124 posts tagged “qotd”
If you could trade places with any of your co-workers for a day, whose shoes would you most like to find yourself in?
I wouldn't want to trade places with any of my coworkers. It's not because I don't think their jobs are particularly difficult or that my life is so much better than theirs. Really, it's because I like my boss, I'm good at what I do, and my days are pretty well structured so that I can come into the office, crank out my work, and leave around 5:30 without feeling like I'm abandoning my post. (Taking time off or calling out on a Monday, though, is another story altogether.)
And really, I don't think any of my coworkers would like to trade places for a day with me,either. There's a lot going on at my desk, none of it particularly fun, and, except for the new refrigerator in my cube and my proximity to the break room, my job doesn't exactly come with a lot of perks.
Today is the first day of the Season of Lent. Are you giving anything up for the next 40 days?
Simply stated, no. (I'm sure I wrote a post about this a few years ago but I can't find it now.)
I think the concept of sacrifice during Lent is still valid. I think the practice began with good intentions, only to be watered down over the years. My sister gives up chocolate for Lent every year. I used to, too, when I was much younger and before I really started to try and understand the Catholic faith.
Giving up something like chocolate is very trivial. Chances are, it's not something you eat every day - and if you do eat it every day, you probably should consider cutting back on it, anyway. I'm more impressed with people who give up their time, something truly valuable and irreplaceable, and devote that time to helping the less fortunate. Rather than giving up something like wine (I'm not a big drinker) or potato chips (I ought to cut back, anyway), I think it is more meaningful to spend an hour a week volunteering at a shelter - or even an hour simply cleaning my closet of old (but still useful) clothing to donate to a shelter!
You know what else I don't do for Lent? I don't fast or abstain from meat. Oh, and I was certainly raised Catholic, too. Moreover, as a young Catholic, I was taught the history of fasting and abstinence during Lent (all sacrificial), and let me just say that I think too many Catholics use their observance of Lenten Fridays as an excuse to go out for sushi or lobster dinners - hardly sacrificial at all. It would be like being told that you can't sleep in your house one night a week, so you'd book a room at the Plaza, instead. If that were the case, I'd be lobbying the Catholic Church to extend Lent for the entire year, not just 40 days.
Lent is a solemn period in the Church calendar. It is a time for inward reflection, particularly of the spiritual kind. It is about reaffirming your religious beliefs in word and deed. It is about cleansing your soul so that you would be found worthy of the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made on the Cross. And above all, it is about sacrifice.
And giving up fast food or french fries or pedicures for Lent (all things I've given up in the past) hardly qualifies as sacrifice.
What's your favorite thing about Monday?
It's my busiest day at work, so this day seems to go much faster than the rest of the week.
I also like flipping to a new page of my calendar, but I'm a little weird like that.
What's the most complicated part of your life right now?
Raising a toddler. That's the most complicated part. But finding a way to juggle the whole of what I do - and allow myself slack in the areas I cannot fully control - is pretty complicated, too.
Do you have any stereotypical Type-A personalities in your life? How does that affect you?
Ha! My life is full of Type-A people! My mother was, my sister is, my brother-in-law is, my older niece is, and I'm convinced my son is likely to become one.
I like to say I'm a selective Type-A (just like I'm selectively OCD). And I have my mother and sister to thank for it.
So? How are those resolutions going so far?
So far, so good! I'm running into some difficulties with my primary resolution (Lead a greener life), but I've realized I already lead a greener life than most. (Mass transit is the one thing that's killing me - but I live in Central Florida where good public transportation isn't to be had right now for love or money.)
I'm finding my ways of letting go of non-material things. My sister's therapist told her to try staying involved, but not responsible. I took a further step back and have decided I'd like to be aware, but not involved. As I told my sister last night, I've got too much going on to get involved in stuff that doesn't directly affect me. It seems my years of therapy and reading all those self-help books have paid off a bit.
I'm diligently working on my Etsy shop. I have the banner up, I've ordered a rubber stamp of my logo (to stamp a watermark on every card I make, of course), and I've been scouring my magazines for ideas and such. Now it's just a matter of going through my supplies, designing some templates, and piecing the cards together. Strangely, that sounds so much simpler than it really is.
I've talked myself out of buying a number of things. In fact, the last time I really bought anything was the day after New Year's, and even then, it was a lot of stuff for next year's Christmas presents. I'm also trying to use up some gift cards that are taking up space in my planner. Hey - at least I have them all in one place! I've also made lists before grocery shopping, attaching coupons when applicable, and sticking to the list. Well, more or less, anyway. I bought the stuff to make potato pancakes though I had forgotten to write the ingredients on my list. Of course, on the flip side, I also neglected to buy kitchen sponges because they weren't on my list, either. That one is not terribly tragic, as I rediscovered an Oxo sponge wand and several sponge refills - enough to last me through April if I change the sponges every two or three weeks. It's scary, the things I've uncovered while trying to clear out my house.
So, 13 days in, I'm not doing too badly. I've spend $4 on lunches at work (I pitched in last Friday for pizzas shared by the majority of my department - and let me tell you, it was terribly disappointing), I've taken my vitamins almost every day, and, while my kitchen counters aren't clutter-free, they look way better than they did at the start of the year. So, baby steps.
This year is already looking like a better year than last.
These days people are pinching pennies and living frugally, but we want to know: What's the last thing you splurged on?
By "splurge" I assume it means that I didn't buy anything at a discount, nor did I buy anything as a present for or with the intention that it be used by someone else. It also would mean that whatever I purchased was not a necessity.
Hmm...
This is a tough one. I'm inclined to think my last real splurge was on my Nikon D50 in 2006 (that was my wedding present to myself). I've bought myself a few other toys since then, but they've always been on sale (like the Cricut I bought for $99 - how could you possible pass on that?).
I have to give this one more thought...
What do you think would make your life better?
Submitted by Simon.
World peace and an end to poverty and hunger. I think that would make everyone's life better.
What are you most looking forward to this week? What are you least looking forward to?
I am so looking forward to next Saturday. It's horrible to say that (after all, I've learned not to wish away the days I have), but let's just say that I'm looking forward to a considerable break. I'm also looking forward to getting some stuff wrapped Christmas presents out of my house this week. There's nothing like the holidays to help clear out the things you've collected over the course of the year in anticipation of passing them out later on.
As for what I'm least looking forward to, well, I've got a ton of work to do at the office (some of which I'm doing as I type). I also have a box that I absolutely need to send to my sister this week, one to send to my friend in LA, and another to send to my friend in Afghanistan. Oh, and I still haven't made my Christmas cards.
Yeah, I've got a lot going on this week. [sigh]
