Tuesday 14th 2005f June 2005
Time Management
Still working at R*. It veers between fun and tedious, just like every other job. Last Friday was fun – somebody left, and we all got taken out for lunch and beer. It’s been pretty much full time for a while now. It always seems like it’s about to wind down, but it never does.
This is, of course, great. But it does lead to a problem which I’ve discussed before. I don’t do anything else! Well, I drink sometimes, obviously – and I go to movies occasionally. But I don’t review them. And I don’t update the blog so much. If an email requires a long response, I put it off for a while. I don’t really regard these things as that important, but they are an indication of the main thing I’m not doing – writing.
This is a bit rich given the song and dance I made about deciding to do it over a year ago. I did do a flurry of it, and I haven’t stopped completely, but I definitely have been putting it off with the idea that I’d get to it when I have some free time. Well, maybe I should start thinking that I’m probably not going to be having any more free time than I have for a while and plan accordingly.
So what would this involve? Basically, I think I’m going to have to find somewhere quiet near R* and go there for a couple of hours after work every day. Or every second day – I’ll see how it goes. But to do this I’d need to buy myself a new laptop – my current one is very, very old and – more to the point – the battery has ceased to function. I was planning to get myself a new one fairly soon, but I had promised myself to wait until I had paid off one credit card fully.
I don’t want to put off my new regime any longer than I have to, so I think I’m going to alter my promise – just to wait until I’m owed enough money to pay off one credit card fully, which I will be at the end of this week. Actually getting paid is fun, but it can take a while…
Anyway, I haven’t quite decided yet. Or have I?
In other news, Julian and Lisa have successfully moved in to their new apartment around the corner from me. I mildly helped them carry stuff on Saturday, but anybody who knows me knows I’m just not very good at that kind of thing. Welcome to Sunnyside, Queens! And my parents will be arriving in NYC next Sunday and staying for two weeks. What should I do with them?
Comment ID: 2805
At 11:39 pm on Tuesday 14th 2005f June 2005, Andrew Bellware blurtedWell, your parents have already been to New York, so you’ve likely taken them to a couple Broadway shows (and if you haven’t, this is the time to do it.)
Things that are beautiful that aren’t so typical as tourist destinations are a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and a stroll along the Brooklyn Promenade.
For concerts, try Carnegie Hall (don’t ask me how to get there) www.carnegiehall.org The JVC Jazz festival is coming up.
If they want to get out of town, Cirque du Soleil is playing at the Meadowlands with “Varekai”. www.cirquedusoleil.com
If they REALLY want to get out of town, there’s Montreal or Philadelphia (the art museum there is really quite good)!
I suspect they’ll want to see the 4th of July fireworks along the river. If you want to blow $125/person but have an unforgettable experience, try the Richard Robbins www.classicsail.com/boat.html which will take you up the river and give you the best view there is.
Comment ID: 2806
At 12:56 am on Wednesday 15th 2005f June 2005, Ruggybabs statedSnug Harbor here on Staten is quite nice to see. Especially the Chinese scholars garden and all that. Don’t you let them ride the ferry without actually letting them SEE the island. Or even just a jaunt down the new boardwalk right near the ferry.
Comment ID: 2807
At 1:04 am on Wednesday 15th 2005f June 2005, Ruggybabs opinedAnd the real bastard of writing is just that. It’s dead hard to try pay the bills while you’re trying do something on the side that doesn’t pay right off the bat.
Comment ID: 2808
At 11:23 am on Wednesday 15th 2005f June 2005, Peter announcedWhy not take the parents around town to help you choose a new laptop?
Comment ID: 2811
At 8:11 pm on Friday 17th 2005f June 2005, Anthony blurtedBuy a laptop from a shop? Never! Thanks everybody else for the suggestions.
Comment ID: 2812
At 8:11 pm on Sunday 19th 2005f June 2005, Douglas Murray assertedYou shouldn’t really need a new laptop to write. A pencil and paper have been known to work, for example. Maybe you need a new battery for your old laptop. Stay true to your original goals: Write! Pay off your credit card! You can do both.
Comment ID: 2813
At 9:19 am on Monday 20th 2005f June 2005, Nigel proclaimedNow’s yoour chance to move over to Mac! Buy a Powerbook or, failing that, invest in some pencils and a few legal pads. Actually no, buy some A4 pads. Nicer size. Easier to file.
Comment ID: 2814
At 12:01 pm on Monday 20th 2005f June 2005, eleanor saidI agree with the man who said buy a new battery. Your mantra should be repair, reuse, recycle…
Say hi to Mum and Dad for me and tell dad happy belated father’s day and could you buy him a pressie/card and tell him its from both of us? cheers!
Comment ID: 2815
At 12:35 am on Tuesday 21st 2005f June 2005, Ruggybabs declaredI would like to point out that the ‘pencil and paper’ theory only works if you have BRILLIANT handwriting.
I need a translator for nearly everything I write on paper.
It’s kind of scary, really.
My suggestion, Anthony, is to buy a new laptop, lend it to me, and then you can write using said ‘pencil and paper theory’
Whaaaat??
Sounds perfectly fair!!
Comment ID: 2816
At 10:24 am on Thursday 23rd 2005f June 2005, Tom attestedPay off the credit card. You really need to be more responsible (he said, after blowing his own budget entirely for the last three months).
Comment ID: 2819
At 9:15 pm on Thursday 23rd 2005f June 2005, JIMI assertedI keep writing my comments in the earlier, out of date entries so they probably don’t get read… oh well… I’ve run out of things to say now…... other than: ‘buy a battery you crazy spendthrift!’
Comment ID: 2820
At 1:06 pm on Saturday 25th 2005f June 2005, Anthony was compelled to shareAll you people who are saying that I should buy a battery or pencil and paper are missing the point, which is… Look over there! Behind you!
Anyway, I’ve already bought one. It should arrive next week.
Comment ID: 2823
At 11:48 am on Monday 27th 2005f June 2005, Nigel typedAnother rubbishy PC laptop. I might have known.
Comment ID: 2824
At 8:40 am on Wednesday 29th 2005f June 2005, Your friend Dean postedScrew the laptop! Order a pizza, buy a big box of tissues, oh and, some condoms too and get a trio of callgirls to come round your place and have a marathon session! Cuz (A) – you’re not gonna write any more just cuz you get a new laptop, (B) – you’re probably just bored and looking to cheer yourself up with another purchase anyway and©..... erm? Anybody?
Comment ID: 2825
At 8:46 am on Wednesday 29th 2005f June 2005, Dean wroteoh yeah.. and© – Why is there an ad on your wesite providing a “Meeting Point” for young men in Ireland? What’s going on hu? Hu? Hu? Eh? Eh?
Comment ID: 2828
At 4:48 pm on Monday 04th 2005f July 2005, Alistair M. wroteHi.
Can’t find your email address, so I will leave a comment. ODAAT is no longer but I am currently at www.theminimalist.blogs.com which is soon to be www.minimalistblog.com when the DNS updates go through.
Just so you know- I am getting a bit lonely over there!
I am only letting other bloggers know about it so I can post more freely.
Comment ID: 2838
At 9:24 am on Monday 11th 2005f July 2005, Alan testifiedYou’re still updating more than I do. When I started going back to school full time for my game design degree while also working full time, my posting on my website dropped to almost nothing. However, I feel no guilt and while I’ve lost a lot of exposure, I don’t have any regrets. I can only do so much and to get things done, the first thing I had to learn was to say “no.”
Not saying you should stop posting, though. I enjoy reading your blog! I’m just throwing in a note from perhaps the other side of the spectrum.