Time Management

I have a problem. This problem has always plagued me and I am not sure if the problem is entirely bad. I tend to block my time. I will do an activity and nothing else until I have exhausted the activity. Example, upon being tired of the endless drabbles of Legolas Greenleaf/OC fan fictions (some are good, but they are the same idea over and over again...almost like being in an insane asylum, 'lets see how many different fabulously talented and beautiful women Legolas can bag during the WotR'). I will apologize to those who might read this and be one of the writers of such a story. I am guilty of the Legolas Romance with an OC. I do not mean any offense, for I also categorize myself in this category for some time as well. But do you agree...the idea is old and used. Much like my little brother's blanket. I digress.

So as I listen to the ending of the Fellowship of the Ring as I drive home from work, I become engaged in the hidden joy of the Riddermark and it's gallant riders. I listen to the meeting of the Riders of Rohan and the Three Hunters and wonder. Eomer, son of Eomund fan Fiction...so the last two weeks of my life has been to reading the escapades of Eomer and Lothíriel of Dol Amroth. So back to the subject, I have done nothing but read Eomer/Lothiriel fan fics for the last two weeks. My house is in need of a cleaning (good old' turnberry is picked up but vacuumed or swept, the poor dear), my own original stories took a back seat (though the newest story has taken up much of my time and  thoughts during the previous days - the next attention divert-er). Sigh, so I need to force myself to 1.) read The Girl who Played With Fire, 2.) Finish Alistair's Story 3.) Continue Blanche and Miles' story 4.) RUN!!! 5.) Take care of my house.

Sigh, I do fear that the task of managing my time, my interests and obligations will be rather difficult as I tend to do these activities with a pumped up attitude (words of a cousin). Sigh, 'Tomorrow is another day, with no mistakes in it, yet'.

I will have to keep myself honest with blogging more too. Too many interests and loves, not enough time in the day.

A deep breath finally

The first weekend since June that my husband and I do not have to go anywhere, do anything or entertain anyone we do not want too. I will be having a  movie marathon of Jane Eyre movies tomorrow with a few close friends, that is not too strenuous and I do not count as 'doing something'. This weekend will be a greatly needed deep breath of the dwindling summer. I read on facebook and twitter of my young friends and their excitement of college running, or of friends and family harvesting their gardens (mine which is doing fantastic, despite the poor seeds late start). See below for pictures of my awesome garden.

From a few months ago, my baby plants.

 Above: My grown up garden.

Above: Baby Tomatoes!! "Oh... That's nice. Ash on my tomatoes" Pippin Tooke from LotR:FotR (movies)
Below: Baby Corn, sorry no LotR quote on this one. 

Above: Monster lettuce. The little green leavies will be a bit bitter since I let them grow so large.

I also have been planning out my landscaping for next spring. I think with my lazy weekend I will separate my hostas and plan out other plants I want to buy and or plant this fall before the freeze.

I am about to finish the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Oh how addicting that book is. Another series which is tempting me to start is the Song of Fire and Ice. Oh I have fallen hard off of the 'read all the books you own before end of the year' bandwagon. September is here and I still have roughly 70 books to read. Ouch....Maybe I can do that this weekend too. I would be a champ if I could read 70 books in a weekend. Super human power I want, be able to read everything forever. Hahahaa.

I feel more relaxed now that my lazy weekend is here. Readers on the east coast be safe as Irene comes to visit and everyone enjoy your weekend.

Deja vu

I have my living room in the house to myself and my own decorating style! The man cave is downstairs, we are using our whole house now! I have a table by the corner with all of our windows, over looking the front yard. Sitting here blogging about looking outside reminds me of when I would sit at the window in the apartment and blog. I have changed a busy street for a quiet one, a maple tree for a birch and an ash. I love sitting looking outside and being able to relax in my house as the music voice of John Rzeznik, Nick Thomas and others fill the room...as well as the AC (a big difference from the apartment). Growing up is not all that bad...but we have to pay bills yet tonight, so I may retract my words in a few words.

Silliness with Drawing

So, drawing. Yes I have been known to make some pretty cool stuff. But I have not worked at it and want some pointers. Despite many of my best friends and one of my brothers being art majors/artists, I still bought a book/box set on how to draw. I think I may know most of what is in the book but at least I will be assured I am on the right path. Here's to being an idiot. Haha!

Just keep running, just keep running

So I was quiet the runner about 5 years ago. Due to mental weakness and a really shitty environment (despite living and hanging out with other runners) I lost it. Now I am probably classified as a jogger. That bothers me. I do not regret the time that I took off because if I didn't I would not want to think about taking one step out of my door. But now I'm having motivational issues. I want to get out there and train but I am using excuses like work, being tired, laziness to keep me from running. I also have a problem with eating which makes me feel guilty. Oh the joys of a post collegiate runner....

But I want to start running everyday. I fill run every day. So I have a page where I am going to post my runs. Give a small post of how it went and what the weather was like, etc. The excel spreadsheets weren't doing it for me (and a former engineering student. I love spread sheets!!) So here we go. Stay tuned! Emma is back on the trail!!!

House of Dreams

So, I am officially a home owner. My fiancee and I bought a house last Friday and we love it!! The great part is that the house feels like our home already. The last week has flown by and we have most of the house put together and put away. Only a few small dragons have emerged as we have tested things out in the house, like the garbage disposal. (It does not work). I love my house and I cannot wait to continue to watch it grow over the years.

My favorite part of the house (though I have not been able to utilize it yet) is the back yard. we have almost an acre and a lot of it I am hoping can be turned into a garden someday. But since I cut open my palm, I am not able to get outside and mess around in the dirt. Which saddens me. we have ash, maple, pine and lilac. Spiria and other evergreen bushes are in the front. Two little hostas are near two of the windows...I will have to get rid of the evergreen bushes (they are not my favorite) and put in more hosta. I do love hosta. I cannot wait to break ground on my veggie garden, herb garden and flower garden. I am looking for places for each. The veggie and herb might have to go together, but my flowers might be able to be scattered around the property.

I am happy with our decision and I will love to grow old here. My House of Dreams. (An Anne Shirley-ism there!! :)  )

Back on Track...

A lot of time and books have passed since I was stumped on a book that I could not get through. The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt was one such book. I enjoyed what I read but I could not get myself to read more then a few pages at a time. I decided to put the book back on the shelf and grab another. That was 2 weeks ago and I have read 2.5 books. Not as many books as I would like to have read in that amount of time but with a wedding and moving into a house has taken a lot of time.

The House at Riverton was a great book. I loved the narrator, Grace. I loved learning about her life after the 'event', and all the events leading to the 'event'. I also felt it was rather poignant to read the last few months of a dying woman. To live her feelings of her past, wishes for the short future and dreams of seeing her grandson. Ursula was a great character, despite the limited interaction the reader has with her. I liked her. The sacrifices the serving class made to ensure the wealthy had the life they wanted was incredulous. I know this was a fictitious book and the real life servants of the wealthy of the late 1800 - 1920s were not as romanticized as the book depicts but when Grace gives up her life with Alfred, I cried. All because she felt she could not leave her lady. Oh wonderful...the event. The feelings of the 'event' were all selfishness and jealousy. There was no love or happiness. Only selfishness, lust and jealousy. I loved this book. It was amazing.

Dark Watch by Clive Cussler. One of the best Oregon Series I have read to date. I have 3 more I think, but I enjoyed this book a lot. The human trafficking was sad and horrible to read through Eddie's point of view. Juan's only dedication and hatred towards people who would promote human trafficking and enslavement. I love the characters and the action adventures the crew on the Oregon go on. I would continue but I have read/blogged enough on Clive Cussler that I do not need to continue other then say, if you like Juan Cabrillo, read Dark Watch.

On to the next book! :)