Chris is coming today. I’m fighting the urge to spend the first hours of the day tidying up. That’s why I hired him, so I’d have more time for writing; I got halfway through revision notes on the novel before falling asleep at 11 last night, and I should really get back to it, so I can send it out to my local workshop. I’m going to, but it’s weirdly difficult to make myself do it. I’m not sure how much of that is stupid procrastination vs. difficulty concentrating when it’s messy around me, vs. gendered expectation that it’s my job to get the space neat. I don’t know.
Someone asked again yesterday what, exactly, I have my assistant doing for me. I make a list up every morning he’s here (using the previous one as a template, deleting things that have been completed and adding new ones), which is always a calming moment, organizing and handing off tasks.
Here’s the current list — Chris won’t get to all of this today, esp. the stuff at the bottom, which will spill over into future days. As the garden winds down for the season and the house actually gets fully organized (for the first time since we moved in eight years ago), there’ll be less house/gardening, and more SLF work, but thankfully, Chris has been very willing to do hours a day of domestic labor, rather than the computer work I had originally thought I would be having him do most of the time.
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MORNING ROUTINE:
a) dishes
b) trash and recycling
c) wipe down kitchen counters and island if needed
d) wipe down kids’ eat-in area if needed
e) sweep kitchen
f) check on birdfeeders
g) water indoor plants
h) water outdoor hanging baskets and back deck
i) check on vegetable garden and yard for general watering
j) do laundry — NEW
k) make beds — NEW
ERRANDS:
– pick up This One Summer at main library (using MA’s card) – they should have several copies
– pick up photo order (two albums and some pictures) at Walgreens (should be charged to MA’s card on file)
– also pick up MA’s prescription (Synthroid) at Walgreens; take cash
– mail photo books out (after MA writes cards)
– deposit SLF checks
GARDEN:
– finish planting hanging baskets
– plant fall bulbs (MA will show you); plant spring bulbs if time, not urgent
CLEANING & REPAIR:
– straighten library and guest room
WEEKLY PATREON POSTING:
Saturday: textile arts — knitting / crochet / sewing snippets – MA needs to write & send
– be sure to schedule the other posts she’s tagged you in (two cooking?)
ACADEMIC & WRITING:
– scan graphic novel pages
– scan chapters 2 and 3 of Mavin (save as separate PDFs)
– scan chapters 1-3 of Russ (save as separate PDFs)
SLF:
– choose planner
– start keeping database of possible speakers for workshops
– document workshops and reading series as they happen; add to website! – we can start with writing up the September SLF workshop, should also promote the upcoming reading on website, Facebook, and Twitter
UPCOMING: set up and manage membership for SLF, start tracking SLF budget, start prepping Kickstarter, update SLF web pages, talk to MA about SF reading series (10/7) organizing (start tracking SLF calendar yourself, both events and ongoing projects; one of the biggest problems is that MA forgets things). Future readings: Dec 7, March 1, and June 7. First Thursdays going forward.