All in all, Rome wasn't built in a day, eh? kk1k5x accountability thread
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I will make this a short one. Been watching Vikings for most of the day. There was a tentative offer for work, but no confirmation as of yet. It would be good to get it. The work I did over the weekend was checked/verified and, actually, this Friday's invoice is already a bit bigger than last week's 
So it would be excellent to get even more work. Hopefully those who made the inquiry will confirm it tomorrow and I can keep working!
Need to do some emails tonight/tomorrow, related to the PhD application. Decided to contact the professor myself and got some updates on things. She's been real busy, so I don't really want to bother her all that much.
The gulash I made didn't turn out exactly as I had wanted, but it tasted quite alright. And there's lots of it :p
End of Day 204. I did not drink today.
So it would be excellent to get even more work. Hopefully those who made the inquiry will confirm it tomorrow and I can keep working!Need to do some emails tonight/tomorrow, related to the PhD application. Decided to contact the professor myself and got some updates on things. She's been real busy, so I don't really want to bother her all that much.
The gulash I made didn't turn out exactly as I had wanted, but it tasted quite alright. And there's lots of it :p
End of Day 204. I did not drink today.
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Yes, Dee - when I finished episode 20 of season 5 (it turns out I stopped watching somewhere around episode 11 or so), I realised it was 4 Dec, i.e. early morning today, and that the new season will premiere today haha. So there's some continuity there.
I remember watching Vikings when it first aired. When it wasn't 'a thing' yet. It very soon became a thing, because it is just such a wonderfully done series.
Also, Dee, if you like era-specific series - then I also really liked Black Sails and Peaky Blinders. Two totally different settings, but an immersive experience insofar as TV can do that. Might be worth checking out, if you haven't already
I remember watching Vikings when it first aired. When it wasn't 'a thing' yet. It very soon became a thing, because it is just such a wonderfully done series.
Also, Dee, if you like era-specific series - then I also really liked Black Sails and Peaky Blinders. Two totally different settings, but an immersive experience insofar as TV can do that. Might be worth checking out, if you haven't already
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I'm not a big TV watcher these day kk1k but I did watch earlier series of PeakyBlinders.
I liked the Last Kingdom too - kinda like Vikings from the reverse Anglo Saxon view.
Never got onto Black Sails tho - thanks for the tip
D
I liked the Last Kingdom too - kinda like Vikings from the reverse Anglo Saxon view.
Never got onto Black Sails tho - thanks for the tip
D
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Ah, yes, Last Kingdom - I've also seen that. Very good series indeed.
In addition to Black Sails, you might also want to take a look at series such as Frontier (2016) and TURN: Washington's Spies (2014).
In the knights and swords and stuff category, you could preview Knightfall. That was okay to my mind (it's also a History one, so there's that at least).
Apparently I watch and have watched a LOT of TV series. I wouldn't have to if they just stopped making good ones...
In addition to Black Sails, you might also want to take a look at series such as Frontier (2016) and TURN: Washington's Spies (2014).
In the knights and swords and stuff category, you could preview Knightfall. That was okay to my mind (it's also a History one, so there's that at least).
Apparently I watch and have watched a LOT of TV series. I wouldn't have to if they just stopped making good ones...
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Originally Posted by saoutchik 
It takes a Viking to raze a village.
Fingers crossed for the tentative work offer kk.
Fingers crossed for the tentative work offer kk.
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I did end up getting more work (just not the one mentioned yesterday). So far it's been kind of crazy and I'll know in the future not to accept overly technical translations. I don't know the first thing about trailers and hydraulic-pneumatic convert...WHAT!? Ugh.
This one small section of an otherwise completely fine translation is driving me nuts. Soon enough I will just 'put something' there and will take responsibility if it's incorrect.
I also gorged on gingerbread cookies because of this stress and I'm not feeling too well now.
Best I go to sleep. Hope everyone had a good day!
End of Day 205. I did not drink today.
This one small section of an otherwise completely fine translation is driving me nuts. Soon enough I will just 'put something' there and will take responsibility if it's incorrect.
I also gorged on gingerbread cookies because of this stress and I'm not feeling too well now.
Best I go to sleep. Hope everyone had a good day!
End of Day 205. I did not drink today.
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Pneumatic to hydraulic is probably more common but no matter they are both fairly commonplace - car brake servo's for example. They should have a schematic for the product they want described similar to the one below. Once you are happy with the name of the function in the original language you should be able to find its equivalent in the language you need to translate it to.
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I arrived at more or less the same conclusion. I did get my ass handed to me today about the translation, but for other reasons in the law portion.
Seems my reaction to this is to instantly get very-very sleepy, so that's what I will go do: sleep. I still have to re-review the work in the morning and resubmit before 9am. First time that's happened. Seemed like today was just a day, but it ended up being a pretty bad one in the end.
Hopefully the sleep will cure it.
End of Day 206. I did not drink today.
Seems my reaction to this is to instantly get very-very sleepy, so that's what I will go do: sleep. I still have to re-review the work in the morning and resubmit before 9am. First time that's happened. Seemed like today was just a day, but it ended up being a pretty bad one in the end.
Hopefully the sleep will cure it.
End of Day 206. I did not drink today.
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Most of today has been self-care. If you don't count the early morning which basically required the rest of the day to be self-care.
The last translation was still problematic even after my second review. And that's totally my doing, my fault/responsibility. Not catching important mistakes which are also actually just a matter of paying attention - that's on me. But it still sucks. Plus, it creates that unnerving feeling of uncertainty about the next work and if it's coming at all etc.
But some salad, some pork and a handful of fries for dinner was food therapy. I kind of needed to get away from the usual thougths of the day, so I did spend quite a bit of time watching tv series.
Anyways, tomorrow I'm going to start sifting through the data for the research project and keep myself busy that way.
Today, once I got the poor feedback for a second time in 24 hours, I did feel that 'rush', of anger and frustration. It did feel similar to those moments when I surely would have gone to the store for a bottle. Today there was no such thought. There was just the 'I will eat something special tonight, treat myself and soothe the mental ache of my own sloppiness'.
Watching Knightfall and going to fall asleep soon enough, to be ready for the research tomorrow. At least I know that will be interesting for certain.
End of Day 207. I did not drink today.
The last translation was still problematic even after my second review. And that's totally my doing, my fault/responsibility. Not catching important mistakes which are also actually just a matter of paying attention - that's on me. But it still sucks. Plus, it creates that unnerving feeling of uncertainty about the next work and if it's coming at all etc.
But some salad, some pork and a handful of fries for dinner was food therapy. I kind of needed to get away from the usual thougths of the day, so I did spend quite a bit of time watching tv series.
Anyways, tomorrow I'm going to start sifting through the data for the research project and keep myself busy that way.
Today, once I got the poor feedback for a second time in 24 hours, I did feel that 'rush', of anger and frustration. It did feel similar to those moments when I surely would have gone to the store for a bottle. Today there was no such thought. There was just the 'I will eat something special tonight, treat myself and soothe the mental ache of my own sloppiness'.
Watching Knightfall and going to fall asleep soon enough, to be ready for the research tomorrow. At least I know that will be interesting for certain.
End of Day 207. I did not drink today.
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I has been raining all the day today. A week ago we had nice beautiful white snow, not it looks like late autumn again. Not cool.
Aside from cooking a bit and cleaning, today has been slow. I did look at the research materials, but I wasn't able to really stick with it. Got distracted and soon enough found myself doing something else.
It's something I wanted to address here. This restlessness, shifting between things and procrastination. Recently I have been thinking about this quite a lot. I seemed to do/be like I was when I was still drinking. In a near-constant 'wait mode'. Earlier on, the difference between what it was like when drinking and what it's like when sober was more noticeable and that definitely kept me pushing. I got quite a bit done, manuscripts finished, work, even some book translation and I also had two great trips. My brain and the rest of my body parts were engaged in sober living. Now it feels like I have fallen into some non-descript lull of sobriety. Lull because in sobriety it has been easy for me to say 'things aren't getting worse as long as I am sober'. Which is true and for that I am grateful, but the problem is if I'm so inactive, things aren't getting better either. After a while this started to weigh on me, but I have not managed to make significant changes. I still find myself preferring to watch TV than to do 'middle-of-the-project' tasks that would be useful, would count towards progress and would actually keep me busy.
This lack of motivation has been haunting me ever since my birthday. It was also there in October when I had very little work for 4-5 weeks. The first months of my sobriety, my only goals was to take small steps with the aim improving my situation and to try and reach some sort of life equilibrium where activities and rest-time are more or less balanced. I managed that for a while. Then it acutely slanted towards rest-time, which inevitably becomes procrastination after a time.
So that's where I am currently at. Things aren't getting worse, because I continue to stay sober and will not change that for anything. Yet, with all this sober time on my hands, I still feel tired, out-of-sorts as well as restless, aimless (at time) and often even useless. That last part also makes me angry at myself, but in order to 'make peace', I then once again engage in some form of reality escaping, i.e. another TV series.
It's like a funk, but it's also somehow not. I don't necessarily feel down all the time, just ... lazy? Unmotivated? It's weird for me, especially in terms of activities that I know for sure would yield something I can consider progress. I cannot seem to muster up the 'just freaking do it' attitude to go after something like that. There's always the tomorrow and there's always more time etc.
It's almost as if I'm no longer engaged in time management, but it has now become project management where I live my life in the form of projects. Work comes in, that's a project. There's a meeting with the professor, that's a project (that includes some auxiliary activities, like doing some research work or paper work etc). These things are what I mean by being in a near-constant 'wait mode', because once a project is done, it's free time. Free time usually has become to mean watching TV. I notice it more when the projects are few or they're all the same type (because I've had plenty of work recently) - so even if I'm not idle, things are very one-sided and lack variety.
I would appreciate any advice on dealing with these funks. I myself can think of making short lists for one or two days, of things to get done. But even these have failed in recent past. Seems like whenever I make such a list, it ends up being 'one of those mornings' where I feel incredibly sleepy and can't get off the ground until 10 or 11am.
That's my problem. Rest time between activities, which worked well a couple of months ago has morphed into excessive procrastination and a(n almost) generalised lack of motivation.
Well, that was my cheery Saturday evening update. Hopefully tomorrow I'll actually do something of use.
End of Day 208. I did not drink today.
Aside from cooking a bit and cleaning, today has been slow. I did look at the research materials, but I wasn't able to really stick with it. Got distracted and soon enough found myself doing something else.
It's something I wanted to address here. This restlessness, shifting between things and procrastination. Recently I have been thinking about this quite a lot. I seemed to do/be like I was when I was still drinking. In a near-constant 'wait mode'. Earlier on, the difference between what it was like when drinking and what it's like when sober was more noticeable and that definitely kept me pushing. I got quite a bit done, manuscripts finished, work, even some book translation and I also had two great trips. My brain and the rest of my body parts were engaged in sober living. Now it feels like I have fallen into some non-descript lull of sobriety. Lull because in sobriety it has been easy for me to say 'things aren't getting worse as long as I am sober'. Which is true and for that I am grateful, but the problem is if I'm so inactive, things aren't getting better either. After a while this started to weigh on me, but I have not managed to make significant changes. I still find myself preferring to watch TV than to do 'middle-of-the-project' tasks that would be useful, would count towards progress and would actually keep me busy.
This lack of motivation has been haunting me ever since my birthday. It was also there in October when I had very little work for 4-5 weeks. The first months of my sobriety, my only goals was to take small steps with the aim improving my situation and to try and reach some sort of life equilibrium where activities and rest-time are more or less balanced. I managed that for a while. Then it acutely slanted towards rest-time, which inevitably becomes procrastination after a time.
So that's where I am currently at. Things aren't getting worse, because I continue to stay sober and will not change that for anything. Yet, with all this sober time on my hands, I still feel tired, out-of-sorts as well as restless, aimless (at time) and often even useless. That last part also makes me angry at myself, but in order to 'make peace', I then once again engage in some form of reality escaping, i.e. another TV series.
It's like a funk, but it's also somehow not. I don't necessarily feel down all the time, just ... lazy? Unmotivated? It's weird for me, especially in terms of activities that I know for sure would yield something I can consider progress. I cannot seem to muster up the 'just freaking do it' attitude to go after something like that. There's always the tomorrow and there's always more time etc.
It's almost as if I'm no longer engaged in time management, but it has now become project management where I live my life in the form of projects. Work comes in, that's a project. There's a meeting with the professor, that's a project (that includes some auxiliary activities, like doing some research work or paper work etc). These things are what I mean by being in a near-constant 'wait mode', because once a project is done, it's free time. Free time usually has become to mean watching TV. I notice it more when the projects are few or they're all the same type (because I've had plenty of work recently) - so even if I'm not idle, things are very one-sided and lack variety.
I would appreciate any advice on dealing with these funks. I myself can think of making short lists for one or two days, of things to get done. But even these have failed in recent past. Seems like whenever I make such a list, it ends up being 'one of those mornings' where I feel incredibly sleepy and can't get off the ground until 10 or 11am.
That's my problem. Rest time between activities, which worked well a couple of months ago has morphed into excessive procrastination and a(n almost) generalised lack of motivation.
Well, that was my cheery Saturday evening update. Hopefully tomorrow I'll actually do something of use.
End of Day 208. I did not drink today.
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I have to be honest kk1k - even tho I felt better after three months it really took me a year or so to feel like I got my energy back.
I severely underestimated the extent of my drinking on my mind and body.
It also took a while for me to get the balance right between work and play.
I was, if not scared, I was reluctant not to be doing something, because in the past those moments meant drinking.
Its no accident there's a term called 'workaholic'...
If it helps, by your posts, you're more productive than 95% of people I know.
I still have funks. I'm not sure it's recovery related as everyone I know has funks sometimes.
I hope, as time goes on, your funks will lessen
D
I severely underestimated the extent of my drinking on my mind and body.
It also took a while for me to get the balance right between work and play.
I was, if not scared, I was reluctant not to be doing something, because in the past those moments meant drinking.
Its no accident there's a term called 'workaholic'...
If it helps, by your posts, you're more productive than 95% of people I know.
I still have funks. I'm not sure it's recovery related as everyone I know has funks sometimes.
I hope, as time goes on, your funks will lessen
D
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Thanks Dee
Well, the first thing I thought of when reading your reply was "damn, Dee must know some really inactive people" :P
I am looking forward to regaining my energy and my focus. My main issues stem from a lack of ability to stay on task. None of them are excruciatingly demanding, they really just need focus, discipline and 'repeat business'.
Anyways, I will start cooking my Sunday lunch soon enough and then see to some khmm, official business.
I was collecting some sort of coupons/stickers from a store, so when you get thirty, you'll be able to buy certain items with a steep discount. They have recently been giving these stickers/coupons away in larger quantities than they ought to. Wanted to buy an oven tray as a home Christmas present. Of course the store was out and said there'll be no more coming in for these discounts. Now I have the option of going oven tray hunting in the city and hoping one of the chain stores still has the model I had my eye on. Hmm. I will most likely make a day of it next week. Engage in my so-called 'project management'.
Hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday
Well, the first thing I thought of when reading your reply was "damn, Dee must know some really inactive people" :P
I am looking forward to regaining my energy and my focus. My main issues stem from a lack of ability to stay on task. None of them are excruciatingly demanding, they really just need focus, discipline and 'repeat business'.
Anyways, I will start cooking my Sunday lunch soon enough and then see to some khmm, official business.
I was collecting some sort of coupons/stickers from a store, so when you get thirty, you'll be able to buy certain items with a steep discount. They have recently been giving these stickers/coupons away in larger quantities than they ought to. Wanted to buy an oven tray as a home Christmas present. Of course the store was out and said there'll be no more coming in for these discounts. Now I have the option of going oven tray hunting in the city and hoping one of the chain stores still has the model I had my eye on. Hmm. I will most likely make a day of it next week. Engage in my so-called 'project management'.
Hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday
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Hi Kk, procrastination is a skill of mine! I came across this video several years ago, I liked its simplicity and distinction between types of procrastination, held true for me. If you persevere with watching it, maybe you’ll see how it impacted me, positively, and generated some impetus.....
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=arj7oStGLkU
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=arj7oStGLkU
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I am persevering :P I actually know this guy. Watching this video reminded me of a book that I ....remember reading and even getting half way through, I think, before 'something else came up'.
It's called "the Procrastination Equation". Have you heard of it/read it, Tatsy?
It's called "the Procrastination Equation". Have you heard of it/read it, Tatsy?
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Oh yes, I’ve read the Procrastination Equation, part way through numerous times.....and finally completed it. I liked the guys talk because of the end bit, the boxes representing one week......I guess I like symbolism, it brought things into perspective. Life is short, why put off doing something? The issue has always been, for me, what precisely do I actually want to do?
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When things are put into perspective like that, they do tend to have some effect. Made me wonder if the boxes in the end weren't just the guy's ruse to awaken the panic monster ...? A very big, longer-term panic monster.
I struggle with the same things as you. In that sense the video was very good, because it either taught me or reminded me the difference between deadline-related procrastination and procrastination when there are no real deadlines. I mean, my translations are a perfect example here of what happens. Say I get 20 pages to translate and 3 days to do so. I instantly divide 20 by 3 and realise that, okay, I need to do 7 + 7 + 6. Taking into account that maybe the first two days are a bit tiring, it's always better to leave less for the 'last days', when the so-called juice is running out. And it works. I usually do more than 7 (even if it's just 8 etc) on the first day. Hit my mark (or get 8 again etc) on the second and then finish things on the third.
Granted, when I was still also consuming alcohol (there was an overlap of about 2 months where I both drank and translated, at times), it felt rough. I still managed to follow my rules, but at a steeper cost in terms of being tired, even frustrated. Still, I never once came close to missing a deadline. After I quit drinking, and some time had passed, the deadlines started making sense. There was a system forming and it worked insofar as time management was concerned. I never had to panic or really rush things. More importantly, I've yet to miss a deadline.
On the (dark) flipside, there's the book translation. I have managed to translate what amount to about 40 pages over the past 7 months. Think about that for a second. I can do roughly 8 pages a DAY, when there's a deadline, but when a deadline is absent, I have thus far managed to get 0.2 pages done in a day. Granted, the book pages are more difficult, but that's still a fragile excuse to hide behind. Which I'm not doing, of course, I've been pretty vocal about just somehow not getting into a rhtyhm etc.
I have been bad at setting my own deadlines for as long as I can remember. Somehow, I just can't seem to bring myself to place limits ...on myself. I did that with exercise and weight loss in the past, with other obligations, my studies etc. But it all slowly but surely eroded once I started drinking more and more. That discipline disappeared and it has not reappeared.
And if I'd take a crack at explaining 'a day that I'm satisfied with in terms of effort', then I would have to say what some US judge said about determining what pornography is: "I know it, when I see it". Hence, there are days that I feel absolutely fine with, because they have involved some effort and some progress toward a goal (or a deadline). Leisure days ...well, those feel fine only in small quantities and preferably only after those effort-filled days.
That's the internal system I have and procrastination is absolutely demolishing it, as I just can't seem to find a consistent balance between work and play. It's either too much of the first, which then massively tires me out. Or it's too much of the other, where I start feeling useless and aimless, and even clueless at times.
Tatsy, how did you learn (and I hope you did) to deal with the 'long-term, no particular deadline' problems?
My past experience has been that, even if I try to set deadlines or the so-called glass ceilings for certain activities, I never really seem to be able to stick with them. It's almost as if I simply don't recognise and acknowledge the self-set deadlines ...? I'm just wondering if you've wondered about this and come up with some practical solution
Thanks for the interesting exchange!
I struggle with the same things as you. In that sense the video was very good, because it either taught me or reminded me the difference between deadline-related procrastination and procrastination when there are no real deadlines. I mean, my translations are a perfect example here of what happens. Say I get 20 pages to translate and 3 days to do so. I instantly divide 20 by 3 and realise that, okay, I need to do 7 + 7 + 6. Taking into account that maybe the first two days are a bit tiring, it's always better to leave less for the 'last days', when the so-called juice is running out. And it works. I usually do more than 7 (even if it's just 8 etc) on the first day. Hit my mark (or get 8 again etc) on the second and then finish things on the third.
Granted, when I was still also consuming alcohol (there was an overlap of about 2 months where I both drank and translated, at times), it felt rough. I still managed to follow my rules, but at a steeper cost in terms of being tired, even frustrated. Still, I never once came close to missing a deadline. After I quit drinking, and some time had passed, the deadlines started making sense. There was a system forming and it worked insofar as time management was concerned. I never had to panic or really rush things. More importantly, I've yet to miss a deadline.
On the (dark) flipside, there's the book translation. I have managed to translate what amount to about 40 pages over the past 7 months. Think about that for a second. I can do roughly 8 pages a DAY, when there's a deadline, but when a deadline is absent, I have thus far managed to get 0.2 pages done in a day. Granted, the book pages are more difficult, but that's still a fragile excuse to hide behind. Which I'm not doing, of course, I've been pretty vocal about just somehow not getting into a rhtyhm etc.
I have been bad at setting my own deadlines for as long as I can remember. Somehow, I just can't seem to bring myself to place limits ...on myself. I did that with exercise and weight loss in the past, with other obligations, my studies etc. But it all slowly but surely eroded once I started drinking more and more. That discipline disappeared and it has not reappeared.
And if I'd take a crack at explaining 'a day that I'm satisfied with in terms of effort', then I would have to say what some US judge said about determining what pornography is: "I know it, when I see it". Hence, there are days that I feel absolutely fine with, because they have involved some effort and some progress toward a goal (or a deadline). Leisure days ...well, those feel fine only in small quantities and preferably only after those effort-filled days.
That's the internal system I have and procrastination is absolutely demolishing it, as I just can't seem to find a consistent balance between work and play. It's either too much of the first, which then massively tires me out. Or it's too much of the other, where I start feeling useless and aimless, and even clueless at times.
Tatsy, how did you learn (and I hope you did) to deal with the 'long-term, no particular deadline' problems?
My past experience has been that, even if I try to set deadlines or the so-called glass ceilings for certain activities, I never really seem to be able to stick with them. It's almost as if I simply don't recognise and acknowledge the self-set deadlines ...? I'm just wondering if you've wondered about this and come up with some practical solution
Thanks for the interesting exchange!
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Kk, I had far too many “long term no particular deadline” aims/goals. I was overwhelmed. I had to cull some, but therein lay the problem. It was hard to decide which were truly important to me, there were many overlaps. I had two and a half years sobriety within which to clear up huge messes (due to chronic drinking created procrastination) and new regimes to put in place.
I need to give this issue some more thought.....l have improved, massively, in combatting procrastination. But it’s complicated, because I drank again earlier this year, then stopped again. And to be honest, residual procrastination and my failure to fully combat it then, probably partially fuelled my relapse. I have a different take on it now, I’ll be back.....
I need to give this issue some more thought.....l have improved, massively, in combatting procrastination. But it’s complicated, because I drank again earlier this year, then stopped again. And to be honest, residual procrastination and my failure to fully combat it then, probably partially fuelled my relapse. I have a different take on it now, I’ll be back.....
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