Posted By janice on April 13, 2010

Spring is in the air. Just ask anyone with allergies! Spring inspires us to do what else? Spring cleaning. It’s natural to shed off winter’s heaviness and cold and embrace spring’s fresh start and warmer temperatures.

Here are a few tips to spring clean:

• Clean your winter coat and wash your hats, scarves and gloves. Store them away. Do the same for your winter clothes.
• Clean the top of your ceiling fan blades.
• Change out the air-conditioning filter if you haven’t done so in a while.
• If your curtains are washable, wash them. If they’re not, run them through the dryer on a low setting to freshen them up. You can do the same thing with your comforter. By putting comforters, pillows, and curtains through the dryer, you reduce allergens.
• Wash your bath mats. Fabric shower curtains can be washed as well. Spray and wipe down plastic shower curtains with an antibacterial cleaner.
• Go through the pantry, freezer, and refrigerator and check expiration dates. Donate unwanted items and toss expired ones. Go through your spices too.
• Clean the silverware tray in your kitchen drawer.
• Clean the oven after all that holiday cooking.
• Wipe down the computer keyboard, monitor and mouse. Don’t forget the telephones.
• In Houston, we have to spend some time pulling up all the dead plants from the Big Freeze and replanting replacements.
• Of course, declutter your space. Recycle those magazines, catalogs, newspaper, and junk mail. Weed out stained, torn and worn clothing. Donate clothes you no longer want or can wear. As you clean areas of your home, declutter as you go. Need motivation? Just watch an episode of “Hoarders” on A&E or TLC’s “Buried Alive.” That should get you going.

Happy Spring, everyone!

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Posted By janice on March 23, 2010

During my very first week at MD Anderson, we had a presentation with three senior physicians and scientists talking about how they manage their time. One, a department chair who I had known during my reporting days in Galveston, instructed the crowd to have a life. He also said that if you didn’t have a life, get a life.

Ten years later, I am still convincing people to have a life and if they don’t have one, we talk about how to get one. It’s advice that I sometimes have to remind myself about. It’s easy for any of us to get caught up in work and decompress by watching hours of TV or strolling through Facebook while ignoring the activities we really want to do.

One of my doctors has been exploring his photography interest for the past couple of years, and he has been submitting his photographs to juried shows. Photography is more than a hobby for him. It’s a passion and is as much of a calling as medicine is to him.

Having a hobby is healthy and helps you reduce stress and increase your happiness. Like the saying goes, all work and no play makes us dull, lifeless, and stressed out. Your spark is missing.

So light your fire. Make time for your passion, your interests. Have a life. Get a life.

Category: Goal Setting, Happy Thoughts | No Comments »
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Posted By janice on March 3, 2010

As I left work yesterday, one of the women from another department told me how she hadn’t eaten lunch (was too busy to eat) or drank any water (was too busy to drink from the bottle on her desk). She wasn’t complaining, just making a statement of fact.

I know I furrowed my brow and said, “No. You need to take the time to drink water and eat.” I even tweeted it, and since my tweets go to Facebook, one of my high school friends wrote on my page that she had the same problem. She was so busy at work that she couldn’t eat or drink during the day. Bullcorn. I don’t care how busy you are, you should have time to keep yourself watered and fed.

Excuse me as I drink a sip of water……See, that didn’t take long. Humans require water, nourishment and shelter to stay alive. Water and food are a need, not a luxury.

Even surgeons take time to take sips of water or juice to keep themselves going and take breaks during long surgeries. Keeping yourself hydrated and fed is not brain surgery.

People who skip lunch are not fun to work with. Skipping meals and not being hydrated can lead to overeating since you may gorge at dinner. Lunch skippers may wind up eating whatever they can find in a vending machine and snacking away all day on unhealthy fare.

We need water to live. Water is one of those miracle drugs in a way since it affects every cell in our body. Water aids digestion, carries nutrients to cells, flushes out toxins, lowers your blood pressure, and cushions your joints. Without enough water, you may be as constipated as your e-mail’s inbox with dry skin, urinary tract infections, and reoccuring headaches. Yeah, that’s the “fun” person I want to work with — the non-hydrated one.

By feeding and watering yourself, you will work at your best. “Being busy” doesn’t mean that you’re working at your most productive. Take ten to 15 minutes, close the e-mail and eat your lunch. Your brain needs the rest. Keep your water glass or re-usable bottle handy and drink up during the day, and feel that water flowing through your body to keep all your parts moving.

So please, take down the “Do Not Feed” sign. Don’t be a martyr. Feed and water yourself during the work day and make yourself a better worker.

Category: Time Management, Uncategorized | No Comments »
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Posted By janice on February 23, 2010

You learn a lot when you buy a house, particulaly an older one, and I’ve had one learning experience after another since buying my house in September 2009.  My friend Darcy, who is a homeowner in my neighborhood, asked me to share the things I’ve done to my house. My house was built in 1964, but it hasn’t been updated since …oh, let’s see…yeah, 1964. I have some work to do. 

I am fortunate that several of my friends have renovated older homes as well, and they swooped in to lend a hand to Miss Clueless here or give advice over e-mail. My friend Jennifer and I were able to get the hallway door off on moving day – the first actual “renovation” wok occurring at my house. The hallway door blocked the closet door, and it was completely unnecessary. Guess people in 1964 really liked their doors.

My friends Christina and Randy have been systemically changing out my painted over light switches and outlets. The paint was so thick on some outlets that you couldn’t get a plug in. Pulling off the outlets, we discovered several layers of paint. Apparently the thought of taking off the outlets to paint never occurred to the previous owner.

The hallway is long and skinny, and one tiny light fixture made it too dark. Instead of a hallway, it looked more like a tunnel. At a home improvement store, I found a track light. It’s one of those lights that be folded out. Friends Mike and Lisa came over and installed it for me. For Mike to install it, we had to run an extension cord from the bathroom, plug in a lamp and take the lampshade off in order for him to see everything.

Once the light was installed, the different was amazing. Light spilled out everywhere, and two friends asked me I had painted the hallway because it looked fresher and newer.  I feel like my hallway now is more like a gallery.

Another easy change to make is using paint. I am totally in love with my bedroom paint color (Sherwin Williams – Reflecting Pool). Originally, I thought about a pale blue but opted for warmer colors. I’m thrilled that I did. It’s amazing how a paint color changes the whole feel of a room. I swear I’m sleeping better.

Making a couple of changes can have a huge impact. The next project will be MUCH bigger: the short and squatty kitchen. We’re talking total gut job and redo. Just a little spring project! 

Category: Janice's House Adventures | 4 Comments »
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