What I’m reading: The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
What’s on the iPod: Fear of Falling by The Badlees
Note: I’ve got a guest post up on About Freelance Writing, and I’m making an appearance on Susan Johnston’s The Urban Muse blog. Give them a visit.
For some reason, I’m enjoying weekends more. Not that I don’t enjoy them as they are, but the activities around pre-spring, pre-summer and all the energy in the air, in the people just bump up the celebratory feel of weekends. Despite some heavy rain on Thursday of last week, I managed to turn the dirt in the garden on Saturday and get my peas and spinach in the ground. Let’s hope the deer aren’t looking. We’re fashioning a fence that covers the top of the plants to try deterring them.
The celebration begins. We went to the city for the St. Patrick’s Day parade. Green everywhere. It was wonderful, even in the cold. We were able to sit in the bleachers across from the reviewing stand, but the wind and lack of sun had us numb within half an hour. We cut out early and ducked into the art museum for some tea and special exhibits. Sadly, he had hurt his back last week and wasn’t able to manage the Chagall and Friends exhibit, so another time for that.
Home again. I was feeling somewhat domestic, so I dusted. Go figure. Then I grabbed the book I’m reading, The Jungle, and made some great headway. I’m liking the cadence of the story and the characters. I can see their situation, and Sinclair sets up the conditions in Chicago’s stockyards with shocking frankness. I wanted to read it for a few reasons – a teacher in high school had told us how that book had influenced policymakers and affected change in working conditions/unions, and the collective bargaining debates going on in Wisconsin right now are calling for a look back on history. (And no, I won’t argue politics – it’s boring).
Today is a bit more of connecting with clients who have expressed interest in projects. I’m glad for the free time I’ve had this month to get some other things done, but I want to get some guaranteed income in. And I have to get my papers back to the bankruptcy court – the magazine that hasn’t paid is under Chapter 11 protection. I now have to get in line for a chance to get my money.
I have a conference coming up in May, so my marketing targeting exhibitors is going to continue this week. Some final, administrative touches on another project and I’ll be set up for this larger project. And Thursday – that’s my holiday. I’ll post, but you won’t see me until Friday.
How was the weekend? What are you up to this week?
This week is insane, but it'll be good. I've got to get some materials to you today — I thew out what I worked on over the weekend because it sucked. I have to make serious headway on the play — it's due in London at the end of the month. I have to scrub the pots and clean the plant beds. i have to keep up with student work. On Wednesday, I'm attending a luncheon/Nelly Bly lecture, and in the evening, I've been invited to dinner to meet local writers. Thursday, I'm in Boston all day with the flower show, and Friday, I have a six hour round-trip drive to pick up a friend who'll be here all next week.
Somewhere in there, I have to finish the work for Confidential Job #1.
It'll be great — I just have to attack each bit in do-able doses and not get overwhelmed.
I have been having a difficult time getting caught up since my Mom's surgery. She's had a bit of a minor setback-probably not minor to her since it involves more pain-she probably tried too much too early.
In any event, it means more caretaking and I am struggling with productivity. I sooo admire WAHMs and caregivers!
This week is a lot of phone calls for new projects, editing review of drafts, etc. so not much in the way of billable yet.
On a happy note-this weekend was gorgeous and I was able to get outside for some walking. Have a fabulous week, everyone!
Cathy — hope your mom feels better soon!
Half of my weekend was spent preparing taxes. ARGH! All that remains on the federal end is checking the numbers and getting them in ink. The state and local are easy from there. Not a fun way to spend a weekend to be sure, but I'm glad it's out of the way a month earlier than usual. And I have to thank the Feds for the extra tax break on health insurance premiums this year. I hear it's a one-time deal, but it should be a permanent one.
Thanks, Devon-she's such an overachiever, I have to slow her down. 🙂
Cathy, do you think your mom learned a valuable lesson about not pushing herself too hard? I hope she's doing better soon.
Part of my weekend was also spent on taxes. I was intrigued that the IRS now gives the option of receiving some (or most) of your refunds in Savings Bonds. I liked the idea enough to look into it. The bonds are in $50 increments, and they'll let you split your refund between bonds and a check, but like a lot of other self-employed types, on the rare occasions when I get a refund I like to put it toward the next year's taxes…I didn't see that listed as an option with the bonds. I'm curious what other freelancers think about the new option.
The rest of the weekend included crocheting some quick amigurumi Easter Bunnies, taking a nice doggie walk, making black bean soup, and rejoicing that I didn't have to work on that pesky article that had been hounding me for weeks.
As for The Jungle: That book is probably one of the reasons I don't eat meat. One of my cousins, then in college, was a science geek and loved trying to gross us out. During Easter dinner he started telling us how it was impossible to wash all of the insects and residual material from asparagus tips (he said this with relish while eating said asparagus). After dinner I handed him the copy of The Jungle that I was reading for high school and turned right to one of the book's most descriptive passages about the stockyards. Even he was grossed out – but in a cool way, he claimed. (He's now a science teacher known for using extreme experiments to hold his students' interest.)
I love this community! 🙂
Paula-I'm not sure we can ever slow my Mom down completely. She's part of the reason I have such an independent streak. Thanks for the good wishes.
Devon, thanks for the materials. Looks great!
Side note – Nelly Bly was born in my hometown. 🙂 If you saw where I lived, you'd know how incredibly weird that is. We're pretty small.
Cathy, I'm glad your mom is feeling well enough to try. I guess she learned the hard way to take it slow. 🙂 Sounds like she's healing pretty well.
Kathy, I should be engaged in that particular form of Hell, but per usual I'm avoiding it. And I agree on the tax break – it SHOULD be permanent.
Paula, I love that the book inspired you. 🙂 I love too that the book inspired someone else. It starts out slowly, but boy, does it grab you in the second chapter!
I love it too, Cathy. 🙂
I had a great weekend! It's spring break this week, so I have a little time to catch up on lesson plans and the research paper that's due for my class. But this weekend I went to Austin for SXSW for the first time! So much fun! Business-wise, I have several articles in the works; one I turned in on Friday, one I'll turn in later today, and another one that will get started next week after the interview.
I have missed visiting here and talking with everyone. I have recently realized I am not Superwoman and can't do quite this much and expect to keep my head above water for long. I have never looked forward to May this much in my life. But I'm doing a lot of awesome stuff, so there is a silver lining 🙂
I like your including books you're reading. Gives me ideas of what to read next. I'm reading T. C. Boyle's collection of short stories, "Wild Child." He's my favorite short story writer.
Have a good day!
Thanks for the recommendation, Liz! Not that I need one more book on the shelf (okay yes, I do – I really do!), but any time a writer makes a recommendation, I pay attention.
Good seeing you here. 🙂
Ashley, it's great seeing you back. I'm glad your absence has been due to fun and work! That's always a great sign. Sounds like you had a blast in Austin. Did you see the bats? 🙂
No, I missed them! Someone was talking about bats while I was there… maybe that's what he was referring to. The music was loud and too many people were talking at once… it's very hard to pay attention at SXSW! 🙂
We sat at that bridge until it was past dark. Those damn bats picked that ONE DAY I was in Austin to sleep in. 🙂
Isn't that always the way? When were you in Austin? I'm sad to have missed you when I'm so close.