[Harriet]

So, I’ve tried a lot of things and tried to develop habits. Sometimes it seems like none of my attempts have worked. But the fatigue is somewhat under control at the moment (for reasons I don’t even understand—maybe the pacing and improvements in sleep?), I currently have nothing much in the way of depression, and I have also created some breathing space for myself by limiting my internet use.

 

I seem to have trouble creating (good) habits. The usual recommendation is to start with small steps, but for me this is not rewarding enough to be reinforcing. And because I am mostly out of work, the sheer amount of time I have to fill is overwhelming and encourages bad habits. So I want to try a routine that is designed to create larger blocks in which I can accomplish flow states, which is also what Hari recommended as the antidote to distraction addiction in his book Stolen Focus.

 

Recently, apart from a few days off, I’ve been doing two hours of art per day. I have experienced flow states, and it’s most definitely the direction I want to be going in. I want to add two hours of writing in the afternoons, which are otherwise empty. I’ve also filled in the rest of the schedule with things like journalling, meditation, meal planning and grocery shopping, gym, chores, etc. It should stay flexible—I may be required to do other things. But I should try not to take off more than one day in a row, because when you put two indolent days together, they breed with ironic industry and birth resistance, distraction, fear, and further indolence.

 

Lastly, I am feeling humiliated by my terrible German listening skills, which for some reason didn’t improve as much as I wanted just by reading German (?!?). So I’m going to listen to something German (podcast, audiobook) in the afternoon for 30-60 minutes. Knitting encouraged.

!!!WARPLAN!!!

• Art (10am-12pm)
• Writing (2-4pm)
• Doitsh (4-5pm)

 

 

Have at thee!!!!!

 

[Gemma]

31 minutes ago, Harriet said:

 

Lastly, I am feeling humiliated by my terrible German listening skills, which for some reason didn’t improve as much as I wanted just by reading German (?!?). So I’m going to listen to something German (podcast, audiobook) in the afternoon for 30-60 minutes. Knitting encouraged.

!!!WARPLAN!!!

• Art (10am-12pm)
• Writing (2-4pm)
• Doitsh (4-5pm)

 

 

I tried for far to long to learn Welsh by reading Welsh. Now I'm trying something different - including listening to Radio Cymru in the background when I'm doing cleaning or admin tasks. Love to hear how your plan works out for you! 

 

Knitting always encouraged  says the determined crocheter. Still, though, fiber arts for the win!  In some future challenge period, I want to attempt nålbinding, which seems to be an ancient and relatively simple precursor to both knits and crochets from the time of the Vikings. 

 

I have had similar trouble with the 'small steps' approach. I like this campaign plan! 

 

[Mad Hatter]

[sarakingdom]

2 hours ago, Harriet said:

But the fatigue is somewhat under control at the moment (for reasons I don’t even understand—maybe the pacing and improvements in sleep?)

 

See, you do understand the reasons.

 

2 hours ago, Harriet said:

Recently, apart from a few days off, I’ve been doing two hours of art per day. I have experienced flow states, and it’s most definitely the direction I want to be going in.

 

This is sort of tempting. I have shorter work/break units, largely because it's very cognitively demanding work, and I can't do a solid two hours. But it would be interesting to experiment with things like art that I can do for two hours. There's just so much to do.

[fearless 2.0]

welcome back possum!!!  

I am very curious about the flow states  too and have planned to do NANOWRIMO AGAIN!!!! just to see whether I can get back into a writing flow. Following! you have my sword!  

[Harriet]

23 hours ago, Gemma said:

 

I tried for far to long to learn Welsh by reading Welsh. Now I'm trying something different - including listening to Radio Cymru in the background when I'm doing cleaning or admin tasks. Love to hear how your plan works out for you! 

 

Sweet! That sounds awesome.

 

23 hours ago, Gemma said:

Knitting always encouraged  says the determined crocheter. Still, though, fiber arts for the win!  In some future challenge period, I want to attempt nålbinding, which seems to be an ancient and relatively simple precursor to both knits and crochets from the time of the Vikings.

 

Oh my! VIKING FIBRE ARTS??? I want them ❤️ Although from the pictures it looks a bit more similar to corchet. Hard to learn a second thing and be a beginner again once you've worked up to a decent speed in one skill.

 

21 hours ago, sarakingdom said:

See, you do understand the reasons.

 

Well, I dunno. I'm imposing an interpretation on the chaos. Who knows though.

 

21 hours ago, sarakingdom said:

This is sort of tempting. I have shorter work/break units, largely because it's very cognitively demanding work, and I can't do a solid two hours. But it would be interesting to experiment with things like art that I can do for two hours. There's just so much to do.

 

Ah, I actually also have shorter blocks of 40-50 minutes, of which not all is flow state. When I say two hours I mean in two blocks. And then there's tea, starting, faffing about, fixing device parameters, etc.

 

4 hours ago, fearless 2.0 said:

welcome back possum!!!  

I am very curious about the flow states  too and have planned to do NANOWRIMO AGAIN!!!! just to see whether I can get back into a writing flow.

 

Yessss enjoy some literary flowwwww!

 

4 hours ago, fearless 2.0 said:

you have my sword!  

I am ermutigt, filled with mut. ❤️

[Harriet]

Art: done

Writing: done

German: done

 

Feeling all right. I forgot my planned meditation, but did some chores.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Glad you are feeling better. May many flowstates be in your future.

[juliebarkley]

7 hours ago, Harriet said:

Oh my! VIKING FIBRE ARTS??? I want them ❤️ Although from the pictures it looks a bit more similar to corchet. Hard to learn a second thing and be a beginner again once you've worked up to a decent speed in one skill.

It's not all that much like either knitting or crochet. It's freeform like crochet, but doesn't unravel. It's sturdy and stretchy and good for using up random bits of yarn (it uses long pieces). If you have a tapestry needle (and I know you do) you already have everything you need. Keep it in your back pocket for when you want to dabble in something new.

[Harriet]

23 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Glad you are feeling better. May many flowstates be in your future.

 

Thank you! The state flows ever on and on, down from the door where it began.

 

16 hours ago, juliebarkley said:

It's not all that much like either knitting or crochet. It's freeform like crochet, but doesn't unravel. It's sturdy and stretchy and good for using up random bits of yarn (it uses long pieces). If you have a tapestry needle (and I know you do) you already have everything you need. Keep it in your back pocket for when you want to dabble in something new.

 

You know I do. We all do. Well, it sounds groovy! I will look for a video. 🙂

[Harriet]

Slept terribly. So alert. I wonder if it was the ginseng, or the seven cups of tea?

BUT today was fine anyway. 2 blocks of art, 2 blocks of writing, half an hour of German listening, some chores, grocery shopping. And I rang and made an appointment with the vet, with less anxiety and hesitation than usual.

[fearless 2.0]

54 minutes ago, Harriet said:

Slept terribly. So alert. I wonder if it was the ginseng, or the seven cups of tea?

BUT today was fine anyway. 2 blocks of art, 2 blocks of writing, half an hour of German listening, some chores, grocery shopping. And I rang and made an appointment with the vet, with less anxiety and hesitation than usual.

thats awesome, Harriet! More power to you!!!!!  

apart from the lousy sleep of course. Hope tonight brings healthy zzzZZZZZs!

[Scaly Freak]

5 hours ago, Harriet said:

 

You know I do. We all do. Well, it sounds groovy! I will look for a video. 🙂

 

 

https://youtu.be/NMbCEQ9xQg4

 

https://youtu.be/t8uFYmnXh5Q

 

https://youtu.be/Yj7ypEO3Wwc

 

All three describe themselves as beginner videos, but have a slightly different approach t how t do the stich, and which specific stich they are doing (there are a couple different ones).  Good luck  

[Mad Hatter]

Your commitment to the art learning is awesome.

[Harriet]

23 hours ago, fearless 2.0 said:

thats awesome, Harriet! More power to you!!!!!  

apart from the lousy sleep of course. Hope tonight brings healthy zzzZZZZZs!

 

Thanks, Fearless! I slept well.

 

18 hours ago, Scaly Freak said:

 

 

https://youtu.be/NMbCEQ9xQg4

 

https://youtu.be/t8uFYmnXh5Q

 

https://youtu.be/Yj7ypEO3Wwc

 

All three describe themselves as beginner videos, but have a slightly different approach t how t do the stich, and which specific stich they are doing (there are a couple different ones).  Good luck  

Nice, thank you! Do you or have you done nälbinden? (I don't have a circle for the A, sorry)
 

9 hours ago, Mad Hatter said:

Your commitment to the art learning is awesome.

 

I'm enjoying the process, but maybe I'll learn something on the way lol.

[Harriet]

Did 2 blocks art, 1 block writing, and haven't done my German yet. Everything was compressed because I got up late and spent time working on something else--some measurements and stuff for the Munich house and furniture. I'll do some German listening now, though.

[Harriet]

Ah, spit splicing. I am guessing this works best with woollen spun yarns.

[Salinger]

Just seen your challenge, and of course i am here ❤️ 

love to you xx

[Scaly Freak]

3 hours ago, Harriet said:

Nice, thank you! Do you or have you done nälbinden? (I don't have a circle for the A, sorry)

 

I attempted to learn , but at the time I didn't have the patience for it. I saved the videos in case that changes in the future.

[fearless 2.0]

how do you feel about leaving Berlin???

yay for all the writing and arting!  

[Harriet]

21 hours ago, Salinger said:

Just seen your challenge, and of course i am here ❤️ 

love to you xx

 

Welcome to the war, my dear, and thank you for coming! ❤️

 

18 hours ago, Scaly Freak said:

I attempted to learn , but at the time I didn't have the patience for it. I saved the videos in case that changes in the future.

 

It takes a fair bit of practice to get really quick with knitting, I know that, and in the meantime there is impatience. I am sure the same is true of Naalbinding.

 

6 hours ago, fearless 2.0 said:

how do you feel about leaving Berlin???

 

Well on the one hand my brother and friend are here. On the other hand, I don't see my friend often and I don't know where my brother is going to end up long term. On the plus side, I think by the time we're finished it will be a really nice house and it should be easy to get around on Munich's excellent train system. My brother will visit, I am sure. Anyway, I wouldn't have chosen it myself, as I'm happy here. But I'm happy enough going there, too.

 

6 hours ago, fearless 2.0 said:

yay for all the writing and arting!  

Yay!

[Harriet]

I did two blocks of art, two of writing, and half an hour of German, as well as groceries, a walk, and stuff. My second writing block was a little short as I lost time talking to my brother on the phone. Amazing how sparse my schedule is and how the day nevertheless fills up.

I am really starting to enjoy the art process; getting lost in details and work, the skillful yet soothing repetitive action, not worrying about anything. The only other thing that can capture my attention so fully is jigsaws, and I've been doing them online in the evenings. All this effortless focus feels wonderful, the opposite of the painful time spent on the internet, whereby I am listless yet agitated, scattered and dissatisfied, bored yet addicted.

Also, I'm too busy to snack as excessively as usual. Have I found the KEY TO EVERYTHING? Or is this a manic period of overstretch before a slug phase that will strike me lower than ever and last centuries? Ah, time holds the secret and only time shall reveal it.

[Silmarilliane]

On 9/10/2022 at 5:34 PM, Harriet said:

when you put two indolent days together, they breed with ironic industry and birth resistance, distraction, fear, and further indolence

 

This is an incredible quote 

 

On 9/10/2022 at 5:34 PM, Harriet said:

Lastly, I am feeling humiliated by my terrible German listening skills, which for some reason didn’t improve as much as I wanted just by reading German (?!?). So I’m going to listen to something German (podcast, audiobook) in the afternoon for 30-60 minutes. Knitting encouraged.

 

Audiobook is a great idea - I've been doing German duolingo for years, and recently French, but definitely could improve my conversational listening for sure. Might see what Spotify has to offer...

 

On 9/12/2022 at 1:21 AM, juliebarkley said:

Keep it in your back pocket for when you want to dabble in something new.

 

Investigating this...

 

On 9/13/2022 at 9:23 PM, Scaly Freak said:

I saved the videos in case that changes in the future.

 

Thanks! Saving also!

 

5 hours ago, Harriet said:

I lost time talking to my brother on the phone

 

I think this is a good loss of time though, and you'll make back the writing.

Glad your 'programme' is working out - I also do crochet and video games to keep my hands occupied so they avoid the snacks!

[Scaly Freak]

5 hours ago, Harriet said:

My second writing block was a little short as I lost time talking to my brother on the phone. Amazing how sparse my schedule is and how the day nevertheless fills up.

 

That wasn't lost time. That was time invested in your relationship with your brother.

[Harriet]

Very, very tired. Fear another sinus infection. Did my two hours of art, but then skipped reading writing and German and slept instead.