So I just finished my workout with Jillian for today, and I’m writing this post while still sitting in a puddle of my own sweat because I’m suddenly, inexplicably motivated. And these days motivation seems hard to come by, so I grab it when I can.
You know how it is when life just doesn’t seem to be going the direction you want, so you find yourself in a bit of a slump, and it gets harder and harder to pull yourself out of the slump over time? To use an over-used analogy, it’s like quicksand. The harder you struggle, the deeper you get, and eventually you just want to give up. Lethargy becomes second nature. Even the idea of picking a recipe for dinner and going to the grocery store for the ingredients seems like too much work, because didn’t I just do that two days ago? And what’s the point if it’s just going to be the same thing, day after day?
If you’ve never known that feeling, then I envy you. Truly. But if you have, I’m here to tell you that you can’t let it hold you down. In fact, all you can do is keep struggling against the quicksand, and eventually you’ll see progress.*
*Actually that’s not true – if you’re literally stuck in quicksand, I’ve heard you shouldn’t struggle because you will get pulled under. So wow… what a f*cked up analogy.
For the time-being, I’m doing little things that have started improving my opinion of my own self-worth.
1. This blog. Sure, it’s mostly just a bunch of introspective rambling and random recipes and an overall log of some (but definitely not all) of my most notable life experiences, but it’s my blog. It’s my thing that I do when I need an outlet. Some people journal, some people play guitar, some people paint. I blog.
Photo source: Me
2. Found a job. Okay, so waiting tables at a bar isn’t exactly the dream job I hoped I might find when I quit the cubicle all those months ago. But in a way, at least for right now, it fits my personality so much better. No one looks at me funny when I randomly start singing, because I’m just singing with the night’s performer and everyone else is doing the same thing. And I’m no longer getting strange looks for taking running leaps down the hallway or pretending I’m on an escalator behind someone’s cubicle glass, because I don’t have excess energy to expend at this job and therefore don’t act quite so entirely nutty. I’m always moving.
So while I still do aspire to do something more meaningful to me, this definitely works for now.
3. Working out. This isn’t a New Year’s resolution for me. In fact, you know my resolution is to be worthy of a holiday letter, so working out really has nothing to do with it. (Unless I end up saving someone’s life by lifting an SUV off of someone who’s crushed underneath it because I’ve been working out and am now obviously strong enough to walk around town lifting SUVs off of people. Now that would be letter-worthy.)
I’ve never been one of those people who gets a high from working out. In fact, it usually leaves me feeling sweaty and exhausted and there’s only one type of scenario I can think of that leaves me in the same condition and I feel really good afterwards instead of tired and disgusting. And working out with Jillian Michaels ain’t it.
But I do it because I know it’s good for me. Like flossing and not consuming a diet exclusively comprised of cheese. And today, after I was finished, I noticed an actual muscle!
And yes, I took a picture.
And yes, I’m about to show it to you.
So don’t laugh.
For me, this is BIG.
Woohoo! Maybe this is the workout high people are talking about – that point where you finally notice some progress.
So right now I’m feeling pretty good. I wrote a blog post, I grew a muscle, and I might make a little money tonight. Motivation is creeping back into my life. And I wanted you to know, even though my posts have been a bit emo as of late, that I’m not just sitting here, all pitiful and lethargic day after day. (Well I’m literally sitting here now, in a puddle of my own sweat, no less, but my point is that I’m not just a couch-drooling zombie.)
What I want to know is, what do you do to pull yourself out of it when you’re feeling a little slumpy?
Though it is kind of fun watching the confused looks on my dogs’ faces as they slip and slide across the yard.
When I assess the gray skies, icy roads, and pine tree boughs drooping under the weight of ice and snow, I come to 2 conclusions:
1) Global climate change is not a myth, and
2) I’m not leaving the house. Ever. Again. (Unless someone wants to buy me a pair of snow pants, long johns, mittens, a scarf, and a hat. I’ve somehow managed to purge these items from my wardrobe since my days of living in Minnesota, which is a bummer because I think the only fun thing to do in this weather is find a proper hill and go sledding, but that’s only if you own snow pants and have access to a warm mug of hot chocolate when you get home. And I just so happen to have a little something called Snickerdoodle hot chocolate. And if you ever visit me, I might just share some with you.)
It’s days like these when I wish I’d thought ahead about other home projects that we’ll need to finish before we can ever hope to sell this place. Like painting.
Is it one of those mundane DIY home projects that seems pretty self-explanatory and this is a complete waste of my time?
Well, it might be because I have this insane habit of complicating things and a fear of making concrete decisions, but in my experience, painting a room always turns more laborious and time-consuming than I originally presume. But I have improved significantly over the past few years, and now I can knock out an average size room by myself during a long afternoon.
First, the tools. To paint a room in your home, you will need:
Paint – Have an idea of the room dimensions when you go to the paint store. The clerk will be able to tell you how many gallons you need to cover around 2 coats of paint. I honestly don’t really have a preference when it comes to brand, but keep in mind that almost any paint color can be matched to almost any paint brand. You will also need to pick a color and sheen. The shinier the sheen (i.e. gloss, semi-gloss, satin, eggshell, etc.), the more imperfections in your wall tend to show through. That’s why I’ve learned to pick “flat” as my sheen for the walls. I think I picked eggshell for the kitchen, simply because glossier sheens do tend to wipe down easier.
Primer – If you’re painting over a bold existing wall color, you’ll want to start with a coat (or 2) of primer. Paint experts will probably recommend that you use it regardless. We always use it on our ceilings after we remove popcorn, because the bare drywall soaks it up like a sponge. And we’d rather the drywall soak up inexpensive primer than paint. Nowadays you can actually get paint that’s mixed with primer, but I have yet to try one of those products.
Paint Key & Stir Sticks – Seems obvious, but you’ll be surprised at how often people forget these two items. The paint key is a little metal tool used to open the paint can (also works well as a bottle opener), and the stir sticks are those wooden sticks used to stir the paint if, like me, you buy the paint with the intention of using it right away but instead let it sit in your laundry room for weeks before you build up the energy to actually clear out and paint a room. Most paint supply stores will provide these items at no charge.
Roller & Tray – Pick a decent roller handle and a package of nice-quality rolls. I don’t use the foam rolls, and I pick something that says it’s made for smooth surfaces. Because… you know… my walls are smooth. And I hate cleaning paint trays. So. Even though it is arguably the less eco-friendly option, I buy the thin, disposable tray liners that sit inside a regular paint tray. Just think of how much water I’m saving by not spending an hour trying to wash out a tray!
Paint Brush/Edger – This is for painting around your trim. I’ve used one of those flat edgers before, which tends to work pretty well. However, it’s annoying if you get too much paint on it (which happens to me a lot), so nowadays I prefer this perfect little short-handled brush to paint around the trim.
Paint edger
Short-handled paint brush. This is the Wooster “Shortcut” brush, and I picked it up on a whim at the Home Depot paint counter. This baby handled like a PRO. I could easily cut-in around the trim without getting any paint ON the trim itself. The best part? I saved a ton of time and money from not having to use painter’s tape.
Painter’s Tape (optional) – With the use of a brush like the one above, I strongly urge you to try painting around the room without using tape. However, if you still feel the need, splurge on something called Frog Tape over the typical blue tape. I found that frog tape peels off much more cleanly with a lot less paint seepage.
Tip: Remove the tape before the paint completely dries – it’s less likely you’ll peel your paint off with the tape.
Drop Cloth (optional) – You can easily avoid drippage by not overloading your paint roller, but if you want to be on the safe side, invest in a drop cloth to protect your floors.
Helpers (optional) – These can make or break a project. You decide whether it’s worth the risk.
So here’s what you need to do to have a perfectly painted room:
1. Clear out the room. If some furniture is large, you can just push it towards the middle. But the emptier the room, the easier it is to paint. Also be sure to remove your light switch and outlet cover plates. It’s very simple to do with a screwdriver, and your finished room will look much cleaner by painting under the switch plates rather than over them.
2. Fill-in any holes in the wall with mud and a putty knife. No, not mud from your backyard. I love, love love this DAP Fast ‘N Final Lightweight Spackling putty. It’s the consistency of cool whip or a light frosting, and is SO easy to apply. It goes on incredibly smooth and you can paint right over without even sanding! It’s perfect for me, since I’m terrible at planning ahead. (Although the reviewers on Amazon beg to differ. Maybe I’m just a spackling pro?)
3. Open up your paint, give it a good stir, and use your short-handle brush or edger to start painting around the trim. I fill a small container with paint so I can easily carry it around the room with me rather than continuously running back over to the gallon bucket to fill my brush. You’ll want to paint smoothly around every window and doorway, and also along the ceiling (or crown molding) and baseboards, and even down the inside corners of the room and around all of the light switches and outlets. Also get any narrow spaces (like between a doorway and a wall) that are too narrow for the roller. Basically, you’re outlining the entire room where it will be difficult for the roller to reach.
Yes, it’s tedious. No, it’s not fun. But get some good music crankin’, put on your big boy/girl panties, and muscle up.
THEN, do it again. That’s right – you’re going to want to do 2 coats of this trim paint to ensure even coverage. Don’t worry, though – the second coat goes much more quickly than the first. You probably won’t need to worry about drying time. By the time you finish the first coat, the place where you started will likely be dry enough to start round 2.
You can see in the above photo that I opted out of using primer this time. The color I chose was darker than the other sample colors on the wall, and the walls were already fairly smooth. Plus, I was just plain lazy. But the Glidden interior paint (my first time using this brand) seems to be holding up pretty well! You can also see our ceilings were not-yet painted. Normally I would recommend painting the ceilings before the walls, but I am not the ceiling painter of the house and was tired of waiting, so I went ahead with the walls first.
4. Now that you’ve completed all of your tedious tracing, it’s time to color it in! Fill the deep part of your paint tray with the paint, load up your roller (but not too much – you don’t want massive paint drippage), and start applying it to the walls. I think it’s debatable about whether you should paint in a “W” pattern or straight up and down – in the end, you just want to make sure you get a nice, even look without any streaks or drips. I use the “W” method.
And again, you’re going to do 2 coats. If you took your time painting around the trim, this part should be a breeze. And the paint might look uneven as you roll it on, but pay attention as it dries – it should even out and you shouldn’t see any streaks when it’s completely dry.
Now is not the time to quit. You will get a decent shoulder workout. This may be the time you decide to crack open a motivational beer. When I feel like I want to quit because I’m covered in sweat and paint and my hands feel like they might snap off at the wrist, I know in my heart that it’s time for a beer.
In the end, it’s completely worth it. There’s a huge sense of satisfaction that comes from transforming sterile, hospital-like white walls into something warm that can highlight trim work, photography, art, or just makes you feel more at home.
But I will stand by my original assessment that HGTV is full of CRAP, and this is not something you would want to do over and over again if you don’t like the color. Choose wisely, my friends.
5. Clean, clean, clean! When you’re finished painting, you will be so tempted to just drop everything in the middle of the floor and call it a day. But cleanup isn’t so bad if you used a drop cloth and a disposable paint tray. The most important step is cleaning your paint brush. Run it under warm water while gently pressing and flattening the bristles on the bottom of the sink. Keep going until the water runs clear. THEN, give the brush some good whacks on the edge of the counter or on a paper towel. This will fluff the bristles back up and get your brush ready to use for the next go ’round.
Sooo… remember to fluff your brush by whacking it to get it ready for use. (Man, why can’t I seem to avoid porn references in this blog?? It’s like I don’t even have to try.)
Okay, well I guess I already knew that since doing the floor research for our kitchen (did you know they make cork flooring?)… and I suppose I’ve owned a bulletin board or two in my life. But really, up until recently, my favorite cork only came in a bottle.
A few weekends ago, however, I tried a fantastic DIY project I found over on YHL. That couple is so inspiring!
See, I’ve never been great at organization. Back in third grade, my teacher had to call my mom because I never brought in any homework and my parents never responded to any notes that went home. So my mother came into school with me one day to check my locker, and lo’ and behold! There, crammed into every nook and cranny of that small, metal space, was at least 7 months worth of homework, notifications, and permission slips.
It was my filing system – my filing system from whence nothing ever returned. I still utilize it today in some spaces.
But I digress. Like I was saying, my kitchen was completely eschew with sticky notes strewn with phone numbers, favorite recipes stuffed in junk drawers, and shopping lists scattered about like so many dust bunnies.
Case-in-point (don’t worry, I’ll spare you the photo of my junk drawer):
Say “hi” to the cookbooks I never use!
Little did I know with this sticky-note-in-the-cabinet-door situation, I was very close to discovering the solution (if only I had been born a wee bit craftier).
This is so easy, my friends! I could still make it happen after 2 glasses of wine.
You will need:
12″ x 12″ Cork Tiles (I found mine at Target in the bulletin board aisle).
They come with the mounting tape, but I opted to use 3M Command Mounting Strips because, having used it before, I was positive I’d be able to remove the tiles if the mood struck without causing harm to my gorgeous alder cabinet babies.
And, if you’re feeling extra frisky, go ahead and get yourself some colorful push pins. Sure, any plain-old tacks will do, but the colorful ones make me happy.
That’s it! That’s all you need to complete this incredibly inexpensive project.
Next, because I have a small indent inside my cabinet doors, I had to cut the tiles to fit inside. Simply measure the space in your doors, and then transfer that to the tiles. I had 8 1/4″ to work with, so I measured that distance across the top and bottom of one of my tiles and put a dot at each point.
Then I drew a line connecting the two dots.
Just cut along the line… and viola!
I put a piece of the command tape in each corner.
Testing it out…
I was originally going to fill the inside of the door in its entirety, but I ended up waiting to see if I could find something magnetic on which to stick my magnetic grocery list (see the side of the fridge in the first picture). Unfortunately, after no such luck, I had to improvise.
*Note: I’m sure I could’ve found some type of sheet metal, but I didn’t care to work with the sharp edges (let’s face it – I’m lucky the hubs trusts me with the scissors). They also sell magnetic strips at various places, but my objective was CHEAP, so those were a no-go. I did actually find these really cool magnetic pin board tile thingies at Target in the same section as the cork tiles, but they were significantly more expensive (and not as easy to hang without causing damage).
SO, I ended up with this:
I’m not sure I’m crazy about the whole shopping list-clipped-to-the-chip-clip-hanging-from-the-3m-command-hook look. It’s just not as neat and tidy as the one over on YHL. Maybe I’ll turn the whole thing into a cork board, if I ever get back around to it. The great thing is that for around $5, I was able to get 5 cork tiles!
