First Post of 2020

Hello everyone and welcome to 2020!

Yes, I do realize that it's the11th of January already. I'm feeling kind of overwhelmed with the many priorities in my life right now. And they're all important priorities to me which is why I'm talking to a therapist who is helping me sort out my priorities. Remember I've blogged before about the importance of realizing when you need a little help. My niece is a therapist in Indiana and I couldn't be more proud. She's in a profession that is just as important as any of the other medical professions. I think there are a lot of medical problems that can at least be helped by talking to someone who knows what questions to ask to help us find the answers to mental blocks we maybe put it in front of ourselves.

DISCLAIMER: I am not by any means saying that you should not see a medical professional on a regular basis nor am I saying that a therapist can cure everything that's going on with you mentally, sometimes you do need medication.

But one thing that I will say is that it never hurts to talk to a professional even if it's just one session every now and then to keep your psyche straight. Most insurance will even cover those appointments that could very well cost them more down the road


OK, my plug for the psychology/psychiatry profession is done.

So what do you think of the 2020 photo that started the blog? I think the colors are great; soothing and exciting at the same time. That's my January desktop. It's one of the three backgrounds you can get from the web. I picked this one out on New Year's Eve.


What I'm gonna do today, at least in part, is talk about my goals and projects for the coming year. This is something I've done in the past on my blog in January, but also keep in mind that “talking to a therapist about setting my priorities up” but I talked about in the beginning of the page. This year I am accepting and working on “Projects and Goals” as an ongoing project itself.


I guess I'm going to start with my first goal - I haven't done "Goals and Projects” on my blog since 2017. I need to speak that affirmation for myself out loud and in print every year. It helps. I also haven't done a logo since 2016.

As a creative person that's part of the affirmation. I'll be working on the 2020 logo and before the weekend is over the goals and projects 2020 affirmation post will be a reality.

Stay tuned!

Projects and Goals

Yes, I'm getting off to a slow start this year. But a slow start is better than no start, right? I did some rethinking and re-organizing of my projects and goals this year. Some of them are very similar to the projects that have always been and somethings have been dropped or are new. Without further ado, here are my planned goals and projects for 2017.


Health and Wellness

I'm returning to counting food points. Planned full time on February 1. I have a food app on my phone and tablet that figures points like the old Weight Watchers system. When they changed to the new point system, I dropped my membership. Doing the Simply Healthy program for 2 weeks, then the regular points for 2 weeks worked well for me. However, I noticed the system they switched to increased the points for sugars and starches and other things that seemed like it was steering more toward weight loss/maintenance to ward off diabetes. That's fine, my mom was a Type 2 diabetic and weight, carbohydrate consumption and/or genetics contribute to that disease which has become more commonly diagnosed. With the many things wrong with me, my blood sugar is one of the things that has always been consistently spot-on. I'm sticking with the program that works for me, as long as I'm doing well, rather than changing how I nourish myself to treat something I don't have.


In the next couple of weeks parts will be here to repair the lift recliner that I spend most of my time in. That time includes using a board across the arm rests as a table to use the computer. Right now I can't sit straight up in it which makes working on the computer painful after a while. That makes scrapbooking and blogging difficult. I'm behind where I want to be with both this month. When the repair is done I'll be physically and mentally in much better shape to have my creative mojo. With my creative abilities working go I'll be able to blog more often and scrapbook more often


I'll be getting together with my doctor this week to get physical therapy started. The object is to concentrate on my legs to strengthen my hips. It's not going to mean I'll walk again, but it may mean some increased movement and I can exercise again. My big goal with exercises to strengthen my legs is really to just be able to hold the grab bar in the bathroom and just stand for a couple of minutes.


Scrapbooking

I'm sticking with the page-a-day goal. I haven't reached that goal the last two years, but I'm still on track to finish all of my scrapbooks by the end of the year! My idea of doing the current month for all the years I had to catch up worked well. I finished 2008 last year. I only have December for 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2016, 2010 has been done for a while and the rest of the years start in October or November.

I'm proud to say that by doing Project 365 as a diary-style scrapbook, focusing on brief journaling every day, has been a success! I've finished every year since 2014. As for the scrapped pages for 2017, I just finished week 3, so I'm still holding strong this year. Truthfully, I really enjoy the daily and weekly expression and it makes it easy to keep up.

I'm also planning to do a few mood boards each month. I'll post a blog about what mood boards are and what they do in a few days. They fill so many purposes and several areas that I think have potential to be very constructive for me. I'm not exactly sure how I'll organize this project yet, but I have done two of them so far.


Reading

Last year I had a personal goal of being more aware of current events and national and world news. I overdid it. The world outside of my backyard is ugly and it's getting worse. Personally the worst part is that I believe we are one of the bad guys. It makes me sad and afraid. This year I'm going to try to stay more uninformed. It's safer for me emotionally; I want to smile again.

I didn't read anywhere near enough books last year. Part of it was from reading too much news, but part of it was not getting out enough. I do a lot of reading while waiting. I read while waiting for the bus or waiting for the doctor. I also read a lot when I go out for lunch on my own. The new wheelchair doesn't fit under most restaurant tables so I tend to stay home. I may consider more out for coffee options once the weather is more conducive for me to be out more.

I access both my Nook and Kindle libraries with my iPad. I have 16 books downloaded on the Kindle app and 11 on the Nook for a total of 27 books. I want to read at least half of them this year. That and at least trying to read less news is my reading goal.


Finances

I really hope to find a customer service job to earn enough to pay for those aides. Insurance doesn't cover home help and it's not really an option because there are just too many essential things, getting cleaned, dressed, housekeeping that I can't do without help. Right now I'm okay, but in a year my retirement savings will be gone. If I can pay my aides, regular monthly bills and medical copays so I can leave what's left of my investments alone, that would be great. I don't know if there's an honest work from home job that pays that much or if my MS compromised nervous system has the energy to do it, but I really do have to try. Vocational rehabilitation says they can help because MS is a recognized disability. I just need a letter from my doctor saying what kind of work I can do and how many hours a week I can work. Maybe I still have some Type-A magic left in my tank!

With a heavy and anxious optimism fighting hard to keep me afloat, as always

this, or something better.

Projects and Goals For 2016

I go back and read the Project and Goals post for the year ending before I write the current one to get some perspective and a clear look behind so I can look ahead with a clean view. It kinda makes me sad that 2014 ended with “don’t let the fireworks burn your butt on the way out.” Hmmm…

It seems that the end of 2014, especially December, was the beginning of 2015. I seem to have an issue with the number 15 in my life. The only other year that I really just wanted to erase from my book of me when it was over was 1981, the year I turned 15. 1982 was a great turn around from 81, so I’m pretty optimistic about 2016.  I think I’m done with 15s until 2081 now, when, of course, I’ll turn 115.

2015 was rough. I mean, it started with TWO books I just wasn’t getting into. Now, I really didn’t like the ebook and I was having a hard time reading the hard cover physically. I may try that one again this year after a few other things change around. Alternatively, I may see if I can find it in an ebook. I got it in a book swap, so it came highly recommended.

Before 2015 was over, I ended up canceling a few trips because of mobility problems, gave up a ticket to a concert and I had a car stolen by a supposed friend. And believe it or not, the thief who stole the car came in SECOND for the “Worst Person In The World” award in my 2015. The worst person in 2015 was that sales person I wrote about a while back who has such a “hard job” that it was too much of a pain to tell me she wasn’t bothering with doing that hard job to get my wheelchair. That wasn’t just stealing a car, that was stealing a chunk of my life, as the current chair has messed up my hips and causes actual pain when I’m in it for a while. I guess the fact that there were TWO despicable people in my world last year is what floors me. 

Everyone has bad days and I try not to judge people on a single bad experience but I do run into those who are just not nice people or have questionable morals. Ancient knowledge, Aristotle said “We are what we repeatedly do.” Therefore, repeated dishonesty is just a dishonest person. I dealt with two people who had seemed to be decent people, but turned out to be ugly people. They were toxic and I’m glad to have them out of my life. I pursued repossession of the stolen car to the extent I could afford for a vehicle that was taken out of state and I did the most a person could with the wheelchair rep; I took my business to another vendor and I make no bones about telling the healthcare professionals who make the referrals to their patients to avoid Rehab Medical because of their bad customer care.

I can usually find a bright side or at least appreciate a lesson in a circumstance to lessen the blow. The car thief still owed over a thousand on the car that she left the state with and decided to stop making payments on. I still have the lien and original title, but as one who currently can't work at all, since I can’t spend a full shift in the chair without pain, the monthly payment was important. I do have the option of tapping heavier into my savings, but I shouldn’t have to. I will never recoup the payments on the stolen car, but I won’t extend beyond what is my legal right;   I don’t think it would make me feel any better to be as ugly as she is. I’ve always believed that you don’t lend money, or sell a car on a payment plan, to a friend unless you can afford to lose the money or the friend. In this case I lost both, but the money ended up being worth more, which is rarely the truth. I won’t stop trusting my friends. I’ll just be more careful about what level of trust I give to whom.

The increasing chronic pain from the chair has me cursing that rep from Rehab Medical every day and she is more loathsome to me than the car thief. I have done the strongest thing I can think of in that instance, taking my business to another vendor, but that meant the paperwork needed to start over again so what was started in May was officially back to square one in November. So far I’m pleased with the new vendor and the communication.  Of course, while I was in the nursing home for 2 weeks all progress on the new chair stopped. The reason there is the bureaucracy of our Second World excuse for healthcare in the United States, but that is a long-existing soap box in my world.

So that was the worst of 2015. The two worst people and the source of most of the bad things in my 2015. Counting down the last of 2015 on December 31, at the stroke of midnight I said out loud, ‘Thank God it’s over!” But ya know what? I survived 2015 to build 2016 into a better year.

As I move on to this year, there were many goals that were not met last year and many projects undone. I am officially erasing them all with the same HUGE eraser I’m getting rid of the whole year with. I’m not erasing the lessons, just the bad things that made it necessary to learn them. So here are my projects and goals typed on a clean screen for 2016. 

Wellness Projects & Goals

First and foremost this year is a new wheelchair! This circus has been going on for 8 months now, actually just 2 with the new vendor, but the current chair has messed up my hip flexors and they won't start to repair without proper support. When I'm in the chair I have now, there is pain and my legs also swell.the new chair as ordered fixes the hip problem, better supports my hips, back and legs, reclines and lifts legs and lifts to enable me to reach out to a grab bar or counter and strand. It also has seat padding that will help avoid pressure pain.  This has the potential to open as many doors as the current chair closed last year.

I have a hospital bed that Lynn, my occupational there therapist is working with me on  transfers and utilizing the triangular trapeze bar for strengthening excersize.

Weight Watchers changed their plan system to one that is more fitness oriented. I understand changing the program every couple of years is common with them. When there wasn't anything interfering, the old points program, using the grams of fat, carbohydrates, fiber and protein, worked well for me. There were activity points, but using them wasn't so emphasized. The new points system requires entering more label information than I have time or hand dexterity for and why change something that worked for me? I bought an app that works on exactly the same system as the old Weight Watchers plan. Saves me $20 a month. My goal is simply to be sure that I record my food very day, even if that means 3 Snickers bars and a half a pint of Cherry Garcia. Own it; all of it.

Paperwork is being completed to get help to afford and aide for at least a few hours every day. The plan there is continued pursuit and implementation.

Cleaning and Organizing 

A couple of people from Molly Maid came in and boxed up the clutter in the room the hospital bed is in now. I've asked for an estimate to clean that room, the kitchen and the accessible bathroom biweekly. I really do hope that's affordable.

Employment

It's my plan to seek a part- time telecommuting opportunity once I have the new chair is here and I can think productively. I already have the the doctor letters necessary to request vocational rehab assistance.

Scrapbooking

For scrapbooking, I'm going to continue with my page-a-day goal.

Reading

I'm sticking with the 2 books a month goal.

Both scrapbooking and Reading goals begin on February 1

As ever, my goals are:

.

This, or something better.

I Am Defined

Happy Sunday everyone! Unless you’re reading this tomorrow or on any day that’s not today or some multiple of seven from today, then happy whatever of the six other days this happens to be.

I have finally been defined with a definition I agree with. For years and years I’ve taken forms of the Meyers-Briggs tests, including the all out test that I took for a job interview many years back, and the results always start with E, calling me an extrovert. I’m actually consistently an ENTJ; Extrovert, Intuitive, Thinking, Judgmental, and the description of an ENTJ fits me pretty well except that I am not that outgoing. I’m outgoing when I need to be, when I have to, but I treasure my alone time too. As a rule, extroverts can’t stand being alone. I took a test online that tells what kind of introvert or extrovert a person is, because I love taking personality tests no matter how corny they are although this one is less corny than others I’ve taken, and it doesn’t call me an extrovert. According to my results I am an outgoing introvert. Which if you look at this description; 8 signs you may be an outgoing introvert, it fits me perfectly. And I love the fact that it doesn’t call me an extrovert.

I’m in the midst of a reading dilemma. Remember I said I was going to have an upstarts book and an ereader book going at the same time? Well, I did that. If you look at my Good Reads widget on the right, there are 2 current books listed. One is a hard cover that I got in a book swap and one is an e-book, young adult fiction. I read the Harry Potter series, and the Trylle series in the beginning of 2013; don’t judge! ;) But my current problem is that I’m just not really into either one. They’re both okay, but nor riveting at all. I have a Baldacci paperback in waiting and thanks to Christmas gift cards for both Barnes and Noble for the Nook app and Amazon for the Kindle app, both on my iPad, I have a couple lists of loaded and ready to read books on the tablet. I have a goal of averaging 2 books a month and I’m not even half way through either book with only a week of January left! January and February are usually good reading months for me. I have to come up with a plan to get myself some reading time so I can catch up and start some bocks I’m more likely to MAKE time to read.

I was talking to a friend from our MS support group about the things that make MS easier to live with today than it would have been years ago, say in the 1940s when it was first diagnosed and recognized as an actual disease. Without MRIs, there was no apparent scarring of the myelin to see on the brain or spine images and while it wasn’t a death sentence for sure, it did affect life expectancy just because they knew so little about it. So much about diagnosing and understanding the disease has improved in the many years since then.

The first disease modifying medication was approved for use and became available in 1993 and more medications became available after that; all injectable. The first oral medication was approved in 2010. That was my first choice in 2011, anything to avoid needles. There are 10 medications an MS patient and their neurologist can try, depending on what side effects you want to chance. But just think;25 years ago there were NO options. You were diagnosed, treated the symptoms as best you could and you knew the disease was going to progress with no way of slowing it down.

Back in that day, just prior to a drug for the disease, it wasn’t considered a disability. In fact the ADA was a baby in 1990 with members of congress that still didn’t want it to pass. We MSers were still destined to end up in wheelchairs and there were still people fighting tooth and nail not to have to widen a door for those chairs or anyone else with a wheelchair, walker, cane or just limited mobility or allowed mobility for breathing or heart conditions. We have advocates and are encouraged to be self-advocates in the fight to continue living instead of just existing as helpless invalids; we became legally valid!

But we really acknowledged the internet, tablet, smart phones. The internet means we aren’t hopeless and lonely when we are at home. The incredible ability to reach out to others like us and be cyber support is fantastic. I couldn’t live without my iPad. With the numbness in my hands that has me dropping things all the time and unable to write having my planner and several reading apps in one device, with a padded cover and replacement insurance on it, is such a blessing It also has a notepad, radio and MP3 storage, camera and my social media apps. And it has speech-to-text for every app I’d type in, a godsend for the times when my “fumblehands” just aren’t up to hitting the right keys. This is not an ad for the iPad. It’s an acknowledgement of how technology makes disabilities less disabling. There have been many times in the past year that speech-to-text software,, like Dragon on my PC, has written this blog!

It’s just amazing and wonderful. How many times did I watched Star Trek episodes where someone was carrying around a tablet with information essential for their job on it? I’m just waiting now for the hypo spray that will zap my MS all together? THAT’S something I’d take to our support group for “share and tell!”

My final note today is for everyone in the areas where the current storm is headed BE CAREFUL! The nasty winter storm the Weather channel is calling Juno is supposed to dump a TON of snow and nastiness on the east! We have relatives and friends that are expected to get in excess of a foot of snow. My friend Edna of Miss Edna’s Place will be seeing it in her part of New England as well, what she describes as feet of inches predicted on TV. If you are in the areas getting snow and hurricane winds, stay as safe and warm as possible and the rest of us please send good thoughts and prayers for them. We’ll get a few inches in Toledo and I’ll complain as I see it falling but then I’ll remember that I don’t have it so bad and check Edna’s blog or ask David if he talked to any of his brothers.

2015 Projects and Goals

It’s New Year’s Eve. Tomorrow will be a new year and 2014 will be gone. There have been a few good things, but for the most part, especially the last half of the year I say “don’t let the fireworks singe your butt on the way out!”

I haven’t blogged nearly as much as I do in a typical December. Remember I told you that I write to get frustration out ad lately I’ve had to really work to write a page positive enough to be a decent post. It’s SO not like me but I’ve had some so not like me things going on. I want to take a moment to remind anyone dealing with even mild depression to not try to fight it on your own! This time last year I was getting help from a psychologist. If I hadn’t taken it on myself to get help this year would surely have crushed me! As it was it just maxed out my time. I’d estimate I was about two weeks behind by Christmas Eve. No baking this year and we’re going to write a New Year’s letter to the family of relatives and friends on our Holiday Card list to let them know everything is okay, we’re okay, but a bit f MS related set-backs in December are why our Christmas Cards are arriving in January. If you’re waiting to see our card, look for a Happy New Year greeting from us in the next couple weeks.

There were many contributing factors that made it a miserable December, but I had edema (swelling) that acted up really bad in the beginning of the month. Wrestling with the walking I can’t do and the water pills that send me walking into the bathroom three times and hour for a few hours I’d stopped taking the pills. Yeah I got scolded by my doctor for that, deservedly so. I also wasn’t drinking my minimum of water each day for successful control of my diet or my MS. So it shouldn't amaze me that I wasn't feeling well to begin with. In the beginning to middle of December the edema was not only causing swelling in my ankles but the swelling had gone all the way up into my thighs. My legs were pretty much useless. I couldn't get upstairs so I couldn't get any regular sleep I was sleeping in the chair and I ended up finding great relief in the bed in the emergency room. They kept me for a few hours with an IV of medication to get rid of some of the fluid and my subsequent phone call to my doctor before the follow up resulted in me taking the maximum strength of the water medication until the edema was under control which was almost until Christmas. Needless to say I've gotten much better about grinning and bearing it and taking my water pills. I don't drink my morning coffee until after the pills have had their couple hours and I make sure that I drink my minimal water during the day. I’m feelng much better now but, well, our Christmas cards will be going out in January.

So there is my confession of how I screwed myself up and suffered the consequences, really suffered them! But now I'm back on my feet again…well no I'm not back on my feet again I'm back sitting high on my butt again with a confident smile. And as I go through 2015's projects and goals and assess how I did on 2014s you'll see why am so glad to see this year go out and why am so happy to see 2015 coming in.


Projects and Goals Report 2014

The clean and organize project was a major bust from 2014. I had planned to look for some assistance with cleaning in the house and David and I were going to have a company assist with some of the bigger cleaning. Neither of those things ever materialized and we're pretty much living with the clutter that's driving me crazy and occasionally is a little dangerous.

If you’re a regular reader of The Chronicles of Nani, and there still are some of you, you know that I did not excel with the blogging more goal.

My reading goal was 2 books a month. I read 23 for the year. In my defense on that one there were a few paper books hardcover or paperback are harder for me to read because of the dyslexia and therefore take longer. I finished the year only one book shy of my goal which is probably more frustrating than 10!

I missed my page a day goal for scrapbooking having only completed 360 pages this year instead of 365 but the last page I finished today was the last page of 2008 and I can say that year is ready for proofreading and printing! That is a great consolation to missing goal by five pages. Also good news in the scrapbooking world I had a goal of finishing project 365 this year with the more random format that I've shown a few times on the blog and all that's left to complete on that is week 52.

The health and wellness goals which included losing 20 pounds by June didn't do so well as the steroid injections I was getting for my back made my back feel great but also caused weight gain even though I was eating healthy. (This year's goals will NOT include injections in my back!)

I did have some unplanned success with the employment area, which is going to be re-named business goals for this year going forward. I participated in Walk MS and after joining in only three weeks before the walk I raised just over $1000. I’m participating again this year and I'm starting with the thousand dollars as a goal. I hope it wasn't beginners luck! I went through training and became a certified group leader for the MS Society's self-help groups. Our self-help group meets on the second Tuesday of every month. Now I just need to get organized so I can get my paperwork in on time.

So there's 2014; a little good, really good, and a little bad some of it really bad. But assessing the year really gives me a chance to see where my goals can be adjusted and what projects I can change, add or omit to make 2015 better. And so now here's my 2015 plan.


2015 Projects and Goals

Health and Wellness Goals

I'm putting these goals first because I think that these goals are paramount to everything else falling in place. Health and wellness goals will include making sure I take all of my medication, including water pills, every day. I’m actually pretty good about that with the exception of those water pills but I'm going to be more disciplined in general and try not to miss any pills. I never liked taking pills and I've got to finish the fight with myself to change into a new regimen of taking all the pills that really are important to my health remaining intact.

I'm also going to make sure that I drink my water every day I have a bare minimum of 4 16-ounce bottles a day. I can drink this starting with when I'm taking the water pills as long as I wait for coffee (caffeine) until after they're done doing their stuff without suffering too much and in fact I feel a lot better when I drink enough.

I've got some information coming in from the MS Society pertaining to assistance both finding and making sure I can afford a lift chair recliner and a personal home aid. Part of my health and wellness goals include the fact that I need to have my feet up on and off during the day and the doctor suggested something on the main floor of the house that I can lie down on during the day. The recliner will be perfect for that. I just purchased an ottoman for under the table today. On Christmas Day Aunt Judy gave me a footstool that was wide enough that I could put my legs and feet on it and some swelling that had started instantly started going away when I put my feet up. Okay that's sort of like getting foot religion.

A personal home aid can hopefully offer some help by scolding me when I need it; when I’m overdoing something or underdoing something else. I hope an aid can also help with cooking so I can have hot lunch? I spilled soup on myself three times in December. It would be great if I could have some help to heat up soup for lunch, reach the microwave and hey, maybe even help cook soup in the crockpot! Okay I don't really know what home health aide does but I'm going to find out and I'm going to get the help that I need.

I'm doing my January detox cutting out most of my indulgent snacks until they return in measured portions in February and adding a cup of green tea each day. I'm not setting myself a definite number per month weight loss goal, partly because I still can't balance well enough to stand on the scale every week, But mostly because I want to concentrate on making sure that my diet is healthy, talking to my physical therapist about what kind of exercise I'm capable of doing and make myself healthy; the weight-loss will follow in line.


Clean and Organize Project

My big Christmas present from David hasn't arrived yet, but it’s a new nightstand for my side of the bed in the bedroom. I've been using an accent table with a banker box underneath it ever since I moved in in 2007! The new nightstand will keep me from knocking things on the floor upstairs. I'm also looking at getting deep shelves rather than a new chest of drawers for the one that needs replacing. I could put folded clothes on the shelves and the bottom shelves will have the cube fabric drawers for socks and underwear. David said I should see if that's already designed and if not I should copyright it for wheelchair-friendly furniture. I want to make sure it is friendly first. We are also going to look into getting the brakes fixed the old chair that belong to David's mother that we use as a transport chair upstairs. Working brakes would give me some safe freedom of movement.

Blogging

I'm not changing this goal. Similar to last year I'm going to try to blog more regularly and I'm going to give myself the goal of writing at least one blog entry a week and reading at least 5 a day. I am and have been this year at times a week behind on the blogs that I read all the time. Doesn't give me much opportunity to read anything new when I have to devote that much time to catching up.

Scrapbooking and Project 52

The last page of 2008 is done!

 

I'm pleased to say that I finished a book this year and since I did come so close to goal the goal remains a page a day for a total of 365 pages done at the end of the year. I'm also not going to change anything in the way that I'm doing my project 52. A two-page spread in quadrants is perfect for a little bit of journaling a photo, clipart, random things per day with an extra block for a day that needs more space or some other interesting tidbit. I'm very pleased with my pages from 2014 and I plan to continue 2015 in the same way.

Reading Goals

This is an area that will also do the same I only missed my goal by one book this year and going forward I'm going read my paperback and hardcover books as bedtime books and a current e-book is the book that I take places with me. When I’m waiting at an appointment or for a bus I usually have more time than my eyes can handle reading a paper book. So it only makes sense that I should have a book I'm reading on the e-reader. Of course if I'm going to be reading a hardcover or paperback and an e-book at the same time they’ll need to be different genres to keep the stories separated which will give me the opportunity to try some new things. It's a doable win/win!

Business Goals

My business goals are going to include setting up our printer which networks to serve all the computers in the house if it’s set up correctly in a place where we can get to the printer. The printer also scans so I can scan materials necessary to email the reports in for my MS group.

One big goal that I want to achieve this year is I want to gather all of the tax forms and have all of our deductions added and ready to go before the end of February.

My last goal is a special goal for me and is for business, scrapbooking and perhaps my general mental health. We have a new Apple Store at the mall on the bus route! Windows 8.1 has been driving me so totally insane that I have plans to visit the Apple Store as soon as the payments on the iPad are done so I can start making payments on a MacBook! You know, "once you go Mac you never go back," and I've been banging my head against a Window for the last 5 1/2 years; I want to go back to Mac! It's time.

So there is my projected 2015.

This or something better!

Goals and Projects For 2014

BRRR… I’m cold. It’s cold outside and we have a drafty door near where I’m sitting. But, I feel otherwise good and not at all sick. 2013 ends better than 2012 did and it promises a better January 1 for 2014!

As I say goodbye to 2013 it’s time to set up my goals and projects for 2014. Looking over 2013’s goals and projects I can say that I’m pleased with how well I did in some areas and I know I definitely disappointed myself in some. In some areas I nailed the “or something better.”

“We aim above the mark to hit the mark.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Clean and Organize Project:

Well, last year I dropped the White Tornado idea for 2013 and well, I must say we did a good job of not moving forward on that front. Looking forward now however, I’m less mobile and more clumsy and that makes everyday things more out of reach and clutter more dangerous. In the first couple months of 2014 I’ll be researching and asking questions. After suggestions from friends (hi Edna!) and other family members I’m going to look into avenues for daily living assistance for people with disabilities. I understand there are even people who will help with serious cleaning and organizing a more accessible house.

Like I said research first. I need to find out what assistance I can get, if I am an eligible candidate for disability assistance and how much it will cost/if I can afford it. I figure initially there will be a lot of work to get our house truly organized and safe, then maybe just someone who can help tidy up once a week or so. We’ll see; this is entirely new territory for me. I’ll talk to my doctor too to see if he has any suggestions.

One thing that I must get done is the door jamb on the entryway to the kitchen from the dining room has to come out. There is snuggly enough space to drive the power chair through but if the jamb is removed it will give an extra inch. In all the years David’s been here there’s never been a door there, so the door jamb won’t be missed. A mid-December call to 911 to come pick me up off the kitchen floor because my leg just quit while I was hobbling back from the bathroom made me decide that I had to be able to use the chair in the kitchen. I also want to see about a couple more grab bars in the hallway to the downstairs bathroom, where the chair doesn’t fit at all and I have to “walk.”


Blog Goals:

Blog more regularly?? I did the consolidation in the fall putting all my blogs on The Chronicles of Nani so I have plenty of material for a healthy blog, I just need to get my head in the right place. Counseling is helping; I’m getting g better. I also think that if I can get the help to get the house up to safer and more comfortable it will help too. I can’t let my mental health depend on that right now though since I don’t know for sure that I can get or afford that help! Still, I’ve set some 2014 goals with my counselor and I feel good about my prospects. I want it and I believe it will work, 75% of the battle.

So, with my head and heart in a better place, and getting better day by day, I should be able to commit myself to The Chronicles better. I want to blog a minimum of twice a week. I’m also going to post at least one Tweet a day.


Reading Goals:

This is one place I am very pleased with my numbers for 2013. My goal was to read 2 books a month with a short book review on The Chronicles of Nani. I read 27 books with reviews here in 2013! Waiting in doctors' offices gets a nod for help with that one, but so does reading before bed or an afternoon nap.

For 2014, I’m keeping that goal of 2 books a month with book reviews here.


Health and Wellness:

Of course the January Detox starts January 2, or whichever day I can get out of the house after the snow to stock up on some better groceries. With decreased mobility and depression came some bad eating habits and less movement! I don’t try to lose in December; I just try to not gain any weight or at least very little. This November and December was a fail! An emotional eater in distress, I gained enough to feel uncomfortable emotionally and physically. I do start January with a bunch of containers of my own homemade vegetable soup in the freezer, a very recent Lean Cuisine sale where David stocked me up and a week’s worth of Greek yogurt in the fridge. I need to get out to the produce market.

I want to lose at least 20 pounds by June.

In physical health and wellness goals, I will have my first round of epidural steroids for my lower back next week. I’m not going to hide that I’m as nervous as can be. I remember the worst part of spinal taps I got when I was 18 was feeling those needles when I couldn’t see what was going on. Numb or not it was agonizing. For this procedure I can’t take the bus because I can’t go home alone, David has to be there because I get IV funny juice. Continued pain is the only prospect I like less! Hopefully the injections will help me get up from a sitting position better and give me a little light exercise ability.


Scrapbooking:

The idea of scrapping the current month instead of trying to catchup a year at a time went brilliantly! Every folder for January and February was completed during these months in 2013! Now those are the months I take fewer pictures, but I’ll be catching up some of the December and November during those months this year while I’m keeping 2014 up to date.

I did keep a tally of the pages I completed each month with my goal of averaging a layout a day. In 2013 I finished 484 scrapbook pages with my record month being July (When the ramp was still new for discovering all the places I could go and it was hot anyway) I did 66 layouts in July!

In this too my goal shall remain the same; average a page a day with a tally kept.


Project 365:

Now here was a fail this year. I figured out that where I completed 2012 but fell behind and dropped 2013 was in the randomness. 2012 was just a line or two written about the day and a layout with those thoughts each week. 2013 was a structured “writing assignment” that had to be written and scrapped every week with pre-assigned topics for each week. I like a challenge, but hobbies are supposed to be fun and as challenging as I want them to be on any day. This year my Project 52 will be “2014: That’s So Random!” I’m going to do a page a week. It might be a journaling page, or a quote every day, a picture a day, a mix of ideas each day or just a layout of a highlight event for the week. I won’t know until the week is under way what it’ll be.

We’ll see how that works!


Employment Goal:

Part of working toward working for me in 2013 was volunteering. Volunteering means networking and earning some current references who have worked with me in a professional setting. As the year was winding down I had some wonderful ego-building surprises as a result of volunteer work that have pushed me into leadership and more detailed work. That means that I not only feel like I have a lot to offer even with wheels, but I’m perceived as having a lot to offer by other professionals. I can’t even express how good that feels and how much it does for my confidence!

So my goals for employment this year are to keep doing what I’ve been doing, shoring up my resume presentation and add at least a few professional items to my wardrobe. Ideally it would be great to land something part time and either have that go full time or move on to a full time placement from there. I know it’d be best to build my stamina rather than jump into 40+ hours a week right off the bat. I want, no need, to feel I’m making a valuable contribution at work and to the home income too.

And there is my plan for 2014. 

 Of course, this or something better!

This or Something Better

It’s Day 13 in the 30 Day Blog Challenge. As always, a special thank you to Katie at So, Funny Story… for hosting this fun challenge.

Today’s prompt.

Your life goals.

Hmmm…

I guess the first thing I should do here is restate my life goals. I think the most important thing to mention is that every goal I’ve ever had, stated to myself, has ended with “this or something better.” I remember earlier this month when the prompt was “favorite quote” Katie mentioned a George Bernard Shaw quote: "There are two tragedies in life. One is to lose your heart's desire. The other is to gain it."

I have always looked at goals as more of a map and they have changed as I’ve changed and grown as I’ve grown. Financial stability has always been something for which I’ve strived. I have yet to really get there, but I’m still working on it.

Independence is another thing that’s been a goal all my life. That has been something that has changed as the years went on! Really, it started with going to the corner store by myself and moved on to my first trip away from home with just friends, my first vacation alone and starting my own business. Now independence means going places on my own and getting back to work. That seems to be one of my more important goals because it’s one I always find a way to make happen for myself.

I’ve always wanted to be in a position where I can help, especially the people who are the closest to me. I want to be dependable and gregarious, the one everyone greets with a hug when I’m there and speaks of favorably when I’m not, but I do want them to speak of me when I’m not there. This has been an important goal too because my closest friends are family to me and me to them. We are charitable to each other and always there in a crisis. Truly blessed is a woman who finds herself in a wheelchair but is never at a loss for caring hands to offer to push.

I guess I think my most important goals are the ones that involve people because that’s what matters most to me. It doesn’t matter how financially successful I am or if I create a product that’s known the world over. It doesn’t matter if I have a horde of followers or every material possession I could dream of. In the end I want to leave a mark, no matter how small, on this world and be remembered as a good person who made the sun shine a little brighter when I was there. And these are still the things I work for every day.

This or something better.

2013 projects and goals

I did some refining and completing on the original goals post I’d written on New Year’s Eve. I guess I’d like to make my first goal to stay out of the hospital except for lab work! That could also be something out of my control, so I’m not making it a goal. One thing I was sad to learn when I was in “the joint” was that there are some bad levels showing on my liver panel. What that means is it may be a side effect of Gilenya, what I call my miracle drug that I’d knock off a liquor store to keep taking. I’ll be getting full blood work, including liver panel, done at the end of this week or beginning of next and my regular doctor and my neurologist in Cleveland will get the results, They said if the abnormalities weren’t just caused by the virus I had, I’ll need to switch my MS meds. I’ll deal, but it’ll mean I have to take shots instead of pills and pray it makes me feel as good. Shoot me a good thought or prayer that it was just the virus!

But let’s get on to things I can control.


Projects and Goals for 2013

"There is no happiness except in the realization 

that we have accomplished something."
Henry Ford

Organizing project:

One thing that blue end of 2012 taught me is that I need to redefine realistic in my planning! My biggest failure was the White Tornado Project. I accept that the project failed, not me. I am just not capable of doing the physical moving to reclaim storage areas in the house as livable rooms. And the truth is we weren’t using them as rooms so we weren’t missing anything.

For 2013 I am NOT putting that project back in the plan. David and I agreed that we need to reorganize some space in the kitchen/annex areas to make it more usable and free up space and that is the only organizing and fix-up project I have planned for the year. We have 2 very full and unused storage rooms and we’ll continue to have 2 storage rooms. I’m okay with that; I’m giving up one idea to help insure the success of a better one!


Blog goals:

I did well in committing myself to comments on other blogs and not having too many long stretches of time that I didn’t blog on Chronicles of Nani. I did not do so well with my desire to offer a scrapbook freebie every month and because I have a growing backlog of scrapbooking to catch up, I won't repeat that goal for this year either. I’ll offer a freebie when I can and I am inspired to do so. I am planning on offering a small non-scrapbook giveaway when I reach 100 blogger followers. I’m not going to make a huge deal about that until it happens. I want “my regulars” to visit because they enjoy my content and style, not just to try to win a prize. Besides, if I reach a number and then people unfollow me, well, what was I celebrating anyway, right?

I’m also going to commit some time early in the year to restoring Davlicious Recipes. I haven’t replaced the lost photos from the great Google Plus error and I want to bring it back to life and start adding new recipes. In keeping up with the “January Detox” that will include some simple and healthy recipes that offer great flavor, a good nutritional balance and fit in comfortable with Weight Watchers points system.

I also want to be more disciplined in keeping up content, even if it’s a short entry, on my MS bog and the cats’ blogs.


Reading Goals:

This is an easy goal, but I have to have some balance and I need to make some me time in my goals too. I was originally thinking a book a week, but there are some times and some books that make that rough, I read The Black Dahlia when I was in the hospital, It’s pretty long and actually not a book I enjoyed. I read the very end as fast as I could to get it done with. Now I’m half way through my second book of the year and the second week is almost over. It’s the book club book for the month at Ginger Scraps. So far it’s a cute book. Still, with other things to do now that I’m back to non-hospitalized life, I can’t see me finishing it in 2 days and I don’t want to put that kind of pressure on myself for something I do strictly for fun. So, my actual goal is 2 books a month. I’m going to make a point of writing a brief, non-spoiler, review for Good Reads as I finish books this year and I’ll repost those reviews here at The Chronicles too.


January Detox/Health and Wellness:

January detox is simply recovering from December. My plan there is to lose the weight I’ve gained through the holidays and really since August when I allowed myself to feel defeated for the year. That in itself is a daunting task, or could be. In the past and going forward I’ve had my best periods of wellness allowing myself to become food obsessed. If I am really concentrating on my food, how to make it balanced and how to make it taste great and look good on my plate, I stay more committed to being balanced and portion controlled. I also know that my chocolate cravings are best controlled if I make a point to include 25-100 calories of chocolate in my diet every day. Sound weird? In keeping track of that I found that there were days I didn’t meet that goal and “had” to have a Hershey’s kiss with my evening tea or decaf coffee. That's why I call Kisses “supplements.” Treating chocolate like a vitamin really has worked in the past.

Of course, any health and wellness plan must be custom-designed for the person living it. Read up and put the right plan together for yourself, or ask a nutritionist to help, but remember to never let someone else put together a “healthy” eating plan for you that you can’t stick with. If you don’t like the food and don’t eat it, it’s not healthy for you. Strive to find the right balance that will taste good and make you feel good; that’s the healthy plan for you! The way of eating that works best for me incudes lots of soup and a big bowl of crunchy veggies to munch on in the afternoon. And a little taste of chocolate every day.


Scrapbooking:

In May I presented Tori and Rina with the scrapbooks I’d been working on since early 2008 as their high school graduation gifts from me. Especially at the end with the editing and preparation for printing process I was pretty much doing nothing but those books. Then I had a smidge of burn out where I took a bit of a scrapping break, a slowdown. Now I look at my “to be scrapped” folders. I have the majority of 2008, from April on, all of 2009 (which includes our wedding reception and honeymoon) September to the end of 2011 and all of 2012. No, 2010 because I met my goal of having all of 2010 done by the end of February 2011.

What I’ve organized my folders to do for this year is that I am sticking to each current month. In January, I can scrap any pages from any year, as long as they are January pages. If in any current month I complete that month for all four years I have folders for, I can go back to work on open fielders from the previous month, but when that month is over, I move to pages for the next month. This way when I look out the window and see snow, I’m not trying to get myself in the groove of beach photos. The pages I’m scrapping fit my current world and surroundings. I think that will get my natural creativity working better.

I’m going to try to have a tally at the end of each month with how many layouts I got done, and how many folders I’ve closed. So far this month I’ve done the last week of Journal 366, the one allowable from last month and the week that just finished will always be okay to do from the last month to keep up with the year’s project. I’ve also done the first week on 20134 52 topix, 5 layouts completing 3 folders from 2009 with 5 to go and 2 layouts completing 2 folders for 2012 with 5 to go. 2008 and 2001 don’t have January folders. I only have one folder for 2013 right now. Since this is a smaller month as far as undone folders go, I might finish January this year!


Project 365/52:

I’m kinda pumped for this year after actually completing last year’s Journal 366! For this year I’m going to have a weekly theme and my layout will include photos and journaling about my week and how it relates to the week’s theme. I already posted my 2-pager for the first week’s theme; “healthy.” I’ll write and scrap this week’s theme tomorrow or Tuesday. The theme is “fresh fruit.” Tuesday starts “scrapbook” week.


Employment Goal:

Perhaps the most disheartening goal I completely blew off last year was the job search goal. I have always been a person whose external area reflects the internal balance. When my rooms were in order in my suite at my parents’ house, I was mentally in order and could tackle anything. I tidied my office before I went to Chamber of Commerce meetings with my business because if the office was straight, I had more power, more confidence at meet and greets. It enabled someone on the shy side to be more professional and aggressive. I’m trying to redirect that concentration to my computer now and it does make sense because so much in the job seeking process is done through online applications and email now. If my hard drive is organized and my desktop is clean, the confidence level should be up, no matter how many dirty dishes are in the sink.

With a change in insurance, the power chair process is on hold. I’m not going to wait for someday when I have a power chair to get to work on this very important part of my world. I’ll use the manual chair to go to appointments at the Vocational Rehabilitation Bureau and get started on evaluating my abilities. I have the determination and resourcefulness that can fit many places. Plus, hey I’m a disabled woman, a double click on the minority scale! I learned in one of my trade school classes some 20+ years ago that it was foolish to be “too proud” to take an opportunity offered to you because an employer needs to fill a quota you fit. It’s your opportunity to prove that there were even better reasons you were a perfect fit! With a decent job I can save up to get the power chair outright, to heck with insurance. I’d love to tell the insurance companies I don’t need them.


So there are my 2013 goals and projects. They are slowed down and toned down a little for me than in years past. I also have a few outs to accept a smaller accomplishment on occasion; as an example, while I have 2 folders that have January pages in them in the scrapbooking project, completing just one of them is a job accomplished As always and especially now, if a preferable goal can be met, I have the right to change a goal to better suit my needs. I feel cautiously optimist about 2013. I have many smaller goals that are parts of larger ideas, but no large goals will go totally unmet. Perhaps that meets the biggest goal of all; keep my own attitude positive and strive to always make meaningful contributions, no matter how small, to the world.

All of this, or something better.

And by the way, that goal to have these posted by midnight tonight? NAILED IT!

“Screwper Tuesday,” Oh Boy!

(Beware of Political Rant! If you'd like the calmer, gentler Nani, please scroll down to Tell Me Tuesday!)

It’s been an odd day for me schedule wise. David is working late because of the Ohio Primary Election. We did some other errands and voted before he left for work..

Before today I only voted in one primary election in my voting life. It was a Republican Primary in 1992. I lived in a moderately conservative district and was served well by Republican William Broomfield for whom I voted when he was on the ballot every time since I was able to vote in 1984. He retired after 1992.  There were three candidates to represent our district in that primary, 2 of them were excellent choices to represent us, conservative on the moderate side, like Broomfield was, and one candidate who was too conservative for the values of our area. Most of the district agreed that the other two candidates were better qualified, but the problem with 2 equal candidates and one lesser one is the 2 better candidates split the majority and the lesser candidate won by a plurality. I don’t remember the other candidates’ names from 20 years ago, but I do remember that Joe Knollenberg won the congressional seat in November. The Democrats basically put in a throw away candidate in the district we were in because for years Broomfield was unbeatable and we were considered “Republican Territory” but that year, a good moderate Democrat could have won that seat. Instead Knollenberg won pretty much by default.

This year in Ohio, I voted in the Democrat Primary. Due to Republicans in Columbus peeing on rocks, that is redistricting that happens in any state when the capitol changes parties, we’ve lost representation by a great member of congress, Marcy Kaptur, and she is in danger of losing a seat all together as they have combined parts of Toledo and Cleveland into the same district. Um, it’s cramming the city areas together to push out the Democratic representatives. Oh, I know the Democrats do it too, but I think redistricting is something that should be done after the Census IF necessary because of population growth or movement. It’s cheating, cheating the people for the good of the party; again. If redistricting is done to cram the “other party” together so they are less represented, then the entire state is not represented. It’s electing officials from different areas that gives an honest representation of the political needs and wants of the state. My opinion and I’m open to factual data that says I’m wrong, but in a state with a lot of acreage of farms and maybe 4 or 5 cities of notable population size, those cities should not be sharing congressional districts. We have 18 representatives and if one represents 3 times the people of any 2 others combined, it’s very “special” math!

Anyway, we didn’t even make it into the district that Marcy is in. I guess the Republicans in Columbus consider our neighborhood to be a “good neighborhood.” I feel dirty. I don’t want any political party to call me “good” or “equal.” That’s an insult!

Anyway, that’s my take on Screwper Tuesday. I didn’t want to vote in the Republican Primary at all. I don’t care who they choose from the nuts wanting to be President, I won’t vote for them. They frighten me. I truly don’t think the incumbent could harm the country more than the Right’s lunatic fringe candidates could devastate it given the opportunity. Give me two decent and qualified candidates who are respectful to each other. I miss the days of respect for your opponent and most importantly, for the people.

I’m not a loony left liberal. Loony Left Liberals would probably stone me for my opinions on crime and punishment. Some moderate conservatives might help them. I’m an American, moderate; little left and little right. Help people, but expect something in return from them for the help and don’t spend everything we have to do it. If the elected officials spent a little time using their brains and consciences, they might actually be PROgress instead of its opposite. And by conscience I mean that they are there to serve EVERYONE they represent and not just their party, themselves, or only the people who voted for them, consider what is in the best interest of the people not the party or the next election when they vote. If the country, and each state, is in a better political place and things have improved going into the next election, the run for an incumbent will be a lot easier, regardless of any single issue or what they thought of it. It helps to be part of a successful whole instead of a “winning” part of a giant bickering failure.


Stepping down from soapbox…or I guess wheeling down the soapbox’s ramp? I couldn’t have stood and said what I wrote with any vigor for as long as it took to write it.



So, Super Tuesday made it just a weird day. Aside from voting, it feels like Saturday. But it’s not Saturday. It’s Tuesday. And Tuesday is Tell Me Tuesday at The Coloradolady!






Today’s prompt from Suzanne is this:

Is it out of reach? Or have you just not stretched yourself far enough?

Boy, after a political rant…


“It.” What is “it.?”

Well, to me “it” is what I want. As simple as a coffee cup from the top shelf or as complicated as reorganizing my entire house, I have to want “it” to stretch enough to have “it.”

Sometimes it’s a simple stretch, I use tongs to grab things off the top shelf, a trick Grandma taught me. Sometimes I think ahead and ask David to get a can of soup off the top shelf for me before he goes to work. But my stubborn side doesn’t often let me remember to do that. Weight Watchers totals say I’m NOT starving!

As far as reorganizing the house, that’s coming along. It means I do a little more every day, a slow stretch. That tests my patience with myself, but I’m doing well with that too.

In the fall, I want to start job hunting again. I’d love to find a legitimate work from home job. I'd love something where my mental and creative skills work and my mobility isn’t an issue.  I'll stretch into something new and I'm going to have to sell myself as a candidate and possibly ask a company to stretch their opinions of what accessibility means.  Truck driver is pretty much out of the question. Not because they don’t have semis with hand controls or elevators to get me up to the cab. I’m just not fond of driving and the hours really kind of suck for a married person. I totally tip my hat to the men and women who do that essential logistics job! It takes knowledge and skills to do well that are seldom appreciated.

I think I’m resourceful enough to pretty much have anything I want. I mean that. I think everyone has that quality. Some people may have bigger “its” than others, but the instinct is to make something happen if you really want it to. And there’s the point. How bad do you want “it?” The cups are on the top shelf, but I’ve never wanted a cup of coffee and not had it. I really want the coffee. I let that small thing be proof to myself that I can always have something if I truly want it. So maybe more that are you stretching enough, the question is: Do you want it bad enough to stretch for it?

Come join us for Tell Me Tuesday at The Coloradolady!

Monday Mug Shot

Welcome 2012

Today’s mug is unpainted, a blank mug canvas, shiny and new. It’s the first cup of 2012! It’s awaiting me to paint it.

Looking at it from the front, it may appear to be empty. But it’s not at all empty. My 2012 cup is half full with the coffee I’d already brewed in 2011 and 40 some years before that. Truly, as early as 1966 I was already putting my own elixir in the baby bottle of life. Oh I started 1967 with a lot less in that bottle. I’d only had 5 months to work on it and I was drinking it all in and not saving much. It wasn’t until over a decade later that I really realized what an awesome drink that elixir was and started saving some of it through photos, crafts, my personal journal, recording the recipe. Of course then it was “expressing myself.” I didn’t have any idea that every thought, every action, every person who joined me or influenced me would be such an important part of who I’d be at 45. I didn’t realize that all those things that shaped my character, all those memories and the things I don’t remember would be the foundation for the vintage that fills my 2012 cup.

But that’s exactly what they are, everything that’s me is already in my cup. It’s half full with room for more. The collection of mugs in my memories is all about the choices I make and how I handle the outcome of those choices. I try to add things to my cup that will make that year’s vintage sweeter, more robust, better than every year before it, because that will be the base for next year’s drink. I want to toast the coming year with it and be excited knowing next year’s spices will make it even better, although I can’t imagine it tasting better. I want to savor and share from my cup of life and know that everyone who takes a sip finds a flavor they want to add to their own cup, just as I find a spice to add to mine when they offer a sip from theirs. My character and the influence of everyone who touches me make mine the perfect brew for me.

The mug for every year is unique, painted as I go with every nuance of the decoration on it being up to me. My cups are usually full of bright colors with not much empty space left by the time I’m finished. Yes, there will be a few dark spots. I try to paint the brightest colors I can near those, not to make them disappear, they are part of that year’s mug, but to show how small they are compared to the cheerier colors. Sometimes I paint outside the lines, get a dab of bright yellow just inside the cup or extra spring green on the handle. I’m quite sure that 1967 baby bottle, the first one I had a full year to paint, had giggly pink scribbles all over it. Every year I try to paint more happy colors than sad ones and I try to paint neatly in a grid to make my mug pretty. Somehow, that grid thing never happens! I’ll usually get a curve ball of some sort by the end of January and the perfect grid is gone. But somehow, even though the blueprint I set myself at the end of the year before wasn’t followed to the letter, the mug still looks good.

I want my cup of life to be one that always makes me smile and makes other feel good when they see it too. Just with the blueprint I have for 2012, even if it doesn’t go directly as planned, the mug will look great and the contents will be, as it always is, better and better every year.

2012 Projects and Goals

It’s that time of year again. After a 2011 that saw many goals not obtained and many projects wanting for a slot in 2012, I’m really looking forward to the New Year and the opportunity to get back on track.

Now, in all fairness to 2011, it started with the MS symptoms getting worse and worse and me having no idea that my troubles were anything worse than needing to tweak my diet to improve the fatigue and probable back surgery to fix my mobility. My projects list centered on changing my food balance, recovery from surgery and more exercise. I had no idea that in May I still wouldn’t know what was wrong. I expected to be in recovery by then! As it worked out, the classes I’d planned to do in rehab were taken during the worst of the stress with all of this. I earned my first B and an incomplete that is now a D! It was not at all a time to try to learn a new computer language! I’ll be able to fix the D when I retake XML. It kinda sucks to not be on the Dean’s List for the first time since 1984!

All the medical and school stress had an adverse effect on my weight loss too. I lost 40 pounds in 2010 and felt ambitious about at least that much more in 2011. Humph. Did you know stress causes enzymes in your body to do weird things that actually hold on to fat? Imagine, the stress causes weight to fluctuate and even makes you gain despite a balanced, reduced calorie diet and exercise! Yeah and that causes more stress, which make weight loss even harder and you find yourself thinking seriously about a whole pint of Ben and Jerry’s with hot fudge and whipped cream but no cherry on top because you’ve decided that fruits and vegetables are mocking you.

No. I did NOT do that! But, maybe I thought about it once or twice this year!

The point is that while I was totally brain-muddled in a class I thought would be much easier for me, being shoved in an MRI tube three different times and tested for a possible brain tumor, my weight loss goals were not progressing. I lost 6 pounds in 2011, as of mid-December. I’ve probably gained that much back in the last 2 weeks of festiveness, but as is usually true with Januaries, I’ll shed that by the end of the month and start again, this year without the stress of the unknown or even school as I’ve taken the semester off.

So now, after getting myself organized with what’s wrong with me, what medications I need, a good diet and my physical therapy exercises. I’m ready to move forward…starting with looking back. I have some things from last year that were unfinished or left with alterations I have to put in place.


Updates from 2011 Projects and Goals

Medical Project

Last year the medical project was all about getting an MRI, surgery if needed, repairing myself physically. I wanted to get back to aquatic therapy!

Well, we know it wasn’t at all that simple! This year, now that I’m on a medication, checkup pending, that seems to really work for me, I’m medically concentrating on my therapy exercises, learning to use the AFO and shoring up some key places in our home with devices that will assist me. I’m specifically thinking of the hand shower David and I are installing in the shower in January, a wheeled cart for moving things around in the kitchen and boy, I’d love something secure to grab on at the top of the stairs. I know grabbing the window sill on the top stairs and the doorknob on the bottom ones is not really good for those pieces of hardware that aren’t made for lifting a person and if they give out that’s really unsafe for me.

In addition to the assistive devices and keeping up with my medications and vitamins, I want to do some research on other herbal and homeopathic things I can incorporate, like the turmeric and lemon tea, the taste of which I’ve really grown quite fond.



Weight Loss & Exercise Goal

My weight loss goal is pretty much the same as last year, but this year I WILL do it. I don’t blame myself for 2011 not being as successful as planned. I didn’t gain, I just didn’t lose much. Actually that’s okay. Remember I’d accepted that my face would hollow out and I’d look sick for a couple years. Well, losing as little as I did this year, my face has tightened back up from where it had been and I look better. (Score one for seeing the rainbow, not the rain there!)

So, I’m recommitting to my healthy diet after the holidays, just as last year, but knowing what challenges are before me and knowing what stress does helps me a ton! I’m going to incorporate meditation and relaxation time into my day, just a few minutes a day, but I’m going to reclaim essential mental balance. A lot of people will laugh at that because I work really hard to be mentally balanced, have since my early 20s! But the uncertainty prior to diagnosis was a fierce emotional toxin!

Exercise will be my therapy exercises and my stationary bike. It would be nice to think by late spring I’ll be able to either work on my upper body with the wheelchair or strong enough to walk short distance with the walker and AFO at the park. I’m going to let my physical therapist help me decide if and when that’s realistic.



Scrapbook Goals

Okay the goal last year was to keep up 2011 while finishing 2008 and keeping up on the project I was working on. The due date for the 2008 books was December 31, the 2011 books January 31 and I want that project done by February 29. 2008 is now the catch up goal for 2012. I got a good chunk of 2008 done, but only about half. I’m in June 2011. It’s not out of the question that I’ll finish by the end of January with a couple scrapping weekends, but I may realistically move that date back to the end of February. We’ll see where I am in a few weeks. The project is a gift and that is now the number one priority. I really can’t extend the finish date because it needs to be proofread and edited before it can be printed. Full disclosure and details on this MAJOR project will come after it’s given!

So 2012 scrapbook goals:

Priority Project complete and ready for proofreading February 29, 2012
2011 books completed with a flexible deadline of January 31, 2012
2008 books complete and ready to print December 31, 2012
2012 books completed January 31, 2013


House Uncluttered Project

This was an ambitious project to juggle in with classes and probable back surgery for just 2 rooms this year. It also ended up being an epic fail as a 2011 plan. The plan for 2012 is even bigger!

Knowing my limitations and requirements now, I’m a little more capable. That is lots of chairs, walkers and a telescoping feather duster will allow me to do more. Taking the semester off from school is Multigoaling! I’m going to start with the atrium off the kitchen where many of my boxes from Grandma's house are still stacked. I have a vision of at least one shelving unit for easy access of the modern kitchen appliances that were never that abundant in the 1950s. David and I were also discussing baskets for the K-Cups instead of stacked open boxes on top of the bread box.

From that room I’ll move out to finish the main level of the house, including some handicap access updates. I’m hoping that can be completed by the end of February. Remember I can’t do a physical 8 hours a day and anything that includes moving big things or heavy boxes will wait until David comes home.

It’s a lot, yet I don’t think I’m setting up any unrealistic ideas for myself. And for the physical work, the psychological rewards will be huge on many levels!


New Goals for 2012

Blog Goals

The big goal for the Chronicles of Nani has already started. I wanted to commit more to my regular blog features and add a few. I wanted to commit some time every day I post a blog to reading blogs and commenting. Call it corporate citizenship. I want to really appreciate those who stop by my cyber coffee shop. I’ve been doing well at keeping The Chronicles up and I’ve really been enjoying making friends and being a bigger part of the cyber community. I guess my blog goal is to continue what I’ve been doing, try to offer at least one digital scrapbook freebie a month and encourage everyone to get me those Friday By Request ideas!


Employment Goal

This is a biggie! I need to get back to work, but it’s still an awful job market and now I am officially physically disabled. It’s without a doubt scary. The New York chapter of the National MS Society is hosting a series of teleconferences in the beginning of 2012 about looking for work and having MS. I’ve registered for all 6 teleconferences/webinars.

I hope to be newly resume-ed and ready to get back to applying by fall. But I truly have a lot to learn. For instance, and this is the scariest question for me, when do I disclose my disability? Should I be upfront about needing assistance or do I walk in “Surprise!” for an interview with the walker when they can’t legally throw me out and try to impress them to the point of forgetting about it? I will attend the conferences with my questions in hand!


So there are my personal projects and goals for 2012. As always, this or something better. Ambitious? Sure, but if I made it through 2011 and I can still smile, I can do ANYTHING!

Scrappy Day & Nani’s New Shoes

It’s my reward for getting all of my school work done and turned in yesterday, it’s due tomorrow night. David is at work, so I got to scrap with a big bowl of popcorn and a huge mug of my own blended sugar free dark chocolate English Toffee latte. I love Ron and Frank’s drink mixes! The Dark Chocolate cocoa is sweetened with Splenda and the English Toffee cappuccino is unsweetened, so if I blend them I get perfect sweetness! I added a spoon of Coffeemate to make it creamier and a spoon of instant espresso for stronger flavor and it is positively decadent!

While I have another project I’m working on right now, the project that’s the reason why I probably won’t finish 2008 this year, I’m still slowly but surely keeping up with the 2011 pages…slowly. I finished this page from our May into June vacation today.

Credits: Kit- Wrapped In Chocolate by Heartfelt Perfections
Flowers from various other kits
Chocolate Word Art by Digitalegacies Designs

That piece of fudge cake deserves its own page! It was the best, and I mean the best dessert of 2011 so far. That bottom level is fudge, not fudge cream or fudge cake, but actual fud,ge with a couple of chocolate cream layers on top all on a chocolate cookie crumb crust. I started the layout last night and woke up this morning craving chocolate. Hmmm…


We went out this morning to get me some new shoes. We did well! I got shoes for me, David found a pair in his size, special in itself, but on sale and the second pair of shoes was half off! Then the socks packs were buy two get one free, so I got four packs for me and David got two packs free. I’m not shy about the fact that I am not a woman who has a shoe fetish. In fact, I have a shoe aversion. I can’t stand shoes and if I could be barefoot or sockfoot all the time, I would be.

There are a number of reasons for that I guess. My Mom was an insane shoe woman. When Dad and I cleaned out her side of their closet, we never ran out of shoes. She had so many different kinds, some to match only one specific outfit and some never worn, but she had to have her shoes. I think it disappointed her a little that I was not a shoe shopping companion for her. I did go out shoe shopping with her, but I went for her company and enjoyed coffee after shopping much more than the stores, especially the shoe stores!

Mom finally understood why I hated shoes when I was in my 20s. When she commented on my funny walk and the shoes didn’t look right, I was in 2” pumps at the time. My heels are narrow. Medium width foot with AA narrow heels, duck feet! So shoes don’t fit right. The heels always slosh around when I walk and dress shoes flop off the heel when I step. Scrunched up toes keep them on my feet, but oh, they hurt!

I guess I’d have to say that’s the greatest thing, a good thing, about using a walker or wheelchair. Nobody ever, ever, expects me to wear dress shoes! I can wear comfy ballet-style slippers with a dress in the chair and I’m stylin’! Tennis shoes with the walker are fine no matter what. I’d look plumb insane if I was wearing slippery hard-sole shoes with any kind of heel with the walker. And I am NOT insane. I’m not crazy at all. I’m especially not crazy about shoes!

Ah, but today I had to get new shoes before Monday because I have physical therapy on Monday. Monday I’ll learn how to wear and walk with an AFO!

I had the AFO made not long ago. AFO is an Ankle Foot Orthosis. It’s a plastic brace that helps with foot-drop, the biggest reason I won’t be taking ballet back up. Well, there are several reasons I don’t dance the ballet anymore, but foot-drop is also a big part of why I fall. A hopeful good additional effect is that it will control the hyperextension in my knee. Right now I’ve put it on and tried to walk. It terrifies me! I need my PT to show me how to do it! That comes Monday!

It is, however, why I had to get new shoes. I have a comfy pair of size 9-1/2 Reeboks. I’ve worn Reeboks for years and years. It was the best walking shoe I found when I used to walk at the park every day. Now that I’m not walking for exercise and enjoyment anymore, I’m still true to the Reeboks because they fit. I can order them off the Internet and they’ll fit because the size is true to my feet. Unfortunately the supports that make them great walking shoes, the padding in back that make the fit my skinny heels right and the tapered toes that form supportively around my medium width feet, don’t fit in the least over the AFO!

Keep the shoes! Give me dots and stripes
and plaids in my favorite colors of SOCKS!

The orthotist who made my AFO suggested New Balance because they don’t have the tapered toes that Reeboks do. So, we went to Shoe Carnival, which has always been my shoe store of choice because they are inexpensive, have good sales and a nice selection of socks. As much as I hate shoes, I love socks. A saleswoman assisted me in finding the right pair and size to fit over the AFO, which I brought with me to try on shoes. She asked me if I had a color preference. Yanno, I am I fairly well endowed woman. I haven’t seen my shoes in many years. I didn’t tell her that, but I told her it didn’t matter as long as they fit over the AFO.

I ended up bringing home a pair of gray and silver New Balance with white trim and little pink accents. It’s a good thing the accents are pink so I can tell them apart from David’s. My shoes aren’t quite as comparatively small anymore! These are a size 11 D wide! Hopefully, it means that come Monday, I’ll start walking a little better with the walker. 11D, Yeesh!

My HUGE new shoes

Okay, a last note, as a thank you for reading my tale of shoe-woe, I have a scrapbooking freebie for you! I was so pleased with the word art I did on my chocolate layout that I want to share! Yeah, keep the silver; I want my clouds to have a chocolate lining!



Click on the preview to go to 4Shared.

Well, while I’ve been typing, I finished my big mug of Nani’s cheat-a-ccino blend. Man, that instant espresso is one of my favorite cooking pals! My layout is still making me crave chocolate, so maybe one more before David gets home. Speaking of yummy coffee, I’ll be back to talk about that clickable banner in the bulletin board. A coffee sponsor? I could weep with joy!

Links

More about AFOs

Ron & Franks Gourmet Drink Mixes