Scratch That

Not that I've written a novel since I've stopped writing here, but I've moved...

Big Fat Sharpie: Because I just don't have enough things to do already.

Concentration lost...

I think I can't think about anything else other than how I would use this machine if I were to win one. Seriously, excited and falling for the marketing.




Oh, the possibilities. Maybe someone can just get me one for my birthday :)

86'ed cleaning

As I said, last night I thought I'd try my hand at speed cleaning. I got derailed early on. I eventually got back to it, but not as fast as I had hoped.

My schedule was a bit ambitious, I'll admit. I guess you need at least 15 minutes to clean a room, even quickly. I did manage to get everything semi-straight, however I now have a huge pile of stuff that does not belong where it was before with no where for it to go just yet.

I made it through most of this list in well over an hour. I didn't make it upstairs because by the time I got to it, the AC was frozen and it was already 86 degrees up there.

Supplies: Broom, dustpan, microfiber cloths, cotton cloth and simple green, some bins or boxes

• living/hall/dining: (10 min)
  

1. pick up lose items
2. designate a box for GB costume stuff
3. move all sewing and crafting to beat up table
4. throw away scraps
5. hallway - make sure everything is in a box, stack boxes concisely
6. determine later what to tag and bring to Sally's (for yard sale)and what to put in the car to bring to goodwill
7. dry dust, dust
8. sweep
9. move on
   

• Kitchen: (10 min)

1. Empty sink
2. check dishwasher
3. put everything in it's place
4. pick up what doesn't belong there
5. wipe down counters/stove
6. move on

• Den: (10 min)

1. straighten/pick up lose things
2. dry dust, dust
3. move on

• bathroom: (5 min)

1. wipe sink/mirror/toilet
2. spray shower with shower spray
3. move on

• sweep den, kitchen, bathroom (5min)
• water plants
• move on
  
  
• Upstairs bedroom: (5 min)

1. pick up piles off the floor, consolidate
2. dry dust. dust
3. move on

• bathroom: (5 min)

1. clean off counters
2. wipe sinks, mirror
3. spray shower with shower spray
4. bring hooks downstairs or put under the sink for now
5. move on

• sweep bedroom and bathroom (5 min)
• move on

• office: (5 min)

1. pick up lose items
2. vacuum
3. reassess

I think really, my house is at a point where there is no such thing as speed cleaning. This really only works for people who start with semi-spotless houses. And yes, I needed to tell myself to "move on" after certain tasks. I get very easily distracted deep diving into boxes and piles of stuff.

I'm trying desperately to get a grip on organization. I really need an intervention or an organization boot camp. Maybe even an appearance on one of those TLC shows like Clean Sweep, if it still airs. I wouldn't know because we haven't had cable in this house ever.

As much as I think I accomplish every day, I go to bed thinking that I didn't do quite enough and I feel guilty when I stop to enjoy some tv watching or just simple relaxing. The looming party deadline is fast approaching and I hope I can get most of this together before then.

geo-side tracked

Here's my deal: I have a lot of stuff do do between now and next Sunday, one of which is just a general straightening of the entire household. I thought I'd try this speed cleaning exercise, which I had planned down to the minute from room to room, task to task. I usually blow any pre-planning off track as soon as I get home because of the amount of time it takes me to shift from work mode to home mode.

Today was no different. Instead of jumping right into my speed cleaning fun, we jumped right into the car, got a "first to find" and then two others in the lower 9th Ward.

Not the best photos, but I'm still just using my iPhone 3 for some reason.


The Steamboat House

View from the Levee

colorful yummy goodness

Although I did manage to accomplish an astonishing amount of stuff today, the project I started isn't quite finished, so I'll save that one for this weekend.

A while back.. well, over a year ago now, I decided it would be fun to try making a rainbow cake that I had found online. I pretty much have a blogger crush on the author and her ability to answer ridiculous questions with fired up fury.

Now, I do do weight watchers, but I didn't make this a diet cake. I just used two boxes of regular cake batter because other people were going to be eating this. I'm pretty sure it was Pillsbury (at least the first time.. I burned the first one).

I separated the batter into as many bowls as I felt like dealing with colors and started mixing away. I used the gel based food coloring, which makes for very vibrant colors with little coloring.



I was really hung up on the "rainbow" aspect of this cake, so I used a bunt cake pan. I poured ROY G. B(i)V (I just had purple, not indigo and violet) in that order.


Finally, I yanked the cake out of the bunt pan, iced it down with white and topped it off with some rainbow sprinkles. It looked like a big cartoon donut with sprinkles before we cut into it.



Not quite a perfect rainbow, but close enough. I had too much batter so I also made little mini-rainbow cupcakes. Everyone enjoyed the colorful surprise inside.

One day I'll make a purple and gold (or better yet, black and gold!) just for fun.

when the Europeans come to town

I haven't mentioned in this forum before, but I work for a company based and founded in New Orleans, Louisiana, however the workforce and resources span across the globe.

This week is our Global Sales Meeting. There are sales reps in from every part of the US and every part of the world. It's amazing to see our campus buzzing with the influx of visitors.

Well, when the visitors come, so do the treats. I'm a huge fan of the stroopwafles.


I am not a fan of the kiss greeting. Yes, I'm from New Orleans and yes, I went to Catholic school... I still don't care for it. I didn't realize that I might be insulting someone or several someones because I extend a hand to shake instead of a cheek to kiss. Or guess I could just be a stupid American.

Really, I'm just not that affectionate and it kinda freaks me out a little. I've even had a friend call me out on it recently during one of our Southern Goodbyes. He said, "You don't like the hugging thing, do you?" I said no and now we exchange the fist bump and I'm totally ok with that.

Maybe that's why none of those gifts are directly mine.

never ending work day

Today I had my longest work day since 1999 when I worked at the skating rink. I did 10-12p (early morning children's parties), 1-4pm (open skate session and 7 parties), 4:30-6:30pm (more open skate and more parties), 7-11pm (open skate on a Saturday night.. packed) and an unexpected private party showed up at 11pm anxiously awaiting the start of their 80's skate party that started at midnight until 2:30ish in the am.

That's a total of 16+ hours and I loved every minute of it.

Although today only lasted from 7am to 8ish pm (and I still managed to enjoy every minute), I am much older than 17 these days and that kind of time frame takes concentration and dedication. I did actually wind up missing a practice tonight, which I'm a little sad about. I'm almost afraid that I won't make attendance to skate in the next bout.

I guess I'll have to figure out how to make that one up sooner than later.

I'm wiped and even though this blog comes much earlier than usual, I think I'm still going to go straight to bed.