The Seven Day Journey-- Week 4 & 5

Last week there was no Blog..All I can say is: Reading because I have to, takes precedents over reading because I want to. So another epic fail. And this last week has been spent trying to put a positive spin on my inaction. Then it hit me. I'm going about this all wrong. My Blog is supposed to accomplish two things. Practice writing my thoughts and actions.which will help focus the content I'm going to write in a book. And giving my life something constant. That is going to help accomplish the first goal. Using the Seven Day Journey as a vehicle to achieve the desired outcome, I realize this blog challenge will have to be a little more organic. Authentic to who I am. I'm that funky square you definitely cannot push through the proverbial round hole. I'm still taking the Seven Day Journey. Still have 47 to complete. The shift is going to be about what is going on. The right now. One thing I know about the Right Now is, the Death of a good friend, puts your life's plan into perspective. I thought being a Breast Cancer Survivor did that. But 12 years have passed since then, and I've kinda lost my way. The passing of a Parent and 9/11 in the same week, does that...but that was 10 years ago. Since 2007, I've been trying to put useful meaning into my daily exisistence. But you must surround yourself with like-mindedness to keep it consistant. Just let it be noted that week Six started yesterday, and I'm not sure what the focus will be. But I am trying to have postive affirmation play a part to help me turn my negative self talk around. I will be practicing techniques that have been part of my training series, and will help me to take positive actions in all my endeavors. Tune in next week and let's see what has happened.

The Seven Day Journey--Week 3 Daily Club Tasks

This was an interesting week. I was able to do something for my self-development club everyday. That really was not interesting enough to blog about. So I want to break all the rules tonight and promote or advertise entities within the bounderies of my life. First one is the organization I'm speaking of: It's Toastmasters..
Next I'd like to give a little shout out to an end of an era. All My Children had it's final televised week. I've been watching that show since I was 13. That was probably only 3 or 4 years into AMC inception. The show has aired for 41 years and I'm 50. The Oprah Show--turning 50--All My Children, all makes 2011 quite memorable..just as 2001 was. This morning my client gave up the fight and left this world.
This week has been filled with challenges to say the least. And boxing them into 7 day increments might really help me put a better perspective on things. Speaking of 7day increments. With all that has happened this week, I didn't think to start another challenge. So we are going to make an adjustment, the timeframe will be from Sunday-Saturday. Also I did not complete an organizational challenge..but instead I started a third one. My closet is still bare..now my room is too. By end of next week both of those items should be handled. But let's get next weeks challenge underway. The seven day journey that starts today...ends saturday will be about reading. Every day I will read articles, books, or stories. I read all the time, but the material I read usually has an agenda attached to it. I will catch up on reading my beginning bloggers different blogs. I will read a book I just have not had time for, and I will read just for fun. That is something I never do anymore. Usually because I can't stay awake. So the challenge really is about carving out some me time that doesn't involve filling my mind with information I will need or use immediately. I really have to go now. I've still got to catch up on some marketing training. Then I will start one of the books on my pile of must read when I have time.

The Seven Day Journey-- Week 2 Organization

The Seven Day Journey has come to a completion. The only real completion for the Journey was, The Seven Days. This Journey consisted of organizing a piece of my life everyday for 7 days. Here is what I learned on this Journey. Organization is low on the priority list. In the last entry, I mentioned how my life is not set up for routine. It was painfully evident this week. The last week has consisted of mini emergencies. A client has collapsed twice and been sent to the hospital. Car Dealership I drive for, needed me twice in 7 seven days. Usually it's once every 3 weeks. Both house pets had trauma. One on Friday the other on Saturday morning after just 3 hours sleep from taking care of the first one. If that weren't enough...my two clubs had meetings in that 7 days. So there are action items that had to be dealt with. That is just the extra added time fillers this week.
Back to the organization...It started off rocky..Last week Thursday I had to drive to California. When I got back home the electricity had gone out. You may have heard about a four state power outage due to a careless worker at a sub-station in the county of which I reside. It was National News. Power came back on about 9pm. That day was pretty much a wash. So I had every intention on completing 2 tasks on Friday. My vehicle and my closet. Because everyone lost power, the schools were closed. My friend had to find something to do with her girls. I invited them swimming. There is a nice pool here that never gets used. By the time they left I was ready to get down to business. I think I even started on my vehicle, but lost my steam. It was pretty hot. I was going to wait until it cooled down and I could be outside comfortably. Managed to get my vehicle cleaned out. Was 20 minutes too late to get it washed and vacummed. Went and bought a pair of Windshield wipers. Had the 2guys hauling a big TV to their car show me how to install them. So 7AM I was going to the carwash to have vehicle cleaned. Missed my 48 hour deadline push to get the last blog up because that was the night my pup started acting crazy. I figured out what the problem was about 10PM. He bit me. His hinney was very sore. He was pulling his fur out. It looked bad. By the time I figured out how to make it feel better and get some sleep it was after 3AM. Remember I had to be up at 7AM and at the car wash. I had a club officers meeting at the house at 10AM. Nothing like being under the gun when the stars are aligned and all falls into place. Try it when Murphy's Law is just hitting it's peak. Made it to the carwash. Good thing..it was clean for the 3 rain storms we had this week. Got home and was getting ready to have meeting...when the other pet started flying around like the house was on fire. If you have ever had to deal with a crazy 30 year old parrot, then you know it's about catch and contain. Normally I can just pick the bird up and close his door. That was not happening. Why would the bird want to co-operate? Nothing else was. Had the meeting, I think. Had a nap...got up and blogged and started another organizing project. The clothes in my closet. By Saturday night my closet looked like it threw up in the house. Sunday was 9/11 and I was going to stay home in rememberence. And get my closet done. I stayed home, I put outfits together. I made a list of missing garments to complete my looks. I cried watching specials and dedications. I did not get my clothes put away. Sunday was a day of Rest and Rememberence. That night my client called me again for my services Monday-Friday. Monday started slowly. Had normal chores and errands, took care of my client that was not doing very well. During dinner with client, car dealership askes me to make another California run for Tuesday morning. I said no because my client had to go to the DR's. Client said someone else could drive them to DR's office. Left Tuesday morning on my drive. Client collapsed and had to go to Hospital. I felt bad. The spouse of client asked me to stay overnight, until they could get home Wednesday afternoon. After my Tuesday night club meeting, I went back until about 8AM next day. Went home did chores and back for lunch until about 2 hours before spouse got home. Another day of no organization. Client was up all night. I am not a professional caregiver. But I can do qualified mom stuff. Basically that is what this gig was. Until this week. Home Health Care will need to step in now. Last time I mentioned how I was 24 hours late getting the blog out. I decided to jump on it today. I still have to complete my 2 training webinars today. Get my materials ready for another club meeting tonight. And start my next Seven Day Journey. I still owe you 5 and a half organizational projects. I'm going to tackle one a week until I complete all seven of them. This week I will finish the closet and start another for next weeks journey. Organization has to be in small doses. So the 7 day challenge will be to do something for my club everyday, of which I am President. I am letting my members down by not being on top of my e-mails and sending my positive energy. I have 2 events in October that require many action items from me. So I've got to start the marketing plan and boost everyone's moral. Get flyers out, collect basket donations for raffle. Prepare for meeting tonight. Prepare for meeting in California I volunteered to help with. This club is for self improvement. And I'm currently working on the leadership track.
I'm very busy today. So I have got to run. Come back next week and let's discuss how the journey turned out. And find out what I learned.
Also give everyone you love a really big hug. You never know who needs it more, but it will always be appreciated.

The Seven Day Journey-- Week 1 Daily Blog

For 7 days straight I blogged a little something. Was supposed to have this blog up before end of last night. I'm about 24 hours late. The first journey has taught me that my schedule and lack of routine makes it very challenging indeed to have a constant daily task. Shortfalls aside, this experiment is about Recognizing, Taking Ownership, and Changing. I recognize I've constructed my life to have no routine or consistency. I take ownership of this set up. And changing ..let's just say, that will be a work in progress. There is no change over night. The saying is " Rome wasn't built in a day". Or a week or a month for that matter. The writers campaign that sparked this 7 Day Journey Challenge has had it's first challenge come and go. Did I participate? Shall we say I wrote the flash fiction in my head. Having time to make the words tangible here on this forum just did not materialize. Maybe the next one. I'm already 3 days into the next 7 Day Journey. Of the 7 action items I've only accomplished one. The second 7 Day Journey is about Organization. 7 areas of my life have to have some form of organizational steps taken. The week ends on Wednesday night, and once again I will challenge myself to blog about it within 48 hours. I'm already 2 days behind..this should prove interesting. Come back next week to see what happened.

The Seven Day Journey-- Week 1g

Our first Campaign challenge has happened. It was on Monday. Today is my last everyday blog. Now, I get to write a 200 word flash fiction story by Friday. Also within 48 hours I have to write a summation of my first 7 day challenge and figure out how to tie them together. Well, there were many things I wanted to blog about, so maybe the story will play out for one of those ideas. After I post my challenge results for this blog, I will also let you in on my next 7 day journey. The daily practice has been helpful. When I was in writing classes during college, we kept daily journals. It really helped with writing ideas. Impromtu writings we were assigned just went so much easier. Read those journals not to long ago. The excercise was very theraputic for me during that time frame. I'll be able to work on my grammar problems too. Thank you for getting through the first 7 day journey. Only 51 more to go. Woo Hoo!!!

The Seven Day Journey-- Week 1f

Blogging daily is harder than it looks. So many topics, not so many willing readers. I'm kind of random and all over the place. That is what I was told, just this morning, by someone I know . The challenge was just about blogging daily. Not about having any organization to my ramblings. So many things happen during the course of the day, my recall of trivial happenings just disappear. When I start this blog weekly, I'll have to keep a daily log or journal. Having to put meaning to 7 days will be hard enough, so best keep a log to help ease that burden. Just one more way to bring consistency to my life. When I refer to an aquaintence or a member of my family, everyone will be referred to as a person I know. That's quite generic and there is no bias or placement of rank and staure of anyone. If you know me, then you know how extremely hard this is going to be. The society from which I have been schooled, assigns labels to everything and everyone. These 7 day challenges stem from the need to make changes, while creating an outlet to practice my writings for the Novel I've got in my head. Maybe tomorrow I will create a story around food and recipes...why not? I love food and recipes and creating cuisine. I use food analogies and metaphors. Dessert, Appetizers, or Cassarole? Healthy or Comfort? Maybe I am going to have to dream about a dinner party you are invited to and what I would serve you.
After reading this, I realize my brain is all over the place. Tomorrow is the last night of daily blog with just noodles in the soup. The 7th of September is tomorrow. I'll probably have something to write about that is tied to my 10 year anniversary of that date. Come back tomorrow and see.

The Seven Day Journey-- Week 1e

Day five of the Seven Day Journey-- Week 1. Wrote this blog a little earlier and started a story...had to stop due fear of power loss from our most recent storm. I decided to give a total rewrite. I love many things in the field of Art..music and performing , visual and audio. When you log in to the mega search engine attached to this blog you see the iconic name and watch for the special doodles they do to observe a birthday or an amazing accomplishment. They are now into animated and interactive doodles. Imagine my happy surprise when I found they honored a singer from my all time favorite band. Don't laugh...we all have something. I could howl out his music with the best of them. Be glad you weren't around to hear it. The little animation with a song just sparked a happy memory of an angst ridden moment in time. I have little recall of anything memorable during that time in my life, but I do remember that music. Mama Mia..Mama Mia..Mama Mia, let me go...