On Organization--or Lack There Of

Once I was truly a well-organized person. When I was the most organized I ran and lived in a licensed facility for 6 developmentally disabled women. I cooked and served three nutritious meals a day and snacks (did all the grocery shopping) and did all the laundry, but I paid someone to do the housework, though I did do touch ups. I planned activities and executed them. I did all the paperwork connected to this job (much of it unnecessary but required), planned and gave approved training to other providers. And of course I took each one of the women to regular doctor visits and any emergency, and kept track of their medications.

I also put out a state-wide newspaper (still do) for other administrators of licensed facilities about new regulations and other news.

Believe it or not I managed to write nearly every day for at least three hours.

When my mom lived next door, we walked three miles every day--looking back, not sure how I fit that in, I sure don't walk three miles anymore.

I've always attended several mystery or writing conferences every year. BAck when we had the facility, I often did this by myself and my husband held down the fort--or when he did go, we hired staff to take care of things.

I'm still writing every day--most days--and I hire someone to do the main part of the house and I do our bedroom, bath and my office. I'm still the chief cook and bottle washer, but I like to cook and I always wash the pots and pans as I dirty them. We almost always eat on paper plates so I don't have to run the dishwasher too often.

One thing that has really changed is how much promotion I do on the Internet. That's can be a real time suck with writing a blog every day and the two I do for other blogs on a regular basis. And then of course there's Facebook, Twitter and all those other things. I also write a monthly newsletter for people who have willing signed up for it.

One of the writing organizations I belong to is Public Safety Writers Association. I'm on the board of directors and my job is organizing the program for the annual conference. It's fun, but also time consuming. I'm also the editor of their quarterly newsletter. The hard part is getting people to write articles for it.

I've confessed before about liking reality shows on TV--but I'm not much good for anything after supper anyway. I've gone like a house afire all day and need some down time and I'm usually asleep by 9 or so.

I'm active in my church, though I don't do nearly as much as I used to. I teach Sunday School and I'm the church clerk which means taking minutes at their bi-monthly council meetings, not difficult.

But I did all these things and more before--now I can't seem to cram quite as much in as I used to. I guess I'll blame it all on getting old--as good an excuse as any.

Marilyn
http://fictionforyou.com