This Christmas

Christmas eve started with a last minute shopping trip. I wish I could say it was to pick up a few last minute items but sadly, Christmas eve was my second day of shopping. Remember? I'm a procrastinator. I was done shopping at around three-thirty in the afternoon just in time to go to the grocery store and pick up a tenderloin to cook for Christmas eve dinner at mom's. I told her I would be there at four o'clock, I made it there at four-forty five which worked out just as well because my sister and her family didn't get there until five-thirty. While everyone was waiting for dinner to be ready the girls, Kiah and Lexi, gave grammie a new hair do. Out with the gray and in with the new chestnut brown, she looks ten years younger, not that she looked old but it is amazing what a fresh hair coloring will do for a person! After dinner we all gathered around the Christmas tree and exchanged gifts, talked and laughed. Everyone was happy with their bellies full, a great visit and new things to play with. Eight-thirty came fast and it was time for Jason, Kiah and me to go pick her friend Braxton up and head over to Jason's parents house for round two of Christmas eve.
Kiah  told me, a couple of weeks ago, that her friend Braxton's family does not celebrate Christmas like we do in our families so I got the approval from the in-laws and invited him to spend Christmas eve with us. No one, especially a sixteen year old kid, should spend a holiday alone. Braxton is a sixteen year old boy from Kiahs school, they run together to train for the upcoming track season, pretty sure he is her boyfriend but she hasn't admitted it yet. Kiah is, as most teenagers are, embarrassed of her family and Braxton is petrified of Jason and Kiah's opa (because they have tattoos). They sat on the couch from eight-thirty until about ten talking, texting opening their gifts and watching everyone else open their gifts. Then it happened. Opa took Braxton to the "bone room" to show him around.  The "bone room" is a separate room opa built in the backyard, an area which houses an eclectic collection of art. In this room you will find a variety of art forms from photography, paintings, pencil drawings, gemology, tribal industrial and herpetology. Some of these art pieces were crafted by opa and some were collected from various people opa has encountered throughout his life but needless to say, this "bone room" is an extremely cool place to have the opportunity to visit. I could (and probably will) write a blog dedicated to just this room. While opa was showing Braxton his prized collection I spent most of my time trying to explain to Kiah that as weird or crazy as she might think her family might be we are a bunch of fun, loving and talented people she should be proud of.  Not to mention, if the people she chooses as friends judge her negatively because she has a silly family those friends are ones she can live without. Bottom line, the alternative for him would to be at home....alone on Christmas eve. All in all it was a great Christmas eve, great family visits, new friends and lessons learned. I hope the rest of my friends and family had a wonderful day filled with love and happiness as well!

Procrastination

I decided to do a little research on the topic of procrastination. My Uncle Tom prompted my curiosity by telling me, “The only thing I can see that you’re doing wrong is worrying about it! The ol’ idiom…“if it weren't for the last minute, I wouldn't get anything done” is a good one! I like to say I do my best work under deadline pressure. Another way to look at it is that our subconscious mind, has such high confidence in our ability and talent to get’er done in the last moments that it wins rock, paper, scissors over our conscious mind every time!” 

Although, I do like the way he thinks because it sure makes me feel like at least I am not alone, it doesn’t take away from the fact that I know my behavior is wrong and self destructive. 

One of the articles I read defines a chronic procrastinators as those who don’t pay bills on time, miss out on opportunities to cash in rebates, wait until Christmas eve to Christmas shop, file income tax returns in the nick of time or even late. Chronic procrastinators find ways to distract themselves from completing tasks they know need to be done. 

Why do we do this to ourselves? One of the experts said procrastinators do so because the people around them accept them for who they are, we are too nice a society to call out a procrastinator on their excuses. 

What about those, like me, who don’t have an excuse? I just don’t like paying my bills, I don’t like working on taxes, I don’t like spending money on Christmas, I don’t like doing homework, I don’t like putting something in an envelope and taking it to the mailbox to get that rebate sent in on time. That is why I procrastinate, I just don’t want to. Simple. 

I read a little further and it brought me back to when I was a kid living at home and I had to giggle a little. The experts say procrastination can also be a form of rebellion. It is also said having a harsh controlling father keeps children from developing the ability to regulate themselves, that was not the case at my house. Dad was far from controlling, he allowed my sister and I to live and learn. Now, I don’t remember how my mornings were in elementary or grade school but I clearly remember a typical school day in high school. Every morning I would be awaken by my mom, “Kristi, it’s time to get up, it’s six o’clock.” I would groan, “Okaaaayyy”. Mom would close the door and come back five minutes later. “Kristi Lyn, it’s six o’ five, time to get up.” I would groan, “mmmm.” The third time she would come in and tell me what time it was I would completely ignore her and pretend like I was sleeping. I was not going to get out of bed. I was rebelling,  I would lay in that bed until she gave up and then I would get up. On my own terms. Even though I knew I was going to be late for school. That, I believe was the beginning to my life as a chronic procrastinator. I do not like anyone telling me what to do and when to do it. I’m a rebel (said to myself as I giggle).

The article goes into further detail stating there are three basic types of procrastinators: Thrill seekers, those who wait to the last minute for the euphoric rush. Avoiders, those who avoid for the fear of failure or even the fear of success. Decisional procrastinators, those who cannot make a decision. Which category do you fall under? 

http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200308/procrastination-ten-things-know

My Friday

Last night I closed my blog on the note I had homework to do. I did a little of an essay but promptly tired of doing research on why the acids in our stomach are so important. Every week it is the same thing, my instructor posts a new assignment on Sunday, I tell myself, "I am going to be good! I will read the chapter, do my lab work and submit my assignments by Thursday!" Every Saturday night I am scrambling to cram thirty pages of information into my brain only to complete the assignment ten minutes before it is due, midnight. This next Sunday, when the assignment is posted, I think I will just be honest with myself and not even bother looking at the assignment until nine P.M on Saturday night. This will give me a six days stress free. It's not that I'm not interested in the material it's just that I am also interested in every thing else that is going on around me. It's a catch twenty-two, I cannot study unless there is absolute silence and if the family is home I cannot lock myself in my room to study because I feel left out of whatever the family is doing. I keep thinking positively knowing that one of these days I will figure it out. Enough of the school talk for today moving on to a day in the life of Kristi. 


Since I have started working at home Fridays feel more like Mondays. This whole work week has been pretty slow for me until today. It never fails, when it's busy and things are rolling along smoothly something puts a hitch in my giddyup. 


Today, that hitch was my mother, bless her heart, I heard somewhere that you can talk about people all you want as long as you bless their heart at the end of it. 


I am going to start this story out with a conversation I had with mom about three months ago. Mom signed up for a program with an HVAC company who comes to her house and checks her HVAC unit and cleans out the ducts every so often. Three months ago mom told me, "Keith says my unit is ten years old and that I really need to start thinking about getting a new one." Fast forward to two days ago. Mom says, "My heater doesn't work in the house." My first thought is, are you kidding me? We live in Arizona, and it is seventy five degrees outside. Why is she running the heater? I refuse to turn my heater on until February! I keep that comment to myself and suggest she call her HVAC company to have them take a look at it, after all she pays a monthly service fee they won't charge her to come look at it. 
As I said earlier, I was having a pretty good work day, getting things done until ten-thirty A.M. I was on a conference call and receive a text from mom. "Kristi, Keith says I need a new unit. I can get a 14 seer unit and get a $1500.00 tax rebate. He is scheduling the installation for Monday. The total is $7639.14"
I started choking on my drink and had to abruptly end my conference call. I called her and requested she put Keith on the phone. I told Keith that he needs to cancel the order he was putting in and simply leave his work order with my mom and make note as to the exact problem with the unit as well as his recommendation. I explained to him that my mom and I will discuss her options and be in touch. Mom was mad but she'll get over it. Luckily, we have great friends and one of those great friends will be doing my mom a huge favor and coming over to give us a second opinion. I have my fingers crossed this will be an easy fix and if not an easy fix at least we have some time to do some research on a new unit that is not almost $8,000.00
I am pretty sure my dad was there this afternoon with her and prompted her to get in touch with me so I could get involved and stop that madness. Thank you dad. 
I cannot even remember how the rest of the day went, I was so floored with what almost happened to my moms bank account. Now that everything is under control, Jason and I will be headed out to my sister in laws to enjoy family, friends a fire pit and a few glasses of wine. Tomorrow morning, it's cram time!

First blog!

I am not quite sure about what blogging is all about but I'm here and giving it a shot. 
I've always been one to want to write but could never seem to find the time. There is no difference now, I still don't have time in fact I seem to have less time since I have started working from home. 
Those of you who know me know I keep myself busy and have many things in life I want to do. The problem has always been once I am on track with a new idea or plan another one comes along and takes me away from my original plan or idea. 
I am starting this blog in an effort to help keep me on track, one idea at a time! 


As some of you may know, a little over a year ago I went back to college. My goal is to become a Registered Nurse and I'd like to specialize in Pediatric Oncology. I am taking a course currently and once I am done with this class I will take a few weeks to study for the nursing school entrance exam. Hopefully, I will be able to pass that test and be placed on the waiting list for the nursing program. Yes, there is a waiting list...of 1.5 - 2 years!! It seems like an eternity but with the way time is flying by these past 6 months it will be here before I know it. While I am on the wait list I plan to continue to go to school and work towards getting a degree in clinical psychology. This will be so useful when working with the little ones who are going through a rough battle with cancer. 


Now that you know part of my plan I will leave the rest of my blogging for another day! I've got to do my homework. Thanks for taking the time to read a little bit about me! :)