Challenges and Procrastinations

I'm looking forward to an interesting week.  My sons and I are preparing for an upcoming training session in robotics.  My 12 year old will be taking intermediate level training for the Lego NXT robotics programming system. He's familiar with the basics so it should be a good experience.  My 14 year old and I are going to learn about RobotC.  I'd heard of this system but have never used or seen it.  I'm looking forward to the challenge.  We all have base robots to build before the training session.  The closest I've come to working with the Tetrix robotics system is inventorying the kit parts.  You know how you sometimes have spare parts left after building a project?  You're left wondering if you left something out or if extras were in the package.  Imagine that with a small tub of left-over spare parts.

I'm still working through my fitness goals.  I've lost 23 pounds since I began in late August 2012.  I'm officially back  within the rather broadly defined recommended weight range for my height.  I'd like to lose another 8-10 pounds.  I'm not planning to be as specific as my "Loose 20 pounds by the end of 2012" goal.  I'm waiting to see how my body responds to the continued exercise and diet changes I've made. I have no idea what normal is going to mean for me.

 

I'm in the process of working out a time table to take swimming lessons.  I'm not sure how I'm going to work this into my schedule.  That's been half the problem all these years.  I always ran out of time before I mastered being able to breath while I was trying to swim.  I always felt like I was just a few more practice sessions short of being able to join my friends or family in the deep end instead of dangling my feet in the kiddie pool.

 

I've spent our Christmas school break continuing to master the art of procrastination.  There are just some chores I dislike with a passion. They are tolerable as long as I'm keeping them done, but if I ever get behind it's like making myself walk through chest deep mud.  Just looking at a certain pile of unfiled papers is exhausting.  It's slowly taking over my workspace.  It's GOT to go!

 

I have a book titled 10-20-30 Minutes to Sew by Nancy Zieman.  This book addresses the techniques we can all use in getting a big project done.  In this case it happens to be sewing clothing.  The book shows how to divide a clothing construction project into short, mini-projects that can be completed in 10, 20 or 30 minutes.  It tells you how to prepare in advance so you don't waste precious project time.   I'm going to use this technique to tackle these chores.  A timer is about to become my friend.  Ten minutes here or fifteen minutes there will add up over the course of the next few days.

 

I'm looking forward to this week and the challenges it will offer.