this woman’s work

I had two great client meetings today. The first was with the owner and staff of this fantastic clothing store in the Short North, Substance. The clothes are beautifully designed, well-made and from sustainable manufacturers (often times using organic goods). There are fantastic purses from Ethiopia and the softest t-shirts designed right there in the store. They even have a handful of desigs made from discarded shirts brought in by customers. And the prices? Comparable to the clothes I was writing up at Express this summer (only much more beautifully, comfortably and respectfully made).

They brought me in for a Q&A about some web 2.0 stuff and I hope I’ll get to work with them further but whatever else happens, count me in as a fan.

Next I headed North to the Short North Business Administration to help John launch their new blog. Chris brought me in on the project — they set up the blog and asked me to help him figure out how to use the software. He’s a funny, personable, friendly guy and I had a good time showing him how WordPress and Twitter work. (He’s shortnorth on twitter.)

Now I’m watching Brett clean the kitchen while we wait for Abby to call and tell us she’s heading over to Kristen’s with the kids.

Anyway, it’s been a busy day and tonight will be a busy (social) evening and tomorrow I have some client calls and work to do then maybe I can rest a tiny bit this weekend. Or something. But today was fun — I like hearing about other people’s lives and I like helping them figure out how to do something new and interesting.

Oh last night I sent a proposal for a project that I’m really really really hoping gets approved (it’s a work thing — not a writing thing) because it would be a blast to put it together and I’d like to see what people would make of it. If you think you can type with your fingers crossed, please consider crossing them!

I’m very busy. Very very very very very busy busy busy. Kinda busier than I have been in weeks. It’s good busy (lots of paid work) but my head seriously might just get so wrought up with busy that it might fly right off my neck. Yes, I’m being literal. My head may literally pop off of my neck due to sheer busyness. I am that busy.

Last night Brett and I were discussing this busyness. (Well, I was thrumming with exhausted energy and he was trying to soothe me with his calm, calm voice.) And we are both happy about it because we hope that Brett’s foray back into the work world is temporary unless he loves it (or at least loves getting our benefits for cheap again — new glasses here I come!) and if it’s working schedule-wise, then he’ll stay. But we still feel like our default choice is two at-home/working parents when we can swing it.

Brett got this new budgeting software that puts everything in buckets. It’s like the envelope budget system (a system that both sets of grandparents swear by plus Abby’s husband and everyone knows he’s a genius) only with buckets so that we can say, “You’re still doing envelopes? Totally old school. Everyone knows that BUCKETS are where it’s at!” Because we like to be the coolest middle-aged people at our potlucks. Anyway, he got this new budgeting software and when we’re not watching hulu.com, we’re staring at our virtual buckets and gleefully rubbing our hands together as we anticipate the invoices I will send.

It takes so little to make us happy.

Oh and our air conditioner went out (although with fabulous timing however seeing as how it’s pretty cool right now and will be for awhile yet) so we’re even more motivated to fill that “house maintenance” bucket up to a certain amount.

So forgive me the lousy blogging today. I’m really too busy to give you a suitable and scintillating blog and this will have to do.

Oh and the money bucket software? Moneywell. Mac only.