People who know me would probably use the word ‘organized’ somewhere in the first 10 describing me. I certainly wouldn’t dispute that. But there is always more to be done when it comes to being organized, especially when one tries to live a ongoing life of de-cluttering. As with so many things, being organized isn’t a static point; its more of a process and an ongoing journey.
According to author Stephen Covey in his book First Things First, a personal mission statement is a way of “connecting with your own unique purpose and the profound satisfaction that comes from fulfilling it.” I see it as a personal ritual and magical spell.
Making positive changes requires a shift in perspective as well as positive reinforcement. Setting yourself up to succeed can take multiple pathways. One way is to journal support for your self. Take a little time to go through the following exercise. I think it will make the process of your change easier on many levels.
I found this challenge a little late in the year, but I still did pretty well.
A book with more than 500 pages: Name of the Wind, Patrick Rothfuss
2.A classic romance: Daisy, Judith Krantz (1980)
3.A book that became a movie: Insurgent by Veronica Roth (2012)
4.A book published this year: Bon Appetempt: A Coming of Age Story (with Recipes), Amelia Morris (2015)
5.A book with a number in the title: 8 Laws of Change: How to Be an Agent of Personal and Social Transformation, Stephan Schwartz (2015)
6.A book written by someone under 30: The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, Deb Perelman (2012)
7.A book with nonhuman characters: Dead Men’s Boots, Mike Carey (2009)
8.A funny book: Eating Rome: Living the Good Life in the Eternal City, Elizabeth Helman-Minchilli (2015)
9.A book by a female author: Blood Red by Mercedes Lackey (2014)
10.A mystery or thriller: Make Me, Lee Child (2015)
11.A book with a one-word title: Gut (The Inside Story of Our Body’s Most Underrated Organ), Giulia Enders (2015)
12.A book of short stories: Sun in Glory and Other Tales of Valdemar, Mercedes Lackey (2004)
13.A book set in a different country: A Tiger in the Kitchen: A Memoir of Food and Family, Cheryl Lu-lien Tan (2011)
14.A nonfiction book: The Best Place to Work: The Art and Science of Creating An Extraordinary Workplace, Ron Friedman (2014)
15.A popular author’s first book: In Conquest Born, C.S. Friedman
16.A book from an author you love that you haven’t read yet: From A High Tower, Mercedes Lackey (2015)
17.A book a friend recommended: Midnight Riot, Ben Aaronovitch (2011)
18.A Pulitzer Prize-winning book:
19.A book based on a true story: Blue Plate Special: An Autobiography of My Appetites, Kate Christensen (2013)
20.A book at the bottom of your to-read list: The Gastronomical Me, M.K. Fisher (1985)
21.A book your mom/family member loves: Harry Potter series
22.A book that scares you: anything by Stephan King (and no, I don’t read books that scare me)
23.A book more than 100 years old: Little Women, Luisa May Alcott (1868)
24.A book based entirely on its cover: 1602, Neil Gaiman
25.A book you were supposed to read in school but didn’t:
26.A memoir: This is Who I Am, Roseanne Olson (2008)
27.A book you can finish in a day: Shattered, Kevin Hearne (2014)
28.A book with antonyms in the title:
29.A book set somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit: Lion of Ireland, Morgan Llywelyn (2002)
30.A book that came out the year you were born: The Autobiography of Malcolm X (1(65)**
31.A book with bad reviews: Witches of America, Alex Mar (2015)
32.A trilogy: The Morgaine Saga, C.J. Cherryh (2000)
33.A book from your childhood: Foundation, Isaac Asimov
34.A book with a love triangle: Mona Lisa Darkening, Sunny
35.A book set in the future: Second Foundation, Isaac Asimov
36.A book set in high school: Skulduggery Pleasant*, Derek Landy (2007)
37.A book with a color in the title: Dress Her in Indigo, John MacDonald (1969)
38.A book that made you cry: Shattered, Kevin Hearne
39.A book with magic: On A Pale Horse, Piers Anthony
40.A graphic novel: 1602, Neil Gaiman (2004)
41.A book by an author you’ve never read before: Mr. Penumbra’s 24-hour Bookstore, Robin Sloan (2012)
42.A book you own but have never read:
43.A book that takes place in your hometown: Hunting Ground, Patricia Briggs (2011)
44.A book that was originally written in a different language:
45.A book set during Christmas:
46.A book written by an author with your same initials:
47.A play:
48.A banned book: the Harry Potter series
49.A book based on or turned into a TV show: The Pioneer Woman Cooks, Ree Drummond (2012)
50.A book you started but never finished: Annihilation, Jeff VanderMeer (2014)
* Granted this is stretching it a bit. But the protagonist does go to HS as part of the story.
** within 2 years of my birth, that’ll have to be close enough.
Ok, so I failed to accomplish only 8 of the tasks. Pretty good, if I do say so myself!
“Is it bad to live without a hell?” poet Pablo Neruda asks in The Book of Questions. Let’s add these queries to his: Is it dangerous to live without the awakening force that an enemy provides? Is it naive to think you can achieve great success without the driving motivation that comes from thinking about ideas you hate?
Consider the issue from another angle. Dentists love tooth decay. Treating cavities provides them with a steady income. Likewise, exterminators are dependent on termites, lawyers need crime, and priests crave sinners. Lots of people have symbiotic connections with nasty stuff. In fact, isn’t it true that most of us nurture our feelings for the things we love to despise and fear?
What’s your favorite poison or adversary? Assume that your exposure to pronoia is changing you in ways that will require you to update your relationship with it. Speculate on how you’ll go about this task.
I am contemplating.
/looks at navel
Each year I like to look back over the previous year, and then set goals for the coming year. Many people do this on Jan 1st; I prefer to do it on my birthday. I often refine the accomplishments and goals until my new year, Samhain, but the bulk of the work is done on or around my birthday. I also like to do a tarot reading.
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This weekend I started a project I’ve had on my ‘to do’ since mid 2013. (I’m pretty sure it’s technically longer, but that was the last date I updated it in my Outlook Task List.) It’s a project that has been NAGGING at me, and yet it’s so big I just couldn’t contemplate doing it.
I may have just spent my entire winter holiday weekend taking a character in Diablo III from level 0 to 62 in hardcore mode.
I recently had the joy of creating a gift for my niece — a set of wooden blocks for her to play with. I’ll confess it wasn’t my first time, having made a set for my nephew, Connor, when he was about the same age.
I start with wooden blocks (of course) and then choose images from childhood ‘fairy tales’. I grew up on these tales, as did my sisters, and I think we all have fond memories around them. (Family legend includes stories of how the three of us would put on plays based on the tales, with me as the director frantically attempting to make my recalcitrant sisters do what we planned to do. Yes, I was bossy even then, and controlling. I like to think we laugh now, at least as much as the adults did back then.)
Two and a half years ago, I shared my ‘bucket list’ with you. I think it’s time for an update. (tl; dr: Lot’s of things in progress.)
So, what’s on my bucket list?