Anna Be.

In the interest of open education, I'm sharing this Guide to Free Internet Courses with you! For free! There is an accompanying academic paper which explains the concept of open education, which I will share with anyone interested. But all you really need is this list of resources to get started on your free, high-quality education. An Annotated Guide to DIY Education Online Apple Inc. (n.d.). iTunes U [Application]. Retrieved December 5, 2010, from http://www.apple.com/education/itunes-u/ From the company known for its pioneering in consumer technology, iTunes has become the standard for digital music management for Mac users. iTunes U applies that platform to educational resources available from more than 800 universities, including Stanford, Yale, MIT, Oxford, and Berkley. Content is also available from museums, libraries, and public media outlets. While the bulk of content is in the form of lectures, iTunes U also supports distribution of slideshows, videos, P...

I haven't been posting about cleaning, because I haven't been cleaning! Too under the weather for about a week. So sadly, I haven't yet been able to witness the cumulative effect of cleaning 45-60 minutes a day. However, I do think the strategies in the book are useful. I prefer to approach house cleaning in short bursts rather than being overwhelmed by the whole process. My favorite parts of the book are the last section which has a checklist of tasks for each room. It's not as if I don't know I need to mop the bathroom floor, but seeing it on the list is that extra bit of nagging that will make it happen.

(Day 2 confirms it -- all I can do in 15 minutes is start a load of laundry and unload and load the dishwasher. These are things that have to be done every day and don't get faster the more you do them. If I live to be 70, I will spend another solid 133 days on this 15-minute task.) Did you know I'm a gold medalist at Olympic Husband Steering? Like when you enter Target and he attempts to veer toward the wrong aisle? Subtle pressure on his arm can wordlessly steer him where you need to go. Also, hand-holding in public may seem super sweet, but it's also an effective method of Husband Steering. I mention this because No-Hassle House Cleaning has inspired me to attempt a sort of mental husband steering! (This might be more effective if it were actually covert, but he may read this and rebel against my efforts.) Spence ( Today's victory: it is easier to clean the kitchen sink/counter/floor when you just did it the previous day! Advice I won't follow again: wash ...

Despite sleeping only four hours last night, I took the challenge and spent a total of 45 minutes cleaning today! The first step was to add a notebook to my maid caddy -- to write down needed supplies or big tasks to remember later. Good advice from the book which also has me a little nervous about cleaning for 45 minutes everyday. This is how it breaks down for today: 15 minutes quick cleaning in the morning: a load of laundry in the washer, wiping a few things in the bathroom, barely started unloading the dishwasher 15 minutes quick cleaning in the evening: another load of laundry, a little folding, finishing the dishes, cleaning the kitchen sink/counters 15 minutes focus on the living room: dusting, decluttering, de-cat-hairing Yes, I am shocked at how little I got done in all that time! I know the effects will be cumulative, but after 45 minutes of vigorous cleaning, that's it??!?! Still, I'm committed to seeing if the house stays a little cleaner after doing this for ...

(Bookstores are choking with books that claim they will change your life! And I'm a real sucker for them. Every time I'm stumped by a problem, I think "Is there a book about this?" Starting with the assumption that any instruction/self-help/advice book is only as effective as the reader's intention to make it work, I started this project. This is the first in a series of "By the Book" posts in which I read a book, follow its advice, and let you know how it works out.) Today, out of growing anxiety that I'm not a good enough housekeeper, I picked up No-Hassle House Cleaning by Christina Spence. The first challenge, it seems, is to admit I'm "a happy slob and proud of it." I'm guessing a proud, happy slob would not worry the Borders cashier is judging her for needing a book to clean the house. I was happy to discover in the first few pages that I'm already doing some things right! From Spence's list of ways to make cleani...

Today is the official first day of my self-employment after the long weekend. I have exercised, studied, read, finished sewing the quilt top for Lori's baby, and folded a good deal of laundry. Productivity is obviously a key component of my sabbatical. Over the next six months, I will take seven classes and finish my master's in library science. I will also be writing, sewing, and getting into shape for a half-marathon in November. If the weather's nice I'm going to get a good tan. If the weather's not nice, I'm going to spoil my cats. I'm going to take vacations and read a couple of books a week. I'm going to cook Nick's dinner and keep the kitchen clean. If life starts to feel too domestic, I'm going to spend a day at the coffee shop, writing. It's the happiest time because I can do what I want, be what I want. What do I want to be? A student, an artist, a writer, an athlete, a hippie, a person of great wit and depth! I want to be...

I have a friend who has the rare dilemma of choosing between two great job opportunities: one would divert his career path but put him closer to family; the other is a "dream" job that is considerably further away from family. Career vs. Family -- Does the phrase suggest an ambitious woman deciding whether to have children or go for more job responsibility? Does it make you think of the woman who must choose between putting her kids in daycare or going the stay-at-home route? I am thinking of neither of those scenarios. This is about the 20- and 30-somethings who have to choose between living close to their parents, siblings, nieces, nephews, friends -- or moving farther away and facing isolation from the people they care about. I know I feel a lot of guilt for living 12-hours away from my family. A few days ago a friend asked me how often I visit Atmore and I said, sadfaced, "Only a few times a year." He laughed and said " ONLY? That's a lot!" There ...