I think I’ve accomplished more this week than any week in my career. I have tomorrow and all next week off, so I’ve had to herd the cats. So far, I’ve managed a pile of client captions, two interviews for an upcoming article, four more interviews for a newsletter, four more newsletter articles from those interviews, a press release, a larger article, and now blog posts for both this week and next. I’m probably forgetting something, but as long as it’s been done, we’re good. Oh, and the daily assignments from the ongoing client. Let’s not even discuss marketing – I sent out one query to an existing client. As long as it hits the mark, I’m fine.
I’ve said it before and history proves the theory – if you want to get tons of work in, plan a vacation. I got a call from my favorite client on Monday asking for help. With an unusually long window (three days – for them, that’s long), I was able to work them into the mix.
I have a little more to finish up today, then I have to don the apron (literally) and be Julia Child for nine. Thank God I love to cook. But fitting nine at a table for six will be interesting. Did I mention we’ll be eating at 9 pm? And that I have somehow bruised or broken the ball of my right foot? And my car is in the shop? And my daughter will be home for her internship interview? And that we’re stacking people in the basement for lack of any more sleeping space? And that I love all of it (except for the car/foot things)? If a meditation monk shows up too (as they’ve been known to do here), he’ll be sleeping outside.
I’m praying that all the projects I’m working on go well today. I need a client to return the promotional piece today so I can turn this machine off and let it be for a week. Nothing is worse than having things hanging over your head when you’re trying to entertain or relax.
I posted on Facebook a few days ago that I was striving for a time out. Another dear friend posted that it was ironic how we fought naps as a child yet longed for them when we’re older. Please, send ME to MY room!
What are you working on today?
13 responses to “Thursday Musings and Madness”
Thinking of you and sending you "smooth organizational" vibes.
I'm working on the urban fantasy, the novella, taxes, and dealing with the scumbag landlord.
I'm currently proving your point too. I sent a notice to all my clients late last week that I'd be leaving for an 11-day vacation in two weeks. I added, "So if you need anything completed prior to then, please send me the detail before April XX." Bad idea. I think almost every single one of them took the bait. Now I'm doing 2.5 weeks' worth of work in one. It's true that as a freelancer you never really get a vacation. The workload just gets transferred to a different time slot.
If the week before vacation is crazy-making, returning from vacation is outright daunting. There's always a small pile of fires needing to be put out immediately.
Cooking (let alone for nine! the mind boggles) is the opposite of my idea of vacation so I hope your day is one of those miraculous days where everything works out perfectly. Sometimes you run into a little pre-vacation magic right when you need it most.
Valerie, I hope so, too. I'm making vegetarian for meat-eaters, two of them extremely picky. I chose to make vegetables wellington – a puff pastry dish. The picky ones both love it. Amen.
Devon, thank you. Those are good vibes to receive. 🙂
Kathy, it never fails. 🙂 And you're right – the work just piles on right before vaca. I would love ONE vacation that isn't accompanied by the "I have to deal with THAT when I get back" stress.
Let's see…since I'm still new to freelancing, marketing often takes up the bulk of my day. Today's to-do list includes updating my blog, tweeting a bit, sending out business cards and contact info to potential clients I've previously cold-called, cold calling until I reach at least five human beings, identifying at least one or two online magazine or blog markets, and completing at least 4 Demand Studios articles. Somewhere in there, I'd also like to go to the gym and spend a few minutes visiting some friends. Good thing it's only 7:45 right now!
Good luck clearing your desk, cooking for nine, and accommodating however many you end up accommodating.
Have a great vacation. Hope the work pours in while you're "off".
Oh, and I just added you on Facebook …
Oh, and what am I working on today? Taxes. :o)
I'm not even going to think about the mess that will be awaiting me when I return. One thing I know for sure is that I'll be deleting emails en masse. ;o) Try to enjoy your time off as well. Fortunately, these fires are slow-burning ones so they'll still be smouldering when we get back.
I have the feeling that for Lori, like for me, cooking for nine is far easier than squeezing them all around one table.
I was expecting between 6-12 for Easter dinner, but we probably had food for 20. It's fun! I hadn't cooked like that in a long time.
So what other goodies are you making, Lori?
Now that my cleaning and cooking frenzy is over, I'm wrapping up a longer article and a couple of smaller quick-turnarounds for tomorrow. I need to knock out a column and blog post, too. I want to start work this weekend on a script for ScriptFrenzy. It's day eight and I haven't written word one….As soon as I start the script, I'm sure a certain editor will finally get back to me with some assignments he said were in the pipeline.
Your blog is neat, Caroline! I've visited a few times. I tried commenting yesterday, but my computer wasn't letting me post – even on my own site!
Thanks, Diane. I responded. 🙂 And have "fun" with the taxes!
Kathy, enjoy your time off, too. You of all people need a rest! Trying year for you.
Paula, a spinach salad with raisins and homemade vinaigrette, possibly a lentil soup, a pineapple upside-down loaf, strawberry shortcake (daughter's doing that one), and lots of whiskey and wine. I figure I liquor them up, they won't care what they're eating. LOL
Maybe I should plan a vacation… it's been a day of tech hell. Blog went down which took hours and then email went down… I need a nap; I'm working on a client's book.
(pity pot?)
Thanks for musing, Lori. I had the most work-related stress-filled month I've had since I decided to freelance, lo these 15 years ago. Computer died two weeks ago, taking my backup drive with it (! lightning in Florida, sheesh) and I had to completely recreate a 22,000 word travel book project from memory and scribbled notes. One more day to go and then my head can explode. Have you ever had a project that just made you want to give up and say to the client "I can't do it, spread the word, I'm a fraud"?
Joseph, go to Microsoft right now and sign up for their Office Live. It's free and it allows you to store your files (and work on them) online. It saved me a few times already.