We all know how much kids of all ages look forward to the end of a school year, as just that… the end of a school year. It is time for fun and freedom, less responsibility, and less rigid schedules. Most importantly, more time to “do what they want”. Thus, typical responses to that proverbial question include all forms of summer activities and entertainment, social gatherings and interaction with family and friends, sleeping in and sleepovers, and the occasional heartbreak of a summer “puppy love”. For most school aged children (teens included but shhhh NEVER let them hear you calling them children) summer vacation affords many opportunities to be footloose and fancy free.
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| Can you hear the fog horn? |
Many adults, on the other hand, look forward to “summer vacation” as an opportunity to “get some work done”. It is a time to complete projects that cannot otherwise be completed during a typical work week due to lack of time (“not enough hours in the day”) and other demands on their resources and energy; gardening, house repair, vehicle maintenance, honey do lists (always something). They, too, look forward to “less demands” on their time and the freedom to come and go, and start and complete projects without interruption. Distractions happen, the weather does not cooperate, unforeseen interruptions occur. Incomplete projects are frequently chalked up to “life getting in the way”.
Like many people, I try very hard to make the most of those hard earned precious weekends and paid days off by planning my projects well ahead of time. This spring I spent many hours preparing a plan to maximize the use of my “time off” for the year and actually made a calendar of goals centered on activities to nurture my business. I started a monthly e-newsletter for sharing upcoming events and new product launches. I scheduled regular time for “blogging” and cross promoting team members’ shops. I planned out time for creating, marketing and selling new products. I scheduled seasonal activities in order to be prepared for the holidays (ahead of time, for once). I worked out lesson plans for craft workshops and private sewing lessons that I intended to offer – during my time off, of course. I felt very powerful with the confidence that comes from feeling well organized, prepared and in control and I had no doubt that this was the year that I was going to successfully complete all the tasks necessary to increase the success of my business. Of course, this could only be accomplished at the expense of any real quality personal time with hubby, family or friends – no time for that!
Well, you know what they say – “The best laid plans of mice and men…” Life got in the way.
Facing a lay-off at my job in early summer I was fortunate to find a new position within my current company. Very thankful for that! This meant longer hours learning a new job (I love learning new things) and unexpected activities that started impacting my carefully planned calendar. Result: no marketing materials developed, no advertising for workshops. Life got in the way. Oh, well, there is always next month…
In July, I had an unexpected but very welcome visit from a cousin whom I may have met once when I was grade school aged. We had a wonderful visit comparing family stories and sharing genealogical information from the different branches of the family. We poured over photos and other family documents and shared memories of shared grandparents and other relatives. It was as if we had known each other our whole lives and we easily fell into conversation like we had been in touch the whole time. We have even made plans to travel to see our mutual aunt, if possible, early next summer. Result: no new products produced, no photos taken for new listings in the shop. Life got in the way. Oh well, I will make twice as many next month…
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| Midnight Elegance Web Pendant by LMayJewelry |
In August, on a whim, I attended my first local “Concert in the Park” on a Sunday afternoon. I was fortunate enough to meet a fellow Etsy Maine Team member, Laura of LMayJewelry. She is a very talented local jewelry artist, not to mention a genuinely nice person, who offers a table of her wonderful creations for sale at the concerts. We compared notes on our shops and talked about the Etsy experience. I met her very lovely daughters who volunteer at these events. The music was great and the weather was nice. It was a great family oriented evening and I attended each Sunday for several weeks following. So much for my carefully scheduled blog and e-newsletter updates. Life got in the way. Maybe I can squeeze some in on my lunch hours at work…
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| Summer + family + lobster = Wicked good vacation! |
Later in August, I had a wonderful visit from two cousins (sisters), one cousin of which I had not seen for over 25 years, and their very nice spouses. They were all very generous in allowing me to share part of their vacation and I spent a couple of days joining them on their tour in the southern part of the state, showing them places I knew and exploring places I had not been to myself. We spoke a lot of family, our mothers having been sisters, and got reacquainted with each other. Again, it was like we had always been a part of each other’s lives. And thankfully we very definitely are now. Results: holiday items are not ready for listing and will be late again this year. I better get them done next month! Life got in the way.
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| Beach combing for beach glass on Bailey Island |
In September, we hosted a dear friend of my husband’s from Denver. He stayed with us for a week and I took a couple of days off to join them, again going to places in my home state, some of which I had seen and some that I had not been to before. It is refreshing to see places that you have been, and are accustomed to, through the eyes of someone seeing them for the very first time. It makes everything fresh and new again. We took a ride to Bailey Island and while walking the very small “beach” area there my husband’s friend looked down and starting picking up small pieces of beach glass. I had been there dozens of times before and had never seen or thought to look for beach glass! It was very exciting! We spent over an hour hunting for and collecting very small pieces of this treasure. Results: still no new listings for the shop. Life got in the way. Oh well, still a couple more months until Christmas…
October - I had the pleasure and privilege of volunteering at the Dempsey Challenge. While I have been a volunteer in the sewing group for the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope and Healing in Lewiston, ME for several years now, this was my first time volunteering for this function. If you are not familiar with this event, or this organization, I encourage you to check it out. Information for next year's event is already available. It is a most amazing and worthy cause if ever there was. It was a very humbling experience and I will definitely be doing it again next year.
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| Patrick Dempsey and the Gritty's cycling team at the Dempsey Challenge 2011 |
Wow! So, here I am. It’s mid-NOVEMBER. My well intentioned planning and scheduling has all gone up in a puff of smoke! I did manage a little cross promoting, some communications with Etsy comrades, and some linking of shops on Facebook. (Funny, my sales are double what they were last year, hmmmm). The activities I had intended to complete, to nurture the success of my business, which would have been at the expense of any quality personal time with hubby, family or friends (ironic, don’t you think) - never brought to fruition. All because… LIFE GOT IN THE WAY!
And I wouldn’t have had it any other way!
