appointment setting

Paula, hang it on your front door. 😉

Damaria, I know the feeling. I've let my sister go to voice mail and even my mother, but just a few times. At her and Dad's age, I answer. You never know.

I'm considering my extra time a gift right now. I have a small gap between more work (some coming today or tomorrow), and I'm using the time to get words on paper. When else will I get that chance without carving it out of my day otherwise?

Lori, the thought of being able to devote a good chunk of the day to Nano sounds really nice. I wish. I do most of my Nano writing in the evening after client work is done.

I must have kept it for a reason.

In addition to saying no, which I have learned to do and it's worth learning, I'm also learning to set limits when I say yes.

Anyway, that very neighbor has asked me to save a coupon out of the Sunday paper for her and said she'd pick it up Monday. I left the house for maybe 45 minutes in the afternoon to buy groceries and the only voice mail when I got back was from my sister. An hour or so after I got home my phone rang at the exact same time someone knocked on the front door. (There is a doorbell but everyone knocks. Go figure.) I assumed it would be said neighbor coming for her coupon – calling to say she was on the porch since she's done that before. I chose to answer the door instead of the phone. It was a college friends dropping off the first issue of her new monthly city paper. Fast forward a couple of hours…the phone rang. Please note, it was already dark, my lights were on and I hadn't yet closed the drapes and this neighbor has a clear view of my house and could see the lights. The neighbor called, "I wanted to check that you were okay since you didn't answer when I knocked on the door earlier or when I called."

I said, "I was at the store earlier, and you didn't leave a message so I had no way of knowing you called." (I keep telling her – and others – that I don't have Caller ID, so I won't know they called if they don't leave a darn message. I also point out that I pay extra for voice mail so they darn well better use it!)

The other part of working from home that's annoying is when people expect you're there 24/7. Even prisoners get a little time out of their cells.

Ashley, that was the hardest part for me – learning to say no without guilt or reservation. Now it comes maybe a little too easily. LOL

I set up appointments. They show up on time.

I don't answer the phone, so that's not a problem. Found out yesterday I'd had my cell phone off for three days. Ooops.

If someone shows up at someone's door unexpectedly in this neighborhood, one of the neighbors is usually there before the guy gets to the door. Everyone looks out for everyone and "just because there's a logo on the van doesn't make it legit."

When I lived in NY, I'd put a sign on the door while I worked, "IF you interrupt me, I will be rude."

If they did, I was.

Rarely did they make that mistake twice.

I'm lucky though because it's usually my husband who gets stuck as the Designated Door Opener because of his night work hours. He would just be watching TV otherwise, though. Does that make me a horrible person that I don't feel too bad about it??