Chuck’s World

If you have been reading my blog, you know that organization and removing the clutter in our lives has been a priority. While we still have a lot to accomplish, what we have done so far has made a huge difference in our lives. Honestly, we are just, for a lack of a better way to say it, happier, even though I think our lives have gotten busier.

One place that I wasn’t sure we were ever going to be able to “un-clutter” was Brittany’s room. Yes, I know children are inherently messy. I also know some adults that never grow out of it. However, this wasn’t the problem. It was all the furry little creatures that took up every inch of space in her room. She could make up her bed and put all her things away and it still looked chaotic because of all her little friends she has been holding onto since her early years. Most of these were born out of a day spent with the Grandparents in St. Louis. That’s a story for another day!

Getting rid of them was not an option. However, something had to be done. So, we talked and came up with a decision. She would keep 25 animals, of her choosing, in her room at a given time. The rest would need to be stored away. Brittany even took it a step further and said she would like to get nice storage cases, organize her animals into groups and label what each case contained. That way, depending on her mood or the time of year, she could easily exchange out a different set of animals whenever she wanted.

She spent the afternoon working on this project. Deciding who went into storage and who stayed in her room wasn’t easy. However, at least she knew they weren’t going to be far away and that they all would be packed away securely. Finally, she had to arrange and organize her room. I must say she did an awesome job and surprisingly she loves the way it turned out. I think she feels the way we do. You just feel more at ease, when everything is in its place. It’s now a room she can relax or play in. Before, she could hardly do either.

So now she’s enjoying her room and we have another check mark on our list of rooms to un-clutter.

You go girl!!!

Great job!

Today, I hit a significant milestone in my quest to get back in shape. I put on on a pair of shorts I haven’t worn in years. Did you hear me yell?!?! My neighbors did, I am sure!

The shorts themselves are nothing spectacular. They are my year round standard Polo Khaki shorts. Andrew style short, if you must know. That’s significant to me by the way! I have never cared for shorts that go down to my knees. The look is great for others, but it just never suited me. If I ever get that beach front home in Bermuda, then we’ll talk. Until then, standard length for me!

The significance of this particular pair is that they are the next size smaller. At the beginning of this quest to get back in shape, I was literally busting at the seams of all my pants, especially my shorts. So, this is more like a multiple size drop for me. I had been comfortable in the original size for awhile now, which was good. No more feeling like if I moved the wrong way my pants would explode. However, I had plateaued and slacked off a bit and wasn’t really progressing like I wanted. So, a month ago I kicked everything into high gear again. Back to eating just right and I finally started walking. Not a big fan of this walking thing, but it helps and it’s easy on my joints. You can’t just lazily walk though. You have to walk hard for it to make a difference.

I recently read an article that people in New York City have the highest rate of increasing their life expectancy of any city in the United States? Go figure! I would have thought just the opposite. It turns out, it is because most people have to walk everywhere they go and not only do they walk, they walk fast. Because of that, they are healthier. So, if you see me coming your way, you might want to move aside. I am taking on the New Yorker’s way of life baby! Walk Walk Walk! Hmm, wonder where my Yankees cap is???

Now back to this morning. I had to take Brittany to soccer practice. I was tired, stiff and really didn’t want to go, much less walk the track while I was there. I got dressed and my shorts were loose. I had noticed this, but hadn’t given it much thought before. I wondered… I dug around in the bottom of my drawers (Stay with me here people! Keep your mind out of the gutter!) and found the pair of shorts I was looking for. I decided to give them a try. Not only did they fit, they felt great! Like I said before, you sure you didn’t hear the scream?!

So, needless to say, that pumped me up and I walked my two miles and then helped with soccer practice running after ball after ball after ball. None of those were Brittany’s, by the way. All hers hit the goal!

So, while I still have a long ways to go to reach my goal of fitting in my favorite suit for Debbie’s Christmas party, I am actually now beginning to really believe I can do it. If by chance I don’t make it, while I might be a bit disappointed, I won’t give up on my quest. This is for the rest of my life, not just for the Christmas party. I must say though, I do look good in that suit!

Another good day in my world…

Blessings and happiness to you!

Chuck

Ever have a strong yearning, desire or a sense that at some point in your life a particular person or place will play a dramatic role in your life? I can’t explain it and honestly I don’t see how it could ever happen, but right now for me that place is New York City (Manhattan). I just have this very strong feeling that at some point it will play a pivotal role with me and my family. I don’t know how and I don’t know when. It just “feels” like it is going to happen. And you know what? It’s not a feeling that brings across any kind of apprehension at all. It’s almost like I just know that’s where I am going to go. This also seems to be coinciding with my desire to rid everything in my life that is not necessary and to get my body back in shape. That being said, I don’t see me uprooting my family anytime soon. They are my world. I can assure you I won’t do anything without their full blessing and until they all have been given the same desire. Nor do I see the financial means to tackle such a journey. In fact, in my eyes, that in itself is almost an insurmountable obstacle. I guess it’s just one of those things you just put in God’s hands and watch what happens.

This all started a couple of years ago, when I got the opportunity to go to New York City twice in one year. If it weren’t for the family I am so blessed to have, I would not have wanted to come back to Mississippi. I can’t explain it, but I felt a peace. A peace in the midst of millions sounds crazy, but it was like I was at home. If you know me at all, then you would probably realize how crazy that sounds. I hate traffic, I despise places like Wal-Mart because of the crowds and the unruly people and I don’t like small cramped hotel rooms. And so you ask, then why do you want to live in New York City where people are everywhere, traffic is horrendous and 400 square foot apartments cost many times more than the spacious home I live in now? I can’t really tell you. It is just different and I think I have something to accomplish there. Right now, I just don’t know what it is or when.

So, if you know me, say a little prayer. I don’t know where this yearning is coming from, exactly what it is all about or if anything will ever come out of it. I just hope I keep an open heart and mind, so that I will be ready when I need to be. That’s a big step for a boy raised in Mississippi, who has dreamed of far away lands, but has never ventured out of the city he has lived in all is life, other than for brief visits.

Blessings,
Chuck

Just call me Mr. Clean! I am not, I repeat, I am not shaving my head though!

How to clean your home in 19 minutes

With these room-by-room checklists, you can maintain a sparkling house in just 19 minutes a day, giving you more time for family, friends and you.

Kitchen, 4 1/2 minutes daily - Always start with the sink. “Keep it empty and shining,” says Marla Cilley, author of Sink Reflections (Bantam, $15) and creator of www.FlyLady.net, a housekeeping Web site. A sparkling sink becomes your kitchen’s benchmark for hygiene and tidiness, inspiring you to load the dishwasher immediately and keep counters, refrigerator doors, and the stovetop spick-and-span, too.

* Wipe down the sink after doing the dishes or loading the dishwasher (30 seconds).

* Wipe down the stove top (one minute).

* Wipe down the counters (one minute).

* Sweep, Swiffer, or vacuum the floor (two minutes).

Bathroom, 2 minutes daily - Make cleaning the basin as routine as washing your hands. But don’t stop there. Get the most out of your pre-moistened wipe by using it to clean around the edges of the tub and then the toilet before tossing it.

* Wipe out the sink (30 seconds). Wipe the toilet seat and rim (15 seconds).

* Swoosh the toilet bowl with a brush (15 seconds).

* Wipe the mirror and faucet (15 seconds).

* Squeegee the shower door (30 seconds).

* Spray the entire shower and the curtain liner with shower mist after every use (15 seconds).

Bedroom, 6 1/2 minutes daily - Make your bed right before or after your morning shower. A neat bed will inspire you to deal with other messes immediately. Although smoothing sheets and plumping pillows might not seen like a high priority as you’re rushing to work, the payoff comes at the end of the day, when you slip back under the unruffled covers.

* Make the bed (two minutes).

* Fold or hang clothing and put away jewelry (four minutes).

* Straighten out the night-table surface (30 seconds).

Family room, living room, foyer, 6 minutes daily - Start with the sofa — as long as it’s in disarray, your living room will never look tidy. Once you’ve fluffed the pillows and folded the throws, you’re halfway home. If you pop in a CD while you dust, you should be able cover the whole room by the end of the third track.

* Pick up crumbs and dust bunnies with a handheld vacuum (one minute).

* Fluff the cushions and fold throws after use (two minutes).

* Wipe tabletops and spot-clean cabinets when you see fingerprints (one minute).

* Straighten coffee-table books and magazines, throw out newspapers, put away CDs and videos (two minutes.)

Well, I finally tackled our walk-in closet. I will be honest, I was scared. It was awful. Stuff had been thrown in there for the 10+ years we have lived here. Walk-in was a misnomer. If you were lucky, you only fell once trying to get in and you always tied a line to your waist to make sure you could find your way out.

See, our bedroom had become where we threw everything that didn’t have a place to keep it out of site of others and the closet became the place it went when we couldn’t stand it being in our bedroom. Chaos, just pure chaos. We had already cleaned up the bedroom for the most part, but now it was time for the closet. No further progress could be made, until it was cleaned out.

For 6 hours, I pulled everything out and went through it all. We kept what we needed, donated what we could and threw out the rest. It’s really amazing how many empty hangers and shoe boxes you can have in one place. Actually, it’s really sad…

Next, we organized everything and put it back in its place. Order and symmetry. My stuff on my side, Deb’s stuff on hers and everything else packed up nicely and labeled. Now we can walk in freely and pick out what we need. No falling and no safety rope! I can even see all my shoes! That sounds funny coming from a guy, but some of them had been buried for some time now. We also completed our bedroom. Oh what a sanctuary it is now. Peaceful to be there. A room that can now be enjoyed and let me tell you that i exactly what your bedroom should be. It’s should never become a place of storage. That’s not what it was meant to be.

I am telling all of you now. Get rid of the clutter and useless items in your life and get organized. If it doesn’t add value to your life, remove it. It will change your life. It sounds silly and I never would have guessed the impact it would make on our family, but I really believe it has changed us all. We all work to keep everything in its place and we are all better for it.

Now, if I could just talk to Brittany about all those stuffed animals…

My joints ached, I was getting a cold, Deb had been struggling with her MS and then became sick with a bad sinus infection. Last week was also busy with back to school meetings and soccer practices that were sending us in all different directions that we didn’t want to go, with homework and piano lessons filling the gaps during the times we weren’t running around. Add to that, my dad is having some health issues that we are concerned about and let’s just say my attitude wasn’t the greatest. I was tired, frustrated and honestly a little bit fed up.

Then, I reflected on some events in other people’s lives that I know of personally. One person is waiting on a lung transplant that without receiving it he might not be able to live the long life we often take for granted. Another person I know is contemplating divorce (I pray there is still hope). Another who was successful in all the ways this world defines success committed suicide this past week. Another has been struggling to find a steady job, because his field of work is being outsourced to companies outside the United States. And finally, another friend has found out that a tumor, that had been removed, has returned. That’s just in my little world. Imagine, as you expand out to the the rest of our city, our state, our country and the rest of the world, how many people are truly suffering. Most we won’t ever hear about, but for each person those struggles are very real. I pray their needs are met.

As for my life, I have a gorgeous and wonderful wife, two awesome kids who are healthy, happy and enjoying life, a permanent job and a comfortable home to live in. My family loves me and so does my God. Exactly what do I have to complain about? Not much.

Yes, I am truly blessed…