Deep Breaths!

I’m liking this Women in Publishing Conference. However, I’m so far behind with watching the tutorials/talks/pre-recorded content, I doubt it’ll get finished in my lifetime. Not being there in person and physically moving from one room to another to hear the next topic I want to hear is hard. Life gets in the way too much.

I do have a background using computers, writing software, designing screens for input, so I’m no slouch at trying to navigate around. This package is pretty frustrating to navigate through, especially when I’m trying to do too many things in a day. Yesterday, I was alerted to the fact the Post Website was repeating February’s food menu for March. Yikes! Foolish mortal! It only displays what I tell it to. Got it fixed pretty late in the evening. Didn’t feel much like watching videos after that.

And here we are at another day with sun and blue sky. And sopping wet grass with mud all over the back yard. Goldie runs and plays, kicking up the water all over her undercarriage. And believe me, she’s a sturdy girl with lots of undercarriage. When she wants to rest, she plops on the grass or in a slush pile as it finishes melting. Definitely a water dog. I wonder if she can swim? Some dogs cannot. But I digress.

So with the distraction of playing catch and quieting Lexie, the barker, I’m not even near being able to watch any videos. Soon as I’m done here, there I’ll be. I’ve learned it doesn’t pay to fret, which was tempting 30 minutes ago. I just didn’t want the rest of this day God gave me to be wasted.

And, after printing off the topics, speakers, and schedules, this photo dump represents what I want to hear in the next week. Luckily, we will have access after the conference is over, but this is what I need to learn and understand in the next week. I know I can, I’ve done it over and over again.

This reminds me of the time when my son Nick was ten years old. He had a terrible stomach ache upon coming home from visiting his dad for the weekend. He was sick and in a lot of pain. Taking him to the doctor the next day revealed a very high white count. His appendix was the only suspect, but it hurt near his liver. A surgeon saw him on Tuesday, and put him in the hospital. So as a last ditch attempt, they went after his appendix. And found it up near his liver. It ruptured. He almost died.

Did I mention I was taking my computer classes during that time, and I couldn’t miss class or fail any tests. I did both. The instructor considered the circumstances and gave me a re-test. I passed the unit with a “C,” which I was grateful for, considering it was Assembler language. Not an easy subject. Especially when my mind was blown by my little boy asking me if he was going to die. Seriously. God love him, he pulled through. I teased him forever, because my then-boyfriend won a trip to Hawaii. He ended up taking his mother. I would not have left my child. Later on, I broke up with the guy. So glad I did.

So, I know I’ll get through this time and information crunch. I need to relax. I’m going to take a break, sit on the deck with the dogs in the sunshine, and enjoy the view. Thank you for reading today. I appreciate your presence very much. Be Safe out there. Be Thoughtful and Courteous while you’re at it. And just relax. It’ll all be there tomorrow!

Thursday Thoughts

Goldie was a little pest this morning. It’s nearly 11:30 a.m. and I’m just now writing. She is persistent when she wants to play. I know it’s important for her to play, but gosh, I have stuff to do! Now I feel guilty as she lies on the floor in my office and sleeps. She’s finally played enough. All she wants now is to be near me. What a sweetheart.

And she stands and barks a single yip, sharp to my ears, in a tone that hurts, and picks up her frozen rope yet again for me to throw. Wow. She loves it so much. When she loses sight of it and it falls down in the fresh snow, she sniffs it out. It’s funny. It’s 22 degrees outside right now, with the wind chill it feels like -13! That’s beyond nippy. Of course, she has a beautiful golden yellow coat to wear. She loves the snow, too.

It’s a day of interruptions to thoughts and deeds. I have taken a break or two to make a cup of tea, to get water for the dogs, and talk to my favorite brother-in-law in Sioux Falls. That phone call helped me put my mood in perspective. Have you ever had an in-law you just were grateful for their friendship? Brad is that guy. We have a ton of computer analyst jokes between each other. I admire his ability as a web designer, his faith, and his love for his family. Just glad to have him as a friend.

Staff meeting time at the Home Office in Gretna, Nebraska. Goldie brought a snack, her favorite bone, and Lexie is napping on a soft, fuzzy blanket in the barrel chair by the window. Keeping our secrets safe from any beast who passes. When I get frustrated, it’s best to remember how I would miss them if we didn’t have them. The companionship of pets is important to me and the Babe. Even when they are be a pain.

Interruptions are frustrating. Some days it feels as if there is nothing accomplished at all. My list for today? I laugh at how bold I was at eleven this morning. It’s now 1:45 p.m. One To-Do item crossed off, and it had nothing to do with my writing. The unexpected phone call was a source of joy and reset my mood. Some days are just like this. What do other creatives do? 

Oh boy, it’ll be time to make dinner before I know it. The best thing to do now is finish what we can for the day and try again tomorrow. Speaking of tomorrow, I take Mom for her COVID shot in the morning. I’ve heard the site moved people along well, and there was very little time wasted. That will bode well with her. She gets pretty anxious in public anymore. We will have to dress warmly, it will be Artic again tomorrow.

I do like the news story telling the elderly to wear short sleeves when getting their COVID vaccines. It allows for modesty in a socially distanced room, and that matters to elderly ladies. They mentioned it helping them prepare for the experience in the best way they can. I see it as thoughtful. Good job, doctors!

Off to finish the most important of the tasks on the rest of the list for today. For tomorrow? RELAX. Thank you for reading today, and we’ll see each other again tomorrow. Hope it’s a good evening for everyone, and you all stay safe. Be well.