I'm getting serious about my procrastination

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I can't get anything done!

Princess has been sick for just over a week. She should start feeling better soon...but she's also teething, sso sleep is just not happening in our house. At least for the girls. Hubba Bubba and the boys are snoring away...

Thursday 13 -- Spring Cleaning

I haven't truly cleaned mu house since the sciatica started when I was pregnant with PrincessGirl...it gets tidied, but cleaned? Not by my standards. Which makes spring cleaning all the more important, even if it's not all together likely I'll actually get it done. So here's what's on my spring cleaning list ::

1. Flip the mattress
2. Wash pillows
3. Organize cupboards
4. Clean out refrigerator
5. Exchange linens - put the flannel sheets and quilts on the high shelf ;)
6. Change thermostat, smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries
7. Open the windows - as soon as it gets barely warm enough
8. Vaccuum the ducts and vents
9. Clean the carpets
10. Wash the outside windows
11. Take plants outside and spray them down to remove dust
12. Air out rugs, or get them cleaned
13. Box up the winter clothes
    Bonus -- plant annuals. Violas and pansies are my favorites, but this year I might try something new

You'd think I'd learn...

I had big writing plans for the week...but then the baby got sick and I have barely put her down since Wednesday...and Hubba Bubba has been on the couch since Friday...

Quick, someone stop time so I can get something done!

testing...

I love a good *fail*...my sister sent me a collection of creative ways to fail a test... Teacher humor is good stuff.



In other news...the princess is still not sleeping and I have to leave her with Grandma for a few hours tomorrow. Yikes!

(because he slept with his boss' wife.)

Thursday 13 - Understand Myself

Following up last weeks Dream It. List It. Do It!: How to Live a Bigger & Bolder Life, from the Life List Experts at 43Things.com inspired list... I thought I'd start at their chapter 1 -- Understand Myself -- section of my life list. As I read this book I realize, we all have the same life list, the details are just a bit different ::

1. figure out why I procrastinate


2. trace my family tree (I started when I was on bed rest with BigBoy...never finished)


3. remind myself each day that I matter


4. find out why I'm so slack at keeping up with old friends


5. spend 48 hours alone


6. keep a dream journal


7. take 365 days of pictures about my life


8. do something that brings me joy every day


9. select a theme song for my life


10. have a psychic reading


11. learn why I am so exhausted


12. understand my kids


13. accept the things I cannot change

Where You At?

I'm talking Leprechauns over at The Pink Heart Society...

Free Paranormal Workshop

Writing Historical Paranormal Romance with Some of The Hottest Authors in the Genre

March 20th & 21st at Romance Divas

Featuring:

Colleen Gleason

Melissa Mayhue

Jennifer Ashley

Sharon Page

Jennifer St. Giles


Want to know how to write romance that brings a mysterious and paranormal twist to history? Romance Divas is hosting a 2-day workshop with some of the hottest names in the Historical Paranormal genre. It will take place at the Romance Diva Forum. All are welcome. To get access to the forum you will need to register.

Three Hours

So yesterday I whine about our current sleep situation...and we worked on The Sleep Lady...the princess screamed for over 3 hours. 3. HOURS. Yeah, the book says most kids get it right away, but some take up to an hour.

3 HOURS

In the middle of the night. I think the whole 'leave her in the crib and sooth her by shushing and rubbing her back' pissed her off more. I don't think it was soothing. It felt like we were mocking her.

Needless to say, Hubba Bubba wanted to give in after about 20 minutes, but we stuck with it...and then after an hour we wondered if we gave in, would that teach her to scream? Ugh, who knows!

We'll be back to our old 'bad habit' of cuddling the crying baby tonight. Here's hoping The Baby Whisperer Solves Your Sleep Problems

I dunno...

As perfect as my princess is, she doesn't sleep. It's driving me mad, and causing quite the wear and tear on my body and mind. I've been trying to write the same chapter for two weeks and I have a collection of health conditions that would all improve if I'd sleep for more than two hours at a time. Which I haven't done in a year.

So, in the name of sleep, I'm reading a bunch of get your baby to sleep books. The ones that worked for BigBoy (Self-Calming Baby) and BabyBoy (The Happiest Baby on the Block) don't work for PrincessGirl. The Sleepeasy Solution means checking in with them verbally as they try to sleep -- PrincessGirl does not appreciate being mocked. Better Sleep made me feel better, some kids have actual problems, while her Nocturnal Eating Syndrome and Sleep-Onset Association Disorder were likely caused by the six months of viruses she had to endure. OK. But no real soultion. The Sleep Lady wants us to sit in a chair and pat her, but not pick her up, gradually moving the chair each night.

Um...how is taunting the girl with your presence but not picking her up supposed to teach her to soothe? I tried it at nap time, and WOAH. She was not a fan.

All the books talk about consistency, which we couldn't do because of how constantly she was sick. Now, we want her to sleep. We do not want to get up. But we don't want her to cry so hard she'll puke and cause both of us to have to get up (one to change the bedding and clean, one to clean the fussed baby). Nor do we want the boys to be woken up.

Once I'm done reading The Sleep Lady it's on to Healthy Sleep Habits. I'm beginning to wish SuperNanny came just for nights. But then, with my Dirty Carpet Anxiety, I wouldn't let the crew in the house.

Forgot to Mention...

I blogged at RCRW Authors this week...I brought pictures from Celebrate Romance.

Thursday 13 -- Read More

So I picked up Dream It. List It. Do It!: How to Live a Bigger & Bolder Life, from the Life List Experts at 43Things.com One chapter is deemed - read more. A general life to-do, so they broke it down to a dozen pages of specifics. Here's the Read More section of my life list ::

1. read every book I own


2. read to my kids every day (now that I have 3, this is getting easier...there's usually one wanting a story)


3. listen to more audiobooks


4. buy an ebook reader


5. host a book swap


6. read a book a week for a year (I read lots, but in binges)


7. write a note to the authors of books that move me


8. pass on books to others, even if I can't bear to part with my own copy


9. finish reading the dozen of books I started and then got too busy to finish


10. read all the books written by authors I know


11. read more mysteries


12. read everything by Dr Seuss (I'm real close to this one)


13. read more short stories (hence 100 shots of short)

Healthy Wealthy and Wise

A friend of mine did a check-in with herself...and it got me thinking...

HEALTHY :: I had a horrid headache today. I'm back to having them most days. In one way the headaches have been a blessing - after the vascular migraine episodes I vowed to finish a novel, and did - but in most ways they are hurdles that I jump over every day. But, they are hurdles on my path. I can either stop moving forward and look for people to remove them, or I can just jump. When I tried the medical route, I only got sicker and gained too much weight, so I think I'll keep jumping. Being in pain does change how I eat (I try to comfort myself) and limit my ability to exercise (my headaches become excrutiating with movement), so I need to work on separating the positive things I do for my body from the things I do to combat headaches. Can't be harder than writing a novel, right?

WEALTHY :: I'm blessed that Hubba Bubba handles the money. With three kids there never seems to be enough, but we're both responsible enough to be comfortable even with my writing income not as stellar as it once was. We want to get into a bigger house to let the kids spread out, but with the economy and the housing market and our complete lack of DIY ability...it might not happen.

WISE :: Having kids is the best thing I did for my personal adventure in education. They ask the best questions, which has me searching for answers. Over Spring Break BigBoy and I are going to work on chess together - we're a pretty fair match, he still beats me, but it's not a slaughter. Maybe I'll start to win. Though, I'm not sure how much glory there is in beating a 7-year-old.

I've really been working on studying the craft of writing. There are some great articles on the web, and books on characterisation...here's hoping they help! I need to get writing again. Not just passing out partials. Telling a story from Once upon a time to The End. I miss the writing.


What about you? What is your Healthy, Wealthy & Wise list?

Tweet

So I signed up for twitter (procrastinate much? me?) and it turns out I'm already 'following' two other tweeters. Which is fine as they are actually people I know...but how did twitter know who my friends are? And why don't I have a bigger list?

Read An Ebook week

March 8-14 is Read an E-Book Week!



To celebrate, head over to the Samhain Cafe for Reader Appreciation Week and comment to win free e-books!

Times and technology are changing -- and changing quickly. While e-books have been around for several years, it took the marketing savvy of the folks at Amazon to really bring the idea to the public marketplace.



Now the big debate isn't paper or plastic, it's Kindle or Sony. The ladies at Dear Author regularly post about e-reading technology and their most recent post, How to Decide Between the Sony and the Kindle eInk Readers, is merely the latest in an ongoing debate.



If the nifty gadgets don't convince you, how about this article from EPublishers Weekly called 30 Benefits of EBooks. Top of the list? Ebooks promote reading at a time when people spend more time in front of screens, than in front of books. Also, they're environmentally friendly.



John Siracuse of Ars Technica gives a clear-eyed view of the changing face of e-book technology over the years with The once and future e-book: on reading in the digital age.



For writers debating the merits of e-book vs traditional publishing, please keep in mind that, as Angela James notes in this article, A Different Way Isn't the Wrong Way.However you choose to read, remember that the platform isn't the most important thing.



It's All About the Story.



~~~special thanks to Sela Carsen

It's That Time

Spring forward...and don't forget to change the batteries in your smoke alarms!

Volunteering

Each week I exchange to-do lists with another writer. It keeps me honest, and usually makes me get more done to avoid embarassment. But this week...I have plenty of excuses as to why I didn't finish revising my partial, and they all have to do with volunteering.

I help out at the boys school once a week. This takes away my morning work time - when I usually catch up on internet stuff so I can write in the afternoon if Grace naps. If Grace doesn't nap - and she didn't this week - the entire day is gone, work-wise. Plus there was the fundraising auction at the boys school.

Then there's the non-kid related volunteering. My time with The Pink Heart Society, Romance Divas, and RCRW. Little snippets of time added up all week, and then Saturday was an all day RCRW board brainstorming session. And so...my revisions are not done.

I either need to get the baby to actually sleep, become more productive, or volunteer less...

Haloween is over...

I let the kids put up window decals whenever I clean the windows. Sadly, this shows when I clean my windows...today, Halloween came down.

Plus, the window wipes I bought leave streaks. Which makes me want to clean the windows again, and we all know that won't happen.

Thursday 13 - Quick and Easy Organizing

1. Keep sheet sets together with ribbon - use ribbon from gifts, or left over from projects. Never hunt down matching pillow cases again!


2. Use gallon-size zippered plastic bags to keep cloth napkins together in the linen closet.


3. Stuff plastic grocery bags in an empty tissue box. Easy storage, easy to grab when you need.


4. A travel pill box is a great way to pack jewelry


5. Closets look neater when you use only one kind of hanger


6. Tuck a sheet of those free, unsolicited mailing address lables in your purse and use them to fill out forms (or raffle tickets).


7. A hammock can be strung up in the garage during the cooler months to keep track of the kids soccer balls and other warm-weather backyard paraphanelia


8. Hang a shoe organizer on the inside of closet doors to keep shoes off the floor


9. Shoe organizers can be used to keep other things tidy too, from hats and gloves to ornaments and craft supplies


10. Use bicycle hooks to keep bikes, hoses, and extension cords off the garage floor


11. Treat your linen closet like your clothes closet, if you haven't used it in a year - pitch it.


12. Keep party essentials - candles, napkins, vases - together to make set-up easier.


13. The lid of a large plastic storage tub is great for keeping the dog's dish or wet rain boots off the floor.

Sleep With Me...

Why is it that men do not hear a baby fussing in the night? Hmm? I've asked around at parks, parties, and playdates. It's universal. They climb in bed and their ears turn off.

Which leaves the mommy hopping out of bed too often at night, doing the Baby Whisperers Pick Up / Put Down routine...which may not whisper to my Gracious. Perhaps she's turned her ears off too...