Mad Macedonian

Opt For Optimism Challenge Day 30: Finale

Today marks the finale of Frost's 30 Day Optimism Challenge. You can play catch up by starting with my intro to this series and following the "next" link from there.

Today Frost asks participants to "Write Down Something You're Pessimistic About...and a Possible Solution For That Problem."

As Frost explains it..."We all have situations in our lives that we don’t feel great about. But sometimes we get bogged down and don’t think about solutions. So what’s one easy, first step you could take?"

I have been a little down in the dumps, for a year, about my creativity and where it is headed...being without a computer, a good new camera and a proper bicycle can do that to a man.

I kept up my creativity as best I could, used my cell phone for photos on walks, and went to the library to occasionally post on my blogs, then slowly took forward-looking steps on my own and with family help.

I got a new camera and a new bike and a new computer and printer. I attended a cat blogging conference.

I want to finally learn to use my new camera, take more walks and return to long bike rides exploring the Houston region.

I want to learn to put my computer and printer to use for my creative purposes. I want to find a good, free, alternative to Adobe Photoshop Elements (Among other things, my photos need their word balloons).

Opt For Optimism Challenge: Day 29

Today marks Day 29 of Frost's 30 Day Optimism Challenge. You can play catch up by starting with my intro to this series and following the "next" link from there.

Today Frost asks participants to "Clean Up a Mess You Didn't make."

As Frost explains it:

"It’s one thing to clean up a mess you made. It’s quite another to make the effort to clean up one you didn’t. It doesn’t have to be a big mess, just something that’s obviously needed. You’ll leave the space knowing you’re a hero, even if nobody else notices."

Opt For Optimism Challenge: Day 28

Today marks Day 28 of Frost's 30 Day Optimism Challenge. You can play catch up by starting with my intro to this series and following the "next" link from there.

Today Frost asks participants to "Write a Letter to Someone You Care About".

That is certainly doable, but not until payday, Thursday, so I can buy a stamp!

 

NEXT UP: Opt For Optimism Challenge: Day 29

 

Opt For Optimism Challenge: Day 27

Today marks Day 27 of Frost's 30 Day Optimism Challenge. You can play catch up by starting with my intro to this series and following the "next" link from there.

Today Frost asks participants to "Schedule Dinner With a Friend You Have Not Seen in a While."

I have classmates not seen since our school days that I have re-connected with on Facebook, an old classmate, and a fellow blogger, both not seen since I left SoCal, but stayed connected with on Facebook, and a longtime co-worker, not seen since 2001, that I re-connected with on Facebook.

There is a writer friend not seen since a trip to Va. in 2013, and another writer friend in Ga. who it would be great to meet, if I ever made it out there, among others elsewhere.

Considering I live in Texas, and most of the people on this list are in Ca., with others elsewhere, I will just have to settle for a planned meet-up with a long-time blogging friend on a cross-country journey, that I've mentioned before, later this month.

NEXT UP: Opt For Optimism Challenge: Day 28

 

 

Opt For Optimism Challenge: Day 26

Today marks Day 26 of Frost's 30 Day Optimism Challenge. You can play catch up by starting with my intro to this series and following the "next" link from there.

Today Frost asks participants to "Leave Your Phone Behind & Take a 20 Minute Walk."

Frost says, "take a deep breath and just enjoy being outside with no agenda beyond a bit of you-time."

Since I don't drive, whenever I do not ride my bike or the bus, I am on foot.

It is easy enough for me to keep the cell phone turned off, when out and about, as I don't expect phone calls and rarely get any since few know my number.

I walk at least 2 miles a day, including a 20 minute round trip during my lunch break at work, after eating my lunch.

For anyone who wants to make walking, alone or in a group, part of their regular routine I recommend considering joining both the American Volkssporting Association (America's Walking Club) and an associated local club near you, and/or Everwalk (Join EverWalk Nation,  and take the pledge to walk a minimum three times a week, no matter the distance.").

You can also check them out on Facebook.

I joined both and enjoy myself emensely.

NEXT UP: Opt For Optimism Challenge: Day 27

 

 

 

Opt For Optimism Challenge: Day 25

Today marks Day 25 of Frost's 30 Day Optimism Challenge. You can play catch up by starting with my intro to this series and following the "next" link from there.

Today Frost asks participants to "Send Flowers To Someone You Care About Just Because."

As Frost explains it:

"Surprising someone with a gift “just because” is a great way to spread optimism. And it doesn’t have to be flowers. Bake some cookies or give someone a copy of your favorite book; it's the thought that counts."

Wish I could. There are more than a few people I'd send a thank you bouquet of roses to, or a book, but can't afford to do so, there are so many.

If all goes according to plan, I WILL be taking a friend to lunch, or dinner, when she passes thru on her cross-country journey, next month, though. :-D

NEXT UP: Opt For Optimism Challenge: Day 26

 

 

 

Opt For Optimism Challenge: Day 24

Today marks Day 24 of Frost's 30 Day Optimism Challenge. You can play catch up by starting with my intro to this series and following the "next" link from there.

Today Frost asks participants to "Before You Go To Sleep Tonite, Reflect On What Went Well Today."

As Frost explains it: 

"Take some deep breaths and let the stress of the day slip away. Now play the day back in your mind and enjoy the things, big or small, that went well."

Opt For Optimism Challenge: Day 23

Today marks Day 23 of Frost's 30 Day Optimism Challenge. You can play catch up by starting with my intro to this series and following the "next" link from there.

Today Frost asks participants to "Leave a Thank You Note For Your Mail Carrier".

As Frost explains it:

"Nobody pays more service visits to your home than your mail carrier. Taking time to thank someone for a job that’s all too often thankless is a great way to connect with a vital person in your neighborhood."

Because of my work schedule, I rarely see my carrier.

Over that few years I have lived at my current address there have been a few times when I had issues with a carrier and even one major dust-up with the Post Office branch which delivers the mail and packages, over delivery of a package (I had to go up a level, to the district office, to keep my package from being returned to sender.)

That being said, the current carrier appears to be doing a fine job and so I think deserves a thank you....delivered with my trademark humor.

I found a page of Ben Franklin Quotes...Ben being the 1st Post Master General of the United States appears not to have had anything quotable to say about the Postal Service, that I could find in a Google Search, anyway, so...

I decided to misquote him, hee, hee!

My note reads:

MISQUOTING BEN FRANKLIN

The 1st Postmaster General of the United States

1. Never leave undelivered until tomorrow what you can deliver today!

2. A full mailbox can possibly make a poor man richer. One only full of junk mail...not so much.

3. Drive the mail truck (safely!), it won't drive thee!

4. Do not anticipate trouble (or bad weather!), focus on delivering the mail.

5. Being a mail carrier is no shame, but being ashamed of it is. 

 

Thank You for the job you do! I know it is not easy. 

Kiril

 

NEXT UP:  Opt For Optimism Challenge: Day 24

 

 

Opt For Optimism Challenge DAY 22: Goals for Emotional Health

 

Today marks Day 22 of Frost's 30 Day Optimism Challenge. You can play catch up by starting with my intro to this series and following the "next" link from there.

Today Frost asks participants to "Write Down A Goal Related To Your Emotional Health".

As they explain it:

"Taking care of yourself in this busy world can be a challenge. Maybe you need to find your work-life balance, or maybe you just need some quiet time regularly to unwind. Whatever it is, write it down and go for it."

In 2015, there being only one November 2015 in my life, with no do-overs, I decided, on the spur of the moment, to go for it and, despite my work schedule, doctor and vet appointments and concerns about paying bills and putting food on my table, week to week, write a daily series of posts on the topic of "Never Giving Up."

I had no idea where it would lead me or if anyone would read a word of it, much less share it around.

I wasn't even sure I'd manage 30 posts! But I did!

A check, this moring, of my Shareaholic shows, amazingly, that all of the series, except one, were shared on Facebook...a total of 110 times combined, including several that were shared 6, 7, and 9 times.

I invite readers to check the series out, share and comment.

On Never Giving Up - The Series

I live alone, my only companions are 3 cats.

In the 6 years I have lived in Houston I have been unable to build much of a social life, or a collection of friends and associates, or other connections.

Working the 3-to-closing shift every day, for most of my 5 years at Wal-Mart, and not having fixed days off, meant little opportunity to do things and go places, even if doing so was free, much less make a connection with people and organizations.

While I like many of my co-workers and trust a few of them enough to accept rides to the bus stop or home, from time to time, there has never been a chance to do more, or build more complex relationships.

Opt For Optimism Challenge: DAY 21

Today marks Day 21 of Frost's 30 Day Optimism Challenge. You can play catch up by starting with my intro to this series and following the "next" link from there.

Today Frost asks participants to "Donate Any Items in Your Closet You Didn't Wear in the Last Year."

Donations to Goodwill have been something I have done, off and on, for years.

In a way it is paying forward all that Goodwill, Salvation Army, Veteran's Thrift Store, and House of Ruth, in the Pomona, Ca. of my childhood thru college years did for me, my sisters and mother.

It was these stores, and others, far lesser known, as well as yard sales and garage sales, that provided much of our clothing, among other things, growing up.

For me, though, I think the most important thing shopping at these places did for me was to spur my imagination and creativity, through reading.

It was here that a worried and confused young boy of 10, whose father was in the beginnings of spending his last 20 years suffering from mental illness, discovered Frank, Joe & Chet as well as Nancy Bess and George and forever changed his life.

The Hardy Boys & Nancy Drew books were first published in the late 1920's and there was one a year thru around 1980 until the original publisher sold the rights to a mass market publisher who, while keeping the original series going, with more frequent output, thought it smart to publish all sorts of more modern takes on the characters.

That pissed me off no end, but, anyway...

Where was I? Oh, yeah...