Try a Tri(athlon)

In an effort to help create a new habit and lifestyle, I am planning to participate in a novice triathlon. In support of this, I have started a new blog where I will be posting daily progress. You can check it out here: Triathlete or Mathlete.

In a Perfect World

...I would post more on this blog.
...I would figure out how to post from my phone.
...I wouldn't spend so much time on Facebook at night instead of creating some posts here.

Over the holiday I had many thoughts for blog posts. Do I remember any of them? Just this one.

Happy new year!

Anniversary / Birthday - Take Two

My blog turned two on November 27, 2008. I look back on my past year and see that...I blogged less this year than I did last year. Which is ok, really. My life has been very full and really, it wasn't that much less. I asked last year what my focus should be. And you know, I don't know that I really got more focused. But as I said before, that is ok. My husband thinks that Facebook may be the death of personal blogging. It is an interesting theory. If you are microblogging your status on Facebook or using Twitter, what need do you have to expand / expound?

I am still holding relatively steady with the ideas that I don't want to create a lot of stuff and I want to try to eliminate stuff from my life. I did paint 3 pictures this past year. Two were "laundry room art" (who says your laundry room has to be a boring place) for our laundry room. One was a sunflower that I painted for my friend's 40th birthday. I went to her house the other day and she has it hanging in her dining room. That made me happy.

I have been creating more music which to me doesn't fall into the category of "stuff". More exciting news there to come at a later date.

Thanks again for reading my blog. Do you know what my blog wants for its birthday / anniversary? For you to leave more comments please!

Have a good year!

P.S. Here are the blogs that I read on a regular basis (or at least as often as they post):

101 Cookbooks
bite my cookie
Bob's Photo Blog
Cheap Like Me
CityMama
dooce
Eric Magnuson
Farmer Scrub's blog
Gene Ehrbar's [TBD]
Green Options
ikea hacker (1)
SeeingGreen (TM)
The Favorite Aunt
Unclutterer (1)
Will's Thoughtstream

Poverty: Blog Action Day

Last year I wrote a post for Blog Action Day about the environment. This year the topic is poverty. Imagine you could help someone who was poverty stricken to build a life where money was a rule instead of an exception. Well, guess what? You can! You can loan as little as $25 to finance an entrepreneur. Kiva.org makes it easy to do person-to-person loans. You get to see a photo of the person (or people) you are making a loan to as well as what he or she is planning to do with the money. And this is not charity - you are not giving people money. You are giving them a monetary loan. That is right, a loan. And the majority of loans are paid back.

I just made a loan. How about you go and make one, too? If you do, let me know in the comments!

Paranoid?

A blogger I like to read posted this on Friday. Sigh.

Another box and two bags

Ok, I guess I am on a roll...I brought a big box o'books plus to bags to Goodwill today. More stuff out of the basement. Yay!

I did not make an appointment with myself as I mentioned in my previous post (mostly because I had technology problems). But I did send myself an email to schedule time to go through one box and one bag per week.

My favorite blogger has been working on a new website that will have local information for people with pre-schoolers. I guess it started as a site to find the right pre-school for you but is morphing into a link with local things to do. Sounds cool...but when will Portland be up and running?

What's it called when a log jam breaks free?

I haven't blogged about "stuff" in quite a while. But that doesn't mean that I haven't been thinking about it. In fact, up until a few weeks ago, a whole corner of my basement had been filled with baby items that were going to be sold at a huge 50 family rummage sale. The sale took place on the same weekend as Ladies Rock Camp and my mother graciously agreed to sell for me (bless her heart!). The sale got rid of about half the stuff. I went through the other half this weekend and saved a couple of items (which I think I can sell on Craig's List). I didn't count the rest of the bags but if I had to guess, I would say it totaled 16 bags plus two bulky items. Yesterday, I took that whole load to Goodwill. Whew! They didn't take one thing (a bed rail) which I still need to get rid of but basically I feel a huge weight off my shoulders. I still have some "clean up" to do from the sale. I had gathered a whole bunch of containers (mostly baskets and plastic boxes) for the sale and now I need to put everything back where it belongs. Once that is done, I can move some things in my office out of the way so that W can install an outlet and a heater. Just in time for summer. Sigh...at least I will be warm next winter!

O, Reader, How Do I Appreciate Thee?

How Do I Appreciate Thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth (your comments) and breadth (all two of you) and height (links to me) My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.

Today is "Reader Appreciation Day 2008" as suggested by The Other Mother. I got this idea from one of my fav bloggers Citymama who is also probably one of the first bloggers I got to reading on a consistent basis.

I have slaughtered, er, adjusted the beautiful Elizabeth Barret Browning poem ("How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.") in order to show you how much I appreciate you, my readers.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for commenting. You are why I am here! (Well, that and self-therapy and accountability). Thank you for joining me here, for witnessing, for providing love and support. Thank you all.

Mini Mini Retreat

Friday was the day I planned for my mini retreat. I did not get 4 hours in, only 2 and they were far less productive than I'd hoped. I thought, in 4 hours, I will have everything figured out! Then, I only gave it two hours. The interesting thing was, it was a LOT more complicated than I had anticipated. At first, I was thinking that I was going to figure out what I was going to do with my many blogs. Then, after a conversation with B, it seemed worthwhile to think about my career. When I sat down, I was overwhelmed to say the least. What I realized was that both answers to these questions were related to my personal goals. What kind of life do I want to live? Where do I want to spend my time?

Many years ago I dated someone whose extended family created yearly goals. At that time (can I blame it on my youth?) I found the idea laughable. A few years later, I found myself creating my own goals. In the past few years, I stopped creating goals as I was just trying to survive. The exercise on Friday brought it all back. I can't just look at one area of my life separately because they are all connected. For example, spending time on blogging may positively affect my need for writing and creativity but may negatively affect my time with family and friends. (I am not saying it does I am just trying to show how it is all connected).

On Friday, I found myself going back to the basics of recreating personal goals. In the past I have chosen to create a goal or goals in areas such as career, creativity, health, finance and relationships. What did I accomplish on Friday? I worked only on the finance goal as this topic is something that I have been thinking about quite a bit. Creating the rest of the goals will take some serious time and I think that spending 2-3 hours each session seems both doable. My plan is to set aside 2 -3 hours every other week until I have created all the goals. (Also, this means once I am done creating the goals I will have a continuing appointment with myself to work on the goals).

One thing I have to do with the finance goals is prioritize them and set actionable next steps. What is the point of having a goal if you are not going to work toward it? Right? I will keep you posted.

Mini Retreat Planned

A few blog posts ago, I mentioned that I really needed to think about the future of this blog. I was telling my "might as well" be my sister about this idea and she immediately thought I was talking about doing a mini retreat to think about my career. Hmm. This was not a bad idea especially considering some of the things that have been going on at work.

I set up time in the next few days for a mini retreat. I will definitely let you know the results.

Last (blog) words

Today I found a blog post that gave a tip for creating a truly compelling blog post. The idea is that you write as if the blog post were your last. Ever. If you could leave your readers with one thing, what would it be? Of course this brought up rather morbid thoughts for me especially after watching a video segment of Oprah where a dying professor is giving his last lecture. (You will need to click on a link to watch the video).

Warning: Don't watch this video in a place where you can't comfortably cry. Like work.

Over achiever

I enjoy blogging and I enjoy several other people's blogs. But I have a problem...and it revolves around being far too willing to say yes to blogging opportunities that come my way. I have this blog plus my accidental blog. I also own two more blogs at work plus occasionally posts for a group blog. (They are all internal to my company so I can't share them with you). All this adds up to a lot of fragmented blogging. I have struggled with finding my voice on this blog and on the others and I think that struggle is intensified by my schizophrenic blogging behavior. Sigh.

My friend Stuart says I am an over achiever (because I had to go and have twins instead of having just one baby at a time) and I think that it is applicable here - with this blogging thing. One of my favorite bloggers don't even stick to one particular topic but has an umbrella that many topics fit under. The name of my blog, Creation Halt, was chosen because it reflected my need to get away from creating more stuff. It also worked when I was doing a lot of decluttering last year to get rid of the stuff I had. But now I don't know what it means to me. It is like I need to go on a mini retreat to figure it out. Hey! That is not such a bad idea...I will plan to do that in the next few weeks.

One thing that W does that I don't do is that he uses some of the same posts inside our company and on his personal blog. Ok, I am seeing an action plan forming right now. Here it is...

1) Plan and execute a mini-retreat (let's say 4 hours) on the future of this blog. On this retreat, I would a) make sure this is what I want to be doing with my time (for me) and b) find something to focus on (for the sake of all of you readers).

2) Share some of my work posts here.

3) Do more simple linking posts once I have figured out where this blog is going and what I want to communicate.

Ok. I feel better now.

As always, thank you to whomever is reading this and thank you for your patience. Now I am going to quickly share a post that I wrote at work.

Creating a new habit

At some point I stumbled across a blog called Zen Habits which I have been reading regularly ever since. Here is an excerpt from the "About" page on the Zen Habits website:

"My name is Leo Babauta, I’m married with six kids, I live on Guam, I’m a writer and a runner and a vegetarian and I love writing Zen Habits.

Zen Habits covers: achieving goals, productivity, being organized, GTD, motivation, eliminating debt, saving, getting a flat stomach, eating healthy, simplifying, living frugal, parenting, happiness, and successfully implementing good habits."

I have enjoyed being inspired by Leo's posts and have tried to make some changes in my life because of them. One thing I am currently involved in is a challenge to create a new habit. The idea is that if a) you get into the habit of doing something daily and b) you report on your progress daily, you are more likely to create a habit. As such, I joined the February Challenge with the goal of doing my back exercises every day. I didn't read about it until February 4th but I have been doing my exercises and posting every day since then. My back thanks me.

Even better, the energy I am getting from meeting my committment to myself seems to be spilling into the rest of my life. The other day I finally cleaned off my dresser, I have been trying to keep the kitchen counter clutter free and I started the first paintings I have painted in I-don't-know-how-long.

Are there any habits you would like to cultivate? If you decide to join the challenge...let me know. I am planning to create another habit next month.

Sushifest 2008

Based on some droolworthy posts by one of my favorite bloggers, CityMama, I got it in my mind that I wanted to make raw fish sushi at home. One thing that really stood out in the second post was that she got an entire pound of tobikko. Yum! That is R and I's favorite! I made a comment asking her where to get tobikko (she used to live in my city) and she told me to go to Uwajimaya. In further correspondence, I asked her where to get sushi grade fish and she pointed me again to Uwajimaya.

Last Saturday, we took the kids and made the trek to Uwajimaya. The kids had a blast. The all loved the huge dragon hanging over the checkout counters. R got to meet her "Hello Kitty" needs and the boys wanted to sit in front of the live crab tank forever. As a raw fish sushi novice, I asked the nice man behind the counter to help me figure out what to get. Here is what ended up in our shopping cart: tuna (two cuts), yellowtail, salmon, octopus (my daughter wanted a piece the size of her head but we just got a few slices to try), tobikko (sadly no pound size containers!), and eel (unagi). We bought a variety of Japanese beers. I forgot all about the wasabi and the pickled ginger but happily, we had them both at home along with nori and avocado.

Our friends Nicole and Gene and their twins came over. Nicole had told me Gene was an experienced sushi chef. I immediately went to work with him to create nigiri, assorted rolls, and some sashimi (when we ran out of rice). Gene did turn out to be the master sushi chef (thank goodness). The kids had fun eating handfuls of tobikko (no kidding - there was tobikko EVERYWHERE!) and sushi rice while we were making the sushi.

It took us quite a while to make all the sushi. I had forgotten about that part! But in the end we all sat down at the table and had an amazing feast. R (who is 4) was game to try everything. Remember she was the one who wanted the octopus but in the end she didn't care for it.

Here is a photo of our spread. I can't wait until the next Sushifest!

Calling Cards

I really need to have some calling cards made up. Otherwise, how do you point someone to your blog? It is not like they are going to remember creationhalt dot blogspot dot com! Heck, you can find this blog if you search for "creation halt" but who is going to remember to do that? What about the rest of you out there? What have you done? How do you share your electronic information in the physical world?

Then of course, there is this problem. We sent out a holiday letter this year and what did I do? I put the name of my blog down wrong! Arg! Luckily, that name wasn't taken so I created another blog to point to this one but I think the damage has already been done. I need to be better at editing I guess!

Top Baby Items for New Parents

As parents of three kids, W and I have opinions about what baby items are worthwhile. We have created lists of these items in the past and I thought it was about time to put the information on my blog. That way, I wouldn't have to search for the list every time a friend told me they were expecting!

Just so you know --- you don't really need more stuff in your house. IMHO, I think baby essentials are diapers, breasts and a safe place to sleep. All the rest just makes being a parent easier.

Here is a list of our top baby items. They are in no particular order:

1. Sling for carrying the baby. You may want to try a variety of slings since you don't know what will work for you and with your baby. Also, different slings and baby carriers work at different ages of the baby. Our favorite sling is from Kangaroo Korner and it is called the "adjustable fleece pouch." When your baby gets bigger, and you don't want to carry the weight on one shoulder any more, try the Ergo Carrier. I find this carrier extremely comfortable and my twins love it (one at a time of course).

2. Pure lanolin (brand name I used is Lansinoh) if you are going to nurse your baby. Buy the smallest tube available because it lasts forever! This product is wonderful at helping soothe the nursing mother.

3. Breast pump (again if you are going to nurse your baby - which I highly recommend). Don't get a hand pump - it is not worth the time or energy! Electric breast pumps are very efficient which as a mother you will appreciate. I used a Medela Pump-In-Style which worked great.

4. Fleece car seat insert to keep the baby warm without messing with blankets. We used a Bundle Me which we really liked.

5. Lots of blankets for swaddling the baby. Swaddling new babies helps them to feel secure (like the womb) and helps them not startle themselves awake. The ones we liked the best were waffle weave which are a little stretchier than flannel. You may also want to check out a book - The Happiest Baby on the Block which has great tips for settling a baby.

6. Hylands Colic Tablets - a homeopathic remedy for colicky babies. Nice to have on hand. The Hylands Teething Tablets and Gel are great for when babies start teething as well.

7. The Baby Book by Dr. Sears. This is a nice "how to" for new parents. It has simple information such as how to bathe your baby or monthly milestones. I really love this book.

8. A bouncer is a nice tool to have when you need to have your hands free (i.e. while cooking dinner). Some parents I know have one on each level of their home. I like the simpler bouncers the best. We used one similar to this. One of our children, in particular, was really soothed by the vibration mode.

9. 3-D Activity Gym - you put your baby on the floor under this and the baby looks at it and plays with it. We had a red, white and black one like this where the kids did their "tummy time." Remember, babies don't see colors at first - just contrasts so red, white and black are best.

10. Lactation consultant!!! If you are going to nurse, I cannot stress this one enough. Nursing is not innate (which is what I thought). It is a joint learning process between you and your child. A lactation consultant can really help set you up for a wonderful nursing experience. If possible, get a recommendation from a trusted friend.

11. Cod Liver Oil. Taking Cod Liver Oil when you are pregnant makes your baby smarter. We use this tasty one (no really) that is lemon flavored. For more information on this topic, check out W's blog post on the topic.

If you go here, you will find a list of W's dad recommendations which includes the post on Cod Liver Oil.

I am recommending these products and books because I have had good experiences with them and not because anyone paid me or otherwise coerced me to post.

Oddly relieved

Ok, so I guess I am back to my old ways...of not posting that often. But I must say, I am oddly relieved to be away from the stress of Nanowrimo and NaBloPoMo. I have taken a real break from my computer (except for work) and I think it has been good for me. I am getting more sleep - yay!

I have not done anything on my novel except print it out to be read. I am old school and need to see it in printed format where I can make changes in red. It will be interesting to see if the efficiency-loving part of my personality can overcome this to do my editing on my computer. I feel like I need to go back to the Nanowrimo website and figure out what to do next...

I know that some funny things were said this weekend but I cannot, for the life of me, remember what they were. :) I guess I am not getting quite enough sleep.

Using Flickr Photos on Your Blog

Although I have put some of my own photos on this blog, I never really considered using other people's photos here. Today I read an excellent article on Skelliewag's blog about how to find photos on Flickr. Obviously, you only want to use photos that are OK to use. The author goes through all the Creative Commons licenses and what you need to do to use them. I decided to try uploading a photo here as practice.

Photo by SoftPIX_Techie

p.s. I took a couple of days away from the computer and I think that was a good thing. Now I am motivated to continue posting regularly.

Happy Birthday Creation Halt!

Year One

Today is my blog's birthday. Creation Halt is O-N-E. How do you celebrate the birthday of a blog? I created this blog around the holidays last year in order to come to terms with all the stuff in my life and stuff that was likely going to come into my life (and my kid's lives). During this past year, I have worked hard to get my "stuff" into some sort of reasonable order. I have given lots away to friends, given some away to Goodwill, recycled a lot of paper, and the list goes on. This blog has provided me with a "non-stuff creating" creative outlet, a place to bounce ideas off my readers and a way to keep me honest. It has also been a vehicle for me to learn a new skill (blogging) and to participate in NaBloPoMo.


A big thank you goes out to all my readers (all 3 or 4 of you). :)
A special thanks goes out to anyone who has ever posted a comment or linked to me. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Year Two
As I move into year two of this blog, I need to think about what my focus will be. I know I enjoy reading blogs that have a focus. Here is a question for all of you readers...what do you want to read about? I know that M has requested more "dooce-esque" type stories and I will try to capture those when they happen (but they don't happen every day). More sustainability? More novel writing? How about the novel editing process? What else? I'd love to hear from all of you. You can help guide this second year.

Thanks again!

Days 24 and 25: Nanowrimo

Nanowrimo

Words written so far: 41,822

Impressions: I swear, after Nanowrimo is finished (only 5 more writing days) I will only mention my novel in passing! (At least until Nanoedmo - National Novel Editing Month).

Yesterday, thanks to John and Babs, I took a well deserved day off of writing. We had a lovely dinner (see previous post about green beans) and I just didn't feel like writing when they left. I caught up during my kid's nap time today and then busted out more words tonight. I feel that I am getting closer to the end of my story. I am starting to tie up loose ends. I worry that it doesn't all fit togther but I am ok with that for now.

I realized today that there is virtually no description - of people or characters, in my novel. It is just about what is happening in the story. Is that ok? I have no idea. I guess we shall have to see if editing this unweildy thing bears more description.

I have heard that 50,000 words is not "technically" a novel, that it is more like a novella. Hmmm...I need to understand more about that.

Likelihood of Finishing Nanowrimo: 100%. Only 8,178 words to go.

NaPoBloMo update: Even though I missed on day, (see previos post about getting locked out of the house), I have blogged every other day in the month of November - some days even more than once. I still consider myself a winner on the blogging front. And I am coming up on my 1 year blog anniversary!