Just How BIG is My Problem?

Many of you already know that I have put myself on a book diet for the 2012 calendar year and I’ve committed to reading 100 books this year. Each time I tell someone new of this goal, they look at me in amazement. But what I try to get them to understand is that I’m trying to catch up with my book buying habits. I have way to many books in my possession that I have not gotten around to reading and it is entirely too irresponsible to continue buying when I’m not keeping up with the consumption of what I have bought.

So, how bad is it?



Sometime last year, Amazon granted us the ability to organize our Kindle books/documents into folders. I figured now was the perfect time to really sit down and figure out how many books I have unread while I organized. I really needed to do this as I also have the habit of downloading the first chapter samples so I can decide later if I want to buy the book. I needed to get all of those samples out of the way. Next year when I lift my self imposed book diet, I will start going through the growing list of samples to determine what will be bought and definitely read in the future.

For now, I have 32 unread Kindle books, 39 un-listened to audio books in my iTunes account (most bought from Audible), and 128 unread or partially read physical books in my home (as catalogued in my Delicious Library program). I also have a read again list going but I won’t even think about those books for now. For those of you quick on your feet, you’ve already added up my damage.

Yep, I have 199 books to read. Books that have already been bought or gifted or obtained for free. Most have been bought. I don’t even want to think how much money that means I have spent with no return. BUT, that return is to come soon. Unfortunately, my book diet may need to last longer than a year, but we’ll see how things look as the holiday book sales approach. And just as a comparison and to prove that I actually do read some of what I buy, my total book collection sits at 493. This does not include technical books that I’ve been holding on to. So there! I know I still have a problem.

Please tell me that some of you are just as bad.

Hiya!

Just wanted to stop in and say a quick hello! I have so much to share with you, my blog friends.

I have...

• crating with friends
• sewing
• quilting! really!
• knitting
• wedding
• job search
• unemployment
• more Blissdom goodness
• my 2012 reading challenge
• the food stamp challenge
• writing
• hair trimming

There is so much floating around in my head that I want to talk about. There is so much inspiration and what-not floating around that I am so overwhelmed by it all that I can’t actually get out any words. But I will muddle through this weekend and share some of these things that are on my brain.

I hope you are having a wonderful April and a wonderful spring. I’m still spending as much time inside as possible as my allergies have been killing me, but I’m enjoying all I have to do.

Talk to you soon my friends

Cleaning Out

I have unpacked all of the stuff from the apartment, but I am still working on consolidating it all into the house. Last nigh, I worked on putting away all of my hair products. Before I hit the road two years ago, I was relaxed and really didn’t use a lot of hair products. When I became natural, I became a bit of a product junkie. Just a bit. I have curbed my habits a bit, but there are still some key products I am on the search for.

But part of what I really was behind on doing is review some products and getting rid of them because there isn’t enough left in the container for a full head application and wouldn’t necessarily do well mixed with other products. So, here we go.

1. Taliah Waajid Protective Mist Bodifier--I can’t speak to this product’s ability to stop breakage as the package claims, but I can proclaim loudly that this stuff will soften your hair, make it more manageable, moisturize, condition and help detangle. Yep. It lives up to all of that. And it smells great without being overpowering to my allergies. I will not buy the product again though because it makes my hair TOO soft and no matter what holding products I use, my hair doesn’t hold up when its that soft. But, if you are finding keeping your hair moisturized problem and you notice a bit of roughness to your tresses, this is the product for you. I rate it highly, but it is not for me.
2. Jane Carter Solution Wrap & Roll Setting Lotion--I am on the search for a good setting lotion to reset my hair when I have enough product on my hair but need a little moisture and hold to reset my style. This is a very good choice for that purpose. It gives your hair a little shine and a little structure and a nice scent. Unfortunately, that scent does not fade so it’s ultimately a negative for me and my allergies. I would not recommend setting more than two days with this product as it does give a slight waxy build-up. My hair typically doesn’t last for multiple days as I have seen some of the YouTube naturals that I follow. They can set their hair and wear it for 3 or four days before needing to re-set. This is a perfect product for them as they will only need to use this once or twice in a wash cycle. Again, I rate this highly, but not for me.
3. Twisted Sista Curl Activator--The directions say you can add this product to wet or dry hair. I used it on damp hair and it worked quite well in helping form my curls. The problem I encountered had nothing to do with the product but with my hair. Curl products cannot produce curls where there are none and in the front of my hair where I have straighter pieces, my hair just didn’t look good. But, this was a good go-to product in an emergency when my regular style failed me. I would pin up the top that doesn’t curl and use the cream to enhance the curls in other areas of my head. This would be perfect for you naturals with more curly hair or with consistent curls around your head. The BIG negative for this product is the packaging and the size. I hate these squeeze bottles because you will never get all of the product out and if you have a lot of hair (as I do), 3.38 fl. oz will not take you far. Unfortunately, they do not sell this product in a larger size. I rate this one as okay, but not for me.
4. Twisted Sista 30 second curl spray--My thoughts for this product are pretty much the same as the Curl Activator. I really see this as the liquid equivalent to the Curl Activator, making it really useful when you don’t have time to get the cream distributed through your hair. A few quick sprays with this and some scrunching and you are ready to go. That is provided you have a natural curl to enhance. I would re-buy this if it came in a larger size, but it is only available in the 5.07 fl oz size. I rate this as useful to have around for emergencies, but not for me.
5. Shea Moisture Organic Coconut & Hibiscus Hold and Shine Moisture Mist-This is a great all around refresh spray to have on hand. I use it when my hair needs a little extra moisture and water is not enough. I use it to slightly wet my hair after I have re-set it. Wet or slightly damp hair sets better as it dries. I use it to spray my hair when I want my natural puffiness to give me some extra volume. It’s such a great all over spray. The only negative is that the bottle gets slippery as you go along, but I keep a hand towel close by to tackle that. I will repurchase this and I highly recommend it for a general use refresher.

The first four items will be retired from my collection, but the Shea Moisture spray will get added to my list of hair favorites. If you haven’t noticed, or if you are reading these posts from your RSS reader, I have added a new page to the blog listing all of my favorite hair products. Even though I did become a product junkie after going natural, I am very brand dependent and once I find a products that works for me consistently, I like to use that product. Even though I am still trying some things out, once I find all the product solutions for me, I am done. I will try new things occasionally, but I am all about have staple products.

So check out my favorites and leave a comment letting me know what you think. What do you thing of my throw-away products above. I would love to hear about your experience especially if these make your list of staples.

Still Learning

This is my fifth year blogging (WOW!) and there is still so much to learn about this whole process.  If you are reading this in your RSS reader, I encourage you to click over to the site and take a look at the page.  Go ahead, I'll wait for you there.  :)
I haven't changed much, but there are some things I want to point out.

1. As I mentioned before, I've done some cleanup to the tags on each of my posts, making the Tags list in the right-hand bar more useful. Just click one of the words and you get all the posts that I've assigned that tag to. I love easy to find information.
2. I've finally learned how to set up and display multiple pages to the blog. You will see those listed in the ribbon just below the title banner. These will change every few months as my focus changes, but for right now the wedding and the blogging conferences, Blogalicious and Blissdom are my areas of focus.  And I can't forget my prayer project which will be continuing throughout the year.
3. I have often had comments made to the blog that I wished I could respond to.  At one point in time, Blogger did not have a native solution for responding to comments.  This is now available and I plan to use it to continue our conversations.

I'm sure there will be other changes as I continue to learn and grow.  If you more experienced and savvy bloggers have any suggestions for me, please let me know.  I would love to get your feedback.

Finishing?

The countdown is done. I am officially on holiday!!! I am officially done with my temporary 6 month assignment that turned into two years. And even though its not done, I am officially done with 2011. That may change tomorrow, but it’s how I feel today. 2011 was not a bad year by any means but it was a tough year, the worst of it being three trees hitting my house during spring storms. How I hate tornado season!

But 2012 will be here soon and although I expect it to be tough as well, I’m hoping for the kind of tough that strengthens me and not the kind that wipes me out. 2011 has wiped me out! So, what am I looking forward to in 2012???

• Making a family cookbook with my grandma
• Wedding planning with my mom
• Our wedding in September
• Becoming a wife, gaining a husband
• New job?
• Finishing a book
• Buying into a business
• Launching a new endeavor for engineers
• Becoming a MacArthur fellow or winning one of their grants or at least putting in a proposal for something
• Make the donation that will get me on the wall!!--more on this later.

There are so many other things on my list for the new year. Needless to say it will be a busy, busy, busy year and I’m praying for so many things for myself and for those around me. This is truly going to be a year of action. I can’t let 2012 see me as tired as 2011 saw me. I have to break through.

What’s on your Goal TO-DO list for 2012?

Sick Day

For the past few years, my allergies/sinuses bother me enough that I sneeze and cough to the point of loosing my voice. This happens once or twice a year, but this time is different. This is the first time this year I’ve lost my voice and unlike any time before, I have lost it COMPLETELY! Usually, I’m just very hoarse and I can still have a squeaky conversation. Right now, one word and I am at the point of choking. I took the day off so I would not be tempted to talk and I have asked everyone not to call me.

But, I’m determined to be at least a little productive while I’m home. My list for today…

        ❑        Finish the socks! I just have the toe on sock #2 to go.

        ❑        Make my 2012 focus list! I’ve got a lot going on next year…wedding, husband, new business?

        ❑        Laundry

        ❑        Packing Plan

        ❑        Assignment Reflections--when I walk away from this assignment, I want to leave something behind

So, just to show how serious I am…

The laundry and the sock are making progress!

No Knitting

Instead of knitting, I have been catching up on blogs in my RSS reader. Basically, I am procrastinating. I need to start getting ready for another life change. Actually, I guess this is more like a life backtrack or reset. I’ve been on the road for work for almost two years. Over Thanksgiving, I decided it was time for me to go home. This was a difficult decision to make as I met my fiancé on the road and can’t yet take him home with me. :(

But I’m excited to be going home. Spending so much time with grandma in front of the fireplace didn’t help at all. But, it’s time to go. I’ve been loosing money (oh, what we do for love!) and now I’m passing a timeline that will throw me into a tax bracket that would do me more harm than good. It’s amazing to know that there is a point when making more money just takes more money out of your pocket.

So, I need an exit plan. That’s what I will be doing over the next few days. My list will include

        ❑        Sending a notice to vacate to the apartment

        ❑        Make a plan for finishing out all the projects at work

        ❑        Start packing

        ❑        Cancel all the crap I have to pay for (i.e. cable, gas, power, etc.)

        ❑        Figure out what to do with the furniture that is not going with me or the fiancé

        ❑        Throw some crap away

        ❑        Goodwill giving

        ❑        and a lot of other stuff that is not coming to me right now

I’m sad to be parting from the fiancé for a while but I am happy to get back home so I can get the house ready to go from a single girl dwelling to a home for two.

What changes are coming your way for the new year?

October #13--Before You Forget! Seven Things to Note After Attending a Conference

After returning from Blogalicious 2011, I started thinking about everything that I had absorbed and ideas that were starting to bubble up in my brain. I had notepads and word files and business cards and it all needed to be consolidated in one place before I could forget it all. I made a list of the categories of information I needed to capture and jumped right into organizing and documenting it all.

        ✓        Notable Quotes/Tips--These are all the little tidbits that I picked up in the general sessions, breakout sessions or side conversations. This is a list of things that others are doing or engaging in. Even if there are actions or philosophies that I wouldn’t follow, I still note them for inspiration potential.

        ✓        People to Follow/Comment to--These are all the presenters and attendees who I received business cards from during the conference. The best way to continue to gain inspiration over the coming months/years is to follow the web presence of these people. Not to mention, following them and providing comments/feedback could prompt them to follow me in return.

        ✓        People to Contact Directly--These are direct contacts that I need to make on a more personal basis. If someone suggested I contact them for writing or product review opportunities, they are noted here and become a priority on my to-do list.

        ✓        References--During many of the presentations and conversations, there were so many times when someone said “Oh, you should check this out.” This is the list for those items. These are longer-term items/resources to research and/or follow.

        ✓        Ideas Inspired--There is nothing better for inspiring ideas in you than to listen to people who themselves have done interesting things. These could be direct recommendations or unique spins to what I heard.

        ✓        Next Steps--Reviewing the ideas and resources and quotes/tips will lead to some solid, tangible steps of what I need to do next. This is the section for that. This is not a wish list, but an action list. I will take it one step further and actually put target dates to these steps.

        ✓        Refinements--Maybe the tips/information I received prompted me to think more conceptually about things I am already doing. Making refinements to existing endeavors can take a little more thought and planning. These should be noted and considered here.

Attending a great conference is just the beginning. Make you first “Next Step” taking a little time to complete your conference recap notes.

        

October #8--YouTube Favorites

After deciding that I was finally going to go natural, I started looking around on-line for resources that could help. Google can lead you to anything!
YouTube was the answer I was looking for. Before this particular search, I was not a big fan of YouTube. I didn’t see the point. Every time I saw a YouTube video talked about, it was something stupid that I had no interest in seeing. The medium just didn’t seem like something I was interested in.

But the search for help on natural hair care changed all of that for me and now I’m finding all kinds of lovely things to watch and be amazed at. I just checked my own channel information and I am up 229 subscriptions!!! I couldn’t believe it when I saw it. But these are a few of my favorites.

Natural Hair Care
Naptural85 http://www.youtube.com/user/Naptural85
Her Best Hair http://www.youtube.com/user/tiashauntee
Splinta24 http://www.youtube.com/user/splinta24

Technology
HTC http://www.youtube.com/user/HTC
Google http://www.youtube.com/user/Google
Wireless Zone http://www.youtube.com/user/WirelessZone

Crafting
Whitney Sews http://www.youtube.com/user/aglanceatmyworld
Marcelle’s Creative Crochet http://www.youtube.com/user/onevirtuouswoman

These are just a few and definitely not the full list of my favorites. I think I will start to do regular post giving shootouts to my favorites because they are so great. This applies to the many, many, many blogs that I have streaming daily into my RSS reader.

More to come on my media obsessions.

October #2--I Have a Problem

I Have a Problem, a photo by aldorris105 on Flickr.

Since I tend to post more to Flickr than anything, I decided to port some of what I've been posting over to my blog. This is the picture I took after cleaning my purse of all the pens/pencils and whatnots. This is what I have.

11 blue pens
8 black pens
1 Livescribe pen with refills
1 multi-color pen with 2 refils
6 colored pens (2 of which are blue)
3 Sharpie/Mark it
3 highlighers
1 stick eraser
2 fountain pens
3 wood pencils
2 mechanical pencils

I pared down a bit but most of them went right back into my purse with the addition of a red pen. And now that I think of it, I didn't need the red because I had the multi-click pen thingy. I don't use that often so I forget all about it so often.

Making Changes

It’s about time for an update to the blog. I’ve got lots of things to talk about in the coming year and I need a nice new look to welcome it all in. Happy New Year to you all. Are you looking forward to 2011?

I still have some thinking to do before I have my ultimate to-do list for the year but as a minimum I’m hoping this year brings these things my way.

--less debt
--more savings
--a husband (counting down to September 30!)
--a new job
--stability
--quilting

More to come on that list. What’s on your resolution list?