How Much Is Enough?

I've been thinking about this as we have been weeding out some of the "stuff" we have accumulated. See my post on the 50-something Moms Blog.

More on Morr Creative

It's been a while since I told you anything about what we've been doing at Morr Creative. So here is an update.

In the last month there are few notable new ventures. For example, I gave my first professional speech. In fact if you are open-minded enough to entertain the idea that you can speak as a professional even if you are not paid, then I gave TWO professional speeches. The first speech (unpaid) was presented to a Rotary Club about writing for one’s business. The other, for which I was paid, was presented to my friend Deb DiSandro's writing class. Deb invited me to speak to her aspiring writers about "shepherding" a book through the self-publishing process. That was really fun, not because I was paid but because I enjoy book shepherding so much.

Another first is that I finally sent out a newsletter for Morr Creative. I had wanted to do that for a long time, but I kept putting it off because I was waiting until I could to it perfectly. And we all know where that perfection path leads. So I finally just wrote an imperfect column and sent it out. It was a great weight off my shoulders. Now I can go ahead and write another one. Imperfection is very freeing!

Phil has been regularly serving as that important “second pair of eyes” that every writer needs. He checks all the client work (as opposed to personal stuff like this blog) that goes out from Morr Creative. It’s great to know he’s got my back. He is the best grammar and spelling cop ever. And Jane has pitched in to transcribe manuscripts. I am extremely impressed that she can type 90 words a minute! It seems that the time we spent in school working on penmanship has been replaced with keyboarding skills.

So that’s what new with me…. What’s new with you?

Two Great Blogs

Today I would like to recommend two great blogs I like to read.

The first blog is http://suddenlyfrugal.wordpress.com/. In it Leah Ingram share tons of insight and tips for living on less without really sacrificing much. Her suggestions are practical, creative, and very environmentally responsible.

The second blog is http://blog.beliefnet.com/beyondblue/. In this blog Therese J. Bourchard shares the wisdom she has learned through her struggle to recover from depression. She is an inspiration because of her ability to keep going through the major hills and valleys her illness has put in her path.

Enjoy!

Furloughs May Be Just What We All Need

Anita Bruzzese www.45things.com/blog.php wrote an excellent blog on Monday March 9. She commented on the rather new phenomenon of employees being asked to take unpaid days off in order to ease the financial strain on their employers. I'm sure there will be families for whom the lost wages will cause a strain. But there are sure to be those who welcome the respite from the long and demanding days that they have been enduring for years. It seems that the rules of furloughs forbid calling in for messages or checking e-mail, so furlough days are real day OFF.You don't feel obligated to keep in touch and to mentally keep working as many of us have on vacation, personal, or sick days.

Now that I own my own business, I find it hard to avoid checking e-mail several times a day even on Saturday and Sunday. I always want to respond quickly to any client or colleague.

This new furlough situation reminds me of the idea proposed by futurists back in the '60s when I started college. They predicted that computers would soon take over so many routine tasks for workers that the 40-hour work week would disappear. There would not be enough work to keep anyone busy for more than four 8-hour work days at most. I'm glad I didn't bet money on that prediction coming true.

Is it spring yet?

We are out in Denver this week visiting our daughter. The sun has been shining and we have been walking around without coats! Ahhhh! Winter has been too long, too cold and too dark in Chicago. When I younger I used to hate February. By that time I was fed up with winter and thought if I could just make it to March, I would be fine. Now I have become a little more patient with February and I know the truth. It is March that is the tease. The calendar says that Spring starts, but we get a snowstorm. We get a balmy day, followed by freezing temperatures. The only thing I trust is the wind. The change of wind blows in the new season. Yes!