Goals!

Back again!
As mentioned last time, I want to talk about my Bullet Journal, and goals.

I started a Bullet Journal in late October after fate led me to read Ryder Carroll's book on the subject AND I found a gorgeous leather traveler's notebook case at SAFF on the same weekend.
Also, I've been getting Field Notes' quarterly subscription a while and really needed to start using them.

Later I was able to find this gorgeous fabric case to keep my pens handy.
I use 3 notebooks for my Bujo.

1 is replaced every month. It has my Daily tasks & general to-do list. For this book I've been using Word Notebooks because they are already set up with the Bullet Journal method of tracking lists.

On one page I have "Future Log - Adulting" where I keep track of things like work deadlines, cleaning tasks, appointments, and bills.  The second page I have "Future Log - FUN!" Where I keep track of things like Christmas gift knitting plans and entertainment schedules (I have names & other info on many pages, and bad handwriting, so I haven't shared images of most of my pages).

After that comes my daily pages. This is where the Bullet Journal method has helped me the most. I used to lay awake at night repeatedly thinking about what I had to get done the next day. Now, I spend about 10 minutes each night writing those tasks out for the next day. It gets the recurring thoughts out of my head and I can rest.
As I complete a task I put an X by it.  If I don't get it done, I put a sideways triangle indicating it needs to be copied to the next day. If you decide it doesn't really have to be done you can cross through it.  Things I've stolen from Amy Falcone are if you make progress on a task but don't get to complete it, put a sideways triangle and fill it in (filling it in indicates you got to do part of it, so it's less disappointing than an empty triangle). And, I set space aside at bottom where I put Daily Wins.

The 2nd book is a Yearly calendar, which I'm using one of my Field Notes books for.  There are 2 pages where I've put my Goals. Someone in Amy's chat pointed me at this 6 Horizons of Focus post

Following the guidelines there, I've set Work & Personal goals.


  1. Daily/Recurring Actions. Work: Daily que & tasks, Project steps, Encourage self-sufficiency in co-workers. Personal: Drink a minimum of 64 oz water. Weight Watchers Points, and Complement/Verbally Appreciate someone.
  2. Projects - Multiple steps: Work: (Can't really go into detail here but there's 3 big projects to undertake this year). Personal: Use more of my yarn stash, Read more (audio counts), Declutter.
  3. Focus & Accountability: Work: Create 1 SOP per quarter, Train my backup on the task.  Personal: Save $100 a month, Exercise more.
  4. 1-2 year goals: Work: Complete industry standard Online Courses towards designation. Personal: Get to a specific weight, buy a house (this might actually happen this year!)
  5. 3-5 year goals: Work: Obtain designation for online courses, document all my processes & train backup. Personal: Go on a BIG TRIP, find a local church that feels like home.
  6. PURPOSE: Work: Be compliant, be Accurate, and Be Efficient. Personal: Be Inclusive, Be Encouraging, Be Healthy, and Increase Joy.
After these goals I do a 1 page spread of the days of the month and which day of the week it lands on. I can keep a little note of an appointment there as well. 

The 3rd book is just for general notes, scribbles.  When it fills up it gets replaced.

One of the things I'm doing this year which supports my goals, is I want to support artists and makers and communities.I want to avoid Being Sold something.  Online everywhere we constantly see sponsored posts and ads for things, and it makes it easy to just buy the thing because you want it.
Above I linked to a local book store's online shop, and I've mentioned my friends' Patreons in this and my prior post. Hoping to increase joy and encourage good things and more mindful shopping rather than passive consumption.  
What are your goals? What helps you stay focused?

Now watching: D&D Session on Pr0Restarter's Channel, starring PB, Kylen, and Cybrwulf

Hello!

Hello friends!


Over and over I've drafted a catch-up post, but never got around to posting them.  I do want to start posting here more often.

I am still knitting, quite a bit really. And playing video games. I've fallen in love with watching Livestream (or VOD later) D&D and other rolepaying sessions.  I still play with my group every Wednesday, but also I've made some really great friends through the beautiful, inclusive, and encouraging communities online.


One of my favorites of these is The Indoor Adventurer (Twitch) (Youtube) (Patreon) (Podbean - Audio only)

Becoming a subscriber on Twitch or supporting the channel on Patreon gets you in their super fun Discord chat where we have a lot of fun and just keep each other entertained.

There's 2 main D&D Shows.
Monday night is a Homebrew campaign, and Tuesdays they play the current D&D adventure, Dragondee Waterdeep Dragon Heist. 

If you look at the VODs or check out the YouTube channel you might see someone you know in some of the one-shots :)



Now, here's some knitting since that's probably why you're here (if you still are)

I cleaned my room this week and found a sock project I'd forgotten existed. I checked Ravelry, and found that I'd cast it on nearly 7 years ago in February of 2012!!!





All I had to do was knit about 3 stitches and do the toe of the 2nd sock!



So, now I have a new pair of 7 year old socks. YAY!
 I hope you're well and happy out there. Say hi if you're still around or if you happen upon this!
Next time I should write about my bullet journal!

It's been a while

Facebook recently reminded me it'd been 7 years since my next to last post!!
OMG!
I kept telling myself I needed to blog, but would put it off.
Here's 1 big recap, and then hopefully I can get back to regular posting.
Brief re-introduction.
My name is Jadie, I have 2 cats, I play World of Warcraft, and I knit (yes, sometimes at the same time!)


So wow, a lot has changed in the last 7 years. Right around my last post  we had just moved into a house. We are still here and it's definitely become home for the long-term.

Also I have two nieces and a nephew, though if we're friends anywhere else you mostly only hear about my sister's daughter.
Sadly, I've also lost in the last 7 years.  My father passed away about a year and a half ago, and my grandmother had passed away a few months before that.
Life is definitely different than it was in 2011. (Understatement!)

So, since pictures tell a thousand words, I figure I'll stop blabbering on here, and just add a few photos from the last few years.

Furbabies wait for Santa Tripsie now has to wear a cone full time because she'es allergic to everything, and licks herself raw.

Cute little youngling

She knows she's adorable

A few years later, Weee gamer

River time. No longer ours :(





Knitted Dice bag for my DM (spoiler alert, dog ate it). Fore the Horde!

Harry Potter House cat beds

Shawl

Knitting at the drive in

Weekly Wednesday D&D game
Replaced the one the dog ate. DM and I Both enjoy Harry Dresden books.

Most recent tattoo... it's about 6 years old now.

Summer summary

Well, the summer is drawing to a close, and I for one am thankful the cooler weather is coming.
A few weeks ago I went to North Carolina to visit my family, and mom & I escaped the heat in Maggie Valley, up in the mountains. I've posted some pictures here, but I do have a whole set of all the roses at Lake Junaluska & other pictures over here on my flickr.









On the way there we had a little yarn crawl at Black Mountain yarn shop which was a very lovely shop! We got some neat gadgets there and also at another shop, I apologize I don't remember their name....
these stitch markers all have words on them like center, decrease, increase etc, so you can place them to remind you of what to do when you get to them!

I also finally finished my Lanesplitter skirt! It's a little bit tight....


While I was gone, Tripsie went to the vet to get some treatment for her skin issues. Unfortunately she seemed to pick up a bit of a bug :( Poor little girl.


fortunately it passed quickly. They both went after I got back and now they're up to date on all their shots.



Kitty continues to get stronger and more active in the new house! I'm really happy that he's bounced back so much, though it makes me sad he was unhealthy for so long and now it seems the old townhouse was the cause of it.



We've been really enjoying our real sized kitchen & dining room, as well as the grill. I've made lasagna, and also like to make myself pasta for lunch.


No Tripsie, you cannot has.



Hanging out in the back yard while Sam grills burgers.


There's a baby explosion at work, so I've been making blankets and booties. These are for my co-worker Karen, or really for little Caledonia (Latin word for Scotland, I had to Wikipedia it). I didn't finish the 2nd bootie in time for the baby shower, so I wrapped the blanket, 1 bootie, and the yarn with needles stuck in. It's all finished now :)


I've also been working on a pair of socks, using some of my Yarn Pirate stash and this Mermaid's Lagoon pattern from Knitty


I also finally made good on my promise to a sweet little girl, this is Minnie, and I've been promising her a sweater for YEARS!


My other canine friends are Toulouse and Renior, the puppies of my D&D DM James. They like to hang out with all of us while we play and try to get some of our tasty treats.


Of course the big news this week has been the earthquake & hurricane Irene. The earthquake was scary, but only because it was my first one. It is very unsettling to have the ground under you move!! Everything is fine though. We barely had any effects from the storm, just a cloudy rainy weekend. But Mike & Janine came to see us for the weekend, and I'm hoping they return to Richmond with no bad surprises. One of their neighbors had a tree fall.


Next weekend my family will come up for the long weekend, and mom will see my house for the first time! I'm so excited :)




Been busy enjoying my new home!!

Warning for friends with slower internet connections.... Picture heavy :)


There's been snuggles

Tripsie on her fort, which she hasn't gotten back on since... not sure why.

Tripsie in her favorite spot, the top of the stairs.

My shelves
Which I put together ALL BY MYSELF!

Nice and clean and organized (this was taken right after setting them up. You'll see them again later)

The kitties have been staying cool by laying on the tile floor in the kitchen. The air vent is in the floor right between them. They both love to walk up to it and hold their faces right in the stream of cold air.

The kitties inspect my knit nook/hobbit hole. (Yes, Kitty comes upstairs all by himself!)

Kitty watching TV
Kitchen again, that screen in the dining room will hide the litter boxes from guests.

Decorating with knitting. My blanket I knit last year on the sofa.

My wedding veil as a lace doily under my bouquet and a wedding photo.

A centerpiece from our reception next to our wedding album Janine made. The prior homeowner left these shelves up!

On the other shelf, a wedding gift from family, and our invitation in a photo frame one of my co-workers put together for me.

Back in my knit nook, the left side of my desk. In the white boxes are undyed yarn & lace. Blue boxes mostly contain notions, one brown box holds (most of) my WIP bags, and there's sock yarn and cotton in the others.

More yarn & more bags.

What's that annoying whiney sound? Oh.. Hi Tripsie. Ok fine, I'll take your picture too. Tripsie has not adjusted as well as Kitty has. But then again she's never moved before other than coming to live with us. She cried all night for 2 weeks, and has done it again a few nights when we've had storms. But she's getting better. Now if we can get her to stop licking til she gets scabs.

My (non-functional, decorative only) spinning wheel... i think some of the legs got mixed up, but it's too hot to mess with it right now.


The right side of my desk. As you can see it's a little more "lived in" now. More notions, yarn, and my knitting books. And of course SNACKS!

We've been enjoying our kitchen.



Nomnomnom Sam has been grilling! (Chicken, mashed taters, and home-made cheddah biscuits like you get at Red Lobster.)

Kitty has been very curious about the new surroundings.



I got some really cute new address notification postcards from Jack & Ella on Etsy


And she included some very cute little blank notecards


We love our new home SO MUCH. We didnt' have to do anything to it! Now to get back to knitting!