getting stuff done: creating my life

after a bout of really and truly not quite knowing what to do next I am suddenly filling up with missions of one sort or another. 

None are long term yet.  Unless you count

Be a yoga teacher
be an artist
teach art
parenting
get our loft converted

ah, see they come flying out once I even ask myself the question

On the mini mission side of things

grow herbs (coriander, basil, sage)
grow lettuce / salads (pea shoots, rocket)
make something using gram four (its in the cupboard, annoying me by just sitting there not being used) am thinking a kind of savoury pancake stuffedwith curry see here a couple of recipes down.
I have been tidying out cupboards again.  I think it needs doing every 6 months.  I forget what is in there, and hoard stuff I no longer need or use.  I love a good cupboard clear out! Am going to put it in my diary for 6 months time!!!  as a recurrance!! get me!!! ha ha!

Bub's room needs decorating of course.  And simplifying.  And getting stuff prepared so that he can make dens in there.  All good and exciting

On a later note.  I planted coriander, basil and rocket.  and pea shoots (well. you know, peas, to eat as they shoot. 

Bub has spent all morning hanging out, playing, making concoctions for a while. 

I have been reading Steven Pressfields the War of Art

Its quite a motivator! 

And it has also got me thinking about what my WORK is.

Its not just art.  I wish it were that simple.  Perhaps I would be better at it if it were. I have several jobs.

Art
Teaching / Practicing Yoga
Making & Keeping Home
Making and Maintaining Friendships & Relationships
Making FUN. 
Earning Money

I wonder if I can simplify it further? 

Art actually may be part of  FUN - and FUN for me, means actively creating something interesting.  That is engaging.
Earning Money is actually part of Fun then, and also part of Making and Keeping Home.
Yoga is part of fun. hmmm.

I am finding myself deeply tempted to join Andrea Sher on her foolish project course.  I am particularly keen on doing something like that pot luck Sunday dinner.  Not that we could do it outside in this country.  But even so. 

Here she is telling everyone all about it.

Start a Foolish Project! from andrea scher on Vimeo.

Talking of foolish projects.  I did find myself today talking to a complete stranger about the notion of a summer salad pop up supper club.  Which was a (foolish) project that I really wanted (but didn't) manage to pop up last summer. 

I am tempted to join Andrea, this summer.  And instigate my summer salad supper club idea.  I could do it on my own, but do like the community, even if it is only virtual, and doing things together with other foolish projecteers.  I do like what Andrea gets up to!!

SO yes, today, complete stranger.  And a rather random afternoon.  I went along, to something called Fusebox.  At least that is what I thought I was going to.  Perhaps it was?  Fusebox has funding.  To do something creative and digital in Brighton.  I think it has rules.  Or these may have been the rules of The Lab for the Recently Possible. Which is a venue.  Kind of.  And which is where the Fusebox meeting was being held this week.  This Lab, also happens to be where I am going to go on the 4th of July, to a workshop about Money with a chap called Charlie Davies.  Who was there and kind of hosting.

Its all a little vague.  And I so, instead of 'finding out about Fusebox' (my friend Rachel told me that I ought to go along as they needed more artists involved) I found myself writing what I most needed on a little card, and then chatting to Prem (who runs the Lab) about it.  He had introduced his Lab, as an experimental space.  Perhaps this is where the rules come in.
 RULES
1. the default response is YES
2. if you are not learning anything or teaching anything or its not useful, go home
3. I can't remember any of the other rules.  They may come back to me.

SO given that rule, of YES.  And that there was a space he wants to use, the pop up supper club popped back into my head.  And so we talked about that.  And vegetarianism.  And then we were moved around and I talked to another fellow about his plans to develop a training pamphlet to help journalists send emails that are encrypted.  And then we all talked about the idea of a school, where by you pay a set fee and go to as many classes as you want in a set period of time.

I must say I also wrote down the word "paramaters" on my card (man, have I spelt that right? it looks weird).  As it all felt so wide open that it was almost impossible to think of anything.  THough I know one chap talked about what he was going to cook for dinner that night....... It was all definitely a tad random, slightly out of the comfort zone and operating slightly off the hoof.  I found it a bit awkward and exhilarating at the same time.  And I come home to this foolish project idea.  And I kind of want to just run with it.  Sometimes you just have to follow the sparkly lights.

And am now even more intruiged by the Creative with  Money workshop.  And ever so slightly nervous.  Or excited.  Sometimes its hard to know the difference.  It certainly appeals to my curiosity.  Hey ho.  Off we go!

I read a blog post today on Down to Earth.  I loved how she stopped to think about what she really wanted in life.  She writes

• A reason to get up every morning
• Interesting and productive work
• Contentment that explodes into happiness occasionally
• A framework in which to live simply
• The opportunity and continued ability to learn skills that facilitate our lifestyle
• A strong and generous family circle that supports every member of our family – during the good times and especially when it’s tougher
• Opportunities to express generosity, kindness and empathy
• The strength to be a role model to the younger women in my family
• The enthusiasm and perseverance to take charge of my home and make it a place of comfort, welcome and warmth
  As for me - - - - I have been reading a book about simplifying our childrens' lives.  I need to look up the title, but its very interesting. It is
  
  Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids
  
  A while ago, during one of the do:work sessions, I was asking the folk on the course, what was bothering them, what undone thing was at the forefront of their minds.  Its part of our process.  And I sometimes while they are working go through the process myself. 
  
  And what was really really bothering me, was the mess in my son's room.  It was a SEA of plastic toys.  Honestly, poor wee chap, he couldn't be expected to tidy it up as there was not enough room to put everything away.  So I wrote down TOY STORAGE.  This was the issue that was bothering me most. 
  
  As a consequence of that, we are embarking on a major redecoration of his room.  Firstly we had a mattress on the floor which was sort of a day bed / spare bed.  SO, I thought if we made that into an actual bed, there could be toy storage areas underneath it.  And with the idea of building a bed (there is not enough room for an actual bed, as in the one that came with the mattress, which we used to build a built in bed.... another story..... actually you can see that story (here when I find the post with the pictures!) ah, so we needed to build a bed, that fitted exactly under the mattress.  Which brought us on to thinking that if we are going to build a bed, then really we need to sort out the wall first.  The wall had water damage from a long while ago.  Ah, so now we have everything out of the room, the wall is being replastered, and while we are at it the ceiling is being skimmed (it has very badly done artex on it - vile) and  - while we are there, we will be repainting......
  
  And so major decoration.  
  
  And before I even started reading this book about simple childhood, I was thinking I needed to do something about the 'toy creep', and so was talking about culling the toys, and creating a toy library in the attic, and was then recommended this book.  Which is all about how too much choice can freak our children out, and actually stop them from playing creatively. 
  
  So I am right back into the whole idea of simplifying.  I definitely have a tendency to proliferate and over complicate, and I am loving reading this book, which is all about underlining LESS IS MORE.  It advocates a massive cull on toys (and BOOKS!!) to create a calmer more creative environment.  You get rid of loads and then create the toy and book library.  It advocates
  
  building toys
  special cuddly bed time toys
  figures (as generic as possible)
  a dwelling of some kind (house / farm)
  dressing up box
  some cloth and rope and pegs to enable the child to build environments themself
  and 10 books.  (brutal! we won't be going that far!!)
  
  But I am going to reduce the clutter to this other groupings of toys.  The huge box of broken bits of plastic crap that came free in various forms or other is going OUT.  The rest will be reduced and there is going to be a 'libary' in the loft (or maybe the wardrobe) to swap things around and keep them fresh.
  
  Bub's room, when it is all newly decorated and lovely, with a new bed, a new den (under his old bed) will have significantly LESS in it.  Calmer, easier to tidy, more room to actually play. 
  
  I am on the case.  Am back into simplifying.  LESS IS MORE. 
   

this might be one of those posts that gets left on the editing floor.  not that there is a floor, for bits of unedited text to fall onto.  Maybe a digital cloud somewhere, taken up with writings not exactly published, but stored in draft form all over the backrooms of tinternet.

Maybe I will publish. 

Dreams and how to make them a reality.  My last post, re blogged a post by Danielle Daniel.  I first read her blog many moons ago, and she was just starting out, ish.  A bit like I was.  And now she is teaching at an art retreat.  She has really found her voice it seems with her paper mache dolls and kooky quirky style. 

And I immediately wanted to know that one day I would be writing that post about how I finally am teaching at an art retreat.  So hey, there's a dream to fulfil!!

and it made me think of the very first post I ever put on this blog.  It got deleted somehow.  ironic huh.  I know I deleted a shed load because I was a bit moany in the posts, about people who exist, and I decided that, it wasn't on for me to do that in public.  So I deleted all my really old posts. 

But that very first post was all about how I really wanted to live.  I remember it.  I envisioned a large kitchen space, with chickens in the big garden outside.  And - actually that is mostly all I can remember.  I think  I had a big yoga studio and an art studio, and lots of great friends all coming around a lot and it being this hub of creativity and friendship.

I want to vision again. 

SO.  in 5 years time.  That is in 2018.  (my that is crazy)

It is 2018.  I am *(old!) I am very happy, and very healthy.  Bub is also happy and healthy.  So is Hub and my brother and my parents.  Nuff said.  We are happy and healthy.

We have a converted attic in our brighton house.  It is also extended so we have this big kitchen with a sofa in it.  And a BIG table.  There is always a big table in my dreams.  And its a really lovely homely, creative, welcoming, friendly kitchen.  It has a roof terrace on it, or at the very least a meadow roof.  Because our conversion is very green and energy efficient!  Yeah! we have electricity panels and hot water panels there too. 

We have an upstairs bathroom and my studio is - in the loft.  or the back bedroom.  or the front one and Bub is upstairs.  OR we all have a room each anyways.  to be in.  And there is no TV in the big kitchen which is also really the living room.  We have a piano in the house. 

We feel happy and at home and sociable here. 

I am teaching yoga and art retreats and working with People Who Do (because all of these things make me happy).  I have published a book.  And I have a very succesful blog.  I am wealthy and can afford many holidays and trips.  We eat healthily and well, and organically and locally sourced as much as is possible.  We grow a lot of our own vegetables. 

Hmm, this is interesting.  Its mostly everything I have already, but better, more established.  I guess this means I am on the right track with it all.  Just further along the line with it. 

AND - there is something yet undiscovered which is going to be big and interesting and exciting for me in this time.  a new track which builds on all of my experience and takes it up a level.  and its really really really good and fun and lucrative.  

so,  things to do.  Make sure I practice my yoga teaching.  my art teaching.  my own yoga practice and my own art practice.  keep going.  its all good. 

http://danielledaniel.com/2013/06/another-incredible-full-circle/

Just emptied and tidied my office drawer.  It was kind of a long time coming, rather overdue and so on.  But it does feel good to have it done.  I always discover I really do have a lot of pens, and staples, and paperclips and I certainly have a lot of post it notes!!  I also have quite a lot of stamps.  All good.  I think I must schedule a more regular clearing out of drawers.  It feels so good afterwards!!  I did the kitchen 'stuff' drawer, the cutlery and the baking stuff drawers the other day.  Inspired by some rather fancy drawer liner paper with sticky backing I got in Tiger Tiger.

And my make up drawers.  OK I am on a roll.

Just the art drawers to go!! Now that will be interesting. 

The other day, I was not doing my accounts.  I had a big bag of receipts.  Well it looked  big.  I knew it was only from April.  That's not so bad is it???? but it was on my list to do.  And had been since, well er..... April.  And it had built up since.  I don't know what my problem is.  Its not a hard job.  Whenever I actually sit down and do it, its really quite painless and takes me waaaaay less time than I think it is going to.  But I hate it, and I avoid it and it stays on my to do list for too long. 

It was time to tackle it.  My first attempt had me doing everything BUT my accounts.  I did get a lot of admin sorted.  But I hadn't done my accounts.

Time to get serious.  I put it in my calendar.  I decided to use POMODORO technique.  Its quite simple really.  You get a timer (Pomodoro was inspired by one of those kichen timers that looks like a tomato)  - I used my iphone.  And you set yourself down to work.  Put the timer on for 25 minutes and you work as hard as you can for 25 minutes.  Then you have a 5 minute break.  Then another 25 minutes of focused hard work.  Another 5 min break.  And finally a 3rd set of 25 minutes. 

Apparently our brain gets tired after 90 minutes and needs a bigger break.  For my part.  I was up to date on my accounts before the 90 minutes was up.  WHOOOP!

As an added proof and motivational tool, I used facebook, probably one of my biggest and most unsatisfying procrastination tools, to monitor my progress.  And although my 2nd break, was slightly longer than 5 mins.  It did work.  I was public on my commitment!!!

And WHATEVER.  Accounts are up to date.  BIG TICK. 

Aside from writing this (sometimes also a procrastination technique on my part) I am now off for a good 25 minutes research into setting up a blog, wordpress or tumblr or some such for How to be a COOL OLD LADY. 

watch me go.  OK timer....  lets go.

Hard to keep on top of tracking when you have a son who did street dance in a show at the Dome and its all just far too exciting to even bear!!  My wee 5 year old boy was first on stage with his troupe of Brighton Minis and got all his moves right in front of 2000 people!! It was all very overwhelming!! for ME!!!! can't tell you how emotional i felt.  WOW.  Bub on the other hand, loved it and took it in his stride "It was easy!! I wasn't scared at all!". 

Sigh.  Being a parent is awesome. 

We all had a lovely day, from rehearsals first thing, to a yummy lunch at our local pub (new chef = fabulous food!) a birthday party and then the main event. 

I loved every minute of it.  Even all the other acts.  SO inclusive and all these kids giving it some welly.  And then the professional acts who were incredible.  Finishing up with Lukas Macfarlane, who won a TV competition and is properly amazing. 

I want to track my expenses again. 

today I spent £3 on parking at the churchill centre.  getting my mac syncing etc.  all good.  sorted WOO HOO

£1.40 on bin bags at the post office (am also going to be avoiding sainsburys,  going there makes me cross)

.99 on chocolate (Montezuma Geranium - sometimes chocolate is important)

Not my first thought.  But I am going to write this book.  Its a thing.  for sure.  Just saying.  DON"T CARE if 'old' is the wrong word.  I want to be provocative. 

What a meh day.  I know I did stuff, but somehow it doesn't feeeeeeel like it.  Hence todays, so, what actually happened today post is necessary for me.

1. I called the bank and FINALLY found out where my old Woolwich account had got to.  All very easy and not the whole nonsense of not knowing and having to write and all wrong stuff I got last time someone tried to work it out for me.  It has £177.58 in it, and the account was made dormant in February of this year.  They wrote to me, they said.  Apart from they didn't have an address for me.  So they obviously didn't write to me.  ANYWAYS.  its there, and I can get it via a bit of form filling in.  And I feel vindicated and can finally put that small niggly query to bed.  YAY

2. I send a get well card to my uncle who has just come out of hospital after an operation
 
3. took Bub to his streetdance class

4. read a bit of 'On My Way to Work' which is taped conversations with Damian Hirst.  Actually all worth it for the very first line, which is a quote from (Buddhist Alan Ginsberg) "First Thought: Best Thought"

Which I just love.  What a way to make quick decisions.  And probably not altogether wrong.  I also liked what young Damian has to say about it, which was, "once you rub something out, its still there really, isn't it...that's why (francis) Bacon is fantastic, because he doesn't rub out.  He just accepts his lot........its not like acting being an artist, its 'live with it ' If its weak, that's you.  To be weak, publicly is a great way to make art"

And I like that.  Just put it out there, be yourself, trust yourself, its OK to make mistakes, be weak.  Go for it.  Whatever it is.  Just go. 

And I like that trust in your instincts approach.  Not always the best, for sure, but never the less, sometimes flying by the seat of your pants, mean that you are really living your life, no procrastinating weighing up the pros and cons for years and not getting around to any of it.

Oh and 4. got our handy man around to quote for building a bed in Bubs room, which is going to help with the Toy Storage Issue.  Another thing that is really starting to bother me!!! SO MANY TOYS!!! NOT ENOUGH ROOM TO PUT THEM!!!! TOY OVERLOOOOAAAADD!!! (see am going a bit bonkers)

5. Filled in form for the bank (re account)

6. posted a letter to my friend N which has been hanging around for a long time.

7. Invoiced M for the Art workshop I did.

8. attempted to order some special raw chocolate (she's too busy!!! BUMMER)

 and generally I avoided doing my accounts!!!! (that is probably why I am annoyed!!!  STILL GOT TO DO THEM!)

Its good to go away.   WHAT NEXT then.....

I am going to teach a yoga class.  (aim to earn back at least what I spent in doing my yoga teacher training) DID I SAY I AM NOW A 500 Hour Qualified Yoga TEACHER.... yup.  (grin)

I am going to continue to deliver do:work to the best of my ability.  AND get it into more companies.  Hub has done some analysis of the figures and the course makes a massive difference in how people feel about their work.  Massive.  In facts and figures.  Our results are impressive.  Anyway.  If you know anyone who feels like there is not enough time in the day and would like to get more done..... then send them my way...

I am going to teach more art workshops.  I FORGOT to get photos of the one I did on June the 2nd.  I was enjoying it so much.   Mind you I didn't even think what a good idea that would have been until just right now!! ha ha!

But my workshop went REALLY well.  Everyone really enjoyed it.  And I did too.  I want to do more.

And then somehow I am going to combine everything I do into holidays in Ibiza.  Now that's a good idea.

I also have another idea which I can't quite let go of.  But also can't quite yet put my finger on.  I want to call it "how to be a cool old lady'  but everyone one says that no one will like the word old and will think old is like 90.  Not that being a cool 90 year old wouldn't seriously rock.  But its not meant to be about that.

Its more about making the most of the rest of your life.  Anyway.  I may figure it out or I may not.  At least it keeps me interested.

Am mulling  Yoga  / Getting Stuff Done / Creativity and MAGIC making

I got my iphone a little bit more sorted.  I can now send emails from it, and the calendar syncs with the calendars on the ipad and the macbook.  Am going back on Thursday for more help in sorting out my poor confused appleness (iphoto duplicating things uneccessarily, itunes and iphone not syncing properly, icloud not working...... etc)

I sorted out a replacement barclays bank card (not that we are really using this account, but my pay pal still operates from there..... need to sort that out, but its been so backburner for a long time.... and for some unknown reason they cancelled my card.  weirdness.  and slightly scary as they nearly wouldn't let me order a new one for reasons they wouldn't tell me.  and you can't access your online details... blah blah blah

Took some stuff back to Sainsburys.  and used a voucher I had.  glad I found that receipt. 

I signed up for an ASDA credit card.  You can get cashback on it.  And SOD Sainsburies (they are annoying me lately for various reasons)

I filed some expenses

I paid into the school dinner money fund thing that pays for school lunches

did some filing (finally)

re wrote my bio for People Who Do Website.  (see draft version below)

(hmm none of it artistic or lovely.  but it feels good to get all this itty bitty niggly stuff out the way)

MY NEW BIO (draft)

met up with R and M and hung out at the park
good meeting at PWD HQ including a good phone call leading to more work at a new client
a lovely homemade curry for lunch
great yoga class taught by a fellow recent graduate of my yoga school (she rocked it)
2 follow up coaching sessions went well
watched the tony awards opening ceremony.  it was big! check it out



decided to go to california to the call of the wild soul art retreat and that if i were to change my name in a hippy kind of way I would be Mani or Chintamani.  (Ok that was late last night0

Am back from a lovely holiday trip to visit mates in Ibiza.  Would post photos, but my entire tech collection of iphone, ipad and macbook are bloody out of sync and RUBBISH at the moment.  so sod that.

I have hit the ground at a brisk pace.  its good to go away and come back all refreshed and motivated.

Today I sorted out 4 drawers.  No, hang on, 5 if you include the basket in the bathroom cupboard.  Nothing was horribly untidy.  Er, that is, it was kind of working, but had reached a point where I KNEW I had loads of hair bunchies, but none of them were in the drawer.  So now my 3 drawer make up hair, nails, adornments and travel stuff is all sorted.  YAY.  been meaning to get around to that one for ages. It needs redoing every so often!

And went to the dump with a bunch of broken items that had been hanging around in the garden, waiting to be taken to the dump.  No one wants a garden like that, not especially since it is now actually SUNNY.

Went to the supermarket.  But I am NOT going to Sainsburies again.  HATE it.  3 things I went for the shelves were plain empty of.  Dammit.  And I refused to pay £3.50 for a box of Shreddies for heavens sake.....

Anyway, I may be moving over to Aldi, as I passed by there on the way back from a trip to Moksha with my darling wee man Bub.  And their version of Shreddies were 95p.  Seriously, that is one hell of a difference. 

And of course, having returned from vacation where it wasn't cheap to eat a lovely lunch and I refused to even give a shit about what it did cost..... well, I am feeling a little antsy around control over the household outgoings!! Actually we are fine right now, which is fabulous.  But I just like to be a bit IN CONTROL of it all.  Nope am definitely NOT a control freak....much....

Hum ho, what else..... cooked dinner, went on a stroll with Bub, watched Total Wipe Out.  Tried to sort out my bank card being stopped but was thwarted by the phone line being cut.... damn Barclays too...  Am much happier with the Cooperative...

Nope that's it.  Am going to tidy my office now.  Might even go through the office drawer.....

I think the last time i went to the circus was sometime in the 1970's.  I remember a pony that counted. that I though was the funniest thing I had ever seen.  The big top was about the size of a very small village hall and was on Southwold common for the summer. 

I went to Billy Smarts today. With Bub as a treat for him.....ostensibly.  I have to say I utterly and completely had a whale of a time.  It was proper old school entertainment and nothing was too scary, but nevertheless drew many a oooh and aaah and wow and lots of applause from me and the crowd.  The clown made Bub laugh and laugh.  Always worth the ticket price.  I loved the continual TA-Dah! poses after every trick.  And they had live music!! I love that!! a real band! 

No animals of course, that's not allowed any more.  But tumblers and flying trapeze and some proper amazing jugglers (no, really!!) and a fabulous fireman clown acrobat fellow, and a lady acrobat who shot a bow and arrow with her feet over her head..... 

Total showbiz.  

It was Brilliant.  Totally Made My Day.