Addiction

So, I have been trying to listen to omens, aka my dreams.  I have honestly been having a lot of Firefly dreams lately and I'm not sure what to do with that except for watch it again?  Or create an epic craft?  Stalk Alan Tudyk?

One dream was that Glee got cancelled and I went around cheering and screaming: "NOW THEY CAN BRING BACK FIREFLY!!"

I'm just going through some Firefly withdrawal...

Watching this doesn't help


Neither does this



I'll be in my bunk...

Getting My Shhhhh-- Together

So, 2013 has been so good to me so far.  My job and school are going great but aren't leaving me with much free time.  I really shouldn't be blogging, but I need to organize my thoughts.  And that is what I need a lot of right now: organization and planning.  I already write menus for the week's dinner and I carry a small notebook and pen everywhere with me so I can take notes at any time.  I've been getting a lot done even with my schedule, but I feel I can do better, especially on the eating right and exercising front.  

So here is where I tell myself to buckle down and get my shit together!

I really want to join a Cross Fit gym, but at $150 a month I can't justify it right now.  Also, I don't have the greatest reputation of motivating myself to exercise.  So, right now I'm not going to ask myself to push myself through a grueling workout (I miss them, but I don't push myself hard enough) I'm just going to ask myself to get up in the morning and spend some time with the kids and go for a walk, and not take the easy way.  I've gotten used to the physical demands of my new job and I know I need to do something more than walk, but right now I am using that time as a place holder; telling myself that this is physical time, so that some day in the near future I will fill that time in with something even more physically demanding.

As far as the eating goes...I've really got to cut out all these damn processed foods.  Lunch breaks from both jobs are killing me.  I cook breakfast and dinner and the last thing I want to do is rush home on my lunch break and cook.  Plus, Cinepolis used to provide employee lunches...USED to, so though it kind of blows financially, I really needed to stop having my quesadilla special: chicken and bacon cheese quesadilla with Sriracha and nacho cheese. I really just need to suck it up and prepare lunches if that's what it takes.  I also need to try more Paleo hacks on foods and stop thinking I'm gonna do a Whole30 any time soon because between work and school and the chef's rule of "always taste what you cook before you send it out," it's not happening.

Anyway...one way to get better organized: weekly goals!

-make a list of things to get done around the place and delegate!

-wake up at 6...though I'm not sure it will work on days after I close at Cinepolis, but I'm sure gonna try

-write a budget based on my paychecks this week 

-take my vitamins and supplements

-read 20% more of my book

-play some Suikoden

-work on Grant's rag quilt

Books

One of the hardest things I find with reading a book is trying to decide what to read next.  I just finished The Alchemist and while I downloaded books I want to read, there were few that were on my "next" list.  I had narrowed it down to A Game of Thrones, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Storm Front (The Dresden Files Book #1), and The Strain.  I decided on The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but I think I may switch to The Hobbit because it's been a long, long time and I want to read it before seeing the movie.  To be fair, I don't even have to read all of it to prepare for the movie, but I really better do it soon, eh?  Check me out on Goodreads.com if you like.  It's addicting and really motivating me to read.  Nothing like a constant reminder that there are lots more books out there that I want to read than is possible.

I have also given in and tried audio books to supplement my book learnin'/readin'.  While still believe they don't help you improve your reading and overall language skills like reading a physical book does, they certainly have their place.  I just finished my second: Kushiel's Chosen, the second in a trilogy. The first of the trilogy, Kushiel's Dart, was my first audio book.  I went the audio book route because, hardbound, it was over 600 pages and small single-spaced type.  If I owned the books I may have tackled them, but I would have never gotten through them in time had  I checked them out of the library.  So, I finished the first and I loved the voice actress so much, (and of course the book) that I got the other two in audio format. These books were an especially good choice to audio because they have many foreign names that I would have just mangled in my mind while reading anyway, so, that's what audio has above print.

Back to The Alchemist.  It was a great short read, and for a slow reader like myself, sometimes that's nice (especially since the other books listed up there are at least twice as long). Although the book, probably due to the translation, was simply written, the message is beautiful and profound.  I read the book at the right time in my life and it made an impact on me, which is why made this the year of my Personal Legend.

The Year of My Personal Legend

Happy new year!  So far this year has been good to me.  Just before we ran out of money I got that long sought after second job in a kitchen.  It's been less than a week but so far I love it.  I feel like it's what I have always been meant to do.  Thus I have started The Year of My Personal Legend!  (Yes I did just finish reading The Alchemist)  I have even heeded to an "omen" already this year: I was going to buy some quilting equipment because JoAnn had them 40% off plus a 25% off coupon.  Well, the night before I had a dream of a madman shooting up the store and while I didn't think that would have happened in exactly that way, I decided I really shouldn't spend money I didn't have on something I didn't need, just really really wanted. 

In addition to following omens is listening to my heart.  I feel it's been wrong in the past but with out it, I guess I wouldn't have G1, so there's that.  It just made me take the difficult route and knew, better than I did, that I needed G1 because he is in fact a huge motivator in my life.

On the path to my Personal Legend I am hoping to gain better health so I can do more things with the boys and not be so embarrassed at my appearance or lack of ability (which working in the kitchen is helping; it's very physical work, more so than at school), wealth so I can, again, do more things with the boys, even free things take SOME money, like for gas (second job=more money), and knowledge (still going to school AND new job are valuable for that).

I know I won't have much free time between work, school and kids but here's to a happy, healthy and prosperous 2013!