ah, the glamour

[rikibeth]

Day two of the personal assistant gig. Wow, that's a lot of friend notifications! Hi, everyone! For the record: go right ahead and put me on your reading list, no need to ask permission. I might not friend you back right away, because my reading list is already on the verge of unmanageably large, due to a wide Boston-based social circle and a lot of LJ friends I picked up through various fandoms and even more obscure chains of association. However, you're not missing that much -- I try to keep the cheerful and amusing posts public. Friends-lock is for COMPLAINTS. If you're that interested in reading my stories of Evil Kitchen Boss from 2004, let me know and I'll add you.

Today was pretty similar to yesterday, except that the Giant Ridiculous Dog didn't jump up on me, which was good, because I arrived with a sizable quantity of office supplies. Two sizes of bubble mailers, big non-clasp envelopes for mailing manuscripts, a small pack of bankers' boxes, and two styles of folder, both brightly colored. Oh, and the trash bags.

Now, I love office supplies. Don't we all? When I was about nine or ten, I thought that the stationers' store in the center of town was even better than a toy store. I behaved myself -- I did not pick up any especially arcane gadgetry, did not decide that the correspondence begged to be stored in two-prong clasp folders and oh I should get a two-hole punch so I could use those, no twelve-month segmented things, not even any tape flags.

What I should have done was get more folders. I used up all the flat ones today.

There is, however, a system emerging from the piles of paper. Contracts by year, royalty statements by year, and checks received by year, for the book stuff. Most of that isn't as entertaining as "Shadow Unit notes on an envelope," although the Amberzine acceptance letter brought me back. Household bills by type and year. I haven't really tackled the travel receipts yet, and the tax documents are still in the Fearless Kjtten's most favorite box.

I got the tea mug with the fornicating bunny rabbits on it today. matociquala has, I think, started to notice my habit of leaving half an inch of cold tea at the bottom of every mug I drink from. It doesn't really matter what size mug, either. I just never seem to finish my tea before the last half inch goes cold. I had probably better pick an insulated mug next time.

Lunch was liverwurst sandwiches. matociquala explained, somewhat sheepishly, that she'd had one of her infrequent cravings for the stuff, so she'd bought it, but there was also -- I cut her off as she was trying to mention the deli ham with a fervent "YUM." I really like liverwurst -- kebbykate taught me to appreciate it -- but since I don't know many other people who do, and I cook for vegetarians at home, I practically never eat it. This struck me as a coincidence similar to the one gaming group I had -- right around the time of that Amberzine acceptance letter, now I think about it -- where everyone actually liked anchovies, and that became our regular pizza order.

matociquala thinks I am being tremendously organized. I have an advantage -- my mother worked for years as a paralegal in a tax attorney's office. She always came home with horror stories of the clients who brought in their paperwork all jumbled together in a shoe box, or a grocery bag, or other makeshift, and the hours it took to sort their stuff out. I know that matociquala is going to be taking her stuff to a Tax Guy soon, and I'd like to be able to send her off knowing that she won't be one of the horror stories.

I'll need to bring more file folders with me when I come back on Wednesday, but I think that when I'm done, the Fibber McGee's Closet of paperwork will all fit into two or maybe three bankers' boxes, with room to add more folders in each.

The biggest progress was that I could leave the study door open at the end, without worrying that the Fearless Kjtten was going to disarrange enormous piles of paper and undo my work.

Comments

[kaninchenzero.livejournal.com]

My dad has a mug with fucking bunnies that may be the same one. Is it beige? :D

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

With blue outlined bunnies, yes. Produced by Taylor & Ng. I had the same one once, but it broke.

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

You're a splitter! It's interesting to watch you work. Of course, I will never be able to find anything in all those different files....

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

But I'm labeling them all! The only trouble ought to be if you don't know what sort of item you need.

[c1.livejournal.com]

This has worked really well for me. I first learned about it when I was at RISI-- just the idea that "as soon as you have a thought, write it down" was a huge score. Seems intuitive, but we forget things. Writing it down means you don't have to brain about it.

Mmmm... brain...

I didn't spring for the fancy $$$ planner, though. Instead, I went and got a 1/2 sized 3 ring binder from The Office Supply Mega Huge Warehouse Of Doom, and printed out my iCal calendars and stuck in some lined paper for gathering ideas. For my needs, it works just as well-- I get home and make things electronic there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getting_Things_Done
http://www.davidco.com/
http://www.43folders.com/

[themaskmaker.livejournal.com]

As a fellow P.A., I congratulate you on your restraint with office supplies. :)

I have taken to carrying my own "mini office" with me to my client's house, and then taking it with me when I leave. My client has two curious kids, and when I tried to buy a calculator, stapler, paper clips, etc. for her, the kids invariably absconded with them.

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

There are no inquisitive children in this case, only two cats, and a dog who isn't allowed upstairs. The staplers might get knocked onto the floor, but that's of little import.

[themaskmaker.livejournal.com]

Yeah, they can handle it. :)

[weegoddess.livejournal.com]

::enjoys listening to you work::

;-)

(as opposed to 'watching' you work, which I can't. But I can listen to your descriptions...)

[eternaleponine.livejournal.com]

Are you sure you don't need a labeler? So that matociquala knows what is where afterwards? You might need a labeler. In fact, I'm pretty sure you need a labeler. To label. And then when you're done with it, you can give it to me. :-D

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

Alas, I do not think matociquala is going to buy you a labeler. I bought a packet of "removable" Avery file-folder labels (which remove ALL TOO EASILY) and a Sharpie.

[deakat]

Do you have any friends in Ottawa that you need to visit? Once I'm gainfully employed again, I'd love to hire you for a few days! :)

In the meantime, your posts may help to inspire me to tackle at least some small part of the paper madness around here.

[sheistheweather]

I am interested in reading complaints as well, so would like to be added. It is, as always, your call. :)

[thecoughlin.livejournal.com]

Sounds like you are a giant among piles!

*G*

[oddmonster.livejournal.com]

Hi, I'm the food-based wet blanket in all the glamour*. Liverwurst. I have heard good and bad about this stuff, but I am an adventurous soul, so I'm wondering how to approach and appreciate. We have a couple great delis up here, so I'm sure I could get some, but a few questions, first: Worth it, iyo? Do I want to know what it's made of, before or after? Can I just eat it? Or should I try it on a cracker for the first time, or a chunk of sourdough, or with horseradish or sauerkraut?

I know! You work for a kickass Force of Fiction and I'm asking you about food. Um, welcome to lj?




*I'm a British Californian whose best friend is a Kiwi. I have no idea how to spell anything anymore. A full coherent sentence and it's hosannah time.

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

Oh no, food is very important! I always like to talk about food.

Liverwurst is often a bargain among deli meats. If you like any other liver-based products, say a country pate, you are probably well situated to appreciate it. Asking what it's made of is as fraught as with any other sausage product, of course.

We ate our sandwiches on pumpernickel bread, with Dijon mustard, onions, and capers. The pepper havarti, tomatoes, and avocados were less traditional accompaniments, but judged successful.

Essentially, you want a sturdy bread of relatively robust flavor, and a sharp condiment to offset the high fat content, but it would probably also be good on a water cracker or something like Stoned Wheat Thins.

[naivefreedom.livejournal.com]

congrats on the personal assistant job! It sounds mega interesting!
hope all is well!