If you are like me, you are craving something to mark time, a big long running challenge that has multiple steps and will eventually be completed. Building a deck, painting your room, organizing your books, something like that. So I thought, let’s share/brag! Tell the DCIB community about your accomplishments, and maybe someone here will go “oh, that’s a great idea, I should do that too”.
My big project is a new toe! I was supposed to have foot surgery back in March, which obviously didn’t happen. But it’s getting harder and harder to walk so I decided I should grab my chance now before I get crippled forever. Went in to see my podiatrist again at the end of June, he took new x-rays and confirmed that, yep, I have lost almost all movement and if they don’t do the surgery ASAP, my whole toe will lock up.
So then I had to go to a doctor-doctor and get surgical sign off, and she turned out to be an idiot which meant I had to go get additional blood tests and coordinate in a very stressful way with all the various offices until I finally got the paperwork done with hours to spare.
Now I have to focus on packing up my apartment so that I can be waited on hand and foot at my parents’ (literally) for a month, figuring out everything I will need to pack to take to my parents, and generally planning what the heck I will do for a month while I can’t walk. I mean, I can sort of walk, what I’ve been told is that if I put on a big metal boot thing, I can hobble about. But my 3rd floor walk up apartment is a no-go for at least 4 weeks, as is walking my wriggly puppy.
Anyway, it’s a fun project! Lots of organizing and planning and new challenges, a slow growth of achievement over time, and sometime this fall it will all be over and I get the reward of a new toe and being able to walk more than half a mile without pain. Woo-hoo!
What are your Big Projects you’ve started? Tell us all about them, I promise that I at least will be fascinated! Digging up your garden? Training your dog? Organizing the attic? Training your children?
dontcallitbollywood 
Oh, good idea, I’ll get a new toe, too, 😉
Actually, my wife is the one with the big projects. She works with the neighbors in our new community garden, while I keep our boy from digging everything up. And she is also a lot more active in selling the stuff from her grandmother’s old apartment. I tried getting involved in that early in the year and it was definitely too much for me. Our kid is growing and there’s still food in the freezer. That involves enough planning for my tastes.
LikeLike
Everyone should get a new toe! I am super excited about this.
I was wishing I had a community garden. I have a complete black thumb, but this would be such a good time to be gardening. Plus, then you get vegetables and there is the whole project of freezing them or canning them or whatever you decide to do.
I was thinking about selling things myself. I’ve decided my current place is actually too big, and next time I move I want to downsize a little. Which means getting rid of things, mostly books. what I should really do is get rid of my grandmother’s piano, but I love it too much, so instead of I have to get rid of everything else to make space for it.
On Thu, Jul 16, 2020 at 12:35 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
I’m finishing up decorating my house which I bought last year. It’s nearly done, I’m getting better curtains hung next week, then there’s a few last things I need to buy and I have to still hang up my film posters and art. It looks great and it feels great to see your vision come to life in the real world like that. So much work though.
LikeLike
Oh how wonderful! I’m jealous. I love getting everything set up in a space, although I’ve never felt permanent enough to actually hang curtains.
On Thu, Jul 16, 2020 at 3:57 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
I’m cleaning up our front porch and yard which had become a dumping ground for empty Amazon boxes. We rent our house and the owner used the front yard as a parking spot so it’s concreted over, boo, but there’s a corner with two small trees and so I bought a new patio set and we’ve gotten the loveseat set up under the trees with a canopy to keep off the shade. I’m buying potted succulents so we can have plants without too much hassle. We also have a new firepit that we used in the spring when it was still cool and a heater we can use in the winter (temps generally don’t go below the upper 40s). Since we’re stuck at home I’m determined to make the yard as nice as possible so we can be outside.
Oh another thing is we’re buying a small campervan so we can do easy camping trips without pitching a tent. This one: https://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/rvs/d/hawthorne-dodge-grand-caravan-mini-rv/7146616867.html
LikeLike
Unrelated to what you said, but isn’t it fascinating how housing habits vary city to city? I don’t know a single person who rents a house in Chicago, it’s just not a thing. I’ve even known people who desperately wanted to rent a house in Chicago and couldn’t find one. If you own a house, you live in it or you sell it, you don’t rent. I’m jealous that you are still renting but also get your own yard and don’t have to share a wall and a DRIVEWAY!!! Ugh, it sounds like heaven.
Your front yard plan sounds really nice. Maybe some art work too? Not like lawn gnomes, but I bet you could get some really delightful fun funky outdoor artwork in LA. Or, of course, make it! Get a concrete block somewhere and paint. Oh oh!!!! Concrete yard! Can you chalk it up.
Oh man, I wish I could rent a house instead of my stupid apartment.
I also am EXTREMELY jealous of your cute little van RV. My grandparents had a real RV when I was a kid, and it felt too big and scary, but this looks just cozy. Also, the one time we borrowed my grandparents RV, I fell out of the top bunk while asleep. This RV, that would be a much shorter fall.
On Thu, Jul 16, 2020 at 9:08 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
Here’s the crazy thing: we own a house. But it’s in Northwest LA County an hour and a half drive away. We’re planning on retiring there but for now since my son is in LAUSD school district we are renting in a nice neighborhood. And yes, that’s very Los Angeles.
Here’s another Los Angeles thing: our house is rent controlled which is like the ultimate jackpot, especially in our very trendy neighborhood.
I love the art idea and we were thinking of doing something to cover up our ugly fence that our landlord refuses to replace because he’s a cheapskate. Maybe a painted tarp.
LikeLike
Is it a wire fence? When I was a kid, my Mom organized this spectacular art project at my elementary school when we wove the fence. Strips of colored fabric, woven through the chains however we wanted. You could do that, kind of crazy quilt, or you could probably map out a design in advance and weave it in if you wanted, hearts or a rainbow or something fun like that.
I know people in Chicago who did the rental thing to get their kids in suburban schools. But again, renting an apartment not a house. Of course they were also renting just for the address and not actually living there, so probably didn’t care as much as you do.
On Thu, Jul 16, 2020 at 10:35 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
I’m sorry about your toe, I hope the surgery is successful and I’m glad you’re having it. My project is to see as much family as possible. Kinda painful as that means separating my kids from their friends, but those friends and their contacts are too risky for my elderly parents, so no friends, all family. Thankfully that includes two cousins. My spouse starts teaching in person summer school Monday, and then all family visits will be off. I guess I better come up with a new project Monday.
LikeLike
I’m so glad I’m having it! I put it off for 4 months at the start of the year because I was avoiding the 6 week recovery and stuff. But now I am just desperate to make it happen and who cares about the 6 weeks hobbling around.
You have a good project. That was my project, kind of. But my Grandpa wasn’t allowed visitors, and he and my parents are my only relatives close by, so after I successfully moved in on my parents, project over!
I think your new project should be watching all the movies of an actor of your choice! Maybe Tiger Shroff? It’s all action, and there aren’t that many, and then you will have accomplished something. This may be colored by my currently watching Baaghi. It’s so dumb and good!
On Thu, Jul 16, 2020 at 8:05 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLiked by 1 person
Best of luck with your feet. I have plantar fasciitis in both feet and a pinched nerve in one–not the same, I know–and foot pain is the absolute worst.
My Big Project:I’m going to read A Suitable Boy before it comes out on Netflix, or at any rate before I watch it. I’ve wanted to read it for a long time. I really love Vikram Seth and I don’t know why I haven’t yet, but this is a good opportunity because I have a thing about reading the book first.
LikeLike
I think that might be TOO big of a project! I got scared away just reading the wikipedia article. Of course, I’m also not planning to watch the miniseries particularly. I think it’s okay to not read the book so long as I also don’t watch the miniseries.
On Fri, Jul 17, 2020 at 2:29 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike