Monday Moans: It’s About Time!

Easy as A, B, C . . . from BB

How annoying is it to wake up on Monday morning and find your whole world has been turned upside down?

I forgot to change all my clocks.

Over the whole weekend!

In the kitchen my oven and my microwave always disagree. And they change their minds: the oven is two minutes faster than the microwave; then the microwave catches up over a few days’ time and is three minutes faster than the oven.

In my bedroom, the TV doesn’t agree with the dead land‑ line clock/ radio, which I use only as a clock. The “land‑ line” is purposefully set about 3 minutes fast. The TV changes, I think, with the weather.

In the garage, the Cooper doesn’t agree with the Subaru . . . and both of them are wrong anyway. And I can’t remember how to change the one in the Subaru. You know, “my” car. And I’ve NEVER known how to change the Cooper, “his” car.

Neither bathroom has a clock. But there’s my phone. Well, “there’s” my phone, when I can find it. When I can’t, I have to find “his” phone and get him to “call” my phone‑‑‑because he’s got a smart phone and I’ve got a dumb (and lost) phone.

From “time” to “time,” I rush‑‑‑ in desperation‑‑‑ for the sun room. My FAVORITE room in the house. My “new” office, since I remarried and gave up the “extra” bedroom to be “his” office.

At LAST, I know what time it is: this is an ATOMIC clock. Whatever that means. I keep hoping I don’t get some dread skin‑ disease from it, or have one of my limbs fall off.

OK. It says 6:05. But . . . does it change automatically when we lose or gain the hour in spring and fall? I’ll have to check one of the other clocks that changes automatically. But which one (or ones???) do that?

I can’t remember.

And it did no good to check my computer which DOES change automatically: it died last night.

I forgot to plug it in.

And the battery’s totally dead.

See you day‑after‑tomorrow for Tuesday’s Tutor!

Sunday’s Snippets: Want something done? Ask a BUSY person!

Easy as A, B, C . . . from BB

Two or three years ago I ran across a book by a Valorie Burton ‑ of course I noticed it right away:

1. “Burton” was my maiden name
2. The title of said book was How Did I Get So Busy?

I thought it sounded like a GREAT read, and maybe would give me some hints about how to lighten my load. So how was it? Dunno‑‑‑never made time to read it up until now.

I think I’ll just peruse a little and see what gems I can give you in a few blogs like Sunday’s Snippets, or even Thursday’s 13. Meanwhile, if you’ve discovered a way to simplify YOUR life, PLEASE send me some of YOUR hints!  I NEED ’em!

Valorie (I get to call her that; after all, we’re almost related) says:

Take a full hour for lunch

Set “No E‑mail” Periods

Add fun goals to your To Do list

End your day “on purpose,” meaning YOU decide when to
leave the office
head home
fall asleep

See you day‑after‑tomorrow for Tuesday’s Tutor!

Sunday’s Snippets: Yeah, But I’m No Isaac Asimov!

Easy as A, B, C . . . from BB

 In blogs and interviews, a lot of authors seem to be asked about their Work Habits; for instance:

“Thinking is the activity I love best, and writing to me is simply thinking through my fingers. I can write up to 18 hours a day. Typing 90 words a minute, I’ve done better than 50 pages a day. Nothing interferes with my concentration. You could put on an orgy in my office, and I wouldn’t look up—well, maybe once.” ~ Isaac Asimov

OK . . . so now I feel bad . . . because I’m no Isaac Asimov!

“I find that in the course of the day when I’m writing, after three or four hours of intense work, I have a splitting headache, and I have to stop.” ~ Edward Albee

“It sounds shameful, but on my best days I write only about three or four hours.” ~ Anne Bernays

OK . . . I feel better.  These quotes came from W.O.W.: Writers on Writing by Jon Winokur on “Work Habits.”

 Thanks, Jon…………bb

 See you day-after-tomorrow for Tuesday’s Tutor!

Key words:

Monday Moans: There’Snow Business Like Snow Business!

Easy as A, B, C . . . from BB

Ya know what gets my goat? . . . . . WINTER
I spent my early years living in Hawaii
I’d go barefoot even now, inside or outside, all the time . . . but it’s WINTER
I can’t wear my otherwise ubiquitous Birkenstock sandals all the time
If the snow is deeper than my sandal sole, I have to wear socks
If the snow is deeper still, I have to wear my running shoes AND socks
Most people seem to think I should wear a coat . . . only because it’s WINTER
I hate coats—they’re bulky and uncomfortable
Especially if I’m driving
Most years, I don’t even own a coat
I may carry an old beat-up one in the trunk of the car for emergencies
WINTER is not a sufficient emergency
Getting my hands into snow makes my elbows ache—fiercely!
And, no, it’s not because of my age or arthritis (though I have both)
My elbows ached, fiercely, even when I was a kid in Hawaii eating “shave ice”
BUT . . .
You know what makes up for WINTER?
How pretty Christmas Eve looked outside my sun room at night
Flocks of birds—robins, starlings, some strange, new, greenish specie this year
They come eat my frozen apple? berry? whatever? fruit, the red polka-dots in my snow-covered tree right in front of my office window
Surrounded by dozens, occasionally even hundreds, of fluttering wings
Which can also be seen from the side windows in my sun-room.

I guess WINTER isn’t all that bad.

See you day-after-tomorrow for Wednesday WIPs