[MaeradCase]

21 minutes ago, sarakingdom said:

*nudges Hogfather in your direction*

 

*also nudges over Going Postal while no one is looking*

[Everstorm]

Not sure if I have the period quite correct, but I immediately thought of the classic Allister Sims Christmas Carol, where they are always talking about Christmas punch.  Google informs me that this is made with rum, red wine, and hot tea with citrus fruit, so there you are 😊

[Sovalis]

I'm about to start my annual reading of Hogfather and this thread just makes me want to get to it a few days early. 😁 And have something delicious to drink while I do. 

[sarakingdom]

2 hours ago, Everstorm said:

Not sure if I have the period quite correct, but I immediately thought of the classic Allister Sims Christmas Carol, where they are always talking about Christmas punch.  Google informs me that this is made with rum, red wine, and hot tea with citrus fruit, so there you are 😊

 

The time period is consciously anachronistic, so it's hard to go wrong! I will make a note to pick up some rum if I can't find any.

 

I'm gonna need to find more people to drink with. I was gonna be Christmassing alone this year, but this booze haul is going to require at least one other drinker.

[sarakingdom]

18 minutes ago, Sovalis said:

I'm about to start my annual reading of Hogfather and this thread just makes me want to get to it a few days early. 😁 And have something delicious to drink while I do. 

 

I believe drinking is required. At the very least some hot chocolate. Also pies. Or a turnip.

 

I need to schedule my viewing of the TV version.

[sarakingdom]

Note to self: Julie's Tiny Habits challenge reminds me, I need to bring back those dopamine increments I used to do. And also remember how.

[sarakingdom]

Week 0 Day 2

 

Day	Plans	Hogswatch Cheer	🎄
M28	Done	Done
T29	Wrap early gifts Schedule Doctor Who Xmas specials Fix Christmas lights Redo work schedule	Xmas movie Warm socks next to the bed
W30	Online zendo hours Get dates for events Redo work schedule Garden job	Xmas movie
Th1	Winter clothes Start all the yule logs	Xmas movie
F2	Get out lights	Xmas movie
S3	12/5 prep	Xmas movie
Su4	Seasonal baking	Restock the hot cocoa stash Xmas movie

 

Day	Naughty 💀	Nice 🎁
M28	Irresponsible sleep choices Slow day (probably cuz tired) Skipped workout Skipped meditation	Hot cocoa Virtual fireplace Make list of presents Make a bar list Order more presents 1 Digital job 1 Xmas movie Order more presents 2 Garden task Digital job 2	🎁 🎁 🎁 🎁 🎁 🎁
T29
W30
Th1
F2
S3
Su4

 

Yesterday was net six niceness. This is a slight exaggeration of how useful I was, but I did a lot of seasonal things, and they needed to be done quickly.

 

I'm not in the mood for the big project of the day, but I will proceed on a secondary project, on the premise that doing a project will get my brain going for the project.

[Mistr]

I like your seasonal format for the challenge.

 

I agree that rum is a good alternative to brandy. Bourbon might be nice, but I don't know how traditional that is depending on where you are.

 

Is Christmassing alone a nice thing this year?

[sarakingdom]

1 hour ago, Mistr said:

Is Christmassing alone a nice thing this year?

 

I think it is. I could use a vacation from togetherness, and it's easier to do some habit experimentation without extra schedule pressure from other people's schedules. (I'm also choosing not to view it as "alone", but as "focusing on my international and virtual networks". Which is on my list to do, because I need some things local networking cannot provide.) So it's an opportunity, and it is more restful. I'm figuring out some discreet periods of holiday socializing, and that will likely fit the bill. I do enjoy that sort of thing, too, but a hibernation period isn't unwelcome.

[sarakingdom]

Week 0 Day 3

 

Day	Plans	Hogswatch Cheer	🎄
M28	Done	Done
T29	Done	Done
W30	Garden job Wrap early gifts	Xmas movie Warm socks next to the bed
Th1	Winter clothes Start all the yule logs Fix Christmas lights Redo work schedule	Xmas movie
F2	Get out lights More redoing work schedule	Xmas movie
S3	12/5 prep	Xmas movie
Su4	Seasonal baking	Restock the hot cocoa stash Xmas movie

 

Day	Naughty 💀	Nice 🎁
M28	Irresponsible sleep choices Slow day (probably cuz tired) Skipped workout Skipped meditation	Hot cocoa Virtual fireplace Make list of presents Make a bar list Order more presents 1 Digital job 1 Xmas movie Order more presents 2 Garden task Digital job 2	🎁 🎁 🎁 🎁 🎁 🎁
T29	Did not wrap the gifts Did not do all the big tasks Skipped workout to work more Skipped meditation to work more Bonus demerit because these make me cranky Bonus demerit because these were more important	Xmas movie Virtual fireplace Schedule Doctor Who Xmas specials Online zendo hours Get dates for events Hydrated
W30	Slow day cuz tired Some crankiness	Did a brain task that brings a little order Hot cocoa Meditation for urgent brain rest Virtual fireplace Rested for urgent brain rest Got jobs back on track with short rounds of progress
Th1
F2
S3
Su4

 

I'm in a vicious cycle of bad sleep decisions and bad work decisions this week, and it's catching up to me. I'm cranky and I'm cold, so I'm going to go put on cozier clothes, drink cocoa, and do some administrative work.

 

 

Spoiler

I'm occasionally getting little hints of being overwhelmed by everything I'm trying to manage right now. Unfortunately, I think the way out is through - the fix is simply getting more stuff under control, because it will not be less overwhelming till it's  actually done, and I just need to support that process. This is probably the motivation for Hibernation Hogswatch - put more structure in place for that, and so strongly that it hopefully builds better reserves. I'm just at a stage where it mostly all just looks like a lot of doing more, even the stuff that's going to make it easier in the long run.

 

(Do I need an hour of meditation a day? No. Do I want an hour of meditation a day? Also no. Do I want a little more structure and regular periods of brain rest, and are there hints that more time spent will increase the benefits? Yes, yes, and yes.)

 

In essence, this is probably a mindset problem. It's perfectionism, when I should be focusing on just doing good enough work. It's critiquing the results when I should be thinking about starting. Less end product focus, more process focus. My job is just to do the work. There will be iterations, I do not need to find the optimal path to "done", and probably there is not a done. (It's not a wholly illogical mindset problem. There is definitely an issue with ADHD putting holes in the reliability of my project and information management, and with untested processes, and my perception of the passage of time is so bad that I don't perceive any difference in the amount of time passing between yesterday and July, they're both yesterday-today. So I get why my brain is freaking out about a results focus.)

 

So, yes. I am cranky. Definitely feeling overwhelmed. And it is time for cozier clothes and hot cocoa. We do process and support structures in this house, young lady.

[KB Girl]

57 minutes ago, sarakingdom said:

Unfortunately, I think the way out is through - the fix is simply getting more stuff under control, because it will not be less overwhelming till it's  actually done, and I just need to support that process.

I feel you on this one. It could maybe help to start with bringing little things under your control to help with the overwhelm? Just something to give you a bit of hope that things will in fact get back to a manageable level. 

[sarakingdom]

Week 0 Day 4

 

Day	Plans	Hogswatch Cheer	🎄
M28	Done	Done
T29	Done	Done
W30	Done	Done
Th1	Fix Christmas lights Redo work schedule wrap more gifts	Xmas movie Warm socks next to the bed
F2	Get out lights More redoing work schedule Garden job	Xmas movie
S3	12/5 prep Start all the yule logs Winter clothes	Xmas movie
Su4	Seasonal baking	Restock the hot cocoa stash Xmas movie

 

Day	Naughty 💀	Nice 🎁
M28	Irresponsible sleep choices Slow day (probably cuz tired) Skipped workout Skipped meditation	Hot cocoa Virtual fireplace Make list of presents Make a bar list Order more presents 1 Digital job 1 Xmas movie Order more presents 2 Garden task Digital job 2	🎁 🎁 🎁 🎁 🎁 🎁
T29	Did not wrap the gifts Did not do all the big tasks Skipped workout to work more Skipped meditation to work more Bonus demerit because these make me cranky Bonus demerit because these were more important	Xmas movie Virtual fireplace Schedule Doctor Who Xmas specials Online zendo hours Get dates for events Hydrated
W30	Slow day cuz tired Some crankiness Skipped workout to work Skipped meditation to work Then failed to work Bad sleep choices	Did a brain task that brings a little order Hot cocoa Meditation for urgent brain rest Virtual fireplace Rested for urgent brain rest Got jobs back on track with short rounds of progress Wrap early gifts	🎁
Th1
F2
S3
Su4

 

Sleep is definitely becoming a thing. This is partly because I'm too tired to make good sleep choices (oh, the irony), and partly because I'm working too late. And also my low hydration isn't helping.

 

So I will try to make more hydration happen, and sprint my way through some jobs, and try to end earlier tonight. But remind me to actually sleep tonight, and not treat it like another work period, guys.

[Everstorm]

11 minutes ago, sarakingdom said:

But remind me to actually sleep tonight, and not treat it like another work period, guys.

For some reason,  this request made me think of the lullaby "Stay Awake" from Mary Poppins.  🤭

[Harriet]

If the only way through all the things is through all the things, then I wish you stamina for the path through all the things. And sleep.

[KB Girl]

1 hour ago, sarakingdom said:

This is partly because I'm too tired to make good sleep choices (oh, the irony)

Yeah. This irony sucks. 

[Mistr]

My sympathy on being tired and overwhelmed. Such familiar territory.

 

I had a sleep fail on Wednesday night, so I had a decaf mocha at work yesterday. That helped tremendously to improve my mood and keep me on task. Hot chocolatey drinks are the best.

 

I have been experimenting with lighter versions of hot drinks. While I love hot chocolate and eggnog, they do not fit my calorie goals. I have a decaf chocolate hazelnut tea from Stash that works well with a little bit of oat creamer. Not as rich as hot chocolate, but like a cousin of it. I also picked up some English toffee drink syrup that is a nice addition to tea or coffee. 

[Sovalis]

15 minutes ago, Mistr said:

I have been experimenting with lighter versions of hot drinks. While I love hot chocolate and eggnog, they do not fit my calorie goals. I have a decaf chocolate hazelnut tea from Stash that works well with a little bit of oat creamer. Not as rich as hot chocolate, but like a cousin of it. I also picked up some English toffee drink syrup that is a nice addition to tea or coffee. 

I’ve been doing this as well. I am currently mainlining lattes using a sugar free Almond Roca flavoured syrup. Tea has been the Sweet Wild Orange bagged tea by Tazo which I really love. Hot chocolate is delightful but I usually make mine with cream or cream liquor so I am trying to scale that back. I am also very enamoured of apple cider in the winter, but haven’t discovered a sugar free option for that yet so I am trying to not drink too much of it. It’s so hard, though as it’s  easily my favourite hot beverage. Not too sweet, faintly spiced delight! Your chocolate hazelnut tea sounds lovely, I will have to look for that. I think we get Stash teas up here.  

[sarakingdom]

 

[Mistr]

5 hours ago, Sovalis said:

I’ve been doing this as well. I am currently mainlining lattes using a sugar free Almond Roca flavoured syrup. Tea has been the Sweet Wild Orange bagged tea by Tazo which I really love. Hot chocolate is delightful but I usually make mine with cream or cream liquor so I am trying to scale that back. I am also very enamoured of apple cider in the winter, but haven’t discovered a sugar free option for that yet so I am trying to not drink too much of it. It’s so hard, though as it’s  easily my favourite hot beverage. Not too sweet, faintly spiced delight! Your chocolate hazelnut tea sounds lovely, I will have to look for that. I think we get Stash teas up here.  

 

I like the Tazo Wild Sweet Orange too. My other happy discovery is that Bengal Spice tea (from Celestial Seasonings) makes a great chai latte with the addition of almond creamer. My favorite winter tea is Peppermint Bark from Bigelow. That one is seasonal. It shows up in my grocery store for two weeks in December, then disappears. I try to buy several boxes when I can.

[Scaly Freak]

10 hours ago, Mistr said:

My sympathy on being tired and overwhelmed. Such familiar territory.

 

Give how common this seems to be, I'm starting to think it's a seasonal thing...

[sarakingdom]

Week 0 Day 7

 

The corridors of the Patrician's palace were chilly this time of year, particularly the ones with windows to the outside. Vetinari was, unusually in the history of rulers of Ankh-Morpork, actually keen on civic fiscal responsibility, and not in the sense that some of his predecessors were, which largely involved hauling merchants and community leaders into the palace and shaking them upside-down till the coins fell out of their pockets. While he was known to enjoy a good tax now and then, he generally took the Hogswatch morning approach to them, and enjoyed the surprise of opening his coffers the morning after tax day to discover what was inside. (While, at the same time, being capable of writing a very convincing note of demand to the city hogfathers about their seasonal giving duties, and expressing his ability to become very naughty indeed if the city stocking was not filled.)

 

This approach would, for most city rulers, present a certain challenge in the area of paying for things (at least, for those few rulers in the habit of actually paying for things), but, most unusually, Vetinari was known to practice a degree of budgeting hitherto unknown in the palace, which is to say that he knew how much money he had, how much he spent, and precisely where and how it was spent. Or, more accurately, he employed people to do these things for him. He was even known to practice a certain amount of economy, and, indeed, personal abstemiousness. This was widely regarded as so perverse in a patrician that it might as well be a vice.

 

Thus the coal was rationed, and a palace that leaned towards chilly at best became "see your own breath" cold in December. The inkwells in the Oblong Office were known to develop a skin of ice overnight. The clerks' offices, fortunately, were somewhat better supplied, and outfitted with heavy iron stoves that radiated the heat better than the traditional fireplaces. These could, with care, be kept fed on the weekly coal ration such that the clerks only rarely required overcoats and might be satisfied with fingerless gloves outside of severe cold snaps.

 

It was due to the cold that Sara was rushing back from the documents office, and looking at her hands as she blew warm air and rubbed them together, rather than watching where she was going. And thus it was due to the cold that she collided with Rufus Drumknott, personal secretary to the patrician, and, as they both bent down to pick up their papers, heard the Patrician say, "Ah, Miss Kingdom, in rather a hurry, I see. How fortunate that this is, how do they put it these days, 'zero week'. Can you imagine if it were not?"

 

She could, and, for just a moment, did, before her subconscious screeched to a halt and did a u-turn.

 

Vetinari smiled gently. "Indeed," he said. "Now, do not let me detain you."

 

She did not.

 

[sarakingdom]

Week 0 Day 7 pt. 2

 

My sleep deficit is reaching red alert levels. This is a combination of bad sleep choices, being too tired to make good sleep choices, not eating enough, poor hydration, and possibly a work schedule problem, though that might also be being too tired. I have also not done a workout or meditation all week. 💀

 

Amnestying tracking for however many days, to focus on setting up next week.

 

I shall focus on just a few things.

1. One last present wrapping pass
2. One digital job
3. A couple of small jobs
4. Fix hydration
5. Redo grocery order

The one good thing about this is that I was considering a couple of days of non-macro-compliant meals, and I think I'm talking myself out of that. I am in hibernation, I need a supply of healthy vitamins and minerals and so on, to support my cocoon of regeneration. I will go redo my grocery order.

[sarakingdom]

Week 0 Day 7 pt. 3

 

I have redone my grocery order. It now contains only one seasonal thing that does not fit my macros, although I admit it does contain some macro-fitting ingredients that I will likely use for a single macro-noncompliant meal. This is better, though. This is officially Making Good Choices. One modest and mindfully-chosen off-plan meal is not a bad choice. And there will be lots of veggies.

 

The next action list:

• Make a snack
• Make a meal plan list
• Weekly review and prep session
• Make a new work and play schedule
• Make a December task master list

[Mad Hatter]

17 hours ago, sarakingdom said:

This is officially Making Good Choices.

Very impressive considering near red alert!

[sarakingdom]

4 hours ago, Mad Hatter said:

Very impressive considering near red alert!

 

Yeah, I've been really impaired by sleep this week, so it was good planning skills, considering. And a wise choice, because I very, very quickly tired of that stuff, and would have been stuck with a bunch of food that didn't make me feel good and wasn't great for me. I suspect it was largely lack of sleep and undereating nudging me to crave fast carby energy, because it's pretty rare for me. One meal and a teensy bit of extra chocolate hanging around, whatever, it's basically done.

 

These days I'm sort of into celebrating imperfection as a win, because it's arguably a better teaching tool than perfection. Also, the rewards of perfection are obvious - it's incentivizing good recoveries rather than punishing them the same as total failures that's more of a skill. (That's a very meditation mindset, come to think of it. The failures are there to help you train recovering from failures.)