"This May I Will" Are you ready?

themedalist
themedalist Posts: 3,218 Member
edited May 2021 in Social Groups
wcd2c7tbdo64.jpg

And Hello May!

As we begin a new month and round the corner towards summer, we’ve got a question for you. Are you ready? Most of us will be enjoying a much better summer than we had last year. There will be trips, get togethers, BBQs, restaurant dining, and other activities we long took for granted before the pandemic. Hooray for vaccines and our health care workers!


But this return to normalcy can also be disruptive and stressful after a year of being mostly at home. I know I’ve let some things slide and put off, and if I’m being honest, sometimes I used the pandemic as an excuse. I haven’t seen my dentist in over a year and that’s way too long. I’ll have a checkup this summer.


There are things we can do right now to better prepare for this summer. Habits we can work on in May that will payoff in a happier, more productive summer. What will your summer include? What can you do this month to be better prepared? If you’ll be having lots of get togethers this summer and you’re feeling a little stressed about that, what stress reduction practices could you put into place or strengthen now to help you later? What small food, exercise, and sleep habits can you cement now that won’t be disrupted this summer?


That’s the beautiful part of habits. A true habit or routine is something we keep doing everyday regardless of changing circumstances. They are the anchors in our lives.


Use habit stacking to attach your habit wannabe to a habit you already do.

AFTER I ________________________
I WILL __________________________

Examples:
  • After I brush my teeth, I will floss one tooth.
  • After I drink my afternoon coffee, I will put on my walking shoes.
  • After I put away my breakfast dishes, I will prep 3 servings of vegetables for the day.
  • After I clean up after dinner, I will plan tomorrow’s dinner & move necessary items from freezer to refrigerator.
  • After I weigh myself in the morning, I will drink 2 cups of refreshing, cool water.
  • After I start my coffee brewing, I will stand on each leg for 30 seconds.

NEWCOMERS:

Are you new to our group? If so, welcome! Please post what you will be working on and how we can help! Set a reminder to check-in periodically with us. Check-in daily, weekly, or as often as works for you, but let us know how you are progressing! We're here to support and encourage you, but if you don't post, we can't cheer you on. Habits are built by doing, not by reading about what other people are doing. Post your progress, questions, and frustrations and let us help you succeed.

Let’s create, refine, or strengthen the habits we’ll need for a great summer!

🌷Denise & 🌸Maddie
@themedalist & @MadisonMolly2017

«134

Replies

  • nebslp
    nebslp Posts: 1,667 Member
    edited May 2021
    @themedalist What a great habit to work on. The more I read about total health, the more often I read the word "meditation."
    I'm sure it will be just as stressful to revert back to the old routine as it was to the new one of staying home. Maybe not quite though as this was past year was something we'd never experienced before and had no way of knowing how things would work out. Zoom was a challenge for many! My daughter will be able to transition to her office as many days as she needs or wants to go in and she has been given permission to work from home the others. It's like a dream job for her! I wonder if other companies will do the same since it has worked for employees to be away from the office full time.

    Here's my May focus:

    Every morning before 10:00 I will sit on the bench on my front porch, close my eyes, and center my thoughts for 2 minutes.


    Most likely I will stay longer because once I'm outside hearing the birds and feeling the breeze, and smelling the flowers, I don't ever want to go in!

    I also plan to journal every morning before noon, and work on a sewing skill or project every day as well.
  • pennysob
    pennysob Posts: 59 Member
    For me this May I am going to get back into my morning stretches .
  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 11,152 Member
    May 1 〰 🎨 🧵🌟
  • SummerSkier
    SummerSkier Posts: 5,143 Member
    For May I am going to expand my WOE. I have been maintaining for about 3 and a half years but I think I am being SO boring. I pretty much have the same thing ALL the time with very little variety. So for May I am going to work on adding variety. My trigger to do this is to become more healthy for my Drs appts starting in June and then bloodwork. I will plan this by purchasing the items in my weekly grocery run after doing a little research online for items which are known to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol. You would think as a runner my BP would be magnificent and honestly it always has been but for some reason this year when I started checking it for my Drs phone appt I saw is was HIGH (for me) so I have decided more variety in nutrients is the only option I have to change that vs drugs. I don't obviously need to lose weight or do more exercise. It was also interesting to me to see that a lot of charts show our normal BP increasing as we get older. Well I do NOT accept that normal for me should be 130's over 80's... I want it back at least to the 120's over 70s. Even if it won't be back to 100's over 70s due to age and decrepitude in my circulatory system.

    May 1 - Purchased variety. WOE included baked salmon and tomato juice
    May 2 -
  • TKlepac
    TKlepac Posts: 21 Member
    I am currently in a slump. I have regained all the weight I lost back in 2018 and I'm having some issues with my exercise plan. So, I'm ready to find a good gym for the slightly silver age group and try to limit my sugar. I have logged in to MFP regularly 1133 days or something like that but I've lost the desire to log food and exercise. Need to reclaim that.
  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 11,152 Member
    TKlepac wrote: »
    I am currently in a slump. I have regained all the weight I lost back in 2018 and I'm having some issues with my exercise plan. So, I'm ready to find a good gym for the slightly silver age group and try to limit my sugar. I have logged in to MFP regularly 1133 days or something like that but I've lost the desire to log food and exercise. Need to reclaim that.

    Hi @TKlepac ! Thank you for sharing!

    Is there one tiny habit you’d like to do daily in May?
  • 77tes
    77tes Posts: 8,518 Member
    Checking in. I’m not quite sure what to focus on this month... setting up my tracker for May today
  • changing4life
    changing4life Posts: 193 Member
    Hi would like to commit to moving more. Just got second shot but since working from home challenging to make sure i get outside on a daily basis. Eat less and move more.
  • themedalist
    themedalist Posts: 3,218 Member
    Hi would like to commit to moving more. Just got second shot but since working from home challenging to make sure i get outside on a daily basis. Eat less and move more.

    Getting outside daily is a wonderful goal, @changing4life! Could you attach it to something you already do that could then serve as a reminder? Such as, “After I finish my lunch, I will go outside and walk for 5 or 10 minutes”. Being specific really helps with building new habits.
  • SummerSkier
    SummerSkier Posts: 5,143 Member
    An update

    May 1 - Purchased variety. WOE included baked salmon and tomato juice
    May 2 - WOE included above but also about 1.3 of an orange
    May 3 - sticking with above for the week as adds. But am starting to put my list together for next week. :) This is kind of fun.

    Hope everyone is doing well and looking forward to seeing another beautiful tracker @77tes
  • 77tes
    77tes Posts: 8,518 Member
    Okay, I have decided on my goal for the month.

    First, to get ready for summer I’ve got a plan to prepare for a trip to visit my sister who recently moved to another state. I will make appointments to get my car service and the airbag recall fixed. Then, I’m going to get my husband (who is afraid of getting the vaccine) and myself vaccinated.

    This month’s goal has little to do with my summer plans, but it’s something I need to work on. My nails are a mess. My nails are often scraggly and I generally have hangnails. So this month I plan to routinely take care of my hands and fingernails. I might even work on my feet.

    1. This May I will care for nails daily.
    2. The small actions I’ll be taking to accomplish this goal, before I put on my slippers in the morning, I’ll do something for my hands/nails. (Clip, file, lotion, etc.)
    3. The trigger or cue to remember to do my habit - putting on slippers.
    4. How often will you do your new habit -every day
    5. What reward will you immediately give yourself for doing your habit? The feeling of lotion on my poor dry hands is a reward, but I’ll also admire my better groomed nails.
    6. What help would you like from us? Cheer me on
    7. What does success look like to you at the end of February? My hands and nails will look much better, maybe I’ll even put on some polish (let’s not get crazy😜).

    May 1 - ?
    May 2 - 🤚 😊
    May 3 - 🤚😊
  • nebslp
    nebslp Posts: 1,667 Member
    edited May 2021
    Great goals, everyone!

    I realized my habit doesn’t really have a hook and I was going at it backwards, so I think I will change it to AFTER my coffee is ready, I WILL sit on my bench outside for 2 minutes... and be open to hearing (eyes closed), seeing (eyes open), feeling the breeze, smelling the flowers, and tasting (coffee) to help me center myself.

    My dad’s cousin turned 100 last week and was on a news show in AZ that I listened to online. We share the same name and she’s shared stories about my dad that are so special. Anyway, her secret to life is “to live every day.” 😍 Before the pandemic she swam 5 mornings a week and Tap danced. I hope she can go back to it now that things are opening up again. Also, This morning I read in one of my de-stress books that someone said their purpose in life was to “Enjoy it.” Maybe it really is that simple🤔

    May 1 ⛅️
    May 2 ⛅️
    May 3 ⛅️
  • SummerSkier
    SummerSkier Posts: 5,143 Member
    @77tes that is a wonderful habit. Years and YEARS and years ago I tried out the gelish polish after not doing anything but put plain polish on and scrape it off as a nervous habit. The gel is not scrappable. LOL. So I bought the lamp. Now that I am working from home it is quite easy to do the gelish and because I am constantly working at the barn and bathing bandit my nails are in much better shape. So, something to consider. It's pretty easy altho some are afraid of the UV lamp for a few minutes to cure the gel. On another strange nail note I must have banged one of my big toes as I have had a black spot in it for literally months. It does not hurt but I think the blood is stuck in place. I just painted over it and kind of forgot about it but every once in a while I wonder why it doesn't change or grow out with the toenail. shrug. If you run out of things to do with your fingernails you could alway do your toenails but then you might not want to put on your slippers first. o:)

    @nebslp I was running today and my mind was all over the place. thinking about the past thinking about the future. All of a sudden (great minds??!!!) I thought WHY are you not just IN THE NOW enjoying the freedom the beautiful northern breeze and the sun rise? I have a LOT of trouble staying in the now so I really REALLY like your thoughts on this.

    My update

    May 1 - Purchased variety. WOE included baked salmon and tomato juice
    May 2 - WOE included above but also about 1.3 of an orange
    May 3 - sticking with above for the week as adds. But am starting to put my list together for next week. :) This is kind of fun.
    May 4 - interesting my BP today was 118 over 73. Much more normal for me. Yesterday at the dentist it was 148/95 ok the dentist STRESSES ME OUT EVEN CLEANING. Mostly the past dailychecks have been 120's 130s / 80s. I doubt my WOE is effecting things so quickly but for next week I am thinking about some grapefruit juice or grapefruits. I was really REALLY happy to find my favorite tomato juice in a low sodium variety!!!!! It is really adding a nice variety to my day along with the salmon I had prebaked on Saturday. I do not like that the normal for BP is allowed to be so much higher as we age (130's/80 is normal for over 60s) I think that is just a cop out assuming older folks will not be as active or healthy?
  • 77tes
    77tes Posts: 8,518 Member
    May 1 - ?
    May 2 - 🤚 😊
    May 3 - 🤚😊
    May 4 - 🤚😊


    @themedalist. your goal of daily meditation in the morning is a good one. I’m really enjoying my evening meditation habit. Morning would be great too. BTW, your under desk elliptical looks like such a great idea, especially for zoom meetings. What I really need is a treadle sewing machine! Then I could really be productive during zoom meetings. 🤣

    @nebslp you goal sounds like another kind of meditation, lovely! Your dad’s cousin sounds like quite a lady. What an inspiration!

    @summerskier I loved your posts about wearing your favorite earrings. Those posts inspired me to do do something daily to “pamper” myself- thus, the goal to improve my nail care. I’ll look into gelish nails. I have a friend who sells some sort of polish stuff, too.

    @madisonmolly2017 hooray for giving yourself the daily opportunity to do art.

    @pennysob morning stretches are a great idea. Go you!
  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 11,152 Member
    🎨 Palette= I will make marks for at least 5 minutes DAILY!

    NEW: Marie Kondo was right - at least for me! All the decluttering of the past 5.5 years has enabled me to now really tackle our stash of old media. I already went through much of this before, but would get overwhelmed. At least there is far less to go through now! Now I know to do small bits at a time & I really love order now. I love being able to find things!

    Completely finishing all of the postcards & memorabilia of an amazing trip in 1972 has spurred me onwards. These jobs take time, but it’s not infinite. They seem more do-able. I make decisions faster & with far less angst!

    This next category will take some time, but I’m truly in the right mindset now!!

    Media= I will do one of the following for at least 5 minutes DAILY except when family members are here visiting (I’d rather show them some of the awesome ones I’ve uncovered!!)
    Top Priority 📼 Cassette tapes- Invaluable
    I will screen very old cassette tapes to see if they are worth transferring to digital.

    2nd priority: 🏞 Old print photos: To free up significant space.
    I will declutter all our printed photos to keep just the ones we want to have scanned to digital.

    3rd priority: 📽 Old Videos
    I will declutter old purchased videos or screen our old home VHS to see if they are worth transferring to digital.

    4th: 📹 Moderately old videos
    Same as 3. Most are labeled!! Hooray!

    I decided to have a priority order, but not rigidly stick to it as variety is something I enjoy.

    I’m organizing the equipment I need on the newly cleared dining room table. My reward for completing the cassettes (top priority) & photos will be much less clutter, more readily accessible memorabilia, and the ability to use the dining room table for laying our monoprints and other art that needs to lay flat to dry!! The videos won’t need the space of the table. The reward there will be preserving & sharing darling early films of our son❣️

    Even iif this takes until Jan 1, 2022, it will be great to have these precious items accessible & shareable. Plus, future generations will be more likely to hang on to them If they are digital, I t think!

    May 1 🎨 📼
    May 2 🎨 📽
    May 3 🎨 🏞
    May 4 🎨 📼 🏞
    May 5
    May 6
    May 7
  • 77tes
    77tes Posts: 8,518 Member
    @MadisonMolly2017 decluttering media is so difficult! I eliminated many of my cassettes recently when I got a new car. My old one had a cassette deck. I’m in the middle of a huge paper declutter currently. My sister was the custodian of records for the school we used to operate, and when she moved I took the files. They basically are supposed to be maintained forever. However, the files have many things not officially required. So I’m going through them, saving the cumulative records and pitching the rest. Unfortunately, anything with a birthdate needs to be shredded, so I’m trying to do 15 minutes of sorting followed by 15 minutes of shredding.
  • SummerSkier
    SummerSkier Posts: 5,143 Member
    OH my. I do not even want to go there with the media. My brother recently sent me some digital video they had converted from old 8mm tape video (silent movies!) in the early 60's. It was really hard to watch but fun to see my siblings and mom at very young ages. I think they found these when cleaning out my parent's house. I have quite a LOT of media. Most of the photos are done and changed to digital by merely taking a picture of them on my phone.

    I have totally kept up with favoriting daily and filing daily and monthly USB back ups on my digital files. It's fun and easy to take care of.

    Summerchatty
  • nebslp
    nebslp Posts: 1,667 Member
    @77tes and @MadisonMolly2017 It's frustrating when the technology changes and we have to adapt or get left behind! I have some VHS tapes that I'd like to digitize but have no clue how to do it. I don't even have equipment to screen them. They're ones from my kid's school days and I'd hate to lose them, but there they sit :|
    Wow! Lots of paper shredding going on there, @77tes!!! Good thing is, once you're done, you should be done.

    Good for you, @SummerSkier for continuing your habit of backing up your photos. You must enjoy it and/or have found out how great it is to be so organized.

    LOL! I'm stepping back in time and am printing pictures to make books for my grandkids. The reason I won't create and buy digital books is the cost. I watch for specials on Snapfish and Shutterfly and recently was able to get 250 prints for under $25. I often have to order 2 or more of one pic depending on how many books it will go into. I'm excited that I have made a decision and am following through on it even though it's slow going. I asked myself what's the one thing I would most regret not doing someday and the answer was giving my grandkids the gift of memories. I think I will have more fun making them than they will looking at them. I'll use flashdrives to save the videos and give each one one of those as well.

    I'm just learning how to scan old photos (to my surprise, it's a snap!). I want to make a book for my niece but am not sure how to size the photos. There's such a learning curve to everything!
  • nebslp
    nebslp Posts: 1,667 Member
    May 1 ⛅️
    May 2 ⛅️
    May 3 ⛅️
    May 4 ⛅️
    May 5 ⛅️ 37 degree morning didn't stop me. Mornings outside are so beautiful. The dew was on the grass and I could see a few spiderwebs on my bushes <3
  • SummerSkier
    SummerSkier Posts: 5,143 Member
    Yes - OPEN WINDOWS @nebslp Listening to my martins sing as they keep an eye on their eggs and perfect the nests.

    For today's blood pressure foods (and keep in mind the theme for a lot of information is reducing sodium intake but that's not what I am focusing on). I added canned beets. (low sodium ahahahahah). It turns out my carrots and blueberries are good as well. Enjoying the tomato (low sodium) juice and the Orange slices this week a lot. Variety is nice!

    So here's a tidbit I just learned (always learning something is good right?) Apparently taking vitamin supplement BIOTIN is a no no when you are having blood work pulled. I get my thyroid none-fasting pulled annually, and this is the first time I have seen a sign at the lab about this, and my Drs have never mentioned it. so strange. Anyway, I googled it and it turns out some of the chemicals they use include biotin or something so it interferes with the results. "Who knew?!!" Unfortunately I did not, but since I have been doing this for years maybe it's all good. I will ask my endocrinologist during my appt. I did know that the 2nd Covidvaccine could interfere with mammogram results due to enlarged lymph nodes so I ended up delaying that and my Thyroid sono for 6 weeks to make sure I did not get some crazy results. I suspect that the vaccine does some interesting things to us during it's work to help us produce t cells and such longer term so none of this is surprising. I am no expert just sharing information...research further if you want.
  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 11,152 Member
    🎨 Palette= I will make marks for at least 5 minutes DAILY!

    NEW: Marie Kondo was right - at least for me! All the decluttering of the past 5.5 years has enabled me to now really tackle our stash of old media. I already went through much of this before, but would get overwhelmed. At least there is far less to go through now! Now I know to do small bits at a time & I really love order now. I love being able to find things!

    Completely finishing all of the postcards & memorabilia of an amazing trip in 1972 has spurred me onwards. These jobs take time, but it’s not infinite. They seem more do-able. I make decisions faster & with far less angst!

    This next category will take some time, but I’m truly in the right mindset now!!

    Media= I will do one of the following for at least 5 minutes DAILY except when family members are here visiting (I’d rather show them some of the awesome ones I’ve uncovered!!)
    Top Priority 📼 Cassette tapes- Invaluable
    I will screen very old cassette tapes to see if they are worth transferring to digital.

    2nd priority: 🏞 Old print photos: To free up significant space.
    I will declutter all our printed photos to keep just the ones we want to have scanned to digital.

    3rd priority: 📽 Old Videos
    I will declutter old purchased videos or screen our old home VHS to see if they are worth transferring to digital.

    4th: 📹 Moderately old videos
    Same as 3. Most are labeled!! Hooray!

    I decided to have a priority order, but not rigidly stick to it as variety is something I enjoy.

    I’m organizing the equipment I need on the newly cleared dining room table. My reward for completing the cassettes (top priority) & photos will be much less clutter, more readily accessible memorabilia, and the ability to use the dining room table for laying our monoprints and other art that needs to lay flat to dry!! The videos won’t need the space of the table. The reward there will be preserving & sharing darling early films of our son❣️

    Even iif this takes until Jan 1, 2022, it will be great to have these precious items accessible & shareable. Plus, future generations will be more likely to hang on to them If they are digital, I t think!

    May 1 🎨 📼
    May 2 🎨 📽
    May 3 🎨 🏞
    May 4 🎨 📼 🏞 2 blank (tossed) one 2-hr tape by an old friend about her 1988 trip to Bora Bora. Their house burned down in the fires last summer. I saw them on TV talking about it from a shelter. They are not rebuilding, so I’ll do some sleuthing & get it to them so at least they’ll have some memories.
    #Invaluable

    May 5 🎨 📼 JACKPOT 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
    I didn’t know this existed & ALMOST tossed this tape, but wasn’t sure when I tested it the other day that I knew what I was doing, so listened again just to be sure 😳

    It’s me reading two books to a our very young son - 2 years old I think - SUCH a sweet voice & interaction! So Darling!

    The tape goes wonky in the middle of the Grinch Who Stole Xmas so I’ve labeled it & set the tape aside. Will do some sleuthing to find if there is someone who can work with a partially damaged tape & save as much as possible.
    #happyJoyJoy!! This partial tape is worth all the work of going through the rest of the 20 or so tapes. Curious what else I will find!

    What I like is I can make art, cook, etc while scanning the tapes...so it take some attention, but not as much as I thought it would!

    AND I moved my completed art to the inherited Hope chest! A special, very safe spot!

    May 6
    May 7
    —-
    Week 1 Summary:
  • PKM0515
    PKM0515 Posts: 3,089 Member
    Just jumping in quickly to say I've been going through and tossing old VHS tapes (I can't even tell you how many I have 😒). Most of them are being tossed since I can't find a place to recycle them around here (I've looked online).

    However, I came across one the other day that I may save. Years ago PBS did a Mystery! marathon on New Year's Day. I've been enjoying episodes of Second Sight with Clive Owen and the Inspector Lynley series with Nathaniel Parker. I "may" save this tape.
  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 11,152 Member
    PKM0515 wrote: »
    Just jumping in quickly to say I've been going through and tossing old VHS tapes (I can't even tell you how many I have 😒). Most of them are being tossed since I can't find a place to recycle them around here (I've looked online).

    However, I came across one the other day that I may save. Years ago PBS did a Mystery! marathon on New Year's Day. I've been enjoying episodes of Second Sight with Clive Owen and the Inspector Lynley series with Nathaniel Parker. I "may" save this tape.

    @PKM0515 i love Clive Owen! Thanks I’ll have to look that up!
  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 11,152 Member
    A really great weekly email today from the author of Atomic Habits
    3-2-1: On judging your own work, and maintaining a mindset of flexibility

    read on JAMESCLEAR.COM | MAY 6, 2021
    Happy 3-2-1 Thursday,

    Here are 3 ideas, 2 quotes, and 1 question to consider this week...





    3 Ideas From Me

    I.

    "More effort is wasted doing things that don’t matter than is wasted doing things inefficiently.

    Elimination is the highest form of optimization."

    (Share this on Twitter)​

    ​II.

    "We cannot predict the value our work will provide to the world. That’s fine. It is not our job to judge our own work. It is our job to create it, to pour ourselves into it, and to master our craft as best we can."

    (Share this on Twitter)​

    III.

    "You can increase your surface area for good luck by taking action.

    The forager who explores widely will find lots of useless terrain, but is also more likely to stumble across a bountiful berry patch than the person who stays home.

    Similarly, the person who works hard, pursues opportunity, and tries more things is more likely to stumble across a lucky break than the person who waits."





    2 Quotes From Others

    I.

    Rugby player Jonny Wilkinson on maintaining a mindset of flexibility:

    "If I need things to be a certain way, I'm held hostage by them"

    Source: Series Two: Jonny Wilkinson​

    ​II.

    Author and poet Maya Angelou on how hard it is to make it look easy:

    "I try to pull the language into such a sharpness that it jumps off the page. It must look easy, but it takes me forever to get it to look so easy. Of course, there are those critics — New York critics as a rule — who say, Well, Maya Angelou has a new book out and of course it’s good but then she’s a natural writer. Those are the ones I want to grab by the throat and wrestle to the floor because it takes me forever to get it to sing. I work at the language."

    Source: The Paris Review Interviews: Volume IV​







    1 Question For You

    An insightful question from Steph Smith:

    "How much of what you did today was simply due to inertia?

    Never get so busy that you forget to actively design your life."



    If you enjoyed that, please share with others.

    ​Share this newsletter on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, or via email.

    Or, copy and paste the link below:

    https://jamesclear.com/3-2-1/may-6-2021?rh_ref=3629a5b1

  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 11,152 Member
    I’m realizing I should be screening the cassette tapes/VHS/ and more modern videos simultaneously

    Will dig out the other two machines soon!

    Efficiency makes this more fun LOL
  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 11,152 Member
    🎨 Palette= I will make marks for at least 5 minutes DAILY!

    NEW: Marie Kondo was right - at least for me! All the decluttering of the past 5.5 years has enabled me to now really tackle our stash of old media. I already went through much of this before, but would get overwhelmed. At least there is far less to go through now! Now I know to do small bits at a time & I really love order now. I love being able to find things!

    Completely finishing all of the postcards & memorabilia of an amazing trip in 1972 has spurred me onwards. These jobs take time, but it’s not infinite. They seem more do-able. I make decisions faster & with far less angst!

    This next category will take some time, but I’m truly in the right mindset now!!

    Media= I will do one of the following for at least 5 minutes DAILY except when family members are here visiting (I’d rather show them some of the awesome ones I’ve uncovered!!)
    Top Priority 📼 Cassette tapes- Invaluable
    I will screen very old cassette tapes to see if they are worth transferring to digital.

    2nd priority: 🏞 Old print photos: To free up significant space.
    I will declutter all our printed photos to keep just the ones we want to have scanned to digital.

    3rd priority: 📽 Old Videos
    I will declutter old purchased videos or screen our old home VHS to see if they are worth transferring to digital.

    4th: 📹 Moderately old videos
    Same as 3. Most are labeled!! Hooray!

    I decided to have a priority order, but not rigidly stick to it as variety is something I enjoy.

    I’m organizing the equipment I need on the newly cleared dining room table. My reward for completing the cassettes (top priority) & photos will be much less clutter, more readily accessible memorabilia, and the ability to use the dining room table for laying our monoprints and other art that needs to lay flat to dry!! The videos won’t need the space of the table. The reward there will be preserving & sharing darling early films of our son❣️

    Even iif this takes until Jan 1, 2022, it will be great to have these precious items accessible & shareable. Plus, future generations will be more likely to hang on to them If they are digital, I t think!

    May 1 🎨 📼
    May 2 🎨 📽
    May 3 🎨 🏞
    May 4 🎨 📼 🏞 2 blank (tossed) one 2-hr tape by an old friend about her 1988 trip to Bora Bora. Their house burned down in the fires last summer. I saw them on TV talking about it from a shelter. They are not rebuilding, so I’ll do some sleuthing & get it to them so at least they’ll have some memories.
    #Invaluable

    May 5 🎨 📼 JACKPOT 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
    I didn’t know this existed & ALMOST tossed this tape, but wasn’t sure when I tested it the other day that I knew what I was doing, so listened again just to be sure 😳

    It’s me reading two books to a our very young son - 2 years old I think - SUCH a sweet voice & interaction! So Darling!

    The tape goes wonky in the middle of the Grinch Who Stole Xmas so I’ve labeled it & set the tape aside. Will do some sleuthing to find if there is someone who can work with a partially damaged tape & save as much as possible.
    #happyJoyJoy!! This partial tape is worth all the work of going through the rest of the 20 or so tapes. Curious what else I will find!

    What I like is I can make art, cook, etc while scanning the tapes...so it take some attention, but not as much as I thought it would!

    AND I moved my completed art to the inherited Hope chest! A special, very safe spot!

    May 6 🎨 📼 (no big winners but kept at it - got through 5 or so, double-sided)
    I see the light at the end of the cassette tunnel!! Maybe done by Monday.

    May 7
    —-
    Week 1 Summary:

  • SummerSkier
    SummerSkier Posts: 5,143 Member
    Happy Friday habiteers... or maybe habit-ears? and for your daily dose of gross...

    The other morning I noticed that the edemame which I have been adding to my salads for additional protein and taste welll.. shall we say it was not exactly being absorbed into my body... hahahaha... So I noticed that when I was shelling them the pods had a "case" on them which I think keeps them from being broken up by your stomach and intestines. So now I am taking the extra step of scraping that casing off the pod so that I am not doing a pass thru on the protein I want to add....

    My habit of adding additional variety for blood pressure healthy foods continues. I am definitely going to keep with the tomato juice and naval oranges and beets. Something so satisfying to me about a small glass of chilled juice.

    Things I am going to look for are unsweetened grapefruit and lemon juice (or just the fruits themselves) pumpkin seeds.

    For today's earrings I found a hidden pair of horseshoes way back in my jewelry chest. I am not sure I have ever worn them but they are nice and sparkly and light weight.

    Maddie, you are doing AMAZING with the digital media. I have an entire cabinet which I am just keeping closed up tight for now. LOL.

    ffl6vh5e5w4i.png
  • nebslp
    nebslp Posts: 1,667 Member
    May 1 ⛅️
    May 2 ⛅️
    May 3 ⛅️
    May 4 ⛅️
    May 5 ⛅️ 37 degree morning didn't stop me. Mornings outside are so beautiful. The dew was on the grass and I could see a few spiderwebs on my bushes
    May 6 ⛅️
    May 7 ⛅️ Every day I love this more than the day before🥰 The time outside has turned into a meditation, prayer, just happy to be alive time.

    Not much time to comment but am glad to hear about all the progress being made. @SummerSkier Have you tried low sodium original V-8? I like it better than straight tomato juice.

    I finished a Harry Potter robe (another one) in 3 days 😲, got many flowers planted today, and will be cleaning furiously because all my kids ( except 1) will be coming for my granddaughter’s 11th bday party tomorrow. There’s another party on Sunday (not here) for my other granddaughter who will be 13 already! She was a preemie (2lbs) so had a scary beginning but is amazing now😍. Life is returning to normal and I am so happy! Hope you all have a good weekend.