My Expectations Manifesto

I have to be honest, the first thing I had to do was fight the urge to check my e-mail, Perhaps I will be saved....NOT. I did not check it. If I am interupted by the tree guy, I will note time and come back and pick up where I left off. GO.

Things I expect by living in Oklahoma. (comments)

1. Lower cost of living makes earning the dollar less of a big deal. (what has that go to do with anything?)

2. Lower cost of living makes self employment a viable option (better).

3. Self employment does not mean unemployment-nor does it mean that suddenly everyone is qualified to discuss "your job". (How many t-shirt writer/designers do you know? How many dog therapists???? Quit discussing things with people who are not qualified to advise you, even if you love them).

4. I expect to use my alloted space the way I want to. (I LIKE having sitting space in the living room now-the dining room pisses me off, I need an office. Further, I don't want to work in the back of the house or in the snake room. I LIKE working out of the dining room and the sunroom-I need to make that formal with proper furniture).

5. I expect not to explain everything I do that is "work related"...nor when I do it or how I go about it. (It's causing me to procrastinate because I'm no longer sure of my own instincts.)

6. I expect to nourish myself as I see fit-period. PERIOD.

7. I expect that when I've posted my "Working" sign (to be designed, discussed) that I will not be interupted. (I am sick and tired of working around 3 other people and their schedules-all of which take place between 7 am and 4:30. I have never in my life worked that schedule and I don't know why I thought I could now.)

The hard part is editing out all the "but...." but it's the buts that are keeping me miserable. Boundaries are boundaries, and they are necessary for everyone's sanity.

8. I expect to ask what time would be convenient for coffee and then I expect myself to show up at about that time, stay for 30 minutes and leave. (I'm probably driving Mom crazy with my "interuptions".)

9. I expect to spend more time in the yard and with the dogs-I really miss that.

None of these 8 things (9 was a restatement) are horrible, unreasonable, awful things. Why is it so hard for us to ask for what we want, put a little pride in what we do? Why is it so hard for us to just be happy? That's probably a topic for another list. By the way, it only took me 21 minutes to write down what I really want out of the next few years.