Sunday, January 3, 2010

let's start at the very beginning. a very good place to start.

actually, i'm not starting at the beginning. the beginning would actually be...well, no one knows for sure, but some say the seeds for this monumental economic collapse were sown as early as the 70s and 80s, so, potentially before i was born (and thus, none of this is my fault). either way, it's here. it has happened. people want jobs, and they just aren't there. i supposedly have a job, they just don't want me quite yet. hence my deferred status and all this time on my hands. so maybe it's not the real beginning of this story. but maybe it's a pretty good beginning. it's now a new year and also a new decade. (2010, and we still haven't figured out how to teleport?) and i have to say, i am extremely thankful that i have a job lined up at all. and i've learned to be thankful for this time off too.

so i've been in housewife status for 5 months already and have 3 more to go. and while it's been a relaxing time, i also felt some stress. it's my esfj-ness. please, don't judge. i constantly feel the need to be productive. while i love being a housewife (cooking, cleaning, and organizing satisfy my anal/ocd nature) and while i love training sammie and seeing her learn new commands and slowly (sloooooowly) becoming more obedient, they weren't enough. i think we like to say things like, "oh i'd LOVE to have months and months off" but the truth is very few of us have had much time off as adults. we go to college, we get jobs, maybe we go to grad school, etc. etc. so for me, when i did find myself with all this time, i was caught "flat-footed" (please refer to title) by its reality. i really didn't know what to do with it--too little structure and too much freedom. 

the solution? 3 projects. (doesn't project sound so much more pleasant than resolution? like, a gardening project, or a painting project. martha stewart, la la la) more importantly, projects have set deadlines. i always made new yr resolutions like "RUN 4X A WEEK FOREVER" and they don't really work, now do they? this year, it's a different approach. 3 projects to complete before i'm supposed to start work in april. after that, well, i hear i won't have a life to work on "projects" anyway. 

the 3 projects are: 
1. go to barcelona and the south of spain for a week in february, and plan the best possible trip on a very affordable budget. brush up on my spanish so i can get around without sounding like a complete idiot. 
2. run a 4 mile race at the end of february: 1. without collapsing, and 2. in under 45 minutes. this blog is called flat-footed also because i am extremely flat-footed. i HATE running because it's always been painful. but hopefully i can find the right pair of running shoes soon and successfully run the race. i have exactly 8 weeks until the race, so i'll follow an 8 week training program and keep track of my training here. 
3. train sammie to bestest puppy in the whole wide world. who am i kidding. she already is the bestest puppy in the world. but even the best need some help sometimes. :) specifically, i want to train her to stop barking and also to lessen her separation anxiety.

godspeed...me. (and sh--since i will no doubt be whining to him about my training)

4 comments:

  1. Hey Carol! I love Sammie! That's my first comment. She's the first dog I have let lick my face. What race are you signed up for and where is it? I'm scared but also intrigued about possible joining you...

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  2. yay for projects! i'm sure you guys have them out there, too, but places here like snail's pace and roadrunner will fit you with the right running shoes from watching you run and doing other "diagnostics." i will meet sammie in person one day.

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  3. Hello! I found your blog.
    -Chubby (andy)

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  4. I've bookmarked this! I'll be posting more often in mine as well.

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