Saturday, June 14, 2008

Plans for Today

I was thinking that it's time that I set out some goals. These are very general, but I think that I need to start thinking in the right direction:

For Today

  • I believe that I can get through this.
  • I will take care of business.
  • I will do things that I want to do.
  • I will ask for what I need.
  • I will learn something new.
  • I will cry only for a reason.
  • I will laugh for no reason.
I did well with this today. Annette and Steve came down and helped me with my sorting and culling. I worked on some more very difficult things today -- attic and library.

In the attic, I had stashed a bunch of bakery-related things -- glass pie plates (yes, more of them!), muffin pans, springform pans..on and on. And I had four years of wonderful and creative lesson plans. And many pounds of materials that I had used with my students, projects that they had made, etc.. The lesson plans are at the recycling facility. The materials are going to Teachers' Warehouse, and I hope that some teacher finds them as fun as I once did.

I'm not sure what I was thinking when I put these things into the difficult-to-access attic, but I believe, at my tender age of 38, I thought that I might someday return to teaching high school mathematics. I think that I believed that life is long, and our desires go through cycles. There is no way that I could ever live long enough to teach high school math again.

And I went through some of my books. Books become like friends, and it seems inordinately difficult to get rid of them. How could I toss "The Pearl," "Night in Funland," or "In a Sunburned Country?" I didn't. I did put some books into a pile to give to the Red Cross, which has a book sale annually. I hope they want them.

More books -- the rarer and older ones -- will be put up for sale on Amazon. This saddens me deeply, but simplifying is what I want to do now, and this is the way to do it. If I didn't do it now, someone would be tossing my life's collections after I die, and they would just laugh at my things.

I boxed up my puzzle collection, too, but these -- my favorites from my collection -- will be going with me to Tucson. I'm not sure where I'll put them there, but I do love my puzzles. Only if I use it, need it, or love it, is it eligible to stay with me. And I have to answer honestly about each item.

We had lunch at MCL and it was gooood! Now it's time to play some games. I think that online Boggle will be my game for tonight. I play at WordsPlay. I consider myself a winner if I place in the top third; that's how good these folks are!




3 comments:

  1. Hey, sis...it is starting to storm here! Just what we need, rain. NOT. The thunder and lightning are amazing right now, crashing all around...YIKES.

    Thanks again for a great lunch and I am sorry for sort of dumping our troubles on you. You have all sorts of things to deal with, the last thing you need is another. But, thanks for the advice :)

    I slept all the way home so no conversation went on. When we got home, the guy that was supposed to be here at 6, never showed. We finally called and found out he was not feeling well.

    I did get a couple loads of laundry done, and some Swiffers put in the truck for Steve to bring down.

    We sold two movies and made about $20! They were two of the most expensive ones - Nemo and Dr. Shivago. I will get them mailed off tomorrow. I am keeping a tally sheet so we can settle up later. It is sort of fun and I think you will enjoy eBay when we get to that...fun to watch the bids.

    Well, thanks for a full and busy weekend. Despite what we are doing and why, I really loved seeing you and spending the time with you.

    Love you. Sis.

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  2. Hi, Janee,

    LOVE your goals. When you figure out Ebay, kindly 'splain it to me because I have plenty of junk ... er...valuables to unload. Who wouldn't want a postcard handwritten by Dick Clark??

    You will get through this hugh project, and get on with your life. Good for you for not becoming a curator of memories.

    Admiringly,
    Lynell

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  3. HUGH project? I should have proofed my post a little better. Duh.

    L

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