knitcole

2011 Resolution #3 - Find a church home in Long Beach.

I don't normally talk about church here on my blog, and that's mostly because it isn't really what my blog is all about but that being said one of my resolutions for this year was to find a church home here in Long Beach.

When Mr. Coleman and I lived in Corona we called Remnant our church home. We loved the family we have there and we love it when we have the opportunity to visit them but being about 45 minutes away (without traffic,) changes how often we are able to get out there for church. So we set off to find a church here in Long Beach and after a recommendation from our friend Chris we found Revolution Church.

When I read what Revolution Church is all about it reminds me so much of Remnant, the back of their invite card reads, "We are a church, not a building, a or an organization. A family of everyday people, passionate about figuring out how to step aside and let God live in & through moments of our lives. We are God's people doing life together during the good times & the hard. We would love to have you come check out our family and see if you can call it home too!"

I think I'm really gonna like it there. Resolution #3 is well on it's way to completion!

Nicole

A photo checklist.

Yesterday I decided that I was going to sit down and make a checklist for myself for the day. I ended up deciding on a photo checklist just to make it a little more fun for myself and because I had ADD all morning and couldn't sit down to actually write down my list until 11:00 PM. (Baby steps people!)

Here's a little background on why I decided to start my day off with a list. On Wednesday of last week I had a major freak out moment. Crying, yelling, everything. You know how it goes, I was immensely frustrated with several different things and then one tiny little situation set me off. I ended up in bed crying and just so overwhelmed and unhappy about how I just couldn't seem to do anything I wanted to do. Mr. Coleman was amazing and pretty much just let me cry it out and vent and then after he let me nap off some of my frustration and tears he told me about how he likes to makes lists (as do I,) and that when he makes these lists they help him to feel like he's getting more accomplished. Plus the lists give him a clear picture of the things he needs to get done and he feels good when he is able to check something off. He told me how he sees me so frustrated over time management and that he really thinks that if I sit down and make myself a list everyday then I will find that I am getting more of the things I want to get done despite all of my obligations to the things I need to get done.

So, I took his advice and started yesterday. So, let's take another looksie at that little photo checklist I made.

1. Morning coffee, make daily checklist. So I decided that every morning when I sit down to have my morning coffee I am going to also make my checklist for that day. So far so good...I took photos yesterday but actually wrote down what I want to get accomplished today.

2. Read from a modern classic. You might remember that my second resolution for this year is to read two modern classics this year. So to accomplish this goal each day I need to read some of a modern classic. I started On the Road yesterday, so far so good.

3. Take the time to work on the Blog Love e-course. I've talked about it before, but to better this little ol' blog I am taking an e-course called Blog Love. Well, I really need to sit down and ask myself some of the questions she poses and write down some answers for myself. I'll be honest, I didn't have the time to sit down and do it yesterday so it got added to today's list as well as a couple of other things I missed.

4. Write them down. You can't very well check off a checklist unless you write it down. I took the pictures because well I didn't want to sit down and write them down in the morning but last night I got my planner out and went through the pictures and wrote down my checklist. I did it again this morning. It really does help to see it all written down and to check off the things I accomplished.

5. Play banjo. I am never going to learn if I don't sit down and play. So I did, I practiced my chords; G, C, E, D, B and A to be exact and I had a small music theory lesson with Mr. Coleman. I ordered a book about banjo playing yesterday that should help me to understand some basics.

6. Enjoy the sunshine. That's pretty self explanatory. It was a gorgeous day and I sat down and just enjoyed the sunshine for about an hour, (that's also when I read some of On the Road.)

7. Iron and put away fabric and cut out the parts for an apron. I had this massive pile of fabric to iron and put away. It was a mess from the dryer and really needed to be ironed before I could fold it all up. I got that done, which makes me really excited because it's the fabric I bought to make my first full size quilt! Then after that I cut out the parts to make a half apron. I'm working on using some of my new sewing skills to try to make new patterns that I will hopefully sell on my Etsy store sometime soon.

8. Write a note card. This goes with my 4 Simple Goals post. I'll be honest here too...I have to write two of them today. Oops.

9. Play harmonica. I opted for banjo instead of harmonica yesterday. I ordered a book on that too.

10. Crochet. I'm working on a sweet little baby gift for my cousin. Gotta get that finished so it made the list.

11. Edit pictures. I had to edit some photos we took last week. I got a couple of them done and I'm hoping to finish one other today. When I say edit I don't mean like amazing Jagger Photography editing, I mean more like crop and straighten them out editing. I'm no photo editer.

So that was that. If you read this whole post, wow...thanks! I know it wasn't that exciting but it was fun to make a little photo checklist instead of the traditional and it does feel great to check off all those little things that just never seem to get done. Now it's off to pay the electric bill and clean the bathroom...today's checklist isn't quite as fun as yesterdays!

Nicole

Wow, I really didn't accomplish what I set out to do.

Back in August I posted about 4 Simple Goals, that were inspired by Elsie's blog, A Beautiful Mess. I went back to read them and I really didn't do much of what I set out to do. I guess I didn't take them seriously enough which really makes me kind of sad.

Let's break it down one goal at a time.

1. "In an effort to keep in touch with some friends and family that I don't normally get to interact with I want to send out a note each day to someone different for 30 days." Ok, I 100% completely dropped the ball on this one. I didn't even send out ONE letter! How sad...I mean, I couldn't even TRY to do what I said I wanted to do. That's really pathetic, a real big bummer. 

So, I decided that I will conquer this and I will start by sending a letter to my mom. This note card has been sitting on my table for the past two days and today I finally sat down and wrote a note to my mom and sent it off. Then everyday I will try my best to send off a new note card. I can definitely do this!

2. "Buy something lovely for my future home each month. Something ridiculous or expensive or just more lovely than I would normally buy." Considering that I moved in October I DEFINITELY achieved this one...but in excess. I didn't just buy four pretty things, (one for each remaining month in 2010,) I bought A LOT of pretty things. I don't regret any of them but I definitely think that when you are going to be moving you shouldn't set a goal for yourself that revolves around purchasing things for your new place. On a side note I adore this lovely succulent and custom planter that we bought. (If you have any idea what this beautiful purple plant is please let me know!)

3. "I challenge myself to be more involved with social injustice matters." I've really got  no excuses on this one. We had to miss the walk in Orange County that I mentioned in the original 4 Simple Goals post and since then we haven't done much of anything. Sure there have been some donations made but nothing that made me get out and make a difference. I'm not sure really how to make myself more aware...hmmm...more to come on this later I suppose. 

4. "I want to be more artistic and crafty!" Now this I have achieved with flying colors. Since the original post I have made two paintings and countless sewing and craft projects. I really pushed myself by signing up for my online sewing class and it has been one of the most fun and rewarding things I have done in a long time. I honestly wasn't sure that I would be able to sew well...let alone really enjoy it. I kind of thought I wouldn't like it at all. Turns out I couldn't like it more! 

It kind of makes me really disappointed in myself that I didn't try harder to realize these 4 Simple Goals. Especially now that I took that time to really sit down and write myself some goals (otherwise known as resolutions,) for 2011. I guess the best thing about giving yourself goals is that you can always start them over again. So, here's to 4 Simple Goals...well really just two. Accomplishing #1 and #3 have been added to my list of 2011 resolutions.

Here's to keeping myself accountable to myself!

Nicole

2011 Resolution #2 - Take a moment to read the classics.

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I came across the Modern Library's Top 100 Best Novels list a few weeks ago. While the list has received some controversy for being an American oriented book list, I still find it to be a pretty comprehensive list of books that are considered to be classics or written by authors who were/are considered to be ahead of their time.

I decided that I want to be more well read, in a classical sense so I have resolved to read at least two books off this list each year. This does mean it would take 50 years to read all of the books but I have already read some of them and some are short so I'm sure I could read more than two if I really want to.

So I sat down with the list and Mr. Coleman, (who has also decided to read through a couple of these books,) and I narrowed down the list to a couple of books that I would like to read. 

First up, On the Road by Jack Kerouac. That's Mr. Coleman standing outside of City Lights bookstore in San Francisco which is famous because of it's role in the beat generation which includes Jack Kerouac. In Mr. Coleman's hands you see a book...turns out we bought On the Road when were in San Francisco last August. Since I own it and I was already curious to read it, On the Road will be the first book I tackle for this resolution.

Secondly, I'm thinking either Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut or by Tender is the Night F. Scott Fitzgerald. Why these two books? Well I really enjoyed The Great Gatsby when I had to read it so I thought the second Fitzgerald book on the list might be just as nice. Vonnegut, well I'm interested by him and what his writing is supposed to be like, and I really, really like science fiction. I will have to keep you posted on which book I decide on. I typically like to read more than one book at a time so chances are I will probably be reading more than one classic at a time as well.

I like these kinds of resolutions or goals because they are both easily attained and measured. So here's hoping that I can get at least two books read this year. If I don't it will be because I didn't make the time. 

Did you have any easily measureable and attainable resolutions this year? Look for resolution number three next week!

Nicole 

2011 Resolution #1 - Blogging More.

The first resolution of 2011 that I want to share here is my resolution to blog more than I did in 2010. This probably doesn't seem like much of a resolution since I didn't blog very much at all in the first half of 2010 but what I really mean is to blog on a set schedule that surpasses more than once every 2 weeks. I'm not sure yet what this frequency will be but I am taking steps to work on it.

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Step #1: I'm taking Elsie's Blog Love e-course and I'm hoping to complete it by February. I signed up for this particular course because I loved the Style School e-course and I'm madly in love with her fellow Red Velvet Girls' e-course where I am learning to sew. I love this e-course so far, it really makes you think about what you are trying to accomplish, (and what you are trying NOT to accomplish,) with your blog and to make a heartfelt effort to turn your blog into everything you want it to be.

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Step #2: I'm realizing that time management is a real problem of mine. This is not limited to my blogging, if it was I would be in really great shape when it comes to managing my time, but it's more of a constant problem of mine. Too many things on my plate and not enough time. But, I realize that everyone is busy and to say that I don't have time isn't an excuse. If I want to blog more I will have to make time and time I will make!

Step #3: I'm committed. This may not seem like much, or an actual step towards making this happen, but I think it's important to note that I am committed to sticking to my resolutions! (I guess statistically so is everyone else until about January 31st rolls around.) I think of resolutions more as goal setting and I set quite a few goals for this year! I wouldn't even bring myself to blog until I got them all written down because it felt like I just needed to make sure that making a commitment to blogging more was a goal that I wanted to set for myself.

So, there it is! Resolution #1. Feel free to hold me accountable or call me out when I'm not holding up my end of the bargain. I will be sure to let you know just how often I plan to blog as soon as I figure it out and I will be sure to post another resolution for your perusal next week!

Until next time!

Nicole