Trying for simplicity

New Year's is so interesting to me. I really love the death and rebirth analogy that is New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. I tend to entertain thoughts that analyze the cultural New Year's phenomena. I'll spare the mundane details but I am intrigued by the chaotic celebrations at the year's end, the overwhelming, almost expected, acceptance of socially unacceptable and risky behavior, and the desire for resolution, a new beginning, and a forced sense of order that comes with the dawn of the new day. The year starts out fresh and new and by the end of the cycle we have worn it out-- it is old, tired, crazy and ready to die. It even extends into a hell vs. heaven type thing. Just a fascinating analogy to me.

Why do we do this? I think at some point we need a specific event where we as humans can refresh and restart the clock. We are forced to bring everything back into order. January 1 is no different a day than December 31, but in our minds it is the starting point and new attempt at control.

So with that said, I give into the need for control and always find myself looking brightly to the year ahead.

This year I would like to focus on simplicity. I want to simplify my life. I plan to do this by better organizing my time. I must simplify and to do that I must plan.

I want to be deliberate in my actions. I am not going to do something just because I have nothing better to do.

I want to simplify my surroundings. I need to scale back for the sake of my sanity. This will be a year of getting rid of the superfluous.

I have to purge not only the "things" but the obligations and responsibilities that are creating static in my life. I started this by quitting my job this fall. That burden was lifted and I love the freedom I feel from it.

I will continue to blog because I enjoy it and it is fulfilling to me somehow. And since these goals are posted for the world to see, I have a better chance of maintaining them.

Here's to a fresh, vibrant, new year!

This is why we don't get asked to sing in church.

So there is nothing on TV tonight. I was just sitting enjoying my DQ Blizzard (yes my husband loves me) flipping through the channels. I couldn't find anything to watch. I ended up on TLC because for some bizarre reason they were broadcasting a crime show. I watched until the first commercial segment when I remembered why I NEVER turn it to TLC. Are you kidding, "Half Man Half Tree" followed by "Mermaid Girl"? I nearly lost my dinner let alone my appetite for my Blizzard.

And remember when the Biography channel had biographies? I know, crazy. Now it's like "Ghostly Encounters" and "Psychic Kids". Since when did the paranormal fit under the biography theme?

I finally settled on FLN and "Whatever, Martha!" I have never seen this show before and thought I liked it. Two women sitting around watching and making fun of segments from the Martha Stewart show. But then I noticed that one of the women was named Alexis Stewart, you know, Martha's daughter. Then I saw that the show itself was a product of the Martha enterprise. I couldn't like it too much after I realized that Martha was behind the whole thing. Although I was kind of sad that Martha beat me to the punch.

Hockey with the cousins

We got to go to the Avalanche game last night with my brother and his boys, and my sister and her son. We had a really great time. John has been wearing his jersey non-stop. Thanks for the tickets Beth!

The boys were super excited. We had great seats in the club section!


Everyone in their Avalanche best! We all showed our team spirit, even though Tommy and his two boys are from Pheonix (who was the team defeated last night).

Love and Logic?

Long story short-- the school psychologist let me borrow her copy of the book Parenting with Love and Logic to read over Christmas break. I have been interested in this series but have been too cheap to fork over the cash for any of the materials. The whole premise of the "technique" is to get our kids to think and then suffer the consequences of their choices-- I'm all for that.

The book gives examples of how to deal with conflict with our children by offering choices in a calm, almost sing-song approach. I have been trying diligently to apply these techniques for the past two days. Here are some examples presented in the book: "You sound upset. I'll be glad to listen when your voice is as soft as mine." Or, "You guys are welcome to come back as soon as you work that out," (pg. 61).

SO, like I said, I have been struggling to talk to my kids like that for two days. Today I was droning on and I realized I was sounding a lot like the boss in the movie, Office Space.

"Yeah.... so... that's inappropriate and I'm uh, going to go ahead and ask you to go to your room now. Ok, thanks."

Then another time I start in with, "Yeah, so we would love to have you participate with the rest of the family, but--"

and John interrupts, "I already know, you've been saying it all day, 'we want you to join us when you can be nice, blah, blah!" Imagine the mocking tone that is his imitation of me trying to be nice.

And yesterday when Kitty wanted pudding for breakfast I told her no. John chimes in with, "Mommy you'll just make her mad. You need to say it the smart way," he then turns to her and tells her that if she eats her breakfast then she can have pudding.

How is it that my 5 year old is already an expert in Love and Logic?

Moving Mountains

Why is it that I can never fully overcome my laundry pile? I hate it because it is always whispering in the back of my mind saying, "You will be defeated."
It's not the process I can't seem to grasp- sort, wash, dry, fold, put away. It's the follow through.

Sometimes it's: sort, wash........... wash again, dry, fold, put away.

Other times it's: sort......... sort more, wash, dry............... fold, put away.

But more often than not it's: sort......... sort more, wash.......... wash again, dry, fold............................................................................. sort.

I really get hung up on that put away step.

I used to have a grasp on my mountain of laundry, I had whittled it down to a mole hill. But just one day off, or two days of being sick and the cycle starts all over again.

I Love Copying

I am such a copy-cat. I've been wanting to do a list of things I like for a while but thought it would require too much thought. I was afraid I would post it and then remember something really important to add and then I would have to edit the original post. I was afraid of the finality of a single list. So following (copying) Shay I am just going to list a "few" of my favorite things, that way I can feel free to explain a little and add future installments at any time.

• Peanut Butter Anything. In fact, TCBY used to have a peanut butter sauce that I still dream about.
• New Pens. Sometimes a new pen is all it takes to make a bad day better.
• Notebooks and Journals. They have to be ruled and big enough to write in. I prefer spiral bound, but if the binding is not too tight I can make it work. The page has to be just the right size so you don't feel pressure to fill the whole page.
• Artifacts. I love finding old trash. I love looking through prehistoric and historic trash and piecing together life in the past. I love the human connection. It's the recording part I hate.
• Cross County Hiking. I haven't done this in a long time but I love it. Which brings me to my next favorite thing--
• Maps. I love reading maps, I love being the navigator on trips! I love that I can find myself as long as I have a map. Last spring I was on a field visit with some Native Americans and I was the only one of the group who hadn't been to the location before. When we couldn't figure out where we were supposed to be on the landscape I pulled out my map and figured it out. I was beaming with pride, they're the one's who are supposed to be so in tune with nature and find their way around...
• Taking a Shower. My family can attest to this, I am protective of my shower. My shower shapes my attitude for the rest of the day. A shower is a real luxury that gets taken for granted all too often. I'm not saying I shower every single day, but if I decide I need my shower, watch out and don't you dare flush the toilet!
• Library Books. I love the smell, the texture of the pages, and the excitement of getting a well read book from the library.

That's all the thought I can dedicate to this for now. The next list I make will be of things I hate and I guarantee it will be eight times longer. In fact, I think I love to hate certain things, is that possible?