All You Can ________ Buffet Response

Once again I am responding to Stephanie's Blog (August 3, 2010).

I have decided I do NOT need more things to see, hear, smell, taste, touch or think. I certainly do NOT need more audiobooks to listen to, more digital scrapbooking kits (5000+ and counting) to create with, more books to read, more meals to make or house to clean, and I certainly do NOT need more food to eat. I have enough ideas, plans and projects to fill the ocean and still have some to spare.

What I need is TIME!!!!! and the ability to remember what I am trying to accomplish. I need more time to enjoy all the buffets that are before me. The list is endless. Just this week I created a very conservative list of all the things I want to feast upon RIGHT NOW! It is very intimidating.

Here's my lists:

Education - French, Spanish, Artist's Way, Institute Classes in the fall, HP Classes and Lynda Online Training to gain more computer skills.

Hobbies/Vocation - cross stitching, scrapbooking, energy work

Home and Family - clean and organize home, create menus and meals, decorate and remodel, food storage, emergency preparation

Personal - Journaling and Life story

Physical - Exercise

Social - Correspondence to family and friends, blogs, email

Spiritual - scripture study/conference addresses, temple attendance, church callings: Visiting Teaching, ward web page, scout committee and family history consultant which includes teaching the class on Sunday and indexing.

Yes, this list is conservative!!!

Hmmmm! I just had an epiphany (ah ha moment). I think it is possible that I am a glutenous person. Before me sits an endless buffet of physical, emotional and spiritual food and I am overwhelmed by trying to take in all the possibilities. Maybe I should consider a simpler diet and then I could enjoy life more.

The Clubhouse

On Stephanie's blog dated July 28, you will find a post about Emmuska and Liberty enjoying a clubhouse in their backyard. This reminded me of a clubhouse that I built out of PVC pipe with a little help from Auntie Doris, for Mycal (age 3.5 years) and Elizabeth (2 years) while we were living in Texas.

Auntie Doris (on the right) had come to help before and after Jennifer's birth. This was ONE of the projects she whipped up on her sewing machine during her visit.

Mycal (left) and Elizabeth (right) with their favorite vehicles in their clubhouse.

Clubhouse Christening! Here is Mycal looking the part for such a solemn occasion.

The clubhouse served its purpose until we moved back to AZ. However, it was definitely lacking in creative eye appeal compared to the more sophisticated modern version created by Stephanie, 27 years later.

Work Vs. Play

In May I took a class in which we discussed the importance of having a balanced schedule. The teacher shared her ideal schedule with us. She is to WORK one hour a day and PLAY ten hours a day. I am very aware of what this incredible woman does with her time so I immediately judged that she was not practicing what she was preaching. The shock came when she explained that it was very important to determine what the word WORK and PLAY means. For example, anything/everything to do with her business, especially creating a new essential oil blend, was PLAY to her. She indeed was PLAYING ten hours a day as she created her oil blends, taught her students and wrote her books on Energy. She WORKED one hour a day as she tidied her home in the evening.

I realized that:

1. The REAL definition of work is an activity one DOES NOT enjoy!

2. The REAL definition of PLAY is an activity one DOES enjoy!

In the past my children have angrily accused me of playing all the time. I was always feeling defensive because I cleaned the house, made the meals, did the laundry etc, helped with schoolwork and any project that came along, even at 1:00 am. I realize now that my children were accurate in their accusation. I do play all the time because I am able to thoroughly enjoy most of my tasks (thanks Stephanie for pointing out the truth)

I began analyzing my day. I found that I very seldom WORK. My work really only happens about 5 hours a week when I am forced by my family's need to survive, to go to town to shop for groceries.

I enjoy cleaning and organizing my home, therefore it is PLAY!

I enjoy PLAYING on my computer, editing book, playing with photoshop, etc.

I enjoy learning new languages, studying and reading.

I enjoy my church callings, especially teaching classes.

I love learning and practicing everything possible about energy.

I absolutely LOVE learning NEW, EXCITING things!

The things that fall in between WORK and PLAY are making meals and being creative, such as cross stitching. They should be, and in the past have been PLAY, but at this time feel stressful. I have determined I need to fix the problems so that these two activities will return to the PLAY category. I want to change my attitude for shopping and then that will be PLAY too!

It will be a Wonderful Life when I am able to PLAY ALL DAY and NEVER WORK! (See definitions above for WORK and PLAY)