Why I Think There Is Something Very Wrong With Me

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I’ve just returned from online auction Hell.  I bid on a small structure in a construction auction to serve as the base for a chicken tractor we are building.  I realize that’s probably weird enough by itself. (In case you’re not familiar with chicken tractors, think small chicken coop on wheels that you can roll around the yard-- keeping the grass greener, the chickens full, and the cleaning chores simpler.)

But the deal with these online auctions is that you must take everything in the lot.  From the photos, I knew we purchased several structures, but we really weren’t prepared for what we “won.” J 

Today was pick-up day.  We kept staring at all the stuff, and even though we brought a pickup truck and a flatbed trailer, it was definitely overwhelming.

Photo by Dwayne Smith:  Can you find the chicken tractor in here?  And yes, we did strap it all down.

And right off the bat, my dear husband almost knocked me off the loading dock head-first, which would have sent me sprawling on the concrete several feet below.  However, I am (almost) sure he wasn’t aiming for me when he turned hastily with the large chicken coop structure that I was presently attached to.

Mind you, it took us several hours to load this stuff up, and head back home Beverly Hillbillies-style .  All the while we were doing our usual dance of careful admonitions and reckless driving.  People were staring and pointing wherever we went.  And did I mention that the aftermath of Hurricane Isaac was chasing us down the freeway, on the only day that we were allowed to pick up the load?

I’ve heard that normal people go to Lowe’s and buy building materials.  Or better yet, they order chicken tractors and have them delivered.  The really normal ones probably buy eggs at the grocery!  But I am far from normal.  In fact, I am beginning to think there is something very wrong with me.

For months I have been preoccupied with chicken coop plans—reading chicken e-zines, spending hours on chicken boards on Pinterest, and eyeing every roadside castoff as the possible start of my chicken coop project.  I think the word I am looking for is obsession.  And all because I just want a few fresh eggs.

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It’s not that my unbridled enthusiasm hasn’t gotten me into trouble before.  But this project seems to be a hands-down winner.

A new friend even hatched my chickens for me in her incubator and was hand-raising them until they were big enough to come home.  But they were eaten by a predator that snuck into her chicken barn.  My sister claims this was a sign from God to stop the chicken madness.  I was saddened, of course, but not deterred.  We will begin again, and we will prevail.  Like I said, there is something seriously wrong with me.  Don’t you agree?

Right now I’m dreading unloading the flatbed trailer, as I’m already having trouble standing up after jumping up and down off the loading dock that had no stairs.  After we unload, the real work of building the chicken tractor can begin.  Stay tuned for how that turns out…

If you’d like to weigh in on how crazy I am, please feel free.  Or even better, please share the craziest thing you’ve done lately in the comments below.  You know you want to.

Marianne M. Smith
Writer At The Ranch
Making You Look Brilliant One Word At A Time
http://writerattheranch.com
wordsmith@writerattheranch.com

Good Things I’ve Learned from a Bad Economy

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The current economy is definitely not my friend, but it has taught me some valuable lessons.

Here’s my top ten list:

1.       I don’t have to have the latest and greatest gadget/clothes/furniture/whatever.  I probably never did.

2.      I can grow my own food, which is much healthier and tastes better.  I’m also into growing things I’ve never eaten before.  It’s *almost* like going out to a fancy restaurant and trying something novel on the menu.

3.      Creativity is a viable strategy for dealing with chaos.  The nuttier things get, the more creative I become. (Necessity really IS the mother of invention.)

4.      Hand-crafted goods are amazing.  We’ve made interesting and unique furniture from pallets, cable spools, and whatever else we can find in our barn.  Upcycling is cool!  When something breaks or wears out, my first thought is:  “What can I do with this next?”

5.      Barter is a great way to get what you need or want.  If you missed my blog post on bartering , be sure and give it a read.

6.      Keep your sense of humor.  Some days it will be the only real defense you have.

7.      Community is important.  Stay in touch with those who matter to you.  If you missed my blog post on Why Good Friends Are More Important Than Ever, read it here.

8.      I have cemented my earlier conviction that self-reliance and sustainability are good and necessary.

9.      I’m finding novel ways to foster optimism, even when it is illogical.

10.   I constantly remind myself that I’m making a life, if not a living.  I may not have as much paid work as I'd like, but I’m keeping busy with meaningful hobbies and expanding my knowledge base.



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I’d love to hear your take on how you deal with the current economy.  Please feel free to leave a comment.

Marianne M. Smith
Writer At The Ranch
Making You Look Brilliant One Word At A Time
http://writerattheranch.com
wordsmith@writerattheranch.com

Why It's Cool To Be Imperfect

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After a rather dismal response to last week’s blog post on What Makes a Champion , I’ve decided to give equal time to my audience of apparent underachievers J.  Hence, this post on why it’s cool to be imperfect!

Actually, I was inspired after running across a blog called the Imperfect Gardener.  Its’ writer, Carol Davis, mentioned how much love and support she has received from the gardening community.  Now this lady is truly a gardening SME, but presents herself (humbly) as an imperfect gardener.  And people embrace that!

So I started considering the top reasons people embrace imperfection:

1.      There is less pressure when you allow for imperfections.  Sometimes it really is ok to be “good enough.”  After all, perfection is, at best, a temporary state.

2.      Everyone loves an underdog.  We all cheer for those who haven’t made it yet…

3.      There is great humility in imperfection.  Humbleness sells.

4.      Accepting imperfections allows you to chase more dreams.  If one doesn’t work out, you can happily move on to another.

5.      Flaws make us more interesting characters.  After all, being predictable can sometimes be insanely boring.  None of us are perfect people, anyway.  We are imperfect people with a few perfect moments.

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When you’ve accepted your imperfectness, your attitude is more laid-back in general.  If you don’t get it right, you just try again.  That’s very freeing.  And full of permission.  And who doesn’t like that?

And if you’re still being too hard on yourself, do go back and read my blog post on Cutting Yourself Some Slack.  Because the Olympics are over, right? ;)

I’d love to hear your thoughts about what I’ve written, and your own experience of imperfection.  Please feel free to leave a comment.


Marianne M. Smith
Writer At The Ranch
Making You Look Brilliant One Word At A Time
http://writerattheranch.com
wordsmith@writerattheranch.com

What Makes a Champion



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We all want to be champions, right?  Like many of you I’ve been watching the Olympics nightly, and I find myself wondering why some people are champions, and some never rise above mediocrity.  I’m not talking about the difference between Gold, Silver, or Bronze.  If you’re even at the Olympics, you’re probably in the champion category.  And to my mind that even extends to being in the stands!

I’ve been pondering what makes a champion, Olympic or otherwise.  Is it focus? Intention? Desire? Raw talent? Practice? Determination? Relentlessness?  Coaching? Support from others? Luck?

I genuinely believe we all have unique talents, even if we haven’t discovered them yet.  But what makes some pursue their dreams, and others give in?  Is there an achievement gene?  What makes some content to cruise through their day, while others are attempting to achieve a personal best or world record?



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We cheer for champions and cheer even louder when new records are set, and the old are broken.  We want other people to be winners and champions.  But most of us have the misguided idea that we are not of that same caliber.  “JUST DO IT” and “Be All You Can Be” are slogans for other people.

Maybe we have been fed this misinformation by parents, siblings, our spouse or significant other, classmates or friends.  Or maybe we have embraced it as a result of our own (current) established mediocrity.

You might be beyond running a record time on the track, but what would being a champion look like in your own life?  It’s a question worth examining.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about what I’ve written, and what your own experience is.  Please feel free to leave a comment.


Marianne M. Smith
Writer At The Ranch
Making You Look Brilliant One Word At A Time
http://writerattheranch.com
wordsmith@writerattheranch.com

Embracing Boredom

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I like solitude more than most people, but I’ve been bored out of my gourd lately.  Most everything I love to do is outside, and the prolonged heat wave we’ve been experiencing here in the Deep South has made me a hostage of air conditioning.

 

But I’ve found that extreme boredom forces you to think creatively in self-defense.  I’m starting to realize it might even be wise to embrace the boredom whenever it shows up.

Boredom lowers your expectations, causing your stress level to go down.  You suddenly have time for all the things you’ve needed to do, but have been too busy to attempt; you have time to brush your dog, practice playing guitar, watch the rain, read a book, or give yourself a pedicure.

And then?  What if you’re still so bored that you think your head will explode?  Or maybe implode?

Think of it this way:  You’ve opened up all kinds of “head room” for something new and original to emerge.  If you can tolerate hanging out with boredom long enough, something fascinating will show up, ending cranium drought.

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Boredom leads to breakthroughs. 

There’s really something to this, I promise.  Give it a try (embracing the boredom, rather than fighting it) and let me know what your experience is.  Feel free to leave a comment or shoot me an email.  I'd love to hear from you!

Marianne M. Smith
Writer At The Ranch
Making You Look Brilliant One Word At A Time
http://writerattheranch.com
wordsmith@writerattheranch.com