Spring Break Bliss - Journal 11

This is Monday of my first college spring break. The weekend was wonderful and productive, and as I reflect on my fist half of this semester, I have to say, I am proud of myself. Very proud. It has been anything but easy and the lessons I have learned have been in and out of the classroom. The whole experience of being a student is a lesson, wow.

I would not trade going right on tour out of high school (against every one's wishes) instead of going to college, and I know I would have failed out of college within a year or less. I was so over school, being bullied and called a fag, I craved what Ice Capades had to offer, and I had to get away from my very unhealthy home life. Going to college now as an adult I value it so much more. I hear kids (keeping in mind anyone under 30 to me is a kid) wanting to test out of classes and to hurry up and get through the college process so they can "get on" with their life. I regret that for them, because while I do have goals for the future, my life is right where it needs to be. I feel if I wanted to hurry through this process and that life did not "start" until this part of my life was completed it would only lead to my unhappiness and most likely failure.

I lived in Japan for six months and the eastern beliefs had a huge impact on my life (I think) for the better. One of the several life lessons I accepted was to live in the moment. This moment is complete, whatever I am feeling (emotionally or physically), whatever I am thinking, the moment is complete. If I were not happy unless I had an accomplishment that was 2 years down the road, I would not be in the moment. When you are not in the moment, you miss the present, and to me, the present is all I have and is where true deep happiness is.

I am judging no one in this writing, and these are just my thoughts. We all have our own path and Lord knows, I have taken a long one and often chose the one with the most resistance HAHA. However, with each positive and negative experience, I have walked away with a valuable lesson learned.

The above video is of Alicia Keys singing her song "Superwoman", while I am not a woman it deeply touches me and is a great song of positive affirmation. The official video, also very inspiring, does not allow embedding due to copyright, but you can see it by clicking here.

I just read the first of Chapter 4, this is going to be interesting. I am at the point of submitting Journal Entry 11, but in a nutshell, what I will be taking away from this chapter is (as it is called) Mastering Self Management but I have the opposite problem. I do too much and need to make more time to stop and take care of Kevin. That is how I see it now, lets proceed and see where this goes.

1) Write a list of fifteen or more specific actions you have taken in the past two days.

• Cooked and cleaned the kitchen
• Q2
  
• Made my bed (daily)
• Q2
  
• Made an outline of what I can get done for my boss this week while on Spring Break
• Q1
  
• Worked for hours on cleaning up my personal database to also use for my boss
• Q2
  
• Worked on my bosses database
• Q1
  
• Created a new email address for her and imported her contacts
• Q1
  
• Scanned photos to store digitally on FACEBOOK
• Q4
  
• Bathed (daily)
• Q2
  
• Shaved my head
• Q2
  
• Downloaded some software for work
• Q1
  
• Downloaded some software for two computer science projects due when we get back
• Q2
  
• Slept (daily)
• Q1
  
• Watched TV in passing, listened to it in the other room while working
• Q4
  
• Been irritated with my fathers questions, actions
• Q3
  
• Kept up with my emails although I need to email my mom and grandma
• Q2
  
• Downloaded some songs into my ipod for when I bike ride
• Q4
  
• Talked on the phone once, to my boss
• Q2
  
• Made an effort to visit with Dad and be civil (Gezz I wish he would go back to Europe)
• Q3
  
• Joined TWITTER for work
• Q2
  
• Made a mental note of things I need to do for school this week that I need to put to paper
• Q2
  

2. Now I am to identify each action above using the Quadrant II Time Management System, I will do so just under the action in red.

3. Write about what you have learned or relearned concerning your use of time.

Time is a precious commodity to me. I get highly irritated when it is wasted which is why many of my dads conversations irritate me. They usually have nothing to do about anything of relevance or are centered on how I could live better or do things better (being micromanaged). I am very thankful he lets me stay here while going to school, but it is NOT without a price.

I also cherish my time to be on my bike and have not done so in what seems like a week. Riding is great exercise, makes me feel better mentally and physically, makes me sleep better, makes my body look and feel better - so many positive benefits. I usually can get my riding in by going to school but this past week the weather was bad so I have gone about 4 or 5 days without a good bike ride. I need / want to manage my time so that this activity can be worked into my schedule (weather permitting) daily. Stop working, stop thinking about school, and go get some exercise. This week I am going to try to work this back into my schedule and once spring break is over try to keep it up.

That's it for entry 11, now as you can guess - I need to do some work for my boss and later this evening I am going to do some algebra, however, today - I am going to ride my bike 20 miles. YEA!!!