The Time Sink

Wow. What a work-filled weekend! ...major progress in the library and garage. ...and a start on storage. At this rate, we'll be done in a year or two. Yeah, there's a lot of stuff. ...and a lot of re-thinking to do. But I have some goals in place and some progress under my belt, so I feel okay about it. ...all except for my arms and legs and back!

...which will get no breaks this week. Yep, moving day is coming right up. ...and guess what I get to do? Oh, you got it in one! Yeah, box and clean and sort and move more stuff. Like I didn't get my fill this weekend <g>. Ah, well; but by this coming weekend, I may just be in a daze about it all...

...and a days work is still ahead of me; the move thing doesn't really matter in some ways: we've still got a company to run and goods to get in. At some point though, likely Thursday, we're going to have to put that special message on the phone system that says we're just not available. I just hope we have time to do that before they pull the plug on it!

Long day yesterday... One trick that I have learned over the years involves goal setting. I'll likely write it up in detail for the blog, but the short version is to set short term, very limited goals when things appear to be overwhelming, the old "chunk it" process. Last Friday, I moved every non-essential task (by my criteria) to next week, or even later. The balance I cut and chopped and limited to just a few for the first three days this week. I set none for Thursday or Friday...

So far so good: the expected unexpected stuff came up and got handled. The planned stuff got handled. ...and I made it home in time for dinner. ...and to find John Madden announcing Monday Night Football! ...and I got to watch David Carr for the first time since he moved from this area.

Okay, deep breath... Let it out... One more. ...and out. Yeah, Tuesday started early and ended late. Plan A (very few goals) is still keeping me sane. ...as the inevitable impossibles come rolling in. I had one yesterday that left me almost in tears (of laughter!). Man. Life is most interesting...

The day started at the DMV, but I didn't get my normal detox time afterward as I had to head back to deal with yet another something that popped up. ...and then Janeen went off to help Joe. ...who was covering another position. ...and she ended up stuck. ...so I did her stuff. ...until she came back. ...and then we did more stuff. ...and by that time the commute traffic was long over and we figured we might as well go home!

...and I'm now handling my own computer and associated equipment. Okay, that'll be a rough one... I'd just as soon handle that anyway; the IT gang at the office just isn't used to a full Daynotes Insanity Special. I mean, the six comm ports just gives them the willies <g>!

A moment of grand joy in the midst of the madness... I was on a pre-stock Costco run yesterday and stopped in at the Office Depot next door for a coupla' minor items. ...and, as I was wandering, I saw a Compaq machine tucked behind an LCD monitor. The LCD monitor was the high ticket item and the box was just being used to sell the display, but it had a $399 tag on it...

Okay, I'll at least look to see what's up with that; usually that means something's been around a little too long, but that price was a bit low even for that. Let's see... 1.2g Celeron, 256mb, 40g, CDRW, DVD, network, modumb (likely)... Oh, and XP! ...and AOL! Now, wait a moment...

Yeah, I'll go for it; I could use a dual boot workstation when all is said and done with the home office move; Shelley can have one of the machines and Brad will need his own, so that's a good enough deal. Hmmmm... It seems they can't find the box, the paperwork or the CDs... Hello? "How about $100 off?" Countered with, "As is?" Deal...

So, it now has another 256 on board; the network connection turns out to be an SMC NIC; the modem is a frisbee and the partridge has enough room for a nest. ...or a second HDD. Yeah, I think I ended up okay...

Good grief; I started off at the office by 0700 yesterday and got home at 2200 (with one run home around 1700 to change into shorts)... That pretty much did me in. Dinner was on the way home. ...the second time. Today, I'm wearing shorts to start the day!

But! The office is packed; the computer is moved (and up enough to help IT by testing the domain login around 2130) and today will be spent picking up some extension cables and putting the new jigsaw puzzle together. Yeah, my old furniture is making the move, just not to my office: the GM decided to concentrate all the new stuff in my area! Cool, but things simply will not go together like they have in the past.

Man, am I glad that week is over. Not that next week won't be a challenge, but simply because I could use a break from the raw physical labor and the long hours! ...and I won't miss one more trip down two flights of stairs with a armload of goods (or the trip back up to get more!). Getting up yesterday was quite a challenge...

...as was getting up today! I spent Friday mostly under desks and tables installing keyboard trays (Janeen's and my office) and computer stuff (my office). ...and moving boxes about. I will say that as I get older the crawling around under the desk thing doesn't get any easier. ...and there's a serious payback the next day! At least I made it out of bed this morning!

There was some debate about that last night <g>. When I got home and sat down, that was just about it for me. I debated blading, but decided it would be too dangerous; so I took a shower and laid down to read about 2000. I didn't fall asleep right away; but once I loaded up on ibuprofen, things hurt less and I was able to get a solid night's sleep for the first time in a while

Well, I got a lot accomplished yesterday, but I didn't handle the 106F heat all that well. ...and a late night to bed made for a very late start today.

Short version: nothing to report <g>. ...other than more work to do.