I make promises to myself all the time, but I'm part sucker -- I only keep those promises about half the time. But I did keep one this week -- I ordered that wallet. It arrived today, and it was a real pleasure first unwrapping it, then putting things in it. It was carefully wrapped in brown paper and sealed with a special seal, and the makers included two thank-you cards, a spare bungee closure, and a matching charm for a bracelet or whatever. The Emperor is interested in getting one of the men's wallets for himself, but I'm hoping he'll forget about it and I can order one for him for his birthday.
In a spare hour last night, I put in a magnet at the top of that bag and it is now truly perfect. I can put everything in it and the top comes together with a quiet "click" before falling in soft folds. Even packed, it looks neat and professional. Friends who have seen it remark, "Great bag! Where did you find it?" and then I get to blush and confess that I made it. I guess now I can declare my recent bag dilemma successfully solved and closed for the season.
This past January I was elected president of our local historical society. My vanity isn't tickled at all, but instead I was intimidated because they run their meetings in a crisp, professional manner using Robert's Rules of Parliamentary Order, or whatever they're called. Despite my attempts to figure out how things go, at the February meeting I found myself mentally whirling in circles trying to conduct business and the former president/current vice-president stepped in and came to my rescue and got us through it. Today, however, I was on my own, so this afternoon I took about an hour and started looking around online for a lightning short course on Robert's Rules. The "For Dummies" people put together a cheat sheet with elements of a script of what to say at what point. With that in one hand and the meeting agenda in the other, I wrote a script of my own to follow, and put my lines in bold-faced type and turned them blue. It worked. I was able to conduct the meeting smoothly and keep it moving. Next month, I'll have a better script and by the time I step down, I'll be able to do this with more confidence. But, whew.
Last summer I started a major office clean-up, but the semester started before I really could get it finished. I suffered with important yet untidy piles of paper in rows on many of the available flat surfaces through the Christmas break and into the current term. However, before spring break, I took a precious day and really put on the gas. I've got my office mostly straightened out, sensitive papers shredded, recyclables recycled, files filed, and assignments put neatly into folders and tucked into a drawer.
Early in the semester, I replaced a rickety Rube Goldberg printer table with an octagonal end table I picked up at our local Habitat for Humanity ReStore, and have begun storing my blank paper inside its cabinet. Next, I'd like to get one more tall bookcase and move two of my other ones around to better house my books. I also need to change my desk configuration; the previous owner or someone along the way had exchanged the top left drawer for a table that fastens into a drawer cavity.
I need a table at my left hand, because that's where my laptop's dock goes (the office's wiring pretty much dictates where things have to be), but I'd really like to have my drawer back, too. Just about the time that I get my office just the way I want it, you just watch -- they'll move our department. But for now, it's liveable, and even comfortable.
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