01.12.06

good habits

Posted in Health at 1:02 pm by Paloma Cruz

I didn’t make any new year’s resolutions this year. I make them every year and never keep them. However, this post about creating new habits intrigued me. From Success Begins Today, “12 Habits in 2006” recommends ways to create a new habit every month.

I have a thesis that I am working on for 2006. It goes like this. Each month of this year develop one new habit. Make it simple and doable. At the end of each month decide on a new “habit” for the next month and continue doing the existing habit. At the end of the year 12 habits will be developed. All of these habits will be written down and be simple enough that I can verify if they have been done. Experts say that most actions take at least 21 days to become “habits” so a month should be ample time for it to become routine.

I like this idea. I suppose I should make a decision soon if I’m going to try to do this for January, etc., etc.

reading notes

Posted in General at 12:46 am by Paloma Cruz

I have a long list of books I’d like to read, and no time to get to them. So, for those of us who need the shortcut version, MineZone Wiki has a list of booknotes that are worth a read:

Special thanks to Communication Nation for pointing me to the list.

01.11.06

a good night’s sleep

Posted in Health at 10:52 pm by Paloma Cruz

I just found a really great post on To Done! with Tips for getting to sleep faster & sleeping better.

My favorite:

Don’t watch TV or even so much as look at a computer screen atleast 30 minutes before you lie down. The light from both a television as well as a computer monitor mimic the same intensity of light as sunlight. This fools your body and brain into thinking it’s nowhere near time for sleep.

01.10.06

the doctor merry-go-round

Posted in Health at 11:37 pm by Paloma Cruz

I’ve finally quit putting it off and made an appointment with a spinal specialist. I still need some tests to figure out if I need back surgery right now or if we can put it off a bit longer.

The appointment is tomorrow. Truthfully, I’m a bit scared. I don’t want to hear that I need surgery. I don’t want to hear that I have permanent damage or long-lasting problems or a future filled with back issues.

What I want is to continue in blissful ignorance, deluding myself into thinking that I’m well. Unfortunately, with the way things are at work, the smart thing to do is to get my health settled while I still have insurance.

I’m trying to be smart.

01.09.06

morning’s here - no work done

Posted in Family, General at 7:56 am by Paloma Cruz

I brought home work this weekend, thinking that I’d have time to do it. Boy, was I wrong. Between taking care of my mother and the family drama that dominated my day yesterday, I got absolutely nothing done.

I’m seeing this more and more. There’s an inherent inability to concentrate at home that’s affecting my off-work worktime. What does that mean? That I haven’t been able to stretch my 50-60 hour office time into longer weeks because I can’t seem to finish the work I bring home.

This morning I have a 10:30 a.m. meeting that requires a report that I haven’t finished. Or rather, that I haven’t finished editing. So I’m going to rush to work this morning to work on it, and then let meetings consume my day.

The really unfortunate thing is that I can’t go to work early. Since I do carpool for Linda’s kids, I’m stuck by the school schedule. That means I can go in to work until after they’ve been dropped off at school.

Oh well. I’ve made it work before.

01.08.06

family drama continues

Posted in Family at 11:58 pm by Paloma Cruz

I’m always amazed at my capacity for forgetting things. And then I’m amazed by my capacity to expect the best, in spite of history. And then I get mad at myself for being a jellyfish.

Two weeks ago I had a yelling match with Linda. One week ago, my siblings and I got together for a family meeting at a local Starbucks. Among the many topics of discussion were the fact that my mother’s financial situation is now precarious (i.e., she doesn’t have any money), that this is my place and not my mother’s, and that I need help.

Four days ago my sister Linda approached my mother for an “emergency” loan of $100 to cover this semester’s tuition. Today she came to me for another “emergency” loan, this time $80.

Two weeks ago she yelled at me because I didn’t share my financial problems with her. She told me that she would help me if I needed help. And she expressed her dismay that I wouldn’t approach her for help.

This week she added to my problems, yet again. Today she made me so mad I didn’t get any work done. Today I was so mad at her that I had a fight with my mother.

But I gave her the $80.

Things never change.

stamps increase price

Posted in News at 8:16 pm by Paloma Cruz

Stamps go up to 39 cents
– reported by KHOU CBS Channel 11(1)

It will cost Americans 2 cents more to mail a letter starting Sunday. First-class postage rises to 39 cents for the first ounce.

The increase follows legislation requiring the Postal Service to place $3 billion in an escrow account this year. Another rate boost is likely next year to cover rising costs for the agency. Stamp prices last went up in June 2002.

[snip]

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Reminders:

  1. KHOU CBS Channel 11 requires a free registration.

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