I am still working on Very Nice Funerals, but I’m so close to the end now. I really have to send it back to Bob and then he can go through it again and send to betas. Also, taxes. I’m behind on everything. AAAAAAAARGH.
What did you work on this week?
Jennifer Crusie is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author and co-author of twenty-three novels, one book of literary criticism, miscellaneous articles, essays, novellas, and short stories, and the editor of three essay anthologies. She lives in a cottage in Pennsylvania, where she often stares at the ceiling and counts her blessings.
Find out more about Jenny’s published works by visiting JennyCrusie.com
67 Responses
Working on not working! Went into the office on Monday afternoon and emptied my desk of personal stuff. Am on work-stress related sick leave now and from Monday on annual leave. Don’t actually retire until November. It is a lot of work to stop working.
Also working on trying to find out if I am the source of an intermittent slow drip leak to the flat downstairs. Had plumbers out but they can find nothing. It stopped then started again and am completely bemused by what could be causing it. This is not helping my stress either.
Loved the spinning plates image from one of Jenny’s previous post – that is exactly how I feel right now. Head full of “got to, need to, remember to”. Know the stress is not all in my head as it showed up on a blood test – does that mean I am not going insane? Argh!
I’m working on cleaning up after my cardmaking event on the weekend. My workspace is mostly in order but I need to vacuum all the bits of paper strewn on the floor. Also finishing cards a few more cards.
I’ve started cleaning up my garden for the fall. Still in early stages – emptying compost bins so I have room to put plant material, cutting back dead plants, etc. No frost yet but it will happen sooner rather than later.
For anyone who became a Sarah Millican fan on Deb Blake’s recommendation, she’ll be touring in the US and Canada in 2025. Tickets go on sale this week (at least for Canadian dates). Turns out DH is a big fan so we’re definitely getting tickets.
Trying not to drown in work for the day job. Big visit ahead next week. Afterwards we likely all crash and (hopefully NOT) burn.
So winded that I didn’t even get the clip with the turning plates as perfect metaphor for not only for your situation. Thanks, Christine, for pointing that out!!
Same with the drowning. Just Keep Swimming!
The local senior center advertised a T-shirt quilt class so I’ve pulled about 40 T-shirts from two file drawers in my office that I’ve been storing for years and now have them spread all over cutting and ironing on stabilizer. The group of ladies at the class seem nice and I’m going to take my time but I’m really excited to have this project (that will get me out and mingling) underway.
This week at work work I’m as busy as a one-armed paper hanger! We usually have a team of three that work together, but one’s on vacation and the other is at a conference – along with one of our backups. So I’ve told myself just put my head down and get it done. Of course, I do get stressed when more things come in than I have the bandwidth to cope with, but so far nothing extraordinarily major!
It’s probably good that I went to my quilt retreat last weekend! I was able to get the borders on my Tesselating Tabbies quilt, so now it can wait it’s turn for quilting.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DAnxSl5xjYE/?img_index=1
I also put together a quilt top from a book “just two charm packs”. (A charm pack is a set of about 40-42 5″ squares put together by a fabric company, showcasing a line of their fabric.) Last summer, my quilting friends decided on a “precut” sew day, and this was what I started. I only got as far as making some of the nine-patch squares, then I put it in time out because I wasn’t having fun trying to match all those seams. I pulled it out the previous Sunday and put those blocks together, which let me finish the rest of the quilt top at the retreat. I’m thinking this might be the graduation gift this spring. I asked the mom what his favorite color was and she replied “all of them!” Apparently he doesn’t like playing favorites! So, general opinion, is this quilt okay for a college bound teen boy?
When I got home from the retreat, I decided to get the houseplants back indoors, which meant repotting them. I had put them into the garage prior to all the rains from Helene (my portion of NC got rain and a tornado or two, but not the devastating flooding that western NC is dealing with). So, now they are ensconced in their winter areas in the house.
I keep switching between the two crochet projects. This week was a little work on the Islands blanket, and nothing on Bullfinch. Ah well.
I did put a quilt in a local quilt show this weekend. Wish me luck!
I’m just in awe of your projects . The quality, the quantity, the variety, the persistence.
Re teen boy. It all depends on the teen boy. My then teen boy is a minimalist and when I bought him a really lovely quilt designed around his summer theater camp (at a fundraiser —I didn’t commision it) he never used it. Maybe ask the mom what his style is.
That is a great cat quilt! All the overlapping cats are very diverting.
Yes. And the colors. Yum.
Your work is beautiful, and anyone, including a teenage boy, would be glad to have a quilt from you!
I’m working on getting ready for surgery next week. Trying to get my home ready for me not to be able to clean or lift anything. Bought front closing shirts and front closing bras. Also working hard on not freaking out. Stress IS real.
Going to buy my third mum pot, the first two dried out from the heat and my overwatering. I’m not the best at gardening, but I love flowers.
Is this by any chance a rotator cuff surgery ? I went through two of them and have a list of strategies for making recovery easier that I am happy to share.
Breast cancer surgery.
If the front-clasping bras are also a struggle, I recommend getting bras with no underwire, doing the clasps while they’re off your body, and pulling them on like a tank top. That has ended up being the only way I can wear a bra while my shoulder heals.
Still working on all the same things I was working on last week…and the week before…
It doesn’t feel like I’m making much progress, and yet, I’m working all day long. Can anyone explain this?
Yea. This is explained by Einstein’s Super Special Theory of Relativity which describes the inverse proportional relationship of effort to outcomes in mathematical terms.
Thank you. That definitely clears it up for me. LOL
My pleasure.
So the answer is to work less, and more will be done? I’m sold.
I am super busy this week at work so…naturally I am watching the cams for Fat Bear week.
It was distressing to me that two of the contenders for fatest bear got in a a fight, and one was killed.
It’s a jungle over there. In the park.
Ha! I too have been glued to the Fat Bear cams and all the recent drama. Do you have a favorite yet? I’m leaning towards 164 cause he’s innovative and smart!
I’m just going with Chunk as the favourite. I’m very unimaginative in my voting approach.
It’s been an interesting work week.
I finished up some important long overdue projects just in time for the end of the grant period, so that felt good.
I went to an all day disability data meeting, mostly to raise one question about children’s disability data issues in front of high level Census Bureau staff. Director of the Census Bureau Rob Santos came over to say hi (he was working the room, he barely knows me ) before the meeting started and I raised it with him. My job there was done (but I stayed for the meeting) .
At home I finally figured out how to calculate roughly how much we spend a year (ouch!) in preparation for meeting with our financial planner.
I also finally contributed to DHs job. He was leading a small international group call on gender equality in the workplace and had already mentioned to them I could hear them. One of the women asked if there were any jobs that were only for one sex so I offered “surrogate mother”. We always have said he covers international work and I do domestic, so it was fun to have something to offer.
The taxes are done! I just have to make my retirement contribution and we can file.
So it’s been an unusually productive week.
Also election calls.
I’ve got back to clearing my allotment after a few rainy days. I’m pulling up the marigolds which are covering half the plot. Hopefully by tomorrow the soil will have dried out enough that I can dig out the rest of the weeds.
One thing after another is breaking at the moment. Got to try and mend the roller blind cord in the bathroom. I did look at buying a new blind, since the old one’s pretty shabby, but couldn’t find anything I liked. My wireless front doorbell finally broke down. It’s been unreliable for years, and the mains unit stopped working. Finally managed to get the old mains doorbell moved to the newer outer door (stupid people added a white plastic front door on the outer edge of what should be a tiny porch. The 1960s front door is two feet inside it). Then my Kindle – bought last November – has started needing charging all the time. Documenting that before getting on to them.
I’ve done a bit of work on the lost ways project, but I really don’t want to do it any more. So that’s a black cloud. There are various projects like that where I feel I need to have a blitz in order to move on, but other things, like the autumn gardening jobs, get in the way. Plus the big jobs are daunting.
On the Lost Ways project — can you find someone to take over? Someone who has liked your work so far and would NOT like the idea that there will be no more. Maybe put a small ad or query in an appropriate location. If it was worth doing before, someone else will certainly be interested in trying to carry it on.
I am trying to recruit more people, but everyone’s finding it daunting, unfortunately. I’m going to write to my MP & the relevant minister, because I think what really needs to happen is for the government to set up a national research unit, as the Countryside & Rights of Way Act required them to do, more than twenty years ago.
Good luck getting the government to follow through (I mean that both seriously and sarcastically). But meanwhile here’s a wildly stupid suggestion, what about a local GoFundMe to pay someone to work on it for a year, like a recent graduate or college intern? That might give you some breathing room to figure out a more permanent solution. Of course I know nothing about GoFundMes so this may not be possible? Or may be more work than doing it yourself. I’m just brainstorming here….
Thank you! I’m afraid I just want to let the whole thing go. The project is being organized nationally by the Ramblers (walking charity), but coverage varies a lot from one county to another: Sussex have completed their research after nine years of work, whereas Shropshire hasn’t started yet. I shall talk to other Ramblers people before I bow out. The new government (same party that passed the CRoW Act) should at least get rid of the 2031 deadline for claims, which would take the pressure off.
Rooting for your project, although completely understand if you need to let it go. Hoping the gov gets its act together. Good luck!
Proverbial D-day is approaching very quickly at the day job and my anxiety is ramping up proportionally. Trying to keep the stress from getting to me, but I may be failing on that front. I kinda want to puke all the time.
I’m still drawing cats, which helps some. Stress cleaning in small chunks. Trying not to overspend on silly things like vintage book shaped wallets. And shoes.
Hang in there. That kind of work stress that is beyond your control is so hard.
My sympathies. It is tough, but I find thinking about the time after a D Day is useful (at least in reminding me that I should survive beyond it!). I sometimes end up looking at the dates on milk cartons and eventually when the dreaded day is close enough, I can look at the expiry date and think ‘it will all be over by then’.
Odd and not really helpful, but I find myself doing it anyway. It is even less effective if you don’t drink fresh milk 😉
I also did this when waiting for my first child to be born. He was WAY overdue and so all those milestone milk carton dates came and went, and he still didn’t arrive (though unsurprisingly he did eventually make his appearance).
I love your cat drawings!
There’s no such thing as overspending on shoes. Says someone who just bought a pair of checkboard pink Vans on line. Totally necessary purchase.
Vans are very practical shoes.
I revised the YA novel I’ve been working on alongside my main writing project and sent it to my critique partner yesterday, so now I’m digging into another project that’s been languishing for years. According to my notes, I was aiming to release it in Q3 of 2022. Oops! Also hoping to do some photoshop projects while I wait for feedback on the two manuscripts I have out for critique right now. I would like to dive into making the house cozy for fall, but the heatwave is putting me off. Supposed to be 101 today. Utter nonsense. At least we don’t also have terrible air quality due to fires like where Kid 1 is…
Yesterday was an unusually cool, non-humid, day for this time of year, and I got the lawn mowed! My mower objects to mowing wet grass. I slept a loooong time, but my Fitbit cannot add, so it only gave me the sleep I got after I got up to pee at 2:20. Stupid electronic. It does that a lot. I only wear it to gauge my sleep, and it fails, regularly.
I am counting down. It’s 34 days till the madness is over, and the possible “denial of losing” madness begins, OR the possible shrieking “not this again” madness begins. I am also making a trip to AZ, soon, and am waiting to see what the weather will be like.
My new COVID tests came, and they have an expiration of Dec. 12, 2023. I still have some old ones with 2023 expirations. Geesh! The revised dates are included in the package.
Jan, I used some 2023 tests in June when we had Coved, they did work properly.
These “new” ones have an expiration of Christmas Day, this year. So they are good for less than 3 months. I also used a February 2023 test not too long ago when I was having a horrible allergy day, and it was negative. But I wondered if that was accurate.
Expiration dates often err on the side of caution. For meds, they are usually good for much longer than the expiration date. Except for solutions or eye drops. Do NOT use those past their expiration.
Included with the USPS ones was a card about how the tests are still good for … However long after the expiration date. Don’t throw them out!
It’s my Dad’s 94th Birthday! I bought him a book and some single malt scotch. His brother (85) is visiting and will take us out to dinner.
Then no more company for a while. I’ve loved seeing people, but I can’t focus with guests in the house, and there’s things to catch up on. Waiting out the 5 tomatoes on the vine to see if they ripen or rot first, enjoying the final dahlias and late roses.
I have rehearsal. Otherwise I’m not working on much–my work project is on hold until someone sends me updated documents and so far nobody’s bothered to do that. Sheeeesh.
Rehearsal for what? I don’t recall the latest play.
Ditto.
I’m back at work work, which is busy and I’m grumpy. Trying to do more of my own writing as a way of feeling there is something productive I have control of.
Still have another week of covering two desks, so I’m working on pacing myself with the overflowing inbox of doooooom.
On the more pleasant side, I’ve gotten some good work done on New Novel revisions.
And on the “what a relief” side, all my people in North Carolina are fine, so I can stop working on not freaking out. Our planned two-week visit is off, though, so I had to cancel the cat’s boarding and the flights and work on not minding the nonrefundable fees.
One of the things I used to say when I used to work in educational publishing was, “All projects eventually become the project from hell.” I just finished a freelance PFH, it got published on the journal’s substack, and I should get a check next week. My new editing project from a former student and client, all grown up and successful, has just begun. He’s got a thick skin, and so I can be candid about his errors, which are mostly style chocies. No, you cannot used impact, impacting, impactful three times in three pages! It’s a fun job, though, and I feel better working on it.
I made white pine honey last week and today I am making elderberry syrup. I also picked up some apple cider and made myself hot mulled cider to drink on this gloomy, rainy day.
The remnants of Helene soaked and flooded Virginia, at this end of a path of devastation that started before Florida. At least 111 died. Any complaint I have is petty in comparison.
Do I have complaints? Yes. I have complaints. I spent money that was saved for retirement on a new sump pump and a sump tank to prevent the recurrence of flooding in my basement abode. The problem and ultimate solution I blogged as a series of posts “ending” with href=”https://www.somethingsmustbeendured.com/post/home-moanership-xvi-solution-resolution”>Home Moanership XVI Solution Resolution. Quoting myself: “There will be no more flooding in the basement. The plumbing service has come and gone and taken steps.”
Oh, Murphy, you dastardly demon! You knew there was a second sump. You knew the new pump could handle things at that end of the house, so you killed the other sump pump not only at my end of the basement but in the very owner’s suite itself. You knew how much fun it would be for me to hop out of bed, scratch myself, and head to the bathroom only to cross rugs that squished under my feet!
We’ll designate this Home Moanership XIX. I will eventually blog about it, when I have something more to report than, “My basement found a new way to flood.”
Uh-oh, Gary. I have THREE sump pumps, and they are all very necessary, even though two of them are connected under the basement floor. One of those two can’t be used in freezing weather, because the outdoor pipe would freeze and back up. I learned this the hard way. I hope you get that mess cleaned up and the pump reinstalled.
In addition to regular work stuff, as part of DH and my big Swedish Death Cleaning project, I have begun clearing out my craft “closet”. The needlepoint stuff was first on the chopping block (yarn, etc. will follow) and am getting rid of needlepoint canvases I know I will never use in the future. Over the years I definitely collected more of these handpainted canvases than I can EVER finish. So I’ve been thinning the herd and looking to either sell or donate those I know I’ll never get to. It is very satisfying to see this pile going down.
And I’m watching Fat Bear cams.
I’m researching the epic story of Little Melvin.
That was excessively succinct! Details please!
Please don’t ask him for details. Jenny’s head will explode.
I think you’re right, Deborah. This isn’t the first time he’s mentioned Little Melvin. I think it’s a tease for some kind of joke or crazy story.
I’ve been working (with marginal success) on NOT stressing about a publishing-world situation that I have no control over and that was supposed to be wrapped up on Monday and instead is in limbo. But today is a no-work day, just R&R after getting my covid and flu vax yesterday. I dozed/slept and listened to an audiobook until noon today, when the reaction headache finally went away, and the only work I’m requiring of myself today is to take out the trash.
I am about where I was last week—working about as hard as I can (which is under my baseline full steam) and making minimal progress. I’ve been reading a lot to de-stress, but I will likely have to defer reviews of much of it beyond tomorrow (in contrast to last week, I did finish a lot of hitherto partly-read titles).
Keeping up with my little Fall projects list. I have to get my ‘craft’ room set up to overwinter some plants. I won’t bring them in until I have to. And tomorrow, I’ll have to set up a couple of appointments.
And I’m following the continuing Luzerne County drop box situation. Latest is the ACLU has filed an injunction to have them reinstated and to emphasize the high risk of the boxes, the county manager is having large boulders placed to minimize the possibility of someone crashing a car into the building where the election bureau is located. Sigh.
Audrey, what is in the water there? That’s nutso.
The thing at work that threw me into a tailspin was announced but has so far not actually happened, though probably it still will? Probably maybe? But in the meantime, my current boss really wants me to stay, so I am getting all kinds of attention (too much) and also an award for all the work I’ve been doing. (We’ll see how much $$.) However, I am almost 100% that I will retire at the end of next year. Or whenever I just can’t stand it anymore. Already planning my 2026 travel!
My work today involved actually driving into my physical office to work and then attending a networking event. I had to put on shoes and everything.
The office has been remodeled since I was last there and everything was new and so clean, though I could have done without the person wearing an excessive amount of perfume (it left a scent-trail long after they had passed).
On the plus side, no one repeatedly interrupted me wanting to play fetch while I was working, so it was a productive day, and I had a chance to talk to a number of people I hadn’t seen in quite a while, including some former team members.
I was late getting out of the house to go help my sister prepare for Rosh Hashanah when I met one of my neighbors who informed me that someone had been shot outside our building and the police were unrolling crime scene tape as I left the building. I decided to take the bus rather than the train on the first leg of my trip to the suburbs and promptly left my overnight bag on the bus. My sister, who is shorter and wider than I am, offered to loan me clothing so I could attend evening services. Then she handed me the silver polish and put me to work.
While I was taking the el out to the suburbs, my doctor’s nurse called me to inform me that he had ordered a regular stress test for me despite the fact that 2 tests that he had ordered recently showed permanent lung damage and I have been getting PT on my knees for at least 4 years due to progressively smaller amounts of cartilage in both knees. I had scheduled what I thought was the chemical stress test for October 8, but was later informed that my doctor had ordered the normal kind, taken 3 days to change the order and now the first opening for the correct test was in November. Because it was impossible to hear anything whenever the train I was in passed a train in the opposite direction, this conversation took almost the entire train ride. I was so upset when I got off the train, I had to call my sister to tell me which direction to turn when I reached her street because I could only remember the directions to her previous home, not the current one.
After dinner I decided to stay at my sister’s house and clean up instead of going to services. My BIL and great nephew left before my bipolar niece arrived for dinner because she is unable to leave her 20year old son alone and after consultation with their family therapist it was decided that they would hide out elsewhere and the rest of us would lie about where they were. She declined a ride to services and then spent the next three hours watching me work and worrying that the reason they hadn’t come back was because they had been in an accident and nobody had alerted her. The fact that my sister was the emergency contact for both of these people and we were standing next to my sister’s home phone did nothing to stop her catastrophic predictions. And she didn’t help with any of the cleanup. When my sister returned home from services, my niece still refused to go home before her son arrived and I didn’t get to bed until 1am. If this is a sign of what the New Year holds, I may decide to go back to the old one.
Wow what a saga. My sympathies.
Thank you. This is the biggest reason my sister is always so tired.