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Post by lostchild on Oct 19, 2014 15:55:18 GMT -5
My house is old looking inside and out. But it's clean. I finished on time for foster care worker to inspect and then she had to cancel.
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Post by europegirl on Oct 20, 2014 3:05:08 GMT -5
Today I need to update for 3 days because I've avoided this thread the last 3 days... Confession time: My sleep rhythm took many LARGE steps back this weekend. I have NO excuses, and I am ashamed. Shame is not bad in this case; I think it could help me back on track... Anyway, now I commit to straighten up BIG TIME! And I tell myself that "I can do it".... My life gets too messed up when I slip back with my sleep. Today I had my alarm on 09 am, I snoozed a bit, but then I thought about this thread, stopped snoozing and got up! Good news for us living in Europe: On the upcoming Sunday the clock will be set back one hour because of the Daylight Saving Time. This will help us all I think? (I guess for you guys in the U.S., Daylight Saving Time starts the first Sunday in November). TRACKING MY IMPROVEMENT FOR WHEN I GET UP IN THE MORNING (THE TIME I ACTUALLY PUT MY FEET ON THE FLOOR AND GET UP, NOT JUST WHEN I WAKE UP):- Thursday, October 9th: 09.15 am - Friday, October 10th: 08.55 am (20 minutes improvement ) - Saturday, October 11th: 08.37 am (18 minutes improvement ) - Sunday, October 12th: 08.30 am (8 minutes improvement ) - Monday, October 13th: 09.03 am (33 minutes of deterioration ) - Tuesday, October 14th: 09.25 am (22 minutes of deterioration ) - Wednesday, October 15th: 09.10 am (I'm now back at where I started...grrr...but it's still 15 minutes improvement from yesterday so I still get a goldstar ) - Thursday, October 16th: 08.55 am (15 minutes improvement ) - Friday, October 17th: 09.38 am (43 minutes of deterioration - terrible!! ) - Saturday, October 18th: 09.55 am (17 minutes of deterioration ) - Sunday, October 19th: 09.30 am (Way too late...but it's still 25 minutes improvement from yesterday so I still get a goldstar ) - Monday, October 20th: 09.13 am (8 minutes improvement )
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Post by larataylor on Oct 20, 2014 8:37:52 GMT -5
My house is old looking inside and out. But it's clean. I finished on time for foster care worker to inspect and then she had to cancel. Old can look nice. Old and cared-for often looks nice. I would like some of my old furniture to look more cared-for. I much prefer clean to messy, no matter what. I'm living on unfinished plywood subfloors, which would probably put me out of the running for foster care. They're clean, though! What bothers me more is old things that are rusty, tatty, or look dirty no matter what. My couches have been somewhat destroyed by cats, but it doesn't matter when they have clean sheets over them. Now that my sheets have been minimized and are easier to organize, I can often put reasonably matching ones on the couches. I've removed two chairs from the living/dining area to cut down on laundry. Now I only have to cover two couches and a table. I have area rugs instead of carpet now, and if the rugs start looking permanently dirty, I can replace them with cleaner thrift-shop rugs. I want to work on waxing and polishing my old furniture, and gluing down the loose veneer. I don't think my antiques have much value now, but they could look nicer. Sometimes that "antique value" thing stops me from doing things that I could do … I'm afraid of doing it wrong and losing some nebulous value that could be there. But I can't afford expert restoration. So I'm working on seeing them as "old," with value only to me, so I can just make them look better. The house itself has no charm. It just looks outdated and cheap. But clean.
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Post by europegirl on Oct 21, 2014 2:36:37 GMT -5
Feeling proud of myself right now; my alarm went off at 08.45 am and I got up from bed at 08.52, so I snoozed/relaxed for only 7 minutes which is RARE for me. I was thinking about this thread and thinking about making "progress"... I still had problems getting to bed yesterday, I was not in bed before 00.20 am, and I didn't put away my mobile phone until 00.45 am. I think I have to start giving myself a mobile "curfew"; to only allow max 10 minutes of mobile browsing from bed... I know technically it should be 0 minutes (the light from the phone makes it harder to fall asleep afterwards), but if those 10 minutes can work as a reward to make me get ready for bed, then...hm... Well, guess I'm just making excuses? u] TRACKING MY IMPROVEMENT FOR WHEN I GET UP IN THE MORNING (THE TIME I ACTUALLY PUT MY FEET ON THE FLOOR AND GET UP, NOT JUST WHEN I WAKE UP):[/u] - Thursday, October 9th: 09.15 am - Friday, October 10th: 08.55 am (20 minutes improvement ) - Saturday, October 11th: 08.37 am (18 minutes improvement ) - Sunday, October 12th: 08.30 am (8 minutes improvement ) - Monday, October 13th: 09.03 am (33 minutes of deterioration ) - Tuesday, October 14th: 09.25 am (22 minutes of deterioration ) - Wednesday, October 15th: 09.10 am (I'm now back at where I started...grrr...but it's still 15 minutes improvement from yesterday so I still get a goldstar ) - Thursday, October 16th: 08.55 am (15 minutes improvement ) - Friday, October 17th: 09.38 am (43 minutes of deterioration - terrible!! ) - Saturday, October 18th: 09.55 am (17 minutes of deterioration ) - Sunday, October 19th: 09.30 am (Way too late...but it's still 25 minutes improvement from yesterday so I still get a goldstar ) - Monday, October 20th: 09.13 am (8 minutes improvement ) - Tuesday, October 21th: 08.52 am (21 minutes improvement )
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Post by lostchild on Oct 21, 2014 3:12:04 GMT -5
Still awake...its 1:07 a.m. and have to be up at 5:30. Was almost asleep when daughter's Talking Tom pet cat app starts leaving messages on my email that he has to go to the bathroom...loud messages. I took him to potty,fed him,played games,earned her some more coins to pay for his dinner...hungry little bugger...turned on the light because he didn't want to go to sleep and then had to do same with Moy 2.
Now I even take care of virtual pets that or the whining drives me crazy.
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Post by larataylor on Oct 21, 2014 7:20:41 GMT -5
Now I even take care of virtual pets that or the whining drives me crazy. Reminds me of the cursed NeoPet my DD had - she was around six or eight - it was a self-contained little *thing* that she had to attend to constantly or it would *die.* And she took it everywhere, and often lost it. We went through so much stress over that thing!
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Post by europegirl on Oct 22, 2014 2:38:25 GMT -5
A link for those of you who already haven't hear about the "don't break the chain"-method, which also can motivate you to get up in the morning... lifehacker.com/281626/jerry-seinfelds-productivity-secretThe short version of this method: 1. Pick a goal. 2. Mark off the days on which you work toward that goal. 3. Use your chain of marked off days as a motivator. That method is the reason why I re-post my progress in each post, it's A LOT more motivating. Today I'll be adding a 4th goldstar : 4 days in a row where I've made progress with my sleeping rhythm, which is a record for me since starting this process... Now I'll try hard to "not break the chain" of goldstars, even if it might be broken (let's be realistic!) soon, trying hard to not break it is the point... When I am at my "ideal wake-up" time, sticking to that time will also give me goldstars... TRACKING MY IMPROVEMENT FOR WHEN I GET UP IN THE MORNING (THE TIME I ACTUALLY PUT MY FEET ON THE FLOOR AND GET UP, NOT JUST WHEN I WAKE UP): - Thursday, October 9th: 09.15 am - Friday, October 10th: 08.55 am (20 minutes improvement ) - Saturday, October 11th: 08.37 am (18 minutes improvement ) - Sunday, October 12th: 08.30 am (8 minutes improvement ) - Monday, October 13th: 09.03 am (33 minutes of deterioration ) - Tuesday, October 14th: 09.25 am (22 minutes of deterioration ) - Wednesday, October 15th: 09.10 am (I'm now back at where I started...grrr...but it's still 15 minutes improvement from yesterday so I still get a goldstar ) - Thursday, October 16th: 08.55 am (15 minutes improvement ) - Friday, October 17th: 09.38 am (43 minutes of deterioration - terrible!! ) - Saturday, October 18th: 09.55 am (17 minutes of deterioration ) - Sunday, October 19th: 09.30 am (Way too late...but it's still 25 minutes improvement from yesterday so I still get a goldstar ) - Monday, October 20th: 09.13 am (8 minutes improvement ) - Tuesday, October 21th: 08.52 am (21 minutes improvement ) - Wednesday, October 22th: 08.39 am (13 minutes improvement )
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Post by larataylor on Oct 22, 2014 7:19:47 GMT -5
I thought I was ready to fall asleep at 10:00 last night, and went to bed, but didn't go to sleep. I got up at 6:00, though. Got some things done, took DD to school.
DH is still sleeping, and I'm really tempted to go back to bed. Ugh. He keeps *saying* he wants to do better, but nothing happens. He's in the way of one litter box, and one floor, and I don't like using the vac when he's asleep. It's a downer on the beginning of my day. Edit: So I ended up taking a *really* long nap. I don't know what that will do to my sleep tonight, but I guess I needed it. The difficulty with changing this habit is that falling asleep is not something we consciously control … I'm going to keep getting up at 6:00, and keep winding down after dinner, keeping my curfews on chores and computer. I think eventually things will fall into place.
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Post by lostchild on Oct 22, 2014 15:07:13 GMT -5
Went to bed at 10 and sleep by 11 awake at 6:55 and took nap. Feeling up!
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Post by europegirl on Oct 23, 2014 7:47:14 GMT -5
lostchild Good job getting to bed early yesterday! So many people here who seems to get up and then go to bed/napping later in the day. Doesn't napping just make you feel more tired/groggy, larataylor? The few times I've napped I've felt terrible and disoriented for the rest of the day... For me...I earned another goldstar morning, but I was really close to not earning it, it was soooo tempting to snooze today... I did snooze for 12 minutes, and was very close to snoozing longer... TRACKING MY IMPROVEMENT FOR WHEN I GET UP IN THE MORNING (THE TIME I ACTUALLY PUT MY FEET ON THE FLOOR AND GET UP, NOT JUST WHEN I WAKE UP): - Thursday, October 9th: 09.15 am - Friday, October 10th: 08.55 am (20 minutes improvement ) - Saturday, October 11th: 08.37 am (18 minutes improvement ) - Sunday, October 12th: 08.30 am (8 minutes improvement ) - Monday, October 13th: 09.03 am (33 minutes of deterioration ) - Tuesday, October 14th: 09.25 am (22 minutes of deterioration ) - Wednesday, October 15th: 09.10 am (I'm now back at where I started...grrr...but it's still 15 minutes improvement from yesterday so I still get a goldstar ) - Thursday, October 16th: 08.55 am (15 minutes improvement ) - Friday, October 17th: 09.38 am (43 minutes of deterioration - terrible!! ) - Saturday, October 18th: 09.55 am (17 minutes of deterioration ) - Sunday, October 19th: 09.30 am (Way too late...but it's still 25 minutes improvement from yesterday so I still get a goldstar ) - Monday, October 20th: 09.13 am (8 minutes improvement ) - Tuesday, October 21th: 08.52 am (21 minutes improvement ) - Wednesday, October 22th: 08.39 am (13 minutes improvement )- Thursday, October 23th: 08.30 am (9 minutes improvement )[/font]
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Post by larataylor on Oct 23, 2014 8:13:10 GMT -5
I like your gold star thing, europegirl. This morning, I got up at 7:00 … I left my phone in the living room, so I didn't hear my alarm at 6:00. DD woke me to say she wasn't going to school, so I had to get up and send an email. I'm keeping my power cord in the living room, though I put my laptop in a safe spot in the bedroom at night. But I have to go to the LR to use the computer, and I am not using it in bed at all. (It currently does not work when it's not plugged in … will not hold a charge at all.) This is good for getting me out of my bedroom, which is a dark cave, and into the LR where there's lots of light. This morning is a bit tough. I got to sleep late, and DD went back to bed, and DH is still sleeping as usual. What I would really LIKE is to get up early and breeze through my whole maintenance routine first thing. But sleeping people prevent this. I do need to get the trash out, though, and don't really have an excuse for not doing that. I think I'll try your gold star chain idea for my curfews in the evening and getting up in the morning.
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Post by cyn on Oct 23, 2014 8:44:01 GMT -5
I find it impossible to get up and get something accomplished while my DH is sleeping too. The only things that I can get done are 'quiet' chores, like laundry. Forget the vacuum! My DH would sleep forever...thank God he works days, because I get frustrated waiting for him to wake up. I don't know which is worse: me making noise and him getting up crabby, or my seething while he sleeps. I don't seethe very well, and usually explode at some point.
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Post by puppybox on Oct 23, 2014 9:55:13 GMT -5
I am ready to join this thread now. I've been on a bad schedule. Yesterday I had to get up earlier to go to the vet, so today I got up at 10. Sadly that is not bad for me. failure to launch my day is also a problem. I'm all congested and allergic in the mornings. taking dogs out promptly in the morning is also an issue. they are well housetrained and don't really pester me usually but I shouldn't delay so much. I have to go out with them as I live in apartment.
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Post by europegirl on Oct 23, 2014 10:23:18 GMT -5
today I got up at 10. Sadly that is not bad for me. failure to launch my day is also a problem. What I quoted from you there could be written by myself puppybox. I've been getting up around 9.30-10 or later for much of the fall... But this thread has helped me the last 10 days, even if I have not made progress every single day, I've done far better after joining this thread. - I hope you'll experience the same! For taking dogs out in the morning... I also live in an apartment. I don't always take my dog out "first thing" in the morning (first thing in the morning I get washed, put on clothes, do my makeup and have a cup of coffee first, and usually even a quick piece of bread, that way I have more energy for a proper walk, not just a "pee and go back in"-walk). But I do take the dog out right before I got to bed, that way she isn't holding her bladder too long. My dog also have access to a roof terrace, she can go out there and pee on her own in the night/morning, but she never do it; dogs bladders are less active during the night just like for (most) humans.
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Post by larataylor on Oct 23, 2014 17:13:39 GMT -5
I find it impossible to get up and get something accomplished while my DH is sleeping too. The only things that I can get done are 'quiet' chores, like laundry. Forget the vacuum! My DH would sleep forever...thank God he works days, because I get frustrated waiting for him to wake up. I don't know which is worse: me making noise and him getting up crabby, or my seething while he sleeps. I don't seethe very well, and usually explode at some point. I don't really "like" this, but I understand! I got almost nothing done today … not much sleep … forced myself to get up and stay up, but couldn't do things because DH and DD were asleep. It's a dreary, rainy day, which depresses my mood. I did get the trash out before the trash truck came, so that was ONE accomplishment, and got some of my daily and weekly stuff done. Actually my bad days are better than my good days used to be, so I guess that's something! And welcome, puppybox!
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