Operation "Keep The Kitchen Sink Clean" Day Whatever It Is, Now

I know it seems like I've given up or forgotten, but I have the pictures to prove that that is not true. I'll be sharing them later today, but for now I'm dealing with 5 over-energetic, 8-week-old Labrador puppies that aren't housebroken, which is why I haven't been around.

Later tonight, I'll update on the project.

Operation "Keep The Sink Clean" Day 2

The sink was pristine when I went to bed last night, completely clear of any clutter or crud.

This morning, we had breakfast, and suddenly there's things in the sink that I should clean.

If it were up to me, the next nine days would be spent eating at restaurants for every meal, thus alleviating any need for cleaning the sink. Alas, it's not up to me, and the wife has overruled that possibility.

Looks like I have some dishes to do.

Operation "Keep The Sink Clean" Update

Okay, so, a little more work gets put in, and it's ready to go.



As you can see, for the purposes of this particular Operation, I am not concerned with the stove, or the counters. I am merely concerning myself with making sure that at the end of the day, the sink area is spotless.



Well, as spotless as I get it anyway. I'm not a "spotless" kind of guy, but here's what the plan is:

At the end of the day, before I go to bed, the sink will be emptied of all dishes. The traps will be cleaned. The sinks will be wiped out of any gunk. The dishes will be put away. Any stains will be cleaned as completely as I know how to do it.

So today's Day 1. I've got dinner left to contend with, and then I'm going away for the night. When I come back I'll snap a quick photo of the sink as proof, and go to bed. Tomorrow I'll post the photo from the night before, and that night I'll do the same thing. So on it will go until the final day.

Boring? Maybe. A struggle for me? Definitely.

Operation "Keep The Sink Clean"

The Operation has been scrubbed.

No, I mean literally.



I'm feeling good about how it's going today. I'm getting it up-to-snuff. I've done a good job getting the sink tub-area clean.

Hmm.

Tub-area?

Yeah, there's more to this whole "Sink area" than I was originally thinking.



Okay, so I've got more to do. Back to the grindstone.

Operation "Keep The Sink Clean"

10 day operation, or experiment, whichever you prefer. Starting today, after class, I will clean the kitchen sink. Then, for 10 days, ending on September 28th, I will attempt to keep the sink not just clear of dishes, but clean, washed, and sparkling.

They say it takes 30 days to make a habit stick, but I figure if I can start with 10 days, maybe I'll work up to 30.

So, today I have to clean all the dishes in the sink, scrub out any stains, clear the food traps, and tidy. Should be easy!



Okay. Maybe I spoke too soon.

Newest Experiment Thoughts

Okay, so I'm pushing myself in ways I never before have. I'm jogging in the morning, I'm learning a completely new language, and I'm trying to become a better rounded individual. I'm passionate about many things, and chase new goals every day.

So what new goals should I chase?

I'm thinking I'm going to experiment with food. A week of "a new recipe each day" or something like that. Maybe.

I could even make some of the food tie in with my other stuff: Health food, Middle Eastern food? Maybe.

Thinking of Things

So, yesterday I went to Arabic class after drinking about 2 and a half cups of coffee, which ended up being a mistake. I was jittery, couldn't focus my brain on any one thing, and ended up being unable to grasp relatively simple concepts.

What did I do this morning? Well, I had coffee, of course!

I also did a 10 minute jog, and am going to have a banana, which I am hoping will help dispel the post-caffeine jitters. I'm not good at thinking ahead in the morning, except for "Need caffeine."

For those that remember when I was attempting to quit caffeine, I did! Well, then I went back on it. I learned that caffeine, especially from coffee, can help achieve weight loss, and as we all know I've been working on that for a while.

Still, I have to find a balance.

Arabic class in about an hour and a half. Hopefully I'll be stable enough to remember what I read last night. If not, I'll just make a fool of myself. No worries.

The Way Things Are

So, let's talk about my newest experiment.

I'm taking Arabic at the University of Delaware. The most asked question I get, aside from "Are you the teacher?*" is "Why are you taking Arabic?"

Well.

I first signed up for Arabic with Khalil and Ikram Masmoudi for something to do. I wanted to stretch my brain a bit, because it has been getting dusty. Arabic sounded like something completely different, and something new. I wouldn't say it sounded "fun," but that's roughly close to how I felt. I like learning languages, and could have gone the easy route with French or Spanish, having taken classes in both, but I wanted a completely new experience.

I think it's going well.

My brain is being stretched, that I know. I feel mentally tired at the end of the day, having spent time doing homework, going over whatever I learned in class, and generally trying to fill my brain with new stuff. Since we're learning a new alphabet, it's easy to fill my brain, and I can almost actually feel when I'm full.

But I'm definitely enjoying myself, despite (or perhaps because of) the tiredness.

So, that's good.

After a relatively short time, I realized that I like the Arabic language, and started looking into finding out what it would take to become fluent in it. More than a simple "Hello, nice to meet you! My name is Jeremiah. I'm a student at the University of Delaware, and I'm from Newark, Delaware," I'd like to eventually become proficient enough to be a translator.

And so I'm throwing myself into learning. Pushing myself a little past what we're being taught in class. I make mistakes, because we all do, but I'm trying to keep a step ahead, learn quickly, and learn it all. I'm trying to make guesses when I hear the teachers speaking in language far above my head. I'm watching shows that have Arabic in them, and even caught a phrase or two in The Fifth Element that we've learned in class.

I have to dream big, or I'll never reach the little dreams. Go for all or nothing, is what I guess I've been doing for the past few years. Why stop now?

*I'm NOT old!

Everything Changes

Hi folks!

It's not often I directly address you without a picture, but things here are changing, and you deserve to know what's up.

Since I've started The Pooch Page, I've been very lax on posting here because I've been focusing on that. Well, that's kind of the way it's going to be from now on.

I'm not done posting pictures, but I'm also not focusing on it. I'll continue taking pictures, and posting them here when I get to it, but this spot is going to become something different, yet go back to what it was going to be in the first place.

My life lacks focus, and blogs help me bring focus into my life in one way or another. So, this blog is going to be about what I'm currently focusing on.

For example, my life is revolving around three things:

1) Arabic classes at UD with Ikram and Khalil Masmoudi. These take up an hour of my time Monday through Thursday, plus however long the homework takes. This is a massive undertaking for me, as I eventually plan on mastering the language in order to become a translator.

2) Making a webcomic. Sure, it's silly, but right now I'm trying to teach myself how to draw, and then go from there.

3) The Pooch Page. I want to make this into something interesting, popular, and a place that people talk about. I know it's a silly little thing; pictures of a different dog every day, but I'm really emotionally invested in making it interesting, and fun.

So, when I post in the future, you'll probably be hearing about these things, these experiments in my life, these foci. I hope to remain interesting, but if you don't come back I'll completely understand.

Thank you for reading, and enjoying my photos. I hope they brought some beauty into your life.

Sometimes

I was struck by these flowers, artistically, and had to photograph them. I just really liked them, and hope you do as well.

Shh, We're All Tired and Napping!

Camera Critters

Wordless Wednesday

Feeling Up Close

I'm feeling quiet, lately, because of class. I'm taking Arabic 105 with professors Ikram and Khalil Masmoudi. The classes are good, and I'm definitely enjoying learning something so completely foreign to me, but they leave me feeling mentally drained.

So, essentially, the next couple of days may all resemble Wordless Wednesday, and I'm just warning you now.



I have to say, I don't know how these full-time students do it. I feel like one class is taking up all my time, and can't imagine going to three or four classes each day, learning all new things at every class. I'd be quickly overwhelmed.

Too Many Rabbits?

Maria, my wife, tells me that there's an ancient proverb that goes "A man chasing two rabbits goes hungry." She claims that it means that if you don't set your goals as attainable, focusing on one thing at a time, you'll never complete one of them, and always be chasing the next dream.

Me? I say the guy chasing two rabbits needs a gun, and he'll eat just fine.



Introducing The Pooch Page! Daily pictures of dogs! I have a permanent link on the "Link" page to Camera Critters, because there it's all dogs, all the time!