I'm having another "Everything's amazing!" kind of week and it's prompted me to actually get a blog post completed. (I started one back toward the end of March during my "spring break" week from school but it probably won't ever see publication as it's a little dated now.)
This Thursday (the 12th) I have the final session of my first class at Bethel and I can't believe how quickly the time has flown by. Normally classes are only five weeks but this one ran for seven as we had a week off for spring break and one for Easter. So far I'm very pleased with the grades I've earned on my assignments and feel fairly good about my final speech at this point. My topic is Mr.Rogers and he turned out to be a lot more interesting than I'd first anticipated when I chose the topic. Since I won't be able to integrate all the information from the article into my speech, I'd like to share this link with all of here so you don't miss out on it:
15 Reasons Mr.Rogers Was the Best Neighbor Ever
Awesome. I know all of my classes won't be as enjoyable as this first one but, if the work loads are somewhat comparable, I should be able to swing it.
I've also been slowly improving my organization and time management skills again. My house, at this moment, has been really clean for over 24 hours. We're talking that weird, echoing type of clean and it pleases me to no end. When it was just two adults living here I had no problem keeping it company ready at all times. With the advent of the children, that became more of a challenge. I'm hoping to maintain and have this be the new normal so we'll see what it's like in a week. I'm going to be doing a bit of traveling in the next two weeks so I'm sure that, while mommy is away, the other four people who live here will do their best to undo all my efforts.
"Where are you traveling?" you may ask. IOWA. That's right friends, I'm headed south to enjoy the (soon to be planted) corn fields and wide open spaces of our socially progressive neighbor. Why? Drag queens of course! (Am I ever really motivated to travel for any other reason?) This Saturday night one of my favorites from Season 3 of RuPaul's Drag Race, Alexis Mateo, will be appearing at Belle's Basix in Cedar Rapids. Next Friday night, my absolute favorite from Season 4 (the current season airing Monday night's on LOGO or Tuesday morning's at the above link), Sharon Needles, will be appearing at The Garden in Des Moines. (She's originally from Newton, IA which is very close to Des Moines.) SO EXCITED. I'm doubly lucky these shows are happening where they are in Iowa as a friend (and fellow Hardee's alum) from high school lives in Cedar Rapids with her wife and is as excited for the shows as I am. So hooray for seeing old friends, hooray for travel, and hooray for drag! The only downside? I already have plans for this Sunday afternoon and I'd be cutting it really close to make it on time. I can't decide if all the rushing around will really be worth it or not. As of now, I'm leaning toward yes but we'll see how the rest of the week goes.
I'm also trying to keep working away at my goal/resolution list for this year. I've done really well with some things but haven't thought too much about others. In April, I've scheduled the first monthly get together for the year so far. Oops. Well, at least it's out there. It'll be at my house on April 28th from 10:30 AM - 1:30 PM and you're more than welcome to attend if I didn't specifically invite you on Facebook. (Text/call/email me for details if you need them.) I'll be serving lunch and talking a little bit about how I do my monthly meal planning since quite a few people have had questions about how that works. I'm already looking forward to trying to do something fun in May when it's warmer but haven't really come up with anything yet. If I can manage something every month from here on out, I'll be pretty pleased with 9/12 months.
Another interesting development has been my return to regular attendance at the local Unitarian church, MSUS. Since I'm on my own as far as taking the kids to church goes, I've been really unmotivated to try and do it on my own until they were much more independent. I have no idea why, but I suddenly decided a couple weeks ago that they had reached a certain capability and it was time. (It also helps that I've had people gently poking and prodding me to get my ass back in a pew over the past few years.) The first week back I was handed maracas to play during the first hymn and the kids acted as if they'd been there every Sunday since birth. There was also no hesitation about going up front during the children's story and not even a backward glance when I dropped them off at their Sunday school classrooms. I'm also excited to see that the promises of many other young families with children were not exaggerations. Yay! Thanks for not giving up on me all you tenacious UUs! ;)
I'm looking forward to getting things going in the garden in the coming weeks and being able to be outside for long stretches of time. In two entirely separate posts, I hope to discuss with you my recent appreciation for my children and the mourning I've been doing as I realize they seriously aren't babies anymore and that phase is done and gone for me on a permanent basis. I'm also halfway through the documentary Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead and it's renewed my motivation to create more of our food from scratch and try to eat as locally and seasonally as possible. The warmer weather coming will be helpful for that but it's still going to be a challenge since prepackaged convenience foods are just so darn convenient. I'm up for the challenge though because, as you well know, there always has to be something going on for me!
This Thursday (the 12th) I have the final session of my first class at Bethel and I can't believe how quickly the time has flown by. Normally classes are only five weeks but this one ran for seven as we had a week off for spring break and one for Easter. So far I'm very pleased with the grades I've earned on my assignments and feel fairly good about my final speech at this point. My topic is Mr.Rogers and he turned out to be a lot more interesting than I'd first anticipated when I chose the topic. Since I won't be able to integrate all the information from the article into my speech, I'd like to share this link with all of here so you don't miss out on it:
Awesome. I know all of my classes won't be as enjoyable as this first one but, if the work loads are somewhat comparable, I should be able to swing it.
I've also been slowly improving my organization and time management skills again. My house, at this moment, has been really clean for over 24 hours. We're talking that weird, echoing type of clean and it pleases me to no end. When it was just two adults living here I had no problem keeping it company ready at all times. With the advent of the children, that became more of a challenge. I'm hoping to maintain and have this be the new normal so we'll see what it's like in a week. I'm going to be doing a bit of traveling in the next two weeks so I'm sure that, while mommy is away, the other four people who live here will do their best to undo all my efforts.
"Where are you traveling?" you may ask. IOWA. That's right friends, I'm headed south to enjoy the (soon to be planted) corn fields and wide open spaces of our socially progressive neighbor. Why? Drag queens of course! (Am I ever really motivated to travel for any other reason?) This Saturday night one of my favorites from Season 3 of RuPaul's Drag Race, Alexis Mateo, will be appearing at Belle's Basix in Cedar Rapids. Next Friday night, my absolute favorite from Season 4 (the current season airing Monday night's on LOGO or Tuesday morning's at the above link), Sharon Needles, will be appearing at The Garden in Des Moines. (She's originally from Newton, IA which is very close to Des Moines.) SO EXCITED. I'm doubly lucky these shows are happening where they are in Iowa as a friend (and fellow Hardee's alum) from high school lives in Cedar Rapids with her wife and is as excited for the shows as I am. So hooray for seeing old friends, hooray for travel, and hooray for drag! The only downside? I already have plans for this Sunday afternoon and I'd be cutting it really close to make it on time. I can't decide if all the rushing around will really be worth it or not. As of now, I'm leaning toward yes but we'll see how the rest of the week goes.
I'm also trying to keep working away at my goal/resolution list for this year. I've done really well with some things but haven't thought too much about others. In April, I've scheduled the first monthly get together for the year so far. Oops. Well, at least it's out there. It'll be at my house on April 28th from 10:30 AM - 1:30 PM and you're more than welcome to attend if I didn't specifically invite you on Facebook. (Text/call/email me for details if you need them.) I'll be serving lunch and talking a little bit about how I do my monthly meal planning since quite a few people have had questions about how that works. I'm already looking forward to trying to do something fun in May when it's warmer but haven't really come up with anything yet. If I can manage something every month from here on out, I'll be pretty pleased with 9/12 months.
Another interesting development has been my return to regular attendance at the local Unitarian church, MSUS. Since I'm on my own as far as taking the kids to church goes, I've been really unmotivated to try and do it on my own until they were much more independent. I have no idea why, but I suddenly decided a couple weeks ago that they had reached a certain capability and it was time. (It also helps that I've had people gently poking and prodding me to get my ass back in a pew over the past few years.) The first week back I was handed maracas to play during the first hymn and the kids acted as if they'd been there every Sunday since birth. There was also no hesitation about going up front during the children's story and not even a backward glance when I dropped them off at their Sunday school classrooms. I'm also excited to see that the promises of many other young families with children were not exaggerations. Yay! Thanks for not giving up on me all you tenacious UUs! ;)
I'm looking forward to getting things going in the garden in the coming weeks and being able to be outside for long stretches of time. In two entirely separate posts, I hope to discuss with you my recent appreciation for my children and the mourning I've been doing as I realize they seriously aren't babies anymore and that phase is done and gone for me on a permanent basis. I'm also halfway through the documentary Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead and it's renewed my motivation to create more of our food from scratch and try to eat as locally and seasonally as possible. The warmer weather coming will be helpful for that but it's still going to be a challenge since prepackaged convenience foods are just so darn convenient. I'm up for the challenge though because, as you well know, there always has to be something going on for me!
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Copping to Kindergarten
So.
Ada has Kindergarten registration & open house this Monday and it's become rather hard to ignore as the date looms impossibly close. (WHERE did my baby go? It feels to me like I just birthed her yesterday.) I do thank all of you that have listened to my incessant worrying over having to decide whether or not to send her and I think that good discussion has been had. As of now, we're planning to stick with the "play it by ear" school of thinking and see how she likes it come fall. It's my gut feeling that she will absolutely love having a gaggle of friends her own age that she sees on a regular basis. She loves learning and, heck, Kindergarten is pretty much awesome fun time as far as I can remember. Also, I've been assured by those of you familiar with the current state of public schools that not only is Hayes a good school, it's an excellent one. I've also been reassured multiple times that the things that I worry about happening to her will more than likely be a non-issue. What am I worried about? Why, I'm so glad you asked!
The biggest thing for me is that I worry about Ada being bored and getting into trouble. We've been working on Kindergarten curriculum at home this year and Ada is privileged to be a quick learner. (I know a lot of people are quick to say "My child is SO smart..." but that's not what I'm saying here. All I'm saying is that she's quick to pick things up. I don't have anyone else to compare her to so I honestly have no clue how she stacks up against other kids her age.) Mike and I were also quick learners and, when I was starting elementary school, I often got in trouble for talking during work time in class. Was I a bad kid? No. I was just done with my work way before my classmates and had nothing else to do. So, it was either horribly bored or in trouble for me until my parents got wise and started sending me to school with workbooks to do additional work in if I finished before the rest of the class. I really don't want Ada's teacher to peg her as a problem child instead of a quick learner, but I also don't want to come off as neurotic and tell the teacher about my concerns before school even starts. Ada's not a bad kid but she's certainly spirited (and not in the "spirited as a polite word for asshole" sense either) and not shy about making her opinion known. I don't like thinking that public school may try to force her to be more conforming and less exuberant and wildly creative.
Let me just put out there, for those of you who may not know, that I'm a worrier. I worry about literally everything. It's not in an unhealthy, keeps me from taking action way. I just tend to run through every possible scenario that could possibly occur before something new happens. (After taking Strengths Finder for class, I'm now writing that off as part of being labeled Strategic. Ha!) I worry Ada will be scared because she's never, EVER been away from me for that long every day on a regular basis. Hours at the elementary school run from 9:10 AM - 3:45 PM and, I have to say, those are REALLY reasonable to me. I'd been imagining that we'd all have to get used to a completely different morning routine once she was in school but, nope. I don't know that I think we'd even really have to do much in the way of rushing either. She's usually up around 8 AM so that's plenty of time to get dressed and eat since I'll be driving her to school. Driving her to school EVERY day you ask? Oh HELL yes. I might be able to get used to the idea of her going to public school and not being with me 24/7 anymore but there's no way that's happening AND I have to put her on a school bus alone too. NOT HAPPENING.
Honestly people, it would get ugly.
Yes, yes, I'm sure she'd be fine. Yes, I KNOW I rode the bus when I was in Kindergarten and blah, blah, blah. Believe me, I'm aware that the whole thing comes down to issues *I* have. I get that. It still doesn't mean I'm putting my baby on a bus. When school gets out it's usually nap time around these parts so I may have to rearrange that a little bit in order to accommodate picking her up as well. Perhaps we'll all be surprised and I'll suddenly not be a crazy person about it and will let Ada bask in her newly acquired independence. (I almost wrote that without laughing. So proud.) Odds are good though that I'll be packing her siblings up twice a day to make the trip just down the street twice a day.
Is there anything I look forward to about her starting school? Hrm... I like the idea of talking to her about her day and hearing about what she learns. I like thinking about having a bulletin board with just a shit ton of her art projects (which I'd be surprised with on her arrival home) hanging on it like it's a wall at the Louvre. I like the idea of hearing her talk about and have little friends over. I like the idea of meeting other parents who live near here and have children the same age as mine.
But, after considering the positives, I go right back to worrying. What if someone picks on her? What if someone bullies her and she punches the kid in the face? (I have no idea how I'd handle that. High five or loss of privileges? I suppose it would depend on the situation.) What if there are "mean girls" and they make my little girl sad/feel bad about herself? What if I want to punch those little girls in the face but instead get in a brawl with their obviously horrible parents? It's a lot to think about people!
I don't remember who among you gave me this gem of advice but I find myself thinking of it a lot lately (and I'm paraphrasing): If you have a good kid, it doesn't matter if they go to public school or not. They'll be a good kid either way. I'm pretty sure I have Miss Mary G. to thank for that during our discussion at Super Target but my brain is feeling mushy right now. (I was up early for my dance class and then got caught up on cleaning and did homework. Excuses, I have them!) So, there. I'm sure I'll have more to say about things once I've actually been to the school and have met the teachers. OH! That reminds me. When looking up the Kindergarten teachers at Hayes, the first one I came across was Ms. Mary Borg. Yes, that's right: BORG. Are you KIDDING me Universe? I really can't appreciate the humor there.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Edumacated
Well, I had my second class in the CAPS program at Bethel and it's... interesting. Everyone in my cohort definitely seems to be there because the "Christian perspective" part of the college is important to them. I'm not used to being a minority in any respect so it's definitely been strange and thought provoking to compare my classmates' viewpoints with my own. They aren't actually aware that I don't believe what they do so, eventually, I'll be "outed" and it'll be interesting to see what the reaction is. (UPDATE: In our most recent class, my liberal perspective was mentioned and everyone was just lovely, and I mean that sincerely. It definitely feels lighter to be able to really be myself and I find I look forward to class more now. I'm feeling really lucky that I managed to end up with such a great cohort.) They might be more aware of my differences than I'm aware though since, during the "community building" exercise in our first class, we had to answer "Who would you most like to invite to a dinner party?" and my immediate answer was "RuPaul." Ha! (Two people in class had no idea who he was. Not a good sign for me.) Other answers? "A malnourished child." "My Grandfather." And I picked a drag queen. sigh
(For the record, is photo was titled "Dragton Abbey" and originated here.)
Since I start posts and don't always have time to finish and post them on the same day (or week/month/year), I've had another class since I left off at my imaginary dinner party with Ru. During this clas, we had a professor who is a specialist in teaching people about the Gallup Strengths Finder. We were assigned to take the test as part of the homework in our first class. My top five, for those of you who have taken/are familiar with the test, are as follows:
Achiever
Empathy
Strategic
Input
Learner
I was not surprised by any of these and everyone I've shown the list to agreed it was quite accurate. After completing the test, you receive a .pdf file that speaks to your specific strengths based on your the answers you chose. Since I'm aware not everyone has taken the strengths finder, I'm actually going to provide you with the detail I received on these. If you're aglutton for punishment super nosy interested, read on and do let me know how you think they relate to the me you're acquainted with.
Achiever
Shared Theme Description <Ed. note: This is what is true of everyone who scores as an Achiever.>
People who are especially talented in the Achiever theme have a great deal of stamina and work hard. They take great satisfaction in being busy and productive.
Your Personalized Strengths Insights <Me again. This is the section specific to just me.>
By nature, you typically put forth much effort and energy to reach your goals. You aim to overcome your limitations and fix your mistakes. You attempt to compensate for your lack of knowledge, skills, and/or talent in various areas. Your feel successful when you routinely meet the minimum requirements and regularly produce average results. It's very likely that you're diligent about requirements and regularly produce average results. <Are you KIDDING me? These are the only two sentences in all of the personalized feedback that I received that was so far off the mark it isn't even funny. If I don't do something perfectly, then it's a tragedy. I'm one of those "second place is the first loser people." Serious.> It's very likely that you are diligent about examining what needs to be revamped, revised, modified, or fixed. When you are absorbed in these activities, hours pass quickly. You can dedicate yourself to correcting a single problem, especially when it directly and dramatically affects you. You probably read, listen, observe, discuss, experiment, and experience as much as you can to fill your mind with fresh ideas. Chances are good that you are industrious, diligent, and persistent. You naturally set difficult-to-reach goals. These normally demand a great amount of your time. While your work ethic is evident, you question whether the promotions, titles, opportunities, or status symbols you desire could exact too high a price. Driven by your talents, you put a lot of effort into telling a story. You strive to amuse, entertain, or inform your audience. You have a reputation for setting the scene, making characters come alive, and capturing the drama of a situation. Because of your strengths, you exhibit the physical and mental endurance needed to continuously toil long after others have stopped working. You are hardwired to pursue goals until they are reached. When obstacles arise, you become even more determined to succeed.
Empathy
Shared Theme Description <Again, everyone who scores Empathy.>
People who are especially talented in the Empathy theme can sense the feelings of other people by imagining themselves in others' lives or others' situations.
Your Personalized Strengths Insights <Last time, this is specific to me.>
Chances are good that you can experience emotional distress when you fail to capture topmost honors in your chosen events. You wisely surround yourself with supportive and caring people. <High five to all of you reading this!> Often they join you to celebrate your successes. Other times, they help you cope with the disappointment of losing. Because of your strengths, you bring a keen awareness about human behavior to the classroom, laboratory, seminar, playing field, or tutoring session. You spontaneously tune in to what individuals are thinking and feeling minute by minute. These insights are likely to make you a better educator. By nature, you are filled with awe by beauty in the world, in people, and in the cosmos. Whether you gaze upon nature's wonders or marvel at the work of human hands, you are filled with wonder. You can suddenly stop what you are doing to watch a sunset, listen to the rustle of leaves, stand before a work of art, hear a piece of music, look through a telescope, or hold a newborn child. You experience beauty at a level many people cannot imagine. Once the moment has passed, you can still picture the scene or hear the sound in your memory. Instinctively, you boldly question a person's thinking or actions even when you sense your candor makes the individual feel uncomfortable. Often you combine your straightforward style with your caring nature. Frequently you raise issues most people prefer to ignore. Many family members, friends, colleagues, or classmates count on you to confront emotionally charged situations and deal with demanding individuals.
Strategic
Shared Theme Description
People who are especially talented in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues.
Your Personalized Strengths Insights
Driven by your talents, you may feel wonderful when people value your innovative ideas. Perhaps you help them envision what can be accomplished in the coming months, years, or decades. Because of your strengths, you are known for your ease with language. This ability serves you well when you need to talk with newcomers or outsiders. Your vocabulary probably allows you to tell stories or express your ideas with great clarity. Instinctively. you may be viewed by some people as an innovative and original thinker. Perhaps your ability to generate opinions causes others to see there is more than one way to obtain an objective. <Did Strengths Finder just call me a bitch? "Ability to generate opinions" kind of sounds like a polite way to do it!> Now and then, you help certain individuals select the best alternative after having weighed the pros and cons in light of prevailing circumstances or available resources. Chances are good that you pay close attention to what is going on around you. You listen. You quiz people. You read. You probably take notes on key points. As you accumulate lots of information, you disregard what is unrelated, and pay heed to what is really important. The more you reflect on what you know, the more problems begin to reveal themselves, and eventually solutions start taking shape in your mind. Finally, given the situation, you select the best plan from you list of options. By nature, you select the right combination of words to convey your ideas or feelings. In the middle of discussions, your vocabulary provides you with precise phrases and terminology. You probably express yourself with ease and grace. <And the occasional profanity.>
Input
Shared Theme Description
People who are especially talented in the Input theme have a craving to know more. Often they like to collect and archive all kinds of information. <Strengths Finder must have visited my home and noticed the fact that it's covered in books... How observant!>
Your Personalized Strengths Insights
Instinctively, you can block our distractions when you are working or studying. <If you've ever tried to talk to me while I'm reading something, you know this to be true. Thanks mom for passing that trait on!> You are seldom pulled away from a task. You probably desire to understand ahead of time what needs to be done. You also expect to receive background briefings and/or a list of a project's criteria. Armed with this information, you move closer to your goal. With ease and certitude - that is, having no doubts - you determine what is and is not important to know about an activity, event, or project. Because of your strengths, you occasionally use words that some people find difficult to understand. <I LOVE how this almost immediately follows a simplistic explanation of certitude. CRIPES.> Maybe you enjoy memorizing the various meanings of technical or unfamiliar words. Perhaps you are more at ease conversing with individuals whose vocabulary almost matches yours in terms of sophistication. You may breathe a sign of relief when you do not have to define every other word you say or write. By nature, you absorb the written word like a sponge sops up water. You revel in an opportunity to lose yourself in a book. Time seems to float by when you are the grateful guest of an entertaining or informative author. Your only choice is to finish the book as quickly as possible. <I think SOMEONE has been reading my diary! Dammit Strengths Finder!> Chances are good that you might seek out the company of individuals whose vocabulary is esoteric - that is, understood by only a specialized group. <Bwahaha! How many times are they going to praise my vocabulary and then define things for me?> If the need arises, you may expand your collection of sophisticated, academic, or technical words. Perhaps some people fail to comprehend everything you say or write. Because you want to be acknowledged, perhaps you need to identify a few people with whom you can converse or correspond without having to define every other word. <You know, like Strengths Finder does when talking to me...> It's very likely that you may impress others as well-versed in a certain subject. Maybe you have invested time acquiring the sophisticated or technical vocabulary used by experts. When your teammates hear you speak or read your writing, some assume you know more than they do. Occasionally this is the case. Specific people may allow you to run meetings, make decisions, or solve problems. Sometimes they just step back and let you take charge.
Learner
Shared Theme Description
People who are especially talented in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn and want to continuously improve. In particular, the process of learning, rather than the outcome, excites them.
Your Personalized Strengths Insights
By nature, you thirst for new ideas and knowledge. Often you lose yourself in a book. You pore over the ideas contained on its pages for long stretches of time. Why? You want to absorb as much information as you can. Instinctively, you simply cannot have too much information. <You know what I can have? Sore hands from all this typing. I'm starting to rethink this decision.> It is impossible. Like a miner searches for gold day after day, you continually collect new bits of knowledge. Depending on your other talents, you can delve into one or two interesting topics, or you can opt to know a little about a wide range of subjects. Your longing for knowledge is unlikely to be satisfied until you are recognized by others as the ultimate expert in a field or the grand champion of trivia. Chances are good that you relish reading about topics that fascinate you. People are not surprised to find you with your nose in a book - that is, reading all the time. <I just... WHAT? I can only assume at this point that they're writing this for people who are not native English speakers and need the explanation for more obscure words and expressions.> When a subject intrigues you, you review a wide range of printed materials. You glean - that is, collect bits and pieces - as much information as you possibly can about your areas of greatest interest. Driven by your talents, your fill your mind with new ideas by asking questions, reading, studying, observing, or listening. Normally, you accumulate facts, data, stories, examples, or background information from the people you meet. <At last! An excuse for being so nosy! Whoo! Worth the price of admission right there.> Determining what they want to accomplish in the coming weeks, months, or years generally satisfies your curiosity. These insights also allow you to understand why individuals behave the way they do in different situations. It's very likely that you yearn to know a lot. It makes little sense to you to skim through a book and read only the highlights. You delve more deeply into intriguing subjects than most people do. You love to gather all kinds of information. This explains why you take time to grasp ideas that appear in print.
So! There are my top strengths as the Gallup association sees them. Overall, I'd say it was very accurate. I still take issue with those two sentences about being happy achieving average work up in the Achiever section but I suppose nothing is perfect. Three classes in I'd say that a communication major is a good choice for me and it'll definitely be a learning experience and exercise in understanding different perspectives. No one has come across as closed minded or bigoted during discussions and, for that, I am most relieved.
Totally unrelated: Why does applying for financial aid have to be such a giant mess with so many hoops to jump through? I've managed it, but it's been rather crazy making. And now, to post.
Since I start posts and don't always have time to finish and post them on the same day (or week/month/year), I've had another class since I left off at my imaginary dinner party with Ru. During this clas, we had a professor who is a specialist in teaching people about the Gallup Strengths Finder. We were assigned to take the test as part of the homework in our first class. My top five, for those of you who have taken/are familiar with the test, are as follows:
I was not surprised by any of these and everyone I've shown the list to agreed it was quite accurate. After completing the test, you receive a .pdf file that speaks to your specific strengths based on your the answers you chose. Since I'm aware not everyone has taken the strengths finder, I'm actually going to provide you with the detail I received on these. If you're a
Shared Theme Description <Ed. note: This is what is true of everyone who scores as an Achiever.>
People who are especially talented in the Achiever theme have a great deal of stamina and work hard. They take great satisfaction in being busy and productive.
Your Personalized Strengths Insights <Me again. This is the section specific to just me.>
By nature, you typically put forth much effort and energy to reach your goals. You aim to overcome your limitations and fix your mistakes. You attempt to compensate for your lack of knowledge, skills, and/or talent in various areas. Your feel successful when you routinely meet the minimum requirements and regularly produce average results. It's very likely that you're diligent about requirements and regularly produce average results. <Are you KIDDING me? These are the only two sentences in all of the personalized feedback that I received that was so far off the mark it isn't even funny. If I don't do something perfectly, then it's a tragedy. I'm one of those "second place is the first loser people." Serious.> It's very likely that you are diligent about examining what needs to be revamped, revised, modified, or fixed. When you are absorbed in these activities, hours pass quickly. You can dedicate yourself to correcting a single problem, especially when it directly and dramatically affects you. You probably read, listen, observe, discuss, experiment, and experience as much as you can to fill your mind with fresh ideas. Chances are good that you are industrious, diligent, and persistent. You naturally set difficult-to-reach goals. These normally demand a great amount of your time. While your work ethic is evident, you question whether the promotions, titles, opportunities, or status symbols you desire could exact too high a price. Driven by your talents, you put a lot of effort into telling a story. You strive to amuse, entertain, or inform your audience. You have a reputation for setting the scene, making characters come alive, and capturing the drama of a situation. Because of your strengths, you exhibit the physical and mental endurance needed to continuously toil long after others have stopped working. You are hardwired to pursue goals until they are reached. When obstacles arise, you become even more determined to succeed.
Shared Theme Description <Again, everyone who scores Empathy.>
People who are especially talented in the Empathy theme can sense the feelings of other people by imagining themselves in others' lives or others' situations.
Your Personalized Strengths Insights <Last time, this is specific to me.>
Chances are good that you can experience emotional distress when you fail to capture topmost honors in your chosen events. You wisely surround yourself with supportive and caring people. <High five to all of you reading this!> Often they join you to celebrate your successes. Other times, they help you cope with the disappointment of losing. Because of your strengths, you bring a keen awareness about human behavior to the classroom, laboratory, seminar, playing field, or tutoring session. You spontaneously tune in to what individuals are thinking and feeling minute by minute. These insights are likely to make you a better educator. By nature, you are filled with awe by beauty in the world, in people, and in the cosmos. Whether you gaze upon nature's wonders or marvel at the work of human hands, you are filled with wonder. You can suddenly stop what you are doing to watch a sunset, listen to the rustle of leaves, stand before a work of art, hear a piece of music, look through a telescope, or hold a newborn child. You experience beauty at a level many people cannot imagine. Once the moment has passed, you can still picture the scene or hear the sound in your memory. Instinctively, you boldly question a person's thinking or actions even when you sense your candor makes the individual feel uncomfortable. Often you combine your straightforward style with your caring nature. Frequently you raise issues most people prefer to ignore. Many family members, friends, colleagues, or classmates count on you to confront emotionally charged situations and deal with demanding individuals.
Shared Theme Description
People who are especially talented in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues.
Your Personalized Strengths Insights
Driven by your talents, you may feel wonderful when people value your innovative ideas. Perhaps you help them envision what can be accomplished in the coming months, years, or decades. Because of your strengths, you are known for your ease with language. This ability serves you well when you need to talk with newcomers or outsiders. Your vocabulary probably allows you to tell stories or express your ideas with great clarity. Instinctively. you may be viewed by some people as an innovative and original thinker. Perhaps your ability to generate opinions causes others to see there is more than one way to obtain an objective. <Did Strengths Finder just call me a bitch? "Ability to generate opinions" kind of sounds like a polite way to do it!> Now and then, you help certain individuals select the best alternative after having weighed the pros and cons in light of prevailing circumstances or available resources. Chances are good that you pay close attention to what is going on around you. You listen. You quiz people. You read. You probably take notes on key points. As you accumulate lots of information, you disregard what is unrelated, and pay heed to what is really important. The more you reflect on what you know, the more problems begin to reveal themselves, and eventually solutions start taking shape in your mind. Finally, given the situation, you select the best plan from you list of options. By nature, you select the right combination of words to convey your ideas or feelings. In the middle of discussions, your vocabulary provides you with precise phrases and terminology. You probably express yourself with ease and grace. <And the occasional profanity.>
Shared Theme Description
People who are especially talented in the Input theme have a craving to know more. Often they like to collect and archive all kinds of information. <Strengths Finder must have visited my home and noticed the fact that it's covered in books... How observant!>
Your Personalized Strengths Insights
Instinctively, you can block our distractions when you are working or studying. <If you've ever tried to talk to me while I'm reading something, you know this to be true. Thanks mom for passing that trait on!> You are seldom pulled away from a task. You probably desire to understand ahead of time what needs to be done. You also expect to receive background briefings and/or a list of a project's criteria. Armed with this information, you move closer to your goal. With ease and certitude - that is, having no doubts - you determine what is and is not important to know about an activity, event, or project. Because of your strengths, you occasionally use words that some people find difficult to understand. <I LOVE how this almost immediately follows a simplistic explanation of certitude. CRIPES.> Maybe you enjoy memorizing the various meanings of technical or unfamiliar words. Perhaps you are more at ease conversing with individuals whose vocabulary almost matches yours in terms of sophistication. You may breathe a sign of relief when you do not have to define every other word you say or write. By nature, you absorb the written word like a sponge sops up water. You revel in an opportunity to lose yourself in a book. Time seems to float by when you are the grateful guest of an entertaining or informative author. Your only choice is to finish the book as quickly as possible. <I think SOMEONE has been reading my diary! Dammit Strengths Finder!> Chances are good that you might seek out the company of individuals whose vocabulary is esoteric - that is, understood by only a specialized group. <Bwahaha! How many times are they going to praise my vocabulary and then define things for me?> If the need arises, you may expand your collection of sophisticated, academic, or technical words. Perhaps some people fail to comprehend everything you say or write. Because you want to be acknowledged, perhaps you need to identify a few people with whom you can converse or correspond without having to define every other word. <You know, like Strengths Finder does when talking to me...> It's very likely that you may impress others as well-versed in a certain subject. Maybe you have invested time acquiring the sophisticated or technical vocabulary used by experts. When your teammates hear you speak or read your writing, some assume you know more than they do. Occasionally this is the case. Specific people may allow you to run meetings, make decisions, or solve problems. Sometimes they just step back and let you take charge.
Shared Theme Description
People who are especially talented in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn and want to continuously improve. In particular, the process of learning, rather than the outcome, excites them.
Your Personalized Strengths Insights
By nature, you thirst for new ideas and knowledge. Often you lose yourself in a book. You pore over the ideas contained on its pages for long stretches of time. Why? You want to absorb as much information as you can. Instinctively, you simply cannot have too much information. <You know what I can have? Sore hands from all this typing. I'm starting to rethink this decision.> It is impossible. Like a miner searches for gold day after day, you continually collect new bits of knowledge. Depending on your other talents, you can delve into one or two interesting topics, or you can opt to know a little about a wide range of subjects. Your longing for knowledge is unlikely to be satisfied until you are recognized by others as the ultimate expert in a field or the grand champion of trivia. Chances are good that you relish reading about topics that fascinate you. People are not surprised to find you with your nose in a book - that is, reading all the time. <I just... WHAT? I can only assume at this point that they're writing this for people who are not native English speakers and need the explanation for more obscure words and expressions.> When a subject intrigues you, you review a wide range of printed materials. You glean - that is, collect bits and pieces - as much information as you possibly can about your areas of greatest interest. Driven by your talents, your fill your mind with new ideas by asking questions, reading, studying, observing, or listening. Normally, you accumulate facts, data, stories, examples, or background information from the people you meet. <At last! An excuse for being so nosy! Whoo! Worth the price of admission right there.> Determining what they want to accomplish in the coming weeks, months, or years generally satisfies your curiosity. These insights also allow you to understand why individuals behave the way they do in different situations. It's very likely that you yearn to know a lot. It makes little sense to you to skim through a book and read only the highlights. You delve more deeply into intriguing subjects than most people do. You love to gather all kinds of information. This explains why you take time to grasp ideas that appear in print.
So! There are my top strengths as the Gallup association sees them. Overall, I'd say it was very accurate. I still take issue with those two sentences about being happy achieving average work up in the Achiever section but I suppose nothing is perfect. Three classes in I'd say that a communication major is a good choice for me and it'll definitely be a learning experience and exercise in understanding different perspectives. No one has come across as closed minded or bigoted during discussions and, for that, I am most relieved.
Totally unrelated: Why does applying for financial aid have to be such a giant mess with so many hoops to jump through? I've managed it, but it's been rather crazy making. And now, to post.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Supermodel
Things here? Still fierce and fabulous!
I passed the other two DANTES tests on February 9th and could not be more relieved. I was absolutely convinced that I was going to fail the fourth one (Principles of Supervision) while I was taking it but, somehow, I scored better on that test than I did on Personal Finance. Apparently, I absorbed enough corporate speak while working as management at Hardee's and then as executive support in the world of auto dealerships that I was able to get through even when the questions on the test seemed to have NOTHING to do with the text book I'd been studying. Awesome fun, I tell you. I should be set to start my first class (Intro to Communications) this Thursday night at 6 PM.
I've been keeping up on my "Do Something New" list and it's been fun and interesting. I added to February by scheduling myself to get eyelash extensions put on. My appointment is for tomorrow evening so I'll try to remember to do a "before" and "after" photo set. If I like how they look, I plan to get a second set added in so I'll REALLY be rocking the fluttery lashes for my pinup photo session in March. I'm told you don't need to use mascara with them and they'll last 6 - 8 weeks or longer depending on how you care for them. I'm so in love with the look of false lashes but worry that, with my bad depth perception, I'd glue one to my eye or something equally stupid. This way, a professional ensures I don't look like a complete freak at the end of it. Whoo! (I really am a drag queen trapped in a woman's body. It's o.k. to make those comparisons.)
Tonight I had my brows waxed and shabby, shaggy hair cleaned up at the Villager Salon & Spa and it's SUCH an improvement. I'm assuming you're reading this from a link on Facebook so you'll have already seen the photographic evidence of that. While I was there, I was complaining about dealing with my wavy, sometimes frizz prone hair to my stylist and she mentioned that they're having an upcoming Keratin Complex information session where specialists will be answering questions and applying a trial process to people's hair for free. How serendipitous! From what I've read, this is exactly what I've been dreaming about to cure my hair of all its ills. If you book a full process at the open house you get a sizable discount, which is also super excellent because you know how I like a deal.
Sunday night I ran to Herberger's to pick up a replacement lip pencil for the one I had that disappeared into the ether and also take advantage of the Clinique bonus days that's going on until the 18th. When I arrived, I discovered rack upon rack of clearance clothes that was over 70% off. Seriously, it was ridiculous how much there was to wade through. I apparently fell into a black hole because I was there for over TWO HOURS digging through the racks and trying things on. I found some screaming deals on some really fun clothes and a couple of hot dresses that I'm going to create occasions to get to wear sooner rather than later. Don't worry. I'll be taking pictures to force you all to view the glamour.
I'm still kick boxing regularly although there have been two occasions now where I really had to push myself to do it. I'm definitely looking forward to Spring when I can mix it up by popping in my ear phones and escaping outside for a while to walk/jog/bike. Adult dance classes start March 3rd and I'm still planning to sign up for those so that will also be a nice variation in the aerobic exercise department. Overall, I'd say I'm pretty happy with how well I'm doing in keeping up with my resolutions/goals for this year.
This feels like it's been a really frivolous post and, honestly, it is. (Again, I'm o.k. with people pointing out the obvious.) I do have one in the works about my continued lament about my inability to decide whether or not I should continue to homeschool Ada next year or put her in Kindergarten at the public school. It's not nearly as happy a subject for me so let's leave that until another time shall we?
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Who's That Girl?
With everything I've been accomplishing around here, I've been feeling like THIS is what I should see in the mirror in the morning:
In a couple more months when my hair has grown out even farther and I've kept up with kick boxing, that might be the case but, so far, it's still just me. Well, to be fair, it's me plus... something. I still haven't figured out where my newly acquired super powers are originating from but I am enjoying them nonetheless. Is it better organization? A better head space from being more open & honest? More exercise? More intellectual stimulation? Some crazy amalgamation involving all of the above is my guess and I'll be doing my damnedest to keep it up because, ladies & gentlemen, I feel full of energy and just plain fierce about 90% of the time now. My mysterious gastrointestinal woes have almost completely disappeared. I'm experiencing less frustration with the kids and being a stay at home mom in general and I'm accomplishing things on par with the rate that I did when it was just me and Ada all day. Does this boggle your mind? It certainly does mine. Here's a short recap of what I've been up to this month (and it's terrible that it has almost been a month since I've finished something for posting):
*Took and passed two DANTES tests, which earned me six college credits. I have two more tests on February 9th that I need to pass and I'll be set to start the last two years of my degree on February 16th. I've been shooting for between an hour or more (preferably more) of study time each day and, based on the practice tests I have access to, the information is sticking. I'm starting to get really tense about these upcoming tests because there's even more riding on passing them than there was the first two.
*I've managed to keep up with all household chores including the weekly scrubbing of tubs, toilets, kitchen sinks, and floors for almost the whole year. This is due in large part to having downloaded this printable chore list from Motivated Moms. I had a $1 off coupon for it and, let me tell you, that's the best $7 I've spent all year. Mike had been asking for me to make him a chore list and I straight up refused to do it, for various reasons, but it turns out I'm loving this. If you're looking to become better organized and use what little time you have to get the most done, GO GET IT. Seriously. (Also, for the record, I don't think having a weekly chore chart posted is helping him get any more done around the house either. Not that he isn't helpful at ALL, it's just that having this chart wasn't the miracle cure he seemed to think it would be. JUST SAYIN'.)
*One of my goals for this year is to pay off at least one of our large debts and it seems I've discovered a way to manage to pay them BOTH off in 2012 if I stick to the budget I've created. That's barring something crazy coming up that throws it all off of course. I've been paying cash for purchases too which has really made me think a little bit longer before buying. Having to trade actual cash money tends to make me a bit more stingy.
*I've been kick boxing every other day for at least 30 minutes and make an effort to find something else to do for a half hour on the days that I'm not boxing. I attempted to do some yoga with the kids and that was partially successful. They thought it was hilarious fun for about ten minutes and then decided it would be even more fun if they were to try and use me as a jungle gym while I was doing poses. I probably won't try that again. My entertainment center contains some long neglected exercise DVDs that might hold the kids interest longer. Ada is stoked for belly dancing and I'm curious about Zumba as I've heard nothing but rave reviews.
*I'm meal planning with ease (and hardly any whining!) and have been doing a lot of cooking and baking from scratch again. I don't think there's a single person in this house that isn't thrilled with that change. I plan to try out this copy cat recipe for Hardee's biscuits Saturday morning on the twins' THIRD BIRTHDAY because they do love them some fresh biscuits. Mike's birthday is the next day so he's stoked to have biscuits and gravy for himself too.
*I have managed to do a better job keeping in touch with people both in writing, over the phone, and in person. I am REALLY excited about this and want to step it up even more because, as it turns out, interacting with other people really does make me live. Don't get me wrong. There are still times where I want nothing more than to hermit the hell up in this house and sit quietly for hours on end. But, mostly, people feed me. Don't worry though. I have no intention of eating your brains! (Yet.)
I'm probably forgetting at least one or two things that I'd been planning to mention but, if that's the case, it's just fodder for another post that I'll have to be gently nagged into getting finished and posted. (Thanks Kat!)
In a couple more months when my hair has grown out even farther and I've kept up with kick boxing, that might be the case but, so far, it's still just me. Well, to be fair, it's me plus... something. I still haven't figured out where my newly acquired super powers are originating from but I am enjoying them nonetheless. Is it better organization? A better head space from being more open & honest? More exercise? More intellectual stimulation? Some crazy amalgamation involving all of the above is my guess and I'll be doing my damnedest to keep it up because, ladies & gentlemen, I feel full of energy and just plain fierce about 90% of the time now. My mysterious gastrointestinal woes have almost completely disappeared. I'm experiencing less frustration with the kids and being a stay at home mom in general and I'm accomplishing things on par with the rate that I did when it was just me and Ada all day. Does this boggle your mind? It certainly does mine. Here's a short recap of what I've been up to this month (and it's terrible that it has almost been a month since I've finished something for posting):
*Took and passed two DANTES tests, which earned me six college credits. I have two more tests on February 9th that I need to pass and I'll be set to start the last two years of my degree on February 16th. I've been shooting for between an hour or more (preferably more) of study time each day and, based on the practice tests I have access to, the information is sticking. I'm starting to get really tense about these upcoming tests because there's even more riding on passing them than there was the first two.
*I've managed to keep up with all household chores including the weekly scrubbing of tubs, toilets, kitchen sinks, and floors for almost the whole year. This is due in large part to having downloaded this printable chore list from Motivated Moms. I had a $1 off coupon for it and, let me tell you, that's the best $7 I've spent all year. Mike had been asking for me to make him a chore list and I straight up refused to do it, for various reasons, but it turns out I'm loving this. If you're looking to become better organized and use what little time you have to get the most done, GO GET IT. Seriously. (Also, for the record, I don't think having a weekly chore chart posted is helping him get any more done around the house either. Not that he isn't helpful at ALL, it's just that having this chart wasn't the miracle cure he seemed to think it would be. JUST SAYIN'.)
*One of my goals for this year is to pay off at least one of our large debts and it seems I've discovered a way to manage to pay them BOTH off in 2012 if I stick to the budget I've created. That's barring something crazy coming up that throws it all off of course. I've been paying cash for purchases too which has really made me think a little bit longer before buying. Having to trade actual cash money tends to make me a bit more stingy.
*I've been kick boxing every other day for at least 30 minutes and make an effort to find something else to do for a half hour on the days that I'm not boxing. I attempted to do some yoga with the kids and that was partially successful. They thought it was hilarious fun for about ten minutes and then decided it would be even more fun if they were to try and use me as a jungle gym while I was doing poses. I probably won't try that again. My entertainment center contains some long neglected exercise DVDs that might hold the kids interest longer. Ada is stoked for belly dancing and I'm curious about Zumba as I've heard nothing but rave reviews.
*I'm meal planning with ease (and hardly any whining!) and have been doing a lot of cooking and baking from scratch again. I don't think there's a single person in this house that isn't thrilled with that change. I plan to try out this copy cat recipe for Hardee's biscuits Saturday morning on the twins' THIRD BIRTHDAY because they do love them some fresh biscuits. Mike's birthday is the next day so he's stoked to have biscuits and gravy for himself too.
*I have managed to do a better job keeping in touch with people both in writing, over the phone, and in person. I am REALLY excited about this and want to step it up even more because, as it turns out, interacting with other people really does make me live. Don't get me wrong. There are still times where I want nothing more than to hermit the hell up in this house and sit quietly for hours on end. But, mostly, people feed me. Don't worry though. I have no intention of eating your brains! (Yet.)
I'm probably forgetting at least one or two things that I'd been planning to mention but, if that's the case, it's just fodder for another post that I'll have to be gently nagged into getting finished and posted. (Thanks Kat!)
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