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Posts Tagged ‘motivation’

Jumpstart July: A Reset to Get Back on Track

Posted in Positive Living, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 1, 2025| 11 Comments »

Happy July 1st, dear reader! Today, I am jumpstarting July to shake my life up a bit (in a good way). My life was derailed two years ago due to one personal crisis after another. Unfortunately, I let a few things fall by the wayside, but I am ready and excited to get my life back on track. This month, I want to focus on building good habits and cultivating realistic routines, so I can accomplish the aims on my 25 for 2025 List and restart my hobbies (other than reading) by the end of this year.

I have been wanting to reread Atomic Habits by James Clear, so when my friend Lee mentioned on a recent episode of Saturday Morning Momentum that she was reading it and having a hard time getting into it, I asked her if she wanted me to buddy read it with her, and she said YES. Therefore, I started with the introduction today. We will be reading and discussing it on my Discord if anyone is interested in joining us for the next couple of months.

I have created two lists, one for the habits I want to build and the other for the routines I want to cultivate in July. Some of my habits will be incorporated into my daily routines. I will play around with my routines this month since I want them to be realistic and manageable.

HABITS

  • Wake up at 5:00 AM
  • Walk at least 30 minutes daily, preferably outside
  • Drink more water
  • Mindful eating
  • Keep a JOY journal
  • Write a daily to-do list
  • Track book spending
  • Declutter/Chores (schedule)
  • Creative Time/Aims (schedule)
  • Monitor progress (habits/routines)

ROUTINES

  • Morning Routine
  • Weekly Routine
  • Evening Routine

In addition to rereading Atomic Habits, I plan on referring to ideas and strategies suggested in the following books which I would highly recommend to readers who want to work on habits, routines, decluttering, organizing, or making time for creative pursuits and projects.

  • The 5AM Club by Robin Sharma
  • Tranquility by Tuesday by Laura Vanderkam
  • Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin
  • Outer Order, Inner Calm by Gretchen Rubin

Now that I am putting my July plans out into the world, dear reader, I hope you will help me stay accountable. I plan to update you periodically throughout the month. My friend Kathryn Huggett, who is a health coach, created two accountability trackers for her team that I am using to keep track of my daily walks and water intake. I am using a regular notebook to monitor everything else I will be doing. I am excited to see what I will accomplish this month. Happiness!

“Your jumpstart moment is critical. Start simple but simply start.” ~ Bronkar Lee

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Phoenix: 25 for 2025 + Read25in25

Posted in Positive Living, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 4, 2025| 2 Comments »

Daylight Saving Time is fast approaching, dear reader, and I am thrilled to finally get my new year in high gear. Stepping into 2025 felt overwhelming but oddly familiar to stepping into 2024. I was playing catch-up from the previous year while having a vague idea of my plans for this year. I had adjusted my mindset last year and started my 2024 on the Lunar New Year. So, that plan was put into place again this year, but the Lunar New Year has come and gone with barely any progress. Why? I am still stuck in catch-up mode because of a few tasks I cannot let go. With that being said, I am seeing a bright light at the end of the tunnel, and I have a project in place that I think will make 2025 my best year, yet.

PHOENIX is my word for 2025. My friend Kelsi actually came up with my word. On a car ride together in November, I shared with her that I was thinking about my one-word theme for the new year and what I was leaning towards, and she offered the Phoenix (a mythological creature that is reborn from its ashes) as a suggestion. After wearing out RESET in 2024 and desperately wanting my season of sorrow to end, I needed a strong word to get back on course. My plans for this year focus on self-care, organization, reading, creative pursuits, and fun.

In addition to my one-word theme, I created a 25 for 2025 list with my aims for the new year. Almost all of the items on my list are new; however, I did carry over six items from last year that I did not complete but really want to accomplish this year. Take a look at what I have planned for myself for 2025.

Kat’s 25 for 2025 List

  • 1. Contact SPA 728 for health assessment information.
  • 2. Strength train 2-3 times per week.
  • 3. Walk at least 30 minutes daily, preferably outside.
  • 4. Reduce reflux meds to 20 mg. 
  • 5. Keep a JOY journal.
  • 6. Create a Book of Life.
  • 7. Clear the clutter in my scrapbook room.
  • 8. Clear the clutter in my bedroom closet.
  • 9. Buy a comfortable chair for my home office.
  • 10. Organize home library.
  • 11. Keep track of spending on books. 
  • 12. Start a new booktube project. (Saturday Morning Momentum: Thrive in 2025)
  • 13. Organize videos on Kat’s Novel Adventures (create playlists).
  • 14. Read 25 Books that have been on my shelves for 5 years or more.
  • 15. Read The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King.
  • 16. Read Paperbacks from Hell by Grady Hendrix.
  • 17. Write 25 blog posts on The Kat Files.
  • 18. Scrapbook 25 times in 2025.
  • 19. Attend TAC Scrapbook Event in June with Donna and Heather.
  • 20. Volunteer at the Friends of the Library store during the summer.
  • 21. Visit the New Orleans Vampire Café in New Orleans.
  • 22. Visit the English Tea Room in Covington.
  • 23. Visit the Hammond Farmers & Artisans Market at least 5 times.
  • 24. Attend The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at The Columbia Theatre in March.
  • 25. Put a deposit down on running The Open Book in Scotland.

I made a bingo board with my aims! Several members in the Happier in Hollywood Facebook group shared their bingo boards at the beginning of the year, so I decided to do one as well. Fun project!

Other Fun Plans for 2025:

  • Participate in Gretchen Rubin’s #Read25in25. The challenge is to spend 25 minutes reading daily in 2025. This challenge is the third element of Rubin’s Design Your Year: 2025 with the one-word theme and list of aims being the other two elements. According to Gretchen Rubin, “Research shows that reading is good for us: it benefits mental health, sharpens the brain, makes us more empathetic, helps us learn, and increases our tolerance for uncertainty. And most importantly, it’s fun!” Reading at least 25 minutes every day will be an easy daily challenge for me because I LOVE reading. It is my favorite activity, and I already read every day much more than 25 minutes; therefore, I have designated my daily 25-minute reading time for this challenge to read nonfiction.
  • Join the 2025 Reading Challenge on Goodreads. My goal is to read 100 books this year. Follow me on Goodreads (Katherine Loyacano).
  • Host three readathons on my YouTube channel: Nevermore, Folklore February, and Zombiethon.
  • Interact with members of the Chills, Thrills, and Kills Book Club on Facebook.
  • Participate in Booktube Book Clubs (FOMO, MGM, Cozy Cottage, and Book Wyrm).
  • Continue doing Collabs with Kelsi. Our collabs can be viewed on her YouTube channel, Slime and Slashers – A Nostalgia & Horror Channel as well as her new movie YouTube channel, Nightmares and Nostalgia. Please consider subscribing to Kelsi’s channels in 2025.
  • Participate in Frugal February. This is a NO spend month.
  • Keep a TA-DA list for 2025. This list is for goals or activities that I accomplished throughout the year but were not included on my original list. These accomplishments should be celebrated, too.

Additionally, I will continue creating videos for my Youtube channel, Kat’s Novel Adventures. I passed my two-year anniversary of releasing my first video on 28 October 2024. As of the writing of this post, I have 1.19K subscribers and 270 videos for public viewing. My channel was monetized in May 2024, and I received my first check in January of this year. Happiness Boost! My channel growth is a slow-going process, dear reader, and I am fine with it. I love my small community of friends; they bring me so much joy. I have included a video about Designing My Year: 2025 below if you are interested in hearing more about my plans for 2025. Please consider subscribing to my channel, giving me a like, and leaving a comment.

As you can see, dear reader, I have planned another year of adventures for 2025. All of these aims and activities give me hope of getting my life back on track. I am excited about tackling my aims while also exploring other opportunities that might crop up this year. Happiness!

“Wake up, wild one! You are the phoenix, the firebird, the one who rises from the ashes of the past.” ~ A. A. Malee

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RESET: 24 for 2024 + Write24in24

Posted in Positive Living, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 8, 2024| 5 Comments »

The Lunar New Year is fast approaching, dear reader, and I am thrilled to finally start my new year. Stepping into 2024 without a plan felt odd, but I adjusted my mindset as the month of January unfolded, and I am NOW ready to get the ball rolling on accomplishing my aims for this year.

RESET is my word for 2024. After the dreadful demise of 2023, I have been desperate to hit the reset button. My plans for this year are to replace some bad habits with some good ones, clean up the clutter in my environment, and boost my sense of creativity and play by cultivating an existing interest. That last plan, regarding creativity and play, is the result of taking Gretchen Rubin’s Habits for Happiness Quiz.

In addition to my one-word theme, I created a 24 for 2024 list with my aims for the new year. Almost all of the items on my list are new; however, I did carry over three items from last year that I did not complete but really want to accomplish this year. Pretty much all of my aims fall into one of my three plans which have to do with habits, clutter-clearing, and creativity/play. Take a look at what I have planned for myself for 2024.

Kat’s 24 for 2024 List

  • 1. Time-track at least once per quarter (March, June, September, December).
  • 2. Join The 5AM Club by getting up at 5AM each morning (The 5AM Club).
  • 3. Implement the 20/20/20 Formula (The 5AM Club).
  • 4. Implement the Pre-Sleep Ritual (The 5AM Club).
  • 5. Quit Coffee.
  • 6. Strength train two times per week.
  • 7. Walk at least 30 minutes daily, preferably outside.
  • 8. Get a massage.
  • 9. Clear the clutter in my scrapbook room.
  • 10. Buy a book cart.
  • 11. Buy two bookcases for living room.
  • 12. Organize home library.
  • 13. Keep track of spending on books.
  • 14. Get library cards (Tangipahoa, Livingston, and Baton Rouge parishes).
  • 15. Start a new booktube project.
  • 16. Read 24 Books that I did not get to in 2022/2023.
  • 17. Have a Year of Christie (Agatha Christie) 2.0.
  • 18. Buddy Read Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt with Alex @ Frankfiction.
  • 19. Read The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and The Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman.
  • 20. Read The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.
  • 21. Read On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King.
  • 22. Write about my adventures in Sicily on my blog.
  • 23. Organize photos and video clips from my Sicily trip.
  • 24. Scrapbook 24 times in 2024.

Other Fun Plans for 2024:

  • I am participating in Gretchen Rubin’s #Write24in24. The options are to spend 2-4 minutes or 24 minutes writing daily in 2024. This challenge is the third element of Rubin’s Happier Trifeca with the one-word theme and list of aims being the other two elements. According to Gretchen Rubin, “If you write consistently, you’ll be astonished by how much you can accomplish in 2024. We often underestimate what we can do if we work consistently.” Writing at least 24 minutes every day will be a fun daily challenge for me because I LOVE writing. My writing time will be devoted to blog posts, book reviews on Goodreads, scrapbook journaling, lists (to-do & ta-da), correspondence with family and friends (cards), notes for videos, and morning pages (The Artist’s Way). These are just a few of the writing activities I have planned for 2024; however, other possibilities might be added to my list throughout the year.
  • On Goodreads, I joined the 2024 Reading Challenge, and my goal is to read 100 books this year. Follow me on Goodreads (Katherine Loyacano).
  • I want to revamp the Chills, Thrills, and Kills Book Club.
  • I will participate in Booktube Book Clubs (FOMO, MGM, Cozy Cottage).
  • I will continue doing Collabs with Kelsi. Our collabs can be viewed on her YouTube channel, Slime and Slashers – A Nostalgia & Horror Channel. Please consider subscribing to Kelsi’s channel in 2024.
  • I will participate in Frugal February again. This is a NO spend month.
  • I will be doing a Birthday Message Project 2.0 in 2024.
  • I plan to keep a TA-DA list for 2024. This list is for goals or activities that I accomplished throughout the year but were not included on my original list. These accomplishments should be celebrated, too.

Additionally, I will continue creating videos for my Youtube channel, Kat’s Novel Adventures. I passed my one-year anniversary of releasing my first video on 28 October 2023. As of the writing of this post, I have 769 subscribers and 152 videos for public viewing. My little channel is growing slowly, and I am hoping I will reach and surpass 1,000 subscribers in 2024. That channel milestone would be a HUGE happiness boost! I have included a video about my Happier Trifecta below if you are interested in hearing more about my plans for 2024. Please consider subscribing to my channel, giving me a like, and leaving a comment.

As you can see, dear reader, I have planned a year of good habit-forming, organizing, reading, writing, and scrapbooking adventures for 2024. All of these aims and activities will give me an opportunity to RESET my life and get back on track. Well, that is my plan anyway. Happiness!

“Every sunset is an opportunity to reset. Every sunrise begins with new eyes.”     ~ Richie Norton

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Halfway Day: A Moment of Reflection

Posted in Positive Living, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 2, 2023| Leave a Comment »

According to Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project, “observing Halfway Day on July 2nd is a catalyst for reflection.” Six months ago I shared with you, dear reader, my one-word theme for 2023, my 23 for 2023 List with my aims for the year, as well as a list of other fun plans I wanted to participate in alongside my aims. All of these tools set into motion the resolutions I wanted to achieve for myself throughout the year. Today, I am sharing how I am doing with my one-word theme, my aims, and my additional projects thus far.

My one-word theme is CREATE. YES, my year has been all about creating through 1) bringing (something) into existence (content, organization of my office), 2) causing (something) to happen as a result of my actions (relationships-community, friends, family; memories), 3) originating a role by playing a character for the first time (performing improv; graduating from Anubis Improv; auditioning), and 4) investing with new rank or title (myself through personal development; cohosting content with others).

My 23 for 2023 List

  • 1. Schedule dental appointment (implant crown).
  • 2. Buy myself flowers quarterly. (1st and 2nd quarter) ongoing
  • 3. Buy a new vacuum cleaner.
  • 4. Buy two white bookcases for office. bought 3; planning to buy a 4th one soon
  • 5. Buy a book cart.
  • 6. Deal with digital clutter (email, photos, documents). slow going; bought additional photo storage
  • 7. Organize home office.
  • 8. Organize home library.
  • 9. Write my personal manifesto.
  • 10. Write a will.
  • 11. Scrapbook monthly. only scrapbooked 2 days at event in June
  • 12. Complete Year of Gratitude scrapbook.
  • 13. Learn StreamYard to host sprints on my YouTube channel.
  • 14. Host two Readathons on my YouTube channel (February/May).
  • 15. Read 23 Books that I did not get to in 2022. slow going; I’ve read 6 so far.
  • 16. Have a Year of Christie (Agatha Christie). slow going; I’ve read 3 so far.
  • 17. Read The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. started in June; postponed
  • 18. Read The Galveston Diet by Mary Claire Haver, M.D.
  • 19. Revisit Outer Order, Inner Calm by Gretchen Rubin.
  • 20. Read Tranquility by Tuesday by Laura Vanderkam.
  • 21. Complete Becky Higgins Classroom: Photo Tips + Work Flow.
  • 22. Complete the WordPress Blogging course.
  • 23. Update theme (layout) for blog.

Other Fun Plans for 2023:

  • #Outside23in23 super inconsistent; recommitted on July 1st
  • 2023 Reading Challenge (Goodreads) 47/75 (10 books ahead of schedule)
  • Chills, Thrills, and Kills Book Club ✅
  • FOMO Book Club ✅
  • Collabs with Kelsi not as many as last year; The Shining and Year of King wrap up; cohost Old School April (sprints); cohost live chat of Night of the Living Trekkies
  • Frugal February did well for the majority of the month; spent a little moolah on an overnight trip to Orange Beach-room free of charge (had to use voucher in February); visited bookstores, but spent very little on used books; dinner out
  • Birthday Message Project 18 birthdays so far
  • TA-DA List keeping one loosely

Even though I have only completed 7 aims, there are 4 aims that I have been consistently working on (slowly) since the beginning of the year. I have accomplished a great deal on my YouTube channel, my reading life has expanded, and I am making wonderful memories with family and friends. The second half of the year will see a major lifestyle change that will affect my health (hopefully positively), recommitting to some of the aims on my 23 for 2023 List, and a trip to Sicily in September. I am looking forward to the adventures I will be having from now until the end of 2023. Dear reader, what are some aims you reached in the first half of this year? What are you looking forward to accomplishing or experiencing in the second half of 2023? Happiness!

“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” ~ Aristotle

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My 23 for 2023 List

Posted in Positive Living, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 2, 2023| 12 Comments »

Happy New Year, dear reader! Welcome to the beginning of 2023 and a blank slate ready for all sorts of adventures to develop and to be recorded throughout this upcoming year. I chose a one-word theme this year that will bring (something) into existence, cause (something) to happen as a result of one’s actions, (of an actor) originate a role by playig a character for the first time, and invest (someone) with a new rank or title. Keep reading for the one-word theme reveal.

I am also super excited about everything I have included on my 23 for 2023 List. Most of the items on my list are new; however, I did carry over eight items from last year that I did not complete but still feel like they are important enough to accomplish this year. Take a look at what I have planned for myself for 2023.

Kat’s 23 for 2023 List

  • 1. Schedule dental appointment (implant crown).
  • 2. Buy myself flowers quarterly.
  • 3. Buy a new vacuum cleaner.
  • 4. Buy two white bookcases for office.
  • 5. Buy a book cart.
  • 6. Deal with digital clutter (email, photos, documents).
  • 7. Organize home office.
  • 8. Organize home library.
  • 9. Write my personal manifesto.
  • 10. Write a will.
  • 11. Scrapbook monthly.
  • 12. Complete Year of Gratitude scrapbook.
  • 13. Learn StreamYard to host sprints on my YouTube channel.
  • 14. Host two Readathons on my YouTube channel (February/May).
  • 15. Read 23 Books that I did not get to in 2022.
  • 16. Have a Year of Christie (Agatha Christie).
  • 17. Read The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.
  • 18. Read The Galveston Diet by Mary Claire Haver, M.D.
  • 19. Revisit Outer Order, Inner Calm by Gretchen Rubin.
  • 20. Read Tranquility by Tuesday by Laura Vanderkam.
  • 21. Complete Becky Higgins Classroom: Photo Tips + Work Flow.
  • 22. Complete the WordPress Blogging course.
  • 23. Update theme (layout) for blog.

Other Fun Plans for 2023:

  • I am participating in Gretchen Rubin’s #Outside23in23. Basically, you spend a total of 23 minutes outside every day in 2023. According to Gretchen Rubin, “Going outside boosts our physical and psychological health, gives us more time in nature, and helps us mindfully appreciate the moment and our senses.” Going outside every day will be an easy daily challenge for me because I LOVE so many characteristics about being outdoors. Some of the activities I plan on doing outside are ones I pretty much do every day already, such as walking for exercise, walking my dogs, reading, exploring nature, taking photographs, having outdoor adventures (at a park/zoo, in a city, or my own backyard). These are just a few of the activities I can do with so many other possibilities to add to my list.
  • On Goodreads, I joined the 2023 Reading Challenge, and my goal is to read 75 books this year. Follow me on Goodreads (Katherine Loyacano).
  • I will continue participating in the Chills, Thrills, and Kills Book Club.
  • I will participate in the FOMO Book Club on booktube.
  • I will be doing a Birthday Message Project in 2023. This will replace my Instagram projects I have done the last two years. Even though I will not be doing a specific project on Instagram, I will still be active on there. Follow me on Instagram (katherineloyacano).
  • I plan to keep a TA-DA list for 2023. This list is for goals or activities that I accomplished throughout the year but were not included on my original list. These accomplishments should be celebrated, too.

Last but certainly not least, I will continue creating videos for my Youtube channel, Kat’s Novel Adventures. I released my first video for 2023, and it is all about my one-word theme and my 23 for 2023 list. Please consider subscribing to my channel in 2023, giving me a like, and leaving a comment.

There you have it, dear reader, lots of enjoyable plans for the new year. What do you have planned in 2023? Have you made some resolutions or a 23 for 2023 list? If you could choose a one-word theme for this year, what word would you choose? Mine is CREATE, and I cannot wait to start creating more happiness and joy in my life. I would love to know what your plans are for this year. You can comment on this post or email me at katloyacano@gmail.com. Happiness!

“In order to be successful in the new year, stay focused, develop a positive attitude, and be passionate with your dreams.” ~ Bamigboye Olurotimi

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Halfway Day: Review My 22 for 2022

Posted in Positive Living, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on July 10, 2022| 4 Comments »

Greetings, dear reader! Gretchen Rubin has created a Calendar of Catalysts, “a menu of dates to use as reminders to stop, evaluate, and plan.” According to Gretchen Rubin, July 2nd is Halfway Day. What a great day to spend a few moments reviewing your goals for the year! In my case, I reflected on my 22 for 2022 list.

My one-word theme for the year is CHANGE, and there have certainly been a few changes in my life so far this year. In January, my family and I said good-bye to our beloved 13.5-year-old German Shepherd Sophie. Surprisingly (especially for me), we welcomed a new puppy Luna into our family on 14 February. But, the biggest change this year has been my decision to quit my job as an Instructional Coach which ended this past May. Without a doubt, more changes are on the horizon for the remainder of this year, and I am actually excited about exploring the unknown and seeing where life takes me.

“Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Kat’s 22 for 2022 List

1. Time-track in January.

2. Tweak morning routine.

3. Make consultation appointment with oral surgeon (implant).

4. Learn a 30-60 second monologue.

5. Buy a new vacuum cleaner.

6. Get wedding rings resized.

7. Clean out and organize master closet.

8. Plant new garden in front of the house.

9. Purge paper and organize file cabinet.

10. Go paperless (bills and statements).

11. Scrapbook monthly.

12. Complete Year of Gratitude scrapbook.

13. Have a Year of King (Stephen King).

14. Update theme (layout) for blog.

15. Research video editing software.

16. Complete a puzzle.

17. Write a will.

18. Revisit A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle.

19. Read The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.

20. Complete the WordPress Blogging course.

21. Take a WordPress Podcasting course.

22. Take Becky Higgins Classroom: Photo Tips + Work Flow.

As you can see, I have not made much progress on my 22 for 2022 list. What have you been doing, Kat? Well, it turns out a puppy takes up A LOT of time. Luna is wonderful, sweet, and a momma’s girl; however, she is also high energy, high maintenance, and time-consuming. *SIGH* She is also not the only fur baby in the house.

I am reading a ton (35/50 books so far)! Kelsi and I are killing it with our Year of King project, and our book club continues to meet monthly. I have also been participating and exploring other projects that have cropped up since I made my list back in December. These opportunities may or may not impact where I end up at the end of the year, but I feel they are worth pursuing. Currently, I am working on a few of the items that I consider ongoing; they are just not fully completed, yet. These items include: #5, #7, #9, #10, #12, #13.

Finally, I created a Summer Fun List with all kind of activities I have been enjoying this summer. Plus, I tacked on It’s a Charming Life’s Summer Bucket List for more enjoyable summer activities. Clearly, I cannot help myself this summer. HA! The good news is I still have the second half of the year to finish my list. I am hopeful I can complete my list because I am NOT giving up!

There you have it, dear reader! What have you accomplished or not accomplished this year? Any surprises or regrets with how you have spent the first half of 2022? At this point, I can honestly say I have experienced more surprises than regrets. The key is to keep progressing daily towards those goals no matter how big or small the steps. Every step forward gets me closer to reaching my goals. Happiness!

“One part at a time, one day at a time, we can accomplish any goal we set for ourselves.” ~ Karen Casey

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Weekend Woolgathering: Daylight Saving Time, The Batman, and a Fire

Posted in Life, tagged , , , , , , , , on March 13, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Daylight Saving Time begins TODAY! I am thrilled, dear reader. Crossing this threshold of the year is the kick in the pants I need to get moving and grooving, especially after the challenges of COVID, Hurricane Ida, and the dark, wintery season. I am ready to tackle the remaining days of this school year, to get back walking on a more regular basis, and to announce some changes in my life that will be taking place soon. Frankly, I could not be more excited about the time change.

Yesterday afternoon, my friend Helen and I went to the movies to see The Batman. This is the film where Robert Pattinson plays Batman and has to outwit the Riddler. It was awesome, and I love Pattinson as Batman. Do you know what is more awesome than the movie? Helen has officially moved back to Louisiana after living out of the state for 12 years. YES! In addition, she lives in Hammond, which is super close to where Shelly and I live, so we get to see her all the time. We have all been friends since high school.

This weekend, our area experienced a cold snap after weeks of warmer temperatures. Normally, I would be bummed, especially since I just put my plants back on the porch last weekend. However, it gave us a pleasant opportunity for my hubby to build a fire in our fireplace. This is the first weekend, this entire winter season, that we could enjoy a cozy fire in the fireplace. When Hurricane Ida caused the tree to hit our house, it knocked off our chimney stack. We just got it reinstalled this past Tuesday. What an unexpected treat!

The day is young, and I am looking forward to accomplishing a few tasks, attending a Baby Sprinkle for my friend Melissa, and going for a walk in the beautiful sunshine. What are your plans on this Sunday, dear reader? Whatever you choose to do, I hope it brings you some joy. Happiness!

“With the coming of spring, I am calm again.” ~ Gustav Mahler

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Weekend Woolgathering: A JOYful Return, Angel’s Delight, and Moving Forward March

Posted in Life, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 6, 2022| Leave a Comment »

After SIX long months, Andrew is FINALLY back in his bedroom. My hubby and I moved some of Andrew’s furniture into his room on Thursday while he was at school, so I took a few pictures to send to him. On Friday evening after eating dinner at my mother-in-law’s house, Andrew officially moved back home. I am overjoyed and grateful that he is home. I am extremely thankful to Mrs. Billie for letting Andrew stay with her. I am extremely thankful to my Daddy and my husband for all of their hard work getting the repairs completed on the roof and the bedroom. Kudos to my boys for assisting any time we asked them to help with repairs, clearing debris, and yard work. Last but definitely not least, many thanks to you, dear reader, along with friends and family who offered up prayers and sent positive vibes during this ordeal.

  • Walking into Andrew’s Room-finished after 6 months

Last night, Barry and I had drink night at Shelly and Kerry’s house to celebrate their daughter Aubry’s 21st heavenly birthday. Aubry was stillborn about four months before Andrew was born. It was a heartbreaking time for us all. I hated seeing my friends hurting at the loss of their angel. I make a point every year to acknowledge Aubry’s birthday. On Wednesday when I texted Shelly and Kerry, I suggested that we have a drink night and toast Aubry on what would have been a milestone birthday for her. Kerry, our bartender, mixed Angel’s Delight Martinis, and Shelly prepared Heaven on Earth (yummy dessert made with Angel Food cake). Shelly’s mom Mrs. Carol and her bonus dad Mr. Mike (my Godson) and our long-time friend Helen joined us for the celebration. Mr. Mike even brought over mini muffulettas and a cheese/meat tray. I thought it was a wonderful way to spend time with friends and remember Aubry.

  • Angel’s Delight Martini
  • Heaven on Earth dessert

Barry and I are steadily moving forward in March and continue to make progress on the house. The inspector for our mortgage company came on Friday, documents and receipts have been uploaded to our mortgage company and insurance company, and a fence company has been hired to put up our new fence in three weeks (provided it does not rain a whole lot between now and then). We also need to purchase new gutters and clean up more tree debris in the backyard. I am confident that both will happen in the next few weeks. At this moment, our only real hiccup is getting the roofing company to send someone to the house and fix an error on the roof, so we can reinstall our chimney stack. The roofing salesperson is not great at his job, so I am not sure when and if this will happen any time soon. We have been promised twice that someone would come (Friday and Saturday) to make the adjustment; no one has shown up, and the salesperson has not called with an explanation. I am NOT surprised, and my expectations are low. However, I am determined not to get upset and pray it will get resolved in a timely manner.

My life seems to be settling down a bit, dear reader. Since Andrew is back home, we were able to move a bunch of his belongings out of the living room and other areas of the house. What a wonderful feeling to have more open space! I am excited, yes excited, to do some spring cleaning, decluttering, and organizing. I want to get my house back in order before the end of this school year. I get the stitches out of my mouth (where my tooth was extracted, and a bone graft put in its place) on Thursday afternoon. Daylight saving time is next Sunday (woo-hoo!) which means more evening daylight and a happier, more motivated me. Also, Easter break is six weeks away, and the hubster and I will be on vacation together again. In the meantime, I have all sorts of interesting and enjoyable activities on my calendar to keep me busy until the break. Happiness!

“Sometimes life knocks you on your ass… get up, get up, get up!!! Happiness is not the absence of problems, it’s the ability to deal with them.” ~ Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free 

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Determination Day

Posted in Life, tagged , , , , , , , , , on February 28, 2022| 2 Comments »

Today is the last day of February, and for the past few weeks (really all month) I have been feeling a bit discouraged. I have not made much headway on my 22 for 2022 list. I have not written a blog post in weeks. I have been struggling more with my house still being in shambles because of Ida. I made the crazy decision to adopt a rescue puppy, complicating my life. My tooth cracked last week and had to be extracted, causing me great discomfort. The pain meds make me tired as well as feeling worthless and weepy. And, sadly, I ended my walking streak (walking daily since 03/23/20) on Friday because I slept most of the day, and quite frankly, I did not have the energy to do much of anything but hang out on my sofa. Welcome to Kat’s Pity Party! Even though I am not a pro at feeling sorry for myself, I feel like it has been my modus operandi lately.

Luckily for me, I came across an article on Facebook today that Gretchen Rubin wrote for Inc. Magazine about turning today from discouragement into determination. Rubin writes, “Instead of Discouragement Day, let’s reframe February 28 as Determination Day–a date that reminds us to reflect, review, and do the hard work of asking ourselves, “If something isn’t working, why not?” If we’re determined to keep our resolutions, we shouldn’t fear failure. We should stop, observe it, and learn from it, so we can keep going.”

Therefore, after reading the article, I took several moments throughout the day to reflect and review on the happenings of this month, and February has actually been better than the narrative I have been telling myself all month. I am making progress with my goals, just not by leaps and bounds. I made a little extra cash this month working the ACT exam at SLU which will go towards future projects. I did fairly well not spending extra money during Frugal February. I continued reading more this month and participated in both my personal book club and Year of King project with Kelsi. I am currently writing this blog post. Yes, I adopted a puppy, for good reasons, even though the timing was not ideal. I helped my friend Helen move into her new place to be closer to Shelly and me. And, although my house is still a wreck due to Ida, my hubby and Daddy are working every chance they get to rebuild Andrew’s bedroom, so he can move back home, and we can finally get our home back in order again. They are making progress, but it is slow going. Honestly, after much reflection, I think the disorder of my home is the root of my overwhelming feelings, the frustration, impatience, and lack of concentration I have been feeling that has bubbled over into this month as discouragement. So many days this month, I felt like throwing in the towel and giving up because I just did not see the point. I am not a failure, but I am burnt out. I still feel like I am on the struggle bus, but my season of sacrifice feels like it is ending soon.

Hope is on the horizon, dear reader. A tree guy came Saturday to remove trees and trim broken branches. My hubby has been installing Andrew’s new floor since yesterday. I am super impressed with his skill set and his determination. Tomorrow, my daddy and my hubby will install baseboards and shoe moulding. Then, we can start moving Andrew’s belongings back into his room. An inspection request has been made and more progress along with it. Discouragement has changed to Determination. Happiness!

“You will reach the destination you are destined for! You just may encounter a few detours or unexpected routes. Allow them to motivate you rather than discourage you!” ~ Christine Hassler

Photo: Flooring being installed in Andrew’s room. Notice crown moulding has been installed as well.

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Time Tracking: Week Deux

Posted in Time management, tagged , , , , , , , , on January 30, 2022| 2 Comments »

As mentioned in my previous post, I decided to track my time for an additional week to get a clearer picture of how I am spending my time. Therefore, this analysis is from the week of 17 January – 23 January. During this week, I worked 32.5 hours at school and devoted 54 hours to sleep. This left me with 81.5 hours to spend in other areas of my life.

Therefore, how did I spend those remaining 81.5 hours?

  • Morning Routine (T-F): 5.75 hours 
  • Morning Routine (M/SAT-SUN): 3 hours
  • Travel to and from work (T-TH): 2.25 hours
  • Travel to and from other places: 4.25 hours
  • Afternoon Routine (M-TH): .5 of an hour (pet care for Tooty and cats, unpacking lunch box and school bag)
  • Chores: 11 hours (loading dishwasher, laundry, floors, washing out litter pan, bathrooms)
  • Walk (20 for 2022 Challenge): 2.75 hours
  • Read (includes #Read21in21 Challenge): 5.5 hours
  • Instagram Post (#yearofjoy2022): 1 hour
  • Goodreads: .5 of an hour 
  • Meals: 3.75 hours 
  • Evening Routine: 3.75 hours (shower; take Tooty out before bed)
  • Blog: 5.25 hours (Sunday-write, edit, revise, publish)
  • Content Creation: 13.75 hours (collaboration with Kelsi-YouTube)
  • TV Shows/Movies/YouTube: 2.5 hours
  • Napping: 0 hours
  • Social Events/Errands: 7.75 hours
  • Hanging out with Andrew: 1 hour

As a result, 74.25 hours were spent with family/friends, walking, creating content, fulfilling commitments/life responsibilities, and completing household tasks. My time bank still had 7.25 hours, and those additional hours were spent on other activities, such as playing Trivia Crack, interacting on social media (FB and Instagram), texting, phone calls, checking email, time-tracking, or puttering around the house.

It was an unusual, but gratifying, week since I was off Monday instead of Friday (MLK Day), played Pokeno on Monday evening (as a sub), attended Elton John’s concert with Shelly on Wednesday evening (original date 06/2020), worked from home on Friday (weather day), and did a livestream with Kelsi (Misery) on Sunday.

Clearly, the two weeks I tracked were not exactly the same. I had 2.5 extra hours this week than last week. So, on average I have about 6 hours a week to spend on my goals for 2022. Compared to last year when I had 19 hours, that is not very much time. Nevertheless, I am not discouraged. Last year, we had stricter COVID restrictions, so I was home more. After today, I do not have any social events scheduled for February or March. I am also participating in Frugal February again this year since it was a huge success last year. Therefore, my extra hours may increase considerably. In the next few weeks, I am considering keeping track of the time spent on items from my 22 for 2022 list.

There you have it, dear reader. Two weeks of time tracking, and I am a bit wiser about where my time is going, so I can adjust my schedule to be more productive and reach my goals for the year. It is also clear to me that I cannot do EVERYTHING I want to do at the same time. I will need to protect my extra time for the next two months and finish the first quarter of the year strong. In the meantime, I need to get ready to leave for Canton, Mississippi where I am attending an Audition Intensive Workshop today. Happiness!

“We must use time as a tool, not as a couch.” ~ John F. Kennedy

Note: Photo at the top is by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Pexels.com.

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