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It felt good to feel good today. I got more than six hours of sleep last night (six hours!), and I could really tell the difference. I tried to take advantage of the situation by getting as much done as possible. After all, I know from experience this can't last more than one day. If I sleep well one night, that automatically means I'll sleep badly the next night.
So I got a running start at all the past due bills I haven't had time to pay lately. It wasn't easy, with demands on my time coming from all directions. I have the Boss to the south, and Tim and Julie to the east. If the Pacific Ocean weren't due west of me, I'm sure I would have heard voices coming from there, too. And the north? Well, that's where the redwoods are. They've been kind of quiet lately.
It seems (doesn't it?) that everyone thinks I have nothing to do except what they need me to do. When a new typing job comes in on the fax, I hear about it if I don't have it done and sent back immediately. Sooner, if possible. Tim asked me today if the Boss was bugging me with his demanding ways. He asked me this while he was trying to get me to type something faster.
And then they wonder why I'm behind on paying the company bills. Why is there a late charge on the credit card? Because I chose not to stay up past midnight catching up on the bills, that's why. (I did stay up past midnight last week doing payroll, but that was an exception. I hope.)
Nothing could get to me today, though. I rolled with every punch, no matter how hard or from what direction I got clobbered. Part of it is the weather, I guess. It's hot enough to mellow me out, but not so hot (at least out here under the trees) that it wilts me. I so much prefer summer that I'd even take a good wilting before I'd settle for a single dreary November day.
On the other hand, I'm starting to agree with the Boss when he tells me I need to hire some office help. When he brought it up last week at our meeting, I gave him my usual "I don't want to share my work with anyone." I'm proving to myself, by falling so far behind and staying there, that I might need to rethink that hard line stance. I'll probably have to bend on it whether I want to or not, because otherwise things just aren't going to get done. Not on time, anyway.
How bad is it? I'm deliberately not opening the mail, because I know it will add to my work load. When I do open the mail, I might wait a while before letting the Boss know that (for example) there's a new job. As soon as he knows I have a contract in hand, he's going to want me to read it. If I miss anything, it'll be my fault. So I put things on hold until a more convenient time. It spreads the work out more evenly, which makes it better for everyone. Especially me.
And while I won't be working past midnight tonight, I might end up jamming myself right up against it, by the time I'm done. However. When I'm working on my own time (as if such a thing existed), I'm going to be doing what I think needs to be done, instead of someone else's pet priority project. So there. I'll work unpaid overtime, but on my own terms. If you don't like it...
Well, if you don't like it, you can ask me nicely and I'll probably cave. | 
