Wonderful happenings!
I’m the kind of person who follows up with everyone always.
I’m responsive. If life gives me a hint, I take it, even if it makes no sense. You’ll never know when people might need a hand, and it’s possible that they need to be reminded that someone’s got their back.
Moreover, I’m an incredible friend, and I support people. I’ve built my life around helping and supporting others, and I see no better way.
Today started like most days: I got up to go to work at “whenever o’clock”, had some coffee, checked the Facebooks, that kind of stuff.
I saw that my friends were moving at 9:00, so after heading to the ATM to deposit client checks, I ran to my friends’ place to give a hand. Many of you know I support my friends whenever possible. And while my self-made schedule at work said I’d be there at 9:30, I recalled the note I have next to it that states, “times are approximate.”
I chuckled at my immense cleverness and went to help my friends – plus there was bagels of the sugary, “why don’t they call these donuts?” variety.
After helping my friends, I headed in to work. Blah, blah, blah – I worked.
Then I went to my SLP office to meet with someone who wanted to chat.
Knowing about the meeting previously, my intern was scheduled to work there after. We worked together for only a couple hours, but we were having technical issues.
So we drove back to Saint Paul and had a little Davanni’s, where she’s never been, and which she enjoyed.
After dinner, I went back home. I sirens until now working on my computers with dance music going and having the occasional dance (way quicker than going to the gym).
Tonight I solved all of the technical problems (which I did in my head on my way to Davanni’s, but I had to set up the systems and write instructions for the solution).
I actually solved two problems.
If you ever notice that I feel like I haven’t talked to you for months when I’m busy, it’s not because I’m desperate to talk to people or to smile, but it’s because time slows down.
I LOVE IT
I am blessed with a skewed perception of time, and it allows me to do more and experience more life. While normal people have a year of life experience, I feel like I have 2. I’m the luckiest man alive!
I’ve only heard of this time slowing down phenomenon one other place, but I can’t remember where….
Any small business owner who works with other people knows there’s a problem syncing everything. This week, I figured out what works for me:
Ok, so my Outlook calendar syncs with my main Google.
I have another Google solely for my W-2 job. It shows the time I’ll be at that job so I can print it and hang it outside my office. It also shows the events from my main Google calendar as “Busy” events, just so they know when I’ll be late.
Yes, there’s a sign by the calendar noting that “times are approximate”.
The W-2 calendar is also copied to my Outlook (which yes, is then copied to my W-2 calendar, so I am working there and have a ‘busy’ event simultaneously).
Seems pretty complicated, right? It gets better.
Add to the mix an employee. Now she had a Google calendar before she started, then I gave her an Outlook account, The Outlook account is copied to her Google account I created just for my firm. I set it up so when I send an invite, it is automatically added to her firm Google calendar. She can then sync to that with her phone.
Her Outlook calendar is pretty much useless, since it’s on my computer that is always with me, as of right now.
Wouldn’t it get better if I contracted with an administrative assistant? Well, she has a firm email address. When she makes appointments, she can send a request to me and to my client.
Pretty cool.
Naturally, she can see my Google calendar. Her invites are automatically added to my calendar.
My intern is incredibly perfect for my firm and where it seems to be headed, and my admin is super delightful and polite, which I normally am too, but when I get busy, my emails are mostly just barking times and locations. She makes it sound so polished!
I’ve very happy where I’m at. Things are taking off. I’m excited!
(this post is spawned by the fact that I just finished setting up the last piece of my web of syncs)
Allowed by some house rules, an inkle is sometimes used in the game 500. After everyone gets their cards, each player goes around the table to make a bet. An inkle is used before an actual bet is made.
For instance, if I have numerous low hearts, plus one high one. plus the left bauer, I may say that I “Inkle Hearts”.
This indicates to my partner, who can’t see my cards and is sitting on the opposite side of the table, that I have a strong hearts hand, either I have a couple high cards, but not enough to make a bet (well, a bet that is not ridiculous or a long shot, which sometimes get made), or that I am long.
The result is that my partner, also holding a decent heart hand, will have the courage to make a bet. If my partner has a decent diamond hand, he or she may make a bet, thinking that I have the right or left bauer. Even by taking just a little action, it’s way better than everyone passing.
An inkle is a way to wink to your partner and to indicate your interest. It’s totally up to them to decide is they want to play on that information, and a lot of time, it just depends on the luck of the deal. It’s all about subtleties and a little indirect communication.
Back in the day, I was known for my ability to do anything, to have endless energy and smarts. Four hours was enough sleep. I took 20 credits each semester and worked at Byerly’s 32 hours per week overnight.
I was in the St. Thomas College Republicans, holding two board positions and being way too involved for stupid politics. That was the year our chapter won Chapter of the Year Award at the National Convention.
I was involved in the accounting club, well, enough to get a job at the D.
That all changed after my accident. I needed my sleep, especially for the first few years. I had off times. Sometimes I just couldn’t get it.
That got better, probably fully intellectually, around 2011/2012.
Socially, well, you all know me…… but I’ve always been different.
I also couldn’t be a active as I wanted because I couldn’t breathe.
Now I run whenever I can. Sure, I do because I can breathe and therefore maintain my debonair composure, but I really run all the time because I don’t have time to walk. Travel takes up most of everyone’s time.
Go faster.
The side effect is that I have more energy and even though it’s tax season, I’m in decent shape. Also, because I have more energy, after I get home at 9, I can kill it in my basement lifting for ten minutes and make a decent dent.
Justin the Legend has returned.
I need more than four hours of sleep because life is a bit more challenging than undergrad, where all you have to do is go to class and listen (the profs just stand up in front each class and tell you the answers to the test. Could it get easier? Just pay attention, and get off your social media).
I’m kickin’ ass (in general), and takin’ names (networking).
I was going to Aqua tonight for 80s night. I asked Allaina to be ready on time at 10:00. Several times. I don’t think I’m going to pick her up anymore.
But around 10:45, we finally made it to Aqua. Unfortunately, my 80s outfit included some casual white sneakers. I should given up, but I ran home, changed shoes, and was back by midnight.
They didn’t play 80s. They played Billy Jean and Journey once.
I figured some of my 80s fan friends would be there, but no such luck. I did run into some people I didn’t expect to see, which was nice.
Also, Aqua ducks at 80s nights.
Well I’m sure you’ve all heard me belly-aching about how busy I am, and that’s all good and well. But like my dad will tell me:
I do it to myself, so don’t feel bad or anything, but DO hang out when we’re able.
I am doing a lot right now. I just hired my first EE, which is pretty cool. I’ve had a lot of mentors, so I’m actually very good at supervising, even though I’ve had no supervising experience, officially.
She really enjoys it. Her name is Les, for short. Last week, she worked her first day. We took care of employment stuff right away, then went to a short office networking event, then went on a tour of the office. It was the Edina office.
Then her second day was going to a class at the MNCPA. She was surprised that I paid for the class and for her time to attend.
This week, she prepped some practice returns. She also got her SundbergTC computer. She liked how it came with a note that said welcome and told her password. On Monday, she and my editor met me and my photographer in the Bloomington office for some group pictures. They’ll be in my newsletter soon enough with a short post.
On Wednesday, we went to Network After Work, a large networking event that was at Seven. I go to those because I get two or three new clients at each event.
After the event, we went to the sushi bar and had sushi. I love the firecracker roll.
She was surprised because she was “on the clock” while networking and even driving to the event, for which she’ll get reimbursed, in addition to parking. And naturally, I paid for her sushi – I mean, employee recreation is one of the few exceptions to the 50% disallowance for meals and entertainment.
But mostly, I’ve been killing it on all sides of life.
I’ve also figured out something about myself:
I tend to cherish a woman who is woman enough to withstand me, and let’s face it, to occasionally keep me in check. With the latter, the ability is more important than the frequency or lack thereof.
I was at the board of directors meeting for my new client’s nonprofit, not as a director, but just seeing what they’re doing. It’s pretty cool – my client is a big jazz singer, and her nonprofit has a few big, highly-marketed concerts each year. At the concerts, they let a few young artists (16 to 22 years old or something) showcase their skills. Pretty neat stuff.
Anyways, I was there for about 90 minutes and thinking about taking off, when I got some text messages from Alaina. She was super upset because of a guy.
She hadn’t eaten all day, so I took her to dinner and listened to her as she ate dinner. I was definitely there for her, which I live supporting my friends and do so more than most know.
besides calming her down, I had her reflect about getting so upset. How drama is totally useless and offers no remedy but often renders a person unproductive (and yes, I talk to people using this precise diction).
I’m trying to get her out of the habit of being a drama queen because it helps no one. She’s also been emphasizing finding a husband too much, and I told her, basically, she won’t find a good guy if she’s looking for one. That’s not how life works. That’s how sure was before she met the more recent guy – just having fun and taking care of herself.
The general rule is that if your looking hard for the right significant other, you’ll be too eager to hop into things, and you’ll hop into things too early and you’ll get hurt.
She said she’ll definitely get to know someone better next time.
For me, I’m not looking too hard. I get along way better with people I meet onlifr instead of meet online. I’m online, but I don’t like it. I don’t like most women, apparently. I think it’s because most women can’t carry a halfway decent conversation.
I’ll send on a side not. Alaina’s Ukrainian friends always want a picture of her and I together. Likely it’s because I’m the best man in her life until she keeps a husband candidate for longer. But tonight she took a clever one looking out to Nicollet. I enjoyed it:
For all of my friends, family, and anyone who sees me from place to place, I’d like to write you the same message I do every year around this time.
I am very busy from now until mid-April. While I absolutely enjoy people when I am with them, when I am writing you messages or emails or even sometimes talking on the phone, my communications may be a little curt. That’s not because I’m mad or anything, but it’s because I’m doing something.
Getting to the main purpose of my annual reminder, just because I’m busy does not mean I am too busy for you. I push myself very hard during busy season to maintain work/life balance. Sometimes, this means just a little balance, like blasting away for a quick drink with a friend or for dinner, before returning to work.
So as I always say, don’t say, “Oh, Justin is probably too busy to hang out” or “We should leave him alone to get things done.”
That is incorrect. You should give me the option. I’ve been doing this for years, which means I can tell you whether it would be better to come or not. I know myself, I know my business, and I know the ramifications of the bad decisions I might make. I also know that I can handle it.
If you need a “yes” or “no”, please let me know, and I will tell you. However, most RSVPs, for instance, on meetup, are definite maybes. If it’s early in the morning, it’s contingent on whether or not I work until 1 or 2. If it’s in the evening, it’s contingent on of I can take the time.
Usually if it’s a business event, I’ll RSVP yes because I usually hope to go, but lately, I’ve been saying “yes” because it’s better exposure. I kid you not, I had someone contact me because they were hoping they would meet me. Therefore, I always “hope to attend” networking events. Of course, I’m hoping to go to them because I often get one to three clients fro each event, plus I want to introduce my intern and one of my clients to some networking.
So please, bug me, distract me from work. I push myself because I want to succeed. Losing work/life balance is not succeeding. I’m busy, but I’m social. If I need to do the impossible, I can. I’m more capable this year than any busy season past. It’s awesome!
