Procrastinators Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from chronic procrastination.

Monday 18 February 2008

It's a frog-eat-frog world!
Happy Monday!

pro's CI - 9:55pm (good night!)

Teeth are brushed, I'm heading to bed now. I'm turning over a new leaf re mornings. I want to get up earlier and get to work earlier.

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

pro's CI - 9:40pm

I put away the clean clothes and washed the dinner dishes. I need to brush my teeth and go to bed now. I joined a gym, and made an appt with a trainer for very early in the morning. That ought to get me to work on time. I don't have a trainer appt tomorrow morning, but I might as well get used to a 6am wake-up. Maybe 6:30am. :P

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

pro's CI - 8:20pm (clean rug!!)

I put too much soap in when I was washing the rag rug, and I had to put it through the machine three times to get it out. I also used bleach first time through. The result: the rug is the cleanest it's been since I bought it. It's great! I'm going to start removing my shoes in the apartment.

I still need to put away the clean clothes (the rug is back on the floor and I vacuumed). I also have dinner dishes to wash.

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

Bless You all

My loving thanks to all of you who voiced encouragement to me. Pro I don't really drink much, but I have embibbed a few times. All of your sweetness touches my heart. It is hard to admit to oneself that our actions have cost us so dearly.

To Karen, Pro, Falcon, Lark, Elizaveth, Journey and all the rest of you from the bottom of my heart, Thank you. This fellowship means very much to me. I'll keep pressing on.

Douglas.

Touch up resume
drink lots of water
read book on fasting.

book on fasting?

What book are you reading on fasting? I've been interested in this recently, and read a few books on it. I did two fasts - one for two days, one for three. It was weird.

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

Hang in there Doug

"Finish your MITs, then take a nap!" - Leo Babauta

pro's CI - 6:10pm

My clothes are clean, dried (or hung), and folded. I just have to put them away. The rag rug is in the dryer - I still have to go back for it. I had to put it through the washing machine three times because I used much too much soap. It's just as well - it was filthy.

Right now I need to take off my shoes (so I don't track mud on the rug pad - it's raining out) and vacuum in preparation for a clean rug.

It will be quite lovely to have clean clothes and a clean rug!!

Early tomorrow morning on my way to work (practice for when I start working with a trainer at the gym on Friday at 7am), I will return the garbage laundry basket to Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

Karen's CI

We went camping this weekend.  I didn't sleep much because my SIL snores quite loudly!  So today I've been catching up on my sleep, doing chores inbetween times.

Here's what I'd like to accomplish still today:
Clean litter box
(x) Do an hour's worth of house cleaning
Work on blue and white quilt that I've procrastinated about for years by now!

Peace,
Karen

quilting

Karen, I have always wanted to quilt: it is one of those things which I yearn for, but know I would never complete due to procrastination. Do you have people you can quilting b with? (By the way, I have a sweater which is unfinished I started knitting in the mid-90's!)

CI 5:26 PM EST

to do:
- 4 hours of quiz work
- group improvement 2 hrs
- test drill down 1hr
- order batteries
- burn CDs
- clean office
- review quiz requirements

new laundry cart broke within first 5 minutes

The piece of crap laundry cart I bought at Bed, Bath, and Beyond today for $20 (link is below) broke immediately. The first time I tried to use the shoulder strap it tore off, and one of the wheels fell off on the way to the laudromat. It's so horrible, it's funny.

My clothes are in the dryer. I'm back home to hang up drip dry and pick up the rag rug for washing (in my OLD CART!!!!).

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

Sorry about the cart...

I'm smiling while I write this after reading the many check-in
's today from pro...lol. You just gotta laugh don't ya? God I love technology.

Douglas

How Dare It!

It's disgusting how things fall apart these days.  I hope you'll take it back and demand your money back. 

I used to have to carry my daughter's and my laundry in a little blue wagon, but that won't work going down stairs!Frown  I did have a shopping cart at one time, too, that folded up with wheels about the size of the ones on the wagon.  That might work although I wouldn't know where to get one.

Peace,
Kare

returning the cart in the morning

I'll return the cart - really a laundry basket on wheels - tomorrow on my way to work. I liked the idea of it because it's very lightweight, and the shoulder strap (theoretically) made it easy to carry - that is, if it didn't immediately rip off.

I have a very old cart with no basket that I use with a plastic laundry basket and some bungee cords. This works fine except that the cart is awkward to carry up and down the stairs. It has sharp things sticking out of it in unfortunate places. But the new carts are not much lighter, and are much less well made - smaller, cheaper wheels, etc. So I haven't bought a new cart. I guess I'll just stick with what I have.

What a waste of time - walking over there today, and now having to walk back to return it. Blah.

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

Douglas back... butt in hand

Well, they handed it to me... and what could I say?
Anyway, I'm scheduling appointments for this week. Need to find a job...... yep that's right I did it to myself! I feel like a useless  piece of you know what...

I'm thinking this is why they make vodka.

Douglas

oh, douglas

I was at a job that I thought I ought to love, but hated and did a very poor job of getting my act together. They let me go and my self esteem was in the toilet for a long time. However, I was able to collect unemployment and then reassess my skills and go back to school for an entirely different career. It was the best thing that could have happened for me.

Take it one day at a time. I use eft to reduce feelings of shame and guilt and it helps me get out of my way. Keep coming back.

peace, e

Douglas

Hi Douglas,

Hang in there, be kind to yourself. This is an awful experience but you will learn from it and emerge stronger. Take good care,

kaoba

don't drink, Douglas

Please don't drink, Douglas. That makes it 1000 times worse. How often do you drink?

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

Douglas

Aw, Douglas, I'm so sorry to hear that!  That's got to suck.  Did you actually lose your current job, or are you just at a point where things are too messed up for you to stay there?  Either way, I hope you find a new position that works for you.

You're not useless, and you're not a piece of you know what.  You're a human being who makes mistakes, learns from them, and gets up to put the pieces back together & try again.  Even though that can be damn hard.  Hope you'll keep checking in here & let us know how it's going for you.

Falcon

You're important to me!

Dear Douglas,

You are NOT a piece of feces.  I've read some wonderful writings that you shared with us.

You may have made mis-takes, but YOU are not a mistake.  I know your Higher Power will lead you to a job that will use your talents to better your life and the lives of others.

One day at a time!  Drinking won't help the situation; sharing with others will!

Peace,
Karen

Alexa CI Monday

The weeks are flying by. I am wasting another day and I don't for the life of me know why.
Must respond to advisor's email by sending work before 5, also so behind on the presentation I need to give tomorrow.
Why do I do this to myself?
Will check back in one hour with a progress update.

pro's CI - 2:55pm

The rag rug is still on the floor, but the rest of the laundry is collected in the new laundry bin on wheels with shoulder strap. It's easier to carry then the cart, but it doesn't make the laundry any lighter. (((sigh)))

I just have to find my backpack for the soap, etc., and I'll off.

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

no elf is here to take care of it, so...

I got the laundry soap together and then just have been sitting here. I think I hoped the laundry bag would magically make it downstairs. It hasn't, however, so I guess I'll carry it myself now.

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

Can't get good elves these days

Your elves won't do laundry?  Neither will mine!  Lazy creatures, those elves.  Wink

Congrats on your new laundry bin!

Falcon

pro's CI - 2:15pm

I'm back from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. I have a new laundry bag - time to go do laundry.

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

pouring again

It was sunny when I went to Bed, Bath and Beyond, but now suddenly it's pouring. I guess I'll vacuum and wait for it to let up.

I want to wash the rag rug, and that's always a challenge because there's so much stuff on it.

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

pro's CI - 11:45am

I'm dressed and leaving for Bed, Bath, and Beyond now. I need some exercise - didn't go out yesterday.

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

Another Monday, and so soon.

Another Monday, and so soon. I have an urgent project for tomorrow, which makes today's project urgent also. Somehow that doesn't seem fair. There'll probably be some help for a few hours later, so things probably won't be as bad as I'm imagining. Good luck to everyone checking in today.
Today:
(X)morning routine
(X) spiritual period
 finish sorting clothes
 (X)do today's work project
 (X)call dr. for check up appt.
 eat healthy today
(X) check in after lunch

pro's CI - 9:25am

I've had breakfast and washed the breakfast dishes, and checked my email.

I'm going to get dressed now, then go to Bed, Bath, and Beyond in search of a more friendly laundry basket so I don't dread the stairs so much.

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

Journey 8:30

Good morning!  Today is a holiday in the US, so I want to catch up on laundry and stuff around the house today.  I am technically still on call today so I have to stay in touch with work, but there should not be much to do. 

I did little or nothing yesterday as I was tired from working Saturday night.  I am not used to working nights, so I was burned out on Sunday even though I got plenty of sleep.  dh cooked dinner and the kids came over.  I did the dishes but otherwise just laid around like a lump all day. 
Then I stayed up too late and slept until 7 this morning.  Tomorrow I want to get back on my regular schedule of getting up at 5 am. 

So, today:

- take vitamins * MIT
- exercise * MIT
- sort laundry  * MIT
- fold at least one load of laundry
- clean off my desk
- check on third round of paperwork for SL reimbursement *
- Pile o' Junk on my desk
- check work email every couple hours *
- Grocery store (list already made) *
- 3 errands
- Call DHL*

- check balances *

So, first thing, check my bank balances and see how I'm doing on the budget this month.  Then, sort laundry, exercise and get cleaned up and dressed. 

Journey

 

"Finish your MITs, then take a nap!" - Leo Babauta

journey 10:30

laundry sorted, quick break, then exercise. 

"Finish your MITs, then take a nap!" - Leo Babauta

journey 12:30

exercised, now off to the grocery store. 

"Finish your MITs, then take a nap!" - Leo Babauta

Journey 3:30

Groceries bought, did one out of three errands and put the rest off for another day. 
Now, to put groceries away and clean out the freezer.  There's all kinds of moldy old crap in there.

Journey

"Finish your MITs, then take a nap!" - Leo Babauta

kromer 8:30 CI

Plan for the day:
Morning--work on senior thesis
Afternoon--cooking+chores+exercise
Evening--catch up on school work

Goals for senior thesis work:
*Try a new calculation based on curr. results (Done)
*Search lit. for factors that show up in calcs. (Done)
*Allow tf-tf connections
*Investigate connections to Stat factors in interactome
*Try all EGFR time points
*email PF (DONE), set up time for mtg (DONE) and prep mtg (Wait until tomorrow)
*Compare TF discovery to THEME alone and to w/out coregulators
*Try adding extra connections to graph

kromer 11:15 CI

OK, I'm making pretty good progress on my senior thesis, but I am losing focus.
I will work on this until 1, then switch to something else:
Slight change of plan:
I will try to finish all of the above except trying all EGFR time points and prepping mtg.
Then, I will look up instructions for writing thesis, and try to start an outline/write 1/2 page of my rough.
When I'm done with all that, I'll start my laundry, go out running, and then go to the grocery store.

UPDATE 1:00--Finished comparison to THEME and to job w/out coregulators
Added extra connections to graph
Started looking at connections to STATs

kromer 2 CI

Going very slowly, just finished looking at STAT adjacency and starting my laundry.
Haven't gotten a chance to start writing yet, but I'm going nuts, so I'll go out for a run/go shopping and then come back to working.

kromer 9:30 CI

OK, I ran, went shopping, put my laundry to dry, cooked for the house, and did my house chore for the week. Now it's time for real work...

Main task tonight: catch up on macroeconomics and Spanish. I'm going to:
*Read over 3 macro lecture notes (Done)
*Read over and start pset (Done)
*Order textbook (urg, I was meant to do this weeks ago) (Done)
*Do Spanish speaking exercises for chpt. 1 (Done)
*Email Spanish HW (Done)

Pebbles:
*Email about cooking (Done)/ask J (Done)
*Post food requests sheet (Done)
*Fold laundry (Done)
*Carry dishes downstairs and wipe off tables (Done)
*Check annotated bibliograpy due date (Done)
*Email A. (Done)

kromer 12:30 CO

A bit late, but I got through almost everything today! (all but starting the rough of my senior thesis) :)

pro's CI - 8:10am (love the thread starter!)

I love these imaginative thread starters people have been posting. Today's is great. I really appreciate them - they give me a smile when I check in for the first time and that's nice.

It's supposed to rain again today, but I still need to do laundry.

I've been thinking... I need to find some way to make carrying my laundry up and down the stairs easier. Maybe a different kind of cart? It's just too unpleasant. Maybe I'll go over to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and see if I can find a laundry basket with a top and wheels that weighs less than my cart.

Here's a possibility: Pop-up Hamper on Wheels

If carrying the laundry up and down the stairs wasn't so horrible, I wouldn't procrastinate so much on laundry.

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

Douglas Check In

Good morning all.

Today:
Worker: prepare for butt chewing
Husband: care for floors for M.
Son: Call Mother
Brother: check in with G, G and T

I am depressed today, because I chronically procrastinate meetings with people and am considered "undependable" by some who are important to me. Does it make any difference that I sometimes overcommit because I am a people person and don't want to disappoint?  I am not looking forward to today, because it seems life is coming apart at the seams. Pray for me please.

Douglas

Good luck at work Douglas

Hope things are okay at work for you. Seems I can take criticism okay (well, you know), but when posed with a question about why I've procrastinated, it just freaks me out. "Hell, I dn't know either!" It helps me if I don't make committments so much, or even ask advice from those above us on the ladder. (Gee, I have this and this and this today, and I'm not sure where to begin.) Sometimes that helps me.

Butt chewing

Hi Douglas,

Sounds awful!  Best of luck, and may you come out of it with your butt intact! 

If it's any comfort, I've been having some of the same thoughts.  It's important to me to be dependable & I don't feel good about myself if I let people down.

I guess the good news is that we care and that we're doing our best to work on improving.  Which at least puts us several miles ahead of people who just don't care about being dependable in the first place -- or don't care enough to face their own behavior and make changes.

As Elisaveth says, keep taking it one day at a time (10 minutes at a time if necessary!)  We'll be sending good vibes your way.

Falcon

hang in there

I have soooo been there. Remember, you only have to do it one day at a time.

e's Feb 28 ci

Good morning, all! Thank you for the thread starter, Falcon! Time to eat some frogs!

It is absolutely GORGEOUS here, with over a foot of snow on the ground, the city is paralyzed and it is my understanding that no one has seen it like this in Athens for over 40 years. I woke up early and piled into my winter clothes which I never get to wear, borrowed by son's boots and drove up the hill to the college with my husband. There was no traffic and the palm and orange trees were piled with snow, along with the pines. I want to take all this energy I get from this weather and put it to good use!

Worker: BOT and AAICU boxes, package up extra publications, abstract....

Mother: deal with UMASS, get cooperation on chores,

Wife: take a walk with G, 4th step

homemaker: wash the kitchen floor, scrub the tub, cook chicken, cook up lentils with sausage

daughter/sister/aunt: send I. the stuff for her trip, write emails

addict: stay in the moment, work this program, plan and weigh food, instant boss, big book, pray, abstain from sugar and alcohol just for today

student: write dreaded email to advisor

Falcon for Mon. - feelin' dumb

Hi all,

Thinking ahead for tomorrow.  Some stuff I need to do. . .

  • Check laundry situation & run some loads
  • Finish letter to S.
  • Call J.
  • Write note to either L or M&G
  • Get groceries
  • Make lunches
  • Clear out home email inbox

Kinda dreading clearing out the email inbox because there's some old stuff in there.  And one message from today that I haven't read yet, but from the subject line it's my landlady asking if I've mailed my rent check. 

I have, but I mailed it late, and that's the second time in the last few months I've done that.  Not cause I didn't have the money, just cause I was - you guessed it! - procrastinating and let myself get behind.  I don't like being unreliable like that, especially since I don't have any good excuse, and it makes me feel dumb.

Hopefully a good incentive to get the thing in the mail on time next month.

Falcon

Falcon CI - time for hack

I am just so-o-o not motivated at the moment.  Time for a (10+2)*5 procrastination hack to get me going.  Here, for those not familiar with it: http://www.43folders.com/2005/10/11/procrastination-hack-1025 

(Btw, is there a better way to put links in messages that I don't know about?)

To work on in 10-minute bits:  laundry, email, The Pile.

Found an online timer, got some high-test tea brewing.  On yer mark, get set. . . go!

Falcon

Falcon CI - love that hack

Well, that helped!  I've gotten a good start on the laundry, the email, and even The Pile.  (Gad, I hate paperwork -- even 10 minutes seems like a lot.)  And I bought something I wanted online during the breaks.

Just had some lunch & now it's back to work for another round of (10+2)*5, working on the same three tasks.

Falcon

Falcon's a snoozehead

I got through the first two rounds of my (10+12)*5 hack, then conked out & took a nap.  But my afternoon fatigue does finally seem to be lessening, so it was a shorter nap than I took the last two days.

And I finally called & left a message for J, which I've been putting off since time immemorial.

Back to the last (10+2)*3!  Email, The Pile and laundry.

Falcon

Falcon - running out of steam

The Pile is now sorted into manageable little heaps.  I finally talked with L on the phone, and the laundry is done (I didn't say "folded", I said "done.")  Wink

Now I'm not sure if I have the umph to go get groceries, but I'd really like to get that done tonight.  I'll eat some dinner & see if I can haul myself out afterward -- at least at night the store is usually quiet.

Falcon