Unsubscribe & Delete

11 Things: What are 11 things your life doesn’t need in 2011? How will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things change your life?

I spend a lot of time on the computer, for work, for volunteer tasks, for pleasure. But lately I spend the first several minutes of email sessions just deleting, deleting all kinds of stuff I no longer want to read. So I've started to become intentional about getting rid of the clutter. Here are eleven things I'm going banish from my in box:

1. Daily horoscopes. How did I get on that list?

2. Vegetarian recipes of the day. They're really not all that appetizing, sorry.

3. Discussion lists for homeschoolers with young families looking for playdates. My youngest is 14.

4. Dell Deals of the week. I just bought a computer, don't need another one just yet.

5. Facebook notifications. When I want to play on Facebook, I'll go there. Why read it twice?

6. College parent and alumni newsletters.

7. Screen It weekly newsletter. I rarely go to movies anymore, and I put more weight on what I hear from my friends. If I want to read reviews, I can go to the website.

8. Weekly sale updates from an online auction site that I used once, for one specific item not available anywhere else.

9. Two of the three daily devotions I receive. I tried them, they're all okay, but one stands out in a way the others do not.

10. Non profit organization emails for groups that I no longer have an interest in contributing to. Priorities change.

11. Follow up emails from a marketing seminar I attended. It was good, but now I have that information, thanks.

How will deleting and unsubscribing change my life in 2011? I hope I'll be more efficient with email and spend less time on the computer, feel less overwhelmed with information that's no longer relevant to my life, and have more time and attention to spend at the piano and with the people I love.

Precious time

I love my work, don't get me wrong.

I love my volunteer commitments, make no mistake.

But right now I am experiencing two weeks in between. Home from my travels to Tanzania, where there are many things to do, many people to see, many requests and plans to follow up on my return. Yet not in my school year schedule of piano students, regular meetings, choir rehearsals and Sunday morning worship services.

I'm working ahead, planning, practicing, and coordinating many of those teaching, accompanying and volunteer projects that will come up this fall. But somehow, the time still seems like mine.

Each morning I revel in a walk with my daughter. Sometimes we talk, sometimes we just walk.

I've scheduled coffee or lunch with colleagues and friends, catching up, planning ahead, or just enjoying.

I take my son to lunch, or to a bookstore.

When stuff frustrates me, I pull weeds in my garden.

And I love these days. I know I'd get bored if these days lasted longer than two weeks. But for now, the time is precious, and I am full of gratitude for the end of summer.