Week 1 of "Project 2013"

Hello!

This is my week update of my resolutions.

•       I’m going strong on my ‘vegetarianism.’ 
•       While my vegetarianism is going strong I have yet to go to the gym
•       I’m obviously working on my blogging.  Much work still needs to be done  - like planning and executing vs. random thoughts.
•       The garden hasn’t started but the plan is forming
•       I have not started another sewing project yet – but I do need something to cover my eyes when sleeping
•       I have a feeling I won’t make my $200 savings goal for January.
•       As for hobbies, they are constantly on my mind but I have been catching up on normalcy since the holidays.

I would say that for my first week of resolutions I am doing poorly.  Mostly because the first few weeks are when you are supposed to have the most motivation.  I feel like I have a lot of time.

As some one who needs to have a plan B, watching Doomsday Preppers is a horrible idea.  There’s a large part of me that wants to make sure I have a plan for the end of the world…and then there’s common sense.  Is the world going to end?  No. Of course not, but I like to believe that I am in a location that would support the demise of civilization.  Unfortunately, there are more important things to focus on while society exists.  Like providing myself with food/shelter/clothing.   All important things and to be perfectly honest I have a lot to learn in terms of everything survival if I want to have a chance in hell out in the woods.

For example.  With my luck I will have two black thumbs attached to eight black fingers in the garden.  I think I will be okay but we shall see how that goes.  That reminds me!  W and I will find out if I kill plants the way I killed fish (not intentionally!).  I’m going to need to learn about soil, weather patterns, what grows where and how each plants reacts to other plants.  I honestly see gardening as a skill that will come in handy in my lifetime.  Will I have the time to really pursue a garden?  I don’t know but I think it would be amazing!

Well I am now officially off topic again. 

For next time: “Do you have tickets to the ‘gun’ show?”

Obligatory 2013 Resolutions!

Seeing as how I currently have no readers... this can essentially be anything I want. I can say and do whatever I want.

We'll start with the obligatory resolutions.  It is 1/1/2013 after all.  I have a few resolutions (many are the same or similar as last year).  What's going to make 2013 so much better?  Financially I am much more stable going into the new year, I am no longer in the midst of depression/anger/frustration, and it feels like I have nowhere to go but up.

My list of resolutions, which I am about to list is going to seem fairly average but hopefully will have a large impact on my life.  I have also written this list 2-3 times already (one of those times probably being last year).

Resolutions!

1. Goal weight of 150 or less (about 180-190 now)
2. Consistent blogging (low on the priority list - oddly enough)
3. Sewing projects - complete at least one per month
4. Save an average of $200 a month
5. Hobbies will play a bigger role in my off time
6. Traveling - visiting friends
7. Keep in touch with everyone at least once a month.
8. Garden!

Normally I would start dissecting my goals and start mapping them out with the weight thing.  It's the one that confronts me everyday and I can't escape it but the other one's are easier (?)

Keeping in touch with People.  Not hard for most people but I'm naturally bad at it and have only gotten worse over the past few years.  All I need to do is set it on my calendar, like we do at work with our clients, to remind myself that it's been a month and I should call/write/visit.

Traveling.  One of my friend's is getting her doctorate this summer - I think that's a good reason to go to Chicago mid June.  I haven't visited anyone else though either and quite frankly that's a bunch of crap and should be changed.

Hobbies.  Photography - digital art - sewing - poi (once I start) - bellydance.  These are all things I really like to do and do I do any of them really?  No, why?  Because I am fucking lazy and that's all.  I need to do these things I actually enjoy instead of getting sucked into shows like Queer Eye (thoroughly addicted by the way - DAMN you netflix).

Save an average of $200 a month.  Tricky one.  I just got a bunch of new clothes during xmas for work which helps a ton!  But I do want to move into a more adult lifestyle and wardrobe which means I need to spend more $$ on quality.  Good news is I just got a raise that gives me an average of $200 more than before.  If I keep to my prior budget this can happen (travel plans really don't help though).

Sewing projects.  I want to make my own clothes and I want them to look good so it is a skill I need to work on and perfect.  One of my first projects should be a pin cushion!  Self explanatory goal and honestly shouldn't be too hard to be successful.

Consistent blogging.  Mostly as a means to track projects and promote the paranoia of doomsday prepping (more on that in the weight goal explanation).  Sort of kidding but more I just want to show off the the things I make and if there's interest perhaps I can sell a few things here and there.  Who knows.

You ready for doomsday weight loss?!?!  It's 2013 and I can't run a mile to save my life.  This has gotten sad.  Hmmm, where to start?  Eating habits or Doomsday Exercise regime?  This one is tricky because I think of all of these things as separate and combined.  I guess I will begin with food.  

First of all, I watch way too many documentaries.  Secondly, I think a lot of them are right in there own way.  I'm not sold on being a vegetarian or a vegan but a large part of me doesn't want to eat commercial meat any longer.  It's cruel and inhumane for the animals and quite frankly I don't trust everything that goes into the meat in the end.  Yes, in an ideal world we would only take what we need and animals wouldn't needlessly suffer for our greed.  One of my food resolutions is being vegetarian unless I or someone I know has killed it.  This allows for the elk in our freezer!  W's Dad or uncles went hunting and got an elk or two between them.  I want to learn how to hunt...and in the end, if you can hunt.  If you have the skills to take down an animal and can't bring yourself to physically kill the animal you do not deserve to eat meat.  I've been bad on this one already.  I had a sausage burrito for breakfast, a turkey wrap for lunch, and a chicken garlic pizza for dinner.  I'm declaring my resolutions now...so it doesn't count?

Okay so I'm easing into that one since I'm really going to miss meat.  But tomorrow I begin.  Time to go to the shooting range!  P.s. eggs and dairy are not being given up but will reduce consumption to best quality I can find (budget should limit this one)

So that's the biggest change for the eating habits for 2013.  We'll see how many beans I can eat before I burst.  The other part which will have a weight loss as a very welcome side affect.  Doomsday preparedness.  W and I wound up watching the Doomsday Preppers marathon on the National Geographic Channel.  While I don't agree with most of their way of thinking (meaning I don't think the world is going to end or society will collapse) but I do believe in self-reliance.  So much of what they focused on was stockpiling and security.  One 'out there' guy was all about nature skills and woods training.  I agree with his focus but not his all consuming obsession.  Only one person they showed was all about being in physical shape to get out of the city and survive.  She didn't last long in Central Park...  W's in love with the idea of having a bunker style home with stockpiles for days.  This is a topic for another day but in the meantime...

For training I will need to begin with cardio and losing excess weight.  Eventually I will need to be able to run distances through woods/nature (a good skill to learn), learn archery, and fighting skills.  Those are the main 'specific' goals.  Starting small is key though.  I just need to start getting active and running.  Then escalate to fighting abilities.  I should throw in some climbing as well (work on the fear of heights thing).

So those are my goals of 2013.  It's going to be an interesting year, especially if I actually follow through on anything in here.

Can't believe I almost forgot the garden!  I want to start small with a pallet garden this year and assuming I've got the chops I will graduate to larger.  Will help once doomsday comes...depending on the dooms.

So, if any one does read this post, Thank you.

I hope your 2013 is a new beginning and a year filled with hope and happiness.

Cheers.

Blog time again… it’s only been about a month.

Oddly enough big changes have been happening.

•       Bought that sewing machine I’ve been talking about for years
•       Started my class (and almost done with. Sad face.)
•       Continued bellydance classes (twice a week – if I remember to go)
•       Got my Adobe programs back
•       Got on instragram had started posting pictures and have since stopped.
•       Apartment is settled in although we may be rearranging soon since I use my desk for 3 separate things (filing ‘cabinet’, computer station, sewing table, and drawing board).  And it’s way too crowded for each. W’s ‘desk’ is a second coffee table which serves as a holding ground for all his crap.  I’m no innocent but we need more shelving.  Perhaps this next paycheck!

·         W’s going to come to Thanksgiving and meet the whole family this year…

·         Times are kinda tough.  I’m going to complain but I probably shouldn’t.

So let’s say life got a little bit busy.  Ever have insightful thought process while peeing?

Today’s (not a  daily occurrence) but I was thinking about wealth disparity and how much money would keep me ‘happy.’  I’d decided that earning enough to save as much as I make should cover it.  Since I earn about 1700 (take away and give or take) then roughly 3400 a month would be great.  My savings account would be ridiculous. I could afford anything I need.  My life would be completely different.  How to make that much is going to be difficult. 

Then the thoughts started going towards how to make that and if I stayed where I am now then how to I moonlight to bring in extra income?  I could eventually make clothes, perhaps grow food – when there’s legitimate property involved, sell my design skills, perhaps sell some prints. Who knows.  Perhaps it’s time to open an etsy shop.  Could SquishD actually become a reality?

I’m going to need a lot of caffeine.  And a separate bank account.  From the advice I’ve been giving separating business money and personal with different accounts is the easiest and best way to go.  The tricky part comes in with taxes and things.  I apparently owe $$ every year due to investments that are managed on my behalf, so since this would begin as a Sch C that would be a new form to fill out.  But at what point do you begin to have to claim your outside income as a business?

Should talk to one of the guys I work with about this again.  I of course have plenty of time to think about and do or never get around to doing any of this.  I should start with etsy and photo prints. Shit maybe someone will like some of them.  I’ve only got thousands of prints – not all of them great but definitely some kick ass ones.

Hi Blog,

Can  I explain why I haven’t called?

Honestly…. I just didn’t quite get around to it.

W and I have been productive lately though.  This past weekend, we did yet another goodwill trip and yet another IKEA and Costco run.  I love! Costco but every other week…it seems like a lot.  After finally getting rid of some extra furniture and getting some more shelving for the storage unit, the apartment is livable again.  This has been a really long process. Longer than I wanted it to go that’s for damn sure.

But when money is kinda tight you can’t go out and buy everything at once…not that we would have really known what to really get.  It’s amazing to be able to walk around freely in the living room and now when we need to vacuum it won’t involve furniture we’re STILL planning on getting rid of.

It may be sad but I think my favorite productiveness of this weekend is the second set of shelves in our storage unit.  It’s ALL camping gear.  And if we need to pack in an hour again… clear the shelves and we’re packed.  It’s awesome.  I may be a little too proud of that one.

The second fish tank is almost fully operational again (our awkward 15 vertical tank) . Complete with 1 fish, rocks, plants, background, and assassin snail for when we get an infestation.  We’re just planning on it from now on.  We got another snail problem in the little 4 gallon tank.  W’s really getting into his tanks.  I’m glad he has a hobby, even if it is expensive although if it were me I’d rather get my big projects done instead of starting/maintaining new littler ones.

But hey I’ve been realizing I have control issues I need to deal with. And I should never miss another massage. 

Any other updates to my life? 

1.       Endomondo.com – first App I have ever paid for!  It was on sale for $1 (vs. 4) and would have been worth every penny of the bigger price.  I ride my bike to work every day.  This tracks how long, elevation, speed, and roughly how many calories I should have burned.  It’s pretty freakin’ sweet.  It also has challenges that you can join – fitness related of course and it tracks it all for you.  Love it.

2.       Adobe… - it may soon be mine.  God I hope so. I’m itching to start projects (I even started legitimately setting up my computer yesterday.  Need that final shelf above my desk for decorative things, like my Dad’s picture.

3.       Started going to the gym – only once a week so far. But hey it’s a start!

4.       Doing the low carb thing again.  Every year I promise myself to lose weight for my birthday.  I’ve got a month, hopefully – for the love of God I will at least begin losing weight this year.  I think I’m finally old enough to just do the grown up thing and say no to the things I don’t need and save up for the things I need.

5.       W got me totally addicted to Dynasty Warriors (although I suppose I’m a bit burnt out at the moment).

6.       I’ve been asking myself over and over again, why is it so hard? And what is wrong with people?  Honestly now, I just signed a EWG petition against the current draft of the US farm bill.  Why because apparently (yes I signed before doing my research – sue me). The government is siding with big Ag and against real food.  Food shouldn’t be something you have to know chemistry for.  As lazy as I am I still cook at least once a day.  Okay kinda all three meals.  A breakfast I make in my sleep (with hopefully sustainable chicken eggs – which I pay more for), I compile my yogurt parfait & lemon drink (also partially asleep), and more often than not I cook dinner for W and me.  He makes the meat on the grill and I make a bunch of veggies and rice/pasta/quinoa on the side.  What eats up my time is dishes.  I hate doing dishes.  I do them all day long – ridiculous!

I know cooking can be a drag.  I do it every day.  But what’s 10 here and 15 min there.  Unless you eat while driving – not Ideal – and there’s no one in the drive through.  You really don’t save that much time.  Not to mention I feel like making a box of rice a roni (which is such a guilty pleasure for me) takes just as much time as any other pasta dish (with veggies) I would make.

Food should be real and it shouldn’t be so DAMN COMPLICATED!

7.       I got into instagram for a bit there.  Have since slacked off.

Yup I think that’s about it for me.  Now back to organization projects.

*My Instagram photo for the day - not from today but still....

Ciao!

Ya for blogging! and for Black Raspberries. They are in fact delicious.


Is it bad form to take you lunch break an hour before you are scheduled to leave?  Personally if I could always make it until 3:30-4 pm before being starving I would probably do it everyday.  I'm one of those people who would rather take a late lunch (when you get back you're that much closer to the end of the day).  This is a fairly extreme example but still stands true....


...My yogurt "parfait" or concoction if you will is more like a cold fruity soup than it normally is.  It kind of weirds me out actually.


Oh yah!  This weekend I had such an 'that figures...' moment it was sad.  Since W and I moved in to our apartment there has been rampant mint growing outside the door.  I finally got around to pulling the damn stuff up but I'm too poor to buy pots to claim the space for my garden.  (I hope you see where this is going.) Yup!  I woke up Saturday morning to a giant BBQ in all of the space I had just cleaned out.  I hate people sometimes.  I think it belongs to the person who just moved in with (I'm assuming) the crazy lady neighbor we don't like.  All assumptions here.  Bad, I know.  But still I do the work, didn't even think I needed to claim space and I apparently lost it.


Oh well.  I'll work around it but if they don't pull it out when they use it (literally next to our window) then I will tell on them.  So bummed, mad, and some other description.  Totally ruined my morning.  My garden space is now taken over by a fat-assed BBQ.  I hope it rusts now that it's living outside.


Sorry, I'm still just bitter.I suppose that's how life goes though.  Claim that shit!


On another note. Disc golf. Fun but I doubt I will be as into it as W.  He's been trying to get me to go out and throw for months now.  I've never really had anything against it, I just like to have girl time/alone time.  I miss alone time.  W and I leave the house at the same time and we get home around the same time.  When we get home I start cooking - a preference I should ease up on (since then I do most of the cooking and I've always washed just about all of the dishes).  I'm just trying to avoid processed foods as much as possible.  All of his food/what he prepares is all boxed, canned, frozen or microwavable.  Admittedly, we don't have a microwave.  No where to put it - works for me!  Sometimes it would be nice though.


Less convenience!  Life should be harder.  Not a lot harder but mankind has given itself obesity, diabetes, lost its work ethic, and ruined the planet pretty much all in the name of convenience.  From the foods we eat, the cars we drive, and the products we use - all of it is produced and marketed for convenience.  Anything disposable, quick food, pre-packaged food, single servings, escalators, computers, tv, modern appliances, everything in life.

It's not the world we live in though.  We've come accustomed to and depend on all of that convenience.  Our   working schedules have gotten longer too exhausted for real food prep.  Our health has deteriorated too heavy/malnourished to be self-sufficient.  Our technology is smarter than we are.  Mainstream society is going down and we're too distracted by little glowing screens (yes I am counting down the days until I can get an iPhone...) to notice or care.

How do you create a balance between the 'amish' life and today's life?  I like to idealize the 50's. I'm sure most americans do.  Why the 50's?  Because there was progress, a middle class, only one parent needed to work (generally speaking), and lets say there was at least an attempt to hide the dark side of humanity.

There was an expectation of courtesy or at least being polite to your neighbors, (as bitter as I am about the BBQ I can't blame them, logically speaking).  This entry has veered off in a pessimistic direction.  Best to end here before I focus on the ills of mankind again.  It's depressing, I don't like it.

For now,
Ciao bella

http://inhabitat.com/singapore’s-spectacular-solar-supertrees-open-this-month-at-the-gardens-by-the-bay/supertrees-8/

Since I couldn’t figure out how to separate the picture from the site (in 20 seconds or less).  Here is the link of the reality of someone’s daydream.

It’s like being in Avatar…well kind of.  It’s the thought that counts.  Either way, I think society is getting to a point where we can transform our environment to be just about anything we want.  Sure the supertrees are obviously fake but they feature vertical gardens, use solar power to light themselves at night.  This is what cities around the world could be like.

Inhabitat.com is another dangerous website because there are soo many cool things, that are one WAY expensive and two not always possible to build, own, etc.  Again, it just goes to show that man’s imagination and creativity are actually capable of.  What if the world were, from here on out, built with design, planet, and functionality in mind.  Sustainable materials where possible, off grid (solar power) and environmentally minded (also serve as a water filtration system).  With all of our technology its fucking retarded that more projects like this aren’t cropping up EVERYWHERE!

Apologies for the expletives…but c’mon people!  It doesn’t take a genius to realize we are all fucking screwed.  Well maybe this generation will be okay but our kids (assuming I wind up having one or two), totally drew the short straw.  The other night I finally got around to weeding and clearing out some of the mint that’s taken over.  I filled a very large garbage bag (plastic I know…no one’s perfect) of the stuff and then proceeded to throw it away (no green bin at the apartment and no room for compost – I asked W. He said no).  Now that my guilt is written on the page… he asked me why I was doing this to which I responded now is the time to learn.

I’m fairly convinced that my underlying personality is a doomsday-ist (Well aware that’s not the term but I couldn’t think of it in 20 seconds or less).  I don’t think the world is going to end in one fail swoop. I don’t even think I will witness anything really traumatic in my lifetime. Which I know is good because I’d probably be the first to go, but I would be soo interesting and all of the little shit in life can just go away. 

Back to doomsday! Just because it’s more interesting.  I want to learn how to garden because as the population grows, real food is scarce, gas prices explode, and shit generally gets too god damned expensive to buy I want to have a backup plan.  The hiccup in my backup plan…water.  Experts of some kind, somewhere,  are predicting that the growing lands are going to start migrating North.  So instead of middle California being optimal Oregon will be produce nirvana.  No idea if that’s true or not but if there’s a chance I think I would like to stay in Portland – perhaps when W and I can move outside the city limits and get some land, ideally.  Not too far out. I want to shop!

Having land but no water could kill my plan unless we create a really efficient way to capture rain water.  The rain pattern has already begun to shift in PDX, instead of our gray 9 month drizzle we are getting legitimate rain storms interspersed with sun.  Real sun.  It was kind of weird this winter, awesome but weird.  Admittedly since I have come to Portland (Fall 2004) it seems like every year has been ‘weird’ so who knows what to really expect of the weather.  It’s just time to begin working on a backup plan.  I’m working towards it.  Training my possible black thumb to be a green thumb, getting used to cooking nightly (and someday using that bread maker W brought home one day), sewing.  Sewing is a big one for me.  I don’t know what the state of the world will be until I’m dead but it’s a good skill to pass on if I can and potentially save myself some money along the way.

***Just found out one of my coworkers was laid off today – there were four of us…now only 3***

Just goes to show how quickly life changes.

...just because I love infographs! (perhaps another post later, or not I've got other chores to do tonight)