Goodbye 2010

Gratuity: Sensational Sunsets

Goal Work: The setting sun, and music at the close,
  As the last taste of sweets, is sweetest last,
    Writ in remembrance more than things long past.  -William Shakespeare

If you were told you were going to lose your memory of 2010 in 5 minutes what items would you write down in order to remember?   I saw this question on the reverb10 blog..   I liked the question.   My answer in 5 Minutes:

Playing board games and basketball with the Victors,  watching turtles stream down the beach with my mom and Jon and kids, riding down to NC with Derek and Heather, riding to NYC with Derek, Heather, and Allen (Derek has turned into a competent driver), seeing the lights in Dyker Heights Brooklyn with the family, rafting and playing fishbowl with my family and Ginny's family . Watching Derek, Heather and Alan traverse some funky waves.   Swimming in the Salmon river and soaking in the hotsprings.  Running into a storm on the Hudson and kayaking thru it with Heather.    Running four 5K races. Sighting my sister Debbie cheering me at the start of the race as well as Derek cheering me on  at the end of some races.  Actually keeping up with Diane as we did a practice run.  Two thumbs up givin to me from elite runners in the Hudson Valley. Breaking a board in Karate and being told I did a Perfect form by my instructor.   Meeting some fun folks at TaeKwonDo.  Mentally abolishing excuses.  Performing a Sun Salutation after many failed attempts.  Starting to use facebook and hooking up with Patty and Duke Bubnis, both were so fun and interesting.   Looking into my Great Grandfather eye's and hearing the joy in mom's greeting.  Watching and listening to the delight of my daughter and son as the relayed exciting and proud moments.   Laughing with my husband. Enjoy cory as he lay on my lap and watching cody and cassie play.   Noticing Star filled skies when I brought the dogs out for the evening walk. Watching the sunset as I jog or ride down the road, sit along the Salmon river, or pick veggies at the community support garden.   Mesmerized by the hatching and subsuquent raising of 6 little house finches by their proud bonded parents.

Is this goal work?   In my opinion the reason for goals is to achieve more satisfaction, memories, and happiness in  life.   We must look back on what made us happy so we can codify the appropriateness of our current goals.   Hey it will also be an enjoyable post for me to look back on.  As I get older I so quickly forget.

Awaken: 07:59
Goals and MIT: Completed (the run really knocked me out as it has been a few weeks since the gym).
MIT: Pack, Bring Dogs to Vet, Get Cats Food

MIT (Most Important Thing)

Gratuity: My son Derek Allen and my daughter Heather Catherine
Awaken: 07:51AM


Goal Work: "A journey of a thousand miles begins with one small step" - Chinese Proverb

The concept of MIT (Most Important Thing)  is to chose 1-3 items a days and accomplish them as soon as possible in the day.  Leo Babauta considers it a way to purpose your day.   Life coach Gina Trapani  considers this controlling your workday.   Funny thing is I have naturally done this at work and used to feel guilty about ignoring most email until I had accomplished a key work item.  After reading the advise by Leo and Gina I realize I was really on the right track from a work perspective.  Maybe that is part of the reason I have been rocking work lately (not sure how long that will last).

So now I want to apply this concept to my non-work day.  I know it will be difficult for me to accomplish each MIT first thing in the morning but I am going to try to accomplish them as soon as possible each day.   365*3 = A lot of accomplishments my friend!


Goals:  I could not find my boots because I had not put them in their place.  Also no TaeKwonDo but that was because the instructors were on hiatus  I went cross-country skiing instead.  Other than those small items my goal work was completed successfully.
MIT: Clean Bathroom, fill out Treasury lost form, Shop for 1/2 price Christmas wreath.

A Simple Salad

  
    Gratuity: Freshly picked fruits and Vegetables
    Awaken: 07:53AM
    Goals: Completed 12/18/2010

    Goal Work:  Eat food, Not Too Much, Mostly Plants - Michael Pollan

Doesn't that salad look fabulous! Joel Fuhrman author of  Eat To Live extols the virtues of eating a simple salad with with a nice balsamic, wine, or rice vinegar before every meal as the key to weight loss.   Rather than limit your food intake (i.e. diet), Dr. Fuhrman recommends that you eat copious amounts of high nutrient foods such as fresh fruits and salads.  If you fill up on these foods you will no longer crave  "empty" junk food calories.  Your body's nutritional needs are met by these low calorie nutrient rich foods.   I know it works.  The only time in my life that I ever lost weight was when I followed his advise.  

Because I have about 50 pounds to lose, I have decided to make it a routine to add one large salad with a simple dressing such as Tavern On The Green blackberry ginger balsamic vinegar to every meal of the day.  I really hope it works as being 50 pounds lighter would be fabulous!

Routine

Gratuity: My kitty lying sweetly and purrectly on my lap as I work on the computer.
Wake: 7:58 :-)

Goal Work:  "The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine " - Mike Murdock

Routine has never been my forte.  I enviously eye my husband who is a champion of routine.   Without fail he  empties the dishwasher, brings out the garbage, updates his ipod, pays the bills.   He even listens to the news every hour on the hour when in the car.   He never loses his keys, forgets where he put his glasses, or creates a chaotic mess.   I, my friends, have done all of these things and more.   It seems I should rub my husband's shoulder at least once a day with the hope of his routine ways rubbing off on me.

Although against my inherent nature, I am going to try to take some small steps to add goal tasks to a daily routine.   I will expand this routine list as I feel the need and strength.

• In the morning I will routinely feed the cats and clean the litter box after bringing the dogs out for their morning pee (organize home).
• In the evening I will clean 15 minutes before going to bed (organize home).
• I will eat a large salad for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (weight loss).
• I will Use one and only one glass for drinking water and tea throughout the day (organize home).
• Monday and Wednesday will be Karate (continue Karate).
• Sunday and Tuesday will be yoga (continue Yoga).
• Thursday and Saturday will be running (run a 10K).
• I will put my hat, mittens, boots, and coat in my desk and den when not using them (organize home).
• I will put my keys in the kitchen draw when not using them (organize home).

Aside from hoping my husband's routine ways rub off on me,  I need to read up on the science of routine.  Understanding it may give me insight in how to use it to improve my life.  I will start with my new favorite blog from Zenhabits by Leo Babauta.   He has many entries on routine.  I will start with this This and look forward to the calm control mastering routine will bring to my goal realization.   Please share any other routine insights you may have.  I would love to hear them.

Early to bed....

Gratuity: Gorgeous fluffy cold snow (2 feet of it).

Goal Work: "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise" – Ben Franklin, famously

I really do believe that everyone has a natural biorhythm and I am a second shift woman.   I also know it is not working for me and I plan to shift my schedule.  I would like to wake between 07:00AM and 08:00AM which means I should be in bed sometime between 10:00PM and 11:00PM.   Today  I got out of bed at 08:30AM so I am getting closer to my goal.   The reason I want to go against my natural biorhythm is as the evening wears on my strength to avoid food decreases and I often indulge in a fourth meal of the day.  A decrease in the fourth meals means a decrease in the additional pounds which definitely is progress toward my goals.

Great blog on benefits of rising early:
http://zenhabits.net/10-benefits-of-rising-early-and-how-to-do-it/

2011 - Achieving my goals

Lose Weight
Organize my home
Run at 10K and 15K and think about running a half-marathon
Learn Spanish
Learn Piano
Continue TaeKwonDo
Continue Yoga

The above items are my high priority goals but if I am doing really well some additional things I would like to explore are:

Volunteering - Probably prefer cooking or something with animals.
Connecting more with family and friends.
Mapping out additional places I would like to visit.
Reading more and watching less T.V.
Reducing my carbon footprint while still maintaining my quality of life.
Minimizing the offering of unsolicitied advise especially to my children and spouse.