WorldWideWaterCooler

Remember those goals I wrote about the other week?

Here’s a recap for those just joining in:
-Plan more meals
-Log food consumed
-Add short daily workouts
-Solidify bedtime routine
-Clean up doghair

They kindof fell apart.

Any guesses why?

I broke the cardinal rule of goal setting/behavior change: DO ONE THING AT A TIME.

By trying to change a bunch of things at once, I set myself up for failure. I based my reward (oh, I decided it would be fancy new sunglasses) on doing ALL of those. Then when I only managed to do some of them, I devolved into doing none.

For example:

I started off with the logging of food. Every morsel was accounted for. And I was taking the time to get ready for bed instead of blindly falling into it. Almost every night! It was going quite well! And I incorporated the swiffering of dog hair - hooray! I was also planning meals and actually cooking again (much easier to do in a dog-hair-free kitchen).

But I couldn’t fit in the 10-minute-trainer workouts. The DVD is still in the plastic wrapping. I’m still having serious trouble figuring out when exactly to do it. My brain says morning, but my body says other things (mainly “grrrrrreeeeeeaaaaaphhhuuuuuuuuuuhhhhmmm”) at 6:00am.

Anyhow, so I’ve not been doing the 10-minute trainer. Which means no reward anyhow. Which means I’m only half-heartedly (if at all) doing the other things on the list.

It culminated last night when I remarked to Neil (after he closed the pizza box) I don’t care that this place is a sty - I just want to ignore it and fall asleep on the couch in front of the TV. Which I did.

So it’s time to start again. Slowly.

One. Thing. At. A. Time.

So I’m back to aiming for those individual behaviors, and tracking them with individual goals. Every time I finish a 1-week streak of one of them, I add another thing. When I finish two solid weeks of any one new habit, I get a smaller reward. Bailing on one of them doesn’t affect the reward for the others.

Then, once I’ve finished the two weeks of the 5th goal (whichever one that happens to be) I get the bigger reward (still sunglasses).

And in the meantime, I’ll hopefully manage to stick with one or two things on the list, and not give up on it all when everything inevitably falls apart, again.

In the past couple months, I’ve reached critical mass of “things” in my life. There are a lot of balls in the air (without sign of lessening that load any time soon - more likely increasing it), and I am at serious risk of dropping even more of them.

Since we came back from the wedding, I’d been driving myself absolutely batty, freaking out about uncharacteristically losing a few things.

I’d managed to misplace the secondary set of wedding rings we bought and wore on our honeymoon (and planned on wearing on vacations where we were apt to lose the real ones, or where they’d draw undue attention), along with a wedding card from a distant relative with a not-insignificant sum of cash inside. More recently I’d completely misplaced my Nexus card and, though I hadn’t looked for them, realized on my last trip I had no idea what I’d done with my noise-canceling headphones since the trip before that.

This is VERY unlike me. I do not lose things. Not even insignificant things, nevermind expensive ones.

I also knew I was getting to a dangerous point with bills. Not like I’d forget to pay anything, because most of it autopays out of my bank account - but there were months of statements I’d not gotten around to opening between trips. I really had no idea what the state of any of my accounts were.

I was feeling the same crunch at work. My normally manageable and well-filtered email inbox had hundreds of messages in it. I was firefighting to solve as many problems I’d created with my own scattered brain as had just arisen as problems are wont to do. I’m certainly not paid enough at this point to take on the kind of responsibility that would have me making decisions or missing actions that would sink ships - but I was certainly on my way to wholly preventable fuckups my boss and her bosses would notice.

It was beyond time to do something.

So I looked in to using David Allen’s Getting Things Done system.

I tackled it first at home: dealt with the stacks and scads of paper and crap that have been amassing in random piles all over the place, got an inbasket and made a bunch of files as I went. It’s not perfect yet, and it’s not done, but it feels SO GOOD to have started.

I plan on taking the day on July 1 to fully implement the system at work. The office should be mostly empty, so it’s a perfect opportunity to deal with things before I go away again, and be able to deal with the pileup once I return.

And considering with the little bit I’ve already done, I managed to find the rings, the greeting card, my Nexus card, my headphones, and a few other things I’d forgotten that I’d forgotten about - I have high hopes for a more organized, more productive future.

Have any of you implemented GTD or another productivity system in your lives? Want to? Tricks to share?

There are not many major life decisions my 8-year-old self got to make. In fact, there were three:

1. I would be married someday
2. I would marry a person whose last name was further toward the beginning of the alphabet
3. I would change my name to my spouse’s last name, so that I too could move up in the alphabetic lists, and enjoy all of the benefits that must come with it (such as being called first to present and getting first pick of gym and classroom equipment)!

And lo! I succeeded! I bagged myself a husband whose name starts with “Wa”, instead of my original “Wi”. I have also learned that my 8-year-old self needed to be much more specific in her demands of the universe, or more generally, to be careful what you as for as you just may get it.

Knowing now that being ruled by the alphabetic list doesn’t extend much past elementary school I don’t really have any logistical need to change my name, but have decided to stick to the principle of following through on what I asked for those many years ago, and become a fully-fledged Watkiss.

And it has not been nearly as difficult or expensive as other name-changing escapades I’ve read about. Perhaps it only seemed easy because I’d steeled myself for the worst. Nonetheless, if you’re changing your name in BC, here’s a handy guide to make it go as smoothly as my name-change has.

First, the Legal Name-Use Rules

According to the BC Vital Statistics Agency (scroll down to the bottom), “after marriage, you can continue using or choose to use your own surname at any time. You also gain the right to use your spouse’s surname. This does not result in a legal change of name or any automatic change to your identification records.”

So this means your Birth Certificate and Marriage License will continue to have your original birth surname on them. It also means that if you ever decide to revert to your original birth surname, you can use your birth certificate to go through the exact same processes to change it back. You never lose the right to use your birth surname or that of anyone you’ve ever been legally married to.

Also from the BC VSA, “if you choose to use hyphenated surnames, a legal Change of Name is required.” The Legal Change of Name also applies to creating a new family surname, or changing the rest of your name in any way (I know in some circles it’s popular to go from “First Middle Maiden” to “First Maiden Married”. And of course, this entire entry only applies to legal residents of British Columbia, Canada.

Name Changing in BC, Step by Step

Note: If you are disorganized or prone to losing things, have two notarized copies made of your marriage certificate, and put the original in a safe place. Carry those around with you for showing/faxing. This is not the voice of experience talking, but losing government documents like that seems like a bad idea and annoying to replace.

1. Go get a new driver’s license (or BCID card). I lucked out with this one, and happened into icbc driver’s services when there was basically no lineup. Show the agent your existing license and marriage certificate. They’ll issue a duplicate license in your married name and - depending on the mood of the agent - may let you take a new picture (otherwise the license will be issued with the picture already on file). This duplicate license should cost you a whopping $17, and will expire on the same date as your existing license (so you don’t get any extra time before you shell out another $75 for your $17). At this point you’ll be issued a paper temporary license in your new name. The new license will arrive within a week or so.

2. Immediately change one credit card. Then the next, then the ones after that. This may apply more to me than you, but I routinely travel to the US, where the rule seems to be to ask for ID with a credit card purchase, so it was important to have ID that matched one of my cards at all times. Phone your card company’s customer service line and ask what their name-change policy is. I found most of the time I had to write a short note with my card number, old name & signature and new name & signature, and fax that with a copy of my marriage license. New cards showed up in the mail about a week later. Do note (especially if you have pre-authorized payments on them) the new cards often came with new card numbers - making the old card invalid. This is why I advocate changing one credit card at a time.

3. Change your banking information. This one was easy - I wandered into the branch with my marriage certificate (and spanky new ID that they needed to see) and asked them to change my name in their records. I had to fill out a short form, and that was it. My bank happens to do personalized debit cards, so I also received a temporary card while I was there, because (you guessed it) my old-name card was cut up as soon as my name was changed. The new card showed up in the mail a week later. Also remember to order new cheques (if you have any use for them) while you’re there. Keep in mind if you use a virtual bank like ING Direct or PC Financial that their debit card name-change processes will likely be similar to that of the credit cards (meaning you’re without the use of your card for a week or so while the old one is invalidated and the new one is on its way). Make sure you always have a valid way to access funds you may need during that time.

4. Care Card. Another easy one - the BC MSP webpage has two forms to fill out, depending on your situation. If your employer covers your BC MSP premiums, fill out a group change form and submit that with a copy of your marriage certificate to the person in your office who deals with such things. If you cover your own premiums, fill out a replacement card request and send that to MSP directly with a copy of your marriage certificate. I fall under the former, and as far as I know, there was no cost to do this. I got a new card in the mail in about 7 business days.

5. Update your passport (if you dare). This was the one big name-change financial hit I took. Passport Canada recently changed their regulations so that you may no longer have an addendum added to your passport with your married name. If you’d like to have a passport with your new name on it, you must fork out the $84 for a new passport, regardless of when your current one expires, at which point you have a new renewal date 5 more years out. Of course because you retain the right to use your birth name (or whatever name you have on your passport), you don’t actually have to change it until your renewal time comes up (or ever). Just remember to book all airline tickets under the name in your passport - if they don’t match, you don’t get on the plane (marriage certificate or no - and yes, I honeymooned under my maiden name). I didn’t (still don’t) want the confusion of operating under two somewhat obscure last names, so I decided to change it right away. When you do change it, all you need is your completed and guarantored application, pictures and ID with your signature in your new name (so even your yellow paper driver’s license will work). I didn’t actually need my marriage certificate.

6 (and beyond). After that, my system was to just dig out all the cards in my wallet and collect pieces of mail I received with my old name on them, and work my way through the changes whenever I had a bit of time. Of course, nobody is consistent in their requirements, so I’ve become awfully adept at navigating customer service phone systems. Most places will accept a note and copy of the marriage certificate by fax. Some (Rogers Wireless, MBNA Mastercard) will just take my word for it over the phone, after answering my security questions. Others (Airmiles, Aeroplan) are far too anal retentive and self-important for their own good, and will require a letter or form and copy of the marriage certificate through snail mail.

A couple things I haven’t ventured into changing yet are my social insurance number and my Nexus card. Service Canada claims on their website that it’s as easy as wandering down to a Service Canada office with my ID and marriage certificate, and they’ll initiate the change. Nexus is completely vague and says I must just show up at their office at the airport during business hours - and considering I try to avoid the airport like the plague between 8am and 6pm, I haven’t been brave enough to do it yet. I do have a flight coming up that leaves midday (flying direct trumps flying when nobody else does), so I may attempt it in a month or so.

When I was hunting for name change info, I didn’t see any comprehensive local-to-BC guides, so I’m hoping this might help others find what I’d been looking for. Also, I’m sure there are things I’ve missed or that just don’t apply to me so I didn’t think of them - so please leave additional info in the comments!

Oh Orlando. City of sunshine, swamps and serious mediocrity. Where every meal is a different flavor of Denny’s and the monotony of flat, mushy landscape is only interrupted by yet another timeshare or theme park.

The one upside to being stuck in Orlando for fourteen entire days is that Neil flew down for the weekend, and we got to experience a few of the Disney parks: Animal Kingdom, Epcot and Typhoon Lagoon.

Having a family and social circle completely devoid of people between the ages of 3-13, it’s been a VERY long time since I’ve paid attention to anything coming out of the Disney franchise. I do have extremely fond memories of going to Disneyland in California in 1994, and considering I was a surly teenager and went out of my way to ensure I wouldn’t have fond memories of anything, my return visit to Disney had a lot to live up to.

And oh how Animal Kingdom delivered! The immersion experience of feeling like one is in a “place” that is anywhere other than the everyday is in full-effect in this park. The staff cast have been fully brainwashed into being exceedingly friendly and helpful without being annoying, and the rides and shows are top-notch. The park isn’t as ride-intensive as the Magic Kingdom, so I felt like I really had a great experience for the one day we spent there.

The Typhoon Lagoon waterpark was also very well done as far as water-parks go. MASSIVE waves in the wave-pool, fun slides and the popular lazy-river of innertubes circling the park. A great place to beat the heat for the day. Complete with slushy, alcoholic drinks readily available.

It all makes me wonder, what the hell happened to Epcot?

I know when Epcot was built, it was supposed to be all “futuristic” and whatnot, but what was probably designed for futuristic minimalism just turned out to be awfully barren and desolate between the pavillions. I did not feel like I was somewhere special.

But even that wasn’t so bad when compared to the advertising.

Now I know that any Disney experience is an exercise in absorbing advertising in and of itself. But Epcot pushes it a step further with entire attractions and pavillions sponsored by big-ticket advertisors who don’t want you to forget it!

The “Honey I Shrunk the Audience” 3D show was preceeded by a full 10-minute video by Kodak urging us all to “take more pictures” because “pictures trigger memories” (note: Neil and I didn’t actually bring a camera to any of our Disney experience, preferring just to enjoy, rather than document). After the attraction, the audience was shunted through to a Kodak store, where everyone can take photos and purchase cameras, memory, batteries, etc.

Same story with the Test Track ride - sponsored by GM, everyone is subjected to a video about how GM has innovated testing to make your car safe, then the fun roller-coaster-ride bit, then the audience exits first through a full GM Showroom (complete with window-stickers showing features and MSRP info) then the Test Track store where you can buy a model hummer or T-shirt with a hummer on it, or 12 different kinds of GM/Disney antenna balls.

And it goes on and on. The Coca Cola Cool Zone. HP’s Mission: Space. The Nestle Food Scientists presenting Living with the Land. Siemens’ IllumiNations fireworks show at the end of the night (complete with Laser images and gobos of the Siemens logo projected everywhere).

As far as I’m aware, Disney isn’t in any danger of going broke, and those attractions could certainly be “made possible” without the “generous grants” from the title sponsors. I expect that of the local $11/day admission PNE, not the $67/day admission Disney. For that amount of cash, I expect to be impressed and at Epcot, I just wasn’t. At all.

I think Walt would actually sigh and roll over in his cryogenic container if he were re-animated to see what had happened to Epcot.

One of the special programs you can sign up for at Disney is to dine with one of their Imagineers - something I’d love to do if/when I return to the parks. With products like the original Magic Kingdom, and the new Animal Kingdom, I’m fascinated with how their team dynamics work, bringing together the expertise to create experiences that make even me not mind the fact that I’m in a fenced-in area with thousands of other people’s children.

If I manage to have a chat with an Imagineer in the future, I now have another question to add to my list: what on earth prompted your talented team to just abandon Epcot, and make the fatal mistake of leaving the entire park in the hands of marketing and sponsorship revenue?

Now that I’m back in town, and for the first time in quite a long while don’t actually have another plane ticket booked to anywhere for the foreseeable future (also known as “October” ’round these parts) I’m really trying to buckle down and work on a few areas of my personal life that I’ve been meaning to improve upon.

This is more for me than you, but if anyone wants to pester me about these and keep me accountable, I’d definitely welcome the prodding.

Here are the goals I’ve set for myself for the rest of the month, some big, some small:

-Make meal plans. Neil and I have been away so long, I think we’ve only actually cooked three real meals in our kitchen since we’ve been married. We eat better and healthier when we plan food - do more of that. Plan and make at least 4 meals in per week.

-Log everything I eat. If I’m recording my food, I do much better at choosing “apple” instead of “cookie” when the 3pm snackmonster attacks.

-Do a sesson from the 10-minute trainer 6 days a week. If I’m going to succumb to late-night fitness informercials, the least I can do is take the damn DVD out of the box and try it.

-Wash off my makeup every night. I’ve been lucky enough to have pretty darned good skin for the last number of years while falling asleep with a facefull of leftover makeup and daily grime. Note to self: you are getting older and can not hide from wrinkles forever. It is time for an extra dose of soap and water and nighttime regenerative moisturizer.

-Swiffer every other day. Dog hair does not have to be a way of life. Cleaning up after it, does.

I think these are do-able goals for the next couple weeks, after which I’m hoping they easily become habits.

One thing I’m trying to figure out, though, is an adequate reward for actually meeting all these. I’m not particularly good at denying myself life’s little (and sometimes not-so-little) pleasures as they come, so it’s gotta be something I wouldn’t normally just do or buy for myself -but also shouldn’t be excessively extravagant (remember it’s just two weeks I’m talking about).

Suggestions?

Part One Here.

Outside of Marrakech, most of the rest of the country was kindof a blur. We caught many of the highlights: The palace in Rabat (no photos allowed), The art deco and impressive Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, the incredible souks of Fes, the dunes of Erg Chebbi and more Kasbahs than I can actually remember.

Our entire time there, though, there was one overarching feeling - you’re not really welcome here, but your money is, so hand it over and kindly piss off. It’s probably partly because we had our experience orchestrated through a travel agency (we’d booked through GAP Adventures, who then sub-contract to local agencies in Morocco), but we were shuttled from tourist trap to tourist trap, and probably spent a lot more on the trip (especially food) than was really necessary. We did expect to pay the tourist tax though, so we weren’t too surprised and didn’t kick up much of a fuss.

We were also prepared for beggars and scammers, and I actually got kindof used to small children grabbing my back pants pockets in crowded areas feeling for a wallet. And we even realized that sometimes it’s helpful to give a kid a few dirhams once we’d given up trying to navigate our way back to our riad from the middle of the souks. What I wasn’t prepared for was the dressing down by teenaged boys for not giving them enough money for essentially nothing.

I’m sure it’s not uncommon, but there seemed to be very little knowledge of what the value of a dollar (or in their case Euro as the conversion currency of choice) really is for the average person. There is just a sense of “you have money and I don’t, so hand some over.” We were berated and abused more than once for not handing over the equivalent of about 20 Euros (at least) for anything from pointing us in the right direction, to vehemently insisting Neil have a seat on a rickety stool while waiting outside a Hammam for me - then not letting Neil leave without handing over money in repayment for a seat he didn’t want or need in the first place.

Things may be different in smaller towns, but the residual bitterness the Moroccans we met still have from the French and Spanish occupation, as well as the current disdain for white tourists of any sort makes me think aiming for 10,000 tourists/year by 2010 might just backfire.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a beautiful country, and I’m still really, really glad we went. We did meet some lovely people during our time there who were pleased and proud to share their culture, heritage and country with us - they just seemed to be the exception rather than the rule.

I’ve got some really great and really fond memories of the place - but I also know that with a whole world out there to explore, I didn’t fall in love with it and I’ll probably never go back. And that’s a bit of a strange feeling to have.

No, I wasn’t arrested for running a meth lab , and I didn’t get lost after the evacuation. I wasn’t even in town! I’m just stuck in Orlando for work.

Regular blogging should resume sometime after the 15th.