Juggling Act

I was chatting with a friend yesterday, we were comparing schedules trying to figure out when to meet in person for lunch. After she looked at my schedule she asked me “How do you keep all of this straight and stay sane?”

I smiled and commented there is method in my madness. I will let all of you in on the secret.

It’s planning!

I use my outlook calendar that gets synced with my iPhone, if it isn’t on the calendar don’t hold your breath, not likely to happen. I also schedule everything in 15 minute blocks of time.

I will start with the big picture, what do I need?

1. Sleep

2. Time with hubby

3. Time to write based on my goals.

4. Time for volunteer work.

So open up a digital calendar, I use outlook.

Block out time for sleep, I block out 8 hours a night, do I get all 8 no not every night.

Next I put 1 date night a week on the calendar, usually Saturday, then if you are religious block out the time for that.

If you have a job other than writing block out that time next, don’t forget commute time.

For me it’s volunteer activities I know when some of these take place well in advance. For me I go to the Airborne & Special Operations Museum every Tuesday morning.

Next add time for holidays if you didn’t include them with the religious items.

Okay I think you are getting the picture. You are essentially making appointments with yourself.

Now you have a frame, so we can add in time for writing, researching etc.

My calendar looks like a rainbow since I use a different color for everything.

I am currently doing a number of short term projects, so I add in time to work on them. The cat has an appointment I add that as well. No kids here but, you would schedule their activities the same way.

Am I ever double booked?

Once in a while, but, most of the time I avoid the confusion since I have that frame in place.

I have routines that I don’t even think about anymore for the daily things, such as housework. I try and plan meals in advance, and yes they get added to the calendar too.

When Mr. Murphy comes calling I know exactly what I can move with the fewest issues.

If you want to know more about the housework and how it comes together, I use Flylady. I adapted many of the things I learned from “flying” to help me structure my life and it works out well.

Now if I can just structure chapter 6 a bit better…..

I can’t seem to find the right seasoning for chapter 6

I am trying to tweak chapter 6 to be more intriguing. I just can’t seem to find the right set of spices for this chapter. There could be a hint of romance but much more is not possible. My MC’s are off getting fake id’s made, kinda dry I know. The fake id’s have been an integral part of 3 conversations and many things hinge on these id’s I feel the need to include it.

Ideas, hmmm

as I write this I am getting a few spice ideas.

Well I know you don’t come here to listen to me gripe but I think typing a few comments to my followers may have stirred a few ideas.

I thank you for that.

Chapter 5 is done!

Chapter 5 was a bit of a boring chapter. It is not boring now. I added some spices, the spices used were a tablespoon of intrigue, and a few dashes of well placed humor, and a tiny pinch of romance. I was worried about the length, until I checked out a few other novels from the same genre. My worries were alleviated.

Now on to other things since it’s been a few days since I posted. I have been busy writing, while hubby has been to the range. I am proud of him, he qualified expert on his weapon. Tomorrow morning I have to be bright eyed and bushy tailed when I arrive at ASOM.

Well chapter 6 here I come.

Army Wife Duties, coffee and other musings

Well today has been busy. I have not been writing but working on Army wife things. I had a meeting with the Family Readiness Group leader for my husbands battery. We have come up with a number of fundraising ideas, and future fun activities. I hope some of our ideas come to pass especially the Valentines Day one. That one will take some doing though since time is short. Yes I said short, you try getting the army to move quickly on anything. We had coffee and sweets. Thankfully I noticed the coffee level was low and picked up more.

It’s also a great time to be at home writing since we are having foul weather. Well foul for this area. Lots of places are closing early, and everyone is encouraged to stay home. That’s fine with me, time to settle in with a fresh cup of coffee and get writing.

Well it’s time to get back to the novel. Chapter 5 is calling my name.

What I was doing vs what I should have been doing

Well I just couldn’t get back into my writing. I was missing my gamer friends. So… I went on my favorite minecraft server. I all but stopped playing in November, due in large part to Nanowrimo, writing 2,000 words a day or so seems to consume most of my spare time. Most days I don’t mind and find my writing fun. Every once in a while I just need to take a break. It worked sort of.
I found myself building some of the places in my novel. So much for a break, but now I can picture them better, they exist well one of the buildings does anyway if only in an online world. This novel has spurred me on to finish, or at least help with the building of Vatican City on the server. Yes this server is crazy enough to build the whole of Vatican City. We have a ton of huge community builds. There are few things we wont build. We have the C terminal of ATL, a terrarium that goes from bedrock to skybox built with obsidian and lapis blocks, we have a villager trading center, grinders of various types, and a transportation network that would make most city planners green with envy. Unlike a lot of the servers filled with teenagers who break things and steal things, this is an adult server. This server has been in existence since server based worlds started.
On a totally unrelated note, I love cats be refuse to have a litter box. My older cat Diana is toilet trained. Yes the human toilet, she climbs up on the seat and conducts her business. No she doesn’t flush. Well kitten Philip has been learning since the day we brought him home, at 8 weeks of age. He surprised my husband this morning by getting up on the toilet without the training aid, and conducting his own kitty business. This makes me very very happy. If you want photos the cats using the toilet post a comment about it and I will post pictures.
Well I am going to try and tweak my novel a bit now that hubby has left for work.