Free Friday

My big challenge right now is to structure my time so as to accomplish my goals both long-term and short.

I always start off weekdays with exercise, preferably a long walk with friends around a neighborhood. It's low impact, introduces me to new things and the conversations are super fun.

This early evening I have a telecon with Roxy from Toastmasters, checking in on how the Area Director thing is going. The question for this first meeting was to come up with how this fit into my professional goals. To do that, I had to figure out what are my current professional goals. I have long realized that I needed to improve my organizing skills, since what I enjoyed most professionally was enabling others to publish their work to the public, through webinars and other media. I plan to do more WSBA webinars, expand the concept to other sections, and so forth; to do that I need to be better at managing multiple projects with many people and so on. AD plus officer roles in two clubs calls for this, in a low-risk environment: as they say, "Toastmasters is a good place to fail". 

Speaking of failing: I had thought the call was at 5:30 but it was actually 5:00 pm so around about 5:11pm  I got a call. Well ... it worked out anyway, in part because I was prepared and launched into my professional goals rap. I described transitioning for the post-it note system Roxy had suggestion to a kanban system (the word I had gotten from Julie and the rest was research) using Trello as Jovica had suggested. Roxy contributed some sample Trello projects and in general it was a fruitful conversation. I really can feel good about having skills and getting better.

Early in the day while collecting greens I put a couple of invasive snails on the Little Free Library, to pick up for when I went to feed the ducks. At duck time, I found only snail rubble. I guess the crows or something completed that circle of life.

Arthur frequently comes to me and calls. Sometimes he wants food, sometimes he wants out, sometimes he just wants company for his nap. It's my job, I guess.

Thursday Walkabout

Sweet Work!

Kind of an open workspace

Sleeping It Off In The Rosemary

Truck of my childhood

When I was a child, I think one of our uncles sent either toys or money for toys. We got this magnificent metal pickup truck (possibly Tonka) with two trailers. It was wonderful, although there were 3 of us boys and Steve claimed it. Maybe it was his maybe it was just a habit. I'm not much of a truck driver anyway.

Wednesday Self Appreciation

During today's walk we talked about the personal coaching course Julie's taking. There's a whole lot of life skills in that thing that I might benefit from practicing myself; today's most interesting concept had to do with caring for oneself, or something such. We can't deal with other people's issues if our own issues intrude; we can't help with needs if our own needs intrude. I think back to the contentious phone call a week or two ago, and decided that if I had not been surprised by the whole thing, I might have responded more effectively by asking about what her needs were instead of snapping and issueing judgement. Unfortunately I did not put this into practice when I responded today to my brother's comments claiming I was not credible because I'd changed my name and so was hiding who I really was. This did afford me the opportunity to talk about why I'd changed my name and advise that I am now quite open about the child abuse that went on at our house and how I recognized its impact on we adult children, but this was probably a waste of time since there will be no change. However I feel good for stating it plainly.
I called the vet around 8 but the last appointment had been taken. Tomorrow I must resolve to call right when it opens at 7:30.
Galen called back, suggesting that I could still be eligible for Weather and Safety Leave. I clearly stated that my doctor didn't think that I qualified as medically whatever before I am only 64 but that she absolutely did not want me to be in the building due to COVID risk. I said I was trying to be very precise in following the rules but had no objection if I was going to be on WS: Galen said he'd check with the next level. He confirmed that I can't connect to my modem with a cable; I explained it'd have to go through a floor and 1 or two walls because the modem is in the rented apartment; Galen agreed this was not practical. He called back later and said he was putting me on Weather and Safety Leave, and not to call every morning about sick leave as I did yesterday and today. He also advised that if this goes on longer I might forfeit some "Use It Or Lose It" leave; I said I'd be ok with that if that's the way it work. Whatever the rules say is fine.
I am better off than Galen because he has a pacemaker but is supposed to go in at some point for something managerial. Wow!
It is a warm day; I have picked some peas and am now doing paperwork.

On the walk: fan fence

Rainbow Fence And Our Shadows

Box Art

Box Art2

Embedded Art

Greenyurt

My Peas Are Higher Than I Am

I Am Happy About My Peas

Mulberry, We Think

Why Am I Looking Down?

Hannah And Julie Pansies

Tuesday Rest

Today I called in sick to Gaylen. It is the beginning of my retirement, or my next step anyway.
On today's walk I met an older man who offered spare flower seeds, which we declined, and used books. I drove back afterwards and chatted, promising to pass the books to someplace useful. I've been putting a few in my backpack when I walk, for distribution at Little Free Libraries, so this is no problem. As we talked, I mentioned my retirement and he, like so many, felt obliged to remind me that if I worked longer I'd get a higher monthly payment from Social Security. I believe that this is well meant.

Purple Bug And House

The Dino Garden Now Features
A Seal Preaching

Nice Purple Flowers

The furnace filters that I'd ordered from Amazon using a credit from something I'd forgotten arrived, and appear functional. I have the system off most of the time during this season so I hope the filters will last longer than intended.
Tonight we had Toastmasters Club 832 (West Seattle) Executive Committee meeting via Zoom, which went smoothly to the surprise of no-one. The impending meeting encouraged me to re-figure out the website, at the meeting we figured out updating our Facebook page, and also during it I actually accessed the Club google docs, discovering the position manuals I'd wanted emailed to me. The key point: nothing needs to be mailed if its web repository is known.
Mostly I rested. It's been a long career and now it's time for change.