Sunday, September 27, 2009

Goals. Plans. Dreams. Reality

Bon Iver radio is always a good choice.

Feelings of accomplishment:

With nothing to do for two days during the Great Floods, I sat in the Alcove and created my first website. Check it: lindsaylongstreth.weebly.com

I lowered my ridiculous student loan payments and cut back on a couple of 'extra' expenses. These furlough days are really the suck. $200 less per month is a hard hit to take right now...

Now, on to the reason for this post. Organizing ideas, plans, and goals that I intend to make reality.

Goals for the month:

1. Paint my living space. Khaki is certainly the most god-awful color for a home. It is not green, not yellow, and not brown. One of those in-between colors that cannot make up it's mind depending on the light and time of day. Basically it is mild vomit mixed with 70's porn hotel color. Boo.
I am going to paint one wall chocolate brown. The rest will be a subtle steamed milk look - enough color to not be white, but white enough to contrast nicely. 2/3rds of the way to the right on the chocolate wall will be a 2' wide vertical stripe. 12" mirrors and b/w photography will grace the stripe.
On the dining room wall I am still going to hang a cluster of mirrors, only they will have some 12" chocolate squares to accent and tie it to the living room.
The kitchen will be the neutral color...I think...and I am going to do something mildly artistic around the enormous mirror that is currently on the far wall. Still taking idea applications...

2. Buy a floor lamp. My landlord came by and picked up the one that was left and they said I could keep. Well, it doesn't really matter anyway...it was covered in paint and hand prints.

3. Buy a welcome mat. The strip of carpet is just looking worse and worse.

4. Replace the shower head. It is perfectly suited for, oh say, Joanna, but not a person of average height. (Not to say you are short Little Liza, but we all know everyone can't be fun sized).

5. Drive to NoLa, dance my feet off at ULHS, and make a good representation for the Southeast in Comps.

6. Get at least one student for private lessons.

7. Leave work before 6pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Goals for the rest of the year:

1. Replace the fluorescent light above the sink. It is just very...cheap hotel. I am thinking of some modern track lighting.

2. New tires for Lola.

3. Perform at Lindy Focus.

4. Start a consulting business for parents that have decided to school their children at home.

5. Go to at least one more live concert. Ray Lamontagne is Nov 1st.


Making lists helps. In more ways than one. Let me know what you think of my goals...or if you can help any of them happen sooner/faster =)

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Sunday, September 13, 2009

Projects

I love fixing things. Cleaning things. Re-doing. Re-using. Re-making.
I think it runs in the exceedingly German part of my family.

This weekend was supposed to be relaxing and although it felt great, it turned out to be quite productive too.

1 - I sanded down and have almost both coats of stain on the futon frame that I recently purchased from another dancer. It is oak, and has a light finish, and although affordable, totally not my style. So, it now has a nice dark color. The forest green cover has been replaced with a light tan one. Result? Sort of IKEA looking color scheme of light sofa with dark wood trim. Yay! I still need to put the poly on.

2 - Cleaned out my hall closet that had turned into a catch-all after I moved in. What should I do with this? Put it in one of my 4 extra closets. Yes, i said extra. I have a bedroom closet that is not even close to being full plus an equally large on in the bathroom, two in the hallway, and one by the front door. It friggin' rocks.

3 - Cleaned out and got rid of some boxes that I had not unpacked yet. Felt good to say the least.

4 - Hung some of my black and white photographs and favorite Saves the Day framed poster. It is starting to look like someone actually lives here.

5 - Cooked a great brunch for myself. I have discovered a fondness for cooking these days. Having a kitchen to myself and a fridge that I can actually put food into and cupboards that have room makes it so much easier. I am actually looking forward to tomorrow night when I can make dinner =)

6 - Wrote down and organized my goals. Some of them are small and will get done this week, and some of them are 'Big Idea' kind of goals that will take some time to set up and follow through. I have been thinking about starting a business as a side income and way to take some of my passions and non-teaching skill sets and put them to use. We will see how it turns out...

7 - Fixed one of my cheap but nice looking kitchen chairs. Also sanded down, refinished, and poly coated the incredibly cheap and left behind IKEA side table that is on my porch. Complete with a new cloth cover and festive tiny gourd it almost looks like a home out there.

Oh yeah...I also did laundry, went to two housewarming parties, graded all papers, and fixed my bathroom sink. It has been a very productive and relaxing two days. I am ready to take on this week.