Accidentally Finding Something to Do

I need to wipe down all the countertops in my laundry room. I spilled some coffee beans in there and I picked up as many as I could find but the counters have a speckled pattern to them so I'm not sure I can see them all. Plus, they probably need a good dusting anyway.

(Ask me later why there's a coffee grinder in my laundry room.)

PRO TIP: Remember to take the lid off the coffee grinder before attempting to pour coffee beans into grinder.

Follow me for this and other housecleaning tips.

I wasn't wearing my Apple watch during my workout. Does it count?

It wasn't a marathon by any means. Not even a half marathon. It was just some pushups and sit-ups with a few squats, a plank, and stretching. But I did it which is what matters, right?

Please feel free to validate me here as my watch will not do it.

Make a List

To motivate myself, I made a list.

My mom's strategy for making a list is to start with a couple items you've already completed. That way, you get to cross a couple of things off the list right away giving yourself an immediate sense of accomplishment and the confidence to conquer the rest of the list.

I'll put that on my list.

I made a list of things to do that day. What works best for me is to make the list when I have only a limited amount of time to complete all the tasks on the list. That helps me to prioritize, focus on what's truly important, and get motivated. They can be completely mundane things (chores, errands) but that's the beauty of it. It's hard to get motivated to do some of those things except when you can make a game of it:  a challenge, if you will, to cross things off the list and beat the clock. At the end of the day, I feel accomplished despite the list's mundane nature.

Now I have a new list which elevates the game. With a renewed sense of purpose, I made a list of larger tasks such as repainting the baseboards, shampooing the carpets, replacing weather strips, cleaning the refrigerator's water intake line. Here's the beauty of this list: I now do the mundane tasks on the previous list automatically so as to avoid the list of larger projects. By practicing work avoidance, I actually get stuff done. Pretty tricky.

Somehow I've decided that I need to organize some persona documents. This is so time consuming, that all lists are being avoided.

But that's sort of the point, isn't it? I've accidentally given myself something to do.

(It got pretty dicey there for a minute. I actually talked to a recruiter the other day. That was terrifyingly close to actual work.)

It's June 13 and I'm bored already.

Yesterday, I actually said these words: I get to do laundry tomorrow.

That's how desperate I am.

Summer's are long here. Long and hot. If you need to do anything that requires you to go outside, you've got to go first thing in the morning. After that, you're just stuck inside. For example, this Tuesday it will be 100 degrees outside by 10 in the morning. (Today, it was 11 a.m.)

I'm sure I can find things to do around the house but the fact is, I don't. I'll stare at a computer or table screen and my mind turns to mush, my energy is sapped, and I'm not motivated to do anything. Thus, I look forward to days when I have something to do.

Like laundry.

Everywhere else is fine.

 

A Math Problem Even the Kiddos Will Like

(No trains are involved.)

Which is the better deal:

• 12 six-inch Giordano's Deep Dish Pizzas from Costco for $125?
• Three 10-inch Giordano's Deep Dish Pizzas from Costco for $95?

Hubby and I were faced with this dilemma recently. Notwithstanding there's no way 12 six-inch pizzas would fit in my freezer, we were compelled to figure out which was the better buy. Hence, we set out to conquer the question using math. (And you can, too!)

First, we calculated the total area of the pizzas in inches. The small pizzas were 9π square inches each (area = πr² where r=3 or half of the diameter of six inches and π =3.14159). Multiply that by 12 pizzas and that's a total of 108π inches. The large pizzas were 25π square inches each x 3 = 75π  total square inches.

 75π     =235.619 (3 large pizzas)                $95 

108π    =339.292 (12 small pizzas)            $125

The price of the large pizzas is $0.40 per square inch while the price of the small pizzas is $0.37 per square inch.

Another way to look at it is the total area of the large pizzas is 69.4% of the total square inches of the small pizzas but the price of the large pizzas is 76% of the small pizza price. Either way, that would make the small pizzas the better deal.

But, we only eat half of the large pizza. Half of a large pizza is only 12.5π square inches while a single 6-inch pizza is 9π square inches. 

   9π      =28.274          (1 small pizza)

12.5π    =39.27            (1/2 large pizza)

A small pizza is only 72% the size of the amount of pizza we would normally eat. That means, we might need to heat two small pizzas for every half of a large pizza. 12 small pizzas would yield 6 meals at a total of $20.83/meal ($125/6). Three large pizzas would also yield six meals but for a total of $15.83/meal ($95/6). That would make the large pizzas the better deal.

What about the crust to toppings ratio? 

The circumference of the pizza (the crust) is calculated as πd where d=the diameter. As discussed before, the pizzas were 6 and 10 inches in diameter. (Their respective radii were 3 and 5.)

Area (the good stuff in the middle)              πr²          πrr             r   

        Circumference (crust)                          πd   ⁼     π2r     ⁼     2

3/2 is the area to circumference ratio of the small pizza while 5/2 is the area to circumference ratio of the large pizza. There's more middle stuff in the larger pizzas while the smaller pizzas have proportionately more crust. Unless you really like a lot of crust, the larger pizza again looks like the better deal.

Ultimately, Costco sold out of all pizzas before we could come up with a solution.

So, if we take a train to Chicago and it leaves at 4 am traveling east at an average rate of 54 miles per hour and the pizzas are shipped to a western destination, where would we have to disembark to eat the pizza?

Just kidding. The best deal right now on Giordano's pizza is from Giordano's Pizza. 

But, you have to buy 6 10-inch pizzas for $170 which is ....

I did it!

I survived another Tax Season. This, without running out of chocolate which was a very real concern.

When interviewing for this job, I was asked how I manage the stress of getting through a tax season. My answer was, "Coffee and chocolate." It may have sounded glib but I was being serious.

Shortly after I was offered the job, I took an inventory. I had plenty of coffee but there was a very real possibility that I would run out of chocolate. And, during a time when it would be virtually impossible for me to go out and get more. In fact, it would be virtually impossible for me to leave my desk to do anything. The success of this tax season was at risk for a total meltdown.

Without intentional rationing, I reached April 15 with chocolate leftover. In fact, I still have one lonely piece left as a momento. And, in the end, I enjoyed the seasonal gig. It was one of the best tax seasons I've had (outside of the A Team which can never be replaced). I learned a lot of new things and (virtually) met a lot of new people and while parts of it were very stressful, management's leadership made for the softest landing in April that I've ever experienced.

To be honest, I kind of miss it and I would do it again. Assuming I get that chance, I need to take advantage of this time off to re-charge, re-organize my personal life (which, left untended, became a slight mess), and to strengthen my in-person relationships.

And get more chocolate.

Work: Day 1

Wait. I have to do this for five days?

In a row?

10 weeks to go.