It’s Sunday. I still can’t see.
I have to go into the office! Not my ideal Sunday. Not my ideal day.
Sacrifices must be made and today is just one of those days. I’m not happy about it. But life ain’t fair, and that’s that.
Author: Han NaGil
I’m here to develop my storytelling muscles. Break down complex, foreign and mundane ideas into bite-sized chunks.
8 appliances in 30 mins
In less than 30 minutes, I pick out and purchase household appliances for the first time in my life.
- Dryer
- Dishwasher
- Extractor
- Fridge
- Microwave
- Oven
- Stovetop
- 49” television
Year-end sale saves me roughly 30%.
It’s less than my annual travel budget. When I make that comparison, I grow less overwhelmed.
8 days of no writing
How much time does it take to undo a habit? It’s been eight days since I last wrote.
My laptop screen stopped working and I stopped writing. I have to catch up on the last seven days. I can’t help but be overwhelmed. But where do I start?
Curveballs of life derails my commitment to write daily. How do I recover?
One word at a time.
Eat to lose
You eat one big lunch and early light dinner.
You skip breakfast.
You want to lose weight.
You don’t eat breakfast?
You don’t feed your body for 18 hours…?
You thought you should eat less to lose weight.
In theory, if input < exertion, then weight loss, null; but it’s not linear.
Starving the body forces it into starvation mode. Metabolism slows down. Body is always hungry. Mind can’t think straight. Heart is upset with lack of joy from infrequent food intake.
You’re set up to fail.
How do you fix it?
Get back to basics.
Processed food is not your friend (pizza pocket, pop tart, breakfast cereal, l’eggo muffins, ready-mix pancakes, granola bars, hash browns, cereal bars…etc…)
Meaning, you have to plan, shop, prepare, package and dedicate time (you can’t skip a meal!) to eat your own food.
No one said this was going to be easy.
Eat breakfast.
Have snacks in between if hungry.
Drink water.
Have lunch and dinner.
Snack on fruits, veggies, nuts and whatever is in its ‘natural state’.
Work out at least twice a week.
And no, you don’t deserve that piece of chocolate cake.
Like all good things in life, plan ahead and do it. Keep your promise.
They call this discipline.
Around the world in 80 days
Where have you been in the past 80 days?
Have you been around the world?
Not me. Not this year.
Definitely not in the past 2 months and 22 days.
I used to get the itch to travel.
To see and experience something else, something new.
Those days are long gone.
I have grown old.
I no longer need to escape from reality.
I stay where I am.
To savor the gift of today.
To be me and no one else.
To enjoy the time to myself.
To enjoy the kindness from friends, family and strangers.
To enjoy the mundane harvest from average life.
I’ve been exploring myself in the past 80 days.
I’ve been around the world of my own creations.
1 month. 30% reduction
I’m feeling chuffed with myself. By prioritizing must haves, I reduced the remodeling budget by 30%.
Of course, there is the cost of one month’s delay. The renovation hasn’t started. I feel displaced.
I think it was worth the delay.
Will confirm in a month’s time.
Support the Press
Freedom to speak up against government dissent is the surest way to maintain democracy. Prevent dictatorship. Hold people accountable.
Nothing is free. Freedom is not free. Freedom is not without costs.
We get what we pay for. Paywalls used to annoy me. Now I subscribe to my favorite news outlet. I just made a once off donation of 10 pounds to the Guardian. I wish I could do more. Give more.
The press is made up of people like us. They have bills to pay.
They need to eat. They have families.
Will you join me in supporting the press and safeguarding our freedom of speech?
Will you donate to a reputable news house of your choice? Pay for monthly subscription?
Words
Writing has become a way of life.
Words consume me.
Words breathe life back into my soul.
I laugh out loud.
Why am I laughing?
No particular reason.
I feel happy to be me.
To be alive.
I laugh out loud.
No one can hear me.
I laugh out loud to myself and for myself.
Working late and having fun
It’s Friday.
I work late; having fun excavating and putting meaning to overlooked items. My perspective has changed. I’m not a management consultant, but I can relate to their way of working.
I’ve been programmed to add value from packaging the “so what” in ways that makes sense. How long it will take us to get from here to there. Compare the time on the watch to the rest of clocks in the office. Why is the watch slower/faster than the rest? Why is the watch worn on the wrist? Is this why the sales team always late? What is the pattern?
I don’t talk to everyone. Scanning and diving with select group that will add the most value. Ignoring the skeptics but getting them on board by asking the right questions before giving an answer. Packaging just the right information for the right people in the shortest time.
Understanding the question is the most difficult part.
No plans
The planner in me grows uneasy. I have no plans for the year.
I tried to break down my daily hours to get as much done as possible.
I refrained from my usual self after a friend advised me to not sign up for anything new.
She’s right. Life’s about to get very hectic.
I feel like I’m wasting time. I should be doing more. I could be doing more!
For now, I’ll live with this discomfort.
Discomfort means friction.
Friction means movement.
I hope I’m moving forward.