Workin' It Out

Well I'm working really hard on my issues with time management, and I am pleased to report that I'm making significant progress - in some ways.
Knitting
Well the holidays have rolled around and despite the wonderful quips we often hear at this time "It comes at the same time every year" this year I looked up and Thanksgiving was only a week away and I wondered where had the time gone. With the holidays always comes the rush to try and create as many gifts as possible, thus the first topic in my discussion of overcoming issues related to time management.
On my needles now are two separate projects for this joyous season. One project is about 98% complete and the second I would say about 40%. This is wonderful news because the second project - wrist warmers were created using a new technique - Magic Loop. See demo below if you're a knitter and interested in a great technique that eliminates double point knitting!

I have been attempting to get started on this technique for several months, but kept putting down the project. Now I am well on my way to completing the wrist warmers in record time! Yippee!!
Writing
While I haven't actually put pencil to paper on my work in progress, I have been reviewing what is written as well as critiques in order to help me determine where I am going with this project. That may sound like procrastination, but it really isn't. The key here is that I have a couple of pieces started that actually could fit into one project - so I am working on my writing.
While not part of a project, the fact that I am stopping to update this blog is a definite plus. Earlier today I found myself lurking on a few blogs and questioned how it is I continue to search for time to post, when others particularly authors, Moms etc. regularly find the time to sit down and blog. Part of me wondered if it was commitment. So, I am working hard at making a commitment to post at least once a week.
Still need to work paper crafting into this scenario. Have started a couple of projects, but nothing truly worth noting.
I'll just keep reminding myself that little steps are taken in order to reap large rewards!
Ciao!

Time Management!!! Help!!!

For those who drop by every now and then - thank you! Also, I apologize if you've been looking for something new and hopefully interesting to read, but I am having the worst time with time management!
I have entirely too many interests! It is becoming increasingly more difficult to fit all of my interests into my life! What with a job, family, and let's not forget the degree I'm finishing - there just are not enough hours in the day!
I could smack myself daily as I work on completing this degree after 100 years, but what would that do other than give me a headache and further delay my pursuit of enjoyable activities. The truth of the matter is the school business is not really bad, I'm just so angry at myself for having to do it at this time in my life. I am finding it enjoyable, which is a good thing, because I decided to complete my undergrad in order to pursue an advanced degree.
Now to the things I don't seem to have time for - this blog, a novel in progress, knitting, paper crafts and photography!
What has happened is that I come home from work and if I don't have to prepare dinner I usually make a mad dash to the bed for a power nap that turns into a true late afternoon Siesta, and by the time I am up again it really is time to go to bed.
If anyone has any wonderful tips on time management and finding the ever elusive energy stash, I would love to hear from you!

A Joyous Customer Service Experience

I am truly elated! This evening I had the pleasure of a positive encounter with a customer service representative! I will not name the company, but I am checking into tire prices and decided to place a call to a shopping service I somehow got hoodwinked into joining to see how the process works. This is a trial membership and I really had the papers in front of me so that I could call and cancel the membership before it really kicks in, but I decided see what tires would cost - maybe this will be worth the membership.
After looking for the specific tire I requested to no avail I decided to ask, "How does this really work?" The lovely young lady on the other end of the telephone explained that I would order the tires, which would then be shipped to me and I would have to take them to a shop and have them installed. As she's talking I'm seeing nothing but $$$ and thinking to myself - nope this is not the answer. Well to my surprise the young lady went on to tell me that this process really wasn't worth it! Can you believe it! I was so pleasantly pleased I had to share!
This young woman helped me erase some of the very bad experiences I have had lately with customer service in various establishments!

Why We Love America

This is why we should all be proud to be Americans!

Early voting - Just Do It!!

Almost one week ago today I stood in line at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections to vote in the 2008 Presidential Election.
It was a crisp Sunday afternoon in Ohio and early voting lines had not received a lot of publicity in Ohio so I was not expecting to have to wait long. As we approached the board I said to the Mr., "There's a lot of people voting today. We're going to have to stand in that line." The line was coming around E. 30th Street from Euclid Avenue which is not really that long, but again I wasn't prepared for the wait. As we approached the parking lot we were pleased to see that we would be able to park in the lot and wouldn't have to go off looking for a spot. As we exited the car we found that there were in fact two lines - one entering from the front of the building (as I described earlier), and another coming from the rear entrance. The latter line is where we began our journey to participate in the making of American history.
As I stood talking with Keith in line I did not feel awestruck, or emotional about the occasion. I have followed the campaign, but as I reflected on this day I think I have intentionally tried to keep my emotions in check. As a black woman in America I have seen the tide change right before my eyes and I guess I have been bracing myself for the worst.
The crowd was mostly black with a few caucasians mixed in, and everyone was orderly as the line continued to snake its way through the board offices. Many of the voters were elderly men and women coming from Senior Citizens buildings or from many of the churches in the area that had provided vans to transport voters.
I marveled at a couple of the older women who were dressed to the "nines" and smiling proudly as they no doubt cast their votes for Sen. Obama. You could see the joy and pride in their eyes as I'm sure that over the last 20 or so months they have chatted about how they never thought they would see this day.
Even after witnessing all of this I was not yet anxious or overly excited. I did recognize the significance of the occasion and snapped a few photos to record this historic event.
I didn't really think about the act of voting until the following Monday morning as I listened to the Tom Joyner Morning Show and listed to Tyler Perry's call-in. Perry was so elated and pumped about the prospect of voting - FOR THE FIRST TIME - that he called into the show. I had heard him on the show weeks before talking about the fact that he had registered and encouraging others to do the same, but to hear him in line talking about voting made me take another look at this election.
I thought about my mother who has been so wrapped up in this election and the joy she regularly speaks of and the emotion that I heard in her voice the night Sen. Obama accepted the Democratic nomination. I also thought of my five year old niece who still has not come to terms with the fact that Obama beat Clinton in the primary election. This election is historic in so many ways, but I'm glad it will soon be over.
So whatever your party affiliation or political leanings, take the time out of your busy schedule to vote early or on Nov. 4th!
Vote!