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Administrative Lessons Learned

librarian07 — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 04:53:35 +0000

One of my least favorite courses during Library school was Information Organizations and Management -- specifically, when management focused on Human Resource Management. For me, I enjoy collaborating with my colleagues -- working together to achieve mutual goals and objectives -- and infusing part of each day with some humor and quite abit of fun. I am very passionate about my job. I understand the important role that not only I, but everyone plays in the daily operation of our library. And, many of us acknowledge and appreciate each other's contribution to keeping the doors open and our patrons willingly entering each and every day. It is every employee's dream to work in a place that provides more than the occasional positive feedback and professional affirmation that all of the hard work it took to arrive in this job was worth the sacrifice. Therefore, it seems that an occasional reality check be part of the big picture in order to keep things in perspective. It's appropriate that some discomfort exist to keep our feet on the ground and our learned professional skills challenged.

In my library, through a series of what can only be defined as unfortunate events, staff shortages have become routine, and the remaining staff is increasingly over-worked and stretched-way-too thin. I understand that this is not an uncommon situation; however, addressing it from a supervisor's perspective is fairly new to me. I have to put into action, the lessons learned while in that less-than-appealing management course. I admit, it is much easier to lead staff members when the journey is not complicated by unpleasant tasks; however, as someone who is part of a management team, I have to "suck it up" and motivate others to join me as we work t.o.g.e.t.h.e.r. to reach a more pleasant destination.

Until now, I have consistently chosen to take on these unpleasant tasks rather than delegate them -- or release them to those that offer to share some of the burden -- however, learning to say "no thanks" while easier on my ego, is much, much harder on my emotional well-being (i.e., my frustration level rises, as does my rather nasty demeanor). This error in judgment resulted in my giving less than my normal 1000% on the job. Worse, I performed at less than my usual (self-imposed) standard which means, you got it, patrons did not receive the service that they deserved.

Fortunately, I am aware of the misstep. While there is little that I can do (short of turning back time) to undo the "bad" day, I can acknowledge the error in judgment and move forward with a different plan and perspective to avoid it in the future (this is my hope and goal). I will revisit (and work to apply) those principles and concepts learned in the management class that I thought I would not have the occasion to use. Reality check number two: it's not enough to be a competent information provider, it's also about being an effective leader.

I am relieved to know that some of the lessons learned during graduate school will not fall victim to what I refer to as the "Algebra condition," which I define as "where in life will I ever apply these principles?" Sorry math wizards. I still haven't found an area in my life (professional or personal) where Algebra will lead me to an answer.

Now for the new goals

livingbythefingernail — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 03:46:52 +0000

This week:

Actually getting a job
Get at least a "B" on the final!
Work an extra shift (if they need me!) at the co-op
See if I can live with a 10 dollar allowance for the week

This month:

Be able to pay off for this quarter
Send clothes to Salvation Army
Set up a new savings account with ING direct. I recently canceled my WAMU account. Can't take the 4.00 dollar service charge anymore.
Come up with different sub accounts--as in know what I would like to save for.
Learn to be less compromising

Other

Buy holiday presents for less than 200 for close friends and family.

Evaluating this week's goals

livingbythefingernail — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 03:18:46 +0000

Here is an overview of the goals I made earlier this week:

1) Goals of the week:

Check up with financial aid for extra funds or to make my student job a work study job Some things worked out, some did not. Petitioned for independent status though I'm not 23, just try at least. The worse they can do is say "no".
Find a second job Applied for jobs, now I need to GET the job. But I should follow up on the medical center jobs this coming Monday.

Do an extra shift of chores on Wednesday -- FAILED to do! Unfortunately the kitchen crew was overstocked at the co-op so they didn't need any extra help at the kitchen.

2) Goal of the month:

come up with the additional 503 dollars for tuition money. My parents gave me a 100 dollars for my birthday and my Sprint rebate gave me 50 dollars. I decided to put it to school. I wanted to give myself a 20 dollar allowance and try to not spend that 20 dollars.
See if I can avoid NOT buying my textbooks but checking out the library. There are reserves out there. Found out that a majority of my textbooks are on reserves. Yes!
Find clothes to donate to Good Will or Salvation Army.

3) Other goals

Holiday spending on only my close friends and family - 200 dollars -- Good news, I did find some presents I can afford so yay! :-D

-------------------------------

In conclusion: I did a few things that were a bit more than the goals. I checked out the local library and got some personal finance books. I bought a smaller wallet just so I can only carry cash and just my driver's license and my club savings card and that wallet was only a dollar.

Vision Board

dare2b4me — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 03:06:39 +0000

I was on line researching vision boards and came across this well written article by Tristan Loo, and I thought why re-invent the wheel just copy paste and give credit where credit is due...I have used vision boards for many years and they have worked. When we were intending to have children (This is another Distinction of a life that works a life of excellence: notice how I do not say Trying,because trying is a way out, it leaves you a backdoor it is either YES or NO or DO or DON'T it leaves yourself open for failure, a COP-OUT). I opened a blank journal and started writing my affirmations, and I started doodling, and writing down optimal FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormones) numbers, I drew many mature follicles in my ovaries, I sketched myself giving birth...Among other things as I said before in this related article /2008/08/20/affirmation-for-pregnancy/ I was not going to try ...

So in my research I found this very cool article that gives a GROUNDED explanation as to why vision boards are an important tool for achieving goals...I also found software that assists you in creating one...Then I thought, I have PowerPoint and WA-LA Me and my husband now have custom presentations representing visual goals with narrative affirmations and cool music...Now all my friends and clients are asking me to create custom Electronic Vision Boards for them...What better tool to have at your computer especially if you spend as much time as we do.

~Julia A. Renfro

Examples

Dream Board / Vision Board /Manifestation Board/ Goal Board

WHAT'S A VISION BOARD?

By TRISTAN LOO

THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE LAW OF ATTRACTION

What exactly is the law of attraction? The law of attraction states that we attract into our lives anything that we give attention to, regardless whether it be positive or negative.[2] From a psychological view, the law of attraction

can be best explained by the information filtering system of the brain known as the reticular activating system (RAS). Vision boards serve the role of programming the RAS to tune into external stimuli that can help us move closer towards our intentions.

At the base of the human brain stem, in between the medulla oblongata and the mesencephalon, there is a small finger-sized control center called the reticular activating system (RAS) that sorts and evaluates incoming data.[3] Your RAS is responsible for filtering all the incoming information that your brain receives and it also acts as receiver for information that is tagged as important.

A simple way to conceptualize the RAS is to think of it like a radio. You are surrounded by radio waves from various stations and your portable radio can pick up those channels, but only one at a time. You havetotune your radio to a specific frequency of your favorite radio station in order to receive it properly. Your RAS is not much different in this regard. Imagine you are in a meeting room talking to several people and out in the distant corner of the room you hear your name. All your focus gets diverted in the direction that you heard your name because that bit of information is tagged by the RAS as important to you. Your RAS is responsible for having the ability to sleep through the noise of traffic outside your room, but waking up suddenly at the smallest cry from your infant child. Another example of the RAS at work is when you go and buy a brand new car and then suddenly you notice many more people around your city have that exact same car.

According to Hans Morvec, the principal research scientist at the Robotics Institute of Carnegie Mellon University, the human brain can handle up to 100 trillion bits of information at any given time.[4] With all that information coming in, how does your RAS know what to filter? Your RAS is naturally programmed to prioritize information that is necessary for survival, like listening for a the particular sound of an oncoming vehicle when walking close to a street. The RAS can’t distinguish between a real event and a contrived reality, however, and we can exploit this weakness to program it to seek out stimuli in our environment that resonate with our goals. The process of creating a vision board is one of the best ways to program the RAS. It programs the RASto pay attention to certain things in your environment that are in frequency with your goal or vision, in much the same way as you are able to pick up your name being mentioned in a conversation on the other side of a room while talking to others. This selectiveattentionfilter makes you aware of daily things that can help you achieve your goal and it’s your job to take action on those opportunities when they present themselves.

HOW TO MAKE AND USE YOUR VISION BOARD

Your personal vision board is only limited by the extent of your own creativity. Some of my students have produced simple vision boards and others have made vision boards that could probably sell at an art show for hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. Having artistic ability is not a prerequisite for creating a functional vision board however and the procedures I’ve outlined below can be used by anyone.

The general elements that a well-designed vision board should include are:

Visual. Your subconscious mind works in pictures and images, so make your vision board as visual as possible with as many pictures as you can. You can supplement your pictures with words and phrases to increase the emotional response you get from it.

Emotional. Each picture on your vision board should evoke a positive emotional response from you. The mere sight of your vision board should make you happy and fuel your passion to achieve it every time you look at it.

Strategically-placed. Your vision board should be strategically placed in a location that gives you maximum exposure to it. You need to constantly bath your subconscious mind with it’s energy in order to manifest your desires quicker than you hope.

Personal. Negative feelings, self-doubt, and criticism can damage the delicate energy that your vision board emits. If you fear criticism or justification of your vision board from others, then place it in a private location so it can only be seen by yourself.

Supplies Needed

Foam core board (recommended) or poster board

A large assortment of magazines. You want to make sure that these are in color. You can go to various businesses or hospitals to ask for their old issues.

Glue. I prefer the dispenser type tape rollers, commonly used to mount photos because they are clean and won’t damage your pictures.

Scissors

(Optional) Color inkjet or laser printer

(Optional) 3 1/3” x 4” or larger printer labels. I use Avery #5164 mailing labels that work great.

(Optional) Internet accessStep 1—Compile your pictures.Start by going through your magazines and compiling all the pictures that you can find that are relevant to your goal. Don’t evaluate the pictures or start pasting them onto your board. Just stack them into a pile. If you are internet saavy, then a much quicker method that I do myself is to use an internetsearchengine to find good pictures that I can use for my board. You can either print the pictures out on paper and then glue it to the board, or print the pictures out onto a self-adhesive label so that it becomes a sticker. This is the preferred method because it is takes much less time to do and you can pinpoint your pictures using very good technology at your hands. Make sure that each image that you put on your board resonates with your heart and makes you excited at the mere look of it. It’s also important when selecting pictures to include anything that is congruent with your goal, such as any changes in your life that might result from obtaining your goal. So if your goal is to have a six figure income, then select pictures of a lifestyle that is congruent with your six figure income. Asking yourself the following questions might help you design a congruent vision board:

What would you do differently when you realize your goal?

Where would you travel?

Where would you live?

What would you wear?

What things would you own?

What kind of vehicle would you drive?

What would you do for work?...Or would you work?

Who would you help?Step 2—Sort and Cut. Go through your pile of pictures and select the ones that impact you the most emotionally. Cut the extraneous material away from the image.Step 3—Arrange and glue. Start arranging your pictures creatively on your board. Don’t worry about being artistic—that’s not the point. The point is that your board should resonate with your emotions. Arrange your pictures in a way that gives you an emotional connection to your vision board. After you are satisfied with the arrangement, glue all your pictures in place. Additionally, you might want to add writing or drawing on your vision board if you feel that it would better resonate with your emotions. A feature unique to my vision boards is that I also put two labels on the bottom of board that read: “Date created: [today’s date]” and “Date Manifested: [blank]” This lets me know how long my vision has been gestating since its creation and also every time I look at my vision board, not only am I emotionally charged with the pictures, but I also feel an overwhelming sense to see it manifested to completion.Step 4—Strategic positioning. The most important part of having a vision board is having it in a strategic location that gives you as much visual exposure to it throughout the day. For most of us, this is in the office, but if that is not possible or appropriate, then try your living room or your bedroom. Some people I know mount their vision boards on the ceiling above their bed so that it is the first thing they see when they wake up and the last thing they see when they go to sleep. If you are sensitive to what others might say of your vision board, then be sure to keep it in a safe area where only you will see it. Negative criticism or justification of your dreams can kill the energy that your vision board releases. As Brian Tracy states, “What they don’t know, can’t hurt you.”[7]Step 5— Update your vision board.Your vision board has to inspire you. It has to charge you with renewed passion everytime you look at it and over time and as you progress closer towards your vision, you might find that some of the images or pictures on your vision board don’t really carry as much emotional impact on you as they did before. When this happens, you’ll want to update your vision board with new fresh images that do inspire you. You’re vision board is not a finished piece of art after its initial creation. It’s a dynamic piece of art that shifts and changes as your vision shifts and changes. Therefore, if you find your level of passion that your vision board gives you is growing weaker, then update it to bring fresh new emotions to it.FAMOUS EXAMPLES OF THE LAW OF ATTRACTIONHere are three examples of famous people who have used the techniques of visualization to activate the law of attraction in their lives. Although not all of them specifically used vision boards to get what they wanted, the applications that they used were similar in function.John Assaraf’s Vision Board.Successful entrepreneur and author, John Assaraf, brought the age-old concept of a vision board to the mainstream public by relating his story of it in the motivational documentary, The Secret. In May of 2000, John was working in his home office inside his beautiful new home in Southern California when his five-year old son came in and asked him what were in the dusty boxes in the corner of his home office. John told him that it contained his vision boards. His son didn’t understand what they were, so John opened one of the boxes to show him. When John pulled out the second board from the box, he began to cry. On it was a picture of a 7000 square foot house on top of six acres of spectacular land that he had seen and cut out from Dream Homes magazine in 1995. It was the exact house that he had just purchased several weeks prior—A sure testament to the law of attraction at work.

Bruce Lee’s Letter. The late martial arts legend and my own personal role-model, Bruce Lee, understood the power of the law of attraction. As a struggling entrepreneur and actor, Bruce sat down one day and wrote the following letter to himself: “By 1980, I will be the best known oriental movie star in the United States and will havesecured $10 million dollars… And in return, I will givethe very best acting I could possibly giveeverysingle time I am in front of the camera and I will live in peace and harmony.” In 1973, months after Bruce’s untimely death, the blockbuster movie Enter the Dragon was released in both the United States and China, elevating Bruce to the level of an international star. According to Jack Canfield, that very letter that Bruce wrote to himself is hanging up on one of the walls at Planet Hollywood in New York City.[8]

Jim Carrey’s Check.As a struggling young comedian trying to make it in the make or break city of Hollywood, Jim Carreywasjust about ready to give up his dream of becoming a professional actor and comedian. He had just performed at an open mic session at one of the nightclubs in Los Angeles and had been booed off the stage by his audience. He sat by himself at the top of Mulholand Drive and looked out at the city below him—the city that held his future success or failure. He then pulled out his check book and wrote himself a check for $10 million dollars and made a note on it: “for acting services rendered.” He then carried that check with him in his wallet everywhere he went from that day forward. By 1995, after the success of his blockbuster movies: Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Dumb and Dumber, and The Mask, his contract price had risen to the price of $20 million dollars.[8]

Conclusion

Vision boards are an important tool in your success tool box. They are cheap to make and their potential value to you is immeasurable. Figure out what you want in your life and then commit yourself 100% towards making that first step of creating your vision board and activating the law of attraction to pull your dreams into reality.

References

1. The Secret. Byrne, Rhonda. DVD. TS Production, LLC. 2006.

2. The Law of Attraction. Webring, Inc. 2007. Law of AttractionInfo. Accessed on February 22, 2007 by http://law-of-attraction-info.com

3. Henion, Jim. Why Goal Setting Works. Accessed on February 22, 2007 by http://documents.crinet.com/CRI-Corporate/Sales-Training/goalset.pdf

4. Wikipedia. Reticular Activating System. Accessed on February 23, 2007 by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reticular_activating_system

5. Delio, Michelle. “This is Your Computer on Brains.” Wired News. Nov. 19, 2002. Retrieved February 11, 2006, from http://www.wired.com/news/infostructure/0,1377,56459,00.html.

6. Vision Boards. Wikipedia. Accessed on February 23, 2007 by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vision_boards

7. Tracy, Brian. Goals: How to Get Everything you Want—Faster Than you Ever Thought Possible. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler. 2003.

8. Canfield, Jack. The Success Principles. New York: HarperCollins. 2005.

Resonant and Thrilling

Laura — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 02:50:45 +0000

Second day of the CTI Fulfillment course today. Explored SMART goals with a twist: instead of specific, measureable, attainable, realistic, and timebound, co-active coaching SMART goals are: specific, measureable, accountable, resonant, and thrilling. Feel the difference!

Goal Attaining

imaginecreation — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 02:48:33 +0000

So I set out this afternoon/evening with relatively high hopes of running 3 miles. I mapped my run when I got home and I was only .20 miles . . . less than a quarter mile shy of 3 miles!!!!

Um, yeah . . . that is fantastic.

The route was only 3.6 miles total so I jogged nearly the whole thing. I warm up for a quarter mile and cool down a quarter mile, so there was only another .3 miles in there that I walked . . . and one instance in that particular route is a steep decline . . . forcing me to walk . . . uh, I have a loaded double jogging stroller so I can't run down hills. Nor up, at this point . . . but for different reasons.

I'm pretty excited and glad to be seeing progress!! Maybe I can do well over what I initially settled in my mind. Yay!

Oh, I also timed my first mile and set right under a 10 minute mile . . . thats pretty good considering my first mile is the slowest. Takes me a bit to warm up.

Oh, and I got pictures . . . do I get some kind of an award for all this jogging productivity? ;)

Just kidding!

I affectionately call my jogging stroller (that is in dire need of a cleaning, sorry) the dinosaur . . . it was gift from a friend and I love it and would be very sad without it!! It runs great and all I've had to do is replace the back tires as I wear the tread off of them . . . or run over nails or whatever. :) The dinosaur has a cover that velcros on and keeps the sun and/or rain off the chitlins. Its off in this pic here cuz the kids were so, so very hyper tonight that I had to make sure their hands and feet were kept in their personal spaces. I prefer hyper-happy, bouncy, crazy kids to grouchy, whiny and crying kids. It is usually one or the other.

My neighbor had a great idea that I will probably follow through with . . . to buy some plastic (especially for stroller stuff) and make a cover (for the front, attaching to the top cover) that will help keep them warm and dry this winter with all the jogs we'll be going on. :) I'm excited about that.

Anyhoo . . . the boys thoroughly enjoyed their treat of red licorice and juice ( not my choice of combination, but whatever).

The other critter that tags along on these awesome outings . . . Byron, Jack Russell Extraordinaire. He also had a dog park outing this morning . . . he's sleeping now. ;)

Jog On!

-Stacy

Simple Pleasures Sunday

Bettina — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 02:05:23 +0000

Playing in the dirt vege garden planting out new seedlings.

Celery

Seeing how things are growing......

A fancy lettuce (never mind the weeds)

Cabbage

Checking on my newest seedings -

watermelon, rockmelon, cucumber & capsicum

Annoying the PSLS

Sitting back and letting the kids water in the seedlings

We are hoping to be able to make a completely 'home grown salad' for Christmas lunch this year.

I think we are well on our way. :)

Brian Tracy

3kto1mil — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 01:08:28 +0000

Powerful Success Secrets to Get Goals Faster...

Earl Nightingale - The Strangest Secret

3kto1mil — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 01:03:17 +0000

Strangest Secret from one of my favourite motivational speakers...

Zig Ziglar

3kto1mil — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 00:53:43 +0000

Goal setting by Zig Ziglar...

Lou Holtz

3kto1mil — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 00:48:58 +0000

Very inspiring video of Lou Holtz...

Motivation, Ambition and Passion

equipmentguy — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 00:06:19 +0000

Recently I have had a moment to reflect on what my professional goals are and what I wanted to do with my current situation. The answer is not nearly as transparent as I had hoped.

I have been in construction equipment sales and rental for my whole working career. Sometimes it tends to burn you out! Sometimes it makes you a lot of money (most of the time!), and other times it makes you question why on earth you chose this career path. My newest project www.equipmentjobs.com, is at a point where I have to make a professional decision: finance growth with my savings, grow by finding capital, or Sell it (as an asset sale, not a business sale or acquisition). The choice is much harder than I anticipated. After going back and forth with a friendly competitor who brought up the possibility of sale, it only left me more ambitious about growing the company after they scrutinized my company's worth. I think of my small business similar to the way I will have to think about sending my little girl off to college in 14 years from now. The thought of letting someone else take care of it makes me want to cry. They don't have the same exact goals in mind, they don't seem to respect the work that I have put in, and if they do it wrong, the future of my company will be in jeopardy. I am not sure I want to see that. As I write this, I sit in top 5 on Google for my main keywords, #1 on Yahoo, and #1 on MSN. I did this all myself. I didn't contract out, I didn't use pay per click, and I did it for next to nothing with the exception of my time which I put a high value on.

In my path towards my decision, I have had to review my ambitions, motivations, and passion. NO they are not the same, not even close! My motivation is to make a good life for my family in the small village we recently moved to. My little girl has just started pre-school, we have met many people in the town, and we are being quickly accepted as part of their warm community. We have made a commitment that will be nearly impossible to break. My ambition is to make enough money so that my family can do the things we WANT to do and make a comfortable life. I have been on the receiving end of many $10k+ monthly commission checks and that is a lifestyle I truly enjoy, but the baggage sucks! I am not a fan of traveling alone. I am not a fan of fourteen hour days. I want to make sure I am doing something I am proud of, but more importantly, I want my wife and girls to be proud of what I do. EquipmentJobs.com fits that criteria, but at some point it will grow with or without me and will require traveling and corporate meetings and a lifestyle that is not conducive to what we are building here. My passion is building. I don't mean like construction building, although I am a fan of it, just not good at it (ask my wife about our 6 week bathroom remodel). I mean building relationships, friendships, companies, sales territories, and stuff that produces legacy.

If you were in my position and money was not a huge factor in your decision, What would you do?

Would you sell it, personally finance it, or find outside financing?

Have you ever faced this decision?

Finally, what are your motivations, ambitions and passions?

Shipping Container Houses and Legalities...

renaissanceronin — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 19:11:59 +0000

Somebody I "sorta" admire once reminded me that I should say:

"I should warn the handful of people that might actually read this blog that I am not an architect. "

And, it seems I am destined to fulfill that wish, and make the statement, if only "just for the record."

I recently received an email from an attorney, that reminded me that once you put something into print, you become liable. Now, it was in response to something I said about buses full of lawyers going off a cliff, and woefully empty seats... but... LOL!

Although I actually went to Architecture School, the fact that I am not "an architect" is an embarrassing confession that I must get off my chest so we can proceed on this expedition with complete honesty. Life offtimes takes strange turns, and the river I'm riding took twists and turns that led me away from "the life I wanted," only to be replaced by "the life I actually live..."

When I attended those "hallowed halls," mini-skirts were "in," "muscle cars" were all the rage, only outlaws rode "Harleys," and energy was cheap. A lot has changed since then.

I have all the degrees required. I have decades of experience, building shelter. However, I also have decades of experience blowing said shelters up. And I do love "fireworks!" But "that life" is a topic for another blog, in another time...

Suffice to say, the dwellings I've built, were usually out of necessity, or to test a theory or application. In most cases, I was successful, according to those who are paid to know about such things. But occasionally, I've met my fate, as "not quite enough" and have been forced to step back, and reconsider a path, or find a new option.

And every failure led to a success, once the obstacles were overcome. Because, my friends, sometimes in order to do it right, you have to do it wrong first. Failure is sometimes the spur, for the "evolution of a good design."

What this translates to is this "I'm an educated fool. I know enough to be really dangerous." Any facts displayed here, should be double (and even triple) checked, to insure that they are accurate for your use. And then, unless you're positive that your head is properly attached and fully functional, check with licensed, practicing, professionals, to make sure you're not doing something stupid... They took all those courses in college for a reason!

I understand the "techno-speak." I even understand the marketing mumbo-jumbo. What I strive for, is to understand "the actuality" that exists somewhere between "manufacturer promises" and reality.

My house project is not "the usual tract house." In fact, the only thing it has in common is that it got here on "tracks." Using ISBU's (shipping containers) as a starting point is both unconventional, and "horrifying" to the neighbors.

Like most "students of architecture," I like the cool glass boxes of the modern era. But let’s be honest, okay? In Coastal Mississippi, because of the climate, that is just silly. Glass doesn’t insulate very well unless you have deep pockets for "the good stuff," and condensation can be an issue in the winters. On top of that, I don’t look like I used to in my boxer shorts come late December after the holidays are over, for all the neighbor's wives to envy. So unless I'm investing in curtains, it's not looking like I'm gonna build a fishbowl.

So, what's left? Everything going up around me is "pumped concrete," and it reminds me of the igloos that the Inuits live in. Although the igloo is an absolutely amazing structure, I’m not planning on hunting any seals anytime soon either. Seals are way too chewy!

So what kind of housing should people in both hot and humid, and as cold as your mother-in-law on one of her weekend visits (that last a week) be living in?

For the record:

The blog is going to start getting more "technical," as we begin to explore the systems and methods used to build this beast. The progress demonstrated is executed for MY house, and may not apply to your project.

The hope is that by showing you how I've faced obstacles and overcome them, you may find information you can use, to win your battles, too. But remember that in most cases, I'll be speaking "specifically," and not in "generality," in many areas of construction and technology, in direct reference to MY project.

Your mileage may vary. You've been warned.

Stay tuned, because there are a ton of questions I hope to answer, as we pursue this project.

One of which is undoubtedly about the current state of my "sanity..." LOL! Oy!

Of Time And Distractions

tws392000 — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 18:48:21 +0000

This post is the excuse-making portion of the blog, or why it has taken me almost a month to write again at Mind Pinball.

First, and most significantly, real life got in the way. My family already complains (seriously or not) that I am always on the computer, so you would think that I would get some posts up, wouldn't you? However, that time spent on the laptop consists of trying to catch up in my Google Reader (which at present contains over 600 items to look at); ripping my massive CD collection to my computer (which is not going as fast as I would like), as well as the usual computer tasks. After a few hours of that, who feels like writing? But I digress...real life means spending time with your family, watching television, going to events, work (the real job), exercise, etc. Not to mention, as the family computer guru, my services have been requested fairly frequently these last few weeks. I have set up my oldest daughter's new laptop, taken her old one and set it up for my nephew, ordered and will set up my wife's new laptop, take her old one and set it up for my niece, and finally, tried to fix our friends' computers and, having failed at that, was asked to set up yet another laptop for our them, along with install and set up a wireless network and printer for them. Plus the outstanding projects I tried to finish for other members of the extended fam...let's just say it's been a busy time.

Second, I've been trying to come up with a top fifty songs list such as Vivrant Thing's over at Songs In The Key Of Life. She warned me it wouldn't be easy... and it hasn't been. I don't even have a top twenty, let alone a top fifty. I want to publish this list at some point, preferably before another year comes in, but it's not looking good. With my trusty MP3 player, though, I have begun making a playlist of my favorites, so it's not as though I haven't done any work towards the list.

Third, while there have been no shortage of things to write about, getting motivated to actually sit at the keys and type out my thoughts-well, let's give the blame for this excuse for laziness. I usually think of things to write while I am at work, and by the time I get home, the inspiration has left. So if I don't write at night (and listen to the groans of the family while I tikka-tikka-tap on the laptop), it just doesn't happen. One of my goals for the year was to post more often here, and I intend to do that. But I have to find the time and inspiration to do so. Just like I need to find the time and inspiration to exercise more. That one is a definite must-do. My wife is having lap band surgery in a few weeks, and as part of my supporting her, I am going to try my hardest to exercise with her and finally lose the weight that I've been talking about getting rid of for a long, long time.

Hopefully these words help explain the lack of activity here. I also considered leaving WordPress for another blogging platform, wondered if I should switch to host my own service on WordPress.org, or perhaps go back to Blogger where I started. As you can see, I decided to stick right where I am. I have an account at Vox, but haven't decided what to do with it. As of right now, there is no way to get a second blog up and running when I barely have enough inspiration and time for the first. So I'll stay put for now.

Daily Tracking September 5th & September 6th - cheap grocery alert!

Frugal Trenches — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 18:19:28 +0000

So, Friday (the 5th) got off to an OK start, I decided not to go for the power walk and instead made homemade lentil soup to take to work for lunch! It was a *very* long day at work, I began by about 7:30 and left close to 6pm, without even stopping for lunch - I ate my lentil soup at my desk! By the time 6pm rolled around I was running late to meet friends for drinks. I have a group of friends I try to meet up with once a month for drinks. One thing I like about this group is that we are all very conscious of whose turn it is to buy drinks, this always makes it a more enjoyable experience. I have another friend (who lives in Devon so I don't see her much) who will take take take, always wants to split the bill 50/50 if she has more expensive food (even when her meal/drinks come to £10 more) and yet will insist everyone pays for what they ordered if hers is 50 pence cheaper, not nice! I digress....anyways, these friends rightly remembered I'd done the rounds last time so I enjoyed 2 glasses of rose wine and didn't spend. Now, I would never have expected people to treat me because I'm on a budget. I still had £3 left in my entertainment allowance (£10 a week) and would of happily had a lime & soda and water. I don't need alcohol to enjoy myself and never expect to be treated, but it was a nice surprise! However, it's been a while since I had two glasses of strong wine and I did feel it today!

The results for the 5th:

Daily Speed Walking session: 4/20 (no change here)

Vegan Day: 5/30

No Spending: 4/20

Water 8 glasses - however I drank them before I had alcohol and the results were I felt very dehydrated today!

Food today: Breakfast: fruit salad, lunch: lentil soup with a roll from the freezer and plums, dinner: pesto pasta with frozen broccoli (warmed up, obviously!)

Today- Saturday September 6th!

Woke up feeling groggy, surely not just due to two glasses of wine but also the weather and lack of water after wine. Decided I needed to fix this by stepping up with the exercising and water consumption! So I headed out the door and enjoyed a 2 hour walk at a park. I brought lots of water with me and had a brilliant time. I did some exercises in the park and felt much better by the time I arrived home, a hot shower helped!! I then walked to the store to do the supermarket shop! It was a very successful visit, I did lots of putting things back from the cart and looking for alternatives and got the shop to £13.29!

So here is what I bought:

Orange & Mango juice £1.45
Vegan roll £.35
Organic Houmous £0.98 (small pot)
Fine Oatcakes - (these are crackers not cakes!) £0.74
Two vegetarian burgers £1.99
Two carrots £0.14
Mini tin of baked beans £0.33
Radishes £0.59
Two museli muffins (vegan) £1.30
One tiny loose tomato £0.21
One granny smith apple £0.21
Small bunch of asparagus £1.49
One lemon £0.35
One pear £0.29
Small bag of oranges (on sale) £1
Small bag of rocket (on sale) £1
1/3rd a cucumber £0.32
Beansprouts (sale) £0.55

TOTAL: £13.29

I went without a few things I wanted including grapes, aubergine/eggplant and a pepper but there's always next week! The shop could have come in under £13 but a very nice older gentleman found me my breakfast muffins and he accidentally put two in, I didn't have the heart to tell him so that bumped it into the £13 range!!

After unpacking the groceries and enjoying my vegetarian burger on vegan roll I decided to go for another walk and did a 45 minute speed walk locally. I'm still drinking lots of water to recover from yesterday. I have quite the headache which I think is the weather, anyone else get headaches when it rains?? I know Dr's say they atmospheric pressure doesn't cause headaches but I swear they do for me!!

Daily Speed Walking session: 5/20

Vegan Day: 6/30

No Spending: 4/20 (no change)

Water 9 glasses so far!

Alternative Exercise Goal: 1/4

Meals today were fruit for breakfast, lunch was a veggie burger on roll with tomato and a pot of apple puree (left over from previous shop!), dinner a VERY YUMMY lentil, bulgar wheat, bean sprout and asparagus balsamic stir-fry! WOW it was good :0)

Vegan living is yummy, frugal and I really think I'm getting into a groove!

Hope everyone's September goals are going well! Thank you for the awards, I'll post about them tomorrow. I'm still about 2 months behind as Sharon and Sandie both gave me an award some time ago, hopefully tomorrow I'll catch up!

p.s. Anyone else watch X Factor tonight? I've been left crying because of the story of the final contestant - 38 year old man whose wife died after giving birth to their daughter 11 months ago. He sang a beautiful song (Sometimes when we touch, by Dan Hill) I'm sitting here in tears, wow was it sad!

september goals check-in: week 1

deepali — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 12:26:28 +0000

1. Get sign-off for my capstone and put in paperwork for promotion. The capstone is in the hands of my advisor, and I am awaiting comments for revision. I am hoping to chat with my supervisor next week (he is out of the country) to discuss what we need to do in terms of paperwork.

2. Develop a business plan. I was not planning to work on this until mid-month but it is percolating.

3. Continue exercising 2-3 times a week. It was a crazy week with my capstone work, so I only got to the gym once. But I ran for a mile, walked about a quarter mile, and then ran the rest of that mile. So I'm definitely seeing improvement. Sadly, I've also fallen down on pushups. I will do an assessment today and then decide where I am for next week. I am hoping to make yoga today. ETA: Went to yoga!

4. Meet with some people at school to discuss my fellowship. Emails sent! Appointments made!

The Order of Things

Gina — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 09:25:42 +0000

This week marks the one-year anniversary of the breakup. I haven't really talked about it here, because I guess I wondered what it would look like if the guy writing about communication styles can't maintain a successful relationship himself? Does my inability to keep that three-year long flurry of emotions and life changes vibrant and alive reflect on my own understanding of the Four Sisters Groove?

I have always loved New Orleans, even during the sweltering heat of September, but I had to cancel those Southern Decadence plans this year, thanks to hurricane Gustav. So Ft. Lauderdale was "Plan B." Apparently, it was a lot of guys back-up plans, since the majority of the guests I met at the Shubert Resort were also displaced Decadence refugees. Returning to Ft. Lauderdale reminded me of my goals and what happens when you lose sight of them.

Last year, my ex and I did attend Decadence, and we had a great time. We didn't argue or fight during our trip; but then, our relationship was never marked by those flare ups. We always traveled together well, flexibly, but since we both Prink Lower, neither of us had a well-defined view of structure, and this usually showed up nicely during travel.

Following that Labor Day weekend, he decided it was time to move on. So, he made his way to Atlanta. (Isn't that where they all end up?) However, I stayed here in Florida. I had made plans four years ago to move here, and it was during that time when I first met him. We both moved down here to live together. It seemed to be a great thing then, and I can still say it was the right move.

There are two questions you ask in life; where am I going and who's going with me. Don't get them in the wrong order. -- Sam Keen, Fire in the Belly

Time to heal. Time to evaluate. Time to consider and adjust. A lot can happen in one year, but I realize I have to stay determined on my goals. Sure, there are those lonely times when I waver and question everything I do and every decision I make, but those are the thoughts of fear and not the strength of loving what I am doing.

Tina doesn't have to be reminded of the goal, and for a large part neither does Katie. They have a refined view of structure that lends itself to goals and keeps them on track. However, for Gina, who does not have that strong a Prink methodology, remembering goals and staying focused can take some extra effort. So I guess that's what this exercise is reminding me. There's no need for a "Plan B." I'm in the right place at the right time. I know where I am going.

Now, my question is: who will go with me?

September Quilting Goals

Anjea — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 05:21:26 +0000

I need to start doing monthly quilting goals, or I might not get everything done that I need to! Here they are for September:

1. Make and mail September birthday blocks.
2. ~~Make border for LJ Round Robin~~ and mail to the next person in line.
3. Make border for Quilt Squad center and send to Deana.
4. Decide on quilt design for ALQS swap (mail due date: November 10).
5. Decide on quilt design for Holiday Edition of the Miniature Booty Swap.
6. Finish Leah's baby quilt

Putting your goals out there keeps you honest, ya know... :D

What are your September goals, quilting-related or otherwise?

Do You Dream?

Rachel Rowell — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 05:07:19 +0000

"I have a dream!" These words made famous by an incredible leader named, Martin Luther King, Jr. during his most famous speech. Whether or not you totally agree with his dream and what he was using his life to accomplish, my point is, he had a dream. A huge one!

That dream is what drove him to step out into something no one else had ever done before, go against the flow, initiate and bring about change, influence the way people thought, and be willing to allow himself to be vulnerable to possible failure.

It caused him to live a life full of passion and purpose. He knew he had a destiny to fulfill and he went for it with everything in him. Not counting the cost or the risk that would most certainly be his.

What was the result? In short, he influenced and changed an entire nation for the better forever.

So, why are some of us living life without a dream? I believe the truth is that many live a dreamless life for a number of possible reasons.

1. We have failed to realize our own potential.
2. We do not understand that each of us were created for a specific purpose.
3. We lack vision.
4. We are not willing to make the sacrifice necessary to achieve our dream, so we never even begin.
5. We feel that the work to be done to get there is too hard, and the cost is too high.
6. We lack awareness of our own belief and value system.
7. We lack motivation and drive.

We were ALL created to dream with our eyes wide open. No one was created simply to exist at a surface level in life. Yet majority of people do. If your life consists only of working a job, paying the bills, having a family, sleeping and eating, maybe going to church, and maybe hanging out with friends on occasion. I'm sorry to say, that you my friend, are living in exist mode.

So what is it that burns in you to do? What is it that keeps you up nights, invades your daily thoughts, gives you passion and zest, and moves you to be uncomforable enough to DO something with it?

There is a dream within all of us. Some of us may have to dig deeper to find it, some of us have pushed it to the back of our hearts and minds far too long for the reasons I listed above, some of us are working towards it or living it, and for some of us, it's right there on the edge of our soul just waiting for the moment when we stop making excuses, whatever they may be, and do something about it.

It doesn't have to be huge, just little baby steps towards it is all we need. After a while we will look back and realize that all those baby steps we've been taking are getting us closer to the goal. And one day, all those baby steps will have gotten us where we never could have gone without that first step.

"A visionless life is a poverty stricken existence. Vision is the key to life becuse where there's a dream, there's hope, and were there's hope, there's faith - and faith is the substance of what you are hoping for." "The poorest person on earth is a person with a dream." ~ Dr. Myles Monroe

Realize your potential, put fear of failure aside, and start dreaming with your eyes wide open. Only then will you really be able to do something.

My question of the day to you, and me, and all of us is:
Are you dreaming with your eyes wide open?
Or are you just existing?
Go ahead, speak your heart, we all want to listen.
I'll go first!!

Amazing Football Skills and Tricks

James — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 04:16:02 +0000

For my very first post I want to share with you the video that has inspired me more then any other. It is called "Amazing Football Skills and Tricks" and was originally posted on Google Video by Bobmij7. You'll see many famous players such as Beckham, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, Zinedine, and so many more.

[googlevideo=http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6063478215160948442]

Enjoy the video and don't forget to subscribe!

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