I'd Love some ideas for initial set-up
YES! I read the manual! I'm just not sure that I'm doing it right? So, I enrolled here to see if some kind hearted, experienced soul could either confirm or correct me before I dig in too deeply.
First off, I am at what you might call in ... Transition (for lack of a better word). 2 of the kids (twins) moved out on their own. I must have done a pretty good job because they really seem to be adjusting well to their lives as young grown ups. That leaves me not being "needed" anymore. hmmm .... That is supposed to be a GOOD thing, right?
I've been a Stay at Home Mom for 11 years! Now I want to go back to work ... BUT! I want to work on MY dream at home in my spare time. I have lots of that now! I seem to be frittering it away on pointless stuff too! That needs to change! This is the main reason I am checking out the Palm and this Software. So far, I'm not too sure because it's new and I'm old! I do think I'll be a COOL MOM if I can figure this out! Technology is new to this rural person!
Now that you know a little about me:
So, here is what I've done so far:
I broke my Outline down to these BiG MAiN LiFE Categories: 1. HOME - 2. FAMiLY - 3. FiNANCE - 4. PHOTOGRAPHY - MY FiRST LOVE! 5. WAiTiNG TiME LiST (List subtasks I can grab and go if I know I'll be sitting around waiting. 6. FREE TiME LiST OF STUFF TO DO WiTH KiDS (Note stuff they mention they'd like to do and then when I have a free afternoon I just glance at the list - grab something that fits the time slot and give them a call)
Now this is what I'm thinking so far:
I used to love domestic life. It used to bring me pleasure. But now the kids are grown and gone. I find that it's pure torture!
So, I HATE housework. I Love Photography. I don't take photos or play in the dark room because the housework isn't done and I feel guilty. I don't clean as often or as well as I should because I hate it! Chicken and Egg and oh so trivial when I see how busy other people are with real life crisis such as illness etc ...
I know the best time for actual shooting is sunrise, sunset and overcast weather. I can streamline a lot of the repetitive stuff by creating checklists that require no thought. You know, create a flow or rythym.
So, maybe I should do the same thing with housework? Make checklists and just get it done with my iPod on?
I need to block out time for learning how to start a photo business. Block out time for learning more about digital photography etc ... I added finance in there as BIG because I know nothing about it and my husband gives me an allowance like a kid. So, if I do make a business, I need to learn record keeping, paying taxes, etc ... as well as what to do with any income I may eventually make. I know nothing in this area.
One more thing. I am one of those really thorough people. I just can't help it! It takes me a long time to do something but I put forth my best effort in everything I do. My daughter remembers the most how I'd make her sandwiches drawing pictures with the mustard! She looked forward to opening it each day to see what I'd drawn! Pancakes had shapes, etc... I go hog wild in making stuff look pretty. Even if it's consumable. Now that's probably a place where I could save tons of time. But I just can help it! Is that an illness? I did grow up in Military Officers Quarters with daily inspections and so on. Maybe that's where I picked up that habit? Anyway, I can't imagine changing so much as to do things haphazardly just so I can go around bragging about the quantity of my work! I know my Obituary will never be on the front page! Mine will be very short indeed! Have you ever read those in the paper and wondered how in the world they did all of that and did any of it well?
So, there's my first big chaotic dumper. I'd love to hear ideas for setting something up that may work for me.
Thanks!
Comments
RE: I'd Love some ideas for initial set-up
You can't edit this message because the editing period has expired.
well ... would someone please delete it for me then?
thanks
RE: I'd Love some ideas for initial set-up
And here I thought it was such an interesting situation you're in. Why delete it?
RE: I'd Love some ideas for initial set-up
Yes, I agree. Your message is right on topic, no need to delete it. Instead, let's get you going!
You are off to a great start in that you've identified that you are making sweeping changes across the board, and that you have a top goal, which is to get moving with the photography.
You've also indicated that there are areas where you don't know everything that you need to know yet -- with the finances and the business aspects.
Another place where you are ahead of the game is that you've identified some of your opportunities in that sunrise and sunset are good times for taking your photographs. You've also identified some obstacles, such as perfectionism in the housework and feeling guilty about doing the photography when you haven't finished the housework yet.
All of that is great!
I'm going to post an "exchange file" document here for you. The .LBE file for Life Balance will show how I might take what you've written and turn it into a Life Balance document. That will give us a point of reference for taking the discussion to the next step. Consider that to be kind of a "rough draft" and something that you can modify to suit your needs. There are many many ways to set things up in Life Balance, but sometimes it can help to have a place to start, or another alternative way of looking at it. What I'm thinking can maybe be a skeleton of how you might structure things.
Give me about a day on that.
Best wishes,
--Catherine--*
Catherine E. White
President
www.llamagraphics.com
Creators of Life Balance software
for Palm OS, Macintosh and Windows.
RE: I'd Love some ideas for initial set-up
Thanks. I hate for you to use your time for this. I think the big issue as I've identified it now is this: Teenage years of our offspring tend to be volcanic in nature. Then, poof, they're gone. If you've given them a decent map and compass, then you have no choice but to retire as parent and move the relationship into a different realm. Not really friendship, it's more than that; but it changes quite dramatically. It's not a thing you can really describe or prepare for. I think you have to experience it. Once their gone, if that's all you had, of course there will be a big void. I just didn't recognize it for what it was. My instinct was to fill it up with trivial matters. Now, I am trying to manage it in a more productive way. Of course we live in a society that values work. So, my first instinct was to go to work.
Perhaps I should consider myself one of the fortunate few who can once again relive their own childhood and just enjoy photography like a child playing; within the contstraints of my allowance. Perhaps I don't need to make it a business at all which would then turn a love into nothing more than a job. Do you believe in the concept of a "world bank"? Like, if I make money that I don't really need - will I be taking money from someone who does? Sort of like when you continue to eat after your full will you be taking it away from someone who is truly hungry? I think this may be a natural law of supply and demand that applies to any type of excess. I certainly would not want to contribute to that. I know, this is probably a bizarre thought. Anyway, my basic needs are met and I have everything I need. I lack nothing. I've been blessed beyond measure - so what in the world do i have to complain about? Not a thing!
I think we have to each find our own answers. I'd still love to see what you come up with and it may even bring help to other Mom's or Dad's going through this big change. It's an adjustment. My husband is counting down the day when we can stop writing tuition checks!
Maybe there's a way to make it Philanthropic in anonymity?
RE: I'd Love some ideas for initial set-up
Hi there,
Whether or not you sell your work, or what you do with the income if you do, is part of the discovery. You don't have to decide any of that yet. The main thing is for you to get the camera out and start taking pictures. The things we love to do are an important gift that we can bring to the world. Your uniqueness and point of view make your photos different from anyone else's.
I've made up a short template file for you to think about. What I've done is use Life Balance Places to help you get past the guilt issue on the housework. Photography and Chores are two places whose hours will not intersect! If you leave your To do list view set to "All places" with the check box for "include closed places" unchecked, then chores will pop up after lunch for a limited time each day, and the rest of the day, your photography tasks will predominate.
I've also created a special place for "Photo Shoots," and another for "Photography Business" which you may find helpful for making other template checklists for making sure that you have the gear together, directions to where you are going. And just for having a proper mindset between the artistic side and the business side of the project.
In fact, I would probably make the "importance" slider for the Taking photos task higher than the projects for learning the business aspects right now. Because taking the photos will inspire you and give you the verve and the nerve to learn the other stuff. :-)
One thing I took out was that rather than having a "bucket" for waiting periods, I would assign tasks to the main goals that you have, with a place of "Anywhere." That way, if you have a few spare moments in a dentist office, you can be "learning about digital photography" by reading a book about it.
Also, at this stage, your best friend may be the library. You might also want to check for local collectives of artists and photographers, professional organizations are often good places to learn about the "mechanics" of running the business end of things. And it can be good to have the social interaction and support network with other people who share that spark!
Again, this is just my take on what you've said so far. Life Balance is very flexible. You can drag tasks around, change the pie charts and importance sliders to match you own feeling about it.
Best wishes,
--Catherine--*
Catherine E. White
President
www.llamagraphics.com
Creators of Life Balance software
for Palm OS, Macintosh and Windows.
Here's the Template file that I put together for you! :-)
http://www.llamagraphics.com/dc/user_files/140.lbe
RE: I'd Love some ideas for initial set-up
Another thing which may also be useful to you is one of our other customers submitted a housework template inspired by the "FlyLady" web site. You can find that here:
http://www.llamagraphics.com/resources/exchange%20files/index.html
You may be able to use that template to focus your efforts when you are doing the chores. Of course, you can adapt that one to your needs too.
Let me know if any of that is helpful! Thank you again for posting about this new phase of your life -- it is an exciting time as you make room in your activities to explore your first love of photography. :-)
Best wishes and good luck with everything and a Happy New Year too!
--Catherine--*
Catherine E. White
President
www.llamagraphics.com
Creators of Life Balance software
for Palm OS, Macintosh and Windows.
RE: I'd Love some ideas for initial set-up
Thanks so much! I downloaded it and took a look and it's lovely. I never thought it could be simplified that much! I LOVE what you've done. My attempt looked very cluttered which is why I think I began losing heart.
Thanks again and I look forward to new beginnings. Thanks for the book title too!
RE: I'd Love some ideas for initial set-up
You are most welcome. I'm so glad you found that helpful!
I wish you all the best!
--Catherine--*
Catherine E. White
President
www.llamagraphics.com
Creators of Life Balance software
for Palm OS, Macintosh and Windows.
RE: I'd Love some ideas for initial set-up
I don't think those TLIs are very useful either. (And I don't know how Catherine set it up, so she may have done something like I would.)
I usually have a Daily Life section, where I put those day to day things that go on your Waiting list. But my other list items are things that I really want to do and they read like real goals. If photography is important, why not have an item that says "Learn to be the best photographer in the universe!"? Or "Pay myself first and manage my finances effectively" or "Help my kids cut the apron strings". What you've got listed seem more like places than something at the top of your list. Those items should be things that you can do and that fire your imagination every time you look at them.
RE: I'd Love some ideas for initial set-up
Hi there,
So glad you didn't get a chance to delete that entry! I'm someone way on past the transition/crisis you are experiencing - though I do think that there's hardy a stage of life that can't be described as a crisis so I'm having the Eeek Medicare stage. I'm also an artist unlikely to have a big send off in the New York Times - though showing your work is important, in my opinion.
So steel yourself to slide some erstwhile important things right down the importance slider. Housework might be described as Keeping things as reasonably livable. There are books about that - but you'd do better to read about showing your work, how to cut decent mats, etc. Be fussy about your presentation of your work, not your living room!
Good luck to you!
P.s. The transition that is called 'child leaves for college' is a seriously difficult one! So not only am I cheering you on but also letting you know that I know what it feels like - and I did eventually get over it (of course, now I am working for that child!)