I have decided to make some changes to the way I blog and as such, have decided to split my blogs more clearly and develop them a little more independently and for different purposes. To that end I've decided to start posting here as Dichotomy Girl to try and creat more of an identity for this blog.
Hopefully there will be a lot of changes and gigantic jump in posts too over the next few months.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
rou·tine
Dictionary.com tells me:
My problem has been that I want to take a break after I've set up my routine. I've realised that I have to let things *get* routine before I even consider taking a break, but realistically, routines are at their most routine when you do them even on your day off...
It may seem like an obvious place to get to, but it took me a while to comprehend it.
Here's hoping I have!
nounrou·tine
[roo-teen]1. a customary or regular course of procedure.
2. commonplace tasks, chores, or duties as must be done regularly or at specified intervals; typical or everyday activity: the routine of an office.
3. regular, unvarying, habitual, unimaginative, or rote procedure.
4. an unvarying and constantly repeated formula, as of speech or action; convenient or predictable response: Don't give me that brotherly-love routine!
My problem has been that I want to take a break after I've set up my routine. I've realised that I have to let things *get* routine before I even consider taking a break, but realistically, routines are at their most routine when you do them even on your day off...
It may seem like an obvious place to get to, but it took me a while to comprehend it.
Here's hoping I have!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Small Steps.
I was recently introduced to the delights of Hyperbole and a Half and specifically this Hyperbole and a Half: This is Why I'll Never be an Adult post that REALLY resonated with me. It was fun to see someone articulate my housekeeping style so well.
Even so, I was not proud of this part of me. I think at work they would be surprised to find that I have problems with keeping my space clean because I have a very neat desk at work. My neat desk stems from sharing a desk for a long time, and then the refusal to let things get out of control in such a shared space.
Home is where you relax, right? Relaxing and cleaning rarely go hand in hand (I have one dear friend who might say otherwise). It is, however, much easier to relax in a space that is tidy and not lost under mess.
In the last few weeks I have focussed less on grand plans and more on trying to establish a routine that works for me.
I have an app called Home Routines that has been invaluable. I first downloaded the app months ago and used it a lot to start with. Then life got in the way and I got resentful that I was the one doing all this "stuff" and I stopped using it.
The house was a mess. Life was hectic. It bothered me.
In an effort to move on/grow up/find sanity, I figured I'd already bought it, I really should use it. So, I revisited it, I re-jigged my lists, I got specific.
Getting specific helped me a lot. "Empty all bins" is less likely to get done than listing 4 or 5 bins that need emptying, at least I could then check off 4 out of 5 bins that I emptied.
I also gave myself room to have down days. I don't get through everything on my lists every day, or even most days. I aim to add to my "regular" list of things I do every week though, just slowly expanding the routine to regularly be getting a little bit more done, I have a goal to have a minimum number of tasks done each day and a desire to slowly grow that number.
So far it is working for me. I'm getting more done each day, I am developing a pattern, I am finding little ways to slip the small tasks into everyday life without them being a big deal. BabyCakes has even started making the bed if he is the last one out! The simple act of walking into a bedroom and seeing the bed made is very satisfying. Don't get me wrong, you still have to look past the piles of "stuff" stacked along the wall, but I'm getting there.
I am still yet to make peace with the politics of cleaning, but again, I am working on it (more on this at a later date).
I still have a long way to go before I get remotely close to the kind of clean house I aspire to, but progress is being made.
Even so, I was not proud of this part of me. I think at work they would be surprised to find that I have problems with keeping my space clean because I have a very neat desk at work. My neat desk stems from sharing a desk for a long time, and then the refusal to let things get out of control in such a shared space.
Home is where you relax, right? Relaxing and cleaning rarely go hand in hand (I have one dear friend who might say otherwise). It is, however, much easier to relax in a space that is tidy and not lost under mess.
In the last few weeks I have focussed less on grand plans and more on trying to establish a routine that works for me.
I have an app called Home Routines that has been invaluable. I first downloaded the app months ago and used it a lot to start with. Then life got in the way and I got resentful that I was the one doing all this "stuff" and I stopped using it.
The house was a mess. Life was hectic. It bothered me.
In an effort to move on/grow up/find sanity, I figured I'd already bought it, I really should use it. So, I revisited it, I re-jigged my lists, I got specific.
Getting specific helped me a lot. "Empty all bins" is less likely to get done than listing 4 or 5 bins that need emptying, at least I could then check off 4 out of 5 bins that I emptied.
I also gave myself room to have down days. I don't get through everything on my lists every day, or even most days. I aim to add to my "regular" list of things I do every week though, just slowly expanding the routine to regularly be getting a little bit more done, I have a goal to have a minimum number of tasks done each day and a desire to slowly grow that number.
So far it is working for me. I'm getting more done each day, I am developing a pattern, I am finding little ways to slip the small tasks into everyday life without them being a big deal. BabyCakes has even started making the bed if he is the last one out! The simple act of walking into a bedroom and seeing the bed made is very satisfying. Don't get me wrong, you still have to look past the piles of "stuff" stacked along the wall, but I'm getting there.
I am still yet to make peace with the politics of cleaning, but again, I am working on it (more on this at a later date).
I still have a long way to go before I get remotely close to the kind of clean house I aspire to, but progress is being made.
Monday, February 28, 2011
The Front Yard Veggie Patch Project
We're very lucky to have a reasonably sized suburban block, with our house pretty central on the block. Our front yard was once fenced (we have the old gates left under the house), but a previous owner decided it was best to remove this low fencing.
This means that for our lifestyle, it is hard for us to spend much time out the front as we have to be ever aware of Miss Squid's exploratory nature, and not let ourselves get distracted with the task we might want to complete. This means the only time our front yard gets any attention is when we walk through it to go out, or when we can't ignore the jungle any longer and it needs mowing.
Taking with BabyCakes, I think we have agreed that it would be a great spot for a veggie patch, as we walk past it every day (so have no real excuse to ignore the watering or harvesting duties), it is protected by a large hedge, but still gets a good deal of sun. It also will mean that Dog won't be able to help with either the "watering" or harvesting duties. The bonus will also be that there will be less yard to mow and less money to spend on veg.
I'm a bit excited by this project because we've been talking for ages about a veggie patch and just have never quite got there. This feels like it could be just the impetus we need.
Now to plan what we want to eat and how it will fit together.
I need to dig out my books...
This means that for our lifestyle, it is hard for us to spend much time out the front as we have to be ever aware of Miss Squid's exploratory nature, and not let ourselves get distracted with the task we might want to complete. This means the only time our front yard gets any attention is when we walk through it to go out, or when we can't ignore the jungle any longer and it needs mowing.
Taking with BabyCakes, I think we have agreed that it would be a great spot for a veggie patch, as we walk past it every day (so have no real excuse to ignore the watering or harvesting duties), it is protected by a large hedge, but still gets a good deal of sun. It also will mean that Dog won't be able to help with either the "watering" or harvesting duties. The bonus will also be that there will be less yard to mow and less money to spend on veg.
I'm a bit excited by this project because we've been talking for ages about a veggie patch and just have never quite got there. This feels like it could be just the impetus we need.
Now to plan what we want to eat and how it will fit together.
I need to dig out my books...
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Procrastination is Fear.
I read the title quote on simplify101.com. It struck a chord with me and I don't want to live in fear any more.
I have had times in my life when I was painfully organised. I've had times when I have lived like a slob. I don't remember being stressed by being organised, I just was. Admittedly, I didn't have a lot happening in my life at the time. Work was my social life. I worked and slept.
Then life got interesting and chores became well, chores.
I need to channel old skills into a more balanced application to suit our lifestyle, but I really feel that I am in a time of change.
Today, I try not to procrastinate.
I have had times in my life when I was painfully organised. I've had times when I have lived like a slob. I don't remember being stressed by being organised, I just was. Admittedly, I didn't have a lot happening in my life at the time. Work was my social life. I worked and slept.
Then life got interesting and chores became well, chores.
I need to channel old skills into a more balanced application to suit our lifestyle, but I really feel that I am in a time of change.
Today, I try not to procrastinate.
Monday, May 17, 2010
A Day Out, Some New Projects - Green Heart Fair
Today a fair was held by Brisbane City Council to encourage people to live more sustainable lifestyles. We were lured out by the promise of free trees (which we didn't end up getting because they ran out.
We did end up spending a surprise amount of money, mostly on products we had talked about getting but hadn't bought yet.
We did end up spending a surprise amount of money, mostly on products we had talked about getting but hadn't bought yet.
A Bokashi Bucket. I've been wanting one of these for a while. All kitchen scraps except bone can be put in here to be composted. The "juice" can be used as a fertilizer, and the solid waste is buried to recondition soil. With a small child in the house I love that left over cereal, half chewed fruit pieces and dinner thrown to the floor can all be recycled rather than thrown in the garbage.
A monster 2 litre stailess steel drink bottle. Babycakes was given the note that I wanted a stainless steel drink bottle at Christmas timeand now I'm kinda glad he couldn't find one, because today was the first time I've seen a 2 litre one for sale. I usually take 2 x plastic 750ml bottles of filtered water to work so I am well aware of the weight I'll have to carry when it is full. Hopefully the water should taste fresher too!
We bumped into David from Productive Gardens again (you may remember my blog post about our stacked herb garden). At the time we purchased the set up we didn't get a rolling trolley which was both a good and a bad thing. Good because they have now brought out a custom made trolley and bad because it would have been useful right from the start!
Some herbs to fill the empty holes in the planter pot. I really hope we can harvest some of the English Spinach!
The pot planted out and the trolley underneath.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
A Name Change....
Hi there!
It occurred to me this morning that I should try a different name for this blog and "Accidental Hippy" works for me.
I've called myself an accidental hippy on more than one occasion (usually at folk music festivals - depsite the fact that at folk festivals is where I feel the furtherest from "Hippy" as I socialise with dyed-in-the-cloth hippies).
Today I was thinking about my cloth nappying, baby wearing, home made baby food, non-cry-it-out settling, co-sleeping ways and figured that a lot of people would call me "Hippy" and so I took action.
Hopefully soon I will make some posts more frequently than quarterly!
It occurred to me this morning that I should try a different name for this blog and "Accidental Hippy" works for me.
I've called myself an accidental hippy on more than one occasion (usually at folk music festivals - depsite the fact that at folk festivals is where I feel the furtherest from "Hippy" as I socialise with dyed-in-the-cloth hippies).
Today I was thinking about my cloth nappying, baby wearing, home made baby food, non-cry-it-out settling, co-sleeping ways and figured that a lot of people would call me "Hippy" and so I took action.
Hopefully soon I will make some posts more frequently than quarterly!
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