I know your confused by the title, how could an old pirate get me to do my laundry? Well…I’m referring to a recent podcast that I listened to on this American Life.  I could not stop listening to the story and didn’t realize that I had folded and put away nearly three baskets of laundry.  What did this prove to me? Well chores can get done more quickly when listening to podcasts or audio books.

Let me share with all of you first that I love stories. I love when stories are told to me, especially on weird and quirky topics. I loved hearing about Blackbeard one of the scariest pirates that ever lived. Did you know that he would tie twine into his beard and light it on fire and put it out causing dark clouds of smoke? He would do this upon meeting people creating a very intense and scary appearance, giving him the name Blackbeard. I just loved and enjoyed hearing this episode as well as listening to an episode about summer camp and what kinds of traditions are shared as well as how much fun the kids had. I had always wanted to go to a summer camp.

I have most recently been looking forward to folding and putting away laundry just so that I could plug in my headphones and listen to these podcasts. Some other great podcasts that I have enjoyed in the past are Serial. Great podcast to listen to if you love murder mysteries. This story follows a young man whose ex girlfriend was murder back when they were seniors in high school and he is in prison for it but did he really do it? The podcast does a beautiful job of reopening the case and looking at the story again forcing you to continually change your mind about who did it.

Another AMAZING podcast is S*** Town, I can promise you that once you start this you will not be able to stop or in my case you will be looking for chores to do around the house just so you can listen to it. The podcast does use some profanity and is pretty raw but I can promise the story has twists and turns that can only leave you feeling mixed emotions.  In the Dark  ,this has been my most recent listen. I am only 4 episodes in but already I can’t wait to fold more laundry so that I can continue to listen.

So what’s the moral of the story? I only listen when I am doing chores. I can not listen unless I am doing chores. With this little rule in place I find myself wanting to do them just so I can finish listening to the story. It has truly made folding laundry a pleasure, not only am I feeling accomplished but I am also listening to some great stories. It has taken away the mundane feeling that I use to have about chores and now I have this ‘it’s not so bad’ feeling about doing them. This goes for pulling weeds in the garden to dusting to any other task around the house that just was something I would dread doing.

If you don’t like the podcasts I recommend look at all the others, I am sure that one of them will peak your interest! If you are more of an audio book person the library is a great place to down load them as well!! I also highly recommend the wireless ear bud that I use. It’s very inexpensive and there are no wires so I can fold laundry, cook dinner and be able to move  hands freely without any worry of wires getting in the way or my device getting knocked onto the floor! Let me know if you give this a try and how it works for you!

I ask myself this almost every time I walk into my office. Every time I get a flyer, an email, or even a text from a store that there is a sale I go to my wish list section in my planner and look and see if it’s something I can buy. Is this a problem? My husband would say so!

I initially did think this was a problem but then I said to my husband this is what makes me happy. I use nearly everything. Some things do collect dust but I either send it away or sell it on eBay and use the funds to purchase something new. It’s almost like all the fun for me is in the research and saving up for something that really brings me joy!!

Here is an example, I have been eyeing this little typewriter from we r memory keepers. I think almost everyone  in the craft and planner community has. I research it, try and find out as much as I can about it. I then sit down and put a list together of what I might use it for. Will I use it to type out journal entries or will I use it in my filofax (this was the idea I loved most). I went on to research typewriters that were given a second chance on eBay and found that some of them were at astronomical prices. I tried using sales and coupons at Michaels but each time I was denied. I just kept it on my stationary wish list when one day low and behold there was one on the floor at Michaels in the clearance section for $50. You know she came home with me!!

The whole experience for me is what is exciting. I put so much research and thought into the things that I want to purchase that when I finally receive the item I really and truly cherish it. I rarely ever have buyers remorse. I don’t fall into the hype of having to buy something immediately because it will be gone. I usually wait until everyone else buys it and has the remorse and ends up selling in one of the resell shops on Facebook or eBay. I love a bargain and if I can get one I will do everything I can until I feel like I’m getting it for the best price.

In conclusion, do I NEED everything that I shop for? The answer, No! Do I love the entire process of researching and coming up with ideas and working on getting the best price for it …Yes!! It’s the whole point of having a hobby and a passion. It’s something that brings me joy each and every day. It’s something that I love to sit down in front of and feel all the creative energy around me. I love the space that I have created and it helps me to really want to continue to express myself! Do you enjoy the process as well?