My cardinal comes to visit daily. I love his bright color and song.
I had a super busy week last week and a repeat of too much to do this week. I like quieter weeks when I have a few days with nothing to do but read and write.
What’s keeping me busy this week?
Yesterday, I had a meeting for my women’s charity group that supports victims of sex trafficking. We have our annual fundraiser in March. That means it’s up to me to write press releases, public service announcements and then prepare the program for printing. In the Fall, I worked on advertising and sponsorships.
I was fortunate to have a neighbor volunteer to help me get out the press releases and PSAs. But she hasn’t done this before, so we have to meet to get her up to speed.
The other thing is, I’m new to the area. I don’t know the media like I did in Palm Springs. I was fortunate to have years in public relations and advertising in-house for a country club developer and a PR agency prior to opening my own business. I worked for several years for one of the largest advertisers in the Coachella Valley. The ad people from radio, TV and print took us (me and my PR boss) out to lunch. I had friendships with local media managers, reporters and sales people. When I was doing volunteer publicity for our swim team, also a non-profit, I was able to call on my media friends for help.
In Arizona, I have no connections. I don’t even know what the local media is or who they are. I mainly stream online or watch national news. It makes the job much more difficult.
Without posting my entire schedule this week and boring everyone to death, the main thing keeping me busy is the charity group and our upcoming event. The problem I found with being on the board of directors is our group is too small. Our group was in it’s peak maybe 10 years ago — before my time. It was more than 200 women strong. We’re now under 30. COVID shut down the group for several years and people drifted away. They also aged up. I think a lot of our members left their 50, 60 and 70s behind. The group was founded more than 30 years ago by four friends. Thirty years later, I understand why they’re no longer members.
Through the years, the group raised more than $3 million for women and children in need.
I’m so happy to be a part of this group, but don’t know how to make it grow — but I’m doing my part to help out.
When do you have super busy weeks, when there’s little time to sit and think?
What are you involved with that takes most of your time?
I love your philanthropic heart and have no doubt your presence and good work will help the group grow, once again. And I hear you about balancing busy weeks and protecting your schedule so you have — what my mother in law called — “unfettered time”. Xo! 🥰
Thank you for the encouraging words. I hope you’re correct and the group grows. I don’t know many people in the area to invite women to attend. I do feel strongly that this is a good cause. A neighbor invited me and four other women to join. I hope more do that!
🥰❤️🥰
💕💕
Recently a few family events took up lot of my time. I’m still trying to catch up.
I would much rather have family events! It was so nice to have my kids for Christmas and to get ready for them.
I know. 😍🥰😍
👍🏼
Finishing my draft is taking up.most of my time, and helps ng my mom out had consumed the last three months on 2024
I would love to have all my time revising my draft. It looks like I’m going to be busy until my work for our fundraiser is over. I will carve out an hour or two for my draft. Good for you to help your mom, even though it was difficult.
Honestly my days are incredibly routine. I could use a little busy-ness I think 🙂
I’m jealous. I could use a little routine and not be buried with a project I think is impossible!
I trust you will figure things out EA, and if I lived closer I would volunteer to help. Just remember- if things get crazy it’s okay to set boundaries 🙂
Thank you for the reminder! It would be so doable with a larger membership and more people to help. But the purpose, I believe in.
I totally know what you mean about the busy weeks, Elizabeth. It’s so hard to THINK when on the go. Hope you get a little downtime soon!
Me too! I’m looking forward to getting this volunteer work done and able to relax, read and write.
I know the feeling. Before Covid I managed a group that met at the library to watch TED videos and discuss them. During Covid we switched to Zoom. But when we returned to the library nobody showed up and the group broke up.
That’s so sad. I bet that happened all across the country. I wasn’t living in Arizona before COVID, to be part of this group. But from what I hear, that’s exactly what happened.
I love your red cardinal.
Thanks!
Oh, you’ll figure it out. You might not have the contacts, but you’ll make ’em!!! Good luck.
Thanks, I hope so!
I prefer having just one or two have-tos on my calendar each week… more than that and I get twitchy. I imagine recruiting new members would be hard. I think younger generations are less likely to join any group. Good luck, it sounds like a good cause.
It’s great cause, but it’s hard to get new members. Most of the group is in their 70s and 80s and have been involved for 30 years. I agree that younger people aren’t joiners.
I hope you don’t get discouraged at the current small group size. I think people need to be made aware of opportunities to get involved. Maybe this round of outreach will draw in some new people.
I hope so! We have a brand new board member (I’m less than a year on the board) who lives in a very social neighborhood. She has brought in four new members. Maybe the newer people will help the group grow.
I have occasional super busy days, but not weeks. That would be counter to “retirement”. Gardening is my time release. Might I suggest you revisit the definition of ‘retirement’? Maybe try reading ‘The Art of Retirement” by Gary Williams. They sell it on Amazon. 🙂
Maybe the problem is I don’t consider myself retired. I took time off full time work to be a stay-at-hom mom, but I always worked part time as a freelance writer. Then went back to full time in a new career when they were in high school. My husband still works and I help him. I think you’re correct. I need to embrace the concept of retirement for myself.
I can see your quandary here; starting in late, not knowing the avenues for help, not enough help. I would lose so much sleep with worry if in your position. (I hope you are not losing sleep!) That being said, this is such a worthy cause of your time, and anyones time who can manage to give it.
I hope you find some media sources and perhaps some more volunteers to help you.
Oh, and at this point in my life, I hate being busy!
I don’t like being this busy anymore either. I did get a few magazines to give us free ads and to interview members for articles. So that’s a plus!