I see Hurricane Ike is headed way west and just a category one as it moves over Cuba.  Our prayers must be working!  Over the weekend I took photos of all my household and garage belongings, just to have on file.  I also bought two big plastic tubs, so in case I have to evacuate, I can just put my needed office stuff in the two tubs and I’m set.  It includes:
Laptop computer
External hard drive
HM Biz Checkbook
Portable USB adapter
Insurance files with photos of household items
Software cd box
Cell phone charger
Blue tooth charger
Stamps envelopes
Flip calendar (with bills in it) and all mail on desk
Vitamins   

Also bring suitcase with clothes, shoes, bring water boots, postage meter. at least one drum, the main CPU and printer if I have room and sandbag the front door.

That’s my list.  I don’t think I’ll need it this season, but at least I have it together.  It’s funny, I’ve had a van for a decade and now have a little car, and for once I wasn’t thinking about storage space when I bought it.

I mowed my lawn yesterday, the swales are completely dry again *yay*  Now that the parched areas of the yard – like along the street – have gotten saturated, there are lots of grasses growing and it is filling in again.  I have taken my shovel out and dug out some dirt from near the drain openings under my driveway.  I throw the dirt up into the berm.  So it may just wash right back down, but at least I cleared it up a little.  It feels good to go outside and work up a sweat working in my yard like that.

Full moon is Sept 15.

I return calls as I drive, although I realize I shouldn’t try to do anything other than pay attention to a conversation when I am having one; rather than driving, etc. at the same time.  I realize in retrospect that I only listen and respond superficially, since the call has only part of my attention.

That is something I am working on: Letting people know how much of my attention they have in the moment. I used to just listen to everyone as long as they ‘needed’ me, then I grew up and realized that wasn’t productive, nor helpful in the long run for either of us.

I realized that yesterday Iin a call wth a friend lapsed into my old language about “doing all the work myself” and made it sound overly complaining.  The truth is, I enjoy every step of the process and I prefer working alone behind the scenes.  I have a lot of projects going on and I enjoy the time management of it all.

There are times when people stop and say hi at church or wherever, and automatically get into networking mode about business proposals, when I’d just like to say hi and hug everyone and sing and dance around together.

I always tell friends that I am happy to listen to business proposals, however I ask that all info be emailed to me in a short form that tells me clearly (1) what you would like from me and (2) what benefit I receive.  I won’t read a big giant agreement or lengthy website about something unless you give me the short version in your own words. I have too much going on to check out everything that everyone sends me.