Do it now

That's been my mantra for the year so far. I think I read it in The Happiness Project or some other similar book. As soon as I did I realized that would be my main focus and resolution for the year. Hoping to break my bad habits of procrastination and then frustration that I couldn't accomplish the things I wanted to, despite being certain I could find the time if I tried, this statement has carried the day.

Do it now.

Nothing complicated, just direct. To the point so there's no room for excuses. Laundry piled up? Do it now. Dishes? Same. Before bed. Annoyed about cleaning the shower? Set the timer for 10 minutes and be done with it. Emails to catch up on? 20 minutes, and oh, wow, inbox 2. Or ideally zero but that's perhaps a bit too wishful. New recipe to try at home after work? An hour or two later it's in my belly (or neatly stacked in the fridge for lunch). Great feeling.

The results? Well, a cleaner home for one. But since this mantra works for any task or thing you would rather put off, it essentially guarantees success. Even if you can't complete something in one sitting, by just telling yourself to do it now and get things started means that the next time you give it your attention you'll be that much further along and before you know it - done.

The one thing I never find myself saying (in my head, mind you) is that I really wish I spent more time putzing around online. I never tell myself, better read some more nonsense blogs or kill a few moments on Facebook. And when I say, "do it now" to get something of real value accomplished, I'm far more apt to shut the screen and be productive. But for the rare "long read" that sits in my browser for too many days despite being something of true interest that could expand my knowledge on some important topic - it works too.

Who'd have thought it would be so simple? Not me.

How did I do?

Thinking about resolution, which I know can seem trite - why should we only focus on doing well and good in the beginning of a year? But I adore the possibility of a fresh start. And it seems as though I'm making it happen, too, this year at least. I have been knocking things off my to-dos and addressing lingering tasks at home and work (despite the cold virus that has a firm grasp on my head and lungs). But how did I do with last year's resolutions? Before I commit new ones to paper, er, keyboard, I want to check back and see if I can resurrect some old goals...

• Big commitment to less food waste and better meal planning and frequent cooking. This is something I got started on last year but need to step it up, both for my diet, my life (crazy w/ school sometimes) and my budget. I guess I did better with this one, but that's mostly because I was cooking for two a lot of the time again, and boys are really good at eating leftovers. But we made a concerted effort, and we're stepping into the realm of meal-planning, etc. to buckle down even more.
• Cook at least one recipe out of every cookbook on my shelf or it goes in the Goodwill pile. I don't have a ton, but I know some are just collecting dust and there's nothing I love better than simplifying my "stuff". Less is more. I decidedly did NOT do this. I thought about it. I mentioned it. I accumulated more cookbooks. I'd like to try this again. Especially now that I'm feeling more and more comfortable in the kitchen.
• Continue focusing on my mental well-being and just be a more calm, rational, thoughtful person and friend. Oh yes, I definitely did this. And I continue to do so. This is a resolution that should always be in place.
• Conquer my budget once and for all - find a balance and get there, without falling back into the awful cycle of paying off credit cards then racking them up again. This could be tricky with some recent life developments, but I'm serious about it now. 30 has me REALLY ready to drop the plastic and start saving for a house. Well now, I can honestly say I have conquered this goal. Not only did I find an amazing budget that works really well and has helped changed my spending habits and given me the perspective on balance that I craved, but I paid off my credit cards for good and this month I will start my down payment savings account! What a great feeling.
• Stay in touch with people I love and do a better job with birthdays, sending cards, etc. I'm not a huge celebrator but I know it's very important to let others know you remembered them on their day and I want to do this. I need to get a stash of cards, write up dates on my calendar and stay on top of things. I did a bit better at this, and plan to take it even further this year, actually buying cards in advance instead of sending them at the last minute. I have a master list of birthdays and I'm ready to go!

Happy happy

My happy new year includes:

Starting off my first year of adult life sans credit card debt. And with a strong budget in place to keep things that way.

A sweet and kind guy by my side, day in and out.

A kitchen filled with groceries, a pile of new recipes, and a goal to make 2013 the year of the lunch (since 2012 was all about the breakfast...nearly every day. I'm spoiled).

A laundry list of friends and loved ones who remind me often how lucky I am.

A savings account growing for a big trip in the works.

Hard to complain with those things in mind.

Resolutions to come, but for now, wishing peace and happiness.

How can it be...

That a person could train for and then run a half marathon and feel out of shape? I'm not sure how this happens, but my gut (har har) says it has something to do with carbs. Specifically, too many of them in the name of "this is what they tell me to do, consume carbs so I don't hit the wall."

Whatever it is, I am SO proud that I made it to the finish line for a second time this year after 13.1 long miles. And it is no question in a large part due to the encouragement of a good friend who ran along with me (thanks Neen!).

But I think the training for these types of races is just not the most sustainable course for me. I get exhausted from the long runs and can't seem to find much time mid-week for the short runs. And, I just really want to run for fun, as well as work on developing my 5k speed. And I desperately miss yoga.

I think I just need more balance in my workouts - something that isn't too far on one extreme or another, and something I can stick with that will encourage better eating habits. Because this is frustrating, to feel flabby and out of sorts despite having run more miles than I ever imagined I'd be able.

30 - updated

A little over a year ago I made a list of thirty things I thought I should try to accomplish prior to turning 30. I had 6 months to take care of it. I wasn't 100% successful (to be honest, I'm not sure I even could have received an "A") but I absolutely enjoyed the process of coming up with the list, working to scratch things off, and talking about it with friends, old and new. In particular, I think my list could have been more "checked off" had a certain person not entered my life but I am NOT complaining. I'll take booked weekends and significantly less "alone" time to be with this guy any day of the week.

So anyway, here's an update on where things stand.

1. Run a 5K race - done! 10/15/11 in 36 mins
2. Run 10K (6+ miles) - done! 3/3/12, and then kept going! Ran a half marathon in April, with a second on the books for October 21.
3. Have my place professionally cleaned
4. Pay off my credit cards (all 4 - but I'll settle for 3 by then) 3 down, 1 to go as of 4/6/12 (thank you student loan surplus). Looks like this will be DONE 12/28/12, if not prior. I've never been more excited for payday than I am now, seeing the balance decline. Woo!
5. Climb Compton Water Tower - done! 10/1/11
6. Take the knife skills class at Kitchen Conservatory - done 1/11/12!
7. Fly somewhere I've never been - 3/25/11 to Seattle for work conference
8. Get another massage at the Chase Spa - planning on doing this post-half marathon in late October
9. Paint the bathroom - done 2/20/12
10. Paint the hallway
11. Clean up the basement storage - in progress. Slow but steady, and avoiding spiders!
12. Use the BBQ grill (burn a bunch of sage on it first!) - done! Success on 10/2/11
13. Finish reading Death and Life of Great American Cities - still working. Goodreads says I'm 57% there.
14. Finish reading The Art of Happiness - even closer, at 91%.
15. Have a bike and ride it around - done this once...a little intimidated but I need to just do it!
16. Wear makeup. Like eyeliner, and maybe lipstick. Regularly. - done, er, rather, habit formed! 12/1/11
17. Get a less than safe haircut - done on 11/11/11 w/ a big drastic chop!
18. Buy a case of wine, all at once
19. Get good at baking sourdough bread
20. Make at least 1/2 my Christmas gifts - didn't happen, but I'm ok with it and not going to dwell on a less than 100% score for this list.
21. Buy a pair of jeans from somewhere swankier than The Gap
22. Go sledding on Art Hill - Winter 2011/12 was a total bust in terms of snow. Bummer! Rumor has it this could be a snowy winter, so maybe I'll get my chance yet!
23. Eat dinner at 1 of the awesome places I never get to go to anymore - done 2/5/12 with a fab dinner at Niche
24. Eat something I've never eaten before - ate beef cheeks and stinging nettles at 2 nice restaurants in March. It was a good eating month!
25. Knit something other than a glorified potholder
26. Watch a roller derby bout - done 2/4/12
27. Buy myself a piece of pretty jewelry - done 4/12, got a cute little ring from Etsy
28. Hang out at the Hilton's new 360 bar. Went with friends on 4/5/12
29. Try contacts. Again. For the 4th time. - not so sure of this...the last eye doc I went to wasn't so convinced contacts were for me...a strong blinker - ha!
30. Take a last minute trip (i.e. sans months of planning) Headed to Everett WA w/ the BF's family for a wedding. As it was their thing, I didn't have much say into planning aside from making the hotel reservation. It was a few crazy days of travel and just going with the flow. I did pretty darn well. Not the spontaneous weekend trip I imagined when I wrote this list, but I think it captured the spirit given present circumstances just fine.

So things are chugging along. I'll probably have more crossed off in the next couple months. Hopefully by year-end this will be mostly wrapped up. Then perhaps time for a new one? I do love a good list.

100 days

Drum roll please....

In 100 days, if everything stays on track, I will be completely 100% credit card debt free!!!

This makes me very happy. And grateful for the light at the end of the tunnel I've been chugging along through since probably age 19. I've been SO close to paying off my balances before but never had the nerve to just shut it down and say no more. I'm glad that I'm willing and able to do that now. So very glad.

I'm cutting over 2 months out of the process by putting my "extra" paycheck for November towards the debt - 70% of it, in fact. That's the beauty of being paid 26 times a year, and I need to make better use of that little bonus when it comes around again in 6 months or so.

After the payments have been made, I'll be into the thick of student loan repayment, which is a bummer for the next 10 years. Ideally I'll pay them off early too, but my focus instead will be building up my short term emergency cushion of $1,000. Then it's onward to the long-term 6 month cushion. And THEN it's on to the down payment savings.

Ideally somewhere along that path I'll start bringing home more income and can accelerate my progress. That was the point of grad school - at least on one level! I feel good though. I feel hopeful for the first time in a long time, and I feel proud for doing this bit by bit. Makes the little sacrifices more than worth it. I got myself into this place, and now I'm very glad to be getting myself out. If only I had this revelation 5 years ago. Oh well, c'est la vie.

That point during a big organizing session when...

you realize you've made a bigger mess than you started with. Of course, that's the whole point of organizing things, rather than just tidying up. You've got to bring everything out of hiding and let it makes its case for avoiding certain death via the trashcan, recycling bin, or goodwill pile. My willingness to let things go has only increased over the years and for that I'm glad. While I've had several, "why have I even been keeping this around?" moments today, I know I've avoided many more just by being judicious about what I bring home (freebies are especially unwelcome) and how often I pull things I no longer wear or care for from my closet and drawers to toss in a goodwill bin.

All that said, I'm still cringing at the site of my entire jewelry box laying out on the dining table (the box disintegrated, so a new solution needs to be found ASAP), the growing pile of boxes and bags for donating by the front door, the stack of "memories" I have to flip through before determining how to store the remainder and the as of yet untouched stack of boxes in the basement. Oh, and the pile of mostly-unwanted CDs (and partnering mp3s). Not to mention the fact that a disassembled queen size bed and mattress have taken up residence in my living room and kitchen for the past 6 days.

Tomorrow could be a long day. I had originally planned on heading to the office to catch up, but that's feeling less and less like the best use of my time. Sanity at work < sanity at home...I think!