How I Learned I Should Value My Time

Tidbits

  • These things have been the bane of my existence this past week
  • Actually making progress has felt SO good
  • What I realized I SHOULDN’T do in the mornings
  • This pizza was BUSSIN’
  • Taking out all my rage on this poor innocent thing

October 2022

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Where In The World Was I?

  • Denver, CO

Fall In Denver

First Snowfall!

It’s happeninggggggggg

Progress Updates On Projects

  • [Done] – Roof vent insulation, powder cords/leashes, voltage drop reconnection (🤞 potentially done?)
  • [Almost Done] – Resewing my blackout curtains
  • [In Progress] – Fixing rust spots on my roof
  • [Effectively Not Started 😅] – Redoing/Resewing my insulated window covers

I can’t express how grateful I am for these IdeaLAB maker-spaces at libraries in Denver. They’re 100% free-to-use spaces with sewing machines, art supplies, 3D printers, and sooo much more. The people working there are always super helpful too.

Actually making progress on these projects (as you’ll understand in the next section) has felt so unbelievably good. I’m trying to knock out these smaller things so I can get to the main project that’s been taking up all my mental space.

Finding The Value Of My Time

These window covers have been the bane of my existence this past week. There’s just so much to think through and do it’s completely paralyzed me. I’ve started to really internalize and understand this idea of spending money on things that are worth less than your time is worth.

  • Option 1: Spend $150, but spend 2 full weeks with this project on your todo list, where you have to look at an incomplete project every single day, feel the anxiety of not making progress or not even knowing what to do next, and try to plan your days around the library’s hours.
  • Option 2: Spend $1300, wait for them to arrive, then do literally nothing else… ever.

I now understand there’s a very real, tangible value in the second option. I was thinking, “man, if my time is worth something like $500/hr, would doing this from scratch to save $1000 truly be worth the whatever 20+ hours of active work, time it’s affecting me mentally, etc.?” Something to meditate on… 😬

The thing I’m changing is to start breaking things down on my todo list to literally the next action item and remove these categorical-level items from my daily list. For e.g.

  • “Fix roof rust” – this is NOT actionable
  • “Go to a park and get out the ladder” – this IS actionable
  • “Redo voltage drop connection” – this is NOT actionable
  • “Find my hex wrench” – this IS actionable

Coffee Shops

  • MiddleState Coffee – the place where I got my Life Update/Newsletter posted and looked into Kift
  • Nixon’s Coffee House – the place where I got a hot drip coffee and drank almost none of it because it stayed scalding hot for 2 hours 😬
  • Queen City Collective – the place where I tried to specify the EXACT problem I’m facing. I think I found it.
  • Doppio Coffee – the place that opens at 7:30am… not 7am… 😅 woops
  • Wash Perk – the place where I thought through and then actually completed an MVP of my YouTube watch history audit
  • Griffin Coffee – the place where I decided to coffee shop the morning of, then had the absolute best day journaling about ideas on how I can provide more value

The Directionless Of Deviating From Routine

Monday I tried switching things up and working out instead of working first thing in the morning and wow was that a mental challenge. I never really internalized how much going to a coffee shop and working first thing in the morning provides direction and structure to my life.

It was really a combination of a couple things, but after working out, I felt clueless as to what I would do next. Do I still go to a coffee shop with even less time to work until lunch? Do I make food now or continue my fast until noon? Do I just go to a park and save money on a coffee? The endless options put me in a state of paralysis.

I ended up deciding to go to a coffee shop anyway (Nixon’s), but instead of spending ~$5 on a cold brew, I just got a drip coffee for about half the price. I forgot to ask for it iced, so my mug kept it blazing hot for 2 hours and I ended up drinking almost none of it 😅. That said, it was more about the access, but I kinda felt bad 🤷‍♂️

Food Update

I made another fantastic pizza from Trader Joe’s (with their garlic and herb pizza dough). This thing was BUSSIN’. The cubed veggies are definitely the way to go instead of cutting them into strips.

Toppings:

  • Pizza sauce
  • Mozzarella, a touch of parmesan
  • Cubed veggies – red bell pepper, onion, mushroom, zucchini, tomato
    • Salt, pepper, then idk, just whatever else I get my hands on: some nutritional yeast (cuz why not), basil, mustard powder, garlic powder. I feel like you can barely taste any of this stuff anyway lol 🤷‍♂️
  • Spinach, artichoke hearts
  • Sprinkle on some oregano and crushed red pepper flakes at the end

I’ve also had sooooo many quesadillas this week (and in general). They’re by far the quickest and easiest meal that’s also quite delicious.

Releasing My Internal Rage

I picked up the boxing gloves for like 30 seconds one day at the gym.

Okay I don’t have THAT much internal rage but I will say, even for like 30 seconds, it was kind of fun. This poor innocent boxing bag has just been through so much 😢


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