Week B, Day 2, Days Until Next Guest TBA (still rescheduling)

So I got mixed up yesterday and thought it was the first official day but my first official day is next Monday. Silly me.

Unfortunately no cleaning tonight. I just got home from Kelly's surprise Birthday party and have to pack for my next kid sitting job.

On a good note though I have become much better at picking up after myself and taking care of things immediately. For example. Right now I just got my mail and, rather than setting it someone to take care of it, I am at my computer about to take care of it (two computer things).

So, for tonight thats it. Just updating. I will try to come Friday and still do my weekly maintenance even though I am not here all week, I can do some more deep cleaning perhaps.

Day 1 of my first week!

Week B, Day 1, Days Until Next Guest TBA (We are working on rescheduling)

Ok today is a true test of how I will do. Its midnight and I just finished working on Kelly's birthday present. I can't explain that until later in case she reads this. So, I am going to go do my daily chores and then report back!

Ok I picked up my bedroom and tried to do 15 minutes but hit a point where I don't know what to do to finish that area. That and I am exhausted. So we will see how this works. I think I need to start a new area tomorrow and then go back to that later.

I will check back tomorrow!

Pre-schedule

Week A, Day 2, Days Until Next Guest 22

Organizing is like taking drugs. A lot of people won't do it, but those who do are addicted.

I have Fridays off at work and so while the kids are in school stopped by my house to feed my pets. I decided, since I was here, I should follow my list as if I were here all week. What would I be doing on Fridays?

3 things:
Daily Maintenance (picking up an area a day)
Weekly Maintenance:
1. Empty Wastebaskets
2. Change Bed Linens
3. Vacuum
4. Sweep
5. Eliminate an annoying pile
6. Do your 15 minutes of organization

I didn't get into as much deep cleaning today as I normally would (for instance my floors need a good mopping, but they only got swept today). But Next week I will do the same and get a little more done since I won't be here all week so it should stay pretty much the same.

During my 15 minutes I was working on the baskets on my hope chest and cleaned one out enough to put some DVDs in there! I was very excited. It looks nice!!!

I probably won't post tomorrow as I don't see me having internet access again until Monday. See you then!

A New Chapter

I have hit upon it! Struck gold! Inspiration came and spun me about! I have my goal for the year. Seems a little strange to start something like this now so close to the new year, but why wait and lose momentum?! For those of you who actually possibly maybe enjoy my random ramblings, you will still get some of that here. It is still Habitual Impracticality after all.

I have been on this organizing and cleaning kick. Not because my house is a total disaster but it is cluttered. I don't care for clutter. I don't find it relaxing and I don't like to invite people over. So here is the ultimate goal. Get my house to the point of being able to invite people over at the drop of a hat. In order to get there, I will have 52 weeks to accomplish 12 dinners, 12 teas, and 4 overnighters.

So here's the plan, every two weeks I will alternate between having someone over for tea or dinner. In the in between time I will have to seriously prepare for the two week appointment so that I am ready. The overnighters will be once a quarter since I have a lot of little ladies and at least one teen that has wanted to spend the night. That would probably end up being a tea and dinner and overnighter all in one. How will I be ready you ask?

15 minutes a night 5 nights a week working on organizing a problem area. Current problem area is the clutter on my hope chest in my bedroom, next will be my bedroom closet. (Pics will be posted).

6 days a week clean one area in my house (I have six areas: Living Room, Dining Room, Kitchen, Laundry Room, Bathroom, and Bedroom). This doesn't have to be spotless but at least picked up. Though, the deeper cleaning should be done because I will be planning to have someone over.

Fridays and Saturdays is laundry, but this is not a concern of mine for having someone over. It is just more organization possibilities.

This week I am still kid sitting. Next week I will be kid sitting again and so the following week, October 5, will be the beginning of cleaning. Which means that I must invite someone over for tea on the 16th or 17th of October. That will be the end of my first two weeks.

By the end of the year I hope to be relaxed more, due to less clutter, and my house will hopefully be more hospitable. I have always dreamed of having my home be an open door for people just to stop by. This is an awesome goal as it involved helping me get organized, working on my baking skills (I love baking), practicing meal planning (I definitely need more practice there) and keeping my schedule organized in a planner. I do think if I can stick this out I will have a very successful year all around!

My first goal, since I'm not home to clean, is to invite Tonya over for tea. I need a looming deadline!!!

This has been Week A (we aren't at week 1 yet) Day 1.

Why Sleep When You Can Stay Awake

I may not be able to post over the next few days. I might try to get in early at work but I'm not sure. I may not have internet access in the evenings. If you would like to know why then you can check it out at my Other Blog and then you will know. Next week I should be fine and have full access.

Day 18, Post 18

I have been watching the TV Series 24. I'm on season 3, currently from 5 a.m. to 6 a.m. For those of you who don't know it follows the lives of several CTU (Counter Terrorist Unit) agents. Season 1 was about one crisis and it occurs in real time. Meaning every minute that passes is a real minute. So you don't see flashbacks or skip ahead or anything.

My question is how often you have stayed awake for a full 24 hours in the past 10 years? And have you found that it has gotten harder as you get older?

I ask that because each season there is one or two people that get no sleep for the entire 24 hours. Not a hard stretch, especially considering their jobs. But to do this once a year every year...now I start to wonder. These people aren't getting any younger. At what point to they just crack?

So my question for the day is (I guess I'm on a theme of asking a question every day right now) when was the last time you were awake for 24 hours give or take a few hours and why?

My last time was about 9 months to a year ago. I got a call from a friend at about 2 a.m. I had only been asleep for about 2 hours. She needed to talk, she was going through a crisis. We met up and talked until about 6 a.m. From that point I had only a few hours before I had to be somewhere. So I went home and showered, then went about my day. Didn't get home until late. So I was awake for about 37 hours minus about a 2 hour nap. I didn't do so well with it. I was slurring by the end.

Ok, your turn!!!

Heirlooms Are Just Your Ancestors Junk?

Day 17, Post 17

What is the oldest thing you own? I have several books that are quite old. Printed in the 1800's. I may even have a few older than that.

That is one way to answer. But another would be something you have had forever. For example, I have a book that I got when I was very young called "The Monster At The End Of This Book." It is so old the cover is coming off. I have the entire book memorized.

Or it could be something that is old and an heirloom because its been in the family. I have my mother's class ring. Not quite an heirloom yet but perhaps when I pass it down to my daughter it will be.

Stuff is funny isn't it? We have stuff that is precious to us for about a week and then we wonder what we saw in that item. Then we have other items that we would be devastated to lose because Great Great Great Great Great Aunt Betsy owned it. Well who knows, perhaps Great Great Great Great Great Aunt Betsy kept meaning to get rid of that because it was just more stuff in her house. Or perhaps she loved it and cherished it and that's why she passed it down.

Every item has a story to tell. Whether it be that she hated that vase and couldn't ever get rid of it because her mother in law gave it to her for a wedding present. Or that the vase was her first anniversary gift from her husband and it was her favorite because they had so little money and he scraped a few pennies together to buy it. Or simply, it was just a vase she liked, but she always had fresh flowers in it and the vase reminds you of her (well...not if she is your great great great great great aunt, but you know what I mean).

So tell me about some of your old items. Tell me their stories. If you are the first in your family to own it, why do you keep it? If you are the 12th generation what do you know about it?

I Have The Advantage

Day 16, Post 16
Things you can do when you live alone:
1. Drink out of the bottle/carton.
2. Eat Ice Cream out of the carton, then put it back in the freezer.
3. Walk around in whatever you like or not in whatever you don't like.
4. Sing at the top of your lungs.
5. Pray out loud.
6. Eat the same thing 3 meals in a row.
7. Stay up late doing nothing.
8. Keep control of the remote.
9. Live like a neat freak or a slob.
10. Talk to yourself/objects/people not in the room/pets.

An Ode To Food

Day 15, Post 15
Lemon Pepper Grilled Tilapia served over a bed of Baby Spinach Green lightly cooked in a Lemon Pepper Olive Oil. It was fantastic.

Food is a very powerful manipulator of our emotions. You can have the worst day of your life, come home and sit down to an amazing meal and it changes your whole outlook. Food brings comfort when you are down. It can relax you after a stressful day. If can warm you when you are cold.

There is nothing like satisfying a craving that you have had for days or weeks. Or sitting down to a hot cup of soup on a bone-chilling winter day.

Food enjoyed in moderation, healthy foods that taste good, can bring you such a spring in your step and a smile to your face.

Food is a wonderful blessing from God.

The Perfect Day

Day 14, Post 14

Tomorrow I hope it rains. I would like for it to be about 60 degrees outside as well please. I don't want a torrential downpour, but a steady stream that allows that soothing background sound would be nice. Then I would like a nice hot cup of tea and a fire in a fireplace. Then a good mystery novel would be nice.

Please have it hear by the morning so that I wake up to the sound of rain. Thank you,
Briana

Blah Blah Blah

Day 13, Post 13

I have found a really impractical goal for myself for tomorrow. I am going to try to not talk unless spoken to. This will work for everything but work related stuff. There was a meeting tonight that I pretty much dominated. I have always hated this side of myself. I hate that I am known as a talker, its embarrassing and humiliating to me. I have tried to talk less. Learned to keep my mouth shut more but I still am over the top. Its very depressing. Then when I do finally do good someone thinks something is wrong or I am mad because I'm not talking.

Please don't tease me about this one. Its not funny to me. I will cry.

Antiblog

Day 12, Post 12

Perhaps my goals on this blog need to be changed. I love writing every day. I love searching for inspiration and trying to write with the unique flair that I personally admire in other blogs or narrations, but at the same time my life needs some organization.

Maybe I need to be more practical and try to blog about getting organized. I would love to spend 15 minutes a day cleaning, and 15 minutes a day organizing. To clean out things to get rid of all the junk in my house. To downsize and plan ahead. To get to the place that my house stays neat and organized would be such a relief for me.

On the other hand, the name of this blog is habitual impracticality. So I think that doing something practical would be antiblog.

Therefore, I won't.

Just Keep Talking

Day 11, Post 11

Grandfatherly figures should record themselves and sell the CDs as a relaxation tool. There is something so comforting in the sound a grandfatherly voice. Its like going home.

There are other voices that have this similar soothing sound. Certain accents and timbres can instantly begin to melt away at the tension in your shoulders. Such as the sound of Cate Blanchett's voice as she does the opening narration in The Lord of the Rings (now you are all scrambling around in your memories trying to find that audio file to play it in your head in order to remember what I am talking about). Or perhaps its the sound of Sean Connery's voice saying...well, anything really.

Perhaps for you it is the accent. Irish, English, Spanish, any accent that is fluid to your ears. Growing up there were quite a few young men in our youth group that had a Hispanic accent. To this day when I hear a young male with the same accent I feel homesick for that time of my life.

What is it about these different tones and rythyms that we find so familiar? Why do we find a comfort and a peace under the vocal spell of certain individuals? Perhaps it brings back a soothing memory, or it is a melodic sound to our ears. Whatever it may be all we want to say to those people is, "can you just keep talking, I just like to hear you talk."

Can you imagine what Jesus' voice will sound like? What about God's? In some ways I imagine it will be awe-inspiring. But aren't grandfatherly voices like that at times? But perhaps there is a sweet tender side too. So much of the Word has that gentle tone.

Oh how I long to hear that Voice! The Voice that will wipe away every insignificant concern. The Voice that, at that first instant I hear it, will affirm everything I ever knew to be true of my Lord and Savior. The Voice that by speaking called things into existence. The same Voice that I hear in my heart, to hear audibly, oh the joy of that day!

I know we will worship in heaven. But I imagine there will be much time sitting at His feet saying, "can you just keep talking, I just like to hear you talk."

At Least I'm Enjoying Myself

Day 10, Post 10

Today is a milestone, the 10th post of this little blog. I am still enjoying myself, which is really the point of this blog. So, this is an important post. It is just under halfway of becoming a habit. I wonder if this will stick. Perhaps it will be like writing camp and in about 15 years I will be a fabulous writer simply because I practiced every day on my blog.

Then again, perhaps not. But at least I am enjoying myself.

My cousin recently sent me a link to a blog called A Girl's Guide To Homelessness which is a sad but sweet tale of a girl who ended up homeless, blogging, and is now famous. Do you think that anyone will ever be interested in my blog? Perhaps not as my blog has no specific point of view. I'm not really sure if anyone likes to read my opinions. But, at least I'm enjoying myself.

Sometimes I wonder if I really would want readers. There is something so satisfying about just writing down your thoughts and sending it out into the void. (That is a slightly plagiarized line from "You've Got Mail" but it completely explains what I mean.)

On the other hand, it would be nice to be a serious writer. To write knowing someone cared (dear family, I know you care, I know you read this, and I appreciate that, but that doesn't count [as Julie said in Julie and Julia when she found out her 1 reader was her mother]). To write knowing that there are people out there waiting to read what you have written. Interested in what you have to say. Perhaps someday that will happen.

Perhaps not, but at least I'm enjoying myself.

Stupid Women

Day 9, Post 9

Have you ever noticed how every movie with an undercover agent who has a girlfriend that finds out always makes the girl react stupidly? She's angry that she was lied to, says "how can I know who you really are?" "You should have told me" and junk like that. First of all, how in the world is someone to know when they first meet someone that they will trust them enough to tell them later? You can't know that. Secondly when IS a good time to tell when she wouldn't be mad? Thirdly, he's defending the country can't you just be proud of him? Fourthly...Well maybe I don't have a fourthly but I'm upset enough that I wish I did.

So anyways, that's my take on undercover agent movies. I would like to see one where she's ok with it, needs to adjust to the idea but doesn't get all stupid about it like he betrayed her or something. He didn't, he was protecting her.

Uninspiration

Day 8, Post 8

Today was a difficult day. It was as if nothing was going to go right. The problems began with a program on my computer that has a very strange glitch that causes my pictures to disappear when I save the file. So I have to recreate the picture portion. Once I do that I can't do anything else without it shutting the program down. Very strange. From there it was one thing after another until finally I was home relaxing. I decided to take a hot bath to relax. I have some Epsom Lavender Salts that I added to the tub and it smelled fabulous. I slid in and was just about to relax when this strange burning sensation started on my arms, then my legs. I tried to ignore it thinking it was in my head until suddenly I had to get out of the tub it was so bad. I took a quick shower to wash the salts off of me but it took about 20 minutes for the burning to stop. No rash, not redness, nothing to indicate that I was reacting to something other than the pain. Very strange. My skin is still sensitive.

My goal on these posts was to write something inspired. Something I felt was good writing. But today, honestly, I am completely uninspired. I just don't have it in me to do anything but vent. So, I shall send this off into the world of the web and somehow, just by telling the phantom readers out there, I feel better.

The Most Difficult Phrase

Day 7, Post 7
Why is it that the most difficult phrase to say is the one that is most needed? It is the one that when said sincerely can build bridges, heal hearts, and free the guilty conscience. That phrase is "I'm Sorry." For whatever reason we seem to find every way possible of apologizing without actually saying that phrase. It might be through a gesture of kindness, by explaining our actions (I didn't mean to make you feel that way, I don't know why I did/said that, I feel horrible that I said that, etc.), perhaps through someone else - we tell them how bad we feel knowing that it will get back to the person. But actually saying, "I'm Sorry" to someone is very rare. Think about it, when was the last time you simply apologized? And yet it is what we want to hear most when we ourselves our hurt. I suppose that doing unto other as we would have them do unto us should include how we handle our mistakes.

Thats all for today, I'm tired, and this is a depressing topic.

Scripture Memorization

I know I posted a similar post already but remember, this is my blog with what I like. I wasn't fully happy with my previous post. I wanted to explain things better, more in depth. So this is my revised version. I can do that, I'm a writer.

Day 6, Post 6

My church has a senior high discipleship program, of which, this year, I am a mentor. Every season, the students are encouraged to memorize large portions of Scripture and this year, it was decided, that they would memorize the entire book of James. So, in order to be a good mentor and lead by example, I began tackling our first section with enthusiasm.

What amazes me, after 1 week of working the verses, is how often the Lord has used these Scriptures in my day to day situations. I might get my feelings hurt, but instead of being upset I remember, "count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience..." So I sigh, and move on, recognizing that though my feelings are hurt, I must be patient and endure.

Then, perhaps, I end up in a situation where I just haven't a clue what to do, and I remember, "if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all liberally and without reproach and it will be given to him." So I pray for wisdom.

Later maybe I pray and ask God to do something but I don't really believe He can and God tugs on my heart reminding me that, "let him ask in faith with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord. He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."

In each of these situations the wave of comfort that washes over me when I recall the Word of God is so amazing. It just spurs me on to memorize more. When I am feeling lost, lonely, sad, angry, or any negative emotion at all, reminding myself of what God has spoken to me warms my heart like a cup of hot cocoa on a snowy day.

I cherish my Scriptures now. I guard them like a treasure that I never want to lose. For they are life to me. They are water to my weary soul, hope to my discouraged heart, and peace to my tumultuous mind. Jesus is the Word in flesh and if I did not have Him, I have nothing, and I would give all I have, just to have Him.

I challenge you, now that you have read this, pick a verse, memorize it, chew on it, know it with your head, your heart and your soul. Live it!

You Light Up My Life

Day 5, Post 5

BTW I do not post on Sundays...long story, maybe I will tell it another time.

Smiles. They instantly light up a room. They make your heart glow. A smile from the right person can change your world. When you do something and it causes that warmth to creep out is the best feeling in the world.

Thats all for tonight. I'm tired, long drive today. But I have kept my commitment!

Deeply Rooted

Day 4, Post 4
An amazing, yet less known, truth in life is the deep roots of Scripture. It is amazing to me how much one Scripture can burrow itself deep into our hearts and begin spreading its roots into many areas of our life. As the roots branch out we slowly realize how those truths apply to our lives. Like waking from a dream. It becomes a faint thought that there was something about this that connects, then the thought comes closer and closer on the horizon until suddenly it is so obvious you wonder how you missed it before.

The past week I have been memorizing James 1 and have been amazingly blessed at the many applications of simply the first 8 verses. To ponder and chew on a Scripture all day, then when something is a problem or is bothering us, quoting those verses and seeing how the Lord orchestrates them to speak to our hearts, is precious. It carries us through the hard times, gives us guidance in the confusing times, and blesses us in the low times.

Take it, chew it, ponder it, be blessed.

Simple Joys

Post 3, Day 3
I am in a writing mood but missing my muse. So I will draw from the muse nearest to me, my precious little cousins.

Finding simple pleasures in life is so much more valuable than we often realize. Stopping and imprinting moments onto our memories can bring more joy than we realize. Today I had the simple pleasure of a child seek out my presence. Later I had the pleasure of hearing his laugh.
Another of my two cousins showing me their Pokemon cards just brought warmth to my heart. To know each of these precious children, to watch them grow. To love them. To be with them enjoying these simple pleasures. This is what I store up in my heart for the desert seasons.

The next time you hold a child, hold on to them, savor the moment. Steep in it. Store it all up in your heart. Time is short and life passes quickly.

Deserts

Day 2, Post 2
My first post I was a little concerned to say what my real idea was, but that is completely outside of the spirit of this blog. So here is the theme. I just want to write, something, every day. I don't really have a deadline because I never really want to stop. This is perfect because that is completely impractical. A practical goal would have an end, and a practical goal would say 5 days a week or less. But not me, 7 days, no end. Habitual comes in to play because I will continually stop and restart this goal until that act in and of itself becomes a habit. Now on to todays post:

Walking in a desert is a lonely journey. The barrenness of the environment seems to be a reflection of how your soul feels. It is a dry, dusty, brown world. At the point when you feel that you can no longer take the pressures of the environment you notice it. A small faint pastel, there, in the distance. Could it really be? Is it color in this colorless world? Then suddenly it bursts upon you and you see it everywhere. In the pale green sagebrush, the soft violet lavender, the faint yellow of the wildflowers. Then, there is nothing that can compare to the lazy war of oranges, reds, purples, and yellows as the sun sets for the evening. A jet peacefully crosses into your range of vision and the jet stream begs for a chance to play. Somewhere at this point you realize, had you never come to the desert you would have missed all of this.

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials," (James 1:2) trials, desert times. Count it joy. If you don't, you might miss the amazing display of color dancing in the desert.

The Beginnings

So I just came from watching the movie Julie and Julia and, of course, that put me in a literary (and hungry) mood. Something about the style of narration in this movie, and others like it, such as You've Got Mail, just make me want to write. Of course Julie and Julia, being based on a blog, inspired me to start a new blog specifically for...well...I'm not sure. To share my musings? More on that in a moment.

The title of this blog, Habitual Impracticality, seemed so fitting. I am a dreamer at heart. In fact, I am much like the Julie Powell, I take on big projects with very grand ideas of completing them. Rarely do I finish. The definition in the American Heritage Dictionary seemed so...well...me.

My apologies to Julia Child as that dictionary was published by Houghton Mifflin, who did not publish her first cookbook.

Back to the purpose of this blog, I'm not sure just yet. I would like to have a project, such as Julie Powell, but have not come up with one that fits me and is do-able. In the meantime, however, I would just like to write. So for now, it is day 1, post 1, with no goal, just writing.

Unfortunately this particular post is contrary to the title of my blog, there is nothing impractical about this post, though perhaps it is a little dreamy. So, on that note, I believe I shall attempt to swim across the Atlantic Ocean. Starting tomorrow.