Round-up

These last few weeks, I’ve been working on some posts about some meatier stuff. (I know you’re thinking it isn’t difficult to get meatier than the dry cleaner and books, and I’d have to agree with you. But I digress.) Stuff like my codependent relationship with email and how I’m trying to fix it, and shoulds vs. wants for small businesses, and my get-things-done-without-feeling-like-a-productivity-robot secrets, and a certain occupational hazard that shall for now remain nameless. In the meantime, I should be writing about design stuff or client stuff or being-authentic stuff, but I haven’t because I’ve been in this hi, overwhelm, meet insecurity place where even writing that sentence is hard. Because I have a whole giant system for addressing overwhelm and I’m used to it working. But then insecurity has to swoop in and ruin everything. Thanks a lot.

All of that to say, it’s way past time to do a round-up of all the super awesome and wonderful stuff that’s been going on in the midst of stuff gone awry. Hopefully this round-up will become a regular habit.

The books! Oh, the books.

I am now on books four and five of twelve. I usually have this rule about reading multiple books at the same time (and it’s called I can’t stand the thought of my books resenting me for sitting there, bookmarked and lonely) but I quickly realized that I’d be in Gone with the Wind for quite some time and needed a second book that doesn’t require its own boarding pass when I get on an airplane. I’ve also concluded that any book about books is a quick sell with me. You could tell me that The Principles of Microeconomics was a book about books and I’d probably read it. Case in point:

“It was a paradise of learning, and I prayed for eventual admission… My fingers itched to take a few off the shelves, but I didn’t dare touch even a binding.” (The Historian)

Four-day work week? Yep. Check.

I can’t say it’s any easier, but I’m sticking with it. I’m fairly certain I imagined that hours would magically appear in the days I would be working and that would somehow compensate for the day off. With no one volunteering to switch from 24- to 32-hour days, I’m brainstorming other solutions.

The Oregon Coast makes me glad to be alive.

So do a lot of other things, like baking and my husband. But I got to spend not one but two weekends at the coast this month and it was pure bliss.

Ever wondered what to do with those 30 bone china teacups and saucers in your china cabinet?

Me neither. But apparently, my mom and Granny actually do ask themselves these kinds of questions. My mom and I planned and served (with the help of my generous husband) a seated four-course high tea dinner for my Granny and 25 of her closest friends. One of my colleagues pointed out how amazing it is to not only have an 80th birthday but to have that many dear people to share it with. I have to agree.

Bear in mind that all of those teacups, saucers and hand-painted china plates have to be washed. By hand. Along with the 25 wine glasses and everything you served from, cooked in, and baked on. Consider yourself warned.

I pitched my tent!

I had a Wilderness Concierge session this week, and oh. my. gosh. Kelly is brilliant and supportive and encouraging and makes you feel like everything you say and think is not only sane (whew!) but also meaningful, valuable and useful. I’m so stinkin’ excited I want to run around yelling LOOK AT ALL MY AWESOME NEW STUFF! Except that wouldn’t be a good idea, because all that new stuff is still in my head. And if people tried to look in there, well, a) things could get pretty messy, and b) it might look something like this. A whole world of weird in there? Yes, indeed.