Is it Autumn?
When does summer stop and autumn begin? Whatever it is September and that means, shorter days, leaves falling, kids returning to school etc., no holiday to look forward to for ages! We are done with the summer then, Mrs F is back to work at school, Daughter-of-Furtheron is starting the 6th form/A-level adventure and Son-of-Furtheron will be back at his esteemed educational establishment for the last year for his masters course before this month is out.
I think this is a time to stop freewheeling and for me to start steering and pedalling a bit more. I've been sort of just cruising along thinking things like "well I will sort x out once we've had our holiday" or "I can't plan for that until y happens", etc. Procrastination! I've blogged about this before on here, remember the book I bought and then took an age to get around to reading - exactly! If I'm honest part of the issue is prioritisation, what should I be putting my energies into? Here are some of the options in no particular order...
Recovery - progressing myself on a bit more. I think I've plateaued for a while in my recovery. I don't feel as though I'm making progress and feel that there are some big areas of me that I want to put under the spotlight a bit and I'm sure that part of the procrastination is just me avoiding opening that can of worms.
Music - I'd love to get more gigs. But I'm just not putting myself out there, in fact frankly I'm rubbish at this side, the selling of myself and the hawking round getting gigs. However I have some open mic opportunities at a couple of new venues coming up in the next few weeks. I'll see how they go.
Model Railway - not something I've mentioned on here but I have a large model railway in the loft (no that isn't any form of euphemism btw). It started being built when my son was younger, the original reason being it was supposedly for him - cough, cough... anyway it has sat largely untouched for a good number of years now. After our trip(s) to steam preservation lines in the Cotswolds S-o-F and I got up there and cleaned up the track and had trains running again after only a few minutes. There are some areas where the track could do with relaying and there is a whole bit to be finished in terms of an original plan to build a covered over tunnel that has never been finished. Something to move up the list of "things to be done" perhaps, it does provide a good creative practical outlet.
Work - see recent posts on this. I'm coming up to my 1st anniversary working at my current employment, now granted it was an odd induction joining in the middle of a complex and at times controversial departmental re-organisation. However things are now settling down but I have to admit I'm not convinced about it. I've blogged about this before, the job is a very good job etc. etc. I just think I've tired in my work focus and find it difficult to get any motivation and drive back into that aspect of life.. so I think I'm approaching a time where it will be "get on with it or move on".
Garden - Our garden needs some attention. I'm not a great gardener frankly, I need plants that need minimal attention. However even then a couple of bushes have suffered disease/pest attack over the last couple of years and need to be frankly got rid of! Another example of one of those jobs I keep putting off.
Guitar Building - I've an ongoing desire to get into making guitars - well assembling them at least. You can buy kits and lots of different components so easily these days on the web that I would be keen to have a go... again. A long time ago I worked with my Dad to assemble a home built Strat that after some years became dubbed the Nunostrat. I remember it teaching me that I needed to know more than I did at the time but I now think that time has possibly come.
I just need a clear plan, some bloody motivation to get things done and frankly just getting on with it and doing some of these things.
I think this is a time to stop freewheeling and for me to start steering and pedalling a bit more. I've been sort of just cruising along thinking things like "well I will sort x out once we've had our holiday" or "I can't plan for that until y happens", etc. Procrastination! I've blogged about this before on here, remember the book I bought and then took an age to get around to reading - exactly! If I'm honest part of the issue is prioritisation, what should I be putting my energies into? Here are some of the options in no particular order...
Recovery - progressing myself on a bit more. I think I've plateaued for a while in my recovery. I don't feel as though I'm making progress and feel that there are some big areas of me that I want to put under the spotlight a bit and I'm sure that part of the procrastination is just me avoiding opening that can of worms.
Music - I'd love to get more gigs. But I'm just not putting myself out there, in fact frankly I'm rubbish at this side, the selling of myself and the hawking round getting gigs. However I have some open mic opportunities at a couple of new venues coming up in the next few weeks. I'll see how they go.
Model Railway - not something I've mentioned on here but I have a large model railway in the loft (no that isn't any form of euphemism btw). It started being built when my son was younger, the original reason being it was supposedly for him - cough, cough... anyway it has sat largely untouched for a good number of years now. After our trip(s) to steam preservation lines in the Cotswolds S-o-F and I got up there and cleaned up the track and had trains running again after only a few minutes. There are some areas where the track could do with relaying and there is a whole bit to be finished in terms of an original plan to build a covered over tunnel that has never been finished. Something to move up the list of "things to be done" perhaps, it does provide a good creative practical outlet.
Work - see recent posts on this. I'm coming up to my 1st anniversary working at my current employment, now granted it was an odd induction joining in the middle of a complex and at times controversial departmental re-organisation. However things are now settling down but I have to admit I'm not convinced about it. I've blogged about this before, the job is a very good job etc. etc. I just think I've tired in my work focus and find it difficult to get any motivation and drive back into that aspect of life.. so I think I'm approaching a time where it will be "get on with it or move on".
Garden - Our garden needs some attention. I'm not a great gardener frankly, I need plants that need minimal attention. However even then a couple of bushes have suffered disease/pest attack over the last couple of years and need to be frankly got rid of! Another example of one of those jobs I keep putting off.
Guitar Building - I've an ongoing desire to get into making guitars - well assembling them at least. You can buy kits and lots of different components so easily these days on the web that I would be keen to have a go... again. A long time ago I worked with my Dad to assemble a home built Strat that after some years became dubbed the Nunostrat. I remember it teaching me that I needed to know more than I did at the time but I now think that time has possibly come.
I just need a clear plan, some bloody motivation to get things done and frankly just getting on with it and doing some of these things.
It definitely is Autumn--as soon as the children go back to school, the sun comes out!
ReplyDeleteI think it's a good time for this kind of taking oneself by the scruff of the neck a little--you've made me think of a few ever-postponed things which I ought to do. One of which is that I have a top notch hifi which languishes unusued because of an aborted project to bi-wire the speakers. Time to get a grip and just stick a bit of bloody wire in and stop listening to crap quality music on the internet.
I recognise the feeling of drifting off from work. In my last job I really started feeling like a robot. I absolutely stopped caring about the quality of my work.
Yes, yes, yes, can relate to the sudden realization that autumn is here, more or less, and that shift of thinking and priorities. It's the jump start I need for a lot of things I'd put on hold without thinking about it. You'll have to post some pictures of your model railroad some time...love those!
ReplyDeleteI've done the same as you, Mr. F. I've put things on the back burner all summer long. I had grand plans for working on my book and while I did it here and there, I didn't get nearly as much accomplished as I wanted. I too, need a clear plan.
ReplyDeleteGutair building - now that sounds like a very difficult, but extremely rewarding project!
that's a rather sizeable 'to-do' list! i'd be a bit overwhelmed with the choices and options. perhaps pick one or two to focus on for a month and see how far you get?
ReplyDeleteoh, and autumn begins here after our "labor day" holiday, and when schools resume. that would be today.... even though it's 90Farenheit with humidity to match out there!
Procrastination is an almost universal affliction.
ReplyDeleteI've been looking into guitar building workshops lately. It sounds like an incredible project to undertake. Although I utterly lack word working skills, lol. Hence needing to do it as part of a class with an instructor who can oversee/fix my errors.
ReplyDeleteI hope you're able to make a dent in all of your personal goals. :)
Jesus, you might have to clone yourself to get all of this done.
ReplyDelete