Living Life – INGRID E FABER

My DONE list.

Posted on September 25, 2023 by iefaber

A while back, I wrote about how I gave up on a To-Do list and instead created a “Done” list. Rather than working towards a list of crossed-off items (because, guess what, that list spreads faster than a zombie virus in a B-movie), I work towards a list comprised of accomplishments. There is nothing to cross out, just things to add. I don’t write down this list; I simply acknowledge any productive (or meaningful) moment of my day. I wanted to follow up on that concept and report its success.

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Living Life, Random Thoughts, Uncategorized

Why, hello there.

Posted on August 21, 2023 by iefaber

It has been a MINUTE! Actually, almost a full year.
I went from an elderly sick dog to grieving the loss of my dog, returning from grief, raising an 8-week-old puppy to now owning my 7-month-old new puppy.
Also, my previous writing group dissolved, I found a new one, and still getting into that new schedule this year.
I’ve read great books, written new stories, and revised old ones in ways I never thought possible. I have a lot more ideas on the way. Ideas for picture books, of course, but also middle grade and more.
I’ve been slowly picking up my journal again, and yesterday I remembered something I seemingly had forgotten: that writing helps me.
There’s talk therapy, art therapy, writing therapy, and much more. My previous dog Scarlett Grey was my unofficial therapist. I didn’t realize how much until she was gone. I still feel her loss. The new puppy isn’t quite at that level, but she’s swell. Check out my IG account if you’re into loads of puppy pictures. Dogs consume my life, as is apparent on that account. But I am, as I sometimes have to remind myself, more than the dogs in my life. Writing just isn’t photogenic.
That’s the end of my update. There’s no point in saying more in the world of TicTok and Reels and short attention spans. Just a hello and a way for me to reconnect to this page.
Hope all the writers out there are doing better than me right now! Cheers!

Living Life, Random Thoughts

Key to the Mind

Posted on August 29, 2022August 29, 2022 by iefaber

It’s funny how the mind works. Most days, when I come home from work and try to unlock my front door, I realize I’m using my work key. Sometimes I use the wrong key in the morning as I exit my house and try to lock my door. It never happened the other way around; arriving to or leaving from my job. At least not until the other day. I was walking out of work, and because my mind was thinking about home, I tried to lock the door with my house key.

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Living Life, Random Thoughts

Pushing Past Grief

Posted on July 18, 2022December 2, 2022 by iefaber

Pushing, pulling, dragging- it’s not easy no matter how you do it. I’ve dealt with grief before, more than once. It doesn’t get easier, but it gets familiar.

Like falling, I suppose. As a kid, you fall sometimes. Maybe from your bike, skates, or a tree, and it seems devastating. You think you may never do that activity again. But you have people who care for you, tend to you, and slowly your cuts heal. It does not mean that you won’t feel pain the next time you fall. Or that you don’t mind it. Nope- you still don’t like falling. You still need time to heal. Some falls are worse than others. Some break things while others just bump and bruise.

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Living Life, Random Thoughts

to-do vs done

Posted on May 2, 2022August 29, 2022 by iefaber

My recent return from vacation had me wondering why I ever go on away. I came back to tons of laundry, an avalanche of emails, work hours my now relaxed body was unprepared for, and dirty city air. Not to mention the stress of unnecessary drama I was able to put on hold while away. Worst of all, the dreaded “To-Do” list had morphed into a diabolical monster I could no longer slay.

I became overwhelmed with all the things I had to do. This caused me to get sick. I had nausea and a fever every night for a week. I’m the type of person who can’t seem to find a middle ground. Once things get out of order even a tiny bit, I let them slide into chaos. I either have a place for everything and everything in its place, or I’m shuffling through piles of clutter I can’t seem to tackle. So I used to have a process to help me deal with my task list.

I was once told to write out my to-do list and address one thing at a time. The idea was that I could cross out each item once completed, and that action would cause me great satisfaction. This satisfaction would inspire me to do more and stave off chaos. This worked for a while. The problem was that my to-do list was never empty. While crossing things out was satisfactory, adding on new items or items that repeat (laundry, dishes) became tedious and draining. Depressing.

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