 | 8 Feb 10 |
Although it’s still winter, I’ve been doing spring cleaning since the start of the year. This “out with the old, in with the new” phase has affected every part of my life, and I am really invigorated by it. It’s wonderful how closing the door on something can open new possibilities.
On a personal level, my house is going through a transformation. I began with the downstairs. I’ve taken it room by room, so it doesn’t seem overwhelming. I have thrown out so many things and tackled “hot spots” where various unrelated items seem to accumulate (most of which should rightly go into the trash, but don’t make it that far). Anything that could even remotely be called clutter has left the building. I’ve replaced curtains, added furniture, tossed or moved furniture, fixed things that have needed to be fixed for far too long, etc. I’m not talking about expensive changes. More like the kind of low-cost changes made for “staging” purposes. The family room and living room are done, and the transformation within our family has been amazing. We all love hanging out in these “new” spaces more than ever. We kind of fell into a rut where we stopped seeing the details and no longer contemplated change. Does the sofa have to be there? Wouldn’t it be fun to have it over here?
I’m doing something similar in my professional life. I saw a lot of triumphs and successes in 2009, but it was also the toughest year I’ve had in my career. It’s only recently that I have come to appreciate the value of my experiences, as miserable as some of them were. I am a bit wiser, more circumspect, and more grateful for what I do have. I’m not sure I paid the dues I should have in the beginning; I am stronger for having paid some of them now.
So I’m doing some spring cleaning on the way I view and approach things. Just like with my house, even though the architecture hasn’t changed, my appreciation level has increased. I’m feeling good about a lot of things in my life right now, even though it’s been better, and that’s because of my investment in looking at things with fresh eyes. I wish I’d done all this clearing out sooner!
Oh, and I sent my latest proposal to my agent last week and I got a really excited phone call from her about it! That made my week. 
On a somewhat lighter note, I thought you might enjoy this:
We went shopping for a new dryer on Saturday. We stopped by a few different places — Best Buy, Home Depot, etc. — before we went to Sears. I couldn’t believe the number of salespeople they had on the floor. The appliance center had at least a half-dozen people assigned to it. As “our” salesman was showing off the various features of the dryer we ended up taking home, I noticed something in his back pocket and had to snap a picture.
HQ Presents and Dryers
Yes, our 6+ feet, 250 lbs. salesman had a Harlequin Presents in his back pocket. I thought that was fabulous!
(Is anyone else watching Spartacus: Blood and Sand on Starz? Yum.)
© 2010 Sylvia Day. All rights reserved.
Sylvia Day is the national bestselling, award-winning author of seventeen novels. A wife and mother of two, she is a former Russian linguist for the U.S. Army Military Intelligence. In addition to her novels, she’s written numerous novellas and short stories for both print and electronic-original release. Sylvia’s work has been called “wonderful and passionate” by WNBC.com and “wickedly entertaining” by Booklist. Her stories have been translated into Russian, Japanese, Portuguese, German, Czech, and Thai. She’s been honored with the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award, the EPPIE award, the National Readers' Choice Award, and multiple finalist nominations for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA® Award of Excellence.
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Talk about Out With The Old. We’re moving. Cross country. To a totally different environment.
Movers charge by the pound. I have a kazillion books. Hubster has a kazillion books.
We’re dumping most of our furniture and other household goods to save money.
We’re looking at everything in light of whether it’s something worth moving.
And congrats on the new proposal.
by Terry Odell February 8th, 2010 at 7:52 amIt’s nice to start over with new stuff in a new place. And I’d do the same thing re: keeping books and parting with the rest.
It wouldn’t be a home for me if my books weren’t there.
by S. J. Day February 8th, 2010 at 11:52 amSyl, I think we’re on parallel wavelengths or something. Last year was my toughest career-wise also AND our home renovations moved along! I, too, have a new proposal with my agent! I’ve taken an entirely new look at myself for this year! Yay us! We’re rocking! I love that you’re “re-staging” your home and clearing away what doesn’t work anymore. I love doing that, it feels so refreshing!
by Debra Webb February 8th, 2010 at 8:35 amI feel much better knowing it’s not just me. ((hugs)) Here’s to 2010 and beyond knocking our socks off!!
by S. J. Day February 8th, 2010 at 11:53 amAll three of us are running parallel. I just turned in my new proposal, too, and have been doing the purging / re-staging / renovating thing. The theme for last year was to get organized. This year it’s to continue that theme and add in get healthier. Exercise, eating better. And to “get busy” — writing the new book, working on the next idea.
Here’s to a great new year.
by toni mcgee causey February 8th, 2010 at 2:48 pmI need to get healthier, too. I’m not happy with my body image right now. But that can be changed! (hopefully *g*)
by S. J. Day February 8th, 2010 at 2:57 pmOh, That photo is worth about eight thousand words! Love it!!!
I think the high you get from removing clutter is pretty magical. Especially in my office, disarray can bring me seriously down. This doesn’t mean i have a neat and tidy office, though…I’d like to do better, and some days I actually take half an hour and try to clean things up. I think this is one of those habits that’s going to take a lifetime
by sophie littlefield February 8th, 2010 at 11:18 amMy office is one of the downstairs places I haven’t tackled yet. I really need to. I put a lovely camel-colored futon in here a couple years ago, which seemed like a good idea at the time, but has since turned out to be a “hot spot” where things accumulate. I’d be better off with shelving units there.
by S. J. Day February 8th, 2010 at 11:55 amLOL on the pic! That’s hilarious . . . and cool as well
I hate cleaning and spring cleaning and all that stuff. ugh. Once a year I get in the “it all goes” mode. But sometimes I regret tossing something . . .
by Allison Brennan February 8th, 2010 at 2:11 pmMy hubby is infamous for tossing out the baby with the bathwater. When he gets ready to purge, everything goes. It’s a frenzy of tossing. He doesn’t even look half the time. If it hits his hand, it hits the trash. Then he/we regret it later.
by S. J. Day February 8th, 2010 at 2:59 pmHehe…I love it. Actually, my 6 foot 1 muscly husband started reading a Desire last night and said “why don’t more men read these?”
And as for Spartacus, funny you should mention him…I featured him on my web site yesterday. I second the yummy.
by Maisey Yates February 8th, 2010 at 2:14 pmI’m loving Spartacus! I wasn’t fully on board with the first episode, but I was hooked by the third one. I was very glad to hear that they were renewed for a second season before the first episode aired. All the actors seem to be having a blast with their roles. It’s fun to watch them!
by S. J. Day February 8th, 2010 at 3:01 pmOoh! Glad to know. Yeah, third ep was best. I’ve been half watching while writing, my hubby is way into it. But I watched most of the third one.
by Maisey Yates February 8th, 2010 at 3:36 pmLove the pic, Syl!!!
I need to do more decorating and updating in my house…now I feel guilty
I hear you on the tough year–it seemed to be going around with all my friends. 2010 is going to be better!
by Jen Lyon February 8th, 2010 at 2:18 pmI’ve seen a few career turnarounds over the last few months. I hope it spreads. *g*
by S. J. Day February 8th, 2010 at 3:02 pmYes! I’m watching spartacus blood and sand, but enough with the slo’ mo’ blood already!
by Karin Tabke February 8th, 2010 at 4:42 pmIt’s definitely a very bloody show!
by S. J. Day February 9th, 2010 at 12:28 pmHah, I nag my kids to clean their closets, and then they get a look at mine. Oy.
I am going to purge, but closer to spring
And I love love love that Sears man was reading a Harlequin – thanks for the pic!
Sounds like you’re on the right track for 2010.
by Lori G. Armstrong February 8th, 2010 at 5:51 pmLiar Liar pants on fire.
(ducking) (running)
by toni mcgee causey February 8th, 2010 at 8:34 pmMy kids are very good at pointing out where I missed cleaning something once I’ve sent them off to clean their stuff…
by S. J. Day February 9th, 2010 at 12:29 pmI love that picture, Sylvia! I hope you send it to Harlequin – I think they’d love that, too!
by Roxanne St. Claire February 8th, 2010 at 6:55 pmI wish my BlackBerry had a better camera on it!
by S. J. Day February 9th, 2010 at 12:30 pmHi Sylvia, I SO need to do this! I have clutter everywhere. You are reminding me how relaxing it is when I take the trouble to sort.
by Laura Griffin February 8th, 2010 at 6:58 pmIt’s totally relaxing! I forget about that, too, in between cleaning sprees.
by S. J. Day February 9th, 2010 at 12:31 pmSylvia, I had to laugh at the photo. I’m doing a series this week over at IMHO about shattering the “romance reader” stereotypes, and this is just perfect. I hope you don’t mind if I link to it.
by TJ Bennett February 8th, 2010 at 10:56 pmNot at all! Link away.
by S. J. Day February 9th, 2010 at 12:31 pm