Tuesday, 29 January 2013

Dangerous, dark day

Today is a triple D:  dangerous, dark, day!

The pounding rain beckons me to slip back under the covers and read a book while listen to the lilt of the water hitting pavement.

If one works at a home office, mere steps from one's bedroom, the siren's call of a position of repose can often be heard on an afternoon as one nods over the key board.

That is dangerous - but not nearly as threatening as this kind of day, when it takes nearly herculean focus to stay at the key board and not give in to the call of the rain drops.

You might think that a day when piles of snow are building up because it's pelting the earth with its errant whiteness would be a danger day.  But you'd be wrong - that's the sort of day on which I thank my lucky stars that I have to cross a hall instead of driving across town to get to work.  I dive in feeling happy that I can add the two hours that would be lost to clearing snow from vehicle and driveway and fighting snow drifts and slippery roads to reach my workplace.

This is definitely the most dangerous type of day for someone who is as inherently lazy as most writers are and as 'into' books as most writers are.

Warm bed + sloshing rain outside window + feeling of lethargy = danger Will Robinson (robot thrashes arms about).

Solution: close office door and keep blind pulled down over window so I can't see rain.  Turn on squawk box in office to drown out lovely sounds of rain.  Turn on faux fireplace to warm it up in here so warm bed not tempting. 

Yeah - back on track and ready to roll into another productive Tuesday!

What about you fellow freelancers - what do you to fight this type of dangerous day?  Or is a rainy day even a threat to your productivity?

I'd love to hear your thoughts on maximizing productivity from a home office.

Wednesday, 23 January 2013

Make like a dog

Ok, that it's cold out today - at - 18C - is no shocker and if anyone has the temerity to say 'Cold enough for ya' I'll probably apply my hand upside his/her head (to see if the brain is frozen).  But, only in my mind of course - otherwise it's assault with a pissed-off weapon.  However, the real trick to enduring this kind of climatic punishment is dressing for success.
My polar parka ready for exterior protection duties

In this case, dressing for success means making like a dog and putting on extra 'fur'.  Here's my answer to extra fur - my 'Nanook of the North' primal parka.  It's good to around -50F and I'm warm from my neck to my knees. 

Not real fur of course – that’s cruel, especially for Barenaked Ladies (in these temps).

But, oh my gosh, does the face get cold when that bitter wind has the gall to blow right up my nose. 

Not sure if I'm ready to step over the fashion fault line and get a balaclava (robber ski mask type hat) but it is tempting.

Do you think donning one of those would smear my makeup or look at all unprofessional?



Monday, 7 January 2013

A new year of abundance (and bitching)

Well, it's the first working day of 2013 and I've named this as the year of abundance for me and my business! 

So, let's start on a positive note: A prosperous and abundance year to you from all of us at Write.On Communctation Services International.

Abundance calls for a positve outlook and I am usually positive but this is my forum to bitch, whine, moan and generally let off steam about - what else - the weather.  We can't do anything about it so it's fair game for bitching, moaning, etc.  If you can do something about a problem, well   . . . you should do it! 

That's not the case for weather.

So on this the first work day of a lovely, bright and shiny new year, it occurs to me that I HATE, loath and despise being cold!  This thought occured to me when I was downloading pics from our recent sojourn to Florida, where - I belatedly realized - I was never, ever cold.  Oh yes, there were a couple of chilly days but I was never bone rattlingly, feet freezingly, hand shakingly cold.

I could get up to answer nature's call at night and not be cold upon exiting the covers.  I could go from hot tun to pool or vice versa without freezing my tocus off.

I could walk out on the balcony to enjoy a breath of night air and not freeze by bajeebas off.

My hands were never numb and my feel never felt like I was walking on an icy pond.

Being constantly - or as constantly as the age-induced personal tropical heat waves allow - cold isn't fun.  What is your pet peeve about winter?  Is it the cold, snow, lack of snow or other?

May you and your family and business experience a truly abundant new year!