Fun fact: my pre-covid wardrobe is still complete enough to not shop for anything this year, even given multiple family trips, regular hikes and workouts and business travel. Only... the business casual and dress code section seems to need a lot of dusting

... on the other hand some boys come home from summer camp wearing their favorite pair or shoes like this. 

I guess whenever other people drink and do online shopping,  I have the same issue with Coursera. I've over a couple of dozens of courses in my queue, lost a track of some but they still do look good and relevant whenever I look at them. Yep, I've a new job. Yep, I'm new to the industry. And yep, I also want this course on Ancient Egypt civilization  - because I'm a fan, and the one on Game Theory - because I'm curious, and the one on International Development - because that's going to be my retirement job. And suddenly a Master's degree does not seem so useless anymore, and a few items drop into my library "hold" list, and the lines of the poems from back in London start to come together.

Stoped by Walmart to get duplicate keys to the condo

- as there're a number of interested potential tenants - some time during the "lunch break" (Ha!).
The first store associate I bumped into, who wanted to actually walk with me to the right isle was Brazilian, but not only Brazilian but also a soccer lover and a teacher.
For some reason his accent sounded Hungarian to me, and right from the start I told him I was Russian by origin...
...For the next 15 minutes we got carried away by the discussion of the FIFA World Cup, of how he is jealous of the friends who went to Russia to see it, and how he would love to go if he could but the prices seem unreasonable, and how it could have been a great chance for Russia to make a leap forward but for the corruption throughout the government, and how Brazil is actually worse, and that  - no, Russia is actually worse since unlike Brazil, no Russian president was jailed for corruption recently... well, ever!, and how - no, Brazil it's still the worst I'm telling you!
By this time my set of duplicate keys was ready. We parted quite content with the conversation and each other :)

*Work-life balance notes*

Kids are super exited to come with me to the office on Saturday. They pick and put on their best clothes. They dress up in 3 minutes. Arthur helps Adrian to dress. Adrian wears jeans (not some day-care-pants) and insists on a belt (!).
In his big boy voice Arthur asks for a snack:
- Can he take some goldfish with us? We'll get hungry while you are working.
-Sure, grab a handful for each of you, please.

Later in the office, I indeed find in their backpack 2 carefully closed containers with just a handful of goldfish crackers. Apart from the crackers, out of their back pack came: 2 whole apples, 2 whole pears, 2 bananas, 2 mandarins, 2 personally packed servings of humus, 2 sticks of mozzarella string cheese, 2 small... cheese pancakes (syrniki) and a handful of dried mango.

I honestly expected to finally roll out a cooler with beverages out of the backpack. But no, there were some paper towels packed at the bottom.

- That's our picknick! - smiled Arthur.

Someone - I think it was Brian Tracy - once said that the number of potential errors in a process is the square of the number of people that are involved in it, moving from one step to another.


If that's just me - I can make 1 error. If I involve 2 more people - I create room for 4 more potential errors. That's true and proven on a daily basis :)


Right now though I feel like apart from creating an exponential growth of errors, every party I deal with is rolling time backwards so I'm held back on the same point for days: from figuring out a process by trial and error on my own to escalating a month (!) delay in evaluation.
Does it really take half-a dozen calls to coordinate something as simple as a ceiling light installation of window replacement?
How can you possibly spend a month searching for 1 envelope, when it only takes 36 hours to locate it AND go through the contents - but after an escalation?
How can you find 1 document out of 3 in an envelope - and keep saying the other 2 pages were not there?
Wouldn't it be quicker and easier - on everyone - to include some instructions and hints for a new task? No, personal remarks and conflicting messages are not professional instructions.
Do I absolutely have to follow up on every thing I request?
I'm already doing plenty of volunteer work of my own choice. Where did you get my phone number?


So, every time I start thinking about MBA or PhD studies, and international work, a house remodeling project, a surgical procedure  - I can't help thinking what mayhem it will create tying to get though bureaucracy of registrars', collecting all necessary documents, organizing and coordinating people in different time zones and of different cultures, following up on every step of a project every day and running around trying to fit in calls and meeting people live into my already insane schedule, wasting hours bein on hold with hospitals and insurance companies and then trying to understand the bullshit basis of accounting they use on the bills and claims.
No thanks - not until I work close to home, and have a second independent and reliable source of income.


Arthur just said the other day he needs one Mom for himself, one for Adrian and one - to do the cooking. I'm already embodying all these 3 "selves" (and many more), but the idea or a virtual PA sounds more and more appealing now.

Sleep and peace of mind, as well as ability to shift my mind to anything other than work

work wonders.


I feel more human again, look much more human, wake up with minimum to none headaches, and cut down crying from twice a day every work day - to once a day a few times a week.


I catch up on the work projects that had been postponed due to tax season, trying to foresee everything that needs to be bough for Slovenia - including gifts, and desperately plan and organize all health and household projects for May and Summer.


Funny - I write down all my thoughts, wishes and ideas to empty out my mind, and get a to-do list 2-3 pages long (and counting); but the flow of thoughts in my head never stops.
As if for each to-do item I write to clear my head of it - 2 more come in, something that I have been putting off till better times for too long, or something that I can only now think of and appreciate.
I'm not even surprised but only giggling at how I will be working it all out - from kids' dental and pediatric appointments this summer- to window replacement, from going through the bureaucratic process of License application to planning out 3 more trips for this year, from Jury Duty and surgery this summer to planning out my next career steps.


And yet, once I write down something I need to do, I can't help thinking about how small and unimportant it is. And as if, with dozens of trivial things to do and make decision about, I am losing time for something important I would rather be working on now... 

We've survived this winter!

The trees are finally blooming, it's finally warm enough for shorts. Chinchilla Sr is mastering his new bike (with 2 assistance wheels) and is doing pretty damn good! Chinchilla Jr is mastering his big brother's scooter; at one point he just stepped on it, pushed himself off with his right foot and went out of the garage straight downhill on his own, while I was sprinting to catch him before he would reach the road, my hair turning gray and trying to understand if this is indeed the right kids I'm chasing: he looks like Chill Jr, but it can't be him! He's not even 2 yet!!








All in all I love how these 2 little brothers are getting along. How they comfort each other, and hug each other, and see each other to bed. And their meaningful, serious conversations are priceless! Of course, when they are in a middle of a fantastic dialog I have no pen and paper close at hand, and every time I start video recording - they become aware of me and stop whatever they are doing.








Despite busy schedule I got done with UNV proof-reading project in a good timing. Interestingly enough, one can tell exactly by looking at a translated text where a part was translated by a different person: the style varies, the choice of words varies, the number of typos or missing articles or prepositions varies... And still it's fun to realize that while you can offer a different version of translation in some cases, in others - you wouldn't have thought about word(s) that fit so well!




Two more weeks to Tax Season's finish line. With the 60 hour work weeks and family and home demanding all the time outside work - I now have about 3 weeks worth of unfinished business I will need to take care of in a prompt manner after April 18th, so I can move on with life :) I feel like for any idea I take through to the end I have 2 more which, at the moment they occur I feel are so great, I have to put at the bottom of 2018 list (yep, 2018). And by the time I get to it (maybe sooner than 2018) I will be out of resources, angry, sleep deprived, wondering why I even wanted it at the first place, but being too proud and stubborn to give it up now.

5 days till the New Year

I do well getting through sleep deprivation (for the past 12 years), and only hope I do memorize the parts of the Audit course that I believe I memorize well with all the time I keep putting in.
My car is perfectly clean, but I still back out of the madness of the parking lots cautiously, praying I do not hit anything or anyone.

I juggle  so many things at home that I keep my toes crossed that while I am finishing up something urgent at one part of the house, the mess the Chinchillas Bros create at another part of the house will not be dangerous to them.
I have a signed contract in hand and a start date - and being back on the track brings me more relief than anything else in the world now.

I have mastered all 3 blocks and get a much better feeling of my body during the movements. I fool around and while only my partner can hear me instead of "Kiap" yell "Namaste!". "Yes, right, - grins my partner, - the vengeance in me...."

I have wrapped up 3 pile of gifts for 3 toddlers and shipped back the laptop whose CD-rom sounded like the entire thing was going to take off into the air and fly out of the window every time I was going to install QuickBooks. And I do need a functioning laptop with Quick Books, Office, Tax and Engagement for next year.

I have written 4 articles on productivity and time management in the past 6 months. I have challenged my own productivity and time management skills as I know them and - only the coming year will show what other tricks I have up my sleeve.

I have a couple of travel projects existing as dry plans. "Just add water" - that is, just add some money for the actual booking and time for the travel and follow the directions for locations, transportation and itinerary.

I have patiently introduced Arthur to swimming and he is doing great, which means I can't pull him out now, but also need to find a way to bring Adrian  to classes.

Von Zobel has booked a spring-summer trip to Europe, and the anticipation has already started for both of us. Just need to decide on a destinations for a few short trips within our vacation.

I think about all the things I want in New Year, all the new goals I need to set for myself now - and nothing comes to mind, apart from balancing all the things I am rushing into 2017 with and not letting a single thing drop out of my hands. I feel like I am already running at full speed and might need several months to get adjusted to new life style where I finally have what I wanted before I want... start to want anything else.

But then I still pencil down a couple of things  - just so I don't forget. And then two more - in case an opportunity emerges. And before I know it I have 10 specific things I want to do next year. And in the next 5 days, I'm sure I will come up with even more ideas.

The office I have to go to for the interview is 20 minutes away

that is, not considering the traffic. In traffic the drive will be about an hour long. However, none of the locations in DTC,  Greenwood Village or South Denver offer such a great position with 3 areas of specialization and flexible schedule.

I am ready for my job search to be over, to start spending my time in a much more productive way, to leverage the knowledge and experience I have. So this job looks like the right solution.

 

I just need to find a way to integrate my own tax practice into my new schedule.  And Arthur's swimming classes. And my taekwondo lessons, - apart from gym that is. And I need to negotiate new work hours with the nanny, and find a way to cook a meal in 15 minutes and to clean the entire house in 1 hour, apparently... And right now I have no idea how I will manage to get there but I now I will, because now I only have 1 exam left and the studying is exhausting and tedious, and I have a black eye that is impossible to hide under make up now, even for the interview, and a shin splint which becomes worse now that I wear high heals, and I should have eaten something substantial before the interview - if only I had time. And everything around me becomes so heavy and tiresome, even that lead snow cloud that I'm driving under, that I almost feel tears dripping down the bruise concealing make up all the way to my blouse and trousers. As if what I really need right now to make this year complete is to burst into tears right during the interview.

 

But the harder and more confusing it becomes to navigate any segment of my life, the most certain it is that I will find all the right answers and put together the best strategy to get further. And to be honest, I prefer facing any difficulties and turbulence than being stuck at one point with no change at all. Swamp of routine is never good. Chaos - is somewhat a good sign though, a good start. I might not have a cheat sheet with all the right moves, and I do waste a great deal of my resources and every step up comes at a high price,- but at least 30 years down my life (almost) running up an ice hill still makes more practical sense than waiting for a right time and thus slowly gliding down.

A year from now I will look back and smile. I always do.

Chaos is definitely a good beginning.

 

A day ago I got dragged into a quick online comment exchange with two young ladies on - and that's scary - a woman's determinism and purpose in life. Other people's ideas on what a woman's life should be like and what her - thus mine - purpose in life should be, do occasionally reach me, but apparently last time they did was a while ago and reading this again yesterday soured my day a little.
The girls jumped in to reply to one of my comments on the importance of self-sufficiency and self-reliance as woman becomes mother, wrote a few long comments full of irrelevant thoughts, random accusations of being a selfish money-loving child-neglecting control-freak (not necessarily in this order!), threw in a couple of examples that would prove my point rather than theirs, and continued to rant about the outrageousness of women like me long after I retired from the conversation :)

Every time I have somebody approach me with a persistent advice on how I should immediately change my life so my family benefits from it, I facepalm myself.  In my mind, if it is absolutely necessary that I do not appear rude. And while on the World Wide Web it is easier to ignore a well-wishing comment than to start explaining my views to every random person, the though of how many of such people are out there makes me want to facepalm myself anyway.

I get quite emotional over the idea that being a wife and mother  (TM) - means devoting all your life to the needs of your family - is the only true and natural way for a woman to live her life. Has it been perfectly natural for women of the past few centuries to take full and complete care of their babies from birth to age 3? Absolutely! I can easily picture a peasant girl in her late teens, who delivers a baby in Western Europe some 300 years ago and receives a paid maternity leave right away! Or a female factory worker a century and a half ago, a single mother with no relatives in town, who is of course entitled for maternity benefits form both the government and the plant she works at so she could stay home with her baby, and take care of him. Yep, for the next 3 years! Or - on the other hand - a Victorian upper middle class mother would surely stay with her baby daughter day and night, and as her daughter grows up - her mother would be able to cook meals for her from the scratch, go for walks with her, teach her painting, French, horseback riding, dancing, good manner and read her books  - all by herself, of course! Nothing more natural than the history of mothers being attached to their babies from birth until and being multi-functional at all times.

Another concept I could never fully embrace is - what exactly a mother with no life of her own can pass on to her kids? Being a stay at home Mom of 4 kids looks great on Instagram , but what if it did happen to me and I ended in a... career, social and personal interest isolation for a while - what would I be able to teach my kids about the world around, about problem solving and importance of social bonds forming? How would I be able to train them on the skills I no longer had myself? How would I be able to tell them right from wrong in their teenage years if hadn't expressed my own opinion for years, teach them to persist in getting what they want if I forgot what it means to stand my ground, show them the benefit of creative thinking when I life in a Groundhog's day, advise on applying their skills and knowledge if I never used what I had studied in University? And - that's irrelevant to me now, but what if I had a daughter? What behavioral model would she soak up watching me?

Lucky are those women who get all the support from  their family, friends and peers to continue moving in the direction that suits them best. Otherwise, making yourself ignore dozens of discouraging and disorienting voices coming from all around may eat up a good portion of the energy that could otherwise be spent on just moving ahead quicker.

So, what does work for time management?

So much for being... a  bit less than tolerant to people who waste time :)  Now that my life is quite unpredictable - or let's refer to things by their names - my life is in nearly complete chaos - the mindset that has been helping me recently to squeeze out more from the 24 hours is thinking about the next task while still completing the current one.

This does not necessarily relate to the work or study projects where complete concentration is required, in fact, I'd rather allot some time blocks for anything that would require me to "dive in" and then not be interrupted for anything else. But when moving through routine tasks, running errands, following up with people and getting from one place to another it helps immensely not to let myself get suck in the present moment. Having started with an Item #1 on my list that does not require my full 100% focus, I start thinking about Item#2 - the next thing I should be doing or the next place I should be at, also finding the best way to get through the next thing quicker and move on to Item #3 etc. The next few items on the to-do list are thus rolling over constantly in my head, reminding me of all the upcoming deadlines and pushing me to move on quicker. The second benefit of this method is that it helps perfecting the execution  since, as I think about the next Items on my list over and over again, I find better ways to approach them, combine similar tasks and do them all at once, or get rid of some steps of a big project altogether.

What are the cons of this approach? Pretty much that while it is very pro-active in execution, it requires prior planning. Before I start mapping out in my head in 20minutes, and in another 20minutes, I need a clear list of all 7 places I need to stop by/visit - all on paper, any notes to be taken into consideration about them - all on paper. Any project should be penciled down step by step, and should circumstances change or another person get involved - it should all be added to the original plan before any actions on the amended plan are taken. Sometimes a to-do item or a small project comes up and I write it down without a slightest idea of how to approach it or when to find time for it - and it will get done timely.

Sound easy and banal? It is. Plain pen and paper, and lots of self-discipline and thinking outside the box. But just as efficient given where I am in my life now. I keep reminding myself that as soon as I reach all my biggest life goals I will definitely hire a PA :)

Sunset almost soaks in my Light Rail train as it is rushing south, away from the Downtown.

The last car is full of people, yet the sun rays find their way through the windows, through the crowd to my little green book lying on top of my backpack. On my way to the seat I managed to drop my lipstick and nearly the backpack itself. I'm lucky I got a seat though and am now able to try to focus on the revenue recognition principles. I've actually been pretty damn lucky recently.

A few days ago a potential nanny called to accept our offer. She was my first and most preferred candidate, and, having discussed some details on the work hours, I hung up and slowly breathed out...

Almost at the same time as my nanny seeking quest came to an end, our garage door, front door and frames were painted - finally putting an end to almost 9 month long house repair and maintenance process that followed last September's hail storm. Next project - bathroom remodeling, which I now feel less annoyed about and more like putting an end to.

My Ethics class, as it turned out a couple of hours ago, will focus on decision planning and planning. This couldn't have been more useful and timely - I will need to make quite a few serious decisions soon. Sure enough, the Universe is conspiring to provide enough resources to help me finish my most important project in the next six month :) Besides, the International Organizations' Management class just had to be available for me now, so I could make up timing for it and work out that if I listen to the online lectures at gym during my workouts - I will be able to follow the course and complete assignments according to the schedule. So far it works like magic. And when I complete the quizzes at home, in my own study space on a full size laptop, and the University logo pops up and the course picture show as I sign in - I bet I can smell the blossoming chestnut trees, forming a maze of shady alleys in the park this University is located at.

The Universe conspired in giving me another quick life lesson:

Always entrust services and assistance that concern your family to professionals. Always outsource to professionals. Don't be nice to friends of family, don't be nice to friends of friends; don't buy their rushing to get out of a tough life situation and unfair employment conditions right now.

Always. Use. Professionals.

I thought this hard earned wisdom is so important I should put sticking to it on my 2016 resolutions list. Then I realized  there was still almost half of 2015 left, so I'd better start sticking to it now.

I should definitely resort to my own methods more often.

Rather than having unlimited patience with a potential tenant whose actions for the past 2 weeks were contrary to what he claimed his intentions were - I put an end to what turned into a time waste for both of us, and promptly got into a 3-year lease agreement on good conditions.

Rather than continuing searching for good and inexpensive team to do wall painting in condo - painted the walls that needed it most myself, spending not more than an hour on this (please do not attempt on week 36 of pregnancy though!).

Since the HOA could not have provided neither any information on the faucets and trim sets used in units in our buildings, nor - on who the builder was - jumped on ordering the new item online. Our condo's HOA have only been in a lawsuit with the builder for the past... 5 years, but I've been through too much with them already not to start hitting my head upon the wall when the customer service tells me they - unfortunately -  have no information about the builder.

Having realized I outgrew my current UN projects, applied for and got hired as part of the Grant proposal writing team. Although that's a totally new experience for me, I have a feeling of certainty that this is something I can and will do well and easy, and - that this is something that will become very useful in the future.

Life keeps proving it over and over again - as long as I stop beating dead horse and clean up the space  - new bigger better options will come up. I should have more faith in my own methods and strategies :) As long as I stop wasting time with insignificant things -  plenty of time will be created for successful carrying out of big projects, as well as for smaller but nonetheless - very pleasant accomplishments and moments with important people.

In particular, crossing off the main action items this week's to-do list got topped off with:

• finally ordering a good Russian ABC book for Dr Chill - and it shipped immediately, 
• picking a new prenatal masseuse - she's the first one not afraid to apply quite a bit of pressure along my spine and not treating me like a crystal sculpture; 
• having a great date night dinner with Von Zobel, trying new dishes at Le Central (usually we can't move past the mussels selection), tasting new wines (yes, in plural), and chit-chatting through the whole dinner;
• discovering that I will not need to bother with CO unemployment tax payment until June. Yay!
• attending a big birthday party of a close friend, and bringing Dr Chill with us. The courageous little Chinchilla survived over 3 hours of a noisy party full of adults and older kids without making a scene (I wouldn't if I were 20 months old);
• buying and assembling new crib for Dr Chill Jr, as well as a new mattress. 3 weeks till the due date sounds like time some preps for the youngest kid needs to be done :) The crib is now in our bedroom, which gives me a very... weird feeling (and makes appreciate those 6.30 hours of sleep I can now get).

And now, after being done with all this - the rest of Sunday afternoon will be spent in outdoors all-family pregnancy photo-shoot directed by Liz, cooking cabbage with beef and eating up our first-of-the-season cherries and apricots.

Other people's wisdom.

I've about 1/2 dozen of books waiting to be read. A dozen more in my library "queue". About a dozen free online courses saved.  I lack a lot of good knowledge and skills now. The more I learn the clearer I understand that I know absolutely nothing.  I do not waste time, I pick sources of other people's wisdom carefully and apply it quickly. All that I read and hear will be put to good use.

However, I would eagerly trade all these pieces of information on different areas for ONE good practical course or proven strategy: on how to quickly and easily pass exams. Ideally - on the first time. For one solid piece of mind hack, serious and straight to the point, that would save me a great deal of time and energy.

But of course, there is no such a magic course, lecture or book available within reach. Maybe no one bothered yet to put together and share skills and knowledge on time efficient exams passing in at least 3 different areas within 6-12 months.
Maybe that's the kind of secret knowledge that leverages competitive advantage so much - its a shame to hand it over to those who didn't earn it through blood sweat and tears.
Maybe no such strategy even exists.

I'm thus putting on my list sharing real working approach and techniques I will have developed - once  I succeed in jump starting with all the licensing, certificates, passing all the necessary exams and not killing my whole life in the process. That's official :)

Things to do in 2 minutes

Now that I have a few more productive months to use for tying all loose ends and complete all unfinished business, I thought of things I could do in little time slots. When I am in the middle of something important and get a couple of minutes of spare time, or between 2 tasks on my daily schedule and can't start the next one right away, or playing with Dr. Chill and he does not want me to interfere for a few minutes - the feeling of having time and not filling it with anything productive makes me panic. It will probably get even worse once I have 2 kids and my schedule will be broken down to bits and pieces, and I will never get a chance to get to the bottom of my daily to-do list on time :)

So, to begin with, 2 minutes would buy me an opportunity to:

1. Wash sinks and counter top in my bathroom.
2. Squeeze out carrot and apple juice for 4 (not counting time for washing and peeling fruit and veggies: it will probably take another 5 minutes).
3. Vacuum the main entrance area. OR Vacuum the laundry room area. OR vacuum the kitchen area. 
4. Unload the dishwasher (with reasonable amount of dishes and utensils)
5. Load /unload washer. OR Load /unload dryer.
6. Make and serve a snack for a toddler. OR heat up and serve lunch/dinner for a toddler.
7. Make a bottle of milk with probiotic for a toddler. 
8. Fully dress up.
9. Brush my teeth.
10. Wash my face and brush my hair. AND pull the hair into a ponytail or a hair clip if needed (alright, that's how my time in bathroom build up...)
11. Briefly dust each of the bedrooms, the office, the dining, music and living rooms.
12. Review daily agenda, make changes, cross out completed items.
13. Check each email box.
14. Type a brief email from phone or ipad.
15. Stock up diapers for Dr. Chill in his bedroom.
16. Make a cup of coffee AND while the espresso machine is warming up and working - either a sandwich, a bowl of cereal or a bowl of cottage cheese for breakfast. 
17. Pack up full lunch for me (given the main course was put in a container the night before).
18. Wipe all the counter tops in the kitchen.
19. Organize my closet.
20. Pick up and put away toys, books and clothes in Dr. Chill's room.
21. Go over daily mail received (given it's already been picked up from the mail box)
22. Pack up the gym backpack. OR - the work & study backpack.
23. Clean up and organize the laundry room: hang the jackets into the closet, put the shoes on the shoe shelf and wipe those that need it, take away bags, backpacks, toys, mail, parcels, and any other random items that are piling up here. 
24. Fill up 2 glasses with water OR (maybe AND) 1 kettle with water. 
25. Fill up a pitcher with water and while it's filling up - cut and throw in  slices of lemon (1/2 lemon).
26. Set up the oven for 400 degrees and put in the container with mix for cottage cheese.
27. organize 1 pantry shelf.
28. Put away all the toys in the living area into the boxes and baskets in the play area.
29. Clean up each of the bathroom mirrors
30. Wipe the entire laptop with electronics wipes (including cleaning the keyboard).