“Never enough ‘time’ ”

What is time? Sounds like an easy question, but try defining it without using the word [time] in the definition.

Time is defined as…

Not as easy as first assumed. Interesting we should spend so much “time” thinking about, and worrying about, something we can hardly define in any certain terms.

So what is time?

time noun \ˈtīm\

: the thing that is measured as seconds, minutes, hours, days, years, etc.

: a moment, hour, day, or year as indicated by a clock or calendar

: the measured or measurable period during which an action, process, or condition exists or continues

: a nonspatial continuum that is measured in terms of events which succeed one another from past through present to future

: a historical period

: a division of geologic chronology

: finite as contrasted with infinite duration

So, now that we have that cleared up…or do we? What are those definitions really saying? And, more importantly when we use the word ‘time’ are we using it accurately – to it’s intended definition – or are we really saying something else? Let’s look at two examples of common phrases utilizing time and figure out what we are really saying.

I don’t have ‘time’

Sometimes this phrase is used correctly. When we have already allotted all our seconds, minutes, hours, etc. to other activities we truly ‘don’t have time.’ The questions I would ask, however, is how often this is really true? And when we use this phrase are we really saying we don’t have the “seconds, minutes, hours, etc.” to dedicate?

Where this phrase becomes dangerous is when we use it to pass blame and absolve ourselves of responsibility.

“I don’t have time” becomes, “It’s time’s fault [not mine] I can’t add something else to my schedule.”

Suddenly it is not our fault we don’t have time; I am not to blame. You can’t be mad at me; I have no say in the matter. We speak the phrase in hopes we convey the idea “I would love to, really, time just won’t give me the opportunity.”

But let’s think about it. Do we ever not have the time to do what we really WANT to do? If something is important enough to us don’t we “find time” or “make time?”

Are we really trying to avoid having to say:

“I don’t want to.”

“I’m not interested.”

“It’s not something that matters enough to me to give my time”

All of these statements require us to admit the truth (both to the other party and to ourselves), accept our real motivations, and take responsibility for the outcomes. If I choose not to give my time, I must accept the results, or lack there of as being partly my doing.

That’s going to take so much ‘time’

For me, this is the biggest red herring of time. When we go off of the actual definition, all we are doing is stating the obvious. What we are speaking of will – in fact – take a substantial amount of ‘seconds, minutes, hours, etc.’ and will be a ‘measurable period during with the action will exist.’

In truth, when we use this phrase we’re not actually speaking of ‘time’ at all.  Again, we are passing the blame and responsibility to avoid the truth we don’t want to speak.

Uncomfortable Truth #1:

This is going to take so much effort I really don’t want to give.

ef·fort noun \ˈe-fərt, -ˌfȯrt\

: work done by the mind or body : energy used to do something

: a serious attempt to do something

: something produced by work

: conscious exertion of power

: something produced by exertion or trying

Uncomfortable Truth #2:

This is going to take so much commitment and I don’t want to make a commitment that long.

com·mit·ment noun \kə-ˈmit-mənt\

: a promise to do or give something

: a promise to be loyal to someone or something

: something pledged

: the state or an instance of being obligated or emotionally impelled

In both these phrases we are using the word “time” as a substitute for another, as a scapegoat to avoid an uncomfortable truth, and as an excuse not do things we wish to not do.

* I feel it important to note that while writing this article I came across my own time issues. I began it with plenty of time to finish and submit before the publication deadline I was under. I then successfully missed the deadline, having not finished the article. I will not say I ran out of time because that would be a false statement. What I must admit to is that I forgot about it, and when I did remember I chose to put other things first. That being said, in the end it was important enough to me to dedicate the time to completing it. And I’m happy I did.

Wordy Wednesday: The Restart

"Getting back [in]to it" is a phrase I am fast coming to despise! Even as I write this blog I am frustrated because this phrase comes to mind. I haven't posted now for a few weeks and I find each day I don't post makes it that much harder to post the following day. It's like waking up only to fall back asleep; each successive time you wake, you wake tireder (is that even a word?) than before, making it easier to fall back asleep and more challenging to rise up.

When I clicked on my blog this evening, I paused. I paused before clicking the "new post" button because I knew once I began writing the desire to write would take over, followed by the desire to "do it right", followed by the endless stream of ideas that even now flood my brain (i.e. this sentence originally ended with "take over" and then was added on to, twice). 

I knew once I began it would be half and hour to forty-five minutes before I finished, and quite frankly, tonight...I"m tired! And this is where that pesky little phrase "Getting back [in]to it" come in. There must be a first time; even if it is a second first time, or a fiftieth first time there must be a first time to start and a first time to restart. 

Let's face it, we live on restart! From New Year's resolutions, to exercise plans and diets, to relationships, jobs, passions, careers, colleges... you name it! 

Life is about what we do when the restart comes!

So what does it mean to restart? Does it mean to start again? To start anew? To start over? All of these have a different meaning (oh English language, you never cease to confuse me!). So let's look at RESTART:

re·start verb \(ˌ)rē-ˈstärt\

: to start again after stopping

: to start anew

: to resume (as an activity) after interruption

: to resume operation

Most of the definitions deal with a stopping of some kind regardless of the type of stop: interruption, loss of interest, lack of time. It doesn't matter why we stopped, just that we in fact DID. After the stop, however, is where I find interesting distinctions.

Anew vs. Again

anew adverb \ə-ˈnü, -ˈnyü\

: in a new or different form

: over again : once more

: for an additional time :  again anew

>

: in a new or different form anew

on film>

again adverb \ə-ˈgen, -ˈgin, -ˈgān\

: to a previous position or place

: for another time : one more time

:  another time :  once more

:  on the other hand 

Notice Anew deals with starting in a new or different place, while Again deals with previous position or place. When you restart do you try to do the same thing again or do you try to do things Anew? Or do you begin completely from scratch-starting over? I wonder how our terminology--the way we describe (and most likely view) our RESTART affects the results.

If I decide I am going to restart my exercise regiment by starting AGAIN this means I am starting in the same place, with the same mindset, I'm going to go back to what I was doing and start doing is again. Will this work? Why didn't it work the first time? What made me stop? Seems a counterproductive way of thinking.

Now, if I decide I am going to restart my exercise regiment ANEW it means I am coming into it with a different mindset, a different place, form, set of goals, etc. This feels much more positive, much more manageable. 

But not to say AGAIN is wrong and ANEW is right let me pose this a different way. I am RESTARTING my blog AGAIN. I like what I have been doing, and do not wish to change my format. I do not feel I need to start in a different place. Mine was not an issue of needing a change. Starting ANEW feels rather daunting and I believe would be counterproductive in this case. Coming back to the "familiar" is what I need right now.

I could go into Restarting as "Starting Over" at which point the old is eliminated and the slate wiped clean, but I feel for tonight I have achieved my goal: overcoming the dreaded RESTART and making peace, if only temporarily, with "getting back [in]to it".

Goodnight!

DIY: Christmas Tree

Question: I have a small place and can't put up a Christmas tree this year, but I still want to have a festive spirit in the house. Any suggestions?

Answer: Dear Anonymous, Who say's a Christmas tree has to be large? Here are two samples of a mini-tree I created last year to solve just this problem. Enjoy!

 

These two trees are both created from the same base material: a styrofoam cone (not pictured) found at most craft stores. 

From there it's just a matter of deciding how you want to "decorate" 

 

Here is a breakdown of materials I used for the tree on the Right

1 Styofoam cone

Green sequin leaves 

Gold leaf sequins 

Small 8mm gold stars 

Small 8mm red sequins 

Gold short pins

*All package amounts will vary

This was my first tree so I didn't think to add the green felt like I did on the second tree. This is completely a style choice, however I will say I think I like to cleanness factor the green brings. It also allows for open space to be left on the tree (see tree on left)

The breakdown for the Gold sequins with red accents. 

Be sure when you put on the red sequin that you are putting it on so it bends outward.

Gold leaf finished.

And here is a sample of putting together the Green leaf

Breakdown and final result of the Green leaf with star accent. 

It helps to break the project down into parts. Specifically creating the sequin bunches and putting them into the tree. I recommend putting about 20 of these together before you start putting them into the tree, that way you can focus on placement without being distracted by building.

Here is a sample of where you would insert leaves. Note how each higher row is overlapping the lower. And also how each leaf sits on top of the leaf before it. 

I have included here a sample from where I removed the leaves so you can see how to build the project up. Be sure to build up from the bottom since each row overlaps the prior one. As you go across a row each leaf will overlap the prior so when you put in you last leaf be sure to tuck it under the first leaf so you have a continuous overlap. 

You can be as simple or as complex as you feel comfortable. For my second tree I created the majority of the body using three different sizes of green sequin (There are over 800 sequins on this particular tree). I then created the garland strands using beads and thin wire. The stars added accents and held the beads. Each garland strand got a series of bells (There was definitely math involved to decide how many beads on each strand and how many between the bells), and I finished the piece with Swarovski crystal accents. 

Not that on this particular tree I left some of the green felt exposed adding an extra element to the finished piece. 

Miscellaneous Monday: Mind Games

Mind Games 

I love mind games. Not the twisted psychological mind games played against the opposite sex in order to entice, seduce, and otherwise drive sanity from the opponent. Those I do not like. I do not like them Sam I... anyway.

No, I like actual mind games. One of my favorite sites is Lumosity.com. I am currently a "free" member, which doesn't get me much, but hey...it's something. (Hint: Should anyone reading this wish to purchase for me the lifetime membership for the cheap cheap price of $250.00 I would not be opposed).

But back to mind games. Here are two of my favorites; no, they do not involve manipulating candy and yes, they probably do qualify me as a bonifide nerd.

1: Liscence plate game

I'm sure many of you have heard of the license plate game. You try to find license plates from as many states as possible. This isn't that! (And evidently I have trouble spelling the word license, but I digress!) The issue with that game, my friends, is that unless you live somewhere that would HAVE numerous out-of-state license plates you are stuck with "I found [insert state], I found [insert same state], hey did we find [insert same state] yet. FAIL!

For this game you must find a license plate with three letters on it:

7ASN198

The goal is to figure out a word that uses those three letters, in that order (though it does not have to be contiguous) in a single word. Examples include

Astringent,    Asinine,    Asking

*For the record the ASN is in my license plate and the first time I saw it the first word that came to mind was Asinine. I have NO idea why, but that's the story.

But don't get caught up that the word has to begin with the first letter. Other examples could include

Passion,    Dashing,   or    Fashion 

Or if you want get REALLY complicated a word like: Capsizing 

There are numerous variations on how you play, as well as how you score. Some variations include

1. First letter must/may not be the first letter in the word (i.e. Asinine [must] or Passion [must not])
2. Last letter must/may not be the last letter in the word (i.e. Fashion [must] or Astringent [must not])
3.  NONE of the letters can be contiguous in the word (i.e. the only ASN word that words is capsizing)
4. Biggest word wins
5. Most words in X amount of time (good for plates that have easy combination.)

You will be amazed at how easy some combinations are that include letters you THINK will be hard (i.e. XPG becomes expressing) and how some simple letters just DON'T combine (i.e. AVJ or WUJ)

2. Clock Game (Yep, this one just makes me straight up dork!)

Okay the Clock Game is of my own invention and it is straight up OCD of me. The rule is simple; the game is HARD. Take the numbers on the clock and make a true equation *NOTE: You may not use the "does not equal sign"

Example: 12:38 (This is the one I figured out today)

So I must take 1, 2, & 3 and somehow (using each one only once, and in that order) make them = 8

First I try addition 1+2+3 = 6 (Mean nasty buzzing sound tells me I got it wrong)

Then I try multiplication 1*2*3 = 6 (Mean buzzing noise)

Okay, let's try combining symbols 1 + 2 * 3 = 7 (Closer, but mean buzzing noise again!)

Parenthesis maybe? (1 + 2) * 3 = 9 (DAMN!)

So now I have possibilities for 12:36, 12:37 & 12:39 but no 12:38... oh what to do what to do??

EXPONENTS! (And you thought you'd never use your advanced math!)

1 * 2(cubed [3]) = 8 

We have a winner!!!! 

Now go forth and be Brain Smart!