I am glad I have kept a LOOSE time frame.....

Greetings!!

It has been a good Saturday today. I completed all of my schoolwork last night (except for dreaded mathematics, but who can blame me?) So, I have had some time today to review my sets and make plans for a little sprucing up of the sets before Dec. 10th, when the sets are judged. And while reviewing everything, I did find myself getting the feeling of "being behind".

Now, this is where I am very grateful that I have made for myself a very loose completion time frame on my SAE's. I really wanted to get the set done by 2010, but in reality I know I am looking at 2011. But, I can say honestly, that it is all ok with me being behind, well technically behind anyway.

This past year has seen it's challenges for me as I worked for less money in a job that offered me more time off, and then realizing how much I missed the extra 2 dollars an hour, and then finding out the cousin to the boss who knows and does much less is making double my salary, it has been a hard financial and mental time, I am not even mentioning school here, which in itself is tedious. So, my urgency in collecting has taken a back seat for now.

But then, I have to realize I have only been collecting for 2 years. I have already accumulated 51% of the SAE MS set, which is actually a HELL of an accomplishment. Also having some MS 70's in the fray is a great medal as well. And achieving the Journal Awards for 2 years in a row is something I am very humbled by and proud of. So, even though the accomplishments are many, it seems it is human nature to see what has NOT happened or has NOT been achieved.

So, as I wrote last time, the LOOSE time frame is essential for good collecting mental health, for me anyway. Some of you have written me contesting the loose time frame, but I can only honestly write in my journal what works for me, and then give advice ...unsolicited and free, and then hope it works for another collector, too. And if a tight time frame is key for another, that's great as well. But for me, if I were feeling an under the gun sensation, I would not be having as much fun collecting.

So as the weeks are passing by and the winter snows arrive and the holidays hasten upon me, I will remind myself of all of the good things in life that I have been privy to, both deserved and not. I will try and beat human nature and it's negatives back and remember what HAS been done, and hope for more to be done in the future.

This really helps my psyche!!

All the BEST!