Ten on Tuesday

The Ten on Tuesday topic for 11/2 is 10 Ways to Simplify Your Life.


1) Unplug the phone, or just shut off the ringers. We don't have caller ID so this is our only choice.

2) Lose the internet, couldn't do this. I am too connected. I do limit myself to 1 1/2 to 2 hours a night after being on a computer all day at work. I have an ipod touch now so that doesn't help as I can check email and facebook all night from the couch. I have a netbook but only tend to pull that out on a weekend when I want to sit in an easy chair and search the web.

3) Leave the cell phone turned off, this I do. I have a pay as you go and it isn't on unless I am using it or playing a game. At Rhinebeck, I stuck it back in my bag a few times and ended up shutting the volume off. I pulled it out to call my father as I was ready to go and I found a bunch of voicemails from him as they were ready to go earlier than our meeting time and went to the car.

4) Shut off the TV, maybe lose the cable. I'm not sure I could do this, I watch a lot of sports as background noice while I knit at night.

5) Plan my shopping (groceries) as I tend to get to the store and buy what I don't need and then get home and complain to myself that I buy what I shouldn't.

6) Donate old clothes, I do this occasionally but still keep more than I should and more than I will ever wear. I am getting better though and twice a year while switching for the seasons, I do donate clothes.

7) Go through yarn and donate what I won't use. My mother and I occasionally do this and we are planning another purge before the holidays. We bring it to a senior rest home that has a room set up as a yarn shop for the residents. They knit and crochet and weave for their fair. We also occasionally bring it to the Girls Club and Senior center in town.

8) Purge the books and donate them to a place that feeds the homeless, they also get some of the clothes. Goodwill also gets some, plus the local library.

9) Purge some patterns. I have a bucket filled with patterns that need to be organized and also patterns that were printed and will never be used. I plan to also organize and clean out these.

10) Relax more and just enjoy each day. Play more with my cats.

My nephew didn't simplify my life today.  He asked for a hat for Xmas and not the Olympic hat I was planning.  He wants one based on a cartoon character and I have to design it myself.  I have some ideas so it might not be too bad.  He's 20 and doesn't ask for much so this he will get.