Friday, February 14, 2020

February Goals and Reading Schedule

Yes, I realize it's now the 2nd week of Feb and I'm just now getting my goals up!  I've been a little busy (scroll on down for details), but here's what I did or did not accomplish last month.

-Round #2 of self-edits on Second Chances, plus sending Cover Art query and professional editor query. Finished Ch 6; editor query sent and accepted!  Made it to Ch 7.
     -Paying for both (more February, perhaps?)
     -Typing up and finishing Defending Your Life story
     -Add words to either Heart Song, RiKer's Redemption, Guardian Vultures, Time Travel Trilogy, and Paranormal Preacher
     -Get Christmas decorations sorted, packed, etc.(All put away, except for snowmen; sorted?  Sort of...)
     -Get Mom's finances settled for coming months (making budget, desk organized, and tax stuff ready) Check:)
     -Organize office
     -Sort Dad's clothing Check! and donate it to Soldier's Home (said they're not taking any donations at this time)/GW Fashions 1/8:  Sent it all to Trinity Missions:)
     -Settle into routine Maybe??
     -Figure out status of my job at LHIC 1/27:  As of now, I'm still employed, but if my LOA isn't approved, it may have to be terminated until I return.  Re-hire should NOT be an issue.
     -Go see Star Wars:  Rise of Skywalker, Little Women, and Cats:)  Nope, nada.  Will have to wait for DVDs.

     -Lose 5 lbs (starting 235) Ugh....gained 6 pounds over holidays!! Sigh...

Yeah, didn't accomplish much of that list.  What WAS accomplished?
-Managed to get my mother to her various appointments
-Paid her deposit for the new studio apartment
-Cleaned out the books in my dad's den and all but one shelf in the family room
-Sent various boxes of of stuff to Goodwill and library
-Made (and kept!) my own doctor's appointment
-Spent a week at home, dealing with my Teen, formatting my Sample Chapter Book, and deciding on cover art
-Finding out my presence has been missed, not only at my day job, but at the weekly writer meetings
-Finding out my presence has NOT been particularly missed at home, unless you ask the fur babies....
-Discovering the cat my mother has been cat-sitting was not particularly fond of the new 'staff' person and was VERY happy to have me 'home' again....at least for a week until she was returned to her owner.
-Found out sometime in the past 30+ years, I've grown an inch and a quarter....but I'm still claiming 5'6" on my license!  Weight-wise.....Mom and I either have to stop eating out, or I need to stop eating pizza when we go to our favorite restaurant!  (Or maybe simply make 4 meals out of it instead of one???)

Weight:  247.  I'm going the wrong way!!!

Books Read:  4 Print

Foot Update:  Was supposed to see wound care today, but with the frigid temps and snowfall on Thurs, it's been pushed back to 2/21.  I am NOT diabetic, so at this point, I'm hoping it's not something worse!

Karaoke Songs Added:  1.  Was able to add 'Uptown Funk' to the good list while I was home, ha ha!  Everyone enjoyed it, and some were surprised I'd not been drinking!

UPDATE ON BOOK 'Tour':
2020 Expenses:
-Book Lovers Con Book signing Sat (March 2020) $10+ travel expenses; Nashville, TN
-Liberty Writers-New Jersey Not gonna happen this year
-Kentuckiana Authors Fair (April) -$78 for hotel; $83 for car rental; $36 (gas total); $10 (book); $15 (approx Arby's); $2.12 (iced tea); $16 +$2 tip (Sweet-n-Savory Food Truck) Thinking I'll have to skip this year, due to Mom....Might attend Indy Comic Con instead????
-Weekend With The Authors 2020 (April table fee waived, due to generous person having to cancel and donating her table to me; $5 General Admittance or $200 Reader Ticket for Mom) and 2021:  20 ($600 hotel/gas/food/rental car);$50 charms (Paid 12/13).  21:  $225-300 table fee; hotel/gas/food/rental car
-Writer's Workshop (April 25, 2020) Nashville, IN $45 Paid 2/29
-Farmer's Market (June 6, 2020) $12 Doubtful I'll do this...
-PrideFest (June 20, 2020, $25 donation) Unsure of attending
-Corning IrishFest (June 21, 2020) Unsure of attending
-InConJunction (June 3-5, 2020)????? Falls on daughter's birthday, so unsure if attending
-Imaginarium (July 10-12, 2020):  $100 early bird booth fee (PAID!); $30 banquet; $100 food, $200 hotel, gas. ($186 hotel, $371 rental car (prepaid $30 gas), $35 food, $10 gas)
-Heroes For Kids (July 18, 2020, $50)  Perrysville, MO car rental $252, gas $40, hotel room, $140, food $40=$472 total)
-Watermelon Festival (July 31-Aug 1, 2020) $45 ?????
-Indy State Fair (Aug $100) ($100-200) Rental car:  $257, gas $30, $15 admission; $24 parking fee; $20 food; $6 ride
-Minneapolis travel expenses (Aug 8, 2020) ($200-hotel, $228 car rental, $120-food,$100- gas=$648 needed)
-Penned Con: $225 half table (6') (Paid 12/21) Hotel/rental car/food/gas
-Cil-Con 2020 ($75 Paid 12/21) plus  $340 car rental, $112 hotel, $30 food, $15 gas)
-Saluki Con expenses-Date Changed To Jan 2021 ($340 car rental (credit card), $203 ($25 refunded after stay) hotel. $66 food and $40 gas.)  
-ICGAHS:  $340 booth fee, $440 rental car, hotel/gas/food $100 paid 1/31; Bal:  $240.


So What Are My Feb Goals And Will I Keep Them?
-Finalize Starter Collection and order inventory Check:)
-Continue formatting and editing Second Chances and send it off to Leanne, along with payment (March??)
-Pack rest of Den (got half of it packed and desk dismantled), Family Room (Check!), and most of Kitchen (Check!) and Living Room (Check!)
-Rent storage room (Check!)
-Make arrangements for boxes of keepsakes to be shipped home (6/22 taken home) and to my sis BIL taking a few items home on plane) 
-Lose 5 lbs (Starting 247) 2/21:  241
-Get good news at Doctor's about leg wound Check!  Keep bandage on and follow up 3/6
-Secure hotel arrangements for March trip
-Hang onto my funds for April trip (So far, so good!)


Feb Income:  NOTE TO SELF:  DO NOT SPEND $$ ON SELF THIS MONTH!!!  Need $600-700 for April WWTA trip!!!!
   -2/6:  $200 (Bal:  $65)
     -$20 to church; pay Maurices ($50 Check!); pay (GSH Check!) medical bill ($61)=$69-$10 (b'fast 2/10-$10 dinner)=$49 banked
   -2/13:  $200
     -$20 to church; pay credit card ($50 Check!); pay Nancy ($50 Check!)=$80 banked ($227 total saved)
   -2/20: $200
     -$20 to church; pay (GSH) medical bill ($61 Check!); pay (Neuberg) medical bill ($60 Check!  Bal:  $49!!!)=$59 banked -$43 (son's knives bought back)-$8 (lunch 2/21)-$38 (inventory)=$197 TOTAL banked
   -2/27:  $200

      -$20 to church; pay (March) health ins ($89 Check!)=$91 banked. Pay Writer's Conference ($45 Check!)=$25 saved+$2.Amazon Deposit ($2.57)=$28 (Total Banked:  $266)

February Reading Schedule:
Print:
For Better or For Worse, Vol 2-Lynn Johnston DRR!!  Loved this and can hardly wait for Vol 3!!

E-book:
Sugar and Spice-Phoebe Alexander
Now and Forever:  A Love Story-Jean Joachim
The Flip-KL Montgomery

I've been criticized for posting my budget for the world to see, so I've removed it for this year and keeping it elsewhere.  I thought I was being rather honest and transparent; apparently it was also seen as TMI.  Who knows?  Can't please everyone, so thhbbbbttt.

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