October: 21 Things to Create a Better Life

So, Baby Girl and I were in the Chelan bookstore back in August, and I ran across this little book - "21 Things to Create a Better Life" by Todd Bottorff.  I'm sure you recall that I mentioned this in a post at the time.  What I may not have mentioned is that, while I was at that bookstore, HF was texting me from a fire and sent me a picture of himself, looking all hot and sweaty and sooty.  That's just a side note.

Anyhow, for you less dedicated folk who don't live and die by this blog, I did in fact purchase this book for our October project.  I went to the author's Facebook page and gave him a heads-up that we would be exploring his work this month - we'll see if he plays along, like the awesome Sarah Taylor did during Vegan month, or if he ignores us, like, well, pretty much everyone else on the planet.

For those of you who like to play along at home, you can get the book here.  And, of course, I highly recommend that you do. 

So, here's how it goes down (and I'm quoting from page 1 of the book now):

"1.  Write down descriptions of various areas of your life as it is now.
2.     Read the 21 Things.
3.     Go to the final section of the book - 21 Things for 21 Days - and check off the things as you do them for 21 days.
4.     Write down descriptions of various areas of your life after the 21 days have passed."

You know I love me a checklist - and this little book has 21 of them at the end!!!!   We are going to modify slightly (of course, don't we always?) in that we are going to focus on one per day and build on that, rather than looking at a checklist and saying, "Oh, today I did #1 and #8 and #9 and #12"... you get the idea.

So, there are 6 areas that Todd wants us to examine (I don't know him, but I'm sure he'd have no problem with me calling him "Todd" as opposed to "Mr. Bottorff", it's a bond all us writers share) and I will do so with such candor that you might either cry or throw up in your mouth a little.  After all, what's the worst thing that can happen when you put personal, intimate details about yourself on the Internet?

Ahem.

So, the general question from page 2 of the book is, "How would you describe the following areas of your life now?"

1.  Health and Wellness

Both could be better.  After our Vegan month, I'm eating much healthier and have cut out a lot of the crap and sugar.  I try and move a little every day, but it seems that I come up with excuses not to do it.  I've developed a pattern where I eat nothing until dinnertime, then eat as little as possible, and I drink a lot of water to fill my stomach up.  I'm not wasting away - in fact, I'm only losing a pound or 2 per week - but sometimes I wonder if I'll be able to stop.


2.  Emotional State

Riding high, for the most part, now that my divorce is final and I'm officially single.  I get anxious about the future on occasion, mostly because I plan on moving next summer, but I don't know where to, or how I'll make a living when I do.  My emotional state seems to blur with #3...

3.  Relationships (friends, family, colleagues, adversaries, general public)

Well, there's this guy.  Volumes could be written there, right?  He's got the potential to be The One.  But we are a galaxy away from each other for the next 9 months.  So I spend most of my time thinking about how impractical this is for now, and the rest of my time thinking about how much I like him.  This gives me a dating "safety net" so I don't have to get entangled with anyone locally....which would royally suck, since I am moving next summer.  

The general public is getting on my nerves, at least at work.  I have an uber-small circle of friends, and I'm actually okay with that.  I've had a much larger group in my past life.  When it came time to stand up for me, I learned that most of them were complete shams.  You live and you learn.

4.   Career or work

Love what I do, not so much where I do it.  I've maxxed out my opportunities and I feel like there's a giant ax hovering over my head.  My job is tied to the banking and real estate industries; nuff said, right?  I would rather do something else, someplace else.  I would scrub floors all day if I knew I would be going home to a man that truly loves and adores me.

5.  Leisure activities

I spend my spare time watching old episodes of "Rescue Me" on Netflix; writing blog posts; checking my e-mail; and staring at Facebook.  Seriously.  Pathetic.

6.  Overall level of stress

Actually, not terribly high.  But the only other person in my department went on maternity leave on Friday.  So when I answer these questions again in 21 days, boy howdy - that one might change a little.

So there you have it.  Tomorrow we make change #1!