Why I am so cool

Tonight my mom called while I was making dinner and we commiserated for a while on the fact that the world seems to be going to pot these days. She suggested that we start up my grandparents' farm again and live off the land, but as much as I love Star Valley I don't want to live some place where winter lasts for nine months of the year. The point of this is to say that feeling stressed about the economy and the fact that Mr. Fob has sent out a number of applications with no response whatsoever has piled on top of my end-of-quarter assignments and left me feeling kind of down. So I thought I'd write a few things that I'm proud of about myself and invite you to do the same, either here in comments or on your own blog.

1. By next Thursday I have two big research papers that are due. Today I finished a first draft (it's rough, but there) of one and I have an outline and notes ready for the other one that I'm going to start tomorrow. I haven't always been focused this week, but I've generally been using my time well and I feel glad that I'm getting my work done on schedule for the end of the quarter.

2. Due to my school workload I haven't been cooking as much this week, but tonight I decided to make some real food. I created a tasty minestrone-inspired soup that used up some of the sad vegetables lurking in my fridge. I've had some thoughts in my head about healthy, cheap eating but will probably not have time to post them for a while. Nevertheless, I feel proud of myself that I know how to feed my family tasty, healthy food on a budget. Plus I got an email from the farm I use saying that a friend had signed up for their delivery service--I hope you enjoy the produce! I've been a big fan of this service and I love spreading the word.

3. I also had an epiphany tonight about how to better motivate the kids and regulate our TV watching. Lately I've had a desire to create some kind of chore chart, but I've been a bit reluctant to use material rewards (like money, candy, etc). We're having an issue with TV time so I realized I could kill two birds with one stone tonight. I think it will work well for the kids. I'm going to make a "responsibility chart" where they can check off what they've done each day (cleaning up their dishes, putting away toys and clothes, brushing teeth, etc) and in return they will get a certain amount of TV time per day. I need to find a way to monitor the TV time. I feel so brilliant.

Since I've been so on the ball with my life today, I'm now going to go take a break to eat cookies and watch Jeopardy! I've discovered that watching television is more rewarding when I do it for fun and not just as an escape from other things I should be doing.

Comments

Courtney said…
I'd love to hear more about how you feed your family healthy, tasty food on a budget. I know how to make healthy, tasty food, but I always spend too much money at the grocery store.
3/13/2009 11:30 PM
Braden said…
I thought this system was pretty sweet: Time-Scout electronics lock.
3/14/2009 12:22 AM
Jenny said…
I really like the idea for the tv. I think we will do that as well. Also, I feel better that I'm not the only one who has talked on the phone about starting a commune with family members.
3/14/2009 8:09 AM
rantipoler said…
Nice idea about the responsibility chart. I really should use TV as a reward and not as a distraction. Well, the TV's okay since we only get three channels, but it's Hulu that distracts me.
3/14/2009 8:45 AM
Julie said…
I'm so cool because I have put on make up most days this week! =)
3/14/2009 1:07 PM
Earth Sign Mama said…
Actually, the farm thing would only work for me in the summer, because I've become too much of a weather sissy to live in Wyoming year 'round. We'll just go up and garden like mad and grow chickens and milk cows. Then, we'll sell all the cows and leave for California in October.
3/14/2009 2:50 PM
Desmama said…
I love the TV as a reward idea. I hope you don't mind if I steal it. I promise I'll give you credit every time!

P.S. All of the reasons you are cool are true. Congratulations to you!
3/14/2009 4:23 PM
Seeker said…
I've used Monk episodes as an escape the past two weeks while staying with my baby at Primary Children's hospital. Definitely not the best way to use TV, but sometimes you just need and escape.
3/14/2009 9:47 PM
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