~me, 2009~
I made the witch’s hat in 2009 for Kayla, who was then 9. Fun to see my then state-of-the-art smart phone. Obviously, I hadn’t (and still haven’t) perfected taking state-of-the-art selfies…
So, here we are at the end of October…just 62 days left in this year! Where does the time go? How did 303 days unravel so fast in what seems like the blink of an eye? I know this month has almost whizzed by, partly because the last LOAD layout a day challenge for 2019 ends tomorrow. The prompts, based on Tom Hanks’ movies and career, have been not only fun but also informative. I have learned as well as enjoyed the stimulation. Over this calendar year, thanks to LOAD challenges in February, May, August and July, I’ve made a minimum of 97 scrapbook pages: stories of me, people (family & friends), places and things. I am not necessarily (at least I don’t think I am) moved by time-bound challenges: our layouts have to be posted by 3 AM, Pacific Standard Time (I’ve never been up at that hour) to qualify. I generally finish and post by 7 pm EST…however, I do think the accountability metric helps move me to completion. I wonder how I might translate that into other areas of my life?
The next 62 days are going to be busy, busy with birthdays: Norman’s is Friday, mine two weeks after that, two weeks later, Elias will be two, and then two weeks into December, my sister’s! That doesn’t even take into account Thanksgiving and Christmas preparation and celebrations! Nor the 1001 other activities: eye/dental and medical appointments, concerts and events, dates due, general life items, and projects on my calendar/planner.
Clearly, if ever, the time is here for me to call upon my better habits and say out LOUD: YES to NO! No, I won’t add a single solitary bright shiny new activity or project to an already packed list…and to that effect, I am not undertaking NABLOPOMO (even tho’ I don’t think it’s still in existence, I did post daily last November); I am going to make a gratitude journal but it won’t be time bound, i.e, required to be completed within a 24 hour period! Saying YES to NO! will be a huge contribution to days filled with those activities that light my life and fill me up.
I’m continuing to practice the Continental knit stitch; am reading Just Mercy and Stillness is the Key; started The Water Dancer and have several books on my phone that accompany me on my walks. I just remembered I (still ) have a Christmas stocking with a few/some rows to finish; guess I’ll resurrect and get movin’ on it again.
Joining Kat and friends for Unraveled Wednesday and Juliann for One Little Word monthly update.
Happy Halloween, y’all!
Cheers~
Morning Glory Studio 
I think saying NO to yes is brilliant. A couple of years ago, I started to say no to a great many things and while it was painful in the moment – I soon got over that pain and discovered how much happier I was doing less. What I learned was that by being more selective, I got more done!
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You are the cutest witch ever!!!!!! I love that photo. Happy HALLOWEEN!! GO NATS!
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YAY NATS!!! … and also I love saying YES to NO! YESS!!!!
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Saying no to yes is a very useful strategy. I vowed not to be so overbooked when I retired and it has been a very good thing for me. I love the hat. I would like to know more about making a gratitude journal. My mind is conjuring up all kinds of possibilities. Happy Halloween!
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When I chose “YES,” as my OLW I quickly realized that saying “yes” to the things that mattered meant saying “no” to the things that no longer held meaning for me. That alone, is probably the best thing that came of choosing the word. I stopped keeping track of some of my intentions about half way through the year, and realizing (with you) how little time is left I was wondering how my OLW had served me. This makes me realize that the word has been very helpful even if all my smaller intentions weren’t fulfilled the way I hoped. So thanks for this post!
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You are cute in your photo! I did inktober last month and liked the daily sketching and will continue to do so. I’m a wannabe writer so writing a book in a month (although what a fun challenge!). I have lots of knitting gifts to crank out from now until Christmas.
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Just love your Yes to No – genius :). And, as so often happens when I visit you, your book choices take me to order one of them. Any thing with ‘stillness’ in the title is a magnet to me. I will have to make it my December reading. Thank-you, as ever. (And you are splendid in that hat!)
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