My work schedule and other responsibilities  keep me tied to my desk and computer for long hours at a time. I’m always looking for something to do and learn while I am here fulfilling my responsibilities. I cannot leave and have to be present but I do have time to ‘do other things.’ 

Because of this requirement to stay close to home, I was able to juggle the duties of being the board secretary while also handling the many marketing tasks, such as daily bugle blast updates, the newspaper every two weeks, and the reader boards. Although I did not like the stress of the constant conflicts, I did love the activity because I could complete all these tasks from home, where I was required to be.

When those tasks were removed, I felt a significant void in my daily routine. To fill this gap, I ventured into blogging and experimenting with a Facebook page, which provided me with a much-needed outlet for creativity while I sat in front of my computer. However, those newfound endeavors led to unintended friction, prompting me to search out and explore new avenues to keep myself active and mentally engaged and expand my knowledge.

So, this week I decided to enroll in the OLCC course to obtain my alcohol server’s permit. This choice struck me as particularly amusing since I don’t drink at all. Nevertheless, I emerged from the course well-versed in identifying VIP customers and what steps to take in such situations! The course duration surprised me, but I emerged victorious, having passed the final test with a perfect score of 100%. I couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride.

Today marks another day, and I sought another opportunity to learn something. I have all these fancy programs, so I decided to dive into the complexities of digital design with Photoshop. The primary project involved learning to change the background of an image, a task that turned out to be far more intricate than I had anticipated. Recently, I had a photograph of the Laugh and Chat ladies, a delightful group I often spend time with. When I snapped the picture, one of them expressed concern about potentially me getting into trouble for daring to post a picture of the group’ on my blog since we were ‘at the clubhouse’.   Without addressing that issue, I decided to have some fun and creatively took our group to a cozy coffee shop instead!