I'm a Control Journal brat.

I think I'll name it Fred.
(frizzy-haired Rhonda eliminates disaster)??

If I start on the cover - LOL, ya'll know I'll never get done! It will be empty on the inside.. LOL

I'm thinking - I should put all the phone numbers in there too. Friends, family - doctors offices, insurance (house/car)... in case of another hurricane evac (from hell trip) .. you wont have your outlook reminders and we will resort to... WRITING! (GASP)

Just a thought.
Rhonda

Natalia, I really like Captain's Log!! Rhonda's FRED is creative, too! I'll think of something that fits for me, and try to get started on mine.

Rhonda is right -- we need a portable resource to grab and take with us, in case of disaster. Or if you ever need household help at home, due to illness or out-of-town calamity, you really don't want someone else doodling around in your computer.

I LOVE the Captain's Log idea! DH and I are big geeks too. I'll have to think of a similar name for my CJ.

I just popped in for a second before a much needed nap and I am cracking up!

Star...date 080707

James T. KirK: Set...timer...for the Kitchen Zone mission. Beamed Ensign Flybaby...to under the...sink. Found 6...bottles of the strange blue fluid...and hamster bedding. Analysis?

Bones: Damnit Jim! The hamster has been dead for four years!

Spock: Capain, that clutter is illogical.

Ohura: I'm picking up a collection of...of deteriorated old sponges, Captain. And, this is strange, 3 empty bubble jars. Wait, wait...hamster kibble!

Kirk: Alien lifeforms. Scotty...get...her out...of there!

Scotty: I'm giving her all I got! Her warp drive burned up in commuter traffic!

Kirk: The...trouble with...kibbles...

Oh I really need a nap. I'm loopy!

Ohhhhhhhhhh my gosh.. I just cracked myself up. I can only imagine Heidi with a case of the late night giggles. bwahahahahah..

Ok.. so I wanna work on this FRED thing.. and guess what?

DH hasnt hooked up a printer cable for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I swear he bought one too!!! Betcha its in the "kitchen light" bag... (sigh)

Rhonda

You can hook up the printer cable Rhonda. Thats not that hard!! Just do it now principle sounds like a plan here so you get going on that CJ!!!

Oh I hear ya sister.. But you know the funk that men get into, when you do something for yourself that they promised to do? My DH sulks when I do that. (deep breathe) It took how long for him to put the license plate back on my car? (did I mention I have the flylady one on the plate in the back now)...

Let me do some eye-lash batting and pouty lips and say... I have some FLYlady work to do... and gosh... I cant print (blinkblink)

Rhonda

Natalia wrote:

You can hook up the printer cable Rhonda. Thats not that hard!! Just do it now principle sounds like a plan here so you get going on that CJ!!!

I have a hard time figuring out anything electronic or mechanical. I still can't change a tire. If we ran out of propane on the BBQ I might as well sell it if it was my job to hook up a new tank. I just want to turn on the computer and it does what I want! Maybe part of my CJ should be a "How to Survive" list for this stuff but I will need David's help creating it. I don't even know how to change a fuse or turn off the gas in an emergency. EEK! I've been spoiled stupid!!!

I don't like playing girl to get David to do stuff but i'll tell ya...as soon as he sees me doing a job he said he would do he jumps in to help. Maybe he is avoiding explosions or maybe he just forgot. Works either way! If he wasn't around I can go to the CJ.

My DH does all the mechanical/electronic stuff too...he worked in IT before our DD was born (plus, we're both gaming geeks), so our home is very well-wired - we each have a laptop plus a desktop PC (and that includes DD - she is the most "wired" 3-year-old I know!), plus there is another PC hooked up to the TV, plus a couple extra PCs that aren't in use right now, plus our gaming consoles, plus three printers! I'm sure that sounds like a lot of clutter to most people, but all of them are well-used for different things (even the extra PCs, which DH uses to test various things before installing them on the rest of our network). My PCs aren't connected to the printers right now due to print driver issues. If it were a simple matter of taking a printer cable and plugging it into my PC, that wouldn't be a problem...but I don't want to start messing with stuff on the network. DH keeps promising me he will fix my drivers...gotta be patient!

In case anyone is wondering why on earth a 3-year-old would need one computer, let alone two...because DH and I are both in (online) school, we spend a lot of time at the computer doing her homework. DD kept asking if she could do homework with us (never heard a kid ask for that before!) so we gave her an old laptop that was really only good for very basic stuff, and created a logon ID for her that only allows her to visit certain educational websites (plus, she has a few preschool-appropriate games). So now, whenever Mommy and Daddy are doing their homework, she can sit next to us and do hers! We also gave her an old, low-end PC for her room, but she doesn't spend a lot of time there because she prefers to be out with us in our office area (one side of the dining room).

I think the little people also need their own PC because it reduces the risk for virus or spam mistakes eating the adult systems. I highly recommend the Reader Rabbit series for fun education. PBS.org is good too for some computer reward time as is any museum site or science site. Zoos often include online kid zones. Check out National and State Parks for Jr. Ranger activities. Printing is by permission only around here and we keep a stack of sheets only used on one side for that. Oh...Mickey/Disney has an online internet safety course for kids too where they earn a certificate. Never too soon!

Well, I'm totally computer-illiterate. DH takes care of all such matters here, too.

Heidi, re: your comment about changing a tire.... My daddy always said that as long as I have blue eyes, I don't need to know how to change a tire. And in 65 years, I never have. (Have I missed out on a major life event?) I never had to resort to girlie tactics, either.

I just realized my 6 y/o DD has a Control Journal...only I didn't think of it that way. Her "morning routine" on a Hello Kitty lanyard she can wear around her neck. All the things she needs to take to soccer packed in a backpack with a LIST on a keyring on the zipper pull. Nighttime routine is inside the bathroom drawer. Need to make a list for her backpack and an after-school lanyard with school coming up. This is working so well for her (and for me).

I considered putting my daily routine on a lanyard, but lugging 19 pounds of inky paper lists of my routines around my neck all day doesn't sound fun. Sheesh!

Welcome aboard hometo - i'm glad you made it over! Everyone, I sent some invites on JumpCut tonight so hopefully we will get some new smiles to add to the fun. The more the merrier.

LOL about 19 pounds! I love your lanyard system!! I need to try that for my kiddo.

Welcome to the group, hometo!! I'm so glad you accepted Heidi's invitation - the more outlooks we have the better!

Did she tell you we have an Intro page where we roll out who we are & where we're going?? It's a start to getting acquainted! It's under Housekeeping heading in the "General" forum - called "Introduce yourself"... : I'd like to meet you!!

Thanx, Heidi, for sending out the invites - your networking will give us new friends!

Marie

I agree, thnx Heidi. It is fun to have more souls in here!

I hate the whole "control" journal title, too. I wonder how many FlyBabies dont' keep one because of the name? Hmmm...ponder, ponder.

I wonder why she didn't call it a "Flight Plan"?

'Cause dropping the "control" from the title is the only way I got myself to make a ... Flight Plan.

I got the idea from listening to the FlyShow. Marla said one of the FlyBabies had a morning routine on a lanyard she put on when she woke up. Lanyards seem to be cheapest at the local Party Supply store. Note: the aforementioned Hello Kitty lanyard was $8.75! But, hey, she wears it, right?

For the record, on that show, Marla said she considered post it notes on the mirror and lanyards around the neck as Control Journals. She did say, however, that she recommends us printing up the routines for a binder, so someone could keep the home fires burning, so to speak, in the event of something waylaying us for a while.

Welcome to the gang, hometo! I love your Flight Plan idea! I agree, FL should have used that one.

Bon

P.S I'm glad I'm not the only one who was put off by the word Control....

Marla referred to the CJ once as a Flight Manual. That's what I call it now. CJ makes me feel like I'm supposed to be on top of everything. And I'm not and I don't want to be. Flight Manual or Flight Plan sound more engaging to me.

Control Journal: I made one when I a while back, but do I follow it (no). I don't really like the name either. I think flight manual is a little better, but it still doesn't fit me (still looking for a name that will make me want to use it). Additionally, I think I made it to complicated to use (I don't know about you but I have a tendancy to do that - make things more complicated than they have to be).

I've done most of the work for the Flight Manual (CJ) but decided last night to nix it, at least some of it. It was too much for me to live up to. I don't think I'm ready yet for a FM. So, my OIB is now empty. Not sure that I'll need it again or not. Do I fling it? Having everything in one place is great, but if it's not something I tend to use all the time, then what's the point? And out of sight is out of mind for me. Sticking my bills in there hasn't been the smartest thing I've ever done.

So now I use my much loved and much used address/telephone folder for emergency info and contact info. I've also included a page that lists all the important anniversaries and birthdays I need and a page of insurance information. Anything related to bills is in a bin on the kitchen counter. That's what makes sense to me. I can write all the stuff down in a FM, but if it's going to overwhelm me or bring on expectations I can't meet, then I'll do what I did - take it apart and fix it so it works for me.

(talk about being a brat )

well .. if looking at the binder will make you feel guilty or bad or mad.

Then put it up somewhere.

I dont want my bills in a CJ.. I put them in a stand on top of the frig. I empty out the unneccary paper, write the $due and date on the front, and thats where they go. That makes sense to me. I can grab them at night to take in the morning - to pay online. And then I throw them away. Im not keeping all that.

Trust me I have years and years and years of my parents insurance papers, car insurance, health things etc etc that I dont know what to do with. Im holding them until probate is done (which is taking forever)

You are doing fine girl. Give yourself a breather...
Youhave tackled alot lately.. you should be proud of yourself.
You rock!

RS

I agree with Rhonda, be proud of what you accomplished Sam! You are doing great.. its babystepping, not giantsteps! You will get it all figures out in the end, but for now, you are doing great!!

Thanks for the encouragement, ladies. I think I was worried that I was bucking the (FLY)system. When I got up this morning I felt much better about the choices I had made. It's what works for me. And that's what it's all about (or is that the hokey pokey ).