This Weekend's Task List

I got quite a bit of work done this week, despite the fact that my pregnancy was sort of kicking my butt. I slept a lot, but still got quite a bit of writing done. So there's some things still left on my task list for this weekend, but not as much as I was afraid I'd have to do, so I'm counting myself a winner this week.

Here's what's left for this weekend:

• Finish up eye health articles for client
• Work on/finish health newsletter pieces for client
• Arrange furniture in our bedroom and our little java bean's nursery so I can get everything ready
• Mail response card for B & R's wedding (I wish we could go!)

Feng Shui Your Desk

I've been trying to get my office space organized this week since it'll be moving pretty soon. In an effort to share my nesting/organizational tendencies with you, I'd like to share a handout I found in the midst of my cleaning.

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Feng Shui Your Desk

Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese practice of space arrangement to achieve a sense of harmony. Feng Shui was developed thousands of years ago in little villages of East Asia, and was used by Emperors to ensure their success. By applying Feng Shui to your work space, you will have the chance to experience a positive flow of vital energy. Divide your desk and workspace into the nine different areas of your life, as follows:

The left side of your desk is the Knowledge area - store reference materials here. Place symbols of Family here also.

The back left corner of your desk is the Money area. Keep this corner clean, dust-free, and uncluttered.

The back center area of your desk, or on the wall directly in front of you, is the Fame area. Display awards, diplomas, and certificates here.

The right corner of your desk is the Romance area. Place symbols of love here.

Closer to you on the right is your Creativity area. Keep your smaller work tools here, along with some "fun" items.

At your immediate front right is the Helpful People and Travel area. Place your rolodex and vacation pictures here.

The center of your desk is the Health area. If you want a healthy career, your work area should be clean and "happy looking."

Finally, your chair represents your Career area. Keep your chair well-oiled and clean. Polish any chrome and keep it dusted.

Applying Feng Shui to your desk may not guarantee success, but it's a bold step in the right direction.

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Photo source

Newborn Anteater in a Japanese Zoo

Absolutely adorable!

Guest Blogging

While Mike of The Big Stick is on vacation, I was asked to do a guest post for his blog. I was flattered, of course, and today my post on family prayer is up on his blog.

Enjoy!

This Week's Task List

I had a pretty easy week last week, but as it gets closer and closer to mid-August, I find myself more and more restless. So I'm trying to step it up and get as much done between now and then as I can so when our little java bean comes around, I can concentrate on taking care of him.

• Work on newsletter pieces for new client
• Follow up with formatting client
• Prenatal appointment (Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.)
• Work on coffee house book (Thursday is Fiction Day!)
• Set up and organize Wyatt's nursery
• Get Father's Day gifts for Hubby and Dad-in-law
• Work on Dad-in-law's retirement scrapbook with Mom-in-law
• Create retirement invitation spreadsheet for Mom-in-law
• Work on pregnancy scrapbook
• Finalize wedding anniversary plans (our anniversary is June 16th)

Prayer Requests

This week, please pray with me that:

• my brother's interview goes well (Monday morning).
• my third year of marriage will be as blessed as my second year was.
• my prenatal appointment on Tuesday goes well.
• my sister is able to get a loan soon in order to buy the house she has her eye on.

As always, if you have any prayer requests you'd like to add, simply comment on this post or email me with the request.  I will add anonymous and unspoken requests, as well.

Thursdays are Fiction Days!

Today is the first Thursday of my new work/writing schedule, so it's the first Fiction Day!

Hubby and I had some great conversations on our vacation recently, and one of the things he mentioned was that he doesn't want me to abandon my coffee house book.  I've been busy in my office lately, so I haven't had much time to write fiction.  So Hubby suggested I take one day a week to devote to fiction-writing (minimum, of course), and for that evening, he'll do his own thing.

So now that I've finished my other work for the day, I'm looking at what I need to do to get my coffee house book back on track.  I have a few organizational things to do, but for the most part, I'm ready to pick up the writing.

Doing Screnzy this year helped me a lot, I think.  Not only was I able to brush up on my dialogue, but the whole process gave me a new idea for the coffee house book that, I think, will be a more cohesive story arc, and will do more in revealing the characters and relationships.  It's making me even more excited about writing it!

Maybe I'll get this book finished after all!

I challenge you to set aside time every Thursday for fiction, as well!

Scheduling is an Adjustment

I feel like my work schedule is constantly in flux.  I set up a schedule I think will work and after a few days (or weeks...sometimes hours), I find out it's not really working, so I come up wtih something different.

Yesterday, for example, was the first day of a new schedule for me.  It didn't work well, but I think that's because I wasn't feeling well today and ended up quitting early.  (I blame the little java bean.)  So I'm going to stick with it for the next couple of weeks, and decide if I'm going to keep it or readjust it (again).

I'm the type of person who does well in structure, and that's why I create these schedules and task lists for myself.  But I'm also realistic.  I know that I may not always account for everything, that meetings run late, and sometimes I'm just not in the mood to write from 9:00 a.m. until noon without several breaks.

I'll get it.

And then it'll need to be changed again.

Such is the life of a freelancer, I suppose.

Where Would You Go?

I don't know about you, but as a writer, I've thought about what it would be like to go on a book tour.  (Okay...maybe not "thought about" so much as "fantasized about," but you get the idea.)  And one thing that comes up is where I'd want to go on my tour.  What locations (big or small) would I love to visit?

Here are a few things on my list:

• MacMurray College (my alma mater)
• Byron Public Library (I graduated from high school in Byron, Illinois)
• somewhere in Chicago (so I can visit Frazzoo)

If you were designing a book tour, where are some places you'd want to visit, and why?

This Week's Task List

My first full week after vacation starts today, and I'm excited to be back in the office.  Happily, this week is starting out with a light work load, so it'll be easier for me to implement some of the changes I'm making in my life and writing world.

• Implement new work schedule
• Keep up with articles for client
• Implement new record system for CSW finances
• Work on coffee house book (all day Thursday)
• Work on Dad-in-law's retirement scrapbook
• Work on java bean's scrapbook