Hello it's me!
This has been kind of a crazy month.
Mostly just busy with work. Our fiscal year ends June 30, and typically, between now and then is when our biggest supporters tend to make their contributions, so there's been a lot of related writing and document prep centering around that. I've also been planning a reception for our major gift givers, which happens tomorrow evening, and that's mostly set though I know I'll still feel some nerves until things start and there's nothing left for me to second-guess.
What else? I've ramped up my running practice. I'm doing my first-ever 8K race on June 21st, in support of a no-kill animal shelter (PAWS Chicago) that does really outstanding work. Having done a handful of 5Ks over the last two years made me feel like I was ready to step up to a new distance challenge, and so I've been training with an App that's supposed to get you fit for up to 10K, made by the same people who created Couch to 5K. And oh yeah, I did my first 5K of 2014 (Run or Dye) the weekend before last with my nephew - though it was a fun run, so it wasn't timed. He loved it, and I enjoyed spending a morning with him.
My library board volunteer work has kept me pretty busy as well, since this is the time of year when they set and approve their budget, and prepare all the stuff that gets them ready to apply for the tax funding that keeps them afloat. Luckily there's only a couple more meetings, and then that commitment will go into sleep mode for a while, save for the regular monthly board meetings.
The novel writing hasn't been that productive, though I did recently finish a new chapter that I read at the last Tamale Hut! And I liked the way it left things - I just need to make the time to start figuring out the consequences of the conflict that's been created, since it carries over into the next chapter.
And my biggest source of anxiety - I'm getting work done on my bathtub starting tomorrow. It was a project I initiated after it looked like a building-wide plumbing repair was going to require breaking through my bathtub wall, something I agreed to because I've been wanting to re-tile and get rid of the awful tub liner the previous owners installed for several years. As it turns out, the wall breaking was not necessary, but since I'd already gone to the trouble of pulling funds for wall and tile repair from a small retirement account from a previous employer, and since I figured it can only benefit me to make some improvements to my place if I aim to ultimately sell it and move west, I scheduled the project anyway. It shouldn't be a big deal, but I'm a bit fearful of what they're going to find underneath the liner -- my contractor reassured me that it might be dirty, but should be fine, and easy to refinish - however, if it turns out the original tub is cracked or damaged, then this job is gonna get a lot more complicated and expensive than I care for it to be. And unfortunately there's no way to know until they get in there and have a look. I suppose if it is messed up it's better to just get it sorted and not let it sit where further water damage or damage can fester, right? Regardless, my moment of truth comes tomorrow, so at least I'll know either way in less than 24 hours.....
Somewhere along the line I have become an adult, I think! I'm sorry I don't have anything more exciting to update you on! I'll try to be more interesting after I recover from the financial pain of my bathroom construction!
Mostly just busy with work. Our fiscal year ends June 30, and typically, between now and then is when our biggest supporters tend to make their contributions, so there's been a lot of related writing and document prep centering around that. I've also been planning a reception for our major gift givers, which happens tomorrow evening, and that's mostly set though I know I'll still feel some nerves until things start and there's nothing left for me to second-guess.
What else? I've ramped up my running practice. I'm doing my first-ever 8K race on June 21st, in support of a no-kill animal shelter (PAWS Chicago) that does really outstanding work. Having done a handful of 5Ks over the last two years made me feel like I was ready to step up to a new distance challenge, and so I've been training with an App that's supposed to get you fit for up to 10K, made by the same people who created Couch to 5K. And oh yeah, I did my first 5K of 2014 (Run or Dye) the weekend before last with my nephew - though it was a fun run, so it wasn't timed. He loved it, and I enjoyed spending a morning with him.
My library board volunteer work has kept me pretty busy as well, since this is the time of year when they set and approve their budget, and prepare all the stuff that gets them ready to apply for the tax funding that keeps them afloat. Luckily there's only a couple more meetings, and then that commitment will go into sleep mode for a while, save for the regular monthly board meetings.
The novel writing hasn't been that productive, though I did recently finish a new chapter that I read at the last Tamale Hut! And I liked the way it left things - I just need to make the time to start figuring out the consequences of the conflict that's been created, since it carries over into the next chapter.
And my biggest source of anxiety - I'm getting work done on my bathtub starting tomorrow. It was a project I initiated after it looked like a building-wide plumbing repair was going to require breaking through my bathtub wall, something I agreed to because I've been wanting to re-tile and get rid of the awful tub liner the previous owners installed for several years. As it turns out, the wall breaking was not necessary, but since I'd already gone to the trouble of pulling funds for wall and tile repair from a small retirement account from a previous employer, and since I figured it can only benefit me to make some improvements to my place if I aim to ultimately sell it and move west, I scheduled the project anyway. It shouldn't be a big deal, but I'm a bit fearful of what they're going to find underneath the liner -- my contractor reassured me that it might be dirty, but should be fine, and easy to refinish - however, if it turns out the original tub is cracked or damaged, then this job is gonna get a lot more complicated and expensive than I care for it to be. And unfortunately there's no way to know until they get in there and have a look. I suppose if it is messed up it's better to just get it sorted and not let it sit where further water damage or damage can fester, right? Regardless, my moment of truth comes tomorrow, so at least I'll know either way in less than 24 hours.....
Somewhere along the line I have become an adult, I think! I'm sorry I don't have anything more exciting to update you on! I'll try to be more interesting after I recover from the financial pain of my bathroom construction!