Planning...

I definitely needed the extra hour of sleep that I got today.  Since I had the balcony door fixed, I decided to allow Bo and Chloe to have "Barkfest 2012 - Fall Version".  Both have been getting their barks in with various people and animals passing.  Also, by opening the balcony, it gives both dogs an opportunity to lie in in the sun.  However, neither seem to be doing that.

While I am thankful to have a well paying job, I need to learn to separate myself from it.  I need a life outside of work and work should not be all consuming.  It should be okay for me not to answer my pager all of the time.  When I am on-call, that is a different story.  However, once being off on-call, I need to step back and refocus on the things that are more important in my life.  If I would do that, my apartment would not be in the mess that it is today.

I need to see a brighter future.  For quite some time, I feel I live in some fairly dark times.  Even when the sun is shining, life seems so dark.  It should not be like that.

So, I am trying to take hold of life's reins and get moving on getting stuff done that is important to me.  I managed to empty the dishwasher and fill it again.  I have another load of dishes to do, then I should be fine for a few hours.  LOL  I also have tons of laundry to do.  When I get "lost" in all that everyone needs/wants, I tend to forget myself and the things that need to be done, like laundry.  Then, I get piles of stuff to do.  I figure that is where the "clutter bug" in me comes.  I do not like it, but it is something I need to get a handle.

How do others handle this sort of thing and manage without a house keeper?  I mean, people I work with have gotten house keepers for their wives.  I cannot even fathom doing that and figure my mom would be rolling in her urn.  I know it is not a sign of failure, but then again, how do I handle it otherwise?

Another thing I am doing today is cooking.  I am going to make the roasted chicken breasts, so that I have something healthy for lunch today and can have the leftovers for lunch and dinner tomorrow.  I will make Hungarian Chicken Goulash for dinner tonight, then have everything ready to make shrimp gumbo for Monday night.  Later in the week, I may make jambalaya.  The bonus piece - I will be saving myself money and preparing something that should be relatively healthy in that I know what is going into making it.

I need to be more thought provoking with this blog.  It has become more of an open journal than really a blog.  Perhaps, make one day a day where I think of something thought provoking.

In regards to thought provoking, here is my daily message from God - I read these to see how closely they match up to what is going on in my life:

On this day of your life, we believe God wants you to know ... that life is not meant to be a speedway.

Slow down to savor the gifts that God has already showered you with.

Okay - if life is not meant to be a speedway, then why does everyone else have to be in such a rush?  Why do people provide insane deadlines on projects?  I may be the slow turtle, but one thing I have confidence - when I complete it, it will be damn near perfect and I will have learned more than you can ever figure from the experience.