12-21-05
It's kind of yucky weather outside. Cold and damp, but a warm front is supposed to be rolling in.
Several people have asked how I keep up with all the stuff I have going on with work, Heavener Online, etc., so I decided to give you a glimpse into a typical day.
During the work week, I always get up at 5 a.m. Yes, I know, it's pretty early. But that's the only time I can get stuff done without much interruption.
First thing I do is get some caffeine into the system as it is 5 a.m. Then, I make the trek down the driveway to get the morning edition of the Southwest-Times Record out of Fort Smith. I'd rather have the Tulsa paper, but it costs about twice as much.
While nature is calling, I'll skim through the paper and see if anything interesting is going on. I start at sports and skip all things Arkansas, hoping for some decent coverage of Oklahoma stuff. Usually, I am disappointed as like most things in Fort Smith, they want the attention and money coming out of eastern Oklahoma, but don't want to bother keeping us up to date on a lot of stuff we care about. The paper is much better than the television stations out of Fort Smith, especially the sports.
After that, I arrive in the office and turn the computer on. If I am working on something, I have to find out where my wife put in while she cleaned the office. I check and answer emails, of which I usually have a lot.
I do my morning Heavener Online stuff. Sometimes there's a lot of stuff to do. Other times, I have to find something to at least have one new thing per day.
Then, I'll either work on some pictures or write a chapter in the newest book I am writing. It is rather silly, but fun to write. I'll try and do the blog if I have time. If not, I try and crank it out sometime during the day.
This usually takes me up to 7 a.m. I wake the kids and wife up, which is sometimes a challenge, then go outside and feed our pack of dogs. We still have the four puppies, Daisy and Buddy, along with Gabby and Maggie.
If it is Monday, I also haul the trash out. It's amazing that we can fill up three trash cans every week, but I seldom get a break.
I follow this excitement up by taking a shower. Yes, the Craigman showers every day! Complete with shampoo for my few hairs left and a lot of soap. I'll get dressed, yes, the Craigman also believes in wearing clothes. If it's October through April, I'll waste a few minutes complaining about being forced to wear ties to work, not that it does any good.
Next up is breakfast, the most important meal of the day! I'll have a bowl of cheerios and either a piece of toast, banana or maybe even some biscuits. I have to take my medicine for blood sugar and blood pressure, and also pop a few vitamins. This is swigged down courtesy of a small glass of orange juice.
I also go through the paper again, checking out the news and other sections. After that, it is time to go to work. I'll usually take the youngest son to school and fight the madness that is the middle school traffic jam and arrive to work a little before 8.
The first hour is the best one of the day. I'll check the insufficient list and bounce a few checks. I know, it's hard to believe but some of our customers do write checks when funds are not available.
I'll check email again and try to catch up on any work that is left over from the previous day. The phone starts ringing around 8:30 and seldom stops. We open the doors at 9 and the flood of people arrive.
I spend a lot of time talking to customers either in person or on the phone. During breaks, I'll check my email and also try to work on whatever else needs to be done. That includes trying to get hold of past-due customers and clean up some loans where something was messed up.
That goes on until 11:30, when it's time for more nourishment. I usually go home to eat with my wife. We'll do whatever for the next hour and then go back to work. Sometimes, I get a break and take the work to Poteau or have a meeting. The other times it's the same old stuff, talking to customers, etc.
At times, I feel like a guidance counseller, both for financial and others. I get to hear a lot of stuff that really isn't part of my job. If a couple is having troubles, I'll hear about that along with what little Johnny has been doing.
We close at 4 and I leave sometime around there. If the weather is nice, I try to get outside and take some pictures and play with the dogs. If not, I work on the computer or play video games. Yes, it is sad that a 42-year old man plays video games. But I enjoy them.
Sometimes we go to the store or to Fort Smith. Mostly, we watch a movie or just hang out. I'm not much of a television watcher, aside from sports, and don't enjoy most the crud on television these days. I do watch HGTV, Discovery, TLC and The History Channel, but not much else.
I try to get to bed around 10 or so. I read a little and go to sleep to get my beauty rest, something I need more of. Both the sleep and the beauty part. Then, it's the same thing with only a slight variation the following day.
Now you know more than you ever hoped to find out about my day.
Several people have asked how I keep up with all the stuff I have going on with work, Heavener Online, etc., so I decided to give you a glimpse into a typical day.
During the work week, I always get up at 5 a.m. Yes, I know, it's pretty early. But that's the only time I can get stuff done without much interruption.
First thing I do is get some caffeine into the system as it is 5 a.m. Then, I make the trek down the driveway to get the morning edition of the Southwest-Times Record out of Fort Smith. I'd rather have the Tulsa paper, but it costs about twice as much.
While nature is calling, I'll skim through the paper and see if anything interesting is going on. I start at sports and skip all things Arkansas, hoping for some decent coverage of Oklahoma stuff. Usually, I am disappointed as like most things in Fort Smith, they want the attention and money coming out of eastern Oklahoma, but don't want to bother keeping us up to date on a lot of stuff we care about. The paper is much better than the television stations out of Fort Smith, especially the sports.
After that, I arrive in the office and turn the computer on. If I am working on something, I have to find out where my wife put in while she cleaned the office. I check and answer emails, of which I usually have a lot.
I do my morning Heavener Online stuff. Sometimes there's a lot of stuff to do. Other times, I have to find something to at least have one new thing per day.
Then, I'll either work on some pictures or write a chapter in the newest book I am writing. It is rather silly, but fun to write. I'll try and do the blog if I have time. If not, I try and crank it out sometime during the day.
This usually takes me up to 7 a.m. I wake the kids and wife up, which is sometimes a challenge, then go outside and feed our pack of dogs. We still have the four puppies, Daisy and Buddy, along with Gabby and Maggie.
If it is Monday, I also haul the trash out. It's amazing that we can fill up three trash cans every week, but I seldom get a break.
I follow this excitement up by taking a shower. Yes, the Craigman showers every day! Complete with shampoo for my few hairs left and a lot of soap. I'll get dressed, yes, the Craigman also believes in wearing clothes. If it's October through April, I'll waste a few minutes complaining about being forced to wear ties to work, not that it does any good.
Next up is breakfast, the most important meal of the day! I'll have a bowl of cheerios and either a piece of toast, banana or maybe even some biscuits. I have to take my medicine for blood sugar and blood pressure, and also pop a few vitamins. This is swigged down courtesy of a small glass of orange juice.
I also go through the paper again, checking out the news and other sections. After that, it is time to go to work. I'll usually take the youngest son to school and fight the madness that is the middle school traffic jam and arrive to work a little before 8.
The first hour is the best one of the day. I'll check the insufficient list and bounce a few checks. I know, it's hard to believe but some of our customers do write checks when funds are not available.
I'll check email again and try to catch up on any work that is left over from the previous day. The phone starts ringing around 8:30 and seldom stops. We open the doors at 9 and the flood of people arrive.
I spend a lot of time talking to customers either in person or on the phone. During breaks, I'll check my email and also try to work on whatever else needs to be done. That includes trying to get hold of past-due customers and clean up some loans where something was messed up.
That goes on until 11:30, when it's time for more nourishment. I usually go home to eat with my wife. We'll do whatever for the next hour and then go back to work. Sometimes, I get a break and take the work to Poteau or have a meeting. The other times it's the same old stuff, talking to customers, etc.
At times, I feel like a guidance counseller, both for financial and others. I get to hear a lot of stuff that really isn't part of my job. If a couple is having troubles, I'll hear about that along with what little Johnny has been doing.
We close at 4 and I leave sometime around there. If the weather is nice, I try to get outside and take some pictures and play with the dogs. If not, I work on the computer or play video games. Yes, it is sad that a 42-year old man plays video games. But I enjoy them.
Sometimes we go to the store or to Fort Smith. Mostly, we watch a movie or just hang out. I'm not much of a television watcher, aside from sports, and don't enjoy most the crud on television these days. I do watch HGTV, Discovery, TLC and The History Channel, but not much else.
I try to get to bed around 10 or so. I read a little and go to sleep to get my beauty rest, something I need more of. Both the sleep and the beauty part. Then, it's the same thing with only a slight variation the following day.
Now you know more than you ever hoped to find out about my day.
posted by Craig Hall at
8:07 AM
1 Comments:
I thought it summed up in a very fine manner your usual day. I'm not shedding tears over a mere 3 garbage cans, but I can see where a youngish, creative, introverted, 42 year old man could be challenged by all the enforced camaraderie that one is required to participate in the current work force. Life is hard. Keep on bloggin'!
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