ProActive

Howdy! Thought I’d throw out a quick post here as an update on how things are going.

In a reply to one comment on my previous post – Robin’s I think – I mentioned that I was struggling with feeling unmotivated. Whether that’s a side effect of the meds or a symptom of depression I’m not sure. Still finding it hard to get up and moving most days. Could also be because sleep is very uneven and I don’t get up feeling rested most days.

Anyway, as a way to combat that I’m keeping a couple of lists going. A ‘master’ list of bigger things to accomplish – renew my passport; get my eyes checked (and probably new glasses), etc, etc. Then a smaller list of things to do on a daily basis – haircut tomorrow; physical scheduled for next week; particular meals I want to make – buy ingredients; family party this Saturday for an uncle turning 90  (some of those cousins I haven’t seen since my father’s funeral 8 1/2 years ago).

In the making of the lists it gives me something to focus energies on and a feeling of control over time, and how I spent it. In crossing things off the lists it shows me I’m accomplishing ‘things’ and that I’m not just blindly wasting (spending) time.

Example 1 – I had been working on reading ‘Half Broke Horses’ by Jeannette Walls for weeks longer than it should have taken. Part of me didn’t want the book to end but the other part of me couldn’t be bothered to pick it up and read the last 50 pages. Friday night I decided enough is enough, plunked myself down and finished it. Cha-ching!

Example 2 – I have a fairly large bag that I trot back and forth to work each night that has been getting increasingly heavy. Most days I’m adding to it with sections of the newspaper that contain articles, items or a crossword that I want for later. Friday night I emptied the bag, sorted everything, stripped the waste paper away from the aricles, pitched some dated stuff and now have a bag that’s about 5 pounds lighter on the shoulder.

A tangent – One of Lynda’s brothers was over this weekend and was showing me how to use Torrent to download music, TV shows and movies. I’m of two minds about using it – one, I like for the artists I like to get full benefit from their work so I don’t like to be stealing from them or the companies that distribute their work. On the other hand – having been working poor for a number of years I’m always on the lookout for a deal. So, the honest part of my mind is grappling with that bit of larceny tucked in back. I’ll be patient and see how the two sides fare before deciding.

Tangent 2: Lynda and I watched most of the Grammy broadcast last night. While Jeff Beck didn’t win for his nomination – ‘Rock ‘N Roll Party Honoring Les Paul’ – it was great that Tedeschi Trucks Band won Best Blues Album with their debut. Some of the performances were marred by tech difficulties or simply didn’t come off well but I thought Jennifer Hudson’s tribute song for Whitney Huston was well done and heartfelt. Adele was great; as were the Beach Boys – Brian Wilson runs a tight harmonic unit.

Speaking of Brian Wilson – at the library last week I picked up ‘Brain Wilson Reimagines Gershwin’. If you like the amazing production values that Wilson consistently brings to his projects you’re bound to like this. As in, if you liked ‘Smile’ or ‘Fat Old Sun’ you’ll like this…. plus, it’s difficult to beat the Gershwin’s song writing capabilities.

To whit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud2o38cJtDY ‘Summertime’.

So, that’s what’s going on and how I’m doing. Let me leave you with something that’s been making the rounds on Facebook; I think I copied this from a post of Julian Lennon’s.

Cheers.