February Reckoning

Well, here's the February reckoning.

NBIF - this was pretty straightforward, actually. Other than one or two weak moments, it's been good - I've managed to go out to restaurants, hang out with friends on cold, damp nights that screamed for a spicy red wine (that was consumed by others), and go to a Super Bowl and Oscars party without much stress or envy. 

Physical - BIKRAM. Oh, Bikram. Well, I've been twice, which is not quite the eight attempts. I've had a lot of early mornings this month - far more than normal - and you'd have thought that would mean that I'm good at getting up - three mornings a week, why not four? But I love my lie-ins, I need my sleep, and it just proved too much. But I've been, and it was definitely The Monthly Project goals that got me there. So I'm going to hopefully keep it up once a week, because I have felt great afterward. So I'm hoping for once a week. Hoping.

Cultural - I've been doing it!  I've managed to choose loooooong articles, accidentally, but that's what interested me. But I've also been able to read more in general. We also went through our old magazines, got rid of loads that I'm never going to read, and going to make this a regular activity.

Environmental -The January Cure has been up and running. I have a much more beautiful bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, and closets, albeit each with a bit more work to be done. Seriously, my bathroom shelves are unrecognizable. I've particularly enjoyed buying flowers for the house each week - the different colours, smells, and arrangements have been invigorating and made me feel both far more grown-up than usual, but also generally happier - as if I have indeed invested in our home, as Apartment Therapy suggested I would. Damn you, lifestyle bloggers, for being right!  [Fist being shaken]

Achievement!  (and if you think they don't look good, remember the befores... Seriously)

February Update (2)

Just over halfway through the month!  So, progress has been made on some monthly goals, not so much on others...

1. NBIF - Raging success.  Although, having said that, I'm currently in the throes of my first real "grrrrr I want a drink" moment. For starters: I'm on a train, and, somehow, trains are made for booze. They just are. Or cups of tea. Or both. Plus, a couple of young men next to me have a bottle of spirits each, and are slowly making their way through them, adding generously to their soft drinks. I want to punch them. And this is after surviving (and very much enjoying!) last night's Valentine's dinner with my beloved at what is becoming our favourite local restaurant. What's more, both of us forewent booze.* Additionally, I've managed to persuade a few others to try it, to varying degrees, and some are definitely seeing the benefits. Early mornings are so much better. A colleague told me his ability to do Bikram and focus is massively improved. Speaking of which...
2. Physical - BIKRAM.  None.  Nada.  Done nothing.  But this week I have no early starts, so THIS IS THE WEEK. FO SHO.
3. Cultural - I've actually done this!  Although I somehow managed to choose a month in which there was a double issue, so that makes it a lot easier. Nonetheless, I've not only read the three articles - including some of the super long ones, and not the restaurant reviews! - but more, and gone back and chucked out a million old ones that did not have a minimum threshold of two or more articles of interest.  I've even started reading some of those...
4. Environmental -  I'm not really doing the January Cure each day; it's too much at the moment with super early starts and being utterly exhausted as a result. I have been catching up at the weekends, however, and putting things in the outbox to get rid of (although it would have been handy to know I can start emptying it, which will start with abandon on Monday).  My kitchen looks better thanks to the prescribed clear out, and smells glorious thanks to the prescribed flowers.** The cupboard for my overall project is by no means done, but goodness it's better already. 

So some successes, some work to be done, but I am rather happy with how February is turning out, and I already have ideas on what March's resolutions will be.

* Having said that, the couple next to me were so extraordinarily annoying that I wished I could drink to work up the courage to tell them to bloody shut up.
** Freesias, if you're interested.

February Update (1)

The January Cure (done in February) - or JCDiF, as I handily refer to it - states that, after all that categorizing and listing, you just choose ONE project - one! - to do for the month.  Handily, other things one has to do along the way - kitchen sort out, bathroom shelves sort out, files/paper sort out - are things that were on my list, so that has meant that several projects I listed are going to get done without selecting them.  Phew.

So out of the many, many projects I listed, I've chosen the dreaded SPORTS CUPBOARD to do.  And it is dreaded, indeed.  It's an absolute mess.  The "sports" bit comes in the bottom of the cupboard, where a mass of our sports equipment is jumbled, along with a witch's hat & cloak from Hallowe'en, and goodness-knows-what-else.  In the same cupboard we have:

• A "holiday" box, with various bits and pieces we only use when on holiday or at home - oyster card, foreign money purse, etc.
• An "electronics" box, with a billion cords, plugs, and things for charging things I don't think we own anymore.
• Cushions for our outdoor chairs.
• Bedding and sheets etc. for the upstairs sofabed
• Linens and candles and various other things we use for hosting and the dinner table.
• Wool and knitting needles - WHAT?  I had forgotten I even owned these.
• A hammock I bought in Brazil with a friend in 2000 while there on holiday.  It has never, ever, ever been used.   

In an attempt to force me to do this, I'm shaming myself and putting these up on the Interwebs.  Sigh.  



This cupboard is a disaster. Not honouring the beautiful green lightbulb, that's for sure. I have to say, I don't think it 100% fits in with AT's instructions for how to chose the project - "A project that will make a noticeable difference in either how you use your home (organizing, flow), how something works (repairs) or how things look (decluttering, decorating)" - but it will make me feel better, for sure. TIME TO GET IT DONE

February Objectives

February, February.  This is a tricky one.  This is because I have, for the past few years, already had a February resolution:  No Booze.  NBIF, or Drybruary, as my charming and brilliant friend suggested, is now a standard resolution for me, and I've slowly persuaded a few others to come on board - more this year than ever.

Why do I do it?  It's good to go a month without booze.  See how you feel!  I genuinely feel less sluggish in the mornings by the end of it, and also virtuous and pleased with myself, which is not to be dismissed.  The first time I did it, I gave myself FIVE passes.  Then I slowly reduced the number of passes each NBIF, such that last year I had no passes - and for a Leap Year, no less!  Despite Valentine's Day and the Super Bowl.  I choose February because a) it's the shortest month; b) I can't do January because it's my significant other's birthday then - plus, that's too much of a shock to the system after December's excesses; and c) March is miserable and long and horrible, the worst month of the year, and the one in most need of booze.

All this is a precursor to saying that this month is breaking the rules because I have four goals, not three.  FOUR!  But I'm hoping to get them all done.  And the fourth one (listed first, confusingly, of course) is something that I already do.  I like to list it to get credit for it, that's all. 

1. NBIF - as already explained. No passes for me this year.  ULP.  I see this as a spiritual, physical, health, soul, whatever resolution.  For real.
2. Physical - BIKRAM.  I'm going to get sweaty and hot and stretchy, and try to do Bikram twice a week for the month. I love Bikram - it makes me feel light and tall and creates great posture, and if I can get my backside there, it will help.
3. Cultural - We get The New Yorker.  I never read it.  We have STACKS of these bloody magazines piled up, all full of articles that I know I want to and should read, but just can't bring myself to actually read. So this month, my resolution is to take the mag on the train and read at least three articles - even if just the film reviews - from each of the magazines out during February.
4. Environmental - the delightful and aforementioned Joanna put me onto the January Cure from Apartment Therapy, mentioning she might do it for February.  So I'm going to follow her lead and fill all those hours when I would usually be getting sozzled (joking, mum and dad and employer!) and do the January Cure in our place.  There are so many projects that we haven't done, little corners we want to sort out in our otherwise extremely lovely apartment; this is the boost and stimulation we need to do it!  This helps you do a little each day and get yourself into the great apartment you should have. 

What are your February goals?