Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Who Needs It?

I've realized that I lack enough time in the day to get done what I really want and need to do. I keep saying that I'll do X whenthe wee ones are in school and I have more time. And there are lots of Xs.

I finally have a solution. There is something I need to give up, as it's really wasting a lot of my time. I'm sure many of you have seen posts lately from people giving up their blogs because they've realized that the blogs are taking too much time away from family and activities. No worries, that's not what this post is about.

I've got it all figured out. If I can give up sleep, I've just earned myself an extra six or seven hours a night to do all the things I've wanted to.

Granted, it will be hard to volunteer at the hippotherapy barn, so that one still has to wait until the wee ones are in school, but there are lots of other opportunities. So long as I can talk my husband into putting a studio in the basement, I can finally get back to ceramics. And by back to, I mean relearn how to do it since I haven't anything with pottery since I was in the sixth grade or so.

I also need a studio to do some glass blowing. I don't know why, but I've always been fascinated by the art of glass blowing. Making your art from something so amorphous and delicate appeals to me. There likely isn't a completely right or wrong way to do it, which means my pieces don't have to be perfect -- and it just looks so peaceful.

My other dream when I have more time "someday" is to learn to decorate cakes. I see what some people can do, and I'm just in awe. I love Ace of Cakes, and even seeing the creativity that other bloggers display with their cakes for their children. The cakes I see that some people buy for children's birthday parties are awfully cool, and I constantly think "hey, I could do that... if I only knew how." And I'd actually enjoy doing all the baking and carving and coloring and decorating. I'm still signing up for a class at the local community college once the wee ones are in school. But I'll at least practice now with my newfound no need for sleep time.

With an extra third of the day, I would also finally find time to do yoga even on my busy days. It's possible that this idea is inspired by the fact that my arms are still mildly sore today after my first yoga class in probably two months. And the yoga class I go to now is intense! This also might ensure that I don't miss any of my running days. Oooo, I'm liking this!

I might also be able to subscribe to the newspaper again. I gave it up last September when the e of unread newspapers surpassed ten inches. The Depression Era Baby in me can't pay for something like that and then not read them. It took me awhile to get through them, but I finally did. Of course, now my magazine pile has grown significantly. And no, I haven't renewed any magazines in two years. That means I have only four magazines I receive -- three are auto-subscriptions due to work and my gym; the other is a Christmas present from my SIL. Without sleeping, I might be able to actually read some books for fun. I love that idea.

And best of all? With my newly found time that I won't be spending sleeping... I'm going to be just enjoying the quiet. No phones ringing. No children needing my help. No husband making noise. Even the kitties will be silent. And the birds. And the neighbors -- no kids outside screaming and playing, no adults mowing lawns or doing home construction. Ahhhh...

Ok, so maybe it isn't realistic. Do you think I can manage to dream about it tonight at least?

So what would you give up to gain time?

23 comments:

Roxane June 3, 2009 at 9:52 PM  

Yoga! Ace of Cakes! I'd give up sleep to do those 2 activities :) I always feel like I could get so much more done if I had the time, so many activities I could take on... Maybe i'll give up work but only if I win the lottery!

Unknown June 3, 2009 at 10:41 PM  

OMG don't do that, not even to joke! If you stopped blogging where would I eat every Tuesday? Oy if the days were only longer and when the kids grow up, yeah that one doesn't work so well, they grow up, they have kids, you're back to square one. I'm loving every minute of it :)

Ryan Ashley Scott June 3, 2009 at 11:04 PM  

Thank goodness you're still here!

I gave up on sleep months ago and still can't seem to find enough time for... well, anything.

This post cracked me up.

anymommy June 3, 2009 at 11:50 PM  

Mmmmmm, not sleep, I need sleep. This was so funny.

WeaselMomma June 4, 2009 at 6:09 AM  

I'll take a cake decorating class with you if we can do it in daylight hours. Maybe move laundry to 2 am?

septembermom June 4, 2009 at 6:26 AM  

Cake decorating class would be so cool! Love that show.

Sleep is my ultimate luxury. I can't give up the little that I get. Such a funny post today. Wouldn't it be great to give up cleaning the house? A maid service would do the trick. I would get tons of time to do something. Maybe sleep??

Melisa Wells June 4, 2009 at 6:42 AM  

I LOVE that idea. :)
And I love Ace of Cakes. Surprise! :)

I think I'd be fine if I could catnap every three hours for about 15 minutes. Powernapping at its best...

MsTypo June 4, 2009 at 6:45 AM  

Even if i wanted to give up sleeping, i'm not sure i could. I fall soundly dead to the world everytime in a car or bus. Plus, when else I get my face time with Ewan McGregor!? :p

Karen June 4, 2009 at 7:19 AM  

I've tried the whole giving up sleep thing and have found that while I'm awake between the hours of 1 and 5 AM, coherency is nowhwere to be found. Even reading isn't an option because the brain checks out. Of course, maybe that's just me.

Hyacynth June 4, 2009 at 8:34 AM  

I think I'd like to give up doing the dishes. That takes up too much time.

I'm so glad you're not giving up blogging. :)

MaBunny June 4, 2009 at 9:53 AM  

Well Michelle, I surely wouldn't give up my blog! I've met too many wonderful people in the blogosphere, so that would be a resounding NO!

I've never thought about what I'd do if I had more time, I'll have to think on that one...

angela | the painted house June 4, 2009 at 10:17 AM  

If only I could give up sleep, too! But I have a feeling we women would still find a way to overschedule ourselves with 8 hours of extra time. :)

Thank you for your good-bye comment on my last post. It feels so weird to not have the painted house open. I guess I'll get used to it. Thank you so much for being a reader and fabulous commenter!

Unknown June 4, 2009 at 10:43 AM  

I got tired just reading about all you're going to do while not sleeping. I need a nap!

Love the post. Visiting from Mama Kat's!

Angela June 4, 2009 at 12:07 PM  

I am relieved to hear the blog is not going! I have been one of those that, although I would never give up my blog completely, has been forced lately to cut back. As you said, I just haven't got enough hours in the day right this second to do everything I want to accomplish (and I - involuntarily - tried giving up sleep, LOL, to no avail!)

There won't be any real surprises in my list - I would cook more, work out more, sleep more (ha!), blog more, scrap more, read more, and spend more time with friends and family. Oh, and finish my afghan project that has languished for a year now...I'm working on each a little at a time!

kisatrtle June 4, 2009 at 12:18 PM  

I think you are on to something here. I'll take the cake deco class with you

Unknown June 4, 2009 at 4:41 PM  

I could just watch Ace of Cakes all day! Wouldn't it be so fun to learn how to do that?

I think I would pick blogging over sleeping most days : ). I usually have to get my blogging fix before bed and then I end up staying up WAY too late!

Cookie June 4, 2009 at 4:45 PM  

Lots of great ideas. My son's school has a cake decorating contest tomorrow. We're working on a checkerboard cake and using oreos as the checkers. I thought our cake was awesome last year, but it lost :( Maybe this year. Ya never know.

KatBouska June 4, 2009 at 11:00 PM  

I think if you stopped sleeping to add hours to your day you'd turn into a crazy lady. Too bad there's not some kind of magical pill that makes us not miss sleep. :)

KatBouska June 4, 2009 at 11:00 PM  

I think if you stopped sleeping to add hours to your day you'd turn into a crazy lady. Too bad there's not some kind of magical pill that makes us not miss sleep. :)

KatBouska June 4, 2009 at 11:00 PM  

I think if you stopped sleeping to add hours to your day you'd turn into a crazy lady. Too bad there's not some kind of magical pill that makes us not miss sleep. :)

Michelle June 5, 2009 at 7:16 PM  

Roxane - Yep, I'm giving up work if I win the lottery, too. Then maybe I could have found the time I was looking for. Hmmm. You may be on to something.

Megryansmom - Wow, now that's a nice reaction. And here I was wondering if people even read my blog sometimes ;)

RAS - No? It didn't work for you. Huh. Well that shoots down that idea.

anymommy - EVERY pregnant woman needs sleep. Glad you liked it.

Weaselmomma - You and me. Harper College. Fall 2010. Deal?

septembermom - Ooo, I'd give up the housecleaning, too. Shhh we do actually have a service come in once a week, but there's so much more that needs to be done on a daily basis that I'd happily give up!

Melisa - I'm shocked. YOU like Ace of Cakes? No!

Cairo Typ0 - You had to rub that in, didn't you? Thanks. A lot.

Karen - Oh. Good point. And I suppose coherency IS something that I aim for....

Hyacynth - I already did that when I got married. My husband's deal is that he does all dishes. Ahhhh.

MaBunny - Think about it. On the plus side, the fact that you have to think about what you'd give up means you're doing what you want to be doing, right?

Angela - Yeah... I could probably manage to overshedule myself then, too.

Trudy - If that made you tired, you should see my normal days ;)

Angela - Well thank you! Ooo an afghan. Impressive. You'll have to show off pics when you finish it!

kisatrtle - Hey, if you can make it to Harper college next fall with me and Weaselmomma, you're in!

Life with Kaishon - Well, I'd need some Alton Brown and Food Detectives in there, too, but I could definitely do a whole lot of Ace of Cakes!

Cookie - Oh how cool! I hope you're sharing (the cake... and the pictures of it, too)!

Mama Kat - Hey, at least you say turn into... that means you don't think I'm a crazy lady now, right?

Heather June 13, 2009 at 10:02 PM  

I'd give up cleaning.

Michelle June 17, 2009 at 11:49 PM  

Heather - You're so giving! That's such a huge sacrifice....

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