Get Up and Do!

The motivation to change my oil came the other day when I turned the key in my car's ignition. It coughed wearily, and there was an ominous clicking sound where the engine should have chimed in. Then there was a brief flashing of several lights on the dash. One of them was the oil light, and I sat behind the wheel for a minute, realizing that even if I had extra motor oil on hand, I've no idea where it goes.

A thousand what-ifs raced through my mind, and they all required a functioning automobile for me to address them. Foremost was the warning of a friend who learned the hard way that you don't put off oil changes. Something happens to the engine--something I understand only as "seizing up." For my friend, it meant having to buy another car.

This is what I always tell myself when there's something I've been procrastinating about. Usually it's an oil change for this single parent family's aging but beloved automobile, or something around the house that needs doing, but gets pushed aside because it will take an investment of time and effort that I don't feel like giving it.

Working at home is somewhat comparable, only in the sense that it requires the same mentality as the nudge to get your car's oil changed. It will take an investment of your time and effort, but consider: stay-at-home parents work pretty hard already-assembling furniture, planning days that contain just the right amount of intellectual stimulation, fixing lunches and snacks that deliver the right balance of nutrients and calories, making it better (whatever the current "it" happens to be), reading that favorite story umpteen times with the same enthusiasm as the day it was first discovered.

Forget about waiting around for the economy to improve. Forget about lining up for dibs on a limited number of summer weekends. Just get up and do.

copyright http://little-turnips.com 2003-2005 - All rights reserved.

Zoe McNamara

In The News:
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/03/AR2008120300446.htmlcid=1277046728ei=Kwg3ScGaE6qi9gTB2sGkDwusg=AFQjCNHj2iegzAk4dspZ2wVflMkPIh0n7gimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=n4llAStNxT4Jimgurl=media3.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2008/12/03/PH2008120300447.jpg width=50 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Washington Post/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jMmEGIJahMhaousdkCt-fO9lY9MAD94R50500cid=1277046728ei=Kwg3ScGaE6qi9gTB2sGkDwusg=AFQjCNEdnW1MWzSQlIOpMqJvbNZ_UE5aFQPistons#39; Wallace uses technical foul as bmotivation/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Associated Pressnbsp;-/font nobr13 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Sometimes he even uses them as bmotivation/b. After being hit with a technical with 15 minutes remaining, Wallace scored 17 points, including three 3-pointers b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php%3Ft%3D492961cid=1277046728ei=Kwg3ScGaE6qi9gTB2sGkDwusg=AFQjCNHkp-ICSyPq4st6X1StM3jm5zKx-AIverson, Wallace lead Pistons past Spurs/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrSportingNews.com/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1277046728hl=ennobrall 406 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2008/dec/02/chargers-notes-/%3Fchargerscid=1276889992ei=Kwg3ScGaE6qi9gTB2sGkDwusg=AFQjCNHh6SLIBGKiNkjVziRqPd9CYxgaMwFacing Raiders on national TV will serve as bmotivation/b Thursday/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSan Diego Union Tribune,nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobr18 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1And while they technically do, they also are searching for other reasons to be up for Thursday night#39;s game against Oakland (and the three that follow it), b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/huskies/390211_husk02.htmlcid=1276517838ei=Kwg3ScGaE6qi9gTB2sGkDwusg=AFQjCNHTVIbu-ofE9HGUw4xRkYOkjUvpnADawgs digging deep to find last-game bmotivation/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSeattle Post Intelligencernbsp;-/font nobrDec 1, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Finding bmotivation/b figures to be a challenge for a squad coming off a 16-13 double-overtime loss in its rivalry game. Willingham insisted he won#39;t use his b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.kvue.com/news/local/stories/120208kvue_Get_Motivated-cb.2366e8fc.htmlcid=1276915717ei=Kwg3ScGaE6qi9gTB2sGkDwusg=AFQjCNExYXaqYmAo25URhayVD9OsDx0zEgThousands descend on Austin Convention Center for bmotivation/b seminar/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fKVUE,nbsp;TXnbsp;-/font nobrDec 2, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By QUITA CULPEPPER Organizers say it#39;s a way to get inspired and find the secret to your success, while hearing from a dream team of successful politicians b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/ny-skpiner035950370dec03,0,5047493.storycid=1277101699ei=Kwg3ScGaE6qi9gTB2sGkDwusg=AFQjCNHur8NXiVz7toTdES8pdxoNBfwQggJansen wins Piner award as Nassau#39;s top LB/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNewsday,nbsp;NYnbsp;-/font nobr14 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1For Wantagh#39;s John Jansen, who took home the Piner Award as Nassau County#39;s top linebacker on Monday night, the bmotivation/b to be the best was in part a b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.statesman.com/business/content/business/stories/other/12/03/1203seminar.htmlcid=0ei=Kwg3ScGaE6qi9gTB2sGkDwusg=AFQjCNHNR6BGJ6onwVRBfYnHAQIBBE-MOgAustin businesspeople seek bmotivation/b in hard times/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fAustin American-Statesman,nbsp;TXnbsp;-/font nobr17 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Lori Hawkins When Gregg Linberg heard an ad touting an upcoming daylong bmotivational/b seminar, he decided it was just what he and his co-workers at b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12010_4579303,00.htmlcid=1275860959ei=Kwg3ScGaE6qi9gTB2sGkDwusg=AFQjCNHOoR06-MeODQ5Vc0KM6t5L63UjIgimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=QkxU77i7jEUJimgurl=img.skysports.com/08/05/218x298/Barry-Gareth_906608.jpg width=59 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2SkySports/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12010_4579303,00.htmlcid=1275860959ei=Kwg3ScGaE6qi9gTB2sGkDwusg=AFQjCNHOoR06-MeODQ5Vc0KM6t5L63UjIgBarry reveals England bmotivation/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSkySportsnbsp;-/font nobrDec 2, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Chris Burton Last updated: 2nd December 2008 Gareth Barry admits that four years in the international wilderness made him all the more determined to earn b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.tulsaworld.com/site/articlepath.aspx%3Farticleid%3D20081203_92_B1_NORMAN70543%26allcom%3D1cid=1277242917ei=Kwg3ScGaE6qi9gTB2sGkDwusg=AFQjCNHmodQJGdDuaFSa7FxD4ILE0sdVzgFrankly, OU has no reason to apologize/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTulsa World,nbsp;OKnbsp;-/font nobr14 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1quot;So I think it might give us a little extra bmotivation/b.quot; The negative backlash the Sooners have felt ever since Sunday#39;s announcement that they had edged b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://5ones.com/motivation-not-finish-college-671/cid=0ei=Kwg3ScGaE6qi9gTB2sGkDwusg=AFQjCNEw-EsCZmp1DD_cqsdhZZEFlVRhnAimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=eJ5RBCqKjZgJimgurl=5ones.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/sundance_avalanche_jan_2005.jpg width=80 height=53 alt= border=1brfont size=-25ones/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://5ones.com/motivation-not-finish-college-671/cid=0ei=Kwg3ScGaE6qi9gTB2sGkDwusg=AFQjCNEw-EsCZmp1DD_cqsdhZZEFlVRhnAIf Ever There Was bMotivation/b Not to Finish College…/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6f5ones,nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobrDec 2, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Albi Sole, program co-ordinator for Public Avalanche Awareness Programs at the University of Calgary Outdoor Centre, has just put the finishing touches on b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.keyetv.com/content/news/topnews/story.aspx%3Fcontent_id%3D566e7b14-4184-4d62-8d77-3082db6e6e1ecid=1276723007ei=Kwg3ScGaE6qi9gTB2sGkDwusg=AFQjCNG1Xr02nEdWBWjU-Fxut9pZGhb3EwOverflow crowds come to Downtown Austin to get motivated/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fCBS 42,nbsp;TXnbsp;-/font nobr22 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1We’re officially in a recession and in this kind of economy people need bmotivation/b and skills more than ever before,” said the Executive VP of “Get b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/12/02/1202getmotivated.htmlcid=1276723007ei=Kwg3ScGaE6qi9gTB2sGkDwusg=AFQjCNF8SYsIQ8PUkR0AXQldNogRrum0HQGet Motivated keeps price low in tough economy/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrAustin American-Statesman/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.news8austin.com/content/headlines/%3FArID%3D225792%26SecID%3D2cid=1276723007ei=Kwg3ScGaE6qi9gTB2sGkDwusg=AFQjCNGW64v1w7Rvi2-GINiyx5NOso8HaQGet Motivated seminar, not your ordinary pep talk/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrNews 8 Austin/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.news8austin.com/content/your_news/default.asp%3FArID%3D225765cid=1276723007ei=Kwg3ScGaE6qi9gTB2sGkDwusg=AFQjCNHcCnPy09vizVxWz01YDoGqX3wsZQHeavy downtown traffic possible Tuesday morning/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrNews 8 Austin/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1276723007hl=ennobrall 6 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
motivation - Google News


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