I finally got around to organizing and packing yesterday, thankfully. This is my last day in Oregon so it needed to get done regardless of how I felt about the tasks and my overwhelming desire to procrastinate.
While I was cleaning and going through my papers, I cam across a notebook I’ve had for a few years. Inside was an old 101 in 1001 Days list. I’d completely forgotten about the list but it was awesome to see that even without keeping it in mind I’d completed a good number (almost half) of the things on the list. I’d done things like:
It was fun to go back through the list and cross off the those things and more that I have accomplished. A lot of them were little silly things, but a few were substantial. Like the internet income. Crossing that off felt really good because when I wrote that I probably made 50 cents a month online. And now I make more than $500 each month. It took some time, but achieving goals is possible.
Finding this forgotten life list inspired me to update my current life list (the one that is always changing as I change). I’ve updated it a bit to reflect some new goals and to inspire me to complete some of the other things on the list. I know quite a few will be happening in the next few months and I’m so excited. I’m happy my forgotten life list showed up just at the right time to inspire me once again.
Posted
on June 29, 2010, 1:26 pm,
by Mary,
under
Thoughts.
I’ve been procrastinating a lot lately. I’ve been procrastinating on doing my laundry, completing my to do list, packing for my move/roadtrip. I’ve been procrastinating a lot by watching Design Star and surfing the web and generally avoiding all the things I need to do to make the next month or so run smoothly for myself. And what am I doing now? Blogging. Clearly I don’t want to get anything done today either.
Which leaves everything for me to do tomorrow, since I’m leaving on Thursday for San Fransisco/Oakland. Really that’s fine because there isn’t much to do in terms of actual physical labor. Because I don’t own much I need to do a single load of laundry and then pack my things up. Easy. But I am procrastinating and leaving that until tomorrow.
Beside my packing, I really have a lot of other things I need to be doing. Last night I made a long list of things that still need to get done either before the roadtrip or before moving to New Zealand. That list is a bit random and includes things like buying travel health insurance, creating a list of business books to read, finding a place to stay for one night in LA, further researching self employment retirement options, and writing blog posts to post while I’m on the road. I’m not sure why I’m procrastinating when I have so much on my list of things to do today.
I’ve always had a problem with procrastination. I’m not the kind of person that gets things done way ahead of time, even though I wish I was that person. I’m most definitely the person that finishes things right before they need to be done. I remember when I was creating my ebook, I was putting finishing touches on it right before I was set to release it (just cosmetic stuff, the content is solid). I remember in college I would write my papers timed perfectly so they would be finished right before needing to be handed in. I always have procrastinated and then stressed myself out trying to finish things before they are do. For some reason I avoid stress in most areas of my life, but still create it for myself when I procrastinate.
But I want to change. I want to stop procrastinating. So I’m going to start making my lists again – my to do list for today is the first in a long time – and then getting them done. Life is too short and I’ve got way too much to do to let procrastination keep winning. I’m turning over a new leaf and no longer procrastinating. I’m going to get things done.. which means I need to stop blogging my declaration of war on procrastination and actually go get things done. So have a good day!
So, I want to buy things. In particular I want to buy one thing: a new lens for my camera.
I’ve had a Nikon D40 for a while and while it’s not the best thing ever it pretty much suits my needs and nonexistent budget for upgrades. But one thing I’ve disliked for years is my lack of lenses. I only have the standard zoom lens that came with the camera. While that’s not bad, I want lenses for more specific occasions.
The one thing I really want a lens for is food photography. I write a food blog to help with my weight loss efforts. It’s just something I find easier to do than the boring methods people normally recommend for food tracking. But when I do something I tend to get obsessed and that’s where I now find myself with food photography. I want to take better pictures of my food.
Most lenses are extremely expensive, which is why I haven’t bought any for myself in the last few years of owning a DSLR. But now I find myself wanting a lens so bad I’m ready to press click on the order button. I can’t afford most of the fancy lenses but a standard 50 mm f/1.8 D Nikon lens would be a great starting lens to play with my food photography and improve my skills.
It’s only $125 on Amazon. Anyone want to grant me an item on my wish list? Yes? Anyone out there in blog land have a used one they are willing to sell?
Of course wanting a new lens or two also leads me down the path of wanting more gear including flashes and lighting equipment. I won’t be going that direction for a while, but I do want to get a new lens before I leave the US. I would prefer before I leave Oregon, but since that’s happening next Thursday it’s not likely. But I will be getting it, some how, some way.
Posted
on June 24, 2010, 9:00 am,
by Mary,
under
New Zealand.
I think my recent anxiety over jobs, careers, and the decisions that they involve was caused by my upcoming move abroad. Last time I lived abroad I was in college and had a job working for the college. This time? It’s a whole new ballgame.
For starters, my visa allows temporary (up to 3 months) of part time work. If I want to get anything else I have to apply to get a different work permit. That alone leaves me scared that I’ll never find work. Add to that the fact that research online and from friends who lived in New Zealand tells me I’m at a disadvantage because I’m American. Yep, apparently kiwis don’t like to hire Americans. It makes sense in a small country with limited jobs and resources. It makes sense but it scares me. What if I’m always unemployable once I make the move? To be honest the whole process scares me and leaves me feeling almost paralyzed.
Although the move is in August, the chain of events leading up the move is going to start next weekend when I head south to Cali for a week or so. Because of that the move feels a lot closer than it actually is. I’m very excited to move to New Zealand. I’m looking forward to it. But certain things, like the job situation, give me pause and get me worrying. I know worry is pointless, but it’s a hard thing to stop once you’ve started.
So I worry a little bit and write posts about my career crisis and my confusion over the future. Thank goodness for great comments that remind me that everything will come together. They remind me that I’m lucky enough to have created a somewhat stable online business to help me out even if I don’t have another job. They remind me to snap out of my worrying about careers and realize I’m one of those people who likes to be doing 18 different things at once. One job forever? Ha. I’ve already dipped my toes into a dozen different things and that number will just keep rising. I’ll probably end up have 4 different careers and a zillion different jobs. And that’s okay.
Now that I’ve moved past the mini vocation related crisis, I’m once again super excited about all the things coming up. I just spent a few minutes looking back through my vacation photos from New Zealand and I’m really missing it. I’m so excited to move there for a year! :)
