Friday, August 15, 2008

Free Time or Flexible Schedule?

Currently Reading: Linda Mooney's Sandeflay. I finished chapter 2 yesterday. Now I need an e-reader. The print is small, and in one small column in the middle of the page. If I had an e-reader, I could increase the font...It will take me some time to get through this one. It's 410 pages long, and I believe I'm on page 20. Also ordered One Touch Beyond this morning. Don't know when I'll get to it. I may read them simultaneously.


I was teasing Barb last night. She asked me what I was doing with all of my free time, now that the kids are back in school. Before the 'caboose' arrived, school-time was wonderful! I'd take the kids to school and come home, watch my morning news, and head straight for the computer. A slight sidebar: To show just how far our family has come in the past 9 years, PC-wise, I could come home, turn on the PC, and by the time I'd finished my coffee and watched the news, it would be fully booted up and ready for me! Same thing for the internet...we didn't have a local number, so I'd have to dial in to a local number just to get internet access. Sometimes took as much as 10 minutes to load. Ah, dial-up...how I SO don't miss you:)

But right now, I'm trying to keep our much smaller house clutter-free; not a small task when I still have a toddler around until Sept 2nd, and even then he'll only be in school half a day. So I'll still be in 'taxi-mom' mode. But next year when he goes to kindergarten, he will be the only one of my three that attends all-day kdgn.

And I'm also frustrated by another friend who thinks that, just because I stay home, I have all the free time to do as I choose. Well maybe I've developed a bit of OCD, because I function best when the laundry is finished before dinnertime, and the only thing I have to check on, internet-wise, is my email and blog traffic. If I had my way, I'd forgo housework and write the entire time the kids were at school, and take a break to read now and then. But no, the only maid around here is me, unless I get behind and urge the kids to do a chore or two. And yes, there are a few that they actually have to do, like dishes, setting the table, feeding the animals, and putting away their own clothes. So it's not like I'm a total slave!

I prefer to think of my time as flexible. Yes, if I want to go out to lunch, or have to run to the store, I don't have to schedule it in at any certain time, unless I want to avoid the crowd. And I do try to squeeze in visits to the MIL. And last year, when my oldest had joined the swim team, life was hectic between his practice times and BSA meetings. Right now my busiest days are Mondays, when I have my weekly writing group meetings, my son's BSA meetings, and my monthly Parent and Policy Council meetings, all overlapping. And during this week and next, I'm squeezing in time to watch the Olymoic coverage. I've irritated my children by DVR-ing it every night, and then by fast-forwarding through some of the swimming events. If a 200-meter is running, I'll zip through to the final lap. But gymnastics, I'll watch all of it. Unless the time runs out!

As I've said before, my 'flex' time is grinding to a halt. I set myself a time limit this past year: If my books don't show a profit this year, then in November I start looking for the dreaded job, as hubby is getting fed up with having to fund my promotional items and inventory.

Thought this was appropriate for today's Stupid Saying:

"She's got her legs together; she's not giving anything away."
-Gymnastics commentator

Olympic Update: Did you see the Beach Volleyball game between the US and Bulgaria? USA nearly lost the first set, but rallied and finally won, 24-22! And yes, they smoked the second set! Win number 105:) In Swimming, Ryan Lochte won the gold in his event..sorry, my mind just blanked. I think it was backstroke. I'll check and correct this later. I haven't watched Gymnastics yet, but the news reported that Nastia won the gold; Shawn the silver, and China the bronze. I've started setting my DVR ninety minutes past the posted ending time, and it worked for the Men's All-Around. And that was exciting! No, USA didn't medal; Jonathan placed 9th. But one of the Japanese men slipped off the rings; Korea had one of their members sit on the pommel horse (a no-no, and on one of the easiest skills!); France ended up winning the bronze; Japan the silver, and China the gold. Even with all the mistakes.

4 comments:

barbara huffert said...

The beach volley ball was awesome. In the second game they trounced them. I think the first was too close for comfort. Mol, you do know I was teasing about your free time, right? I know with 3 kids, a hubby and a home you still don't have much soley for yourself to do as you wish even when they're not there with you.

Molly Daniels said...

Of course I knew you were teasing:) Enjoy your 'engagement' and I'll enjoy my downtime when everyone's gone for the day:)

Regina Carlysle said...

What is it with people who think you have nothing but free time if you don't work outside the home? I get that all the time too and,even though my daughter is a teen, I still have trouble keeping up with the house, shopping and multitude of errands.

Molly Daniels said...

I know. They think all we do is sit around and watch TV. I had one friend who that was actually true; she sat around and was bored all day long. She didn't get that I didn't want to talk on the phone all day long; I was actually BUSY!