Peggy Jaeger's Blog - Posts Tagged "retirement"
The never ending road of things to do
With my retirement imminent - 2 days and counting! - I wrote up a list today of everything I want to work on once I don't have to schlep to the office everyday.
That list is almost 3 pages long.
I had no idea there were so many writing projects I'd already begun, stored on my laptop, and forgotten until I had more time to devote to them.
I've got five novels plotted out that need to be started.
I've got four books currently in production.
There's an entire folder chock full of blog entires waiting to be finished and released into the cybersphere.
I've got a marketing plan to refine.
In addition to the writing list, I've got a laundry list of things that I need to do. A garage sale to cull the crap out of my house; painting projects that need doing; the carpets need to be washed, the windows and porch cleaned. I have a storage shed that desperately needs to be cleaned, organized, and culled.
I retired so I could devote my life to writing FULL TIME.
I sincerely hope that happens!
But first, I need to clean the basement...yuk. Hope the spiders have all moved out.
That list is almost 3 pages long.
I had no idea there were so many writing projects I'd already begun, stored on my laptop, and forgotten until I had more time to devote to them.
I've got five novels plotted out that need to be started.
I've got four books currently in production.
There's an entire folder chock full of blog entires waiting to be finished and released into the cybersphere.
I've got a marketing plan to refine.
In addition to the writing list, I've got a laundry list of things that I need to do. A garage sale to cull the crap out of my house; painting projects that need doing; the carpets need to be washed, the windows and porch cleaned. I have a storage shed that desperately needs to be cleaned, organized, and culled.
I retired so I could devote my life to writing FULL TIME.
I sincerely hope that happens!
But first, I need to clean the basement...yuk. Hope the spiders have all moved out.
A relaxing Retirement?
I retired from my full time job in April of this year to devote myself full-time to writing. I wanted to give you a little view into what my daily schedule now looks like. This is what I did today:
Wrote:
2 blog entires for my own website to be held in storage until needed
3 blog entries for sites I will be visiting soon
Edited:
final edits in a novella to be published next february
final edits in the third MacQuire Women series book, First Impressions, release date sometime later this year
final edits in current WIP ( writing work in progress)
Updated my website; continued Twitter marketing campaign for current book giveaway; answered "reader"emails, emailed my amazing Editor to discuss edits mentioned above.
Sent in two blog entries/release promos to websites I will be visiting this week and next
Registered for the New Jersey RWA chapter conference in October
This was all before 2 p.m., mind you - sometimes it pays to have chronic insomnia.
When my fingers got tired from typing, I did the stuff that needed to be done: grocery shopped, went to the bank, went to the recycling center to drop off, well, recyclables, went to Target, Michaels Craft store and Hallmark ( numerous graduations this month!) I did three loads of laundry, ironed, vacuumed and painted.
This is retirement?? I should go back to work, it was less exhausting!
Wrote:
2 blog entires for my own website to be held in storage until needed
3 blog entries for sites I will be visiting soon
Edited:
final edits in a novella to be published next february
final edits in the third MacQuire Women series book, First Impressions, release date sometime later this year
final edits in current WIP ( writing work in progress)
Updated my website; continued Twitter marketing campaign for current book giveaway; answered "reader"emails, emailed my amazing Editor to discuss edits mentioned above.
Sent in two blog entries/release promos to websites I will be visiting this week and next
Registered for the New Jersey RWA chapter conference in October
This was all before 2 p.m., mind you - sometimes it pays to have chronic insomnia.
When my fingers got tired from typing, I did the stuff that needed to be done: grocery shopped, went to the bank, went to the recycling center to drop off, well, recyclables, went to Target, Michaels Craft store and Hallmark ( numerous graduations this month!) I did three loads of laundry, ironed, vacuumed and painted.
This is retirement?? I should go back to work, it was less exhausting!
Almost Showtime…
I bet you were thinking this was going to be another blog entry about Keene DANCING WITH THE STARS. Wrong! The showtime I’m referring to in the title is my own showtime – or more specific – my new writing schedule.
Today is my last day of work AGAIN!!! and from 5 pm tonight onward I get to live my dream AGAIN!!! of being a full-time writer. You all know I retired last year, and within 4 months got asked to “fill in” because the girl that took over my job…well, let’s just say she didn’t work out. Because I had designated 2016 as the year of “yes” (Thank you, Shonda Rimes and insert the sarcastic tone right here) I felt I couldn’t say no to my old employer because, 1. it was the year of saying yes and not the knee-jerk no’s I always gave; 2. I didn’t want my former patients to suffer, 3. this is, after all my husband’s business and it didn’t feel right to say no, and 4. it was only supposed to be for a few weeks until they found a replacement.
Fast forward 4 MONTHS – yeah! 4 -freakin’-months – and I finally said “no more.” It was a little more forceful than that, and may have been peppered with an expletive or two…or ten… but today I am done. Finito. Basta. No more.
So, starting bright and early tomorrow morning ( and by that, I mean the middle of the night because I still suffer from that damn chronic insomnia) I get to spend the days, all the glorious days, writing once again. And thank you, Jesus, it’ just in time because I’ve got three deadlines for this year all lined up with actual DATES!! Heaven help me.
If you don’t hear from me for a while, don’t worry. I’m fine. Just chained – intentionally – to my desk, my fingers splayed across the laptop keys, my brow grooved into two lines resembling caterpillars on my forehead, deep, deep, in writing mode.
The zone is calling and 5 pm can not get here soon enough…
Today is my last day of work AGAIN!!! and from 5 pm tonight onward I get to live my dream AGAIN!!! of being a full-time writer. You all know I retired last year, and within 4 months got asked to “fill in” because the girl that took over my job…well, let’s just say she didn’t work out. Because I had designated 2016 as the year of “yes” (Thank you, Shonda Rimes and insert the sarcastic tone right here) I felt I couldn’t say no to my old employer because, 1. it was the year of saying yes and not the knee-jerk no’s I always gave; 2. I didn’t want my former patients to suffer, 3. this is, after all my husband’s business and it didn’t feel right to say no, and 4. it was only supposed to be for a few weeks until they found a replacement.
Fast forward 4 MONTHS – yeah! 4 -freakin’-months – and I finally said “no more.” It was a little more forceful than that, and may have been peppered with an expletive or two…or ten… but today I am done. Finito. Basta. No more.
So, starting bright and early tomorrow morning ( and by that, I mean the middle of the night because I still suffer from that damn chronic insomnia) I get to spend the days, all the glorious days, writing once again. And thank you, Jesus, it’ just in time because I’ve got three deadlines for this year all lined up with actual DATES!! Heaven help me.
If you don’t hear from me for a while, don’t worry. I’m fine. Just chained – intentionally – to my desk, my fingers splayed across the laptop keys, my brow grooved into two lines resembling caterpillars on my forehead, deep, deep, in writing mode.
The zone is calling and 5 pm can not get here soon enough…
