June 29th, 2009

Working on the Weekend

I started working with a new client this weekend. It was interesting, as I’m often busy on weekends and don’t always answer my business line then, but this Saturday I was around home with no real plans and so I answered when the phone rang. It was a client who had some urgent work and was glad to find a virtual assistant who was actually available on the weekend. It was definitely good timing!

It can be very hard to make yourself work on the weekends, when the kids are happily running around the house wanting you to join in, or the farmer’s market calls your name. Or scrabble – good thing I got in some scrabble last weekend, lol! It’s so important to grab good opportunities when they come your way though – you never know when things are going to align just right and you’ll move your business another step forward. So I keep telling my lovely sister who finally has finished her esthetics program and is ready to get going with doing esthetics from home. She did my nails a few days ago and they look so pretty, but she needs to work on her business attitude. Always a reason for not wanting to start just yet.

Anyway, not my concern is it. What can I say, I’m a bit of an overly-involved sister sometimes. Growing up we joked that I was the mom of the family (my mom is not so much of the “grown-up” unfortunately). But sis is a grown up and has to do things her way – and I have enough mothering to do with my three wild boys!

I didn’t just work this weekend. In fact I also attended a baby shower and read a couple of good books. Books are such a nice break from the busy parts of my week, and with the cable turned off I’ve been reading more than ever! In fact tomorrow I’m planning to get a post up about my latest review book, Dune Road by Jane Green. Oh and if, like me, you’ve turned back to young adult fiction ever since the Twilight Phenomenon, can I recommend the Night World series by L.J. Smith or books by Scott Westerfeld (The Uglies, The Pretties, etc) – I am so glad I’ve started reading YA novels again, they are a perfect break from my life!

Ok, really must go to bed. Not only did I work this weekend, but late last night and I just finished another urgent project. My eyes are tired and my back is wondering when I’m going to stop sitting at the table with my laptop and actually use my home office!!

June 25th, 2009

School Year Ends With a Whimper

My poor Big Boy. Grade one ends tomorrow (yes, we have much later ends to our school year here in Alberta, we start later too!) and he missed today and will almost certainly not be up for attending tomorrow either. He missed a fun activity today (a garage sale – sounds exciting doesn’t it?) and tomorrow is the big end of year party. Kind of sad, but he has yet another throat infection and without advil is sitting around 103 degrees for a temp. Wednesday after school he was so wiped that he fell asleep for 3 hours. He could make it through the day hopped up on fever reducer, but really not the

We will have to stop by the school tomorrow afternoon to pick up the final report card and get his class assignment for next year. And of course pick up his shoes and any leftover supplies and stuff. Should be fun lugging all that around plus a sick 7yo and the 4 and 1 year olds. You envy me of course?

Guess we’re skipping the potluck party with friends too – no point in their kids starting out the summer vacation with sickness. Oh well – could be worse, at least he’s not missing exams or anything!

Bye-bye grade one. We had some good times, and now Big Boy can move on to grade two, sniff, sniff. Darn kids – keep on growing up on me!

June 24th, 2009

Personal Calling Cards

Mostly as prep for BlogHer, I recently ordered some pretty cards. I am calling them personal calling cards, although technically they do also refer to my business also, so they are a business card. I have a simpler, more elegant card for my straight business card if you want to see that too!

It was hard choosing a personal card. I waited a bit long and so decided against having it designed for me. Not to mention I’m supposed to be controlling my budget right now, so expensive personal cards would have been a poor choice. So I went with VistaPrint and chose a pretty pink and white card with some brown accents. Kind of funny since my last business card was pink and I decided it was “too pink” but I figure a personal card can be more about my taste than appealing to my target market, as is the case with my virtual legal assistant business card.

So this is what I ordered – please don’t tell me you hate them, I already have them, lol!

Laurie Mapp Personal Card

I have about 250, hopefully plenty enough for BlogHer (will have some of my regular business cards too as a back-up).