Schedules and short stories

[mrissa]

One of the advantages we talked about, when we were still talking about carpeting the basement, is that we could go to a carpeting store and tell them to come today or tomorrow or possibly Saturday if they do that, and then the whole thing would be done before markgritter's next trip to California. We are so very very glad we did not do that. The estimate at the beginning of last week was that the contractors would finish their work at the end of last week or the beginning of this week. And it would have been really convenient to be able to get timprov's bedroom moved before markgritter went out of town. But I am so very, very glad we did not plan on that, not just because we will like the wood better, but also because they are not done yet. Still have access panels to do, the bathroom stuff to redo from the inspection mixup, the handrail to install, and various other things. Those of you who have done this sort of project before are not even remotely surprised that it's gone longer than expected; still and all, I am surprised that the estimate was this far wrong this close to the end. It's not like we were expecting them to be done a week ago based on what they thought on Santa Lucia Day. It's based on what they thought a week and a half ago. Rather different.

They are nice contractors, and they seem to be doing a good job, but I will be so glad when they are not in and out of my house on a mostly-daily basis.

I'm hoping that I can finish up this short story that fell on me earlier this week, "On the Purchase and Sale of Phoenix Eggs (Used)," but I am trying not to stress about the short stories. Ages ago I was writing multiple short stories a month all year long. This is not going to be my usual thing, and I wouldn't be happy if it was, so I really, really need to keep perspective on how many short stories I "should" have in circulation at any given time. If it drops below fifteen I get twitchy. This is silly and wrong. On the other hand, here is this short story, and it sort of fell on me, and I'm at least going to get the bits cleaned up, whether or not I finish it right now. Then back to the Carter Hall novel, really really really. I have had some goalie-related insights that should be fun. Maybe. I hope.

Comments

[greykev.livejournal.com]

If you want help moving furniture or installing flooring I'm available & willing.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

We may take you up on that. Much appreciated.

[txanne.livejournal.com]

That's an Elisian title if ever I've seen one!

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Alas, it does not come with a crackly golden rock.

[txanne.livejournal.com]

Awwww. Fortunately I have an excellent imagination!

[rezendi.livejournal.com]

Albert Camus was a goalie. Different sport, but I imagine the ethos is similar.

[zelda888.livejournal.com]

The third of three prospective contractors for our kitchen remodeling just left a few hours ago. We are trying to steel ourselves for all of the surprises. I am really not looking forward to the people-in-and-out-of-my-house, especially as I work evenings, and they will be arriving daily at an hour I consider the middle of the night.

I guess I will make many lists, grit my teeth, and get through it. Any advice for the getting-through-it?

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

...field hockey? No, you're likely talking about soccer, aren't you?

Perhaps the ethos is similar. I'm not sure. Soccer is very confusing to me. Everything is very slow and melted, and the goal and the puck are huge, and also if hockey players spent that much time rolling around on the ice someone would skate over their fingers, and it makes me want to send someone out to skate over the soccer players' fingers, too. I want to shout, "Get up, you big baby! It is not either the worst pain ever!"

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I recommend this blog (http://kitchensync.typepad.com/). I'm not sure whether its lj user wants her lj name associated with it--I never know where people's professional lines go--but she's a trusted friend who does this stuff a lot.

I also recommend looking at what they're doing very frequently so that you can say, "Oh, no, we wanted that to be wood," or, "That's not the faucet I wanted, did the wrong one come in?" very early in the process, before things are much harder to fix. Even if you're sleeping for a big chunk of the work time, checking in daily or every other day is probably a good thing.

[cadithial.livejournal.com]

Wow, used Phoenix eggs have to have a very short shelf life ;) I hope you sell it, so that I get a chance to read it.

[zelda888.livejournal.com]

Okay, I've crawled around the Kitchensync blog a little. Some interesting stuff-- thank you for the link.

I plan to be awake while they're here-- I'm a talented sleeper, but not so talented that I could ignore strange men in my house. (I'll just have to push to go to bed *right away* when I get home from work to keep the sleep deprivation down to a dull roar.) But point taken about actually *talking* to them sometimes.