I started this blog in November of 2013 with a statement of intent. A lot of it was based around the research I was doing for a story at a time. Since that story and all the research around it has become more than a little creepy since November 2016 I can't promise exactly when that story will be finished. But that led me to making this blog as a way to challenge myself to reach my personal best.
Every year or two I try to reboot it. This time I'm doing it more publicly. Nerve wracking is what it is.
Here we go.
Time wasting in the Bay Colony was a criminal offense. As early as 1633 the General Court decreed:
No person, householder or other, shall spend his time idly or unprofitably under pain of such punishment as the court shall think meet to inflict: and for this end it is ordered, that the constables of every place shall use special diligence to take knowledge of offenders of this kind, especially of common coasters, unprofitable fowlers and tobacco takers, and to present the same.
A year later the Court fined two men the heavy sum of twenty shillings each for "misspending their time" - David Hackett Fisher
Albion's Seed
So what is the modern Puritan ideal? Well, from reading the blogs and websites devoted to this ideal in theory it involves being submissive to god and you husband and raising children who are submissive to god and their father. But in reality this is what they seem to aspire to:
- Keeping perfectly clean houses at all times. Or just long enough to take the show-off picture.
- Wearing skirts every day and bragging about it.
- Look entirely perfect, slender and ethereal, even though they rarely exercise.
- Creating three home cooked meals a day , made with lots of processed crap and rarely complete meals.
- Being well read even though they only ever seem to read books put out by church publishers.
- Doing handcrafts like proper ladies although this is usually paper and glue. If any sewing is involved it's simple lines only.
- Having the equivalent of a college education even though they never leave home and usually stop homeschooling around the age of 12 when they have to start looking after little siblings.
- Run a multi-level marketing scheme.
- And of course all the while having ideal relationships with everyone.
I believe you can.
I missed my goals that year, all of them, due to a lot of real-world influences. Since then life has been steadily improving. I've become a lot healthier mentally and physically. I've come to realize just how much bullshit it out there and just what really matters.
Now that 2018 is around the corner I'm thinking of going back to the roots of this blog and seeing if I can live that heavenly year. If nothing else as a personal challenge. And blogging about it simply for the public accountability. I doubt more than two or three people are reading this, but that's not important. What matters is that I'm doing this for myself, as a personal goal.
So my thoughts on challenging myself:
- Meeting my housekeeping goals. I have lists I try to complete every day, nearly every week. My goal is to finish those lists 46 weeks out of the year. (I take one week off in early December for volunteer work, the week of my in-laws visit, and four weeks a year when I go off the HRT which knocks me squarely on my ass.)
- Wearing skirts everyday. This would be one part that's bullshit. Most of the groups I was researching five years ago embraced something that I can only describe as the mirror image of femme identity. It's about subverting everyday femininity by taking it as far away from sexuality as you can while still hardcore reinforcing the gender binary. Not my jive, people. I'm just going to keep working out who I really am.
- Eating fresh food. At times I've done weekly meal prep, at other times I'll cook nightly. I'm not certain which I'll use in the coming year. I'll share our current diet and what I cook as I do, but don't expect grand nightly suppers. With only two adults on slightly different diets there's no point.
- Keep healthy. Yep, I'm trying to lose weight. So far I've been pretty successful, but I have a long way to go. Right now my goal is to average about 1.5 lb/week and to re-boot a workout program. More on that after my next round of PT. Also, keep up on the maintenance side of things, regular check-ups, eye checks, seeing the dentist, that sort of thing.
- Read more. Way back in the day I was trying to do a sci-fi interpretation of the Bible. I think I'm going to pick that up again. Also shoot for 30 minutes a day of reading. I know it's not a lot but life is busy, and I'm trying for realistic expectations.
- Complete XYZ projects this year. I'll post this list at the beginning of the year. Expect it to be smaller. I've been learning more about my limitations
- Sit through three college lectures a week. I watch while I sew, or will. Only three because one must allow time for some porn.
- Save $15,000 this year. This is a new one (yay for female led households!) We want a healthy emergency cushion and we've decided this is the year to do it. I also plan a few larger purchases off our In Case Of Emergency list.
- Blogging. Daily, for accountability.
So those are my goals for 2018. If you want to share any have at.
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