What's new Wednesday?

Oh my gosh, I guess I am first today. Let's talk about challenges today.....what is your biggest challenge this week....and what are you going to do about it. I have been so busy this week, I have a tooth ache, and sciatica from my hip being out, that I have been drinking too much wine.....I have been to the Chiropractor..hip is better.....I am on an antibiotic for tooth infection, but not working yet.....hopefully it will all be better soon.  I had a little scare as I was driving over to a client's house last evening...after wine before and during dinner at a friend's house and all of a sudden a police car beeped behind me and motioned me over, I pulled over and he sped around me to stop the car ahead of me....Whewwww! I am up early worrying about real estate....touchy closing today as another tax lein showed up on a house I just "sold".....It is over $700,000. and the seller has many tax leins, child support payments, etc. and has been a real challenge to protect my buyers. I asked them to please get an attorney and they did. [I was actually having dinner with him last evening and we strategized before dinner, hopefully it will work] Hope your day is great.....and don't forget to "talk" about your challenges today. Hugs, Marti

Good Morning Marti and all, Feel better soon Marti. Pain is not pleasant and interferes with everything. That's an excellent topic Marti. My challenge is to compile a managable "to do" list. Too often I make a long list, feel overwhelmed, start several projects, yet complete few. So, I need to set priorities, keep it simple, and don't sweat the small stuff. Better yet - forget the big things and concentrate on the insignificant little details that bug me most. Speaking of bugs ... Japanese Beetles specifically - yuck! Our walkway is lined with two rows of roses. I find it relaxing to meander through and deadhead the roses. It smells good and is a mindless chore. Last night I discovered that we have been invaded by those swarming, pesky beetles. Tom was at the golf course and I counld't find the bug spray. He tends to store supplies waaay up high, out of my sight and reach. My first task this morning is to go buy beetle traps.  Boring - but the most exciting thing I plan for today. I have been too stresed and completely crabby so it is time for a change.  Toodles all

good morning marti and OFF! we had muchos rain and thunder and stuff yesterday afternoon-good napping weather-alas, i couldn't sleep! i have many challenges-some wls related many not...the one bothering me the most today is this ...oh gosh..i can't even focus on one! procrastination....used to be that i could work well under a deadline-now; i change the deadlines! example: i mentioned having a garage sale  before listing the house and the community one coming up in a few weeks- perfect timing -well deadline- for me to kick self in gear , eh? nope! i got panicky the other day and cancelled out of that sale event with the community......michael and i have listed out "big" items( huge dog crate /mantis tiller/my two bicycles/ stationary bike/some furniture pieces/massage table) to sell but cleaning the garage and getting the little items (knick knacks/kitchen extras/clothing/etc) together has not occured and today doesn't look much better! i need an intervention........ my name is margo and i am a pack rat...is there a step program for this???? ok-i have identified the problem ...i don't think that it is any better,tho !!!! you may think i am joking with this-i am dead serious--it crippled me sunday- i actually had a mini anxiety attack about this......i went to the basement to get an empty box to start packing something-anything-and was so overwhelmed by the magnitude of stuff that we need to sort and pack and get rid of that i went into anxiety mode......i guess i need to start in one place but i don't know "which" place! and small steps but it is all so overwhelming and so much of it is stuff we don't use/don't need...much has sentimental value or emotion tied to it also....ah well.... work today and then...attack the stuff i guess! hugs and prayers ......

www.childrenofhoarders.com Yes, there is a program for it.

interesting site-also www.helpinghoarders.com tho the fine line is to be walked between clutterer and hoarder...ouch!!!!!!!!!!!

Margo, I sure hear ya. You know I have talked about my parents home, mostly it's mom, but my husband, wonderful as he is, is a paper hoarder. Truly, that is the only thing that gives me pause about him...we have paper stacks everywhere! I have tried to sort and file and throw away. We have boxes and boxes of "important" papers. He also hangs on to "stuff." We have a garage full of "stuff" things we haven't seen in 8 years. I want to just take it and throw it away.. So anyway....just take one small bite at a time from the elephant sandwich. I don't know what else but I do know that when I just keeping focusing on going through "this one box, or drawer, or closet" etc, it really does help to keep me from getting overwhelmed looking at the whole big mess. Here's a big sorter, organizer hug for ya! Cheryl

Margo you and me both on the packrat thing.  I have a file cabinet full of my children's school stuff, a garage full of useless things, and a kitchen full of these little things that I never use but I must have.  I, too, am a packrat and I take the oath to try and do better.

Pack rat you say!  Many times I've walked into a room to declutter, thrown my hands up in desperation, and walked back out of the room.  George and I are both pack rats.  I've found the best way to deal with it other than leave it alone (LOL) is to get really , grab a large trash bag and start pitching.  Immediately throw the bag away and don't look back.  I'm so tired moving clutter from one spot to another, then back again.  Now that we have our empty nest back, we're seeing an improvement, but there's no denying 95% of the clutter is ours! Debbie

Honey, don't look at things as the big picture. Take it one step at a time and do one thing at a time. You are looking at the whole picture and it is overwhelming you so you need to just step back and take it one thing at a time. Just keep saying to yourself " I can do this one box. " and it is going to help. You can take the 12 steps of the program and put it anywhere in your life. That is the one thing that I have found through OA. That helps me a lot when I am overwhelmed. I hope that this helps you a bit. Love you, sweetie.

Aloha sweet friend, Margo......Wow, you brought back some powerful memories of packing, moving, craziness!! When I moved from Portland, Oregon, to Maui back in 2001, I moved from a 4 bedroom, 3 full bath house into a one bedroom, one bath condo that was ALREADY FURNISHED!! Sooooooo....you can imagine the downsizing I had to do!

When I lived in Santa Cruz I LOVED and collected candles, fuzzy throws, baskets and pottery. I moved all of that to Portland with me...don't ask me why....but I did. Well, what I had to do was just NOT OPEN the boxes and before my Maui move, I just took the unopened boxes to the "garage sale lady." She was wonderful!! She sold things and only took 15%, and gave me the rest. I made something like $1000 from her hard work, and you know what....I didn't miss a single thing I took to her and I felt an incredible sense of freedom and lightness not having all that "stuff" dragging me down any longer.

Margo...just do it. You will not miss so much of your stuff, believe me. I know you can do it!! You are woman....you are strong!! Think of it as therapy!!

Aloha nui loa,

Maui Karen