The Jar of Possibilities- The Distant Cousin of the Sorting Hat

The dwindling challenge list....

Entry from Dec 16, 2015

I am nearing the end of the year long challenge and will soon part company with the Jar of Possibilities.  At the start of the year the jar runneth over with paper.  So much so, I had to store some of the challenges in a Ziploc bag until there was room to add more.  Now there are a few straggly pieces of paper at the bottom.

I have mixed emotions about the challenge ending.  The "finisher" part of me is anxious to catch up, as there are a number of challenges that I have not done.  The lazy part of me of is coming up with prosaic statements such as-  "Isn't part of the challenge accepting things that you can't change?"  "Isn't the more valuable lesson learning how to accept circumstances as they are vs berating yourself for "failing" or fighting to change the situation??????"

As you have probably guessed "The Finisher" could not be convinced.   I have my list and am trying to complete as many outstanding challenges as I can before Dec 31st.   In fact just writing this entry  accomplishes one more of my challenges..... "blog about the experience so far" (originally drawn in Sept).

All in all I am kinda proud of myself.   Yes, I have been lax over the last three months but prior to that I was accomplishing on average 26 challenges a month.  Not bad statistics if you ask me.  I am also impressed by some of the challenges that I thought up-  such as write 5 letters to yourself and give them to a friend to mail out at their whim..... inventive.... Right?

This morning I accomplished a challenge that has been hoovering in the uncompleted pile.  I awoke early to listen to the noises of the morning.

I am on vacation and was up at 5:15 am... that is dedication.

What did I learn from rising early?  

First-  in order to hear morning sounds you need to remove earplugs.

Second-  This challenge might have been more interesting in the summer when the birds are out and about.  In the winter the main morning sound is the whistle of the air billowing out of the hot air register with a side of occasional traffic noises.  Now the sound of the whistle changed in intensity; starting at gusty and gradually subsiding to a dull "fffffissssshhh".  There was an occasional surprise gust from the register but other then that, morning sounds were kinda lack lustre..... not even the dog was snoring.  The cat of course decided to help out and let out intermittent meows from various locations in the house, which made this experiment interesting for about one full minute-   "Great he's outside the bedroom door.... hmmm that sounds like a basement yowl..... okay back to the main floor."  Yup 5:15 am for hot air, traffic and cat calls!

I refused to let "I should have slept in" be the only lesson coming out of this challenge.   I lay in bed and thought about the value of this experience.  Was there a life lesson that could help me in the future?

Yes!

The most valuable lesson gleaned from this experiment is- I suck at listening with my ears.  I found myself  easily distracted by the swirling delight of light patterns on the backs of my eye lids.  Eventually I would realize I was paying more attention to the light show vs morning noises and I would attempt to refocus.  Sadly I spent more time refocusing than listening.

This realization of how poor my true listening skills are, surprised me, as I thought listening was one of my better qualities.

I gave it some thought-  hell I was up for the day, I might as well analyze the situation.  Here is my conclusion:

I listen with my eyes first and ears second.   I need a visual context, to focus on auditory input.   There is some pretty solid research to back up my theory.....  about 80% of communication is non-verbal.  So the next time you are talking to me and you want to make sure I truly hear what you are saying, I suggest you do something avangarde to hold my attention- such as use sock puppets or maybe put on a laser show.

All in all some interesting learning occurred..... and on holiday to boot!

So look at that- I have just accomplished three challenges:
1.  Get up early and listen to the morning sounds.
2.  Blog about the challenge experience so far.
3.  Entertain yourself with free things to do..... (watching the light patterns as they dance across my eyelids)

Lets see if I can knock more challenges off the list.....

Miniver!

I have a miniver.... now I just need a minion!

What you say?  This is the word I found when ticking of the "find a word you don't know and use it" challenge.  Miniver- is fur or a combination of furs formerly used for lining and trimming garments.

Use it in a sentence you say..... well that is cheeky of you... but I am up for the challenge.

"Oh my miniver!!!!!!  It has ripped!  Sacra bleu!"

Whew!  All these challenges accomplished and it is not even 9 am.

I best be heading off to accomplish my next two challenges:
1.  Make up a reason to celebrate today.
2. Have something bubbly to celebrate.

That might be closely followed by drunken calls to the parents to- #3.  Tell the parents you love them... without saying "I love you" and maybe some #4, 5, 6 and 7.... Writing a letter to my 64 year old self, writing 5 letters to myself for random posting, writing a love letter to myself and last but not least writing a letter that I can open on Dec 31, 2015.

I will let you know how it all turns out.

Challenge update:

• Celebration Reason #678-  I scored a free shipping box and all Christmas presents have left my house.  
• I bought some champagne-  a cheap bottle to celebrate my return to blogging (I finished the whole bottle.... bonus no hangover) and a more expensive bottle to celebrate the end of the challenge.
• I did call at my mother and accomplished the "I love youless", love you via use of smoochy noises and air hugs.  
• The letters were not even contemplated because I followed the parental calls with multiple "Hey.... guess what!"  calls to my brother and blogging.  



Yes, I like a little cake to go with my icing!

• Even with all the drinking I did manage to knock-  "Throw yourself an unbirthday party" complete with a homemade double layer German Chocolate cake.  I nailed the icing in one attempt..... broiling can be so finicky!!!

I was going to eat some of the cake yesterday but decided that my stomach might not be able to handle a double assault of booze and cake.  So today started with a big heaping pile o' Breakfast cake!!!!!!  God I love being an adult...... shhh don't tell the children as they think they have the fun factor cornered...... Soooooooo NOT!

Rando picture moment

If everyone wishes maybe it will snow!!!

31 Day Work Detox

Hello-  My name is Max and I am a workaholic.  They say the toughest thing is admitting you have a problem and I do have that....... a problem.  I try to leave work at work but it is an itch that begs to be scratched.  I say over and over that I will not check my work email, but then I encounter some down time and before I know it I have unconsciously logged on to the work account.  I figure since it is open there is no harm in scanning the emails to see if there is anything important and needs my immediate attention.

Yup-  full fledged addict.

My table any given weekend

My official last day of work was Nov 28, 2014.  I was prepared to have five weeks of uninterrupted leisure time.  That was the plan on paper anyways.   As the clock ticked down to the start of my vacation my pulse rate increased along with my stress and my level of dread.  I had way too much unfinished work.   How could I leave and relax knowing I was leaving a disarray of paperwork.

Answer-  I couldn't.  I bit the bullet and decided to spend my first weekend of vacation getting caught up on outstanding reports and letters.... two very full days of work and I still did not get it all done.  I left the building on Sunday hesitant but determined I would not spend the rest of my vacation dwelling on the three things I did not get done.

So what!  The holiday started off rough but it could only get better right?

Dec 1- 4th I checked my emails at least seven times a day, if not more.   What?

I still had many, many days to relax- no sense in allowing my mailbox to expand to an unmanageable size.  Plenty of time to have fun.

By the 5th I realized if I let myself continue to be sucked into the work vortex I would be unofficially working the full holiday.  I had to detox...... and detox fast.  I should have just phoned a priest and had an exorcism or made an appointment to have a lobotomy.   That would have been the easy way out.

I thought I was strong, but my yearning to know what was going on was stronger.   By the 12th I had many slips but had also had a few days of not checking my email at all.  I employed the ancient technique of throwing myself into other projects with reckless abandon.  As long as my brain and body were busy, the desire to check emails was held in check.    But the minute there was a some down time I was fighting the urge to just peek at the email.... just a little bit..... not too much!

Desire and curiosity are powerful biatches!

As of today my desire to check my work email has been mentally whipped out of me.  All it took was 4 consecutive weeks off for my mind to de-program from work mode and enter into relaxation mode.

That is just plain sad.  

I joke that I have an Etch-a-sketch brain.... one that erases with a shake of the head.  Sadly this holiday has proven that I don't.  I  have faced the fact that I have been saddled with an elephant memory and an uber strong work ethic.  Both haunt me by periodically providing me with mental images of what I did not get done prior to leaving.  They are my kryptonite.  What I need to slay in order to enjoy a
few moments of blissful relaxation.

Now I have reached my final week of vacation my brain has decided to lead a revolt against returning to work.  It is like a two year old in midst of a full tantrum...... NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!   NO, NO, NO!!!!!  

Why?

Because I am finally on Vacay and am planning on enjoying every last second of it!

Peace on Earth.... and in my head!