So, I’ve been struggling with something for a week now. Our family took a weekend trip to the beach 2 weekends back, and Jaime and began listening to an audio book. In many ways this book and one of the authors stress for routine inspired my year-long blog goal. The book also raised the topic of multitasking. In short, the position was that multitasking is impossible. The only real illusion of multitasking is task-switching.

Ok, this proposition honestly made me feel better about myself… at first. After a week of mulling the idea over, it began to eat at me a bit, but never too much. An idea in the back of my mind of a skill that would be always out of reach was something that I knew I would be working on fully resolving. To a certain degree, it was a topic that put aside as soon as this blog was officially re-started. I could not help but see this notion come full-circle for me when I changed my morning routine a bit today.

Until now, shaving has not been incorporated in my new morning routine. I am blessed with facial hair that does not quite need a daily shave, but needed attention today. As I began working my way through bathroom tasks, it began to make sense. Breaking down tasks into bite-size pieces so that many things can be achieved in the shortest possible time. At times, I am frustrated with my execution of my bathroom tasks. Why didn’t I remember to put cold water on my toothbrush so that I could be brushing while my shaving brush is soaking? I just have a hard time brushing with warm water… So, efficiency (especially on days that I have 6:00 am meetings) is key. To be truly efficient you must always be moving, working, and have a plan for what task is next in line.

The only true multitasking I can hope to master would be idea creation, while doing a meanial task. For instance, this topic and a certain level of it’s development was done while shaving. We must expect that while walking, running, shaving, showering, or another “auto-pilot” task, we can craft something. However, for that something to really become tangible, you must sit down and create.

It takes 21 days to solidify a new habit. We looked to Google to be sure, but all agreed. This was the first goal for those of us comparing our various aspirations for the new year at work yesterday.

This milestone seemed to be very achievable, especially after very successful weekend for our family. My bride found a yoga class within reach of the house, and attended her first class early Saturday. I met a great contact for hunting and fishing near the beach (one of my goals since our move to NC). We visited UNC and found what seems to be a great music program for the kids. Overall, things were really clicking for us, and we were laying the groundwork for some serious good habits.

Monday morning was great. Got to work early, and started humming right along. Tasks stood no chance as I kept mowing them over. It felt great to have my first accomplishments out of the way ahead of my drive to work. Last meeting of the day was at 3:00, and we were finalizing our prep when the phone rang. It was Dearol Ma. It rang a second time, then an emergency text.

Turns out we were in for another environmental challenge. We have had several since our move to the South. Our latest challenge… is lice.

I remember lice inspections as an elementary student in Colorado, but until now they were as real to me as the Sasquatch. For those of you in the high desert, they are real. Not Sasquatch, Lice.

Another learning opportunity, I guess. I didn’t know you could use a $20 bill in the change machine at the laundromat… It will continue to be work as we roll through all the cleaning laundry, haircuts, etc., but most of all, it will be work maintaining good habits in the midst of conflict. I’m playing for 21, and there’s a great blackjack reference in there, but I’m out of time.

Here we go-

DoD

My third day into this journey, and I can honestly say that I have not made a habit out of this yet.

I want so much to develop the thoughts on my 15% from yesterday, but did not allow enough time for note taking between posts. Good lesson learned, but what do I write about today?

My first two days went like this:

Day 1: establish a new goal, and hit the ground running (weekend day)

Day 2: get up early, and get inspiration after stretch and shower (another weekend day)

Day 3: today – rise early (on a weekday now), stretch, shower while thinking about 100 different things to write about, and can’t help but keep looking at the clock and wondering “…can I keep this up and have something meaningful to say in the small time I am devoting to writing/posting?” This all as my professional to-do list keeps flashing in my mind the most important things to get done before 10:00 am and beyond.

My most positive thought as I was stretching and showering this morning was the fact that I have set aside this time to do something that is really for no one else but me in that moment. This is a time nobody is depending on me (or paying me) to do something, and I can use the human gift of thought and inspiration that could be given by nothing other than a caring Father. In the big bicture, this small something will make me better for those around me the rest of the day. You’re welcome :).

Ramblings of day 3 are coming to a close. If nothing else is gained from this experiment, at least I will have done something worthwhile before 7:00 am besides drive to work.

DoD

If Woody Allen is correct in his assessment of life’s percentages, 80% is just showing up. This being said, there is a fair bit that goes in to life’s remaining formula for success.

I’ve had the 80% in my mind for some time now, but can’t help to need more baseline at this point in my life. In alignment with my new goals from my post yesterday, I’ve decided to add to this formula for my own personal journey. 

15% of life is doing something worthwhile.

Being a semi-productive guy in the world so far, I would agree with the 80%. However, if someone sets out with only this as their primary goal, they will undoubtedly at some point be unsatisfied with the end result. In short, you will show up with nothing to say.

So, what is worthwhile? That’s the hard part, and it involves work. Even in the begining, we were commanded to work, to do something productive in a framework of freedom. This something worthwhile must be something you are personally invested in. It must be something you don’t need a script to deliver, and explain to others. 

I’d like to develop this whole thing in specific context in the future, but here are the biggies for my life.

• Show up everyday. 
• Contribute something useful. 
• Trust God in all things, and the remainder will work itself out.

Blessings-

DoD-

This year will be a year of good habits. Here starts one of several I intend on starting, and maintaining – a blog post a day until this time next year. If not good habits, at least good intentions…

So thoughts begin to pour into my head as I map out a plan for the Best Year Ever. Unfortunately thoughts progress to failure creping into past resolutions for the new year ahead. You (and when I say you…) spend your Christmas money on new equipment of some nature that you intend on using for your healthy new habit. It is a sort of down payment for good behavior in your new endeavours. You hope to not look back on this purchase in the future with guilt for your self-established obligations, but understand that is a likely possibility. There are also the excuses – demanding job, full schedule already, need to be the best dad possible, and in the end drop the goals to continue with the status quo. 

Well, some resolutions about my resolution:

• I resolve not to treat each post like it is going to be scrutinized by the world’s finest minds the moment I hit the “post” button. 
• I resolve to stretch, get the blood moving through my body, and try to use the most creative time early in my day to write these posts.
• I resolve not to feel guilty for using this time for this goal rather than my typical duties
• I resolve not to spend more than 45 minutes on these posts (starting on tomorrow’s post, of course)

These resolution resolutions will require my attention to pre-planning and resolve to work when I don’t feel like it. This one habit and its subparts will make me better.

I will need help in this endevour, and know that my bride will provide her support. Her encouragement will be what I need, when I need it. This support will be a reality check and a kick in the pants when I need it. It will be soft and understanding when the time is right. Her encouragement will never be a discouragement, and I thank her in advance.

Post 1, done.

-DoD

My name in print!

I couldn’t help but feel a bit like Navin R. Johnson this morning.  It was a shining spot in a morning that got off to a bit of a rough start.  My little blog has its first real follower!

Not having posted much to date, it was humbling to find that my first follower is a real, honest to goodness Blogger.  Impressive stuff from Cristian  Please check out his blog – he really writes from the gut, and is an inspiration for me to keep this up.

-DoD

On days Dear ol’ Dad takes the girls to school, we run late. Today was one of those days.

I don’t think I’ve mentioned this yet, but I am allergic to being late.  Let me explain.  When the party I am in or leading begins to run late, symptoms arise.  My voice gets louder, my memory blurs, my senses begin to become dull (humor sense mainly), my legs begin to twitch forcing me to pace around, and I could swear that my skin begins to itch.

This particular day, we got out of the house a bit late, then got stuck behind a train in town.  A quick text to my bride reminding be to pray, build, inspire, and speak edifying words of encouragement centered me a bit.  You have to witness my particular allergies to understand why these wonderful words did not completely cure all symptoms.

After praying for the kids and their day, we arrived.  Only a minute or two late.  Yet again, you would have to have a deep appreciation of my ailment to understand that if we are not at least a minute or two early, we are late according to my allergies…

After dropping off the girls and on my way back to the Interstate, my gas light reminded me how low my 35 gallon tank was. I dropped by the filling station to fill up on both fuel and coffee.  After checking out, the clerk behind the counter made a remark that would change my outlook and cure my allergies completely, at least for the day.  As I walked away from the counter, she simply said, “…looks like you dropped your smile again”.  I do not remember this clerk saying this to me in the past, but my manageable goal and mental note taken was for this particular clerk never to say this to me again.  I smiled, and said that I must be taking myself a bit to seriously this morning.

Here’s to not letting your ailments (real or imagined) get the best of you on any given day.  There is nothing about any given moment that can be re-done, so pray, build, inspire, speak edifying words or encouragement, and pick up your smile!

-DoD