I am really bad at this whole "keeping up on stuff" concept. Like... really really bad. But I have a defense, I swear! I am now a freelance writer... which I may have said before... but I'm more than full time now. Which makes finding time to do stuff like clean is difficult. I will be starting a new blog about that. Hopefully I won't be totally abandoning this one, but we never know around here.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Week 3 day 2: Trash Tuesday!
Congratulations! You leveled up in Trash and Recycling skills!
Pirate Tortoise has become Pirate Sloth!
With the level up comes more responsibility. Today you're going to combine the last two weeks: gather up all the glass AND throw away the paper bits.
Achievement: Today I learned that sloths are actually slower than giant tortoises. But level 1 wasn't a giant tortoise, just a regular one.
Pirate Tortoise has become Pirate Sloth!
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| Not if you're so ugly you're cute, or just ugly, but I think you're adorable! |
Achievement: Today I learned that sloths are actually slower than giant tortoises. But level 1 wasn't a giant tortoise, just a regular one.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Week 3 Day 6: Randomize your Routine
It's Saturday, and on Saturdays I usually don't have the will to clean. I just don't. I am currently nursing a massive hangover, and when I'm not nursing a massive hangover on Saturdays, I'm hiking or biking or playing Mario. In the past, I got angry about it and would have long, stern conversations with myself, about how I need to take responsibility and get stuff done, that would end in a contrite apology to myself and a promise to do better. Then I'd rebel against myself and drag myself on adventures, only to come home to all the stuff I didn't do and start the lecture process over.
I am really hard to train. Over the years, I've worn myself down and accepted that I don't clean on Saturdays.
So instead of proscribing a task to complete, I will talk about this habit I am trying to establish. If you like it, try it!
While reading Lifehacker, I came across the 10-Minute Hack. This is not a new concept to me, I've seen it lots of places and I'm sure you have, too - set your timer for however many minutes and clean or whatever. I can never stick to a plan like that, because I am not an organized or routine-based person. I am rebellious, antsy, and easily distracted. But for some reason, an idea popped into my head while skimming that article: why not roll with the ADD and do a different task every day?
So I made myself a list with 10 tasks, and a link to a random number generator, and on Monday I'm going to start letting the generator pick something for me to do for 10 minutes. Here's my list:
These are all things that should be quick, need to be done pretty regularly but not too regularly, and I don't like doing them. (Number 7 is for a job; among other things, I provide thought provoking questions for a Facebook page. It's good to have some in advance so I'm not thinking of them every day.)
I suspect that having a random task like that will become something of a game for me. I'll write more about it next week, after I've had a chance to see how I do with it.
I am really hard to train. Over the years, I've worn myself down and accepted that I don't clean on Saturdays.
So instead of proscribing a task to complete, I will talk about this habit I am trying to establish. If you like it, try it!
While reading Lifehacker, I came across the 10-Minute Hack. This is not a new concept to me, I've seen it lots of places and I'm sure you have, too - set your timer for however many minutes and clean or whatever. I can never stick to a plan like that, because I am not an organized or routine-based person. I am rebellious, antsy, and easily distracted. But for some reason, an idea popped into my head while skimming that article: why not roll with the ADD and do a different task every day?
So I made myself a list with 10 tasks, and a link to a random number generator, and on Monday I'm going to start letting the generator pick something for me to do for 10 minutes. Here's my list:
- Wipe down surfaces.
-Bathroom counter + sink + mirror, kitchen counter + stove + sink + microwave - Collect trash
- Go through unread emails
- Re-capture clothes and shoes from everywhere (bedroom, upstairs, car)
- Gather all the dishes in the entire house
- Brush the cat
- Brainstorm questions
- Plan meals
- Do a load of dishes and hand wash for the rest of the time
- Plan out meals for a few days
These are all things that should be quick, need to be done pretty regularly but not too regularly, and I don't like doing them. (Number 7 is for a job; among other things, I provide thought provoking questions for a Facebook page. It's good to have some in advance so I'm not thinking of them every day.)
I suspect that having a random task like that will become something of a game for me. I'll write more about it next week, after I've had a chance to see how I do with it.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Week... 3... day... 5? Fall down on your ass and get back up!
Yar and salutations! Has it already been a whole week since I posted? My, how the time flies when you're frantically scrambling to get established in a new job. Indeed, I have begun the long path from languishing in non-productive unemployment to luxuriating in semi-productive employment!
Normally, when I embark on a new project, I let my old ones lapse, even ones as young as this. But I have decided that I still need to be clean - it's just more of a challenge, now that I'm working and stuff. Especially since I'm mostly working from home; there's really no excuse.
So! Back to it, though the updates might be somewhat less than every day.
For today: clean ALL the mirrors!
Did you know that my laptop doesn't have a mouse? I did. But I drew a picture anyway. Did the world really need a pirate version of Hyperbole and a Half, rendered monstrous and sad due to touch-pad drawing deficiencies?*
Turns out that the subject of mirror cleaning is more complicated than I thought.
TLC says use vinegar. The Glass Association of North America has a whole "proper procedures" document on cleaning mirrors, and they say don't use vinegar. DIY life says rubbing alcohol. The mind reels. So many ideas on how to clean a dang mirror! There's even a bikini babe version! (Note: I don't have a Youtube account, so I can't view the video; it's been flagged for inappropriate material. Not that we shrink from that around here, but view at your own risk and stuff, I haven't seen it, and I'm not going to break down and finally get a Youtube account so I can watch a girl in a bikini clean a mirror.)
Do whatever, I guess. Just get them clean, and don't spend an hour searching for and listing the pros and cons of various mirror ideologies. That way lies madness. Believe me, I know.
Achievement: Yes, I knew about Hyperbole and a Half before the Reddit "all the things" meme. I guess that makes me a Hyperbolic Hipster.
*the answer is yes.
Normally, when I embark on a new project, I let my old ones lapse, even ones as young as this. But I have decided that I still need to be clean - it's just more of a challenge, now that I'm working and stuff. Especially since I'm mostly working from home; there's really no excuse.
So! Back to it, though the updates might be somewhat less than every day.
For today: clean ALL the mirrors!
Did you know that my laptop doesn't have a mouse? I did. But I drew a picture anyway. Did the world really need a pirate version of Hyperbole and a Half, rendered monstrous and sad due to touch-pad drawing deficiencies?*
Turns out that the subject of mirror cleaning is more complicated than I thought.
TLC says use vinegar. The Glass Association of North America has a whole "proper procedures" document on cleaning mirrors, and they say don't use vinegar. DIY life says rubbing alcohol. The mind reels. So many ideas on how to clean a dang mirror! There's even a bikini babe version! (Note: I don't have a Youtube account, so I can't view the video; it's been flagged for inappropriate material. Not that we shrink from that around here, but view at your own risk and stuff, I haven't seen it, and I'm not going to break down and finally get a Youtube account so I can watch a girl in a bikini clean a mirror.)
Do whatever, I guess. Just get them clean, and don't spend an hour searching for and listing the pros and cons of various mirror ideologies. That way lies madness. Believe me, I know.
Achievement: Yes, I knew about Hyperbole and a Half before the Reddit "all the things" meme. I guess that makes me a Hyperbolic Hipster.
*the answer is yes.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Week 2, Day 6: Do some more dishes
I'm scaling back the dishes reminders to once a week instead of twice. Ideally, we'll get to the point where we're doing dishes regularly as a habit, but for right now I think doing one or two loads on a designated dishes day (I am obsessed with alliteration lately!) should be enough to stem the tide and keep them under control.
If you can see your way toward doing a quick touch up of other things, so much the better.
Achievement: Have you tamed your tupperware?
If you can see your way toward doing a quick touch up of other things, so much the better.
Achievement: Have you tamed your tupperware?
Friday, February 24, 2012
Week 2 Day 5: Wash your sheets
It's so hard to remember to wash sheets - I'm confident that's the dirty (literally and figuratively) secret that we all hold near to our hearts. So round 'em up and wash 'em. Comforters, quilts, bottom sheets, middle sheets... also couch slipcovers, if you have them and they'll fit.
Achievement: While you're at it, complete a (mostly) unrelated but helpful task: find all your socks. You heard (read?) me. I'm absent minded and somehow socks turn up everywhere: the kitchen, the bottom of the stairs, the bathroom, under stuff, inside stuff... if you have this problem at all, grab all the socks while you're gathering the sheets, and wash them, too.
Or put them away if they're clean, but that seems unlikely. If you do this, you may notice that your house looks a lot cleaner; like throwing away scraps, it's the little things that make a big difference! Plus you'll get karma points with the Laundry Cardinal for gathering the flock.
Trivia: Laundry Cardinals work on a karma based system, instead of a tithing system. Although I guess real Cardinals don't do the tithing thing anymore either? My information seems to be several hundred years out of date.
They also have really deformed thumbs, but like to give thumbs-ups anyway.
Achievement: While you're at it, complete a (mostly) unrelated but helpful task: find all your socks. You heard (read?) me. I'm absent minded and somehow socks turn up everywhere: the kitchen, the bottom of the stairs, the bathroom, under stuff, inside stuff... if you have this problem at all, grab all the socks while you're gathering the sheets, and wash them, too.
Or put them away if they're clean, but that seems unlikely. If you do this, you may notice that your house looks a lot cleaner; like throwing away scraps, it's the little things that make a big difference! Plus you'll get karma points with the Laundry Cardinal for gathering the flock.
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They also have really deformed thumbs, but like to give thumbs-ups anyway.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Week 2 Day 4: Sort Yer Swag
Riddle: How is a raven like a writing desk?
Answer: Forever unknown. In all likelihood there isn't one, except maybe something unfunny like "they both usually have legs," or "Edgar Allen Poe is associated with both."
Riddle: How is a magpie like a pirate?
Answer: They both love shiny stuff.
As you can see, although my riddle isn't very funny, it does have exactly one definitive answer. Therefore, I am a superior writer in every way. Deal with it, Lewis Carroll.
Ahem. Now that we're done admiring my literary prowess, we come to something that every messy person has: swag. Also known as plunder, booty (though usually in the context of really bad jokes), treasure, and probably "pirate crack."
Be it jewelry, a bottle cap collection, an unruly mess of cables, or something else entirely, I'm confident you have some. I have lots of unruly collections, but the worst is the jewelry. I don't even wear jewelry most of the time; the only reason I remember to wear a nose ring and one earring is because they're the ones that are permanently affixed to my body even when I'm sleeping. Plus the one earring thing is reasonably pirate-y, come to think of it.
Anyway, I still like jewelry. I have a rather large number of small boxes/chests of tangled chains and mismatched earrings, because dangit, they're so pretty, and sometimes I do have a reason to wear a bracelet or necklace or even a ring, so I'd better keep 15 of each around for those occasions, right?
So periodically, I have to go through and untangle everything and return the conglomerate of stuff into organized boxes or hang them up on a board. You know, necklaces with necklaces, bracelets with bracelets, earrings with earrings. It's kind of a pain, but otherwise when I actually want to wear a necklace, it takes an hour to untangle the one I want from all the other ones that I don't want at that moment.
The other thing I have is sewing supplies. But that's just too much to organize right now. What I chose to focus on instead was staying in the whole "untangling" vein. Which meant: thread! I had a whole box of miscellaneous thread. And also 3 boxes of straight pins. The thread and pins came from my mom, who cleaned out her closet by passing along all manner of useful clutter to me. I am definitely grateful for the stuff, since my budget is zero, but had to spend some time organizing, as I talked about the other day.
Finally, cables. Take a few minutes and untangle them. For cables that I don't move frequently, I like to zip-tie or twist-tie related ones at intervals. For example, the computer cable and the speaker cable; zip tie them together and keep them straight and separated from other cables!
Bonus: label them like this if you still have any plastic tabs laying around from Tuesday. That way you know what to unplug. Genius, I tell you.
It's amazing how a small amount of organizing makes me feel so productive!
Achievement: approach the tangled cables and/or chains carefully, for they may have developed a taste for human flesh during their long imprisonment.
And no one wants to admit to having been defeated by their booty. Someone else's maybe, but not your own. (Hey. I warned you about the bad jokes already. It's your own fault.)
Battle them Swag Monsters bravely!
Answer: Forever unknown. In all likelihood there isn't one, except maybe something unfunny like "they both usually have legs," or "Edgar Allen Poe is associated with both."
Riddle: How is a magpie like a pirate?
Answer: They both love shiny stuff.
As you can see, although my riddle isn't very funny, it does have exactly one definitive answer. Therefore, I am a superior writer in every way. Deal with it, Lewis Carroll.
 |
| That's right. |
Be it jewelry, a bottle cap collection, an unruly mess of cables, or something else entirely, I'm confident you have some. I have lots of unruly collections, but the worst is the jewelry. I don't even wear jewelry most of the time; the only reason I remember to wear a nose ring and one earring is because they're the ones that are permanently affixed to my body even when I'm sleeping. Plus the one earring thing is reasonably pirate-y, come to think of it.
Anyway, I still like jewelry. I have a rather large number of small boxes/chests of tangled chains and mismatched earrings, because dangit, they're so pretty, and sometimes I do have a reason to wear a bracelet or necklace or even a ring, so I'd better keep 15 of each around for those occasions, right?
So periodically, I have to go through and untangle everything and return the conglomerate of stuff into organized boxes or hang them up on a board. You know, necklaces with necklaces, bracelets with bracelets, earrings with earrings. It's kind of a pain, but otherwise when I actually want to wear a necklace, it takes an hour to untangle the one I want from all the other ones that I don't want at that moment.
 |
| Dramatic Re-enactment |
The other thing I have is sewing supplies. But that's just too much to organize right now. What I chose to focus on instead was staying in the whole "untangling" vein. Which meant: thread! I had a whole box of miscellaneous thread. And also 3 boxes of straight pins. The thread and pins came from my mom, who cleaned out her closet by passing along all manner of useful clutter to me. I am definitely grateful for the stuff, since my budget is zero, but had to spend some time organizing, as I talked about the other day.
Finally, cables. Take a few minutes and untangle them. For cables that I don't move frequently, I like to zip-tie or twist-tie related ones at intervals. For example, the computer cable and the speaker cable; zip tie them together and keep them straight and separated from other cables!
Bonus: label them like this if you still have any plastic tabs laying around from Tuesday. That way you know what to unplug. Genius, I tell you.
It's amazing how a small amount of organizing makes me feel so productive!
Achievement: approach the tangled cables and/or chains carefully, for they may have developed a taste for human flesh during their long imprisonment.
 |
| Dramatic Re-enactment, Part the Second. |
And no one wants to admit to having been defeated by their booty. Someone else's maybe, but not your own. (Hey. I warned you about the bad jokes already. It's your own fault.)
Battle them Swag Monsters bravely!
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