Ahahahhahahahahahaahaaa. It's all you can do, right?

[lunabee34]

1. My parents weathered the storm okay; they'll be out of power at least through Monday (probably longer) but since surviving Katrina, they are mother-fucking prepared. Nobody I know died or was severely injured although some people in my parents' church had extensive property damage. /gratitude

2. Our roof is leaking. Naturally. Thank the baby Jesus in his golden diapers that we are renting and it is somebody else's problem.

3. I need to take a medication right as I start eating, and I keep forgetting to do so until after I've eaten. Help me figure out how to remember to do this. Josh has suggested setting alarms, but I don't eat lunch at the same time every day. It would work for dinner time because we always eat at roughly the same time. Suggestions?

4. I really want to explore the writing idea I had about interstitial cystitis. If I never write anything, it'll go nowhere. So I want to commit to writing daily. What is a good daily word count minimum to set? I want it to be substantial enough that I take it seriously but not so much that it's intimidating and I don't do it. Anyone who's ever had a daily writing goal wanna weigh in? What did you do? How did it work? Any other suggestions that you'd make for someone who's wanting to start a big project and needs to figure out how to generate consistent forward momentum?

Comments

[goss]

You could put a notecard on top your stack of plates, so you see it before you dish out food to eat. My parents do this with their meds.

[lunabee34]

Excellent idea!

Thank you.

I am off to make myself some stylish notes. LOL

[monanotlisa]

ad 3. Try a visualization technique? It works for some folks: Wherever/however you are getting your food, imagine yourself doing so but getting the meds first. E.g. if your food's in the fridge, picture yourself in your mind opening the fridge door and reaching for the meds first, or opening the med cabinet first and then opening the fridge, etc.

[lunabee34]

That's an interesting idea. I've never tried visualization before. I'll start doing this at bedtime and see how it goes. It certainly can't hurt anything.

[monanotlisa]

Works okay for me -- last night in the pool I went, Oooh, must remember to grab Meyer Lemons from the tree on the way from the car to the house...and yep, I got out of the car, remembered, and got mah lemons. :)

Sent from my iPhone

[lunabee34]

*high five*

I can't wait until I can swim again!

[sallymn]

Given how long it took me to remember my one blood pressure tablet each day... I'm not the one to help with a memory problem :( But the idea above of putting a note on the plates sounds good.

I'd set a modest minimum - say 300 words? - because it won't intimidate you into NOT doing it, but once you get going you may well keep on...

[lunabee34]

I'm going to put up some notes in the kitchen and where we eat. I think that will really help.

I think I'm going to start with 200 and then see where I go from there.

[resonant]

Keep your medication in your silverware drawer with your forks.

[lunabee34]

That is a super smart idea.

[china_shop]

My current daily goal is 10 minutes' writing, but I usually do more (except the last couple of days when I haven't done it at all). I find a small minimum is good to stop me being intimidated, and (theoretically) easy to fit in even when I'm busy.

[lunabee34]

Well, and that's the other option I didn't mention. A time limit rather than a word count.

I have seen a kind of combo before when I was writing my dissertation. I read some advice that said to work on it for X pages or two hours each day whichever came first.

[zulu]

I think a lower number when you first get started, and a larger number for when you've discovered what's comfortable and what's a push. Somewhere in the 200-500 word range to start?

[lunabee34]

That sounds eminently sensible.

I think I'm going to start with 200.

[torachan]

Ugh, I hope your roof can get fixed soon. We've had so much rain here, I'm really glad our house is not leaking anywhere, especially considering how run down it is otherwise. (Today I had to sandbag a bunch at work, though.)

[lunabee34]

Sandbagging sounds like hard work.

*sympathizes*

Turns out it isn't the roof but something about the way the gutters something something so it should be an easy fix, and we're done with our rain for a while. I think they cut every corner possible when this house was built. LOL

[chelseagirl]

ok, that is the best expression ever.

And I'm glad your parents are ok.

[lunabee34]

Alas, I cannot take credit for it.

It's from one of Will Ferrell's prayers in Talladega Nights (which is one of the best stupidest movies ever).

*hugs*

[chelseagirl]

Which I confess I have avoided watching. I just don't come from a NASCAR place. But great expression, no matter what!

[lunabee34]

I hear you on that. NASCAR is the pits. I will never understand a single second of its appeal. But I love that this movie makes fun of that while also making me way fonder than I should be of the two main characters.