By: Marcia King-Gamble
What are the top three things you do well?
That question certainly provided food for thought and
challenged me to really think. I have
never thought of myself as doing anything exceptionally well. I just do what I
have to do. Several friends have said that I pile quite a
bit into a twenty-four hour day. That I would agree.
What does that mean? It means I plan my day to get the max
out of it. Am I a good multi-tasker? Yes, a bit of a perfectionist, well that too.
Each day I get up at
about 6:30 am. Coffee goes on while I shower. The dog is let out. While he’s
doing his business I hose down the back deck or clean the pool. Sometimes I do
both. The cat gets fed and then time permitting, I pay bills and write. Yes, I do
both at times simultaneously. Next, I pack breakfast and lunch and head off to
the day job. Usually, I am there an hour early. On my way, I read text (yes I
know no texting and driving.) At times I
even respond.
My days at the day job are filled with meetings and counseling
sessions. They’re filled with company gossip and putting out fires. At lunch,
which I take late, I write. At the end of a nine-hour day, I go grocery shopping, head for the gym, or get
a pedicure. Then it’s let the dog out again, or walk him, (down to one now). I
prepare dinner, and then go back to writing. I keep one eye on the TV if it is
on.
Bedtime is midnight. Whatever I am reading is on the nightstand.
I fall asleep four pages in. Then I get up next morning and it begins again.
Another thing I do well is proofreading, I can spot a
misspelled word a mile away. I am good at crunching a thought that rambles on for
a page or two and turning it into succinct sentences.
This ability has served me well in the editorial process. When I submit a completed
manuscript, it’s pretty clean and leaves
little for the editor to do (except correct punctuations.) I am horrible at that.
The third thing I do well is travel. That I have down to a science.
Maybe it has to do with me once being a flight attendant, and being so junior,
I was always on standby, bag packed, knowing I had to get to the airport in ninety
minutes. I became an expert in doing a quick change in the back of a cab. Back
then we wore pantyhose which often made dressing difficult.
Back to being good at traveling. I’m one who never
complains about delays. They’re to be expected. I plan accordingly and leave enough
time for unexpected situations. I do long flights well, I come armed with books,
magazines, headsets, snacks, and what is needed to pass the time and stay comfortable.
I am a firm believer in staying at hotels that are
aesthetically pleasing (not necessarily expensive). If I wouldn’t want to spend
my day in that hotel, then it’s not worth booking into. When I travel with a companion, I give each of
us space to do what we want to do.
My typical day goes like this. Up early, off to the gym.
Next is breakfast. If I'm cruising, I find a hideaway onboard conducive to writing.
If I’m exploring a new city, I seldom do an organized tour. I also
avoid tourist traps like they’re the plague. I enjoy being on my own, meeting
local people. I tend to drift off to where the locals go.
Dinner is my connecting time. If my partner and I decide we
would rather sample different cuisines, we dine separately and meet up later.
Not being joined by the hip makes for less arguments and a fulfilling trip.
Oh, and there’s a fourth thing I do well. I’m a great believer in having faith. Without
faith we have nothing.
As George Michael says. “Gotta have Faith.” Without it life can be pretty miserable.
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5 comments:
All I can say is "Wow!!!" You get so much done on 6 1//2 hours of sleep! Love your idea about where to stay when traveling. Although there is one place on the Oregon Coast with a view to die for that I prefer staying at than a better kept place that has a so-so view.
Yes, I have a pretty busy day. Thankfully, I have always bene high energy.
That's amazing to do all those things on a regular basis--although I have to tell you not to text and drive.
Lol Lynn I remind myself of that all the time. No texting and driving.
WOW - I am worn out just reading your post. Although, in my "younger" working days, I did similar. I had an hour and a half commute to work, so I was usually up at 4 a.m. writing, then shower, premade breakfast to eat on the drive. I used to make a veggie frittata in a big pan, cut it like a pizza, and eat a wedge wrapped in toast or a tortilla for breakfast on my drive. On the weekend, I would make a big pot or pan of whatever...and reheat a portion each night for dinner. Otherwise, I was too tired to cook by the time I got home - sometimes at 7 or 8 p.m. DO NOT miss those days.
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