Today was sure a day. I’m calling it a pancake day. If you haven’t heard me say this before, it’s an expression I got from my roommate. It’s a day you throw out like the first pancake in the batch. Basically, it means that it was a tough one, and I just want it over.
The first day back to work is always the hardest. The email list is long. The projects have piled up. Today’s snow made it even worse. I had the worst commute home in my Pittsburgh history: nearly 1.5 hours to go less than 10 miles. On top of that, I’m feeling sluggish, slightly sick, and didn’t get an ounce of sleep last night.
Despite all this complaining, I had a glimmer of hope tonight. With all that time in the car, I kept thinking about new years resolutions. They are popping up all over the blog world, and I can’t help but feel like I need a list too. What do I want to make of myself this year?
Part of my 2012 thinking is that I want to let go of lists and just simply live. I don’t want resolutions. I want projects. I want to keep my hands busy and my mind sharp. I want to grow something from the beginning. I want to feel the way I did in grad school: full of endless creative possibilities.
I have some ideas for how I can accomplish more this year and find a more creative me again. But just like getting into a healthy routine, there’s always a little cleaning that needs to happen first. Out with the old, in with the new. Despite feeling like absolute garbage, I decided to tackle my mess of a craft corner. I can’t get started unless I get rid of 2011 first. This here was the scene:
Twenty minutes. That’s what I told myself. Just work on this area for 20 minutes. Exhaust yourself. Get it done. It’ll be over before you know it. This is what it looked like after. (Forgive the litter box. I have no other place for it).
Twenty minutes equals 1.5 bags of garbage. I hate to waste, but I just need rid of so many things before I can get back to basics.
Tomorrow’s 20 minutes will be organizing the drawers. The next day, I will tackle the other craft corner: a cupboard housing many of my paints, glue, and former projects. Then, maybe I will think about what I want to accomplish this year.
For starters, all I know is that I want to challenge myself. I want to challenge myself and stick to a goal.
What are your goals for the year? You can call them resolutions, if you want.
Sorry about the tough day but go you for cleaning! I find that a clear space definitely encourages creativity. Personally, I’m just approaching 2012 with an intention: make today that someday. I also read “lighten the fuck up” which I love despite (or perhaps because of) the profanity. Life is meant to be lived, not taken too seriously, right?
I hate to waste, too, but sometimes those garbage bags full of clutter do a WORLD of good on my mind. Glad you were able to clear up some space – and I love the idea of challenging yourself.
In the spirit of your post, I’m challenging myself to finish a first draft of a novel this year. And my motto is, “Don’t stop believing.”
I had a similar goal two years ago – basically just to push myself beyond the point of comfort and accomplish things that would fulfill me. I’ve been continuing that goal ever since. I think you’ve made a great start!
Getting your craft room organized opens the door for new creativity. I got my work space all spit spotted a few weeks ago, and once I started working in there again, it didn’t take long for new chaos to occur. I guess that’s all part of it. As for goals, I’m just going to take each day as it comes and hope for wonder!
I have been mentally writing, rewriting and editing my “resolution” post since November. It remains unfinished. There is so much I want to accomplish this year, it is overwhelming. Oh god, and the cleaning I have to do, as well. There’s a reason I refer to my crafting space as the craft dungeon. Good for you for tackling the cleaning/ organizing. I wish that there was a craft cleaning fairy who could clean up all my messes and throw away all the junk I hoard that I might use someday.
Ooh, it feels good, doesn’t it? I went through my bookshelves (which literally have hundreds and hundreds of books on them) and packed up four bags. You can’t even tell anything happened, but I know it did.
And I’m with Danielle… let’s make this a year for living! And getting you to NYC