Urgency, Planning and Success

Two people this week commented on how skinny I'm getting. When you are working hard at something and people recognize your effort...it's always a good feeling. I sat for a moment and wondered why I'm having success this time when I haven't in the past? How is it that I've been walking and working out since the first of the year...when normally I would have quit long ago? It didn't take long before the answer came to me. It was two parts....urgency and a plan.

For me to have success with anything, I need that sense of urgency. If I don't have that, I don't take what I am doing seriously. Previously, I just wanted to work out and get healthy because I should. This time I am in a race with my weakening bones and I want to win.

For me to have success with anything, I also need some kind of a plan. Previously, I would just work out a day here, maybe walk a day now and then...if I missed a day...oh well. I didn't have a plan. Now I have a plan. It's on paper...and I'm stickin' to it!

What I need to do now is bring that same sense of urgency to my etsy business, FourDogDay. That doesn't mean to be running around like a lunatic everyday...it means that I need to know when I want to retire. I need to know how much extra money FourDogDay would need to be bringing in each month in order for that to happen. Then I will "see" the urgency and I will get serious.

I also need a plan to get me where I need to be at that time. I need it on paper...so I have something to follow...a plan I can stick to. I have had plans before but I lacked the urgency. If I don't have both parts, it just doesn't work for me.

For me...this doesn't only apply to my health and FourDogDay...it applies to anything I really want to accomplish. No urgency, no plan, no do. Take my basement for example. I swore I would get it dejunked before summer. There was no reason I had to have it done by then, I just wanted to. So, no real true urgency, no plan....it isn't getting done. Now if I wanted to put my house on the market this spring....THERE would be the urgency. You can be sure it would be getting done!

How are you with major things you want to accomplish? Do you need urgency? Do you need a written plan or are you disciplined enough to do it without? I would love to hear how you accomplish things either in your business or in your life....

To Slow or Not To Slow....That is the Question

A few years ago, a friend of mine got a ticket for speeding in a School Zone. She didn't see any kids, so she didn't reduce her speed. There were kids outside, but they were on the playground on the opposite side of the school and she couldn't see them as she approached. The cop didn't care and she got a ticket anyway.

I have always slowed down when I see a School Speed Zone sign...partly because it seems like the right thing to do and partly because there are two ways to interpret the sign....and the way our laws are...I wasn't taking any chances.

How do you interpret this sign?



"On school days" probably means Monday through Friday....does that include school holidays or no?

"When children are present"....does that mean when children are in school or does that mean when you actually "see" kids? Does that mean if they are walking into the school? Walking out of the school? On the sidewalk? On the playground?

When I googled School Speed Zones, I found out that I wasn't the only one who didn't really get it. Read this article....too funny!

To satisfy my curiosity in the matter, I e-mailed my nephew Jason who is a police officer. Here is what the sign means here in Illinois.

Special speed limit while passing schools, on a school day when kids are present and so close thereto that a potential hazard exists because of the close proximity of motorized traffic. No one shall drive a car more than 20 mph in a school zone, roadway or thoroughfare where children pass going to and from school. School hours begin at 7 AM and end at 4PM. This is not applicable unless appropriate signs are posted on streets under their perspective jurisdictions. Signs should give proper due warning when approaching a school zone and the maximum speed limit in effect during school days when school children are present.

So, according to this...you don't have to reduce your speed unless there are kids near the roadway where your speed could endanger them....it also means my friend should NOT have received and ticket...and it also means that I will continue to slow down whether I see kids or not because if I get a cop that doesn't know the law....I really don't want to be the one to "correct" him!

Uh Oh.....

I think this is going to be short and sweet because I still really want to read all of your blogs. I have a show coming up in two weeks, so I am really hustling to get new items made. I finished another tote bag tonight and cut out nine cell phone cases. Then I jumped into the shower on an American Idol commercial....and only then did I realize that I didn't walk today! Here I am telling all of you to get out there and walk....and I forgot today. That means I will do extra time tomorrow!

Irv asked me to get a list together of all of the displays that I need for the show so he can dig them out of the garage and touch them up so they look nice. I have to get that done in the next couple of days too.

Hmmmmmm....seems as though things are getting a bit busy. Will that rattle me? Nope! No reason to let it get to me. I will just take one day at a time and it will all get done!

What are you up to these days....anything exciting? Have I mentioned that I am so anxious for spring to get here!! It's going to be close to 50 this weekend. Heat wave!!!!

Just Do It!

Have you ever tried Yoga? I have always been intrigued with it. It just looked so calming...the way they went from pose to pose...it just flowed so smoothly. I started doing a little Yoga many years ago. Then I quit which is what I usually do. Then I bought two more Yoga DVDs, did one of them for a little while and then quit again.

I am happy to say that I have been doing Yoga regularly for two full months now and I feel awesome. I know it is the perfect workout for me. That and walking on the treadmill. I know some people hate treadmill walking, but I love it!

My sister loves her recumbent bike. She rides about five miles a day on it.

I know people that love going to the gym.

There are some women in my office that are doing Weight Watchers right now. They were talking about how much weight they have lost yesterday and they were so excited. I was so happy for them.

I think it's important when we decide to take charge of our health, that we find the program that works the best for us. If we find something we really enjoy doing, I think we are more apt to stick with it.

What kind of program do you like best? Healthy eating? Exercise? What type of exercise do you like?

Home Sweet Home

A few months ago I started taking a different route to and from work because of traffic congestion on my normal route. The new route keeps me on the back roads longer, and I find the drive quiet relaxing.

One day on my way to work I happen to glance back beyond the tree line and I saw this huge castle like building. I assumed it was the club house of the local golf course.

On the way home, I glanced that way again, this time from the side of the building and was in awe of the size and the design.

A couple of days later, I looked at it again and realized there was no parking lot and there was no golf course.......my word....it's a HOUSE!!!

I love my house. It's a whole 1000 square feet, and I've raised 3 kids in it....we've had cats, dogs, hamsters, guinea pigs, pet mice, birds, fish and even a rabbit in this little house. I wouldn't trade it for anything.....except my log cabin on some water in Colorado! :

When I look at this stunning house...I can't help but wonder how many people live in it, how much it costs to heat and cool and the all important.....how many bathrooms it has and who on earth has to clean them?

I think I have lived in my tiny little house for so long now....37 years to be exact....that I can't even imagine myself in anything but a tiny little house.....my house makes me happy.

So, are you a big house lover or a little house lover or somewhere in between? Do you live in a little house and dream of a mansion or do you live in a mansion and dream of a cottage...or is your house everything you want it to be?

Happy March!!

I am so excited that it's March. Not that I want to wish my life away, but March means spring and spring means nicer weather, green grass, leaves on trees, the return of the birds and flowers...lots and lots of flowers!! What does March mean to you?

Okay, so here I am sitting on my bed....watching Amazing Race and typing tomorrow's blog post! It is taking me a little bit to get use to not having a mouse. I feel like a fish out of water...but practice makes perfect and I will get there eventually.

I had an awesome day Sunday. I got the house cleaned up and laundry going and then started sewing. I got quite a bit done. I finished this kitty tote bag....

I finished a bumble bee tote bag.... (I want to keep this one sooooo bad.)

Then I made a couple more cell phone cases....

I hope to be able to get some of this stuff listed in FourDogDay during the week. I have lots more to do, but if I can continue to be productive each day, I will be more than ready for the show later this month.

It's March......got any plans for this month?