Before moving to Villa Heights, we lived in South Park across from Barnes and Noble. Magical. Anyway, they had this book I wanted then called "Organize Now!". Throughout the book, you go through closets, rooms, drawers, dungeons, week-by-week in an attempt to, well, Organize Now! I would periodically visit the bookstore, check and see if they still had it, and, alas, never purchase it. What I'm not telling you is that normally I go on an on-line scavenger hunt for the cheapest possible copy of anything I purchase at addall.com. It makes the acquisition much more victorious.
A few months went by, a new house and a new baby later, I got to thinking I had some space in my life to get organized and get back on the track that pregnancy and newborns so quickly kick you off. With my very own crunchy Christmas money, I headed (all alone, mind you) back to the nostalgic Barnes and Noble, for the purpose of purchasing the book for the New Year.
The first 4 weeks are about organization of yourself. Well. Don't mind if I do. Guess I needed that one, considering I was hoping week 1 was "organize your kitchen cabinets", seeing as how I'd already done this. Instead, I found myself organizing my mind & life vision. It is like therapy in a binder.
I am now on Week 2. Organize your Priorities. I never really think to do that, assuming it's apparent. Nominally I suppose it is. When I hold up my actions to my words, however, they are not in symmetry. I am told to "make a list of my top ten priorities" and "make a list of all the activities I currently participate in" and "compare the list to my top ten". I've got to say, I didn't do terribly. But after a day like today- one of a long to-do list, icy roads, and cabin fever- I can say I hope tomorrow finds a bit more congruency.
My point in saying all this, is that as I go week-by-week, I hope to blog my findings and self-revelations. (This is in no way related to Julie and Julia). I'm hoping in 2011 to finish this book and to cook completely through "Get Cooking." by Mollie Katzen. So far, all I've got to show for it is half scorched roasted garlic paste. Long story.
I won't post my resolutions, because there are seriously about 20. What can I say? I love a good list. But I will give my top ten priorities, listed in no particular order:
-serving and loving God
-serving and loving my husband
-teaching my children (and spending quality time with them)
-connecting to my community and family
-training to run/stay in shape
-creative outlet (cooking, crafts, reading, etc...)
-staying organized
-personal/spiritual growth
-seeing life differently than the customary (spending habits, politics, lifestyle, etc...)
-living peacefully with self and others
In an attempt to really hold true to at least some of these today, I gave myself 30 minutes to sit quietly and read. Adalai sat on her bed, watched Big Brother Calliou on the computer (again), I sat and nursed Wilek (again) and read my beloved cookbook and am proud to say I finished the soup section and am now onto salads! *Note: I realize that reading a cook book and cooking from a cookbook are 2 separate things.*
My second attempt was spending 30 minutes of quality time, playing with Adalai. We played restaurant and doctor. I got to be the waitress, the customer, the sick person, and the doctor, as we switched between roles. Not once did I answer the phone, check laundry, wash a dish... nothing! We included Wilek in our play time and just hung out in the kitchen floor.
Twice today I sat for 30 minutes. I did things I know are good for my mental and emotional health, not to mention for that of my children. So this is my journey. To be a wife, be a mom, and have some type of growth and wisdom in between the chaos.
So awesome. I need that book. Thank you for posting this!
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