Wednesday, March 9, 2011

The Sun Is Out!!

...not that it doesn't do that about 300 days of the year here in Colorado, but we were starting to wonder.

    Pretty much all of the snow is gone, as is our woodpile. The daffodils are poking out inquisitive green leaves. The dust has turned to mud, a welcome change. And the spinach in my greenhouse is sprouting like great guns.
    By this weekend, it's supposed to be in the 60s around here. Go figure.
* * * * * * * * *
A post-on-the-way-to-another-post eventually led me to this one: on how to make -- and keep -- promises to yourself.  (Thank you, Pick the Brain blog.) It got me to thinking about the deadlines, and commitments, I've tried to set for yourself. When I put a date on something, am I really taking it seriously? Have I honestly thought about how much I need to get done each day, in order to accomplish that goal?
   I have a big writing job in progress -- deadline: April 1st. Instead of dithering until the 20th or so, then working day and night to accomplish it, I am trying to set at least one hour aside every day -- without fail -- to work just on this project. I've also been:
    *Keeping cooking easy (like making double the amount, and freezing some for later)
    *Trying to tidy up as I go (so no big messes get in the way, and need extra time to clean up)
   *Minimizing my trips out to do errands and such (doing three tasks in one trip means time saved traveling)

Hey...this might also lead to good use-of-my-time patterns all year round!
   Back to work. Here's hoping your world is coming into spring, too. Finally.


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I know exactly what you mean about not thinking how much time a project with a deadline is going to take to accomplish. Each project looks basically simple, but nothing I do ever turns out to be fast and easy. There is always that life outside the studio run by other people's schedules. Life always seems to get in the way of creativity for me. I need a deadline as an excuse to make studio time without guilt. I am always making my deadline with bloody fingers from last minute hand binding.
Happy sunshine
sharyn

Cindy Brick said...

...And I am guessing, Sharyn, that you're stitching with bloody fingers, just as the sun comes up! I have seen so many 'profound' movies (that turned out to be really stupid) early in the morning, thanks to quilt restoration or quilting deadlines. Stephen King's PET CEMETARY ranks high on this list.
I used to be able to stay up all hours of the night, and still function during the day. Am starting to realize I can only do that a few times during the month before it catches up to me. Is that called 'getting old?'
Thanks so much for writing. You have a 'deadline sister' to commiserate with you now!

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