Still with the goofing off

[rolanni]

Honestly, doesn't the woman ever work?

Since our last Thrilling Installment... I did the summer-hours work-thing, started reading a little-known modern-day space opera classic titled Local Custom, went to Staples and spent mon$y on things that will hopefully keep me a little more organized between that job and this one and that other one over there. Man, I loathe those desktop hanging file things. That said, they do work better than piles.

Today in particular was highly energetic. Took Mozart to Fairfield at 8 a.m to see his Good Friend Sue the Groomer, who bestowed upon him his summer shorts. He looks a tad plucked at the moment, but it'll grow back. Ohmyyes, it will.

While Mozart was being groomed, I made the aforementioned trip to Staples, thence to the grocery store, where I discovered that they have moved everything around since the last time I was in -- conservatively, four months ago -- stopped by the town office to pay the yearly fee on Binjali the Ancient Altima, and picked up the mail, which was notable for including notice of two doctor's appointment -- one with an allergist and the other with a gentleman who is going to cut a hole in my head (like I need another one -- and actually, he's going to excise a cyst -- on the day before we leave for Baltimore to do honor to the parental units. Good times.) -- picked Mozart back up from Sue (who reported him a gentleman), came home, ate lunch with Steve and spent the rest of the day trying to recover my office.

I have, just for the record, 'way too much STUFF in my office. What's depressing is how much of it can't be thrown out. However, there is a fair amount that can be got rid of; I'm just going to have to Get Tough and Get it Done.

In other news, a real peach of a thunderstorm missed us by that much, pout. We never get the good weather...

Comments

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

I watched that red blot on the weather radar and thought of you guys.

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Back when people were trying to help me get organized in my office (nowadays they've given up) someone recommended one of the "get organized" books. This particular one started with a bit of self-analysis. The author pointed out that some of us work best with things out of sight (in drawers, behind us, as long as it isn't in front of us) while others really like to have everything in sight. I think there might have been a third category, but I've forgotten. Anyway, the author pointed out that if you are a clean desk worker, putting things in hanging folders or open file bins isn't going to make you a happy camper. And vice versa -- people who like their piles in front of them will not be amused if the piles get stored inside a filing cabinet or drawers.

I worked out that I really prefer a clean working area, and have tended to keep it that way. Behind me, on the other hand, I pile and pile (given half a chance). If I have drawers or something, I will happily hide my piles in them, but as long as they are out of my eyesight, they don't bother me. This tends to result in an office with boxes, files, and piles of old stuff outside of my working view, and a surprisingly clean working space which gets covered with the current mess, but only the current one.

I think deciding which kind of person you are can be very helpful. For example, those hanging file folder thingies that some people swear are great organizers make me break out in cold sweats when they are on my desk.

Good luck -- and remember that while organizing the office is always great fun and can be helpful in reminding yourself of those buried notions, it isn't exactly an A task (A = important and current, B = important but future, C = not important but current, and D = not important and not timely? Something like that, anyway. Huh - they taught me that, and I turned it into a quadrant thing, with important/not important on one side, and current/future on the other side. Good way to keep track of tasks, except the ones that are future have this sneaky way of slipping into current when I'm not looking, and then turn into crises because I thought it was still pending).

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

while organizing the office is always great fun and can be helpful in reminding yourself of those buried notions, it isn't exactly an A task (A = important and current, B = important but future, C = not important but current, and D = not important and not timely?

Actually, for me it is an A task, because I'm one of those people who Cannot Function in a Mess. This is why Steve and I have from the beginning had separate offices; he's good with the piles and I -- have been a secretary for much of my adult life. Which means that I basically keep track of the stuff that's in other people's piles and remind them (the people) when they need to do something about them (their pile).

I'm well-familiar with the organizational aids and how to use them effectively. Up 'til now, though, I've refused to have them at home, because I could remember what was in the pile (note singular).

Now that I'm working three jobs (day-job, writer-job, SRM-job -- plus keeping the house accounts and paperwork), I can't rely on Memory Power -- especially when I'm in the midst of a writing project.

The day-job has been running on lists for quite some time. Lists don't work so well with the other jobs...mostly because I apparently lack the discipline to write to the list. What that's meant for the last two writing projects is that Everything Goes to Hell at some point; the writing is chosen as the A task, and when it's complete, I spend a week to two months cleaning up all the other cakes I dropped during the Big Push to Finish.

Clearly, I need to be doing something better, so Step One is Getting Conventionally Organized. Might help. Can't hurt.

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Good point - when my desk gets covered, I have to stop and clear it, too. Getting organized - it's one of those irritating tasks that grows so bloody fast if you skip it for a while, and then is so hard to pick up again. Mostly wanted to agree with the notion that those open bins and folders, while they work for some people, aren't good for me. Hanging folders in a file cabinet, even boxes out of my sight work fine, but the "on your desktop, everything in view" plan makes me berzerk.

And it is sneaky the way that organization grows from a low-level regular task to a raging monster that is eating the office. Time for the whip and chair?

[elektra.livejournal.com]

Just a thought - you could just snuggle up with a cat or two and listen to Michael Shanks read Local Custom to you . . .

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

you could just snuggle up with a cat or two and listen to Michael Shanks read Local Custom to you . . .

Actually, though Michael does a lovely reading -- I can't. Or couldn't, since Custom is now behind me and in a few minutes I start in on Scout's Progress.

I'm reading these for continuity and feel so the sequel to Scout will hit the right notes. It's been a looooonnnnnnggggggg time since these were written -- 1992 and 1993, respectively -- so reading the words, and looking at the structure, and all the rest of that Boring Writer Stuff is necessary.

Local Custom, at least, has held up very well. I'm impressed; though I did catch a (tiny) misstep for the Crystal Books, sigh...