"Dessert CAN make you happy."
Read/Post Comments (0)
[Subject line brought to you by the last fortune cookie I ate in 2007. On the slip's reverse: "LEARN CHINESE: Hopeful (yao xe waon)."]
I was sifting through some old files this past Sunday. Some of the things I raised hell over in my twenties... the things that twisted up my knickers during my early thirties... *shakes head*
On the plus side, I just reviewed my income for the past year (since I have two tax returns to file by mid-month). Even with two underproductive months, it appears that I was enough of a maniac during the other ten for 2007 to rate as my best year ever, earnings-wise.
Goal for 2008: Aim for earnings within the same range, but across eleven or twelve months, and preferably relying much less on caffeine and sugar.
And if the economy tanks (taking this goal with it), I'll console myself creating a tidier house and getting more poems polished/published (which are the things I ended up focusing on today instead of billable work).
psongster's description of her involvement at First Parish Arlington resonated quite a bit with me - although our churches and our personal situations/needs are different, she's articulated some of the same joys I've found participating in First UU Nashville's community.
I've consciously cut back from the years when I had a meeting or a rehearsal or a task at the church practically every other day, and I've been saying "no" even to things that would be more fun than work (such as the church knitting circle), both to ensure there remains enough of me for everything else in my life and because my brain seems to have gotten a better grip on trying to do fewer things better rather than a kajillion things half-assedly. I'm also much happier when the stuff I do outside of work doesn't involve too much in the way of (1) meetings, (2) phones, (3) driving, or (4) getting up before 7 a.m., and articulating that to myself has helped with the saying "no." Especially since there's plenty of stuff that does fit my paradigm:
lay leader (once a quarter, including this Sunday)
hymn leader (as needed, including this Sunday)
"Coming of Age" mentor (once a month, theoretically - I'm refusing to nag the mentee...)
Room in the Inn volunteer (once a month, including this Friday)
chamber choir member, and I'm rejoining the adult choir next month
assistant sermon blog diva (when time permits)
grocery table volunteer (once a month)
child dedication certificate calligrapher (twice a year)
There are dozens of people doing far more, of course, and there will come a point when I won't be able to resist poking my finger into more pies. But for now, that's what I can fit in among the other things that matter to me.
Among the other things... Earlier today, I took a peek at The Chimaera (marymary having mentioned that they'll be posting a poem of hers this month), and it's a journal I'll definitely be revisiting: what I've read so far in the expatriatism feature has been interesting, and their formatting tips include answers to several boondoggles that have long bedeviled me (e.g., line-break and step-indentation issues). (Seriously -- learning about using [font color=white]*****orotherspacers[/font] to create indents made me want to run around shouting "wheeyay!" Yes, I am that much of a dork.)
More pleasures:
A terrific review of [GROWLING SOFTLY].
Dinner: lamb chops, rolls, roasted red peppers, potato salad, and green beans.
Wu wei tea. A friend mailed a sample of this to me and it is lovely stuff - I'm going to have to see if any of the local shops stock it.
Proofreading a couple chapters of George A. Birmingham's A Padre in France, an account of working as a British Army chaplain in France during WWI. It's already advanced to the next round of proofing (which I don't yet qualify for), so I'll likely pitch in on either vegetarian cooking or botanical correspondence if I can't resist catwaxing if I put in a few more pages this week.
First, though, a bit more housework, possibly some wrestling with software, and definitely to bed at a decent hour.
I was sifting through some old files this past Sunday. Some of the things I raised hell over in my twenties... the things that twisted up my knickers during my early thirties... *shakes head*
On the plus side, I just reviewed my income for the past year (since I have two tax returns to file by mid-month). Even with two underproductive months, it appears that I was enough of a maniac during the other ten for 2007 to rate as my best year ever, earnings-wise.
Goal for 2008: Aim for earnings within the same range, but across eleven or twelve months, and preferably relying much less on caffeine and sugar.
And if the economy tanks (taking this goal with it), I'll console myself creating a tidier house and getting more poems polished/published (which are the things I ended up focusing on today instead of billable work).
psongster's description of her involvement at First Parish Arlington resonated quite a bit with me - although our churches and our personal situations/needs are different, she's articulated some of the same joys I've found participating in First UU Nashville's community.
I've consciously cut back from the years when I had a meeting or a rehearsal or a task at the church practically every other day, and I've been saying "no" even to things that would be more fun than work (such as the church knitting circle), both to ensure there remains enough of me for everything else in my life and because my brain seems to have gotten a better grip on trying to do fewer things better rather than a kajillion things half-assedly. I'm also much happier when the stuff I do outside of work doesn't involve too much in the way of (1) meetings, (2) phones, (3) driving, or (4) getting up before 7 a.m., and articulating that to myself has helped with the saying "no." Especially since there's plenty of stuff that does fit my paradigm:
There are dozens of people doing far more, of course, and there will come a point when I won't be able to resist poking my finger into more pies. But for now, that's what I can fit in among the other things that matter to me.
Among the other things... Earlier today, I took a peek at The Chimaera (marymary having mentioned that they'll be posting a poem of hers this month), and it's a journal I'll definitely be revisiting: what I've read so far in the expatriatism feature has been interesting, and their formatting tips include answers to several boondoggles that have long bedeviled me (e.g., line-break and step-indentation issues). (Seriously -- learning about using [font color=white]*****orotherspacers[/font] to create indents made me want to run around shouting "wheeyay!" Yes, I am that much of a dork.)
More pleasures:
First, though, a bit more housework, possibly some wrestling with software, and definitely to bed at a decent hour.
Read/Post Comments (0)
Previous Entry :: Next Entry
Back to Top
