apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

farmersdaughter -- great looking room! I have to admit my favorite part is the clock -- I just love the shape of it.

I did my version of a media fast on Monday. It wasn't a total media fast, but I definitely scaled back. I am part of another blogging community to which I'm... well, "addicted" is such a strong word. I spend far too much time blogging and checking other's blogs... so on Monday (which was a holiday here in Canada) I didn't go near that blog or any site that might inadvertently remind me of it. I think just knowing that I *couldn't* blog that day made me miss it more than if it had just happened that I didn't go on the blogs that day. But I did it. (Several others in that blogging community were doing one day blog-fasts this week, totally unrelated to AT, which was interesting.) I didn't totally avoid TV, but all week I have been trying to be more mindful about my TV watching, and not just have it on for background noise (which I usually do, even when I'm on the computer, which is in a different room). Last night when I went to bed I realized I hadn't had the TV on all evening, because it just happened that way. Cool. The "rule" I'm trying to follow is that if I want to watch a program, I need to actually sit and *watch* it, not have it on while I'm doing something else as well. That, for me, works much better than trying to cut out TV altogether.

On the go-to-bed-early front, I have managed to have the lights out shortly after 9:30 every night except last night -- and I definitely feel better for it! I'm going to try to keep up that discipline (turning off the blog earlier will help in that, and going to bed earlier will help in the too-much-time-on-the-blog).

How's everyone else doing? The threads always seem so silent -- are people interacting elsewhere, or is everybody just working away on their own?

I'm here, plogging along. This weekend is already gone for me as I have a day long meeting/retreat on Saturday and half day Sunday. Not much curing then.
Smallcitybeth: I wondered too were people are commenting. I have noticed some comments in Flickr, on individual pictures. I did one day fasting from the computer, and a whole week on the TV, which is not a hardship since I rarely watch it.
I hope I can do something about the cords Sunday night. I might try your suggestion of a black powerstrip, and maybe one of those wire baskets under the desk.

Yeah, it seems things have been pretty sluggish in the Chicago Cure Corner the past couple weeks. Not that many photos going up lately either. I've also been media "dieting" in addition to a couple of days of full out fasting. It's such a healthy thing, and whenever I do it I wonder why I don't more often. It feels like...letting my brain breathe. I've done well with the more ephemeral tasks - cooking, eating, fasting, reading, sleeping - but have made constant but very, very gradual progress with the living room, filing, etc. But I'm ok with that, and I'm sure I'll do more this weekend.

Okay, at the risk of dominating the thread (won't be the first time I've done that...) this is what I just posted on my blog:

The Writing Room/Study/Office/Blue Room is done! The photographs have been taken (just finished the film a couple of moments ago) and will be developed tomorrow morning. It looks good, if I do say so myself. (I don't know if others will like it as much as I do, but I do really like it. I'm happy.)

Eventually, I suppose, I'll start closing the closet doors, but right now it's so restful to look up from my computer and see a tidy, organized, attractive space where once chaos reigned, so I'm leaving the doors open so I can enjoy that feeling.

I lifted my spending moratorium today, just long enough to finally buy my own copy of the DVD "An Inconvenient Truth" to commemorate Al Gore's Nobel Peace Prize. It's now being displayed on my shelf along with his book "The Assault on Reason" -- makes that shelf look finished. (Good of whoever was in charge of the cover to choose a color scheme that goes so well with the colors in my study...) (I assure you that the color was NOT why I bought the DVD!)

Once I finish curing (and there shouldn't be all that much to do in the next two weeks) (famous last words...) I should be able to write without hindrance in this room. There's serenity here. There's inspiration here. There's a cleaned-off desk!

Ahhhhhhh!

(Am I going a little over-the-top here???)

There are five comments on this thread now. Three are from me. What is wrong with this picture???

Anyway, for those of you who are checking the Chicago Cure Thread, I've just posted pics of my Cured Office/Study/Writing Room on my Flickr -- come on over! (link in my profile)

More details are at my blog, http://serenityathome.blogspot.com

smallcitybeth, i tried several times yesterday to post a comment and could not, so maybe there are just some technical difficulties.

this was definitely my worst week progress wise (in the area that i most need it!). i still need to repair the drawer in my file console, buy another bookcase, establish a landing strip, purge papers. sigh. a family emergency, low energy and general resistance are at the cause, but i'm committed to getting the office space together.

It was my worst week too! I did not even buy flowers, did not tackle the cords. I did instead work on my plants, repotted a few, cleaned them up, getting ready to bring them inside for the winter. Went to church, went to see the centennial parade in downtown Oklahoma City, spent a few hours reading "Compassion", learned how to "yoga recharge" listening to the sound of a Seminole flute. I'm happy with my weekend and ready to get back to work on my house this coming week.
Smallcitybeth- I'll look at your pictures and leave comments.

Perhaps it's mid-cure slump (for everyone but Beth, who's done great with her study this week). Come on, everyone, over the hump!

I finally got my livingroom furniture rearranged and I'm delighted with the results. Now to tackle the decorative elements over the next few weeks.

I was on media fast all weekend long. It was easier than I imagined, and we got an amazing amount of stuff done.

The furnace is broken. YIKES! it's cold up here. The repair dudes are coming this week- and I do have backup electric baseboard heaters in 2 rooms so we won't freeze or have to move until it's repaired.

My basement was the area we worked on this weekend. It was like a before from "clean house" piled waist hight with boxes and assorted stuff. 3/4 of my basement is finished- well finished in the 1970's style. Dark paneling, drop ceiling, and UGLY carpet. I am not doing anything with that this cure (maybe next) but cleaning and organizing did get done. Pics will be posted soon. I didn't need to work on my filing because it's still in good shape from last cure, so I finished organizing my fabric collection in my sewing room by color and type.

We prepped some walls in the kitchen for paint, and we had a long discussion about backsplashes. Still no final decision though. I am considering tiling that wall. 1 inch tiles maybe. I have to decide soon and then source the product. It looks like this project will go on after this cure is over.

Oh- and we brought up the large blue colorful wool rug to put back in the living room. A few people from last cure asked where it was- it's back!

I'm here, I haven't posted anything in a while, though I've been reading everyone's updates pretty religiously. I suppose it's because I was super busy (realized that I haven't had a weekend totally free - like usual - since the Cure began). Another problem that has been plaguing me is lack of inspiration/energy. Work in particular has been dragging me down so that when I get home in the evening I just want to veg. I get my essentials out of the way (laundry, basic groceries, microwaved dinner/pasta/PBJ) and then just laze around till I go to bed (generally early).

BUT, I did create a written plan for my living room, went to Ikea during a weekend trip to Chicago last week, cleaned up my room (it was like my clean laundry exploded everywhere or something!), hung new curtains in the LR, wrapped up my filing system (already has been in place for a while, just needed some purging), and cleaned some more floors.

This week is looking pretty promising in terms of free time, but now I am running low on funds. The biggest impact this has is that I can't afford to buy a new couch or chairs for the living room, so I am not going to feel like that is "completed", I'll just be making do with what I've got for now I suppose.

I think I've gotten over the hump, and I am ready to jump into things tonight after work. I REALLY need to take care of my outbox, too. It continues to grow, and stares me down every time I walk through the door.

I also need to say that just reading everyone's updates, and seeing the pictures at the Flickr sites has kept me connected and has encouraged me to stick with it. And I am already looking forward to the Spring Cure because I know by then I will be able to make even more changes. It's all a process, right?

Keep up the great work, everyone!