I'm a very organized person. Or, at least, I think most of my friends would classify me as such. However, I feel like a moderately messy person. (Perhaps "organized" and "messy" are overlapping categories.) I'm relatively neat. I can keep the piles to a minimum, but I'd rather not have any piles at all. It's just—there's all this uncategorizable stuff that keeps showing up at my doorstep. Lists of Library of Congress "free" concerts, plays in the neighborhood, coupons, other notices of interest, etc. I have a system for the bills—everything is filed (another issue: how long do you keep copies of all the bills?)—but I can't keep track of everything else in a reasonable way. At work, I have scraps of paper floating around my desk with notes to myself about music I like or places I want to visit in DC. I should transfer this information somewhere where it will be handy and easy to retrieve and hard to forget, but where?
I don't use an electronic planner. I use a paper agenda for time-sensitive planning and it works very well for me. Someday, I may get an iPhone, but not someday soon and probably never.
I can't use something like google calendar because it's blocked at work. I do have an ipod and I guess I could put my notes on the computer and get the computer to synch to the ipod and store the notes there. But would I remember to look at them?
It's those smaller, optional, non-time-sensitive difficult to categorize things I have a problem with.
The junk paper flowing into my house is a big issue but I think the solution would be to have a little more non-dining-room-table surface area to work with, which I might achieve by clearing out some of the bookshelves in the dining room. What? You don't have bookcases in your dining room? Why not?
Also, I have friends who have lovely well-designed spaces in their homes and I want them to come over and tell me what to do with my place. I wonder if something better could be achieved with a rearrangement of what I own now rather than buying lots of new stuff.
The other night, I went to my first knitting get together and it was a lot of fun. Actually, this was my second…but it was much better than the first. No crazy ladies at this one. After, I was invited to one woman's house for birthday pie. Yum. I was blown away by the design of her (and her partner's) place. A great mix of contemporary architecture and '60s modern furniture. I have some similar pieces in my place (mostly hidden in the bedroom) but I don't come close to matching their economy of style. Mostly, I couldn't do it—I'm much too messy and paper ridden. They also didn't have a tv, which helped and cut down on the space needed for electronic equipment (I didn't see a stereo either, but it was probably tiny and tucked away somewhere). No tv is not an option for me…but the flat screen of my dreams would sure streamline the looks of my living room.
It made me think that there has to be a way for me to get a handle on the surfaces in my place. I know part of it is dealing with things immediately, and I'm not good at that, but things also need to have a place. Finding that place is a challenge.
Grateful for: what organization I have.
Showing posts with label home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label home. Show all posts
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Monday, October 29, 2007
Ideal
Ways in which last week wasn't ideal:
- Someone close to my family died.
- I had to write a condolence card.
- The camper didn't pass inspection (non-functioning back-up lights).
- Spesh slept on the floor in my room for two nights, ensuring I did not sleep well.
- As soon as Spesh left, my father arrived, meaning that I won't be alone in my own house for almost a week.
- My revisions to a report were met by hostility from the contractor who originally wrote it (details: they turned in unpublishable work, I made it publishable, they didn't like my changes, they sent a "nasty" letter to my boss's boss (my old boss!), everyone here took my "side").
- My old boss and new boss thought I'd freak out about the contractor. Annoying.
- I was calm but it was troubling and it made me question my work, just a little.
- My new boss, TR, did my performance evaluation—which was fine.
- But he marked one item (out of eight) as less than perfect.
- When I went to talk to him about it, with the door open, he asked me to close the door.
- Instead of doing that, I said, "I'm too tired for this!" And walked out.
- Whoops.
- Soccer was canceled on Saturday, which meant I could sleep in, knit and get the house ready for Dad. I also did a monstrous amount of laundry. I feel good about the house, which makes it easier to have a guest.
- TR isn't mad at me and asked me to be on a stupid but potentially important committee.
- I've only snapped at Dad once and I get to spend the whole day at work "alone."
- Mostly I am getting along with Dad.
- Dad and I are meeting Pele for a nice dinner tonight.
- I'm finalizing the disputed report and the higher ups are dealing with the annoying contractor.
- I'm still tired but I'm sleeping fine.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
I'm back
Who wants to hear about a boring old cross-country drive when you could be entertained by ridiculous stories of non-dating?
Yes, yes, I will write about the trip. I have some notes and, in all likelihood, they'll go up without much embellishment. I also have a very few pictures and a few of those will be worth posting. Ideally, I'll put together one or two or three pictorial-type posts. That's what the weekend is for!
Ok, so, to the non-dating stories. First, SL (Spanish lessons guy). I'd like to assure you that he is not dangerous nor is he a player. He's stayed in touch with me by email and phone regularly throughout my trip. He even emailed me today.
He's also calling me "baby."
Now, there was a time when I had a boyfriend who called me "baby" and I didn't like it one bit. At first. Then, I realized, I did like it, even though my initial reaction was negative. So, I know that if my boyfriend calls me "baby" it's fine and I like it and I don't find it patronizing.
But when a guy I've only met twice, kissed briefly and talked to on the phone a few times starts calling me baby, I have to wonder, "What is up with that?" I also have to think that he wants to be my boyfriend. (Scarier thought: he thinks already is my boyfriend.)
SL also insists on coming to my soccer game on Saturday. For a variety of reasons (including a memorial service), it turns out I'm not going to soccer on Saturday. Even if I were, I wouldn't want SL to come. I'm bad at soccer and I don't want him calling me baby when he's NOT my boyfriend in front of a bunch of women I barely know. That won't do.
In response to his email today, I said that I wasn't going to the game but maybe we could do something else. Next time I do have a game, I'll tell him I don't want him to come. I have a tendency to give in to the steamroller because I expect people to pick up on my hints of "no" and avoid having to actually say "no." But, baby, this calls for a real "no."
If that were my only non-dating story, I would have gone with a post about the trip, but I have one more to share. I've only exchanged a couple of brief emails with this fellow via the free-site, but I like him and I think it would be fun to meet. So, just today, I wrote to him and said (among other things), "We should have coffee sometime--what do you think?"
What would you expect his response to be? Take a second and think it over. If you're like me, you were not expecting this, "Love to!" And a bunch of stuff completely unrelated to getting together.
I responded (not asking for specifics, but mentioning coffee again) but I'm done with him unless he takes a little initiative.
Where is the happy medium between "Love to!" and SL's insistence on seeing me play soccer?
Perhaps it's the other guy I'm emailing with. He's done nothing but be reasonable and friendly, so I don't have much to say about him. We'll see how long that lasts.
Grateful for: home.
Yes, yes, I will write about the trip. I have some notes and, in all likelihood, they'll go up without much embellishment. I also have a very few pictures and a few of those will be worth posting. Ideally, I'll put together one or two or three pictorial-type posts. That's what the weekend is for!
Ok, so, to the non-dating stories. First, SL (Spanish lessons guy). I'd like to assure you that he is not dangerous nor is he a player. He's stayed in touch with me by email and phone regularly throughout my trip. He even emailed me today.
He's also calling me "baby."
Now, there was a time when I had a boyfriend who called me "baby" and I didn't like it one bit. At first. Then, I realized, I did like it, even though my initial reaction was negative. So, I know that if my boyfriend calls me "baby" it's fine and I like it and I don't find it patronizing.
But when a guy I've only met twice, kissed briefly and talked to on the phone a few times starts calling me baby, I have to wonder, "What is up with that?" I also have to think that he wants to be my boyfriend. (Scarier thought: he thinks already is my boyfriend.)
SL also insists on coming to my soccer game on Saturday. For a variety of reasons (including a memorial service), it turns out I'm not going to soccer on Saturday. Even if I were, I wouldn't want SL to come. I'm bad at soccer and I don't want him calling me baby when he's NOT my boyfriend in front of a bunch of women I barely know. That won't do.
In response to his email today, I said that I wasn't going to the game but maybe we could do something else. Next time I do have a game, I'll tell him I don't want him to come. I have a tendency to give in to the steamroller because I expect people to pick up on my hints of "no" and avoid having to actually say "no." But, baby, this calls for a real "no."
If that were my only non-dating story, I would have gone with a post about the trip, but I have one more to share. I've only exchanged a couple of brief emails with this fellow via the free-site, but I like him and I think it would be fun to meet. So, just today, I wrote to him and said (among other things), "We should have coffee sometime--what do you think?"
What would you expect his response to be? Take a second and think it over. If you're like me, you were not expecting this, "Love to!" And a bunch of stuff completely unrelated to getting together.
I responded (not asking for specifics, but mentioning coffee again) but I'm done with him unless he takes a little initiative.
Where is the happy medium between "Love to!" and SL's insistence on seeing me play soccer?
Perhaps it's the other guy I'm emailing with. He's done nothing but be reasonable and friendly, so I don't have much to say about him. We'll see how long that lasts.
Grateful for: home.
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Lessons
I pride myself on my ability to pack light. Compared to Spesh, who can go to Canada for two weeks with a tiny backpack, I'm an amateur. But for a middle-class American, I'm a pro. I went to Israel this year with a medium-sized rolling suitcase and a small backpack. In the old days, I could have carried on the suitcase, but this trip allowed only one piece of "hand baggage" on the plane. Still, with these two pieces, I was relatively mobile. My backpack was big enough to hold my computer and other on-plane necessities. The computer could go in the big bag for in-country travel and I could have a light, easy to carry around-town bag. The system worked.
Where I failed though, was in my clothing choices. I had three items I never wore (two shirts and a sweater) and more that I only wore once. That's a disaster. I completely misjudged my clothing needs. Of course, I had to dress for two completely different environments: the ultra-orthodox enclave of my brother and the contemporary world. I'd decided that in neither world would shorts be acceptable attire, so I packed none. That was a fine choice. My slacks, dress and skirt got a reasonable work out. It was the tops that I planned incorrectly. That sweater? What a joke. It was much too warm to ever consider wearing it, even though it's cotton. The long-sleeved tee was for sleeping if it got cool. It never got cool. I could have used another sleeping tee and some lightweight long sleeves. Oh, and fewer pairs of tights. More knee-highs. Lord knows how anyone could ever wear hose in that heat.
Oh, and when you buy a dress a size too small, expect to be slightly uncomfortable the entire time you wear it, especially while seated and especially if wearing a shirt underneath it. I felt slightly ridiculous in my dress, which is lovely but snug. It probably didn't look ridiculous, but I didn't fit in. It's very hard to match the dressing customs of this crowd. The basic rules: covered up to the collarbone, skirts and dresses with hems ten centimeters below the knee and sleeves below the elbow. (And only skirts or dresses for the women.) So what if it's almost 100 degrees? Keep covered! Whew. Makes me hot just thinking about it.
The other thing I brought on this trip was a plastic water bottle. I was curious to see if I could bring an empty bottle through security. Turns out you can. What's the point? After you get to the gate, you can fill it up at a water fountain and take it on the plane. However, make sure you empty it before transferring to the next flight because you'll probably pass through another security checkpoint. I drank my water before getting to my checkpoint and was able to keep the bottle. On my way back, the bottle raised no eyebrows in Tel Aviv. In Heathrow, where I changed planes, I overheard the security folks discussing whether or not it was empty but they didn't say anything to me and the bottle got through. There you go--a practical tip for the next time you fly.
Jet lag is a funny thing. For the last three nights, around 8:30pm I get very, very sleepy (that's about 3:30am Israel time). I fight to stay awake. As it approaches bedtime, I start to wake up (11pm here is 6am in Israel). I've been taking a pill every night to make sure I'm good and sleepy by 11pm. Falling asleep has been easy but I wake up around 4am, even though the room is totally dark. I sort of fall asleep again, but not deeply. I hope I get another hour or two of sleep tonight or work tomorrow won't be much fun. Heh. Who am I kidding? Nothing would make the first day back fun, but it would be good to stay awake. Hell, I might even make it to the gym. Hmm, probably not--maybe I'll walk to work instead. That's the ticket.
Grateful for: adjusting.
Where I failed though, was in my clothing choices. I had three items I never wore (two shirts and a sweater) and more that I only wore once. That's a disaster. I completely misjudged my clothing needs. Of course, I had to dress for two completely different environments: the ultra-orthodox enclave of my brother and the contemporary world. I'd decided that in neither world would shorts be acceptable attire, so I packed none. That was a fine choice. My slacks, dress and skirt got a reasonable work out. It was the tops that I planned incorrectly. That sweater? What a joke. It was much too warm to ever consider wearing it, even though it's cotton. The long-sleeved tee was for sleeping if it got cool. It never got cool. I could have used another sleeping tee and some lightweight long sleeves. Oh, and fewer pairs of tights. More knee-highs. Lord knows how anyone could ever wear hose in that heat.
Oh, and when you buy a dress a size too small, expect to be slightly uncomfortable the entire time you wear it, especially while seated and especially if wearing a shirt underneath it. I felt slightly ridiculous in my dress, which is lovely but snug. It probably didn't look ridiculous, but I didn't fit in. It's very hard to match the dressing customs of this crowd. The basic rules: covered up to the collarbone, skirts and dresses with hems ten centimeters below the knee and sleeves below the elbow. (And only skirts or dresses for the women.) So what if it's almost 100 degrees? Keep covered! Whew. Makes me hot just thinking about it.
The other thing I brought on this trip was a plastic water bottle. I was curious to see if I could bring an empty bottle through security. Turns out you can. What's the point? After you get to the gate, you can fill it up at a water fountain and take it on the plane. However, make sure you empty it before transferring to the next flight because you'll probably pass through another security checkpoint. I drank my water before getting to my checkpoint and was able to keep the bottle. On my way back, the bottle raised no eyebrows in Tel Aviv. In Heathrow, where I changed planes, I overheard the security folks discussing whether or not it was empty but they didn't say anything to me and the bottle got through. There you go--a practical tip for the next time you fly.
Jet lag is a funny thing. For the last three nights, around 8:30pm I get very, very sleepy (that's about 3:30am Israel time). I fight to stay awake. As it approaches bedtime, I start to wake up (11pm here is 6am in Israel). I've been taking a pill every night to make sure I'm good and sleepy by 11pm. Falling asleep has been easy but I wake up around 4am, even though the room is totally dark. I sort of fall asleep again, but not deeply. I hope I get another hour or two of sleep tonight or work tomorrow won't be much fun. Heh. Who am I kidding? Nothing would make the first day back fun, but it would be good to stay awake. Hell, I might even make it to the gym. Hmm, probably not--maybe I'll walk to work instead. That's the ticket.
Grateful for: adjusting.
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Real time
I can finally get back to posting in real time. Are you as excited as I am?
I am home and very happy to be here. Those trips to Israel are surreal and make coming home difficult. I wouldn't say it's exactly culture shock but I need time to adjust.
I have tons of photos, most of which are up on flickr. I don't have the energy to get them over here and tell the story, but please click through and take a look. They're organized into set with some captions. If you read my travel posts, you'll understand the context of the pictures.
Wisely, I took Friday off from work. I used the time to catch the blog up and try to do nothing. Nothing included going to a movie and sitting at a coffee shop for a couple of hours. I fought to stay awake until 10pm--I made it to 10:40, when I dozed in front of the tv. Unfortunately, I popped awake at 4am. I mostly managed to fall back asleep until a more reasonable hour.
Oh, you'll like this. Guess what was waiting for me in the mail? My passport! I'd love to know when they sent it, but, mysteriously, there was no post mark on the envelope. It wasn't express mail either, just regular old "priority mail." The issue date is 7/13/2007. Huh? This implies that when I first started calling the damn thing had already been issued but they hadn't managed to send it. Really? How screwed up. Now I have two passports. I know I'm supposed to send the one-year one back, but back to where? I'll figure that out later.
My anti-jet lag plan is to do nothing this weekend. Nothing this morning meant going to soccer practice at 9am and running around for an hour. Actually, that may have been a good idea, since it might help me sleep well tonight. I also picked up Tabitha--she didn't enjoy the car ride home, but she seems fine. She's been lazing around all day ignoring me. That's normal though I'm a little surprised not to see her on the couch.
Whew. It's 8:30 and I can barely keep my eyes open. I'm staying up until at least 10pm. Tomorrow's nothing includes laundry, an art gallery and movies. It's good to get back to the "real" world.
Grateful for: home.
I am home and very happy to be here. Those trips to Israel are surreal and make coming home difficult. I wouldn't say it's exactly culture shock but I need time to adjust.
I have tons of photos, most of which are up on flickr. I don't have the energy to get them over here and tell the story, but please click through and take a look. They're organized into set with some captions. If you read my travel posts, you'll understand the context of the pictures.
Wisely, I took Friday off from work. I used the time to catch the blog up and try to do nothing. Nothing included going to a movie and sitting at a coffee shop for a couple of hours. I fought to stay awake until 10pm--I made it to 10:40, when I dozed in front of the tv. Unfortunately, I popped awake at 4am. I mostly managed to fall back asleep until a more reasonable hour.
Oh, you'll like this. Guess what was waiting for me in the mail? My passport! I'd love to know when they sent it, but, mysteriously, there was no post mark on the envelope. It wasn't express mail either, just regular old "priority mail." The issue date is 7/13/2007. Huh? This implies that when I first started calling the damn thing had already been issued but they hadn't managed to send it. Really? How screwed up. Now I have two passports. I know I'm supposed to send the one-year one back, but back to where? I'll figure that out later.
My anti-jet lag plan is to do nothing this weekend. Nothing this morning meant going to soccer practice at 9am and running around for an hour. Actually, that may have been a good idea, since it might help me sleep well tonight. I also picked up Tabitha--she didn't enjoy the car ride home, but she seems fine. She's been lazing around all day ignoring me. That's normal though I'm a little surprised not to see her on the couch.
Whew. It's 8:30 and I can barely keep my eyes open. I'm staying up until at least 10pm. Tomorrow's nothing includes laundry, an art gallery and movies. It's good to get back to the "real" world.
Grateful for: home.
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