Carol's random babble

I always fail at New Year's resolutions. One common mistake is to make grand plans - those never work for me. This year I am winning. I made one resolution, and only promised to do it for one month. My resolution was to block all Zynga games on Facebook for one month. By blocking for one month, I am taking away the temptation to play the games that used to take up so much of my time. I could play for two hours a day between Farmville, Frontierville and Cityville. I blocked those games on Jan. 1 and haven't gone back. I still have to block related posts, but eventually those will fade away, as well. And by saying I would do it for one month, in my mind I can go back at the end of the month. But I doubt that I will. I just got an email about Cityville - I've been chosen to receive 10 City Cash. That's enough to purchase a new expansion area. I deleted the email. I could have accepted the cash and then blocked the game again, but that would mean giving into t...

Okay, mostly minor things. I did say mostly. Last Friday, payday. Paid some bills, gave Kent gas money (yeah, I know, but he's been taking Cayla to school on the days she misses the bus, which is nearly every day), oh and was involved in a minor traffic accident. No apparent damage to my car, which was rear-ended at a stoplight. Saturday, work. Sunday, missed church, went to work. Monday, snow storm started. I made it to work, but stopped at Hy-Vee first, to pick up a cake. It was my birthday and Sandy Mickelson's birthday (also her anniversary) and Jesse was back at work for the first time since Christmas (and the surprise birth of his son at 27 weeks). I did not get an inscription on the cake, because there wasn't room for: Happy anniversary Walt and Sandy Happy birthday Sandy and Carol Welcome back Jesse although it would have been funny. Tuesday, day off and also a snow day. I also went into town and paid some bills and did a little shopping. Wednesday,...

I got the cheapest microwave Walmart had to offer. It's a Sunbeam, 900-watt, .9-cubic-foot microwave. It has buttons instead of a dial, which I prefer. Amanda has already tried it out. And at least we have a microwave now. I also looked for the pizza oven thingy - the kind that rotates the pan under heat. They don't have it in stock, but I think it's available online. I'm considering this partly because our oven is wonky and partly because it cooks the pizza in half the time. Generally I'm not a fan of speciality appliances. I don't own a grill, I do own a sandwich maker but I don't like it. I actually bought that for Amanda to make her ham and cheese sandwiches with, but she won't use it. Luckily it only cost $7 so I'm not losing much. And now that I think about it, I do own more of these appliances: a rice cooker, a blender, the sandwich maker, a bread machine. I have owned two different kinds of popcorn poppers in the past and was recently c...

My life? Well, I work at a job where I don't always feel my efforts are appreciated, and haven't had a raise in a while. I support two frequently unappreciative and occasionally surly teen daughters, one of whom recently dropped out of high school and the other one apparently thinks I never know what I'm talking about. (Yes, I keep telling you to go to bed early so you can wake up in time to go to Seminary or at least catch the bus to school. There's a reason I keep telling you - it's because you aren't doing it!) I have a hard time paying my bills on time, which is made harder recently. My microwave conked out and the oven in the stove needs something - maybe the thermostat is not working, so I can't bake now either. My car has a cracked windshield that I worry every day is going to just pop - especially in winter weather with the difference between the outside temperature and the heat inside the car. My mom lives on her own, but I worry about her, too. H...

Sleep that knits up the ravelled sleave of care The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course, Chief nourisher in life's feast. ~William Shakespeare, Macbeth I should make a resolution to go to bed earlier. I admonish Cayla about it on nearly a daily basis. She doesn't go to bed early enough, so she can't get up early enough to get to Seminary, or usually even to make the bus to school. That means someone has to drive her, and that's a waste of gas. But I set a bad example. The bed is a bundle of paradoxes:  we go to it with reluctance, yet we quit it with regret; we make up our minds every night to leave it early, but we make up our bodies every morning to keep it late.  ~Charles Caleb Colton  I looked up some quotes on sleep. No day is so bad it can't be fixed with a nap.  ~Carrie Snow  I had never heard of Carrie Snow, but she's got a point. Yes, there are days so bad that a nap ...

My one specific resolution for this year is to block Zynga games on Facebook for one month. I play Farmville, Frontierville and Cityville daily and spend too much time on them, neglecting other responsibilities. What makes it hard is that they all have these "missions" where you complete certain tasks in order to receive a reward. I left unfinished missions in each game. However, I suspect that by the time the month is over, I will be okay with not going back. And that was the purpose of this resolution - to free up my time and free me from the feeling of obligation to play. I have other things I need to work on, as well, but no specific "I'm going to" statements yet. But the advice I've seen is that being specific and having a time limit are two ways to help you succeed in completing a resolution. I think this will work.