Obligatory summer post

You maybe have realized by now that I am not a good blogger in the summer.  From 2007-2010, I blogged 15 times in July. 8 of those were in 2008.  This is the first time in 2011 that I've blogged in July.  

Anyway.  Statistics aside, I have been trying to work on some goals (not necessarily ones that have to do with New Year's resolutions...but maybe I will have to do a separate blog post for those), and thought maybe I would process for a while, as a means of procrastination, but also to see it in writing.

Basically,  I have a couple of months before school starts up again.  There are some things I need to do, and some things I want to do in that time.  If left to my own devices, I will probably never change out of sweatpants, and just read and sleep all day every day.  Nothing wrong with reading and sleeping, but the laundry and dishes and general house clutter just keeps piling up (it does, even if I'm not changing clothes, eating, or doing anything but reading, miraculously).  Plus, it's not often I am presented with ample amounts of time to do whatever it is I need to do.

So.  The things that I hope to accomplish in the next couple of months (in addition to reading for fun). In the order that I think of them.  And then some thoughts below each point.

1.  Become a morning person.

I've blogged about this before.  But what better time to try to become a morning person when there is no pressure?  I figure, it can't be that much different than overcoming jet lag.  While it isn't all that fun to be jet lagged, it is totally doable to overcome.  And, since I am not trying to get up 8 hours earlier than I normally do, it should be easier than moving to say, Eastern Europe.  So far, since being back from vacation, I have been trying to get up a little earlier each day, earlier than I did the day before.  Today I was up by 8:30/8:45 or so.  My goal is to eventually get up by 7am every day.  Even days off.  There has to be some benefit to getting up at the same time every day, and I want to be in on it.  7am happens to be when I need to get up on the days I have class....so that's how I picked that time.  Another thing I am going to try to do to accomplish this is to start going to bed earlier.  This might be just as difficult as getting up early, but if I'm getting up at 7am, I will eventually be more tired by...11pm.  Another way that I will attempt this is to try to be regular about when I eat meals.  If I am hungry for breakfast at 7am, I will be more likely to wake up then.  When I have been jet lagged in the past, I have had a difficult time falling asleep not only because my internal clock was all messed up, but because I was hungry at all the wrong times.

2.  Finish my summer school homework.

Oh man.  I have just 3 more things to do to accomplish this, and they are things that I want to do, and am excited to do...but having such a difficult time getting started.  All assignments are due 2 weeks from today.  Basically I need to write a lesson plan, a paper explaining how I would like to revitalize the Christian education program of a church, and a reflection paper.  I think I will try to do a bit every day until it is done.  Then, with regards to school, I will probably need to eventually buy some textbooks for the 4 classes I am taking in the fall, and maybe get a start on reading them.  I also will need to do a final capstone in the Spring, and probably should start thinking about that as well.  Since this it has been a long time since I've posted, and since I just registered for classes the other night, I will share what classes I'm taking in the Fall:  Modern Church (Church History class, continued), God the Holy Spirit, The Redeemer (Systematic Theology class, part 3...part 1 and 2 were God the Father and God the Son), Anglican Way of Theology (Another Systematics class....required, but will probably be interesting and informative as well), and The Prophets (Old Testament class).

3.  Do a little bit of regular cleaning every day.

As in: laundry, dishes, and the like.  Basically picking-up-after-ourselves type of cleaning.  But instead of doing 9 loads of laundry in one day, perhaps I will spread it out a little more over the course of a week.

4.  Do a little bit of deep cleaning every day.

Any cleaning that does not fall into the category of regular cleaning.  So, getting-your-life-organized type of cleaning.  Giving and throwing things away.  Utilizing shelves and files cabinets.  Scrubbing.  Like waking up early each day, I will try to do a little more of this each day, rather than becoming overwhelmed with numerous projects.

5.  Develop a system of coupons for groceries, and become a regular at both Aldi and Giant Eagle (both are nearby grocery stores) while you are fending for yourself food-wise in these next two months.

During the school year, our meals are taken care of.  We usually will fend for ourselves for weekends and breakfasts, but all of our other meals are provided for us by Geneva or Trinity.  For the summer, our income is the same, but our food is not provided.  So we will have to be extra frugal/wise in our spending on food.  We usually shop at Giant Eagle for the fuel perks (10 cents off a gallon of gas for every 20 dollars spent = big savings), but since we aren't using the car as much in the summer (I don't need to drive 15 miles to school, for example), we aren't getting as much gas.  There is an Aldi nearby, which usually has most necessary things, and for way less cost.  So, my goal will be to shop there first, and then head over to Giant Eagle to get whatever I couldn't get at Aldi.  Plus in summer, like blogging, I generally eat less.  Also, since I will be up so early, I can walk over to the gas station and be one of those people who likes to get the Sunday paper.  I hear those things are loaded with coupons.  Plus Giant Eagle matches coupons that are under a dollar.

6.  Become better at crocheting.

As you may remember, toward the end of the school year I taught myself to crochet.  I am reminded that I need to post a picture of the hat I made.  It is too small for a human head and too big for a doll, so I am using it as a yarn cosy.  Being at the cabin, I got some practice in, and some tutorials from my mom.  I crochet TOO TIGHTLY and need to learn to relax.  She says that I make crochet look like work.  This might be typical of other aspects of my life as well.  We're looking into it :)  Anyway, work or not, I still enjoy myself when I crochet, and will try to work on loosening up a bit.

7.  Continue to practice sewing.

When I said I was going to learn to crochet, Steve said, "Don't forget you have a sewing machine."  I think it will be good to switch off.  When I am tired of crocheting, I can work on a sewing project, and when I need a break from sewing, I can pick up the crocheting again.  Either way, it is nice to have options with hobbies.  And, each day, I will have to make a point to do one of the two, lest I forget that they are enjoyable, and preferable to wasting time on the internets.

8.  Start learning Italian.

What.  Can't a girl learn a language when she wants to?!  Well, without getting to far into it, we have been dreaming about what it would be like to be back in Europe again, and learning a new language will prove to be helpful, should that dream ever come true.

9.  Exercise daily (even if it isn't much), and add more healthy foods to your diet...so as to build up habits for when the school year starts.

Girl's gotta stay fit.  Or get fit.  Anyway, I've been trying to do at least a little intentional exercise activity on a daily basis.  Did you know that hula hooping is a legitimate form of exercise?  It is!  Also, I have been trying to incorporate superfoods into the old eating habits.  My favorites are Tomatoes and Spinach...and Avocados (are they super?  they should be).  I have also been adding blueberries into smoothies.  I've come a long way, as three of the four foods mentioned are fruits!

10.  Limit internet time.

And anything else that is a potential time waster.  Our TV broke months ago, so that isn't a problem. I think I will count blogging in a different category, since that can be productive in some ways.  But perhaps I will confine my social media time to a certain time of the day, rather than any time (and multiple times) of the day...as well as maybe giving myself only a certain amount of time to work on such things.  This will give me more time for exercising, cleaning, and crocheting...and homework.  And getting up early.

What have you been doing this summer?

This blog is not living up to its name.  Here is a picture I took at the cabin in Northern MN last week.