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Working Wednesday: It’ll Be Okay in January

This week I am trying to do a zillion things for a zillion people, do some baking, and write a book. My plan: Everything to do with me will be fine in January. (The rest of the world, ARGH, but just me, okay.)

What did you plan for work this week?

99 Responses

  1. I’ve been in slow motion this week, recovering from a cold. Got most of my energy back, but it’s a bit up and down. I’ve got on with my big sort-out of my workroom, which I was doing earlier in the year but parked to enjoy the amazing spring & summer weather. Feels great to get things sorted, but a little confronting to throw away the reams of work I did to try and launch myself as a garden photographer. I really worked hard at it, but kept failing. I’ve nearly finished – just got my camera equipment to sort, so I can sell my old gear. And then I’ll be on to my slides of landscapes, before tackling the 12,000 unedited digital images that are blocking me from doing photography at the moment. Which I want to get back to, since it makes me happy.

    Yesterday I sorted the pebbles and shells I’ve collected over the past 35 years (https://www.instagram.com/p/DSCwzUwjIJP/?img_index=1). I bought a plastic organizer for the shells today, but am thinking of looking for one or two ceramic saucers to hold selections of the pebbles in the garden. Also planning to use them in possible future still-life photography.

    1. Jane, I know nothing about what it takes to be a garden photographer, but I wouldn’t take the failure too personally. Of the 300 people in my college art program, I don’t know of one who is making a living from it, myself included. Statistically speaking, I don’t think it can be because none of us were good enough. I think that the world just isn’t set up for that kind of life at the moment. Maybe someday?

      For right now it’s enough that I am trying to keep making art. Hopefully it’s the same for you. Although I will admit that now that my vintage Etsy shop was so profitable this year I have the itch to try to build up my handmade one again… We shall see.

      1. Thanks, Lupe – I agree completely. I have a friend who did have a successful career as a garden photographer, and she’s made me feel a lot better by insisting that there was a large measure of luck involved – although she is an excellent photographer! Also, I was trying to do it while suffering increasingly from endometriosis, so the whole venture became less and less practical. But I’ve learned a lot, and had a lot of joy making photographs. I want to make things with them now.

      2. Might help to remember that throughout history, the only artists who’ve “made a living” at it were the ones with sponsors. The Italian Renaissance would not have happened without the Medici. 🙂

  2. I like that idea. It will be ok in January. I’m not going to think about it til then.

    I am working on my Christmas cards. I had a bunch of gingerbread houses that I made while I was still on the teller line. We got a tone of those brown chipboard boxes, but was feeling kinda meh about them. And a bunch of paper trees I made the year before. Cute, but unexciting. Somewhere the idea to put them on chicken feet was hatched and I am much happier with the whole project. But what message do I write inside? Suggestions welcome. Baba Yaga Christmas here we come.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/DSBp2X2jdaB/?igsh=MWYxbXc4czU0ZDI2OA==

    Everything else is a mess, but we aren’t talking or thinking about that. Not til 2026.

      2. Agree those cards are gorgeous – and I wouldn’t throw them out! They would join the my favorite cards I use to decorate the book shelves at Christmas.

    5. I love those cards! I wish I had a more creative nature, but at least I can admire other people’s work.

  3. I’m working on surgery recovery. This is a real job.

    This may be TMI but some others here may have to do this at some point so I am over sharing. Others may want to skip this para. I have to walk every hour and do leg exercises every hour and wear special socks at day and special compression gear at night and use ice packs and manage about 10 prescriptions.
    It’s also a big job for DH at least for the next few days because he has to spot me every time I sit get up or lie down.
    On the bright side standing walking and lying down are pain free and stairs are entirely feasible. Transition from one position to another and sitting not so much. And apparently the pain gets worse in the next few days and then gets better. I am eating meals standing for now. Also, both my surgeon and the anesthesiologist had to sign the joint they were operating on so that they didn’t do the wrong one. I suspect the protocol is the anesthesiologist also does it because that’s the person most likely to stop the surgeon if they are making a mistake given hospital hierarchy.

    Now, here’s the funny part. I have been trying to get DH to replace our 19 y o Prius for years ( held together with duct tape on the rear and no AC). He agreed in principle but insisted on waiting for the perfect electric car. When I put my foot down and said he had to buy one or I would (he cares about gadgets, I don’t, so he buys almost all our machinery) he planned to wait for the next year models since they would be out before summer.

    So I told him we had to rent a car for my surgery because the Prius also has no suspension (OUCH!) and our other car is too tall for me to get into post surgery. We borrowed a friend’s car.

    But! Now he is planning to take our SIL with him to go car shopping when he arrives for the holidays (two days before Dd). SIL lives in London, doesn’t drive and hates cars for environmental reasons . I have no idea what made DH choose SIL for a car shopping partner. But whatever it takes.

    Also, for those who read mysteries where the murder is done by injecting air ? My nurse set up my IV and then when she added some meds there were air bubbles so I asked if the valve prevented them from going it. She said no and that air bubbles are really not dangerous except under certain circumstances and very large. So much for Sayers and Allingham among others.

    And for people who chip their pets —they chipped my wrist id! DH got updates on where I was throughout the surgery from it!

    Also I was amused that when I talked with the OR nurse and he took me through my list of operations he wanted to know who did some of them and had worked with and liked them .

    1. I’m so impressed that you are already so active! And glad that it seems like the surgery went well. Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

      1. It seems unbelievable to me but it’s true. I will say the moments when it’s time for a new painkiller med are …not fun. The drugs work

        1. It sounds as if it all went really well, Debbie. I’m so pleased for you! And it’s an operation that makes the most extraordinary difference to quality of life.

    2. I’m glad that things are going well so far.

      A biography of Sayers has told me that the air bubble wouldn’t work. I can’t remember if Sayers ever found out. A lot of her medical stuff was reportedly iffy, although I think mostly in her early work.

    4. Debbie, congratulations! I’m so glad you to through that. I hope things continue well for you.

    5. So happy to hear the surgery went well and that you’re already feeling improvement in some areas, even if it’s gonna be painful the upcoming days. Hope DH spoils you rotten and takes the best care of you. Sending billions of pocket-hugs, well-wishes, healing vibes and kitty-purrs your way for a speedy recovery.

    6. Many moons ago a supervisor of mine at work was venting in my presence about a car dealer who had had the gall in this area (Baltiwash) to try to fob off on her a car with no air conditioning, something that no same customer here would buy and that she caught just in time. So I presume that your Prius either had had a/c but it died or that you or a relative had owned it in another part of the country before it arrived here.

      1. It came with Ac but it broke and would be insanely expensive to fix. DH loves heat and doesn’t care. I usually drive the other car but it’s too tall for me to get into right now (can’t use the the running board).

  4. There were lots of things I thought about doing this past week, but other things somewhat got in the way.

    We pulled the Christmas decor down from the attic – but didn’t get our lights out in the yard because there was a family reunion I had forgotten about. So, we went and socialized instead.

    We did get a live tree, and we have it in the house – but it is currently undecorated. Our thought here was that we needed the kitten to get used to the idea of a tree and maybe we’d be able to decorate it. But nothing fragile is going on that tree!

    I also had “work on Christmas cards” on my list – but I have very little motivation! I pulled things out, so I can start as the mood hits me – maybe later today.

    I did finish all the pieces of the big red quilt! Yippee! Then I thought the dreaded words “that won’t take that long to put together!” I was not in the right frame of mind, and after two hours, I have maybe 5 rows constructed. But, it’s a start. Charlie felt the need to pose on the quilt top rows I laid down this morning, so you can see how much he’s grown.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/DSFbiArDldH/

    The colors are white, blue, light purple, light gray and dark gray, with a background of red. (I asked my supplier for a great red and she pulled this bolt off the shelf. It really is a great fabric!)

    And I did put a lot of work into the Crochet-A-Long. I’m currently on Step 6 (step 12 was released this week!) I’m really liking how things are going though!

    I’m amazed to see that we’re closing in on 2 weeks til Christmas! I guess I should go get started on those cards!

    2. Nancy, the quilt is looking good. And Charlie is absolutely precious! I love the crochet piece too.

  5. I’m cruising down towards the end of the year. I have found over the last few years that no matter how much I try to keep up the momentum in December, that I slowly grind to a halt. Which is actually rather nice. So I’m being very forgiving of myself as I write tiny bit here and there, and then go back to gardening.

    Plus I just said no to a writing workshop in February that was the first one in the year for a group of kids, and the people running it wanted me to do all sorts of getting-to-know-you activities, and individual and group goal setting, and I hate that stuff and have no idea how to do it.

  6. I am so behind, I half expect to see myself coming the other way. However I managed to do one thing, just one. I read a book (haven’t read except comfort listening for months. Then when I finished it I poked at something else until it finally got done. I am crawling along, but I’ll take it over doomscrolling.

  7. I’ve started my annual Christmas baking. Two types baked and dough for 2 more in the freezer. I’ve realized that December is hard for me. My mother moved to my city 10 years ago last week so a steady stream of photos on my FB feed. She loved Christmas and it was a big cause for celebration. DH and DS are mostly indifferent and not into decorating and seasonal activities. I still decorate the house and listen to Christmas music while I bake. But I’m nostalgic for our large family gatherings and the Christmas Eve wrapping marathons with my mom. And I just plain miss my mom.

  8. Jenny do the zillion things have to happen now? Can you set times in 2026 to do them so you don’t feel overwhelmed ?

  9. Jenny – I love your plan!

    My big thing this week was we had to move everything out of the kitchen & bathroom & now we have to move them back in again. We had a kind of tiny roaches that come in to the house in boxes & then head for water & food. The pest guy came through & they should be gone now.

    Right now I am in the park under the loveliest tree. It’s so nice in FL. It makes me rethink moving which isn’t smart because it’s heavily influenced by the easiest hurricane season we’ve had in the 6 years I’ve been here.

    Usually the trees will tell me when it’s time to go because I stop feeling the pull to them I always feel. And the pull is still there.

    In other news Miami has a democratic mayor for the first time in 30 years AND SHE’S FEMALE!

  10. Work has canceled our Christmas vacations and our flex hours because even though we did well at The Big Presentations, they have now decided to induce more panic and fear and create an EMERGENCY PROJECT!!!! in fucking December. I am really unhappy with how upper management is treating us–meetings from 4-5 every day, at least 3 meetings a day over this, escalating panic and stress every day. It feels jerkass and unnecessary and petty and “jump through these hoops!” and like management hates us all of a sudden?

    I’m off from plays this week. I will be taking a break after that.

    Volunteer job: we have agreed to change the locks, report the ex-treasurer to the police and insurance. I hope all that happens by the end of the week. However, we have Public Board Meeting tonight and he WILL show up and cause trouble. I brought this up and everyone else blew me off about it. Whee. Also had the marketing meeting and I feel very tired of hearing about the upcoming shows now. I’m taking a break this weekend, dammit.

    I feel like I am close to collapse and I still have to endure for the entire month.

    1. Jennifer – I worked under a supervisor who believed staff was more productive if they worked in an ‘urgent’ environment. So she created false urgency at all times. It was so stressful & unpleasant working under her!

    5. I’ve worked for these type of managers multiple times during my career. It’s usually more about their insecurities but unpleasant for staff. Also counterproductive in the long run – demotivated, exhausted people aren’t very productive. I hope there’s improvement in early 2026.

  11. A routine dental appointment got moved from after Christmas to tomorrow. That’s bad enough, but they first wanted to shift it to last week. Anyway, I’m trying either to accomplish or to postpone things I would have done tomorrow otherwise. I also have a Zoom meeting scheduled that should end just before I head out to the dentist.

    I did finally use up the ground turkey breast in the freezer to make chili yesterday. A simpler recipe than I normally use, but it came out pretty well.

  12. I am also trying to do a zillion things for a zillion people, and not managing to do my things. Also it is just wintering like mad, and I’m not enjoying it. Fibro doesn’t love even the mild winters. Bah.

    I finally got back to doing edits on the cozy. I’m pretty sure they’re not working, maybe making things worse, I hate the book, and I can’t write for shit anymore.

    But I got some lights up around the room to cheer me up. Clearly a huge success. LOL

    1. Ok I have to pipe in here & say – I don’t believe you can’t write for shit anymore. You are such a good storyteller & you have a very entertaining voice when you write & you plot well. Sorry it is so challenging right now.

      I’ve started thinking maybe Mercury is in permanent gatorade (I know it’s retrograde but someone said gatorade instead once & it makes me laugh everytime I remember).

      You know how some people wear aluminum hats to protect themselves from alien abduction? I think maybe we should make aluminum tents around our computer spaces. Maybe a big aluminum umbrella.

      I just thought about you trying that & what the cats would think – lol.
      Love you, Deb – this too shall pass!

  13. Good plan, Jenny!

    I went to the sleep place and figured out which CPAP thingy to get. Then I got the flu and the Covid shots. Big mistake. I did not sleep well, and the CPAP just bothered me a lot. I’m living in my PJs today. I called the sleep place and got some help on how to make the CPAP work better for me. I also got untangled a very twisted conversation on a portal. I hate those things!!! I hope it’s fixed, now. Nothing but good times ahead! I’m wearing the bracelet that says that, again. It felt like false hope to wear it, before.

    1. I hope the sleep-people can help you figure out the cpap, so you can get to sleep. Remember to give yourself slack in the beginning, because it IS hard to get used to, and sometimes it takes a while to find the right mask, the right tpressure etc. Sending lots of hugs, pocket and normal ones!

      1. What Shass says. But once it works it makes a huge difference and also protects your heart so hang in there!

      2. Thanks, Shass. I tried three nasal pipes, and the first one I tried was the most bearable. I just need to get it on properly. Otherwise it whistles whenI exhale. I should feel better, in general, tonight, since the shots are easing off.

  14. I’m working on my cat-pilling skills. Trip had another astma-attack Monday morning (also Friday night), so I called the vet and they prescribed one cortico-steroid or another. Watched videos earlier tonight to see if I could find one that was descriptive enough to be useful to me, and so I could improve my technique if I’m supposed to do this daily for at least 3 weeks. I might have fallen a bit in love with the vet in the video I found 🙂 He sounds very sweet. Also had a great video on cat astma. Anyway, so I’m working on that and Triple is probably working on not hating me. Wish us luck.
    I’ve taken a small break from knitting, because wow poddle really took its toll on me. 1.5 week until I can give it to Queenie. I’m secretly terrified, since last time I gifted something to someone that I’d made with love and care, it was received with indifference and disinterest, but Dazzler says not to worry and that Queenie will love it. I trust her, so working on telling my brain to SHUT UP, reminding myself that the people I’ve gifted things to before, those who love me back, have so far appreciated the things they got, and those people are the ones who really count.
    Have also found a speech therapist, first appointment is on January 7th (don’t remember if I mentioned that earlier). I asked if I needed to take special care not to do certain things until then, and she wrote back: “Don’t force things”, which I take to mean “Don’t use your voice excessively, don’t shout, don’t sing”. Should be able to manage that for a month… At any rate, she sounded lovely on the phone, and January isn’t that far off.

    1. Oh yay for finding a speech therapist! One month so much better than 18 !

      I am sure queenie will love it.

      1. So very much better than 18 months! This one will be online, so no hazzle with travel, either.
        Thank you, I really hope she will. She’s having difficult nights again now, which is exactly the reason why I made this flooffy thing in the first place, so I hope she’ll like it.

      1. Thank you, Jan. I hope so, too. We’ll take it one day at a time. At least she’s come to snuggle since, which I take as a good sign.

    3. Anyone with a soul would love that poddle!

      Seriously as someone who loves gifts but am not all that good at projecting enthusiasm – sometimes the recipient is having a bad day or doesn’t cope well with surprises, even good ones (sometimes they are genuinely horrible people of course!). Most new things languish in my home for months, even years, before my brain really decides they’re mine and then they get used every day until they fall apart. Humans are weird.

      1. Aww thank you, Yuri! Got something in my eye there… I do believe she does have a soul, so chances are she’ll really love it, then. Yay!
        Thank you for describing your own experience with receiving gifts and expressing enthusiasm, gratitude and the like, that helps. Re last person that got a handmade gift, that was the person with capital P I’ve mentioned before, and every single gift I’ve given to them has felt like I could just as well have thrown it in the bin. I have seen them react to gifts from others with enthusiasm and joy, so they certainly don’t lack that capacity. They just lack it very significantly when the gift has been from me. Since the verdict is that I should not pay any attention to their behaviour or opinions because maniupulative gaslighter,, I’m trying to not let that leftover fear get the upper hand. Poddle is going to someone who appreciates me back, so it should be fine. Hear that, brain? We’re doing an exit on manipulative people-control NOW.

  15. I went on my lovely 2-day trip to Boston. But my mom died while I was gone. It was very sudden, apparently a heart attack. My sister and father were with her. My dear friend that I was dining with drove me up home. Today I’m still referring to my care-giving routine, I think this will peter out. I’m glad she did not live longer than she had the capacity for understanding her surroundings and enjoying many things through the day. But it’s a hollow house for now.
    Church and neighbors are bringing food and visiting, and the brothers are arriving. We don’t really have anything to do but be together. I’m very tired, and sciatica has decided that this is the time to visit.
    She was much loved within her friends and church community. It was a good, long, life.

    1. Oh I am so sorry. What a horrible shock.
      Being together matters. Sending many pocket hugs and will be thinking of you.

    3. I am so sorry. It doesn’t matter that this was the best way out of a difficult situation for her. She is still missed. Condolences.

    7. I hope your memories will ease the pain of loss. It really is a blessing for life to end before the capability to enjoy it.

    8. I am so so sorry to hear that your mom died. Glad that you have family around you. Take care of yourself.

  16. I planned on easy, store-bought meals, but the stores disappointed me. I rely on Amazon, Walmart, and Food Lion. Food Lion delivered stuff this morning, but they apparently didn’t have and Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream nor any Chicken Salad. Frustrating.

    My nasturtium seeds won’t arrive until the 21st, so I won’t have and sprouts before Christmas. I’m considering putting Justice (one of the 12-pod iDOOs) back in service just for that.

    Got that Medical appointment tomorrow. Routine followup.

      1. Never heard of needing to do that for nasturtiums! They germinate really easily in my experience. Maybe not out of season?

          1. They are supposedly sending instructions with the seeds. From what I’ve read, they should germinate in 3-5 days in a hydroponic setting. Of concern is the spacing. I was going to use the 3-pod Shirley and Cutie-Patootie units but the pods on those are closer than any other unit I have. Justice will have to do. (12-pod iDOO unit)

  17. The special ballot we’ve been working on for months closed yesterday. And after all that work, all that communication, we were two votes short of passing it clear. So frustrating! But at least we were well over the 50% threshold for an interim resolution so we just need to wait 28 days for any objections, rather than having to re-do the ballot. So that’s a relief and I’m really really happy that we got an 85% response rate.

    So now my plan is to just read for the next week. I’m so tired.

  18. This week is going surprisingly well. Except for today’s snow. And the sidewalks were just clearing up, too.

    One appointment scheduled for this week. Another in 10 days. And one more appointment to be scheduled. One meeting down and one to go. Holiday cards done and mailed. I bought myself a poinsettia and a cyclamen. That maybe the extent of the indoor decorations.

    I have no plans for the rest of the year except to toast out the old and bring in the new. I am definitely going to celebrate the Republican majority leaving our county council and the Democratic majority coming in.

  19. I bit the bullet and started fall cleaning the other day. So far, the upstairs is mostly done. The books got dusted (!) the bookshelves and other furniture got dusted and polished. Yesterday I got sidetracked by a hair appt and shoveling the driveway a couple of times. On today’s list, sending Christmas cards, and continuing with the fall cleaning.

  20. I’ve just been working on keeping up with stuff and not beating myself up too much for low productivity on the writing / being a writer front.

    My new novelette releases on the 13th on the JMS Advent calendar (free on release day!), and I should be promoting it, but I am utterly failing at using my before-work hours on writer business – they are all going to other personal business, including a lot of sitting and staring out windows at the trees.

    Telling myself this is my brain processing all the upheaval of the cross-country move. I failed to request reviews for *any* of my new releases since the skating book, so I really need to get on this one. But instead I’m here because I feel better when I “see” all of you. 🙂

  21. I had a medical appointment and had to make many more appointments. Blah. Got my holiday cards done and realized that I never want to do those again. So I won’t.

    Honestly, my favorite days are days where I do nothing but putter around with light tidying, read books, watch movies, and go for walks.

    Many family and friends seem frantic to convince me that I should be doing more and more and more, but I’m not convinced. Not at all. I highly recommend as much comforting sloth as possible and saying no to doing as many things demanded by others as is possible.

    I used to be a typical Type A person, with a frantic and stressful, never-ending to do list. Always saying yes to requests, never no. I’m so much happier now. I’m so glad I am able to just stop most of the frantic running around.

About the Author

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

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