3 Things Day 17

Something that went well 

This exercise every night is going well. So far, it's done a good job directing my mind and attitude toward positive things. I've spent a lot less time laying awake thinking negative thoughts since beginning this.

Something(s) to look forward to

Library yarn project. I started it today and found out it's not going to work quite the way I wanted. So, I'll need to pivot. It'll still be good, and it'll still be cute and fun.

Oh! And the boys are coming over tomorrow for food.

What's the best that could happen?

The yarn shop owner had told me she paid Google to fix her business listing. That's not something you need to pay for if you've claimed your listing, so I need ask better questions to find out what she's actually paying for. 

It'd be really awesome if it turns out she has a Yext subscription because Yext has its grubby fingers in EVERYTHING, and we can solve a lot of her online directory problems with a subscription to that.

The New Waitress

Our order was simple: two salads with ranch dressing and a plate of fries

She delivered two salads and politely asked if there was anything else we needed.

"Just some dressing," said The Husband, "and the fries."

"Yes, ranch dressing and fries," she said and hurried to the kitchen.

She delivered three containers of ranch, politely said, "Your fries are being made right now," and hurried back to the kitchen.

"I bet she forgot the fries," I said to The Husband, "and she just now put in the order."

We ate our salads and ranch.

About the time a waitress would come around to ask if we wanted dessert and to leave the check if we said no, she came around to tell us she was sorry our fries were taking so long and the manager was going to give us the fries for free.

We said okay, and she hurried back to the kitchen. 

"She forgot our fries twice," The Husband said.

As we polished off our salads, she brought a lovely plate of fries fresh out of the fryer, still glistening with oil that hadn't yet soaked in. And I'll be honest, they were the best fries I've ever eaten.

But let's recap: she forgot two dressings and fries twice. We ordered only three items; she managed to forget four things 🤷‍♀️

She was new. And she was very pleasant and sweet. She'll get better.

3 Things Day 16

Something that went well

Nice brunch with Kay. We sat in the cafe boith and visited for three hours!

Then The Husband and I went on a thrifting spree and hit up 4 different secondhand shops.

Something to look forward to

Monday is Memorial Day. No Sunday Saddies for me!

On Tuesday, we get to settle into our new work space finally.

What's the best that could happen?

The yarn shop owner figures out how to add me as a user to her existing Wix site, and I can make much needed updates to it this weekend.

3 Things Day 15

Something that went well

Nothing stupid happened at work today. No one asked me for anything. It was unusually and pleasantly boring. No notes.

Something(s) to look forward to

Having brunch with Kay of the House of 4 Cats tomorrow to hand over the chemo hat for her friend.

Do some work for the yarn shop tomorrow. 

Get started on the library yarn craft project.

Work space at work is officially done, amd we'll get to use it the Tuesday after Memorial Day Weekend. 

What's the best that could happen?

I learn a lot about building a website on Shopify this weekend and find out it really is as easy as I've been lead to believe. 

Regarding the Yarn Shop...

Sometimes a series of events happen that cause pieces to fall together so easily that one might interpret the sequence as fate simply because it couldn't have worked out as well even if it had been elaborately planned.

Follow me on this journey...

A few weeks ago, a coworker told me about a new yarn shop in the town next over. It carries fancy yarn, the good stuff made of natural fibers. The kind of yarn I buy only when a project is very special and it needs to be a quality piece, like a chemo hat.

Last week Kay of the House of 4 Cats posted a note on FB about her friend going through cancer treatments. I messaged Kay, asked if her friend needs a hat, and of course her friend does. To make this hat, I need some good yarn.

Thanks to my coworker, I now know there's a new yarn store 10 convenient miles away now (instead of 35). I Google its location and discover a note on the website that says they're looking for someone to help with their digital presence. Interesting!

I drive over on Saturday. While shopping for yarn, I ask what kind of help they need, leave my name & number for the owner, go home and start working on a hat.

The owner called me this morning. She sounded so tired and frustrated with her website experience, wrestling with it for hours only to have it lose her work. She'd given up and was so desperate that she hardly asked about my qualifications and just wanted to know what else she could say to convince me to help her.

Friends, she had me at "yarn shop".

I drove over to her shop after work today to meet her in person. Honestly, I wasn't sure how to do all the things she wants done and I told her so. I gave her every opportunity to back out, to keep looking for someone more qualified, but she wasn't going there. I was her Obi-Wan, her only hope.

On my way back home, I wondered what I'd gotten myself into. Wondered if it was smart to commit to extra work when my full-time job was so exhausting. But at the same time, I was intrigued with this puzzle and was already formulating a plan.

After a few Google searches, I learned the solution to her biggest problem would be doable. I texted this encouraging news to her, and she was SO grateful and SO relieved.

I haven't even done anything yet, but a great burden has been lifted from her mind, and she has made me feel more valuable and appreciated than I've felt in ages.

I have high hopes for this new relationship ❤️🧶

3 Things Day 14 (the one with the yarn shop)

Something that went well

I took a shot and got hired for a side gig today. I'm gonna do some SEO work for a small yarn shop in my spare time. Kind of a hobby, kind of a future part-time retirement opportunity. More on this as it develops. 

Something to look forward to

Start work for yarn shop mentioned above (yarn project #1)

Need to meet up with Kay of the house of 4 cats to deliver chemo hat for her friend (yarn project #2)

Design and start craft for upcoming event at my local library (yarn project #3)

What's the best that could happen?

I might actually be able to help the yarn shop lady get her online store working.

3 Things Day 14

Something that went well

Finished a chemo hat for a friend of Kay from the House of Four Cats.

Something to look forward to

Now I get to deliver the chemo hat, which means I get to visit with Kay!

What's the best that could happen?

I make it to a yarn-themed social event tomorrow after work, and I open the door to an employment opportunity.

3 Things Day 13

Something that went well

My supervisor and I have been struggling to put together a report template that has been mandated by upper management. We had a breakthrough today! All that's left to do is make the slide deck look pretty and figure out how to acquire the data.

Something to look forward to

Three yarn projects.

What's the best that could happen?

Upper management appreciates the slide deck and has no notes.

3 Things Day 12

Something that went well

At lunch with The Husband's siblings today, I had the most fulfilling conversation with my favorite niece. She and I seem to connect on many of the same levels. We talked about dealing with ineffective managers and undiagnosed neuro-spicy ailments.

She and I seek each other out whenever we both attend a family event, but we don't always get the opportunity to talk just the two of us. Today we did. And it was SO so good for my soul.

Something to look forward to

Three yarn related projects.

Getting to see the new in-office workspace this week.

Session with my therapist tomorrow.

Gonna replace "Something nice about me" (which is hard to do every day) with this

What's the best that could happen?

They truly do only want me to monitor the KPIs and won't actually hold me responsible for the performance. 

3 Things Day 11

Something that went well

It's Saturday. I slept in. That was amazing ☺️

Something to look forward to

Yarn craft projects

Lunch with The Husband's siblings tomorrow 

Something nice about me

Younger Son's girlfriend seems to like me