| |
|
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Working on a New Plan
Dear Journal:
I have not forgotten you. I am excited about a plan that I am working on. The plan will tie all of my projects together: eating plan,daily chores, clothing, jewelry, decorating. I can hardly wait until I have it organized enough to put it into practice.
I am already testing a few ideas, and so far, I like them. I think this is going to work to finally bring balance into my life.
winivere2002 at 11:39:27 AM CDT
Permalink
| Blog about this entry
|  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this
This entry has comments: Add your own
Friday, June 1, 2007
Lost My Job
Losing a job is part of life. Being unemployed is only temporary. Life has offered me a new opportunity. It has placed time into my hands, and that is something that I have not had in a very, very long time.
 I have butterflies of excitement in my tummy... excitement for a new life, a new direction, the start of a new chapter... I tell myself that every cent in my bank account is at-risk, but inside, it feels as if the butterflies are more powerful than my fears, and so I smile, and I hold my head up high... My future awaits...
 Analysis:
1. I will need a new job. I have an undated resume. I will need to follow up with people who said they would serve as references. I will need an interview and job-hunting wardrobe. I will need to review my closet choices that fit. I will need to visit Fashion Bug for a new career outfit.
2. I will need to improve my health. (I have been fighting bronchitis for the past nine months. Because of the herniated disks in my back, it is painful to bend over and lift things that are too heavy.) I need to lose weight so that I can look more confident in my clothes when I go looking for work. I want them to see me as someone who has wisdom without the tiredness... someone who has lots of energy, someone who is ready to face and conquer my little part of the world!
3. I needto simplify my life by getting rid of things that I do not need. Having too much stuff can be a problem, because I spend too much time looking for things that somehow grew legs and walked off. Having too much stuff means that I have to spend more time cleaning and arranging and rearranging instead of being out in the world enjoying nature and having fun.
4. I will need to pamper myself. The "extras" in my life should be for pampering... My home should be a special getaway from the outside world... a retreat.. a place for renewal and rest. There should be scented candles, plush towels, a plush robe and slippers, fun pajamas and cute clothes to run around in, wonderful scents in the kitchen, soothing and relaxing music, bubble bath and bath salts, wine, lucious fruits and salads, yoga and tai chi video, nail polish, a massage chair, a massage machine for my feet, gel eye mask and spa face and hair treatments. Oh, it all sounds so wonderful!
Once was a time when I thought housework was just about getting my place clean, but now I know that housework should never be about work. Housework should be about turning your home into a haven!!! ~ Winivere
Be not afraid of progressing slowly, be afraid of standing still.
winivere2002 at 3:35:46 PM CDT
Permalink
| Blog about this entry
| Add to del.icio.us | digg this
This entry has comments: Add your own
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Life Changes
Quiet
When I was at the doctor's office yesterday, a woman in the waiting room wanted to match me up with her brother. He has never left home, and he has never been married. I do not think we are a match.
When I was at the grocery store yesterday, an employee commented on my smile. He kept trying to make conversation. I do not think we are a match.
James sent me an email on January 1st and another email today, but I still do not have enough details about him to decide if I want to pursue this.
All I did was hang the curtains, change and dress the bed, and clean out the southeast corner of my bedroom. I have not cleaned the room completely, and I already see changes. I wish I could finish cleaning the room, but this week is the start of a lot of long hours at work.
Winivere
winivere2002 at 9:31:01 PM CST
Permalink
| Blog about this entry
| Add to del.icio.us | digg this
This entry has comments: Add your own
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
Reminders
The following was taken from one of my other journals: The Mad Platter. Refer to the link on the sidebar.
In attempts to bring some balance into my life, I have been Spring Cleaning my apartment, trying to get rid of some things and rearranging things through the concept of Feng-Shui. (Refer to my journal The Feng-Shui Amateur link on the sidebar.)
Today, I got out my colored markers and used the back of an index card to made a simple reminder to put on the fridge. I surrounded it with pretty little flowers all around the edge and put it on my refrigerator door with a magnet.
Mediterranean Diet
1. Enjoy your food.
2. Watch portion sizes.
3. Drink lots of water.
4. Exercise, rest, relax.
I also handmade a reminder that is quite similar to this one:
Making the reminders by hand make the Reminder feel a little more personal, a little more REAL. The thought behind this Creative project is that dieting has not seemed to work. My body is not quite ready to accept less calories and I don't like counting anything, but these little steps from the Mediterranean Diet do not sound threatening and I think they are something that I can live with.
I also made one similar to the one below. It isn't quite as pretty, but that's not important. The thing is that the reminders are colorful and the lettering is big enough for me to take notice before I open the refrigerator door. That is what is important, because I have to no one to depend on for support except myself.
For the bathroom (beside the mirror), I made a little index card with the Chinese symbol for beautiful and drew a square around it with a gold pen. Then, I added the following quote:
When I was a little girl, no one ever told me I was pretty. Every little girl should be told she is pretty, even if she is not. ~ Marilyn Monroe
I surrounded it with little dots all around it. It turned out very nice.
For my Spring Cleaning project, I made another little reminder on the back of an index card and put it above the kitchen sink.
The card is below my D. Morgan picture of a little yellow house. The picture says: Heaven's a little closer in a house by the sea. I forgot I had this picture that has some yellow in it when I was looking for something yellow to put in the center of my home. I might move it over to the Health area to see how it looks and how it makes me feel... (refer to my Feng-Shui journal)
The card started out with a little red heart with wings that says:
I'm FLYing. (FLYing means Finally Loving Yourself, which comes from the FLY Lady site.)
Under the heart, in lavender (color of my kitchen) are the words:
Don't feel overwhelmed. Just do one thing at a time.
That line was taken from the movie, Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead. Then, I added little red hearts and dots at the bottom. I love the way it turned out! I may have to buy a little plastic frame for it, so it doesn't get messed up.
Winivere
p.s. Looks as if taking care of my Creativity area is working!
winivere2002 at 8:17:45 AM CST
Permalink
| Blog about this entry
| Add to del.icio.us | digg this
This entry has comments: Add your own
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Creativity
I wish I could clean house like everybody else. I clean an area and then end up somewhere else! It would be good to stay in one room and finish before I go over to the next. That explains why I have clean areas here and clean areas there but I haven't been able to clean one room completely yet. LMAO...
I am reading a little bit about Feng-Shui every evening. It says that if you want to complete things you don't finish, you need to focus on the creativity/children area. Luckily, I will not get pregnant, because I think you have to have sex first and I don't have a uterus.
The creativity/children area is located in the west. (Refer to Bagua.)
 I have the fireplace in the creativity area, which is a no-no, but it says to add a mirror above the fireplace to quench the fire element, so I did that. Then I looked for pictures of my grandbabies and pictures of the kids that have given me pictures. This is my favorite childhood picture, because it was the first time I ever felt pretty. I placed it in the center.
When I was a little girl, no one ever told me I was pretty. Every little girl should be told she is pretty, even if she is not. ~ Marilyn Monroe
This area recommends metal, which is good, because I love little silver frames. I will need to get more frames for some of the pictures. The color for this area is white.
Today, I cleaned out all of the cabinets and drawers in the bathroom and threw away all of the expired products. Everything looks so nice and neat and organized. I finally put up that new curtain rod and put the curtains up, and I changed the sheets and dressed the bed with the comforter set that my daughter gave me. Then I went through some of the papers on the desk and organized a few drawers, but that area is still not finished. I cleaned out the coat closet and put everything that has to do with tools there: vacuum, broom, cleaning supplies, toolbox, and added my luggage, wrapping paper and bows, games, and art supplies. I have a shoe organizer in the inside of the coat closet that I fill with odds and ends like school supplies, scissors, candles, incense, maps, extension cords, camera, etc. Of course, the coats are also there.
I think the reason why I have been so sick is from all of the dust that I have been getting rid of. I fell in love with the feather duster. Arranging and rearranging takes a lot of effort, but it will be nice to always know where to go look when I need to find something.
When I first started this project, I felt so overwhelmed and I was so tired and sluggish. I just wanted to sleep. I think cleaning the creativity and health/balance areas has really helped, but there is still so much to do and it seems that time is just going by so fast.
I still need to start working on my paperwork for work, so I really need to hurry up. I hope I can get a little more accomplished tomorrow. If not, I am only going to work on the apartment one more day so I can get started on the paperwork.
Win =.)
winivere2002 at 11:06:36 PM CST
Permalink
| Blog about this entry
| Add to del.icio.us | digg this
This entry has comments: Add your own
Monday, January 1, 2007
Welcome 2007
 
This is a blurred image of the Bagua, but you get the picture. Each area has rules for certain colors and elements. Imagine this is the layout of your home. The Health and Balance area is in the Center. Map out your floor plan and find out where the center of your home is. If you have a scaled plan of your home, even better, but if not, estimate. From my front door, the center of my apartment is on the left wall of my living room. It leads into the hallway.
The center of the home is very important, because it affects all of the other areas in the Bagua, so whatever area you want to improve in your life, you must clean up this area first. <--Good info to know! I can see now that getting sick was no accident. It was an insight that helped to see where I need to start. I had a fever, headache, congestion, and a runny nose for about four days now, and to top it off, my hair is a mess and I look awful. LMAO
 The color of the Health area is yellow and the element is earth. That means that something yellow needs to go here. Boy, was it hard to find something yellow in my apartment! And then, I remembered the card that the kids from my previous school gave me at the end of the school year. The kids wrote all over it and signed their names and left comments. The card is yellow and ithas a yellow sunflower on it, so I framed it and cleared the area beneath it. What element is plastic?! The card is made of paper. Is paper wood or earth? The advice is to add a crystal to this room so the colors of the crystal can reflect into the room. I will need to see where I can buy a crystal.
 Also, the South area is about Fame and Reputation. It is an important section for me, because my career reputation is important. In my apartment, the South area is hidden behind the closets. The Fame area asks for red. I took the Accolade poster in my bedroom and taped it on the outside of the closet door. I know it doesn't have a frame, but I live in an apartment, which means I cannot put holes on the door. I don't know if it was a good idea to use the end of the hall as the fame part (because it is in the closet), but this is a trial and error journal. I am thinking of putting something red in the closet, too, but I haven't gotten that far yet. Remember this is only a test. You can try this at home. =.)
I cleaned out the Fame area and covered the filing cabinet with a white throw, because the cabinet is a black metal cabinet, and you are not supposed to have black or metal there. I put a large statue of St. Michael on top of the cabinet, because he is wearing a red cape. I added a couple of columns, a small candle and a small lamp, because this area is always dark. Something sharp is good here. The poster and the statue both carry swords, so I think I have sharps covered. I was thinking about putting my degree here, but the frame I have is black.
I hope the things I moved today will help, especially with my health, and I am worried because I am running out of time to get my paperwork done.
This morning when I woke up, the first thing I noticed when I opened the door was the color yellow, and then, I remembered those kids in Mrs. Chavez 2nd period class. It was like a breath of fresh sunshine to start my day!
I know this is not elegant decorating, but I have to work with what I have.
I like to look at my Fame area, because it looks so clean. The painting represents my quest for honor, service, discipline, and strength. The knight is just an added bonus of the knight I would like to meet who will serve the same quests.
It will be nice to have the whole house clean one day and to have a balanced life instead of having to work so hard all the time. It would be nice to feel healthy again. It would be nice to not have to worry about money. It would be able to just sit down and relax. It would be nice to have a little spice of romance in my life. Oh, yes, it would be nice... =.)
Winivere =.)
winivere2002 at 12:46:57 AM CST
Permalink
| Blog about this entry
| Add to del.icio.us | digg this
This entry has comments: Add your own
Friday, December 29, 2006
Day One: Baby Steps
Hopeful | Christmas Music
 The first step in Feng-Shui is to get rid of the clutter. This may take me a long time, because I usually spend my time cleaning one area and never have time to get to the really big jobs that need my attention.
Keep in mind that I have boxes that I haven't even gone through since I moved in here, and I have back injuries. I am not looking forward to going up and down the stairs to take things out of my apartment, including taking the trash down the stairs to the trash bin that this at the other end of the block.
I know that what I am about to do will not be completed in a day. I know that I need to be patient with myself and try not to feel hopeless or overwhelmed, and so, I will start with the following baby steps:
1. Put on some music with a good tempo, nothing aerobic.
2. Grab a ForceFlex trash bag and gather all of the items that are on the sitting areas of the living room. Set bag aside.
3. Stack all of the dirty dishes and set aside. Shine the sink, counter tops, stove, and outside of the refrigerator.
4. Add bleach to the inside of the toilet and let soak. Close the lid.
5. Grab a ForceFlex trash bag and gather all of the items on the bathroom counter. Set bag aside. Shine the sink, counter top and mirror.
6. Undress the bed and add fresh sheets and pillowcases. Dress the bed with comforter and shams.
7. Swish and wipe the toilet. Close the lid.
8. Grab a hammer and put up the new curtain rod in the bedroom.
9. Make a cup of tea. Light a candle and some incense. Put my feet up and enjoy the music.
10. Gather trash and take it out.
That seems like a lot to do in one day. Knowing me, I will not do them in the order as shown. I follow recipes exactly, but I do not know why I do not follow lists exactly. Must be some authoritative issue. LMAO
If I don't get everything done, that's o.k. There is always tomorrow. =.)
winivere2002 at 10:06:15 AM CST
Permalink
| Blog about this entry
| Add to del.icio.us | digg this
This entry has comments: Add your own
Thursday, December 28, 2006
First Entry
Hopeful | Beegees: How Deep is Your Love (radio)
 My mother and my brother had not talked in fifteen years. Because of my background, I felt it my obligation to come to the Valley to help them to mend their differences, especially since my brother was the favorite. It just didn't make sense to me that they were no longer talking to one another.
Yes, my intentions to come to the Valley was supposed to be a "temporary act of charity," but it took me over a year to get them talking again, because my brother could not forgive my mother and I had to make my mother see the error of her ways when it came to my brother.
I know that coming to the Valley was a mistake, as far as my own life is concerned, but sometimes you have to do what you know is right, no matter what it costs you.
To make a long story short, I lived without a bed for three years, still hoping to return to Corpus Christi one day. I was having difficulty with my car, so I saved money to buy another used car and pay for it cash, which took almost all that I had in savings. As luck would have it, it wasn't long after I cleaned out my finances that I had a bad fall at work, and I lost even more money, because I wasn't able to work. Workman's Comp only paid me $100 /week, so I asked the doctor to let me go back to work, even if it was only part-time, because I couldn't afford to pay my rent.
It was hard to reach, to bend, to go up and down the stairs with groceries, and to clean my apartment. Then they moved the garbage bin over to the other block, because my neighbor complained that it stunk, which wasn't true at the time, but now it is, because of where they moved it. Somehow, I got through all this, but I had to let go of most of the housework, because of my injuries. Being a single woman, I continued to work and I thought I was finally getting better and getting my stamina back when I had another bad fall. I lost money there, too, because they do not pay me when I do not work.
I have been recently been reading up on Feng-Shui, the Chinese art of placement. I was going to write about this in my main journal, but I decided that it will probably be best to start a new journal for this experiment. I do not know if this Chinese wisdom will help me to improve my life, but I am willing to give it a try.
Before I begin with placement, I will start my journey by attempting to get rid of the excess clutter, one room at a time.
winivere2002 at 11:13:27 AM CST
Permalink
| Blog about this entry
| Add to del.icio.us | digg this
This entry has comments: Add your own
|
|
