Results tagged "College"

… And then I’m in my elementary school stair well panicked because I am realizing that I have never been to a class that is now on my schedule which means that I will probably fail. And of course my feet are stuck to the ground even though I can see the classroom at the top of the stairs and it appears chaotic. But I’m really 16 years old and this is a high school history course being taught by one of my college professors who, in real life, would hang out with us in bars. But isn’t this real life? I suddenly realize that the stairs have turned to nothingness and I’m standing on one stair that is suspended in mid-air and if I move I will most certainly fall to my death. Looking down I see our basement as I glance at the course schedule that is still in my hand. Balance. What was it that I forgot to do? And then there was the ringing — a familiar ring similar to my iphone although Kate recently changed my ringtone. And there it is again. And again. And then I wake up.

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Guest Bird #10 – Mari

Remember my post on the Master Schedule? I neglected to mention that my biggest hurdle to actually following through with anything is my acute case of anti-willpower. It’s been plaguing me for years. I think a lot of those years the lazy bug stemmed from doing too much – I was working full-time, making art in my studio part-time, and an adjunct faculty teaching college courses part-time. And I lived 40 minutes away from all of it. I was overloaded, and it meant that I was never interested in doing any of the things I’d committed myself to do – because there was no commitment left in me.

The cheesy way to put it? I was losing any passion for what I was doing.

Luckily, it appears that working for myself is restoring my gumption. The Master Schedule – picking one main project to focus on each day of the week – works. Mostly. When I have an idea on Blog Monday that belongs with Art Wednesday, all I have to do is write it down for Wednesday (a tabbed notebook is KEY). There’s less paralysis over what priority is next. Plus, at the end of the week, I can actually see what I’ve accomplished on a daily basis. It does require flexibility. The week I devoted to Small for Big’s theWANTlists 2009? Well, it took all 5 days and the weekend. But I also knew I had dedicated time for each neglected project coming the following week – when I returned to the Master Schedule. Regrettably, some things don’t change. I still have to answer Freelance Tuesday’s emails even if it’s Etsy Thursday. And no matter what, when Baby Cries it’s Baby Day. She definitely forces me to be more realistic with my to-do lists. But the best part? I find myself willingly going back to get something done because I know it’s my only chance that week. I thought that part of me was long gone.

However, I am finding that if I push myself too hard, the burnout returns. I’ve been feeling it the last couple of days. Suddenly, all I want to do is be mom (nothing wrong with that, is there!) and knit someone else’s designs – mindlessly. The long and the short of it is this. Even when I’m doing what I love, I need to find a way to reward myself and rest. So the cliches about finding your passion have to be balanced with the other clichés about everything in moderation. So, apparently, I have to listen to all those kitschy signs and sayings? Ugh.

Mari (rhyme that with Atari, not Gary) is a full time Mom that owns and operates a huge for small blog called Small for Big, crafts like nobody’s business and stalks Martha in her spare time. She is also an accomplished artist and freelance designer. Heck, is there anything that Mari can’t do?

This is Mari’s second For the Birds landing. Click here to read her first post.

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We have started many posts about Facebook and then deleted them… it’s actually a very touchy subject, but one that we feel deserves to be recognized. Firstly, social networking sites are good things–Most any kind of networking is positive and functional. But they do not come without abusers.

We have recently noticed that there seems to be some sort of surge with Facebook “Friending”–people signing up left and right… which not only proves that people are not working at thier desks, but also leads to the purpose of this post… A few observations of bizarre behaviors and uncomfortable situations…(in no particular order)

• There is a Facebook etiquitte that seems to require people to agree to “Friend” invites.. For example: One indivdual (that many hold at a distance)…  signed up recently and within a few hours contacted several hundred people that he 1) Once went to school with 2) Is related to 3) Once dated 4) Once dated a friend of 5) Once dated a relative of 6) Once met through a former friend 7) Once met through a current friend Once worked with. Some–not knowing who he was, and Most–knowing exactly who he is and not liking him… agreed to be his friend and opened up their Facebook lives to him. Now he knows.
• Ex’s contacting ex’s and their friends to become “Friends”. We just think this is odd.
• Asking to “Friend” someone you went to nursery school with, but haven’t talked to since–without a “Hey how are you?, We went to nursery school together”… 
• Asking to “Friend” someone you went to nursery school with, but haven’t talked to since–The brain morphs you know… they could be insane.
• Putting your phone number up there … Not knowing that the person you just “Friended” from Nursery School is psychotic.
• That girl you knew in college that acted like she didn’t know you when you ran into her on the street in New Orleans in 2000–she now wants to “Friend” you… 

We just want people to behave.

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