Lighten(ing) up

Okay, so apparently writing my intentions in a public space is one very motivating way to get me to clean my closet. I haven't done the shoes yet, but I managed to take one full trash bag to the end of the driveway for this morning's pick-up, and another one is ready to donate. I cleaned the dresser drawers, as well.

The sweatshirt experiment ended up in the trash bag. Removing the lower ribbing did, indeed, make the shirts too short for my liking. No matter, I didn't wear them anyway, so the attempt didn't destroy anything useful. Unless you have a use for cut-up sweatshirts. NO, WAIT, THEY'RE ALREADY IN THE TRASH.

Rule #1:

Don't retrieve anything from the garbage 

once it's been placed there. 

That goes for food, too. 

I've also been unsubscribing from e-mail lists, a few each morning, to reduce the amount of time and attention I need to spend in front of this screen. It's very clear to me that I'd rather play solitaire on my phone than just about anything else read e-mails.

Nearly all the cyber-based communications I've backed away from are political. The GOP is doing a pretty good job of self-immolation, and the next election I'll be involved in isn't until the Congressional contests in 2014. Taking some time off just feels right. And light!

Went for a four-mile walk with my friend Lynne yesterday. Here's the cloud shot I took:

And the future looks bright for more walking – we've had some very cold days lately, but temperatures will be comfortable enough next week that I won't need three layers of clothing and two pairs of gloves. Yay for that! Looks like I could start planting peas next week. KIDDING!

Lest you think all is glitter and unicorns – or glittery unicorns – I must report my first fitness FAIL. I was supposed to lift those dumbbells yesterday, but never managed to get around to it. It's not that I didn't have time. I have more time than just about anything else. I did squats and lunges and pliés, oh my, but kept resisting and resisting and RESISTING picking up the dumbbells.

What's up with that? I'm going to do them this morning, go for a walk later and find a good sun salutation yoga video for tomorrow.

I was hungry last night after dinner. Watching the Sugar Bowl will do that. Mmmm, sugar. I ended up drinking a large glass of water (my other fail so far, I'm still not drinking water in the quantities I'd like – BABY STEPS), which helped, and I went to bed before the game was over. Which is a great strategy for not eating, by the way. Rule #2 is

NO EATING IN BED