Articles

Mar 21 2023

An Hour Lost, An Hour Gained

Author: Jamie DeBree

There’s been a lot of change going on in my sphere lately. As the title says, it’s not all bad, but it does tend to require a lot of extra physical and mental energy to deal with. As I’m sure you could tell by a few of my last posts, it’s been frustrating, but the thing about “things” being upended and changed is, there’s lots of opportunity to change processes and routines for the better.

With the introduction of three new aquariums and their respective inhabitants over the last couple of months, my schedule on Sundays has been a bit…cramped. I knew taking on the new pets would add time and labor to my schedule, but I’d hoped to schedule that in on Saturdays, and currently my Saturdays are all about the storage unit clean-out project. So, two new time-consuming things added at once to my already full weekends has equaled a very sore back by Sunday evening and no time to breathe if I want to get all the essentials (like laundry, vacuuming and dog food prep) done.

I’ve been floundering a bit, because I know I’m going to have to schedule gallbladder removal surgery for sometime this spring/summer, and also that the recovery time from that will be around 6-8 weeks of light duty/no heavy lifting. And I need to finish getting everything out of the storage unit by April 1st, but even after that, I still need to deal with everything that was in storage and is now in our house.

A couple of weeks ago, I finally hit that point where you stop, breathe, and either cry, or force yourself to take a look at things from an entirely different direction. I was making dog food Sunday night as usual, after a long weekend of normal chores plus the extra added physical activities of moving boxes and cleaning aquariums, and my back was *killing* me…which it doesn’t normally do until *after* I’m finished with the dog food (admittedly, the gallbladder issue is getting worse, which affects my back too).

In any case, after a full weekend of everything else, the last thing I wanted to do was spend two hours making dog food. I also do not want to buy dog food, given Athena’s allergy issues. I kept asking myself how I could speed up the process, and the answer to that is…I can’t. There’s no way to make large quantities of meat cook faster, scientifically speaking.

However, I was listening to a podcast at the time, and I honestly don’t even remember which one or what exactly was said, but something one of the hosts said made me stop, think, and consider that maybe speeding it up wasn’t the solution. It didn’t need to be faster, it just needed to happen while I was doing other things.

Why that never occurred to me before is anyone’s guess, considering I spend most work days either figuring out how to automate things or maintaining automated processes already in place. *facepalm*

The solution actually turned out to be slowing down, in order to automate more of the process. I had sort of thought about this before, but I hadn’t gone quite far enough with it.

When I started making dog food, I’d put the squash in the crockpot to cook. But it took a long time, and it was a lot of effort to cut the squash into small enough chunks. So I switched to baking the squash in the oven instead, because it took less time to prep, and I could just bake it in the afternoon, turn the oven off and leave it there until I was ready to pull the other ingredients together that night.

I’d considered doing the ground beef in the oven as well, but then I’d have to remove the squash from the oven first (can’t fit both at once), and that would have affected everything else going on for chores, so I was just frying up the beef in four batches on the stovetop after I combined all the veggies and squash, which took around an hour every Sunday.

What I hadn’t considered is just putting the ground beef in the crockpots, and letting it cook for several hours while I was doing other chores. Ground beef doesn’t need any prep – just toss it in and go, stirring it every so often to make sure it cooks evenly. I have a three-pot crockpot unit, and I can’t quite fit all the meat I need into those three crocks, so I did order another crockpot to use, but I tried the new routine out last week just cooking the leftover beef in the oven while I mixed everything else together, and…it cut nearly an entire hour off the time I actually had to stand in the kitchen working on dog food. As a bonus, with the meat portioned out in smaller amounts, it’s less weight to move at once, which will make it easier to deal with while I’m recovering from my surgery.

My back would have cried in happiness had it not already been wailing in pain.

My point in all this (aside from whining about my back) is that all too often, we think a routine or process simply can’t be tweaked any further before we’ve actually looked at it from all angles. Troubleshooting is my day job, and I still manage to allow myself to get stuck in routines just because I’m so frustrated and stressed that I can’t see any other way of getting a certain task done. I give up too early when I’m in that mindset, and a lot of times, all it takes is a step back, and a bit of time to let my mind “breathe” to find a workable alternative.

And more often than I care to admit, I have to be pushed to the breaking point before I allow myself that mental space to think. Which is a shame, really, considering the time and adrenaline I waste on all that.

The irony of this particular situation is that on the same weekend we “lost” an hour to the time change, I managed to “find” an hour by doing one task more slowly with automation.

I’m working on applying the same basic principle to my writing times and routines. I have actually been writing again this week- not much, but I’m getting some words in, and that’s what counts. I’ve been on hiatus for too, too long.

Blog posts, regular fiction writing, and newsletters. Those are the three things I want to focus on as far as writing and publishing goes. And having that extra hour on Sunday nights will directly affect that, as Sunday nights are when I like to schedule my blog posts and such for the week. So that will work out perfectly.

What’s the last problem you solved by going slower, rather than faster? Is that still working pretty well for you?

Jan 10 2023

Resolutions 2023

Author: Jamie DeBree

Happy New Year!

Yes, I know we’re already a week in, but so far, 2023 is coming in like the proverbial March lion. I’m still optimistic, though. I’m hoping that we’re just getting all the hard stuff out of the way early, so we can cruise through the rest of the year. One can only hope, right?

Just to be up front, the serial novels will not continue here in serial form. It’s too much day-to-day pressure for me, so, I’m backing up a bit. I am planning to finish Magpie Shiny this year, but on a slightly different writing schedule. My apologies to anyone that disappoints – I shouldn’t have started the serials up again in the first place…but I got a little swept up in actually making good progress there for awhile.

That said, I finally made the time last week to figure out what I’m going to focus on for the next year, and these are my “Big Three”:

– Weekday Quiet Time: 11:30pm – 12:20am
Next day planning, Journaling, and Reading

– Weekday Mindful Movement
One balance exercise, and one dexterity exercise or craft practice daily.

– Weekly Flash/Micro Story
One story no longer than 1k words written weekly throughout the year. Must be started and completed in the same week, not including final edits.

When I sat down and thought about the last year, I considered all the experimentation I did, specifically with writing/publishing. There were highs and lows, which are always easier to remember, but there was a mid-point too, where I was (as always) frustrated to not be moving faster, but I was also making very good progress on my projects – steady, meaningful progress. I wasn’t journaling last year, so it’s hard to pinpoint exactly when the shift happened, but if I remember right, it was early to mid summer when I decided that I was doing well enough with my new routines that I could handle a few more things.

I also got enamored with the idea that if I did just a few *more* things than that, I could potentially make more money. And that was part of the experiment too – to see if I could make more money last year than I had the year before (no, I haven’t done my taxes yet, and I won’t until I get our investment account statements, so it’ll be awhile before I know if I managed that). So I left the “smooth sailing” behind for more experimentation and…that was the beginning of the end/burnout.

So this year, I don’t want that to happen again. I want to find a smooth, easy writing and publishing rhythm, and ride that all the way to the end of the year. I want to make good progress in a sustainable way, while still leaving myself time for hobbies and reading and the other things in life that make me happy.

The one micro-story per week is just to give myself a regular deadline that isn’t stressful or difficult to achieve. Consider it an affirmation that I still want to keep writing, and I will keep writing, and working on a couple of novels after I start each week with a warm-up story.

I also don’t want to get hurt as much this year – hence the “mindful movement” resolution. This year, I’m going to focus on maintaining my balance and dexterity. Neither of which are foolproof ways to not get hurt, but they are good ways to safeguard against major injuries from any number of minor things that could happen while I’m dealing with bouncy dogs or just walking down the sidewalk (I mean, you never know).

And of course, my nightly quiet time, which will take a chunk out of my normal scheduled writing time, but I feel like it’s necessary for maintaining good mental health going forward, and also for maintaining my ability to both write and be effective at work – both requiring different types and levels of creativity throughout the day, depending.

So those are my Big Three resolutions for the year. I have other, smaller goals that I’ll also be working towards, but these three get priority. I feel good about them, and as rough as this year’s starting, I still feel optimistic about where I’ll be at the end.

And that’s the important thing, really.

Do you have any goals or resolutions you’d like to share?

Next week, it’s time to “go big or go home”. Or is it?

Oct 05 2022

Rest and Recalibration

Author: Jamie DeBree

I’ve been thinking (again). But I’ve also been not-thinking, which is something I haven’t allowed myself to do much of in…well, quite awhile. Somewhere I fell into the whole “productivity-is-life” mindset, and when I did that, I prioritized Getting Things Done over everything else in life, because it was more important to be moving forward than to let myself rest.

But last week, I had an epiphany. I had to refrain from physical activity for awhile due to a twisted ankle/foot (still not fully healed, but getting there), and while I was sitting on the couch one night, it occurred to me that I never actually just sit and watch TV anymore. I always have something going at the same time, whether it’s scrolling FB or playing a game or making something…I rarely just sit and consume.

The problem with that is, my brain really never gets a break. I’m always solving a puzzle or problem, or being creative in some way, which means I’m always making my mind work, but never letting it recharge. I wondered if that might be why I have trouble getting that last bit of revising done late in the evenings, so I decided to experiment. For the next few nights, I forced myself to put down my phone, not grab my switch, leave my laptop in the office, and just *watch TV* for the one hour a night that I normally get to sit.

I’m sure you can guess how that went. It was harder than I thought it would be, and it felt incredibly weird not “doing” anything while I was sitting there. But I paid better attention to the show we were watching, and I also found that when I sat down later to edit, I had more energy and brainpower to work with, so I worked faster and better than when I’m constantly trying to be productive all evening.

I also forced myself to stop working by 12:15am every night, so I could read a chapter or two of fiction before bed. Consuming, rather than expending, and then getting to bed in time for 5.5 to 6 hours of sleep.

I found I’m at least half again more productive when I give myself some time to just consume during the evenings rather than trying to fill every waking moment with a “productive” activity. Which gave me a new mantra that I am repeating to myself every time I get that panicky “I’m-not-getting-anything-done” feeling:

I am not a robot.

I’m not a machine that can just keep going and going and going with the occasional reboot or update. As much as I’d love to be, I’m only just a human, which means if I push and push and push to get things done all day, everyday, I will eventually burn out, and probably age faster than I need to while I’m at it.

I need sleep, and time to just veg out without trying to solve a mystery or puzzle or problem. I need time to consume for a little bit each day, or I’ll cease being able to efficiently write,

So that’s my takeaway from last week, and part of the reason this post is so late. I’m forcing myself to go to bed on time (okay! Earlier! Sheesh!), to not look at my phone while I’m watching TV, and to give myself a couple of quick breaks during the day where my mind can just rest and not try to solve problems.

I’ll eventually get into a rhythm, and getting these posts done along with everything else will fit in somehow. But for now. I’m declaring this one done so I can get to bed.

What do you do to give yourself (and your mind, specifically) a break from all the “be-productive-ness” in life?

Feb 08 2022

Variety News: February 8, 2022

Author: Jamie DeBree

Photo of the Week

The latest tattoo – rawr! Color coming later this month.

General Discussion
When I turned 18, there were three things I knew I absolutely wanted to do:

– Register to vote
– Get a second piercing in my ears
– Get a tattoo

Naturally, I did all three. My parents were less than impressed when they finally found out about the tattoo (shoulder blades are good hiding spots for first tattoos, if you don’t live in a swim suit like I did back then), even though it was a small wooden cross to mark my rather zealous faith at the time.

I remember how nervous I was walking into Tattoo Art, a small tattoo shop, having gotten a recommendation from a couple of co-workers on the best tattoo shop/artist in town (back then HIV and Hep C were major issues in tattoo shops, and I was not stupid). The walls were wood paneling and covered with flash art, and I knew absolutely nothing about tattoos and tattoo culture. The artist I’d wanted to get an appointment with (Buz Bailey) wasn’t available for months (I had no idea that was the norm), so I made an appointment with another guy in the shop in the apparently requisite t-shirt and black leather vest, and walked out a little unsure, but determined to follow through.

When I went back, I was still incredibly nervous, but I did make sure he was opening brand new needles and using sterilized equipment. He showed me the drawing, I told him I wanted it a little smaller, he looked at me like I was nuts but went ahead and sized it down, and after I approved it, I learned all about the process of printing out the stencil and placing it. Then the tattoo machine started to hum, and I learned two things: the shoulder blade is one of the more painful areas to get a tattoo, and I really do have a high pain tolerance. The artist commented on the fact that I sat so still, especially for a first-timer. I remember it burned, and the worst part was right over the bone. But I felt so exhilarated when it was done…and I learned that my friends from work were right – tattoos are like chips, you can’t get just one (I mean, unless you really struggle with the pain, and I do know a few people like that now, but that isn’t an issue for me, obviously).

I went back two more times – once to get a verse added underneath the cross (the one just after the one everyone spouts as proof God doesn’t want us to get tattoos – amazing how things get taken so far out of context), and once to get the now infamous Pepe Le Peux added to the inside of my right ankle. That hurt more than my shoulder blade, but Buz did that one for me, and I’m happy to have some of his work even if it is just a flash piece.

I got my navel pierced in that shop when I was 21 too…which was quite a bit more painful and harder to heal than any tattoo I’ve gotten.

I’d always planned to continue on with a larger back piece, but college required every spare bit of cash, and toward the end of college I started dating my now-husband, who was never fond of tattoos (though his comment on my first tattoo several years before we started dating is how we started getting to know each other, so…there’s that).

Needless to say, I didn’t step foot in another tattoo shop until my 40th birthday, and I was pretty nervous that I wouldn’t still have the pain tolerance I’d had in my youth. That was seven years and quite a bit of ink ago (including covering up that cross and verse on my shoulder), and this week, the artist I’ve been going to since then (Andrew Hauck) was kind enough to add a fabulous T-Rex to my Montana sleeve for me. Montana was once home to these huge critters, see, and they kind of fit the “MT reptiles & insects” theme I’ve got going on for this arm.

Also, I’ve loved and been fascinated by dinosaurs since I was very little, and the fact that they lived right here, in what would eventually become our state, was just amazing to me.

Sometimes, tattoos have deep and abiding meaning. Some of mine certainly do.

But sometimes, a tattoo is just something fun. Because even after all these years, I still think dinosaurs are cool.

Currently Reading
I’m ashamed to say I have completely neglected my reading this week, aside from my editing project. But I’m determined to get back to it this week, so hopefully something new to report next time.

Video Highlight
Thomas Frank: httpss://youtu.be/I6XFCl2lHbg

Song of the Week
I don’t know why this is in my head this week, but might have something to do with the holiday right around the corner. 😉
Tina Turner – httpss://youtu.be/oGpFcHTxjZs

Pop Quiz!
What’s your favorite dinosaur?

While I got a t-rex on my arm, my favorite dinosaur is actually a triceratops. And yes, we had those here in Montana as well, but…I thought the t-rex would make a cooler tattoo. Maybe I’ll add a triceratops later…you never know. 😉

Post Round-up
The Writer’s Desk (last updated: Feb. 5, 2022 )

Aug 16 2021

Variety News – August 16, 2021

Author: Jamie DeBree

On My Mind
I spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to do things more efficiently, or make tasks easier to accomplish. Whether it’s rearranging my schedule for the five-billionth time, or checking out a new tool that might be more useful than the eleven-hundred ways/tools I already know/have to do the same thing, efficiency and “ease” planning take up a lot of my mental space. Some of that is definitely a good thing, but when does it stop being productive and start being either procrastination, or just another task on my to-do list?

I think I get so caught up in looking for an easier, quicker way to do things that I forget (or ignore) the fact that eventually, I have to just “do it”. And that no matter what kind of nifty tool I have, it’s still going to require *some* work on my part. Generally speaking, it often takes less time to just do the thing, rather than spending so much time figuring out how to do it better or quicker. I need to remind myself of that truth more often.

Eating
Food is kind of an annoying thing at the moment, because I love it so much, but am intentionally trying to cut our calorie consumption back while making sure we get the types of food we need for our individual health concerns. Add that to the fact that hubby wants to do breakfast again (we’ve been skipping breakfast for intermittent fasting for the past few years), and I find myself forced to do more meal planning (and advanced planning, at that) than I’d like. But, we need to get healthy, abs are made in the kitchen, yadda, yadda, yadda. Bah humbug. *sigh*

Watching
We finished Wynonna Earp, and it was an…okay ending. The whole season was just discombobulated and weird, like they were either trying too hard, or not at all. I wish it would have made me sad it was over, rather than being a slog to the mediocre end.

Post Round-up
I was so, so close to getting a post up for the writing blog this week. I have deadlines for myself so that if I miss getting a blog post done, I don’t appropriate my writing time for that. I missed the deadline by just a hair last week, so with a little better planning, the writing blog will be back next Saturday.

Jamie DeBree

Writer | DBA | Dog Wrangler

An Hour Lost, An Hour Gained

Resolutions 2023

Rest and Recalibration

Variety News: February 8, 2022

Variety News – August 16, 2021