Thursday, October 16, 2008

I am not rocking the 'tober.

Question: So, how hard was my Rocktober fest pledge?

Answer: Not very.

Have I actually done anything resembling taking 20 minutes a day every day away from the computer/dog/cat/husband/phone? No.

On the day I took the pledge, I decided to go for a walk by myself to take in the changing leaves. But then Argo started getting all excited when I went for my shoes and I just didn't have the heart to tell him he wasn't invited, so I took him with me and the walk was all about trying to keep him from licking trees and fire hydrants.

For several days, I forgot about my pledge completely.

On Monday, I sat down and played guitar - something I haven't done in years - and thought, okay, this is what I will do with my Rocktober pledge. It's concrete. It's not just this amorphous, I'll spend time with me thing. I'll spend time playing guitar. I'll learn a few more chords. Side note, I'm not good, and I never have been. I know about 4 chords total. It even appealed to my practical side, because I convinced myself that it was research for my folk singer project. I mean, my MC plays the guitar, so maybe if I get back to playing, it will enhance my writing. I got all excited about the new plan.

Then, I promptly forgot all about Rocktoberfest again until just now.

FAIL.

Why is it that I can't do things for me? Does anyone else have this problem?

And yes, I realize in the time I took to write this post, I could have been playing guitar.

6 comments:

shelleycoughlin said...

I guess blogging time is for you, too. Does that help? I think a long fall walk is in the cards for this afternoon and I wish I had a dog to bring along with me!

Mickey said...

I do not have that problem. Actually, my problem is probably that it's all about me, everyday. I need to get outside myself.

Anonymous said...

I've heard you play guitar...and you are good. So keep it up.

The Modern Gal said...

Awww, Rocktoberfest is more about the attitude than what you actually do to celebrate. Your success with the eighth graders was pure Rocktoberfestedness.

I'm with Mickey, though. I have the exact opposite problem.

Melissa said...

Personally, I wish I would do yoga daily - I feel so good after I do it, but I often 'don't feel like it' or I'm busy with something else or I totally forget! Ugh.

Maybe you just need to 'reframe' what doing things for yourself means or what 20 minutes means? Maybe during that cup of coffee - you can float away for a minute - and during a shower - you can float away for 2 minutes...in the end it all adds up to that time frame you placed? That is until you get into the habit you'd like to get into...20 full minutes doing 'blah.'

Be gentle with you - some people can change on a dime, but for the rest of us it always takes more time to change the way we live than we think or wish.

I also agree with 'the modern gal' - you totally rocked those 8th graders! Not many can say that!!

~Yay You~
Melissa

Allie said...

You guys are awesome! I think maybe I need to re-examine what I consider me time. And maybe realize that beating myself up over the lack of me time is probably counter-productive.