We arrived home last Friday night - much earlier in the evening than usual. It was a combination of exhaustion, the heat, possibility of heavy rain later in the evening, and knowing that we might have to be up and about early on Saturday for the delivery of our new refrigerator. Normally no matter how late it is when we arrive home we clear out all - or just about all - of the stuff in the RV. This time we only brought in what we needed to have for the night and Saturday morning. We did not want more stuff in the house - which was still discombobulated from when the new fridge had been delivered the week before. There was no computer phone call with the time that the delivery would be made the next day as we were suppose to receive and had received the night before the first refrigerator was received. Knowing that the crew also calls about half an hour before they actually come, we went to bed expecting a call the next day.
I was woken by someone ringing our doorbell and pounding on the door at 7:30 am. I was unsure if it was the delivery as no one had called and was physically too exhausted to get up and look out the window. At 9:30 am my alarm went off. I telephoned the store and was told that I was not on the delivery list for the day. (Glad I didn’t force myself out of bed at 7:30.) The delivery manager who told me this seemed to have no memory of who we were and what was going on. He put me through to the appliance manager. She remembered us, but it was as if we had not been told the week before that it would be delivered on Saturday - the day I was calling her. She told me that she had the fridge and it would be delivered the next day - Sunday. (Quite frankly we were surprised that they deliver on Saturday or Sunday - it used to be week days only.)
The time frame for the first refrigerator to be delivered was 11:30 am to 4:30 pm. We figured that there was a delivery time which ended at 11:30 am and one that started at 4:30 pm. We were called and told that the time range was 12 pm to 5 pm. Lunch was problematic - there was food in the basement freezer and some packaged food in the house - but we had not had a properly working fridge in over a week and a half and did not really have food in the house for the lunch, but we figured we could hold out - and what were the chances we would be one of the last deliveries of the time frame?
We woke up before noon and dressed and went into our home office to work on our computers, sort mail that arrived while we were away, catch up email etc. Around 3:00 husband said that he really needed to eat something as his blood sugar had dropped. Crackers were not enough - so I made him a can of pea soup. I had a small individual applesauce. We went back upstairs. Now, I did get work done - I managed to transfer files to a DVD for my annual archiving of last year, caught up on email, etc. At 4:00 the phone rang. It was the delivery company’s computer again - delivery was now to be 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm!
I telephoned the store - they had the same info, but they did give me a phone number for the delivery company. I called same - 3 times as the first two times I was dropped off hold. I got a nice woman named Becky. I explained that entire saga- damaged refrigerator delivered, having to wait a week for a replacement, delivery not set up for the day before as we would be told, the change in time at the last minute, we are both Diabetics and have not eaten and are becoming ill... She went and checked. There had been a problem on an earlier delivery that set the crew back 90 minutes! She also told me that there were 4 deliveries ahead of us so it would be an hour to an hour and a half before they came and we should be able to go out and eat something. I thanked her.
We did not go out for lunch as we did not trust doing so. Glad we did not. We received a call around 5 pm that they would be here within half an hour. Husband went outside to wait. Good thing. The numbering is odd on the houses here plus depending on the GPS it can show us up the street or about 5 + blocks of where we are. Husband saw a truck stop about 2 houses up the street from us with the men in the truck looking confused and he waved them over.
As opposed to the first crew which was just the other side of perfunctory - meaning a little short of same - this was the type of the delivery we expected (other than the time problem). Two friendly delivery men. Robert had explained to them that they were taking back the same model that we had recently received because of damage. They came in and measured the doors again. (The last one came in, so this one had to - they were twins.) The one in charge looked at the damage and shook his head that it had been delivered like that. They took the old one out. They unpacked the new one. The one in charge called husband over - there was a scratch in the freezer door of the new one - he and we had the same idea - the freezer doors were switched. They brought the new fridge in. They removed the plastic wrapping from it. It was plugged in so all knew it was working. They saw that it was not level and leveled it. (The prior crew had told us it could not be leveled when we asked them to do so.) They did not set up the inside, but I had been told by the manager that they are not suppose to do so. If this crew had come with the original fridge and same had not been damaged and had worked right - I would be just as happy with this store as I was after I bought a washing machine from them. (Which is why we bought from them again.) We tipped the two men - husband is not one to tip for deliveries and such, but we agreed that they did that good a job - especially compared to the last crew. After delivery and setup the fridge is suppose to sit set at the middle range for 24 hours without opening and closing the door or putting any food in it. We shut it off and set up the shelves inside, put in the remote thermometer and shut the door. We went out for a much needed dinner at the Asian buffet we go to.
It is more or less working properly. Apparently it is suppose to go up and down more than our older fridge to keep the proper temperature - although not as much as the first one did. It is also suppose to do so less after it is filled - it is suppose to be at least half filled and food added a little at a time. We have put a lot of bottles of water (made by us, not commercial) in it to add food to it as we have not yet been food shopping and even then, do not have a lot of food in the fridge at any one time in hot weather (in case storm takes down the electricity), and not that much in the winter either other than at certain times as there are only two of us.
So Monday afternoon after picking up the mail at our box - from over a week - and lunch out at Wendys, we came home and I was ready to start catching up on work at my computer. Our bank statements, as well as those for our business and for the two clubs of which I am treasurer had all come in and I planned to work on them. ( I had caught up on email on Sunday while we waited for the delivery.)
I turned on my computer. Some message went past too quickly for me to read. I then tried to go to the Win XP virtual machine in my computer to catch up and sync my Organizer entries in my old Palm Centro with Organizer - but the computer would not switch to the XP side. Husband came to figure it out. Unfortunately I have been having problems with my old, analog monitor recently and it decided to die in the middle of this. We managed to turn my computer sideways and hook it up to the monitor from husband’s second computer - hanging on the wall on his side of the office. He fixed the computer problem.
He had been looking for a new monitor for me. I really did not want a digital one, but that it is all there is. The big problem was that unless we were going to rearrange a good part of the office, I needed a small monitor - about 18 inches across - or it would not fit. There were two candidates he had found. One was Walmart and one was from Staples - but the latter had to be ordered. So Walmart it was. We went in to a local Walmart. We found the monitor we had been looking at - on our trip last week we actually had a chance to see it running and it looked okay. We also found one that he had not seen anything about that was smaller. He looked it up online on his cell phone - well rated and only US$60 (plus sales tax). We decided to go with same. It could be returned and at that price if we decided that I should have the other monitor (it can be turned vertically which might be good for me when reading full page things such as IRS manuals), this was cheap enough to keep as a spare emergency monitor around the house. We took it to the electronics desk - it was $90? Husband pointed out that it was $60 online - we were told that we had to ask for a price match (to Walmart’s own online price). He walked away in reference to a call he had taken. Husband checked and he told him that we should take it to customer service and buy it there, asking for the price match.
This Walmart is in the middle of being updated. The entry now has a gate that when closed only lets one into the store, not out, and when open bings when one someone walks out. Plus there is a security device on the box - how do we get to the service desk - without security descending on us? He decided that he would stay inside of the entrance and I should go out, get in line and explain and ask what to do. I walked over to the first register aisle (empty of customers) and walked out and got on the service line. I was 3rd in line. But there were problems with everyone ahead of us. Finally after he watched people walk out the entrance, set off the alarm, and have nothing happen, he met me at the line. We bought it for the online price and started home.
My old monitor sat on a small plastic shelf, which I do not want to get rid of. (I keep my 2 external hard drives for backup under it, as well as it having sections to hold both kinds of paper clips, pencils, pens, etc. ) Apparently the old monitor bent the shelf and the new monitor rocked. We finally got it balanced and working. I then ran to cook dinner and add some items to the refrigerator after shutting off the computer.
Yesterday, Tuesday, we finally went for our annual eye exams. We were due last November - back when husband’s shoulder was in pain and we could not go that far. Since then this and that has happened, so it took until now. (All was good at the appointment - thank you for asking.) We drove home afterwards despite the drops in our eyes.
On arriving home I helped husband set up our portal air conditioner in the living room so he could finish a weaving project on his loom and went upstairs to try to catch up on computer - and pay a bill. I had trouble seeing anything on the screen - it all seemed overwhelming (husband had changed the settings to make the icons larger - something I really did not need or want). Colors were too bright. The white was too bright. I figured it was all related to the eye drops. I managed to work around it - checked email - first time since Sunday, paid the bill, etc. Husband later changed the icon settings back for me.
So today when we came home from a couple of errands I was ready to go to work on my computer and get work done. It was still too bright - the white too bright, the colors too bold - and I am talking about type - not pictures. I ended up switching to my distance glasses (normally use reading glasses - as I am doing now with my laptop - when working on the computer) and pushing my seat back as far as my arms could reach. He spent a good deal of time - dinner was late tonight - trying to get to the colors and white so that they are not too bright/bold for me, but not so that the white is grey either. Not sure if he/we are done with it with yet.
And he does not understand why I say - change is never good.
THOUGHT OF THE WEEK -
For some reason change is easier for some people. There are people who look forward to something new - new clothes, new car, new computer, new household appliance, new house, going someplace new on a trip. Are you one of them? Or are you like me - someone who wants everything to stay as it is and has trouble adjusting to change?
Showing posts with label Staples. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Staples. Show all posts
Thursday, July 11, 2019
Thursday, January 10, 2019
2018 SEEMS TO BE CONTINUING INTO 2019
Well, this year seems to be a continuation of last year. Not only did husband hurt himself again (as I mentioned last week) - although a lot less than he did last year, I am doing things over again.
I still have one client who has an employee - herself. I have to prepare an IRS W2 form for her each January, along with a covering form named (appropriately) W3. Then since I don’t use a business name, I also have to prepare a similar form for people one pays that are not employees called 1099-MISC which also needs a covering form named 1096. Unlike most IRS forms which one can download from their website and fill in, these forms have red markings on the copies which go to IRS and can only be filled in as a preprinted form - available from IRS for free and can also be purchased at stationary stores and online. One can also buy software to fill in the forms, The alternative to filling in the forms is to do it online free at the IRS website (or various companies that charge to do so). Most companies have payroll companies which take care of their payroll for them and deal with this for them.
Knowing I will need to do this and knowing that my typing is terrible, even with the word processing typewriter (lets one type a line, check it, and then print it) I have, I always order more forms than I need to have spares. I do this in December so I will have them in January to fill them in. I did so last month - in December 2018, ordering forms for the 2018 year. The forms arrived within the 10 days they are suppose to arrive. I opened the envelope - remember all the craziness last month - and I checked the form numbers and how many of them had been sent - all okay. I put them under my desk where I keep the forms to wait for this month. I am so organized about this since I do it every year.
Last Thursday I decided to fill in the forms while I had some time. I know what the client’s payroll is and can do so without having gone to her yet this month. These forms used to be that the form to the employee/other person had to be given to them by the end of January and mailed to IRS by the end of February. Due to the increasing number of fraudulent tax forms being filed, as of 2 years ago the IRS copies also have to be filed by the end of January. So I fill in the forms before I go to my client so I can have her sign them and mail them out. (I used to bring them to her in February and they were signed and mailed then.)
It took me all 6 copies of the W2 forms I have, and at least 2-3 of the other forms to get a correctly typed form and over Thursday and Friday. I breathed a sigh of relief and scanning them into my computer to keep a copy of them on same. I scanned in the W3 and W2 forms. I then scanned in the 1096 form and was about to scan in the 1099 form when I noticed something and got extremely upset. I had not received 2018 forms - I was sent 2017 forms and none of the forms I had typed were usable. Not only that, but since one can no longer pick up forms at local IRS offices, I had to order them again - during the Federal government shut down!
We went looking online. I can buy the forms - they will run me around $60 for all 4 forms as they sold in much larger quantities than even I with my terrible typing would need to make one form of each. I also would have to make sure that the forms were attached multiple parts that allow one to type all copies at once (W2 forms are 6 part, the 1099 forms are 4 part and the others are 2 part) as if they are not I would have to type each copy of the form separately. (The forms have extra copies as there are copies for IRS, state, employer, and the W2 has 3 copies for the employee - the 1099 has one copy, and the other two have a copy to file with IRS and copy for the employer to keep.)
I can file them directly online with IRS, but I don’t like the idea of putting the client’s and my Social Security number through the Internet, but if nothing else works, that will be what I have to do.
So, I am waiting to see if I receive the forms from IRS before I go to the client - and then start typing them all over again. If I don’t received them in time, I will have to file them online. If I do receive them in time - I have to type them all over again!!
I am not sure why we are in a “place” where it seems that everything we do - from something as simple to as buying a Barbie doll to tax forms that I prepare every year to ordering checks has to be redone.
On the other hand, I did get the second order of the checks I ordered and this order seems to be correct. I am currently shredding the incorrect ones. (I held on to them in case they wanted them back.) To make sure I did not “muck it up” I stored the second, correct set before starting to shred the first set. I am shredding them a bit at a time to not overwhelm the shredder.
THOUGHT OF THE WEEK -
Sometimes when we are in a “bad” time it just goes on and on. I know that at some point - hopefully soon - this will end and I will be able to go back to doing things once. One just has to do what needs to be done until there is change in karma.
I still have one client who has an employee - herself. I have to prepare an IRS W2 form for her each January, along with a covering form named (appropriately) W3. Then since I don’t use a business name, I also have to prepare a similar form for people one pays that are not employees called 1099-MISC which also needs a covering form named 1096. Unlike most IRS forms which one can download from their website and fill in, these forms have red markings on the copies which go to IRS and can only be filled in as a preprinted form - available from IRS for free and can also be purchased at stationary stores and online. One can also buy software to fill in the forms, The alternative to filling in the forms is to do it online free at the IRS website (or various companies that charge to do so). Most companies have payroll companies which take care of their payroll for them and deal with this for them.
Knowing I will need to do this and knowing that my typing is terrible, even with the word processing typewriter (lets one type a line, check it, and then print it) I have, I always order more forms than I need to have spares. I do this in December so I will have them in January to fill them in. I did so last month - in December 2018, ordering forms for the 2018 year. The forms arrived within the 10 days they are suppose to arrive. I opened the envelope - remember all the craziness last month - and I checked the form numbers and how many of them had been sent - all okay. I put them under my desk where I keep the forms to wait for this month. I am so organized about this since I do it every year.
Last Thursday I decided to fill in the forms while I had some time. I know what the client’s payroll is and can do so without having gone to her yet this month. These forms used to be that the form to the employee/other person had to be given to them by the end of January and mailed to IRS by the end of February. Due to the increasing number of fraudulent tax forms being filed, as of 2 years ago the IRS copies also have to be filed by the end of January. So I fill in the forms before I go to my client so I can have her sign them and mail them out. (I used to bring them to her in February and they were signed and mailed then.)
It took me all 6 copies of the W2 forms I have, and at least 2-3 of the other forms to get a correctly typed form and over Thursday and Friday. I breathed a sigh of relief and scanning them into my computer to keep a copy of them on same. I scanned in the W3 and W2 forms. I then scanned in the 1096 form and was about to scan in the 1099 form when I noticed something and got extremely upset. I had not received 2018 forms - I was sent 2017 forms and none of the forms I had typed were usable. Not only that, but since one can no longer pick up forms at local IRS offices, I had to order them again - during the Federal government shut down!
We went looking online. I can buy the forms - they will run me around $60 for all 4 forms as they sold in much larger quantities than even I with my terrible typing would need to make one form of each. I also would have to make sure that the forms were attached multiple parts that allow one to type all copies at once (W2 forms are 6 part, the 1099 forms are 4 part and the others are 2 part) as if they are not I would have to type each copy of the form separately. (The forms have extra copies as there are copies for IRS, state, employer, and the W2 has 3 copies for the employee - the 1099 has one copy, and the other two have a copy to file with IRS and copy for the employer to keep.)
I can file them directly online with IRS, but I don’t like the idea of putting the client’s and my Social Security number through the Internet, but if nothing else works, that will be what I have to do.
So, I am waiting to see if I receive the forms from IRS before I go to the client - and then start typing them all over again. If I don’t received them in time, I will have to file them online. If I do receive them in time - I have to type them all over again!!
I am not sure why we are in a “place” where it seems that everything we do - from something as simple to as buying a Barbie doll to tax forms that I prepare every year to ordering checks has to be redone.
On the other hand, I did get the second order of the checks I ordered and this order seems to be correct. I am currently shredding the incorrect ones. (I held on to them in case they wanted them back.) To make sure I did not “muck it up” I stored the second, correct set before starting to shred the first set. I am shredding them a bit at a time to not overwhelm the shredder.
THOUGHT OF THE WEEK -
Sometimes when we are in a “bad” time it just goes on and on. I know that at some point - hopefully soon - this will end and I will be able to go back to doing things once. One just has to do what needs to be done until there is change in karma.
Friday, August 3, 2018
BACK TO SCHOOL SUPPLIES - AGAIN
First, my apologies - somehow I forgot last night to write and post to you. I had finished the yearbook (next year meeting program guide) for my embroidery guild chapter and on Tuesday I had taken it to be printed - yesterday (Wednesday) we picked it up and in the evening when I normally would be writing and posting to you, I stapled, labeled, and stuck stamps on the yearbooks to be mailed out today. Somehow my mind then wandered off and I never did get back to writing and posting. So I am doing it today.
Last year I wrote about back to school supplies - http://wheredidileavethat.blogspot.com/2017/08/this-week-back-to-bit-more-normal.html
Today is more about back to school supplies. As I wrote last year, even as a child I loved office supplies and back to school was actually fun for me - the promise of a blank notebook, not scribbled on or in was the promise to me of a year that I would stay organized and all assignments would be done ahead of when they were due. This, of course, was never true for me or I would not be writing this blog.
As I mentioned last year this is the time of year to buy supplies that might be needed as they are discounted. Do you have pens and pencils in your house that you can find? If not this is the time to get them - and a box to keep them in. The same with basics such as scissors and tape. Good time to find plastic boxes, crates, and file storage boxes.
Growing up I thought everyone went to back to school the Wednesday after Labor Day unless they lived in New York City - since NYC rarely needed a snow day (subways always ran until more recent years when even they had to close sometimes for weather) so the schools in NYC started on the Monday, a week after Labor Day as the did not need to have the 3 snow days the rest of had built into their schedule. I have in recent years learned that schools around the country start and end on all different schedules. (Around here schools close at the June.) Some school districts close for a 2 month vacation -some for a 3 month vacation. Even around here there is now a movement to start schools earlier - in some districts even before Labor Day (although many districts have union agreements against same). The local change is the result of adding holy days of additional religions as days off during the year and the need to make up those days in the calendar.
But right now is the time for school supplies. I wanted to add this second posting about school supplies as there are some that people (as least old timers such as me) do not think of as back to school items.
Electronics. Laptops, tablets, and so on. Stores are running sales now on these for back to school. I was reminded of this as my husband has for some time (years) been pushing me to replace this laptop - to say it is not new is an understatement, you know those stickers on the laptops that show what version of what is included in it - well, the newest copyright on any of them on this laptop is 2004 - that make it around 14 years old, and yes, it still runs Windows XP. It was my work laptop when it was new. I bought a newer work laptop since then and rather than toss this one, it became my kitchen computer - where I go online at night and write and post my blog. It still works - mostly. Some websites are too fast for it and therefore run very slowly on the computer. But for most things it is fine. Husband has been pushing me to get a new laptop. My desktop - main - computer is Windows 7 and not all of my software runs on it - it is even harder to get me to get new software. I tried using his laptop which is Windows 10 and I was not happy with it - and probably even more software will not run. He has been showing me back to school ads for laptops and pushing “Look what great prices they are.” I start to think what a great idea - that website that takes sooooo long to open will work quicker, but I know it is hard for me to switch and it will involve screaming and yelling - on both our sides. (Husband is a dear and puts up with my wanting everything to remain the same and be able to use my old software and goes to great lengths to “make it so” but even he cannot do magic.) So, it reminded me to mention it to all of you. Now, don’t run out and buy a new computer just because they are on sale - but if you have been thinking of getting one - it is a good time save a few bucks.
Another school supply that I don’t think of as being one is casual furniture. Back to school includes going to college and stores that carry casual furniture - small pieces for storage and the like - are having sales and also have a larger choice of them in stock. Shelving units, small file cabinets, the doored cabinets with shelves in them are readily available now.
Of course clothing including shoes for adults (remember back to college) as well as children, of course, are in stock now.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK -
While one should not go out buying items willy nilly and only buy what one actually needs, if one is need of office supplies, clothing, electronics, casual furniture, etc. now is the time to look for bargains.
Obviously one should not buy stuff just because it is on sale - that just adds to the clutter and having too much stuff, but if items are needed it is always best to buy them during the time they are on sale.
Last year I wrote about back to school supplies - http://wheredidileavethat.blogspot.com/2017/08/this-week-back-to-bit-more-normal.html
Today is more about back to school supplies. As I wrote last year, even as a child I loved office supplies and back to school was actually fun for me - the promise of a blank notebook, not scribbled on or in was the promise to me of a year that I would stay organized and all assignments would be done ahead of when they were due. This, of course, was never true for me or I would not be writing this blog.
As I mentioned last year this is the time of year to buy supplies that might be needed as they are discounted. Do you have pens and pencils in your house that you can find? If not this is the time to get them - and a box to keep them in. The same with basics such as scissors and tape. Good time to find plastic boxes, crates, and file storage boxes.
Growing up I thought everyone went to back to school the Wednesday after Labor Day unless they lived in New York City - since NYC rarely needed a snow day (subways always ran until more recent years when even they had to close sometimes for weather) so the schools in NYC started on the Monday, a week after Labor Day as the did not need to have the 3 snow days the rest of had built into their schedule. I have in recent years learned that schools around the country start and end on all different schedules. (Around here schools close at the June.) Some school districts close for a 2 month vacation -some for a 3 month vacation. Even around here there is now a movement to start schools earlier - in some districts even before Labor Day (although many districts have union agreements against same). The local change is the result of adding holy days of additional religions as days off during the year and the need to make up those days in the calendar.
But right now is the time for school supplies. I wanted to add this second posting about school supplies as there are some that people (as least old timers such as me) do not think of as back to school items.
Electronics. Laptops, tablets, and so on. Stores are running sales now on these for back to school. I was reminded of this as my husband has for some time (years) been pushing me to replace this laptop - to say it is not new is an understatement, you know those stickers on the laptops that show what version of what is included in it - well, the newest copyright on any of them on this laptop is 2004 - that make it around 14 years old, and yes, it still runs Windows XP. It was my work laptop when it was new. I bought a newer work laptop since then and rather than toss this one, it became my kitchen computer - where I go online at night and write and post my blog. It still works - mostly. Some websites are too fast for it and therefore run very slowly on the computer. But for most things it is fine. Husband has been pushing me to get a new laptop. My desktop - main - computer is Windows 7 and not all of my software runs on it - it is even harder to get me to get new software. I tried using his laptop which is Windows 10 and I was not happy with it - and probably even more software will not run. He has been showing me back to school ads for laptops and pushing “Look what great prices they are.” I start to think what a great idea - that website that takes sooooo long to open will work quicker, but I know it is hard for me to switch and it will involve screaming and yelling - on both our sides. (Husband is a dear and puts up with my wanting everything to remain the same and be able to use my old software and goes to great lengths to “make it so” but even he cannot do magic.) So, it reminded me to mention it to all of you. Now, don’t run out and buy a new computer just because they are on sale - but if you have been thinking of getting one - it is a good time save a few bucks.
Another school supply that I don’t think of as being one is casual furniture. Back to school includes going to college and stores that carry casual furniture - small pieces for storage and the like - are having sales and also have a larger choice of them in stock. Shelving units, small file cabinets, the doored cabinets with shelves in them are readily available now.
Of course clothing including shoes for adults (remember back to college) as well as children, of course, are in stock now.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK -
While one should not go out buying items willy nilly and only buy what one actually needs, if one is need of office supplies, clothing, electronics, casual furniture, etc. now is the time to look for bargains.
Obviously one should not buy stuff just because it is on sale - that just adds to the clutter and having too much stuff, but if items are needed it is always best to buy them during the time they are on sale.
Thursday, August 17, 2017
FINALLY FINISHED THINGS - AND ADDITION TO LAST WEEK'S POST
I have to add something to last week’s post. In addition to all of the traditional school supplies, there is another organizing item which is featured and on sale these days as school supplies. Stores are carrying plastic drawer units for those going away to college. Many of these are nice sized 3 drawer chests - inexpensive and even stackable (or at least they stack them for sale in the stores). From personal experience I know that one has to be careful not to fill them with heavy items, but if you need an inexpensive chest of drawers for your organizing, now is a good time to buy one.
I am in an embroidery group - I have probably mentioned this before. I do most of its computer work - the monthly newsletter and the annual yearbook (list of upcoming year’s programs and info about the group) included. The yearbook used to be very fancy - with ads from local craft stores and such - but as the group got smaller, the yearbook got simpler. Husband redesigned it for a for us a few years ago, and then I would update the information each year. I also took over the newsletter. When most of the members had email addresses, it became an email, with printed copies of it mailed to those without email addresses. Now all have email addresses.
It was suggested towards the end of our last year (year is September to June) that need a fancier newsletter, one attached to the email, instead of just an email. I had been thinking so also and did up a prototype for the board meeting. The other 3 board members liked what I did and few suggestions for change were made. After the others left, the president suggested we redo the yearbook also - I had not been prepared for that. She had a number of changes.
Since the board meeting at the end of June, in and around everything else I have had to do, I have been working on the revised yearbook - it should have been in the mail late July, early August. She and I have emailed each other and talked on the phone. I have sent her pages of it in assorted fonts. Finally it was all worked out and I finished it - yesterday. This is to be printed up and mailed out - by me. Today we went to Staples. (Yes, I am giving the name of where all that follows happened. In the past we used OfficeMax, but just before last year’s was printed, the local OfficeMax stores closed - OfficeDepot closed here - twice - years ago.) I had a cover page to be printed on a color paper and 5 additional pages, which are double sided, to be printed, black print, no color. When we used to OfficeMax, the employees were nice and helpful - what color would you like, how is this one, etc. Today the employee did not even bother to show me the color pages when I asked for green for the color. The most done was did I want dark green, no, I want pastel green. Then she asked when we wanted it. I asked if we could wait - as we did at OfficeMax and did last year at Staples. Sure - but then the price was extra $20 or so. I asked when there would no extra fee - pickup tomorrow. So, okay, we will shlep back tomorrow and take more time doing all this. We went home.
When we arrived at home and went to our computers to work (perhaps 15, 20 minutes at most) husband found two emails from Staples - we had not given them an email address, not been told or asked for emails and did not want any - one was a copy of the charges for the order, the other was telling us - that the order was done and we could pick it up at any time! So basically, I got immediate service at no extra cost, but now I was home and would have to go back to get it! We did not waste time going back and will go back tomorrow while we are out to pick it up and it will be mailed on Friday. I was more annoyed with them. We were finishing dinner and the telephone rang. The answering machine answered (always on here to save time dealing with the spam calls - which almost all of calls are). It was someone from, yes, Staples. I picked it up. I was told that the order was ready and I had not picked it up. I told him that I was told it would be ready tomorrow. He was upset that I was not coming and I was told that I could still come for 20 minutes and pick it up. I told him that he must be kidding and we would come tomorrow. And the price on the charges for the order is 9 cents more a page than I paid at OfficeMax - even more for the color pages.
So we are wasting time on a trip back, when the order was done immediately, I wasted time with the phone call, and we wasted paper printing out the emails - as they say that they are required to pick up the order - something I can’t believe!
In addition to all the work put into the yearbook, I have been working on redoing the newsletter. Today it is just about finished. Husband helped me get the old header from years ago when it was a mailed newsletter, into the newly designed email one. I emailed it to myself to see what happens and all I need is the president’s column and any info from board members - I send them an email 2 weeks before the meeting and the newsletter goes out a week before the meeting.
So I have managed to actually get work done! Yippee. I also managed to finish the embroidery course I was working on from the group. Now husband has to finish it for me.
I managed yesterday, to finish the yearbook with enough time left before dinner to go through a folder of old papers - the sort of papers one tears out or otherwise keeps to do something about - this craft store sounds interesting, the card from this restaurant sounds like it would save us money, I need to write a letter about this, etc. Most was tossed. A few were kept. My todo folder actually fits into the stacking letter tray that it belongs in. (I have a stack of these on my desk - one each for us, our business, my accounting practice, our reenactment unit, my embroidery group, my todo folder, my “waiting to hear folder” and “club membership lists”, and one for items to be filed. There is also a top one which has standing holders for papers, envelopes, empty folders and such.
So all in all I feel, finally, as if I have completed things. Yet, so much more to do. As I sit here writing, I am waiting for my cell phone timer to ring, so I will know to change the laundry loads - wet to dryer, new one in the washer. Without the cell phone timer, I would forget and the first load would not make it to the dryer until bedtime at least.
THOUGHT OF THE WEEK -
When something seems like it is too big a project - take a section of it and start. Just as page by page I finished rewriting the yearbook and the newsletter, you will eventually see the project done - perhaps with time left to do something else small.
I am in an embroidery group - I have probably mentioned this before. I do most of its computer work - the monthly newsletter and the annual yearbook (list of upcoming year’s programs and info about the group) included. The yearbook used to be very fancy - with ads from local craft stores and such - but as the group got smaller, the yearbook got simpler. Husband redesigned it for a for us a few years ago, and then I would update the information each year. I also took over the newsletter. When most of the members had email addresses, it became an email, with printed copies of it mailed to those without email addresses. Now all have email addresses.
It was suggested towards the end of our last year (year is September to June) that need a fancier newsletter, one attached to the email, instead of just an email. I had been thinking so also and did up a prototype for the board meeting. The other 3 board members liked what I did and few suggestions for change were made. After the others left, the president suggested we redo the yearbook also - I had not been prepared for that. She had a number of changes.
Since the board meeting at the end of June, in and around everything else I have had to do, I have been working on the revised yearbook - it should have been in the mail late July, early August. She and I have emailed each other and talked on the phone. I have sent her pages of it in assorted fonts. Finally it was all worked out and I finished it - yesterday. This is to be printed up and mailed out - by me. Today we went to Staples. (Yes, I am giving the name of where all that follows happened. In the past we used OfficeMax, but just before last year’s was printed, the local OfficeMax stores closed - OfficeDepot closed here - twice - years ago.) I had a cover page to be printed on a color paper and 5 additional pages, which are double sided, to be printed, black print, no color. When we used to OfficeMax, the employees were nice and helpful - what color would you like, how is this one, etc. Today the employee did not even bother to show me the color pages when I asked for green for the color. The most done was did I want dark green, no, I want pastel green. Then she asked when we wanted it. I asked if we could wait - as we did at OfficeMax and did last year at Staples. Sure - but then the price was extra $20 or so. I asked when there would no extra fee - pickup tomorrow. So, okay, we will shlep back tomorrow and take more time doing all this. We went home.
When we arrived at home and went to our computers to work (perhaps 15, 20 minutes at most) husband found two emails from Staples - we had not given them an email address, not been told or asked for emails and did not want any - one was a copy of the charges for the order, the other was telling us - that the order was done and we could pick it up at any time! So basically, I got immediate service at no extra cost, but now I was home and would have to go back to get it! We did not waste time going back and will go back tomorrow while we are out to pick it up and it will be mailed on Friday. I was more annoyed with them. We were finishing dinner and the telephone rang. The answering machine answered (always on here to save time dealing with the spam calls - which almost all of calls are). It was someone from, yes, Staples. I picked it up. I was told that the order was ready and I had not picked it up. I told him that I was told it would be ready tomorrow. He was upset that I was not coming and I was told that I could still come for 20 minutes and pick it up. I told him that he must be kidding and we would come tomorrow. And the price on the charges for the order is 9 cents more a page than I paid at OfficeMax - even more for the color pages.
So we are wasting time on a trip back, when the order was done immediately, I wasted time with the phone call, and we wasted paper printing out the emails - as they say that they are required to pick up the order - something I can’t believe!
In addition to all the work put into the yearbook, I have been working on redoing the newsletter. Today it is just about finished. Husband helped me get the old header from years ago when it was a mailed newsletter, into the newly designed email one. I emailed it to myself to see what happens and all I need is the president’s column and any info from board members - I send them an email 2 weeks before the meeting and the newsletter goes out a week before the meeting.
So I have managed to actually get work done! Yippee. I also managed to finish the embroidery course I was working on from the group. Now husband has to finish it for me.
I managed yesterday, to finish the yearbook with enough time left before dinner to go through a folder of old papers - the sort of papers one tears out or otherwise keeps to do something about - this craft store sounds interesting, the card from this restaurant sounds like it would save us money, I need to write a letter about this, etc. Most was tossed. A few were kept. My todo folder actually fits into the stacking letter tray that it belongs in. (I have a stack of these on my desk - one each for us, our business, my accounting practice, our reenactment unit, my embroidery group, my todo folder, my “waiting to hear folder” and “club membership lists”, and one for items to be filed. There is also a top one which has standing holders for papers, envelopes, empty folders and such.
So all in all I feel, finally, as if I have completed things. Yet, so much more to do. As I sit here writing, I am waiting for my cell phone timer to ring, so I will know to change the laundry loads - wet to dryer, new one in the washer. Without the cell phone timer, I would forget and the first load would not make it to the dryer until bedtime at least.
THOUGHT OF THE WEEK -
When something seems like it is too big a project - take a section of it and start. Just as page by page I finished rewriting the yearbook and the newsletter, you will eventually see the project done - perhaps with time left to do something else small.
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