Random Acts of Gratitude 051013

[fivecats]

Self Portrait in Kings Entryway Ceiling
Downtown Raleighwood
May 2013

Three Bits o' Gratitude

1. Taking the Time to Take it Easy; Taking the Time to Take it Slow
Between being tired, feeling run down, and frustrated with werk, earlier this week I decided to take this coming Monday off. After yesterday, I decided to take Tuesday off as well. (Unfortunately I've scheduled a meeting for early Wednesday morning, so I can't keep extending the number of days off)

2. Ground Rules Laid
Last night during a long walk through the neighborhood park Bonn and I were discussing some of the as-yet-to-be-planted plants we have on the side porch. "That's something you could do on your days off!" she suggested. "Don't start trying to set me things to do!" I interjected.

While I probably will get the cherry tomatoes and the tiny blueberry bush into pots or buckets, I don't want anything on my schedule for two days. And Bonn's even agreed to it. : )

3. First Author Interview Agreed To
I had a visit from my favorite kid of someone at werk. He's nine years old and wanted to know about my book. After telling him a bit about it his mother asked me if he could come back sometime soon and interview me for his fourth grade class newspaper.

Comments

[examorata.livejournal.com]

I can't think of a better first author interview, honestly.

[fivecats.livejournal.com]

He ended up coming back later this afternoon to do the interview.

My favorite moment (other than to pause the interview so we could watch a new episode of Shaun the Sheep neither one of us had seen) was when he stopped me in the middle of an answer and said, "Can you make this shorter?"

Gotta love 4th graders. : )

[examorata.livejournal.com]

Ha! "C'mon, hurry this up, I'm on deadline!" Awesome.

[fivecats.livejournal.com]

No, not even that! He was handwriting out my answers word-by-word and I was giving himself words than he wanted to write.

(As in: "do you have an idol or someone you wanted to be like? (You can say no. That's a short answer.)". )

[examorata.livejournal.com]

"But what if I say yes?"
"Well does your idol have a nice short name?"

Heehee!

[fivecats.livejournal.com]

I looked up Jon Scieszka's name online so I could get the spelling right for him.

(I didn't go into why Scieszka is a hero, so I suppose that counts as 'short'.) : )

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[basefinder.livejournal.com]

2. Days off are precious. And sometimes you just don't need help scheduling them!

When looking at potential weekend plans, Debbie always makes sure I have a "Scott Day" to myself. She even builds in a Scott Day when we visit Florida to see her family. :-)

[fivecats.livejournal.com]

There is usually more than enough that needs doing around the house to make going to werk a more relaxing day than being home. This time around, though, even Bonn has noticed how pale I've looked and exhausted I've been.

And there is this new major revision to get started on the ol' book to take up some time, if I really need to feel like I'm doing something 'constructive.'

(I love the idea of "Scott Days" being built into a trip. You're doing that right, my friend.)

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