Productivity Burst

I don't know about you, but I tend to have what I refer to as "productivity bursts." Normally, once I get home from work, I am tired, and I mean tired. My job keeps me moving around a lot, dealing with a lot of people, demands a lot of attention to detail and a whole lot of patience. So, once I get a chance to come home, cook dinner, and finally sit down, I'm usually pretty close to exhausted.

Needless to say, my after-work productivity levels are generally fairly low. On some days, though, I surprise myself with how much I accomplish. Today was one of those days. In a nutshell, I succeeded in the following:

Two loads of laundry: check.
Dishes washed and put away: check.
Clean clothes folded: check.
Bathroom cleaned: check.
Mirrors and windows washed: check.
Dinner made: check.
Two blog posts (not including this one) completed: check.

Not bad for a Tuesday, huh? Here's to hoping this happens tomorrow too, because those clothes certainly aren't going to iron themselves.


Do you ever have productivity bursts?

Grown-Ups Have Boring Christmas Lists...

Have you ever heard the song "Grown Up Christmas List," which is a lovely, inspiring song that a number of different artists have recorded? It's one of my favorites, really.

The song is about a hope for a better world, one without suffering, one with compassion, and one with help for those who need it. It's a song that any peace-loving person would probably play on repeat as the holidays approach. What a nice thought, that especially during the holiday season, the world could enjoy peace, joy, and love. Sigh.

This year, my Christmas list is a little different, but still a grown-up one. Life is changing these days, and fast. I find myself thinking of cleaning products that need buying and cupboards that need cleaning. As I prepare for my big move before I start my new job, I keep thinking of things I need to acquire in order to have any sense of organization in my new place.

So what's on my grown-up Christmas list, which my grandmother nearly begged me to give her yesterday when I went for a visit?

A vacuum. A bright, shiny, quality vacuum. It's actually topping the list. I have been defeated by the Responsibility Gods, who have won the growing-up battle. Other items include a nice spice rack, a mirror/shelf/hook thingy so that I can hang up my coat and keys all in one convenient place next to my door. New sheets would be great, too.

Now that I'm looking at it, my Christmas list is a pretty boring one this year-it's all about practicality. Is this a trend in this economy, or is it just me? What's on your list this year?

Cleaning Casualties

A horrible, awful, terrifying thing has happened just now. You're lucky; you're the first to know.

I've just sustained my first injury from cleaning out my closet. I managed to chip a tooth.

How, one might ask, does someone manage to chip a tooth whilst cleaning out a closet? I remind you that I am incredibly, impressively accident prone. I constantly amaze myself at the odd injuries I bring upon myself, from a nasty concussion after running on a football field to a large gouge taken out of my leg during a "friendly" game of tag.

So here's the story. I had only just begun to clean this portion of my room when I decided a few things could fit on the top shelf. They happened to be posters from my college years that I intend on framing later (they're the classy, black and white photo types, so they'd work well in an entertainment room), but for now, they have been rolled up quite efficiently. I was fairly certain that I could maneuver the poster around a particularly large water bottle I received as a party favor from my senior prom in high school (I know, I really should get rid of that, huh?).

I had just begun to think I had secured the posters behind a few boxes (and the water bottle) when all of a sudden, CRASH! In a completely uncoordinated, bumbling moment, I knocked the water bottle from it's spot on the shelf and attempted (and failed miserably) to catch it using my elbows as my hands were still holding the posters in place. The bottle plunged down from the depths of my closet and found it's target: my two front teeth. I was left swearing (sorry, Mom!), gripping my mouth, and bleeding. Further investigation revealed it wasn't my lip that was bleeding as I had originally thought (though it was throbbing to the beat of my heart), it was, in fact, my gumline. 

A moment of panic ensued in which I had convinced myself my teeth were about to fall out, only a handful of years after my entirely embarrassing braces were removed. Thankfully, they did not fall out, though there is a small chip on one of my teeth near the gumline, which will probably go unfixed as it is apparently completely imperceptible to others (my sister didn't believe me, she thought I may have walked into a door...), but I will know, and oh how I will despair.

That's the last time I clean my closet. Or at least I'd like to think so.