Progress Report 47

Last week was a good week all in all. I spent some time with my neighbor and her family. We baked pies together and talked about God. She came to church with us Wednesday night. She agreed to a Bible study with me. I'm very thankful.

Thursday was Thanksgiving day and though my oven gave me fits and even high-jacked my turkey for a short time, it was great. I love to have family in my home to entertain and visit. The meal was wonderful and the games were great fun. I was very excited to have Row and Ari join us for a few rounds when they arrived.

Black Friday was a long day but entirely fantastic. Row and Ari and I hit the mall and stores early and even braved the weather to get some good deals. It was thoroughly successful! Spending time with Ari is always fun. I wish she were closer that we could spend time together more often. She's always fun to be with. Having Row with me that day just felt natural. Like she was meant to be there with me. I can't say that our sisterly relationship has never been strained, but this year has brought us closer together than ever before. I'm so thankful that she's been there for me and my family this year. I don't know what I would have done without her. I only hope I can return the gesture.

This week I will:

1. Clean up after Thanksgiving
2. Laundry
3. Fill out recipe cards for church cookbook
4. Work on SS walls
5. Christmas drama practice
6. Plan for SS party
7. Sort Christmas gifts

Progress Report 47

Let’s see, what did I accomplish last week? Oh, that’s right, I made it through with most of my sanity still in tact.

Monday I was asked to be part of a radio interview for Women Work and Community. I was nervous, but think it went really well, just the same. Spent the morning at work, went to the interview and then home. I was in no mood to put up with MMA. Tuesday, kind of foggy on that day. Wednesday, worked, baked a pie, did some other stuff.

Thursday was Thanksgiving. I got up, baked another pie, had dinner at J’s parents house, then packed Ari in the car, made sure Z had all of his stuff in his car and headed south; south to sanity. Z decided to head back to So. China early to avoid a nasty winter storm headed in. Being so new to driving on his own, we all felt it was best to get him home safely.

I had such a nice time Thursday evening. I finally got to meet my new niece, M’iah. She was happy and sweet and perfectly cuddly. I needed that. I also got to visit with Uncle Bob, Auntie, John, Mike, Rachel and Rachel’s mom. We ate pie, and played games, just like the old days. It was a happy evening.

Friday opened with Black Friday shopping bright and early. I found it wasn’t as bad as I had heard it would be. I enjoyed being out with my girl and my dear sister so much. Ari had a great time and that was the whole point. She came back with bags of stuff and broke; a successful shopping trip! I think my favorite part of the day was sitting quietly on the couch with Mandy, Little Women playing in the background, taking turns leaning on each other, that evening. I think we were both dozing and just enjoying the company. I wasn’t ten minutes from her front door, Saturday morning, and I was missing her.

Sunday, I made up for lost time and got a huge DbR project completed. Service First Auto now has a sign on the front of its building and a two-sided sign in their shop waiting for a frame to be built for it. I also started their business card design, finished some branding work for another client and designed a Christmas card for my brother. It was a good day.

1. Bridal EXPO meeting Monday night
2. Purchase laptop for MMA GFC
3. Bridal EXPO vendor hunting
4. Layout DbR shop sign
5. Update website and FB page
6. Finish two blog entries that I have started
7. Figure out a way to pay some bills *sigh*
8. Try to catch up on some house work

Life is Change

Life is change, but it isn’t always the kind that jingles in your pocket. Four years ago my life changed. It changed for the better, but it broke my heart to do it. Today, my heart breaks again. I know I did the right thing; the only thing I could do to live a better life. But, knowing that in my head, doesn’t heal the heart any faster. My biggest problem is how alone I feel with my pain today.

Progress 45

This week I will try not to be idle. There are several things going on but also several things that need to be done that I've been putting off. I've already started by going grocery shopping this morning. It's probably been a month or more since I've really gone grocery shopping. We've picked up a few things here and there but my husband opened the fridge and said, "Our fridge needs friends." Hint, hint. It has many friends now.

I clean twice this week, need to do some sewing, need to get the car to the mechanics, and will be going north to see my niece in her high school musical. Not to mention picking up the slack at home, i.e. cleaning the bathroom, doing laundry, picking up, etc...

My husband's job dissolves this week. We're praying for a job offer before the week ends.

This week I will:

1. Work
2. Sew
3. Clean
4. Visit my fabulous sister and her family!

Progress Report 45

Another crazy week, but very exhilarating. I spent Monday in Augusta at a state wide Ambassadors meeting for Maine Center for Women Work and Community. I was impressed by the energy that those women, and one man, exuded, and I was part of it. I even got up in front of everyone and did a small presentation. I was told I was a good speaker by somebody I had only met that day. She went out of her way to speak to me, just to pay me a compliment. I was floating. I am also surprised to find that I enjoyed it. I enjoyed being in front of 50 people, sharing information, and having them eagerly listening. I even got a few laughs, which was never my intention, but happened seamlessly. Maybe I have found where I will make the biggest difference; my hook.

On Tuesday I spent the morning at Penmor Lithographers, a print shop out of Lewiston. It is a large facility that offers a very wide variety of printing options. They don’t have a design staff, but some of their pre-press people design prototypes of boxes and packaging. I felt, again, I was where I belonged. I was able to converse easily with the owners of the company as they showed me around. Because of my experience with Northeast Publishing, I understood what the equipment did and what questions to ask. I was told more than once that it was nice to speak with a designer who knew the back side of the printing process.

I drove to Bangor and had lunch with Mandy, Eric and the kids. It was so nice to see them again, though the time flew by and before I knew it, it was time to head north again. I always feel my roots when I am around them. I can't wait to go back down for Black Friday Shopping with Arianna. Ok, so maybe not looking forward so much to the actual shopping and lines, but spending time with Mandy and the kids.

The last three days have been a whirlwind of running Arianna to her drama practices, finishing quotes and starting some of the projects that have been in the wings. Friday is opening night for Ari’s play, and I will be there, where I should be, cheering her on and taking far too many photos, in her opinion.

It has been a great week. I feel refreshed and have a new energy for DbR. Unfortunately I have to go back to MMA on Monday. I am trying not to think about it, as it will distract me from what I have to complete this weekend.

1. Complete design for Bartley b.cards
2. Finish typing notes from the WWC meeting for the local meeting on Thursday morning.
3. Work on SMP’s branding items
4. Clean the house
5. Find homes for some puppies

Progress Report 44

Last week was awesome! I was extra busy working for The Occasional Housewife. My clients were extremely happy with my work and were more than happy to pay for the service. One of my clients who initially contracted me for just the week, promised to contact me for regular cleanings in the future. Another client asked that I concentrate on her kitchen area because she was having dinner guests. So I did a little redecorating and clearing of clutter. It's always a little touchy not knowing what people will think of what you've done with their home, but she emailed me later to say Thank You and how much she liked it. The work is strenuous sometimes but the pay and compliments make it worth it, of course.

This week is not so busy. Just one day of work this week. However, I'm also looking forward to lunch and a little shopping with Row on Tuesday. I'll be spending some time cleaning my house and maybe clearing the garage. I also need to get the kids back on their regular school schedule. My being away much of last week, kind of caused them to slack off. Starting Friday we have a marriage seminar at church followed by special services. The Ensey's are always great speakers and I look forward to hearing them.

This week I will:

1. Clean home and away
2. Attend Marriage Retreat and special services
3. Meet up with Row
4. Take dog to vet
5. Sew
6. Set up school schedule

Time Urgency Syndrome

Mandy set me up with a subscription to Entrepreneur magazine. I received my second issue a couple of days ago. I finally got a chance to read it Sunday morning. There was a specific article that really resonated with me; TickTick Boom!

Time urgency is the constant clock checking, stressed-out, intense feeling of deadline panic. It is a pressure that we put on ourselves and is derived from our own self-induced, unrealistic estimations of what will make us successful.

I suffer from this, sometimes debilitating, ailment. I look at my to-do list and immediately begin to panic. My throat gets tight, my patience withers to non-existent, and I immediately want to give up or throw up or both. I have gone and done it again. I have over promised and now I will proceed to show myself as a sham. And, somehow, I know that I am forgetting something.

The article likens time urgency to intoxication. It hinders the ability to make rational decisions based on sound judgment. Because everything is an emergency, nothing get accomplished; and poor business practices become the norm, as projects are rushed through and mistakes are made.

It is at this point, the article recommends, you should do the last thing you want to do; step away from the task list. Take a few deep breaths; get rid of the clock; realistically prioritize the list and begin again. This time, pick a task and involve yourself completely in that one task. Worrying about the other dozen things will only muddy the creative waters and make you ineffective.

Though stopping the headless-chicken dance is difficult, I have found a great sense of accomplishment in going, step by step, through my lists. I have been surprised how much I can accomplish when my eyes are on the task at hand and not on the clock.