Day Sixty-six: Loss of productivity

I couldn't watch the Republican convention last night or the repeats. I find that I'm getting tired of the political speeches. This doesn't mean I don't have an Internet addiction. In fact, it's obvious that far too many people do. I read the blogs and particularly the comments, the comments that are added to before I can read all the ones that have already been posted. This is a tremendous drain on my productivity, or could be without some severe self-imposed restrictions.

I only do it while I'm waiting for something, or at the end of the day. Now it takes a certain amount of creativity to find things that have built in waiting time. Take this morning for example: I chose to fix myself steel cut oats because they were supposed to simmer a whole thirty minutes. I could have done something more productive with that time but my very portable laptop was on the table so I declared it "waiting time." Of course, my laptop being on the table also meant that I could "wait" between bites.

Leisurely meals are supposed to be healthier for a person...

The rest of my morning was truly one of productivity without progress. I did a load of laundry after I changed the sheets on the guest bed. I made a pot of chili, primarily to use up the cilantro that I had left from the earlier Mango Black Bean Salad, and to use some more of that delicious chili powder my daughter got me. I also made a double batch of chocolate cupcakes, 24, for Saturday. I enjoyed the chili for lunch and licking the bowl was dessert, although I didn't eat them in the traditional order. I do hold with the philosophy that since life is uncertain, one should eat dessert first. Eating when I want and what I want is The Secret of Life after Layoff.

I'd like to say that my productivity continued into the afternoon. I did start a couple loaves of bread possibly for Saturday. Both are Whole Wheat but one also has olives. I also put a lot of effort for little result in washing the truck's wheels, well two of them, one of them twice. I was following the instructions, including the use of rubber gloves. With my lack of progress and noticing holes in one of my gloves, I decided to try again when the sun wasn't so bright, hot, and burning. Oh, I did dry the laundry I washed this morning. My final bit of work this afternoon was the creation of a list, a list of all I still had to do. I kept it very high-level so as to not be overwhelmed. Lists are good for at least one thing, the crossing of completed items off of them. It is also a reason to put things that I know I will do, like bake the bread I now have raising. At least I didn't put things like get up (each day), ... But maybe a computer program/scheduler would be a good place for all of that. I know, I'll put it on a list.