🚪 Now that's an a-door-able story
Ep 58: A change in dimensions, meaningful meetings, and the beauty of having a number one fan.
I turned to Amy midafternoon Saturday as we sat together for a few minutes. “You know, I’m really looking forward to Saturday because the work days really suck.” This prompted the proper response of outright laughter since we’ve both been crazy busy, even on the weekends. She’s been grading and prepping for the week ahead at school, on top of heavy baking for Emoticakes. I’ve been securely in weekend warrior mode again, assembling sliding barn door rails, painting (it never ends), and making doors bigger (see below). The queen bed arrived for our guest rooms, too, so things are really coming together. It’s a fun process, depending on your definition of fun, but I know there will be an end – or pause – to it someday.
A Tip for the Modern Worker
Plan and execute purposeful meetings. You determined you actually need a meeting, which is the first crucial step. Now, make sure your invitation clearly outlines the agenda and what you plan to do. Ensure that all the key decision-makers can attend. Start on time. End on time. Capture key decisions in a persistent format. And if you conclude your agenda before time is up, end the meeting early.
This tip is one of 365 in my Handbook for the Modern Worker. You’ve attended efficient, meaningful meetings before, right? You know it when you see it. Ironically,
posted about 10-minute meetings late last week. Now that’s an idea I could get my head around!#365DayDraw
I drew this and wrote the accompanying annotation as part of my #365DayDraw project 7 years ago today.
Going through storage to prepare for a sale, I found this gem from early adulthood. My number one fan.
Who doesn’t love having a fan at their side, especially when it showers you with cool, refreshing compliments all day?
Commentary
I needed to make this door 2” wider and 1 3/8” taller. It slides on a rail now, and since it overlaps the molding around the door opening and hangs a smidge higher than it did on hinges, the upsizing was warranted.
I headed to Stover Lumber and selected the dimensional pine I needed for the job. I was so proud of myself, having measured and selected the right materials and nimbly setting up my table saw for the first few rip cuts.
I took the first board over to the door, laying horizontally like a stoic patient on two sawhorses. The board smiled up at me as if to say, “See what you did, smartass? I’m 8” too short for the job.” What? Really? I measured the board. I measured the door. In ashamed disappointment, I realized I misread the tape measure, mistaking the red dot at 6’ 8” (marked that way as it’s a multiple of 16 for easy stud finding) as 6’. So I’d purchased 5 planks that were all too short for the job.
After another rainy roundtrip to Stover, I had the proper boards for the job and proceeded to rip, cut, glue, screw, nailgun, sand, crack fill, prime, and paint my way to a new-and-improved door. Just tall enough for the job. Just wide enough for the job. And just the right amount of lesson learning for this home improver.
Miscellanea
📺 We’re revisiting the new seasons of some favorites lately, including The Morning Show and For All Mankind.
🎙 Hey, S.N.L. is back! I'm glad that the writer’s strike is in the rearview.
🌿 We bought a ZZ plant this week! There’s a beautiful one at our hot yoga studio, and when we read that it required minimal care, we knew it would flourish in our home.