Slowing down

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Anyone have any ideas about slowing down?

I cannot seem to find enough time to relax anymore. Granted, it's the holiday season, but that happens at the time of year that there is the least amount of outside work to do and stuff. You'd think it would balance. Yeah, we have a house project going and some busy jobs and commutes and stuff. I know...

Maybe as biological beings, we're supposed to slow down in winter?

I'm interested in what y'all do to decompress. I am thinking getting rid of clutter will help (it's fatiguing moving all this stuff around and visually overwhelming) but how do I find the time?! Maybe I'm just too high control, but I really feel more like a type B in a type A world. Time to drop out again?

The curse of the 21st century western world: Too much stuff; too little time!!!

Help...I've fallen and I can't get up!

-- Anonymous, December 17, 2004

Answers

Only area I have any suggestions for is the idea of Christmas shopping. I, for one, am sick of "having to" buy useless junk for people because "it's the season.

Therefore, I've quit doing so. I now have narrowed the gift list down to 1)giving my grandkids contributions to their college funds, set up by yours truly and Mrs. JOJ, 2) giving kids donations in their names from Heifer Intternational, 3) giving Mrs. JOJ and myself a trip to the coast, to Latin America, or some material thing we REALLY NEED, 4) books to the grandbabies.

Otherwise, we give people things only when we see something that we think the person would really like/need, at whatever time of year it is.

I can't say that we've been 100% successful at this, but pretty much so.

Saves a lot of time "shopping"

Oh, I though of another way to slow down, Sheepish. I'm now ordered to do virtually nothing for the next few weeks except rest, as I have been fighting "plantar fasciitis" (I don't recommend this method, however...)

Good luck, best wishes, and please try to find time to put your feet up and read a good book!

JOJ

-- Anonymous, December 17, 2004


I have started horseback riding again. I go the same time, the same day, once a week and make sure I go. I feel wonderful after I spend this time, even though I'm working hard, I am really enjoying myself. (all I've been doing so far is just walk/trot) I've even started losing weight in my thighs! because of the riding. My trainer is a really sweet person that I like personally and enjoy telling her stories.

I've made little ornaments again for giving this Christmas. They are little white seals. They are all in a little herd on my table waiting to be wrapped and they look sooooo cute. I'm having a hard time picking the one I will keep because they each have a different personalities.

When I invite people into my house, I usually say, "Don't mind my messy house" My thoughts are, it's cluttered but clean. My dining room is really a room for putting all the stuff we don't need right now. My son would like to put a pooltable in there. It's just a little too tight but it was a good idea.

Tree looks pretty. Like to look at the pretty lights. Ooooo, pretty lights....

-- Anonymous, December 17, 2004


Heck, Sheepish - I'm trying to find ways to keep myself FROM slowing down; seems to be happening whether I want it to or not. Got TB - tired butt - I reckon. I have gone through the house just tossing stuff in boxes. Every once in a while, I actually sort one out - and generally throw away everything in the box.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2004

I experience anxiety (flip side of depression) if I don't meditate at least once a day, so that's how I maintain some degree of sanity. If I'm not busy, I get depressed and broody, so I need lots of activity in my life. Not that I don't like my downtime and I do like my own company, but I need a 'worthy' goal to be working towards all the time or I feel useless. (more therapy needed, I know).

Clutter affects me that way too, makes me feel disorganized and anxious, but the house, and my life, is rarely as organized as I would like it to be. (self-sabotoge?)

You never did tell us, sheepish; why are you moving to eastern washington.......do you know people there? I always saw that area as very conservative, but maybe it ain't so anymore.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2004


Easy. I tell everyone to shove the holiday season up their butts and I go on a getaway excursion. This year I will be in South Texas enjoying the charms of a gorgeous 5'5" blonde. A little Corona and lime and the bad taste of Holiday Season 2004 will be just a faint unpleasing aftertaste.

Humbug bah!

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2004



How's that? Ask a question, and be too busy to read the answers!?

A little distracted today. Drove to Seattle to p/u Mr. S. from the hospital (got his baseline colonoscopy) and whilst driving to get him, I was involved in a motor vehicle accident on I-5. The car in front of me slowed and then stopped totally. I managed to also stop totally (bless my Volvo and it's great braking system). However, the guy behind me plowed right into me and shoved me into the car in front of me. His whole front end got smashed in (but it was a rental car! My car is my "baby"!). The woman and her 2 kids in the car in front of me seemed to be pretty much okay (I think my car absorbed most of the impact). I got to spend an hour with the cops and then got to go get Mr. S. (who is fine, btw). The Volvo needs some serious work, but I'm alright. I have a Dr. appointment tomorrow just in case I'm more sore than I think I am by tomorrow morning. I'm bummed about the car; glad I'm done being freaked. Okay, now what was the question?

Oh yeah...E. Washington. Well.

W. Washington is vying to be the next L.A. or Boston for traffic congestion (see above). Good thing the guy only hit me doing about 35 mph. I love my place here and plan to keep it. However, I also love going to a place where it's so quiet. Soap Lake is a little town with big ideas. It's got that Lava Lamp on its way for one thing. Mostly , though, I love the coulees and the desert and the birds and the sagebrush. There's artists and alternative healthsters living there. It's kind of a cultural oasis I guess (although folks would guffaw if they read that). I plan on being here part of the year, and part of the year there. We may rent out the place seasonally. Folks like to go take the cure in the healing waters. Just search Soap Lake WA on Google I guess.

I'm doing pretty well. We went to 3 parties last weekend, but they were all fun. I only put up the tree and am foregoing the rest of the huge amount of other decorating I usually do. I'm not having meals here for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. My sister-in-law is inviting someone from the local battered women's shelter for Christmas Eve dinner; otherwise, things will be pretty routine with the usual family.

I plan on writing more (journal or whatever) in 2005. That always helps. I just have to make time!

I hope Sherri is doing okay. And the rest of you all too. Thanks for your replies!

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2004


pretty lights....

-- Anonymous, December 21, 2004

Sheesh Sheepish, what a scary bummer! Accidents are so creepy; even seeing one gives me the willies for weeks, much less being an active participant. So sorry, and thank goodness you are ok. You are ok, right? Is your Volvo an old one? Those old Volvos are indeed built like tanks. I know lots of cool folks who drive them; our young neighbors across the street have two of them, station wagons. they don't have much, but they have two Volvos! :) Even here in Swedenland, where per capita ownership of Swedish cars is probably higher than average, I remember the first Volvo I ever saw. I was in 8th grade, we lived in a duplex after having moved to Minneapolis from down in Little House on the Prairie Land (Mankato). The folks on the other unit had a Volvo, and I thought it was just the coolest, weirdest looking car I'd ever seen. They were extremely rare back then. Just a silly memory.

It would be way cool to have two homes; I'd love to have a warm place to go during four months of the year, especially on days like this when the high is one degree above zero!

Dee, purty lights are wonderful! We went driving around town looking at some of the bigger displays on my birthday, before we came back to have our chocolate fondue. Ali has put some up on our house; this is really the first time she has lived anywhere where anyone could actually see our lights.

-- Anonymous, December 22, 2004


Lotsa Swedes out here too. This Volvo is a pretty new one (1998 is new to me; we bought it used in 2001). It's a turbo wagon (2-wheel drive). We didn't need anything like a x-Country. Our last Volvo wagon had over 325k miles on it when we sold it...we tend to take good care of our cars and keep them. My very first car was a 1969 Volvo 2-door; I bought it used from a good friend when I was in college back in the Pleistocene Age. sigh. We also have had Ford trucks. I bought a Ranger in 1994 which is still going strong. Funny, the rental car I have is an F150 extended cab...I could hardly get into it with a long skirt on (and I'm tall!). Ten-Four Good Buddy.

Slowing down has not been an option this week what with all the time and detail from this accident and then having to catch up everything at the office. Ugh. Good news is I get 3 days off starting tomorrow.

I'm excited about the house building but it's more expensive than we had planned, and I'm getting a little nervous about it. We'll see.

Merry Christmas everyone!

-- Anonymous, December 23, 2004


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