Sunday, March 29, 2015

Preparing for death, part 2

I feel a little inadequate here, because I am writing about things that I am noting my need to do, but have not actually done. Part of the organization that I wrote about last week will be organizing important papers. Some of that is for me, but also there should be an easy reference for when I am dead.

I have thought about creating a folder for emergency purposes anyway in case there is a need for a quick evacuation. If there is an item that can be quickly grabbed that has the insurance information, with both contact numbers and policy numbers, that can be helpful when we are leaving due to a landslide threat. If it is a fire, you are not supposed to grab anything, so then maybe it is a good idea to have a safe deposit box. Then, you start thinking about all the different ways that things can go wrong and how to provide for every possible contingency, it gets overwhelming, and you do nothing.

My starting point is just going to be a sheet of paper with the basic mortgage and insurance information. Then it occurred to me that the account numbers and contact information for the various utilities could be good. We grab them off of statements, but we have misplaced statements before, and it would have been nice having an easy place to look it up.

At that point, it is still a single sheet of paper, and then letting people know where it is. That doesn't mean that more things wouldn't be helpful, but keeping things simple helps. Start with a few basics and then build on it.

I could make a case that I am being irresponsible, but I am going to spell out the reasons why I am comfortable with that, because it can start some discussion. The main things that will be important in the case of my death are the house and my life insurance. My life insurance policy is through work, and my sister works for the company. They will know if I am dead.

The house still has a sizable mortgage on it. It's not underwater or anything like that, but I have a good twenty years on it, because I did not buy it particularly young. The point of that (with a little extra justification because of self-consciousness) is that there is mortgage insurance with a clear beneficiary as to who gets the house. Having a will in place could strengthen that, but on one level my wishes have been stated.

I have no children, but there are pets. Normally I would say it is very important to establish for their support and guardianship. I have not done that because there are four adults living in this house, and I am assuming that in the case of my death, the other three would step up. If we all die at once, without the pets, then there would be an issue.

If my assets were more complicated, I would be in more of a hurry. I am getting royalties now. It's a small amount, but I'm hoping it will grow. That is something to think about. So, it's on the list of things to do, and there are a lot of resources out there.

This started focusing on the potential obstacle of getting intimidated by complexity or having a lot of work to do, but there is one other potential obstacle that we will get into next week.

Sunday, March 22, 2015

Preparing for death, part 1

That should be nice and attention grabbing, right?

Having committed to multiple parts, I might get into spiritual preparation and bucket lists and things like that, but I am starting with the far more mundane, and that is along the lines of organization.

Having finally finished one project that I had spent a long time on, my next phase is going to be going through and doing some organization. I have drawers and files and folders of papers that I might not actually need anymore. Some of them could still be necessary, but that I can't easily think of which ones, and since I know they are in with a bunch of papers that won't be necessary, there are some potential issues there.

That's okay. I am going to break the project down into easy phases. I expect to live long after it is done. I would like it if I find some improved ways of filing new things after that, so it does not need to be repeated, but really, I have no thought that death is imminent.

Here's the thing: usually you don't think death is imminent unless your health is really bad, in which case your energy levels for this sort of task may not be great.

It is a really common thing for parents and grandparents to die, and leave behind houses full of memories, and then the task falls upon their descendants, possibly with time constraints on emptying the living space. I was thinking that I would rather not do that.

There need to be reasonable limits too. You will have possessions that you may not need, but like having, and you don't have to get rid of that just because someday someone will have to clean it out. However, if there are things that you don't really care about much, well, it might be good to let it go.

There is an advantage here for people who move around more, because that can force the issue. I like living in a place where I have roots; I don't think moving is fun at all. Without the motivation of having to pack and unpack everything into boxes, it just needs to come from me.

This is the way I am going to do it, but there can be other right ways.

On my organizational spreadsheet, one tab is going to be for this project, and I am going to write down the different small areas that I will go through. When I say "small areas", I mean that an area is a drawer, not a dresser. I don't want to be so intimidated that I keep putting things off. Organizing everything is a huge task, but going through one basket isn't so bad. It will take months, but there will be no nervous breakdowns doing it.

Yes, this will benefit the person who cleans up after me someday, but I expect there to be some benefits now too, like a better environment and greater appreciation of what I have. Maybe there will be things that benefit others as I give them away. I have already kind of learned not to buy things impulsively, but that can be reinforced.

And sometimes there are things where it just feels good to let go.


Sunday, March 15, 2015

Sabbath shift

It recently came to me that I wasn't going to write on Sundays anymore.

By writing I meant the novels and screenplays that I do in hopes of making money. Although that goal kind of makes them "work", it had not felt like it because they're not really a big money-maker ($17 total so far!). Also, writing is very restorative for me. There are moments of frustration and getting stuck, but usually it is an activity where I come away feeling better. Because of that, the feeling that I should leave it for the other six days was surprising.

Upon further reflection it makes sense. I am following a much more ambitious writing schedule now with increased efforts to sell something. I have gotten good at working writing into normal work days and days off, where I am writing more frequently than I used to. That is something that makes a rest more necessary, where I can step back, get my head out of it, and then go back refreshed.

The change had been felt before, both in my realizing that I needed to put my reading on hold to not detract from the writing, and in the way that my creative week did not involve any drawing or really much other than writing. There are other things that are important to me that I don't have time for, but Sunday can be that time.

It doesn't change everything. Journal writing still happens on whatever day I need it, which includes Sunday but some weeks ends up being almost every day. I wondered if it would mean stopping the Provident Living blog, which has been a lot more random lately. That doesn't seem to be a reason to quit. That could totally change in the future. There was a time when working on the novel on Sunday felt right. It is important to be aware of the changes in our lives, and whether spiritual adjustments are needed.

There was a moment of thinking that was less time for what I needed, but then it was excitement. This is where I will find the time to organize my family history. I can read those Italian issues of the Liahona that I have saved for working on my Italian, and my ability to discuss spiritual things in Italian. I can read and draw. We are on the late schedule, so if I want to take time for a facial and exfoliation, or a deep conditioning treatment on my hair (these things are needed), I can do that.

I'm sure I won't do all of those things every week, but having some time for those things that help my life, and give me a break, is exciting, and it makes Sunday more special, the way it is intended to be.

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Kitchen and Fire Tips

I haven't done any straight emergency preparedness for a while, but we just got a new stove, and among our papers there was a handout.

Recipe for safer cooking

The pamphlet comes from the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, the National Association of State Fire Marshals, and the National Safety Council.

Even though everything seems really obvious, sometimes reminders are good, so here are the tips, with comments:

To Prevent A Cooking Fire In Your Kitchen - 

Keep an eye on your cooking and stay in the kitchen. Unattended cooking is the #1 cause of cooking fire. (I have seen a cooking fire start this way, and she hadn't even gotten very far away or for very long. It blazed up really suddenly.)

Wear short or close-fitting sleeves. Loose clothing can catch fire.

Watch children closely. When old enough, teach children to cook safely.

Clean cooking surfaces to prevent food and grease build-up. (Unattended cooking is a great way to have pots boil over, and lead to that flammable build-up.)

Keep curtains, towels, and pot holders away from hot surfaces and store solvents and flammable cleaners away from heat sources. Never keep gasoline in the house.

Turn pan handles inward to prevent food spills.

To Put Out A Cooking Fire In Your Kitchen - 

Call the fire department immediately. In many cases, dialing 911 will give you Emergency Services. (Personally I would say extinguish the fire immediately, but I have never had a large one that could not be easily addressed. If you are going to need help,  yes, the sooner you call the better.)

Slide a pan lid over flames to smother a grease or oil fire, then turn off the heat and leave the lid in place until the pan cools. Never carry the pan outside. (I have seen someone try to remove the flaming pan. That is a great way to catch other things on fire. Don't do that.)

Extinguish other food fires with baking soda. Never use water or floor on cooking fires. (Really important, and probably not intuitive. It is worth thinking about how much baking soda you have. A small container that is mostly empty might not help much.)

Keep the over door shut and turn off the heat to smother an oven or broiler fire.

Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. Make sure you have the right type and training.

Keep a working smoke detector in your home and test it monthly.

(Ultimately, it is much better to prevent the fire than to put it out. It's good to know both, but try and say in the first half of the tips.)


Sunday, March 1, 2015

Changing plans

I have recently been working to establish myself as a writer.

That is an important project for me, but it has not been my only project. I also have a long list of books I want to read, some of which were related to other projects (like this year's garden), I have a bass guitar that I don't spend nearly enough time playing, and there are a lot of things that I want to draw as well.

I took of a week from work so that I could spend some time focusing on these things, and it did not go as planned. That was partly because there was illness running amok through the household, but also because the novel that I am currently writing has been taking much longer than expected. Some projects go more quickly, but this one doesn't.

I did still make good writing progress, but not much progress anywhere else. That may have been my first hint that I was going to need to change plans. A bigger hint came shortly after that, with the impression that I needed to put my reading on hold. I am still finishing the two books that I had checked out, which seems to be okay, but then I can't check out anymore.

There was a pang. It's not only that I enjoy reading, though I do, but there are all of these things that I want to learn and know more about, and there was a feeling of being cut off from that.

However, it is not horrible. I believe it is only temporary, until I finish up these three projects which are kind of pivotal. That does help.

Also, I have often felt a pull to read a certain book at a certain time that has worked out well, where the book would combine with other information or add context, and just be what I needed for that time. If my reading guidance has been reliable so far, then continuing to trust it makes sense now.

In addition, it feels like confirmation that my writing is important, and will pay off eventually. It already has in non-monetary ways, and if that's all that ever happens it is still valuable, but there is the chance for more, and that feels more possible.

Finally, I do feel reassured that there will be time for other things. There will be time for more reading, drawing, and music in the future, but there are some things that can't wait, and I need to focus on those.