As I hustle to consolidate my ideas in one place, I can’t help but look back on the year so far and how much I’ve accomplished in the process. I’ve had plenty of opportunities to slow things down and take some time to let things simmer, but it hasn’t been that kind of year—I’m finally getting my act together, and I know it won’t happen overnight.
The Quest to Make EXCELLENT Content.
I’m convinced I’m on to something, trying to mine the very best content from the hundreds of ideas I have scattered about, but I need to be patient with it all because amazing content can’t be rushed.
But that’s the problem, isn’t it? Our standards have plummeted in the hunt for quick content, too many creators looking for ways to game the system instead of actually innovate. We try hard to mimic others’ successes rather than look to forge our own paths, confused when it doesn’t work for us as well as it did for the last guy. And that’s a damn shame in a world craving better content than ever.
So sure—I’m a bit behind with my posts. But it’s because I want to create something the calibre of which the world rarely sees—I’m consistently inconsistent, but when I put work out, I want it to be amazing.
That in mind, let’s not dawdle any longer. You came here to see where I’m at with my second monthly update, and I’m more than happy to oblige. Without further ado, I present The State of the #BloggerLife, March 2019—”Consistently Inconsistent”.
I hope you enjoy it!
The 2019 200 Monthly Update—February
Zach put it best—with any to-do list, it’s only human to do the easy stuff first for that rush of accomplishment and leave the harder stuff for later. And that’s precisely what happened with The 2019 200, getting so much done in January that I was on track to finish the list by September.
But reality eventually catches up to you, and as you struggle to make everything fit, you soon understand what’s actually possible with the time you have and what’s just wishful thinking.
So for February, amidst Live from the 3.5 and everything I got up to for Black History Month, here’s what I managed to accomplish amidst all the chaos….
4) File the family’s outstanding insurance claims.
And then there are the things in life that aren’t all that complicated if you take the time to do them.
When you’re in a family where both parents work full-time with benefits, you end up with a lot of paperwork for everyone’s various claims. Glasses. Chiropractic work. Orthotics. I wouldn’t be surprised if we even saw some braces in the future from the fingers and soothers that end up in my boys’ mouths.
5) Find some dope things to do in PEI.
Sarah might tell you that it’s hard to get me excited. I’ve experienced so much in my thirty-five years that it takes a lot more to turn my head than it used to… but I am all for our trip to the Maritimes this summer!
I’ve already reached out to the tourism boards for New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island to see what they’d recommend, and it’s shaping up to be one heckuva trip.
Sure, I might be all about it for the seafood alone, but a man’s gotta eat, right?
So have I found cool things to do in PEI? Yes. But the next step is mapping it all out so I know what cool thing I’m doing… and when.
I highly doubt this will be the last you hear of this—keep your eyes peeled for more from #PalmersGoMaritime!
11) Pick up a couple of loose Magformers hexagons from The Swag Sisters’ toy store. & 22) Get a copy of Azul that’s NOT at a ridiculous price.
It’s funny how you can get so wrapped up in your routine that a store can be just a ten-minute walk away… but you never find the time to visit because it’s “out of the way”.
The Swag Sisters at Coxwell/Gerrard—a major intersection south of my Danforth stomping grounds—is a unique little toy store, not only because it helped me solve 22) Get a copy of Azul that’s NOT at a ridiculous price, but also because they sell individual Magformers pieces at a reasonable price.
If you’ve ever had to invest in Magformers for your kids, you’ll know that these little suckers ain’t cheap! We have a number of sets now, and when a friend bought a Magformers Ferris Wheel Set for my eldest’s fifth birthday, he was hyped to build it… until we realised we didn’t have all the pieces we needed to build it.
And you don’t want to buy a full set just to get two pieces you need—$40 for twelve hexagons or $90 for the Complete Rainbow Carnival set—so why not pay $3 apiece for two hexagons?
Á la carte shopping is my jam. Please keep it up, Swag Sisters!
39) Buy new toothbrush heads for my Philips Sonicare.
The older I get, the more I wish that young Casey Palmer took his health a little more seriously.
At 35, I live and die by my oral health, and after having the chance to try both the Oral-B Genius 8000 Electric Toothbrush and the Philips Sonicare 9300 DiamondClean Smart, I eventually chose a sonic hum over high-speed rotation and diligently used my Philips Sonicare ever since.
But those toothbrush heads wear out just like any other toothbrush, and replacement heads ain’t cheap.
So I went to Amazon and bought ’em in bulk… but I’m not about to do that next time. These bulk brush heads rattle the teeth more than the DiamondClean-specific ones, so after I get through these fie, I’m keeping my eye out for sales at Shoppers Drug Mart so I can get back to status quo.
44) Consider moving to Bell Fibe for gigabit internet and a landline phone so they boys are covered in case they need to call 9-1-1.
Sometimes in life, you’re better off just making a decision, and that’s just what I did when a couple of Bell reps came to my front door offering an upgrade to my life.
The process started a little rocky at first, but the move to Bell Fibe’s been a good one, adding a whole lotta speed to my workflow! I don’t think we’ve noticed too many changes in our day-to-day bandwidth, but hey—surfing’s not what brings in the bacon, is it?
182) Figure out how to adjust the settings on my Samsung Gear S2 smartwatch so it vibrates only for incoming calls and not for other notifications.
Sometimes the secret to finding a solution is realising there is no solution!
As much as I’d love my Samsung Gear S2 to vibrate on calls alone while still notifying me about everything else, its operating system just isn’t that complex, and I might need a different solution altogether…
…it’s time to get a new smartwatch.
The Fitbit Versa Sarah inherited from my brother’s a lot more versatile, and for a data nerd like me who’d likely take his biometrics and make an infographic from it, it might be time to move on to something a little more… complex.
Don’t be surprised if you see something different on my wrist before the year’s through!
196) Sign up for the TTC Monthly Discount Plan for PRESTO
And then sometimes? Sarah’s just right.
The Toronto Transit Commission—or TTC for short (which we lovingly say stands for “Take the Car”… which is saying something considering we have the worst commute in North America…)—is the subway system that runs through the city and gets me most places I need to go. ‘Til they made the huge changeover to the PRESTO system late last year (think NYC’s MTA system—just not quite so reliable), I used to subscribe to their Metropass Discount Program, which delivered a pass to you by mail each month at a reduced price.
But here’s the problem—these passes were only worth it if you took the subway back and forth at least six times a week.
This worked fine before kids, back when we spent Saturdays exploring the city and enjoying nights out on the town, but as our weekends involved more activity that needed the car to make things happen, the Metropass just didn’t make sense anymore.
So when 2019 started, Sarah made a suggestion—that I took what I’d normally spend on a Metropass and put it on a PRESTO card instead. See how far it’d take me.
And you know what? I lasted until the second week of February.
So instead of signing up for the monthly discount plan for PRESTO, I’m just setting up an auto-reload on my PRESTO instead.
Why fight progress?
- February tally: 8/200
- Total-to-date: 31/200
Not Every Month’s a Good Month, But it Doesn’t Mean We Can’t Learn From Them!
So while I didn’t do as much in February as I got up to the month before, there’s plenty I’m still working on. We’ve started visiting my parents more often and getting to know their new home of Millbrook, Ontario (19). I’m spending more time having real conversations with people over coffee and lunch (32). I’m doing more as a landlord (37); keeping the Eliminator charged (40), and working my butt off to get things off my plate before summer 2019 (66). While I can’t report on everything right now, but don’t you worry—with another nine of these to go, please expect a lot more content to come in the month ahead!
I hope your 2019s are going great, and I’ll catch you on the next one!
Until the next one, I remain,
You’ve accomplished quite a bit Casey. It never ceases to amaze me how much energy you have! Great work so far. I’ve been to PEI & I’m sure you guys will love it & the seafood 😉
Ha—thanks, bud ? 2019’s been quite the trip so far, and there’s still a lot more yet to come. I’m very much looking forward to the time out east! I’ll make sure to keep you updated! ?
Great honest update. There’s always a never-ending list to do and I would cut yourself some slack.
In the creative community there’s a real push for people to stop trying to strive for perfect/excellent work and to just create – sometimes the quest can deter us from ever publishing anything.
You’re right, Ayngelina—we often tether ourselves to the idea that something needs to be just so before it’s ready to be appreciated, but that’s the magic of the internet. It’s malleable. It’s ever-changing. We can continue to grow and develop our work as we do, and that’s something I’m working harder to remember as I go through 2019!
Your input’s appreciated as always! 🙂
I am very impressed with the work you did for Children’s mental health wee. As a retired social worker (who used to work in children’s mental health in Saskatchewan), I know that it is an area that receives scant attention, and little understanding. So thanks for what you are doing as an ambassador.
You are a busy dad – sounds like you have mastered multi-tasking in a big way. Your kids will be the beneficiaries of all of that great parenting.
Brenda, I really appreciate it! Sorry it’s taken me a bit to reply—the lead-up to Father’s Day was pretty intense, but I’m finally getting things back in order ?
I’m just trying to live as honest and open a life I can with my kids—I’ll just need to keep doing it a day at a time!