Prideth goes before a SMITE

Did you notice a few things about yesterday's post?

Yes, yes, I was a bit of a smug expletive, wasn't I? Don't worry, I paid.

And yes - the unborn was not mentioned ONCE - and today, I blame him/her (because heck, as was advised on the weekend, it ain't forever I can use the excuse).

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So where were we? Oh yes, all feeling righteous because I had BLOGGED about my foolproof To Do List Strategy (tick), I had worked my way through that list (tick) and the day was still fresh enough for me to shower (tick), grab some groceries (tick), go up to the school to hand in fundraising money (tick), hand over some poetry CD's to 'Salina's teacher (tick) and have a great afternoon with my darling daughter.

Do you hear all that tick-tick-ticking?

Is it starting to sound ominously like a bomb to you?

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I hit the showers and was happily being all self-satisfied and soapy when one of the synapses in my brain "twanged".

It twanged to the melody of "newsletter comes out today" (and yes, Rhubarb, it should have twanged when you mentioned your newsletter on Twitter in response to my righteousness) which set off a whole domino-effect of twangs.

Twang - P & C meeting was last night.
Twang - it was a great meeting.
Twang - someone was meant to write a report on the meeting because there were REALLY vital bits of information to be imparted.
Twang - darn - that would have been me.

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One serving of VERY humble pie was eaten by me to the delight of the school staff and now I have a new rule:

Rule Number 11:
• Do not pay 100% attention to Jeanie, because her head is currently affected by the Unborn and is flat out remembering ... darn, I forgot - it was a good rule too

How To To Do

Pickle-me-Kate at picklebums.com has a gripe with her to do list strategy.

Now, as you know, I am the Queen of To Do lists.

In fact, of late I have brought them to an even higher art-form than formerly imagined - because I have a WHITE BOARD and I have FOUR COLOURS of whiteboard marker.

Rule Number 1 of To Do-ing:

• Your first list entry should ALWAYS be "Make to do list". This gives you something to immediately cross off and give you that huge feeling of accomplishment.


Rule Number 2:

• Break up the day with tasks that you gotta do no matter what. Therefore, breakfast, lunch and shower are all valid entries on the list.


Rule Number 3:

• Give your list some headings - therefore washing is not just one entry, but a whole heading with entries for taking the washing to the laundry, sorting the washing, each individual load, pegging, unpegging, folding and putting away. That way, if you only get through half of it you still have that sense of accomplishment from all the ticks, rather than feel like a failure from looking at the pile of folding awaiting your attention.


Rule Number 4:

• If all of those "oh also" moments that nobbled Kate kybosh you, there IS a solution. Use a different colour pen (or font if you are fond of computer listing) which mean that they are to be included in future lists but are not mandatory parts of your day's equation.


Rule Number 5:

• Have measureables. I myself am a tickbox sort of girl, and with my headings system I can have a domino effect of up to 7 tickboxes for small completions. It is soothing, and if I really NEED extra validation I will do lovely swirly cross-out through the whole section on completion so I don't even need to look at it any more.


Rule Number 6:

• Pace yourself. Allow for coffee/tea/cold water breaks because your fluids are important. In fact, a good to do list is best brewed over a beverage or two.


Rule Number 7:

• Allow for contingencies. If a friend happens to pop by, do allow 20 minutes for the pleasure. If you feel the need to catch up on all your best friends in blogland, again, do not feel guilty (but set a timer).


Rule Number 8:

• Things that HAVE BEEN DONE are allowed on the list. How else do you get that satisfaction for a breakfast clean up if your to do list comes a moment or two later? This rule also applies to things you inadvertently do during the day that weren't on your list.


Rule Number 9:

• Listing is not a group activity. If anyone wants to "help", give them a pen and paper (or boxed off space on the whiteboard) to create their own.


Rule Number 10:

• You are allowed to have long range goals on your list, but use your colours (or bolds or underlines or CAPS) to notify that these are logs to be split as kindling, not to be digested in an hour.

Here endeth the lesson - and starteth my day.

Blog? Tick.

Maldons, sweeps and the secrets to a happy marriage

So many of my friends of old would be shocked to know that I have only recently taught V to play Casino. My habit for years was to carry this card game amongst friends and addict convert them to the code.

There is a great deal of ritual in the game. With two players, there is no rest from the shuffling (from the original rules I learned). V actually calls it "the shuffling game". The past dealer shuffles, the new dealer shuffles, the past dealer cuts, the new dealer deals - two to the old dealer, two to the table, two to themself and again. The first deal is the only deal that includes the table.

Casino is a game of strategy. You capture cards. You build to win cards. You add on builds to win cards. You double to win cards. You pair to win cards. You trail.

The cards are of varying value, and there is strategy in when to throw, what to trail, what to hold, what to leave, what to build and sweeps (when you clear the table).

A maldon is a term from another card game I know and love - Maltese Rummy - and it basically means "bad deal" - where, by slip or slight or just grabbing up the wrong cards you wipe out the whole game.

But that is all beside the point. Somehow, for 40 something days of marriage (and 2 something years previous of unmarriage) we had always found something or other else to occupy our hands and minds without a deck of cards.

But then the passion for cards (combined with babysitting in a house not ours and lack of access to the internet or television) came back with a vengence and I created a new convert.

After a trepiditious start, learning the main rules and a few strategic pointers V really got into the swing of things, wiping the floor with me graciously accepting my defeat as we saw the New Year in.

He saw that as portentous, however I see it as a chance to stop going softly with my beloved. I have been known to be quite competitive (despite rumours to the contrary I can lose graciously, I just don't like doing it) and V also has this capacity.

He has already learned how to use the Maldon to his advantage. I have other assets of the non-card variety to throw him off his game.

Who knows what stories the score sheets will tell over the years, but its a nice addition to an already very nice thing we have going here.

So - are you a card player? Your favourite game? Have you mingled it with relationships? And what are the pitfalls...