* * * * * * *

"Life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful."
- Unknown

"That which does not kill you, makes you stronger."
- Handed down through the ages.

"Life's tough. It's even tougher when you're stupid."
- John Wayne



Wednesday Night

11:55 PM – Wednesday, May 19, 2010

How does one parlay a good work ethic with leaving work to live your life, i.e. tend your homestead? What I mean to say is . . . my folks, in huge part during the years that we were a family restaurant family, taught me a strong work ethic. So, now that I’m back out in The Real World as a Working Girl . . . and the business days are filled with random phone calls, unscheduled visits from vendors, and running in twelve different directions at once . . . how do you get anything done? It isn’t until business calls cease at 5:00 and foot traffic starts quieting down . . . and even the boss lady heads home . . . that I feel like I can actually make any progress on what I’d hoped to accomplish that day. So, case in point, I stayed and worked until 9:30 tonight because I felt like I had to. And I didn’t even make a dent in the proverbial pile.

I’ve discovered that the only way I “get anything done” (paperwork or thinking / studying / planning-wise) is to work here from home. Here there are no interruptions. But, now that I talk it out, I guess that the flip side to that is that neither am I in-office and AVAILABLE for all those (necessary) things that prevent me from (everybody all together, now) getting anything done! And, the problem, of course, is the timeline. We’re supposed to open for business on June 14th. Oi. Vey. Here I am, writing contracts and having meetings with renters when that sort of thing should have been taken care of WEEKS ago. I should be starting to worry about the scheduling . . . and, instead, monthly rental rates and commission percentages still haven’t been “signed on the dotted line” . . . for ANY of the five (minimum!) renters I’ll have. I did overhear the boss lady saying to a visiting friend today, “I should have hired Weslie a month ago.” Yup. I could have used those extra 30 days!

Even as I’m only just now getting my desk set up, I’m already beginning to wonder if I need to move it to the side room right away. I feel crowded where I am AND I just don’t think I’m out of the fray enough to REALLY be able to work. Hmmm. My option is really dark & disgusting (literally, not figuratively) at the moment, but maybe I can make it work. I’ll take a look tomorrow. Plus, that space is just storage right now (not making any money), and the area where my desk (table) is could be used for a small retail area.

BUT, there IS more to life than that, SO . . . !

I finally, after wanting to get there for the last SEVERAL days, got back into the flower shop this morning for a comprehensive inventory and restock of the cards I have there. There are 48 spaces, and if I keep 5 of each design, that will amount to 240 cards in stock at any one given time. I don’t have it that full right now (not 5 of each design), and I want them to all, eventually, be pre-printed ones (sympathy, get well, happy anniversary, blah, blah, blah). Right now, I only have 51 pre-printed cards stocked. The remainders are blank. So, that’s my other primary on-going project until I have it finished & a back-lay put by. Slow but sure, slow but sure. The owner mentioned this morning that she thinks she’s sold 8 or 10 . . . and that’s 8 or 10 more than I was selling w/o having a rack in there!  I want / need to get some ‘Congratulations’ and/or ‘Bon Voyage’ ones in next week in preparation for graduation. Then comes Father’s Day and weddings, and, and, and . . . . But, I really do enjoy doing those. (Guess what the dining room table is covered with right now?)

Oh, as my bladder demands one more quick stop before I shut my eyes for the night, I am reminded: I got up at 4:38 (I made a point of looking at the clock) this morning to go potty, and I didn’t have to turn on a light! It was THAT light out already! And we’re still a month away from the solstice!!! INSANE!

Okay, I’ll post this in the morning when I can plug in the Ethernet cable. A new wireless modem is on its way, though, thanks to Tom!

P.S. (Thursday morning.) In the light of day, no, I won’t try to move my “space” (at work) right now. I’ll work with it and see what happens.

P.P.S. I saw two hummers at the feeder already this morning!!

4 comments:

  1. You sound crazy-busy! I hope you get the office area figured out, that will help alot!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow-the cool thing about this post is that even though you sound incredibly busy, you don't sound frazzled! I sense that you really enjoy what you're doing and once you get all the progress made and get ahead of the game, you're going to totally love it more than you can even imagine.

    Also, Weslie~love the name!

    Blessings to you!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hey, Becky! Thank you, thank you, thank you from the mama who gave Chicken Mama her first name! I've taken a bit of flack for it over the years but have always loved it. I've always thought it was unique and beautiful . . . just as she is.

    ReplyDelete
  4. For the 10 years I worked my most recent job, my favorite and most productive time was after 3, when everyone left and I could sprawl out, play some music, not answer the phone or the questions. Sometimes I'd get more done in that hour or 2 than I had all day. Some jobs I'd save until then. Now shifting gears and deciding what the next step in my career life is, after I get this huge stack of graduation gifts crafted :oP, but it's fun and I'm sort of re-setting myself.

    ReplyDelete

If you are familiar with me and where I live, please respect my right to retain some anonymity by not referring to me by anything other than Chicken Mama nor mentioning city/town/villages by place names. Thanks!