Hello friends,
I haven’t written a real post in months because, frankly, I feel like I have nothing new to say and I’ve just been repeating myself for a while now.
I’m still using my friendly resolutions chart most months. I’m at a sixty-five day streak for working out. My meditation practice continues. I’m looking at job postings every day, but haven’t applied to anything in a while. You know how much I’ve been reading because that’s the one thing we do keep in touch about. Although, I forgot to post the books I read in November. Whoops.
I did Nanowrimo in November and have a solid first draft of a novel done. Fifty-six thousand words including outline and character sketches. This is the seventh book I’ve started since publishing my first and it’s my favorite one I’ve written so far. I think someone else will get to read this book…after it goes through about a hundred more drafts.
Here is my latest fantasy.
Someone: “I read your book!”
Me, nonchalantly: “Oh? Which one?”
🙂
Pandemic sucks my motivation and ability to be social. I now have a television for the first time in my adult life and I’m feeling very conflicted about it. I like watching an episode of something on Hulu at night, but I miss being the type of person who didn’t have a television. Then I tell myself that not having a television is not a personality trait.
I did some woodworking, which is crazy fun. Want to see some before and after pictures? This was a desk a friend had in his backyard for years. His old roommate had rescued it from an alley intending to restore it, but moved before she could do it. He offered it to me for free.
I borrowed a sander and bought some sandpaper at the home improvement store.
Before!
Step 2: Paint and stain. I went to the home improvement store for the second time to get spray paint and wood finish.
Oof, wrong turn. I liked the idea of the light blue, but not the reality. I went back to the home improvement store and bought some white spray paint and some drawer pulls and some plugs to cover up the nail holes.
That’s better.
I want to do this more. Sanding something is so satisfying. I spent $49 on this project and I put it up for sale for $60 and people wanted it! I decided to keep it, but I feel a nice smile forming out of the fact that I could have been a professional carpenter if I had sold it. 🙂
I’m not sure what’s up with all the emojis in this article.
For funsies, here are my resolutions and grades from November.
Work out – A+ (934 minutes, 31 minutes average per day)
Meditate – B
Nanowrimo – A
Phone in other room – A
No sugar – A
No eating out – B
Job hunt – A
Floss – A
Remember, “it’s easy to be heavy, hard to be light” – A+
Evening Tidy – A
Read fifty pages – A+
Not a bad month even if I do say so myself! I hope your 2020 isn’t all bad as we slide into the final month. I love you all more than gangbusters. Parting emoji. 🙂
I’m happy to hear from you again.
And would be very happy to be a test reader of your book…
You introduced me to this resolution thingy a few years ago, and I’m still loving it. Especially in these weird Covid-times, I find the resolutions give structure to my day.
There is no doubt i’m fitter and healthier thanks to my resolutions. And my Thai has improved 🙂
For 2021 I should also squeeze in ‘meditation’ in my list. That would be BIG.
You have no idea how much it pleases me that you’re using and loving the resolutions chart. I found it to be a game changer.
Thanks for the offer to be a beta reader!! I’m simultaneously terrified and excited about the idea of someone reading my fiction.
That’s awesome =) Sanding/DIY is so much fun.. I just don’t know if I enjoy it to be my source of income, that sucks out the fun =)
What kind of jobs are you looking for? I want something fun, and social, and only when I want to do it, so that limits my options a lot since employers seem to want me to show up and do the work haha.
I want a job with a cause that I’m passionate about, a place where I can feel like I’m making the world a little better.
You’re probably right about not making it into a career. I could see the delicate sanding getting pretty old pretty quickly.
Someone I know spends his time working for USaid food assistance programme, where he flies off to disaster areas to assist with disaster relief post hurricanes etc. His work involves flying drones to see how the terrain looks so they can send in the giant amphibious vehicles and deliver food. I liked the idea of tech and impact, without stressing about constant fund raising which a lot of NGOs seem to require all the time.
It sounded kinda cool, and doing some meaningful work can be great. Do you want the work to include your legal background, or are you keen on being more hands on type of projects? It seems that some of the governmental agencies can actually make an impact and aren’t just bureaucratic nightmares after all.
Good luck in your journey!
I think it will include my legal background, but I don’t know…
Love hearing from you again! Puts a smile on my face. Love the desk and the wood working! Do more, please! Denver has some great woodworking classes that will start up again after the pandemic! Be well!
Yes! I am so going to take woodworking classes and be the next Bob Villa.
Another post totally enjoyed by me
Another comment thoroughly enjoyed by me!
Yay, great to see a post from you! I am SO impressed by your woodworking and also your workout streak! Since you are also into meditation, have you thought about doing an online meditation retreat? I have gotten into them lately – the perfect pandemic hobby!
I’ve never even heard of online meditation retreats. I love the idea though! Thanks for the suggestion.
Thirty gal ! Your amazing. I’m so glad you doing better – you seem like your normal self again. In one of your previous updates you were talking about wanting to go back to work but feeling from what i gauged, somewhat hopeless. I’m sorry you were feeling like that but at the same time I really appreciate you being so transparent with your feelings and your thoughts. I felt so much less alone in my personal struggles. I could see a lot of my own feelings and thought processes reflected back To me. And my own tendency to overthink and get very caught up in my head. And it made me wonder if I am living with depression (although I don’t come across that way at all to most people) without even realizing it. In any case i just wanted to also say that you inspired me severall years ago to begin a retirement savings. I opened up a VTSAX about a year and a half ago. I contribute only a modest amount to it each month. But I feel proud of myself for being the best steward I can to my own well being. I was wondering If maybe one day you could right a post on the Process of calculating and withdrawing the .03 or .04 percent from your funds. Like a really dumbed down post. I’m actually confused. Because if your funds constantly fluctuate then .03 percent is going equal a different amount depending on when you withdraw it. Right ? So do you withdraw it on a monthly basis. I’ve never actually taken any money out of my VTSAX. ( although .03 percent wouldn’t be very much anyway )
Thanks.
Sam
Thanks for taking the time to comment. I appreciate the idea for a new post, too!
I think in the end, it’s about how much security you feel you need, but let me think about it some more and try to write a post about it.
You might enjoy the Queens Gambit. It is a Netflix original 7 part series about chess.
I have followed your posts since you were a financial inspiration. Recently, our relationship has been just a one-way friend, where you do all the work. Nice to hear from you again.
’bout time you do some of the work! 😉
Chess is great! I’ve heard a lot of people talk about chess recently because of that show.
Your desk refurbishing for potential profit makes me think you should try an episode of “Flea Market Flip”. Should be available on Hulu. I think you’ll enjoy it.
😁
😀
=-D
(Just checking to see if that’s how you do that emoji)
Thanks for the suggestion!
The desk looks nice! I will contract you to re-stain my balcony if you’re willing to travel. That job has been waiting for me for about 2 years now XD
I just published a book on amazon. It is just a few short stories in a very large anthology, but it is a nice feeling. I’m sure it will be at the top of the NY Times bestseller list soon.
And I know the feeling about TV time. It feels like it is consuming a lot of my day. So I won’t recommend “Devs” or “Dash&Lily” or “Kim’s Convenience” to you.
Huge congrats on the book! I look forward to seeing it on the best seller list.
I’ve never even heard of those shows! There’s a whole new world opening up to me.
My reactions to your four desk photos:
1. No way that’s ever gonna look good.
2. Hold on, now that looks like maybe it could be a pretty nice desk.
3. Eww. Not my taste.
4. Perfect. Awesome. That’s a desk you could write a novel at.
Very nice woodworking project! Always good to be creative and learn new skills. I think having a TV can be awesome! So many funny shows to watch! Like “Schitt’s Creek” and the “Big Bang Theory”. You can always invite people over to watch with you. Or get things done at home while the TV plays in the background. I always look forward to your posts. 🌞
It really means a lot to read your last sentence. Thanks!
Ha! I had very similar reactions, but I’d also add that I’d actually probably pay a lot more than $60 for that desk. It’s beautiful!
Lesson learned that it’s worth more than $60!
That was my exact reaction too! Haha. As soon as I started putting on the blue, I knew it wasn’t right, but I had to see for myself.
Thank you for sharing! There’s something so satisfying about making something neglected into something creative and cared for. Also, on the job front, have you considered finding a volunteer position? Not sure if you’re looking for the financial boost or just the life structure, but it’s something I’ve enjoyed when done very part-time/flexibly.
I do volunteer! I’m looking for a job for more structure. And because I kind of want to buy a house.
Actually, I liked the blue.
I sent that picture to so many of my friends. Only two liked the blue more. My sister was one of them. You’re in good company!
If you want to be without a TV do like I did and plug it into the wall without a surge protector. Then wait for a lightning storm and vwalla, TV no workie.
Oh man! I didn’t even know that was a thing that could happen. Mental note to buy a surge protector!
See, I think not having a tv is a personality trait. I lived without tv for the first 7 years of my adult life and was productive and more interesting, unlike the last 7 years.
I loved learning woodworking at the local community college, but hate sanding, so we would make a good team.
Good to see a post from you, Anita
I agree it’s a personality trait! But I have one now, so my personality feels different. Less smug? 🙂
Awesome!! I’m so glad to hear you had a solid month. And so pumped about the woodworking!!!
I’ve gotten into it a bit and it really is so satisfying to work on something so tangible.. and seeing the before/after is amazing! I hope there are more fun projects in your future 🙂
Me too! The only problem is that I don’t have any tools, a space to work on projects, or the know how. 🙂 Just waiting to see what the universe sends me!
https://www.thelabdenver.org/
“Due to the overall uncertainty that this Covid-19 pandemic is creating, The Lab will be temporarily closed until we can address and improve the safety of the workspace.” :'(
“We’ll add updates to the website as we decide how to move forward and improve the space during the coming weeks. We hope to see everyone again in the near future.”
Merely a temporary setback. Take this time to read up on the subject….
https://catalog.denverlibrary.org/search/title.aspx?ctx=1.1033.0.0.6&pos=1&cn=2049728
Glad to hear from you. I was hoping for some kind of post election post because while not ideal the outcome wasn’t all bad right??? There is some kind of light at the end of the tunnel and that is as a good reason any to feel a little better.
I did so much volunteering for the election and then I completely checked out around six pm on the day of the election and stopped following the news. I got periodic updates via text from a lot of people, but I still don’t know the full results. I just can’t stomach it!
But yes, at least some of the results are a big fat sigh of relief!
You volunteered for the election? That is fantastic! You shouldn’t bury the leed like that. Wow, good on ya.
Thanks!
Nice job INTJ
I’m trying
Yey! You are back. You are my original financial independence aspiration. I’m about 2 years out from leaving the workforce (markets depending), and your writing has helped me on the journey 🙂
Two years! That will fly by! Hopefully. 🙂
I love your name too. A life less meh. That’s all we can aspire to.
I love to read your posts and wait for them. But i have not enjoyed your posts on books as I don’t get time to read them, please post more general posts like this…
Desk is good, wood color is good on wood but blue is also fine.
My friend started a Dairy during the lockdown, this is also a service to society as in India, we get plastic milk rather than real milk, he is selling pure milk, he is earning lot of money and serving society by selling pure milk, please look at such options also, where you get money and serve society also.
Being at home, all of us are spending time with ourselves, this is bring out all our shortcomings, think more about our past and mistakes and dwell on all time wasted on people and tasks that have not given any fruit and gone waste. It is difficult for many but the more you think about it, all will come out and evaporate, so in a way it is good.
Please post more even though small posts, we enjoy your posts.
If you have any suggestions on topics that I should write about, I’m all ears!
Hey there! Comments were closed on the previous page, but if you enjoyed The Hidden Life of Trees (which, I’ve admittedly not yet read), check out The Overstory by Richard Powers. It’s a fictional story that brings multiple characters together about their individual connection to trees. It’s a fabulous novel and it won the Pulitzer. Perhaps one of the top 3 books I’ve read in previous years.
That’s high praise! Thanks for the suggestion. 🙂
Are you wanting to buy a house in Denver? That is a real commitment. I am trying to let go of my commitment fears and buy in the bay area, California, but prices are absurd right now. It is so financially scary!
I hear ya, brother! I want a house. Just not sure where. And then I’m like, if you’re not sure where, you shouldn’t buy a house.
But I want a compost bin. And a place to grow tomatoes. And a place to do wood working.
Yes, I feared picking /committing to a location too, but am pretty sure I’ll be here for awhile at least…maybe longer…just need some more space, privacy, my family is driving me nuts in this quarantine! I’m becoming a minimalist, but it would be nice to have some nice furniture and some cool things that I would actually have space for in a backyard and house. Good luck!
dug.org – a place to grow tomatoes
Very interested to hear more about your property plans! I can understand the pull of wanting a home of one’s own. Being nomadic for so long has made me yearn for some permanence – like composting and veggie patches. I know you’ve not been so interested In property before as part of your investment strategy, but this sounds like a shift in your retirement plans / life plans. A general financial/ life plans post would be really useful.
I have no actual plans, just a thought that one day I’ll own property and have the veggie patch and the compost pile. I’m due to write my “Updating my Chart – 2020” post after 12/31, so I’ll give you my thoughts then. Thanks for the request!