The Mandi Project

Continuing with my ship analogy, any good freighter needs a solid captain. I talked about scheduling tools and calendars in my last post, but there are more commitments in life than just time commitments. Most of the time, we have items that need attention when we have time, and we need to remember them so we can choose the most important ones. I use my calendar as the bones of my day, but many times, other items creep up that need some sort of attention. Captain’s Log While I go about my day, I like to record things that happen. Sometimes they are thoughts I want to express, tasks I want to remember, or facts I need to process. I record these in a daily log - just a notebook with lines or graph ruling. Every day, I print my agenda from Google Calendar. This shows me my commitments for the day. Sometimes I will schedule the all day items, but most of the time I record the time I spent on it, and update the calendar later. Anything that does not get done today gets moved t...

The key to keeping my Mother-Ship afloat, is scheduling. Appointments, tasks, work, play - it all needs a place on the calendar. Two tools and some key habits make that happen. Tool 1: Google Calendar I know there are lots of great calendar apps out there (Outlook and iCalendar come to mind), but I am an Android girl, and Google Calendar is my go-to. I have tried other calendar apps. but not of them are as simple and easy to use as the Google Calendar app. Use whatever tool you are comfortable with, but use it. I have several Google accounts for various purposes, and I am careful about where I put things. My personal account also has several calendars for sharing. But I do not  share my personal calendar. Personal Calendar (me, only) Kids Stuff (family & kids activities, shared with them) Menu (also shared with the family) Blog calendars (one for each blog) Work calendars Each calendar has its own color, and each kid has their own color. There are a lot of gr...

Everyone has to find some way of staying organized. No one is exempt. And yet, some of us struggle. So many great systems exist. Some are born naturally organized. Some people only have one passion, one focus, and can keep track of their progress simply. I have tried Bullet Journaling , Franklin Covey - specifically, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People , Getting Things Done ( the book ), AutoFocus , Managers of Their Homes , FlyLady , Sidetracked Home Executives , and any other time management books I could find. And here’s the thing - they all work. Every single one of them improved my life in some way. But not a single one of them made me feel safe - like I wasn’t forgetting something. When it comes down to it, any system will work, but you still have to trust it completely to have staying power. I always trusted the system, but I didn’t trust myself to use it faithfully. So I’d have some super-productive days or weeks, then move on to another scheme or system. Or, when I get...

It occurs to me that much of my frustration and stress lately has to do with a lack of trust. I am quite suspicious and wary of anyone these days, and with good reason. We send our kids to school, trusting they will be taught, above all else, how to get along in our culture. Secondary, is the academics. We don't need to know everything under the Sun before the age of 18. We have the rest of our lives to learn all the facts that inspire us. I have learned more as an adult than I ever did in school, when my only job was to learn. We believe the school transportation office when they give pick up times and location, and assure our children will safely reach their destination. We trust the bus driver to do their duty. We trust the hiring agent to have chosen wisely. We trust the students to behave accordingly, so the driver can focus on driving. We trust the court system to enforce court orders and follow due diligence when parents don't pay their child support. ...

I'm sure there has been a surge in interest in survival skills lately, especially since shows like "The Walking Dead" and "Revolution" came out. But there should always be interest in where our food comes from, and a willingness to do for ourselves when circumstances don't allow for the price of convenience. At the grocery store yesterday, I was approached by a woman looking for cash donations to help her buy more than kidney beans for her kids. She claimed she was short money due to recently moving and going through a difficult divorce. I didn't have any small bills on me, and I desperately wanted to help her, but I was only there to buy flour and yeast for making sandwich rolls from left over whey, after making cheese with past-date milk from the market I work at part-time. I searched my brain for any way I could help her without breaking my bank. I have worked very hard to spend no more than $50 a week on food for me and my three teenagers c...

As I headed into work this morning, I was interrupted by a very bad accident blocking the road. Emergency vehicles were already on site, so I had no need to worry, but traffic was being diverted around the accident. No problem for me, but there were many drivers on the detour who did not look so confident. I am not a native to my home community. I grew up in a different state entirely. Maybe that's why I have a good knowledge of my geography. But I also know plenty of native adults who don't know any but the most basic routes through the community. People, learn your neighborhood! There is no excuse for not knowing North from South, East and West. There is no reason not to know that one half the community goes to one school, while the other half goes to another because of where the family lives. Make an adventure out of it. Turn off the GPS and take the kids for a Sunday drive. See who can get you back home. If your family is blessed with two cars and you happen to be ou...