Elizabeth Barrette (ysabetwordsmith) wrote,
Elizabeth Barrette
ysabetwordsmith
  • Mood: busy

Hard Things

Life is full of things which are hard or tedious or otherwise unpleasant that need doing anyhow. They help make the world go 'round, they improve skills, and they boost your sense of self-respect. But doing them still kinda sucks. It's all the more difficult to do those things when nobody appreciates it. Happily, blogging allows us to share our accomplishments and pat each other on the back.

What are some of the hard things you've done recently?
Tags: blogging, community, meme, networking
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  • 40 comments
capricorn01984

capricorn01984

July 21 2010, 21:16:52 UTC 10 years ago

Cleaned the bathrooms and did laundry today!
ysabetwordsmith

Good for you!

ysabetwordsmith

July 21 2010, 21:24:10 UTC 10 years ago

Housework progress is dandy.

I'm cooking today, so I'm also in the progress of doing kitchen and table cleanup.
capricorn01984

Re: Good for you!

capricorn01984

10 years ago

  • New comment
ysabetwordsmith

Re: Good for you!

ysabetwordsmith

10 years ago

  • New comment

Deleted comment

ysabetwordsmith

Thoughts

ysabetwordsmith

July 21 2010, 21:23:25 UTC 10 years ago

I suck at letting go, too.

Some things I have found useful:

1) Consider the context and background. I don't believe that everything is fated, but in my observation some things are too big to get around readily, while others are caused by previous choices I or other people have made.

2) Look for collateral benefits. I was very unhappy when one of our big canopy trees blew down in a recent storm. However, I'm learning a lot about the wildlife value of standing snags -- and we should wind up with some useful firewood and mulch.
judifilksign

judifilksign

July 21 2010, 21:29:04 UTC 10 years ago

I swam 10 laps in order to try to get my weight under control, and build up more muscle, and rehab my hurt foot. It took half an hour.
ysabetwordsmith

Yay!

ysabetwordsmith

July 21 2010, 21:31:18 UTC 10 years ago

Swimming is good exercise.
capricorn01984

Re: Yay!

capricorn01984

10 years ago

  • New comment
rowangolightly

rowangolightly

July 21 2010, 21:31:24 UTC 10 years ago

I guess it'll come as no surprise to you, but my whole life has been like that for the last few months.

The divorce, moving, staying with friends 'til I could find a place, losing the role of queen, being lied to and betrayed, moving again, starting over....all of it.

Some days are harder than others, the last couple have been for no reason I could really figure out. But I keep going and keep trying because that's simply the way I'm built; I'm too damned stubborn to do anything else.

Someday perhaps I'll rediscover joy for more than a few fleeting moments at a time.
ysabetwordsmith

*hugs*

ysabetwordsmith

July 22 2010, 01:19:11 UTC 10 years ago

>>The divorce, moving, staying with friends 'til I could find a place, losing the role of queen, being lied to and betrayed, moving again, starting over....all of it.<<

Losing a beloved role in community really sucks. But from what I know of you, this is a case of "Once a Queen in Narnia, always a Queen in Narnia." Taking you out of the role doesn't take the role out of you. You still carry yourself with the dignity of a Queen. I hope that someday you'll find your place again, in court or community or whatever comes ... preferably this time peopled by folks who are not, well, a total waste of perfectly good carbon atoms that could be put to better use elsewhere.
rowangolightly

Re: *hugs*

rowangolightly

10 years ago

  • New comment
ysabetwordsmith

Re: *hugs*

ysabetwordsmith

10 years ago

  • New comment
je_reviens

je_reviens

10 years ago

  • New comment
rowangolightly

rowangolightly

10 years ago

  • New comment
kestrels_nest

kestrels_nest

10 years ago

  • New comment
rowangolightly

rowangolightly

10 years ago

  • New comment
ysabetwordsmith

Yes...

ysabetwordsmith

10 years ago

  • New comment
rowangolightly

Re: Yes...

rowangolightly

10 years ago

  • New comment
ysabetwordsmith

Re: Yes...

ysabetwordsmith

10 years ago

  • New comment
filkferengi

Re: Yes...

filkferengi

10 years ago

  • New comment
ysabetwordsmith

Re: Yes...

ysabetwordsmith

10 years ago

  • New comment
filkferengi

filkferengi

10 years ago

  • New comment
rowangolightly

rowangolightly

10 years ago

  • New comment
filkferengi

filkferengi

10 years ago

  • New comment
rowangolightly

rowangolightly

10 years ago

  • New comment
unmutual

unmutual

July 21 2010, 22:50:04 UTC 10 years ago

Physical therapy for my ankles seems so easy, but hurts so much a few hours later. The hard thing is not letting the pain make me grumpy. Fortunately I'm making obvious healing progress, which helps with not being grumpy.
kestrels_nest

kestrels_nest

July 21 2010, 22:52:41 UTC 10 years ago

Being Caregiver Girl and (this week) single parent. I'm the only source of emotional support my mother will accept, and my obligations are geographically irreconcilable: my home, 130 miles south from home, and and 150 miles west of here. Right now it feels like victory when the laundry gets done, which it just did.
ysabetwordsmith

Yes...

ysabetwordsmith

July 22 2010, 01:48:35 UTC 10 years ago

That sounds miserable.

Recently I came across an organization for single mothers that connects them into shared households. I thought that was clever. There might be other types of single-parent support networks for sharing some kinds of support network other than that.
kestrels_nest

Re: Yes...

kestrels_nest

10 years ago

  • New comment
ysabetwordsmith

Re: Yes...

ysabetwordsmith

10 years ago

  • New comment
ravan

ravan

July 22 2010, 01:01:21 UTC 10 years ago

Paperwork that has to be filled out by hand. I hate it, my hand hates it. I did it anyway.
ysabetwordsmith

Good for you!

ysabetwordsmith

July 22 2010, 01:32:59 UTC 10 years ago

Progress is good.
je_reviens

je_reviens

July 22 2010, 01:36:52 UTC 10 years ago

I used money I borrowed from the government in the form of student loans to send a payment to the IRS, to pay off a giant tax bill from the year I was on unemployment. So I have paid interest and penalties on the IRS bill, as well as a large fee for the cost of setting up a payment plan, and I had to borrow money from the government, which I will pay interest on, to pay it.

Can anyone beat that?
kestrels_nest

kestrels_nest

July 22 2010, 02:16:51 UTC 10 years ago

It isn't a contest. You've done what you needed to do without hiding your head in the sand, as too many I know have done and are doing. I honor you for that.

I hope it gets better for you soon.
je_reviens

je_reviens

10 years ago

  • New comment
dnellin

dnellin

July 22 2010, 02:16:05 UTC 10 years ago

I just underwent a breast cancer operation and a new partial breast radiation series. But I think I am cancer free now and will be able to resume my regular life in the near future.
je_reviens

je_reviens

July 22 2010, 02:56:29 UTC 10 years ago

CANCER FREE HUZZAH!!!!!!!
cflute

slogging through

cflute

July 24 2010, 00:13:55 UTC 10 years ago Edited:  July 24 2010, 00:14:27 UTC

Took the car in for warranty service so that the rear seatbelts could be replaced. They were not ratcheting every time anymore, and thus we had trouble securing the Little Guy's carseat.

We're now over the limit for free warranty service, alas. But when I got the car back its outside had been cleaned and the inside had been vacuumed, so it looks quite a bit better than it has in months.

Meanwhile, laundry's running and so are dishes; recycling and garbage have gone out, food waste is next. And maybe if I can keep at it, I'll find a living room under everyone's clutter!
ysabetwordsmith

Re: slogging through

ysabetwordsmith

July 24 2010, 00:21:16 UTC 10 years ago

Well, that's good progress at least. I'm glad the seatbelts got fixed!
cflute

Re: slogging through

cflute

10 years ago

  • New comment

  • Winterfest in July Bingo Card 7-1-21

    Here is my card for the Winterfest in July Bingo fest. It runs from July 1-30. Celebrate all the holidays and traditions of winter! ( See all my…

  • Birdfeeding

    Today is sunny, muggy, and warm. I fed the birds. I've seen house finches and a squirrel. After lunch, we moved the rest of the walnut logs. Most…

  • Bingo

    I have made bingo down the B, G, and O columns of my 6-1-21 card for the Cottoncandy Bingo fest. I also have one extra fill. B1 (caretaking) --…