Getting my house in order

I've been somewhat scattered the past few days, I admit it.  And while I've felt discombobulated as hell, preparing the transition into a new role this morning as interim Executive Director of Arts Council Wood Buffalo, Heather's mom and dad both commented that I looked infinitely more relaxed than I did the last time they were here.

Incrementally, my sense of discomfort has waned, as my new technology got purchased and played with.  I am a creature of my communication tools, and the anticipation of transitioning to a new phone and computer really had me tied up in knots.  Now that I'm through the worst of it, I feel a bit foolish for having allowed my anxiety to build up.

I started playing with my new MacBook Pro late Sunday, finally diving into the box and pulling out the unit that had been pre-set-up by the fine folks at Staples.  Yes, it felt like a different planet for the first couple of hours, but after working through the not-so-intuitive default settings, I'm doing fine with it.  The speed is extraordinary, in terms of both start-up and going from program to program.

Feeling the need to also get my peripheral house in order, I set about doing some long-awaited projects outside: a comprehensive clean of my carpentry shop, a rebuild of a wood storage unit, and a general tidying up of the back yard.  After a long winter, these sections of my world get a little haggard.

My wife Heather just wrote a blog post, Transformation Inside and Out, about the connection between physical environment and one's mental health and spiritual well-being.  She nails the importance of getting your house in order if you want to avoid old pitfalls and patterns.  Creating the right energy for transformation is essential.

I poured myself a finger of scotch, grabbed my black book and sat at the picnic table in the shade yesterday mapping out how my day-to-day world was going to change, aligning with my passions.  I gave myself a set of actions that would make sure that I stay on track, little things that will keep me in alignment.

A new day has dawned, and for the first time 14 years, I go to work at Keyano College, but not for Keyano College.  I will continue sorting out my new world this week, employing some Feng Shui principles to establish creative, innovative and collaborative work spaces, at home and at the office.  Wish me luck!