DRIVEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

   OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


First - I am NOT a believer in astrological signs, HOWEVER, I do look at the personality traits from time to time. And OH MY GOD..................

Look at this..............

Virgo Strength Keywords:

- Analytical
- Observant
- Helpful
- Reliable
- Precise

Virgo Weakness Keywords:

- Skeptical
- Fussy
- Inflexible
- Cold
- Interfering


Does that not describe me to a T???????   OK - so perhaps I should be less skeptical and believe a bit more. I am trying - I really am, but I am so skeptical I can't help myself. And now I have a good excuse - it is built into me!!!!


Anyway - I pulled the above from this web site..............

Zodiac signs


I wanted to start with that because lately I have been DRIVEN. And I have solved??? my problem of the goal setting which I will share with you.

Let's have a look at what I have done in the last couple of days...............

Customer quilt

Detail of quilting

While I LOVE the colour of this quilt - it is VIBRANT, I love the back even better. And why?????

Pink PLUSH!!!!!!!!!!!!    How cool is that!!!!   I had to laugh because when I was quilting it, M came down to chat with me and couldn't stop PETTING the backing!!!!!

Another customer quilt - DONE

Detail of quilting

Wait - what is this????   Oh one of those stupid "To be quilted" lists of mine!

Well have a look at that list NOW!

Yep - I whipped this on the machine late one night and got it done. It is MINE!!!!!!   And it is all flannel - top and backing!  Going to be snuggly for winter. 

Detail of quilting

Charity quilt - DONE!

Detail of quilting - don't ask about the texture of this one. It is very weird  - almost like it was an old top that was taken apart. The seams are serged and then the entire thing is top stitched. And it looks like it was painted?????   I don't know - I just quilt them!!!!

Someone is coming to use the machine today so I had to get those done.


OK - so you want to know my secret for getting things done?????   WELL  there are several things. I have GREAT intentions to get things done and then I do NOT. It is not like I fritter the day away, but I can get distracted and lose focus. So I am now trying to use my existing tools to help me stay on track.

I use Google Calendar to keep track of appointments, meetings, etc. However if there is NOTHING in a time slot, I call that free time and then I decide at that moment what to do with that time. I did NOT like the idea of sending myself a reminder every day about my goals, so I decided to send myself a reminder (basically I set up a recurring appointment with myself) on Sunday evening at 8:30. I have a half hour set aside to review my schedule for the upcoming week. I printed the calender off and then looked at what my goals were (in this case - what quilts needed to be quilted) and then when there was free time, I scheduled in a quilt. Now it could easily have been "read a book", "garden", "clean the garage" or whatever task needed to be done.

I think the most IMPORTANT thing is that I WROTE IT DOWN. This now means that I have committed myself to doing that task - the same way that I have committed myself to attend a guild meeting or lunch appointment or whatever. I know - very simple, yet I think very effective. I just couldn't wrap my head around it before cause I am such a dolt!!!!!

Now to make it work, I have to KEEP that appointment with myself every week. And maybe I schedule NOTHING, but that is my choice!!!!   Don't worry - I have LOADS of flexibility built in for doing whatever I want. I have only scheduled the "has to be done this week" events. The rest of my time is wide open and there is LOTS.

I also have to make up those goal sheets for 2014 and then on Sunday evening during that half hour, I can review the goal sheets and figure out to fit that monthly/weekly/daily goal into my schedule. I think I have almost got the goals set - they are written in the blog, but I need to write them on a piece of paper that I can use to review.


The other thing that I started is my daily list of three CRITICAL things to do that day. I have been doing it on and off, but I could never remember to write them up. So I set up a reminder in my calendar at 5:30 AM (cause I am always up) to write out the three things that I HAVE to get done that day (or things that I WANT to get done). And it could be anything. Call a friend, read for 1 hour, - it can be whatever I want!!!!!   I will caution you to keep those three items simple. Don't say - piece a quilt top because that likely will NOT happen. But make a phone call, write a card, pay a bill, break the steps of the quilt top down - ie. finish the blocks or whatever. DO NOT make them HUGE tasks because you will NOT get them done in a day.

So far - this system is working great. I also made a GIANT TO DO list (and I keep adding to it as I remember things I have to do) and if I am stuck (as if!!!) for something to add to the critical three list - I can check the giant to do list. Mostly what is on the TO DO list will end up on the critical three, but at least I get those three things off my plate.

Again - this works because it is WRITTEN DOWN so I am committed to getting them done.


There you have it - if you want to get lots done - it is going to require a bit of planning and work on your part, but it can be done. This system works for ME - you are welcome to use it, but it may not work for you. You will have to find some way to make it work. Look at the best times of the day/week to do those activities. Make sure you scheudle loads of time for yourself - even those of you with kids and husbands. They can function just fine without you. Be selfish with your time. I am VERY SELFISH with my time and my family knows that and respects that. Just as I let them be selfish with their time.


Now if you want a GOOD laugh at me - have a look at this next picture.

Yesterday was Monday Motivators. I was sewing on my weekly label. Immediately after it was sewn on - I realized there was a spelling mistake. I spelled barnyard - BARHYARD. ACK!!!!!!!!    I told everyone that I would leave it like that and Krystyna threw me a Pigma pen so I could change the H to an N.   BUT it is bugging me!!!!!     What would it take to remove that label and make a new one and sew it on?????????

I can't help it - it is the VIRGO in me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


On that note - I am off to sew today and get the TWO of my critical three items done for the day. One is already complete. YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!