Rule #2 is "Always have a Plan B."
I have an aunt who's coming to town today, who has been out of the country for some months and who is a bit senile now. When she arrives, I usually take some time to prep her apartment - stock the fridge, make sure she's got her meds, etc. Then I pick her up at the airport. I do this in my wife's car because it's bigger and cleaner than mine, and my aunt usually has a lot of luggage.
Her flight arrives at 4pm.
Given that I'm still on sabbatical and don't have to go to the office, I puzzled over whether to make a day of it at Ryerson, and then take care of those chores in preparation of her arrival after lunch, or just work from home in the morning and head downtown after lunch. I decided to go to the office and get some paperwork done that might take weeks to get to otherwise. It would also give me a chance to have the world's best burrito for lunch.
But that means getting out of the house before 8am to deliver #2 son to school and still have time to get a decent parking spot at the subway commuter parking lot. I couldn't see an obvious choice, but still, I figured I'd be able to knock quite a few items off my todo list at work before they're actually due....
So that was Plan A.
But I'm not particularly cogent in the morning, even after coffee. And junior had gotten into the car before me; so I jumped in with him and off we went. I dropped him at school and was on my way to the commuter lot when I realized junior had gotten into my car, not my wife's. And my Yaris just isn't big enough to handle my aunt's luggage.
By the time I returned home to get my wife's car, I'd miss my chance to get a parking space at the commuter lot.
Enter Plan B: without skipping a beat, I just turned around and went home, where I'll stay the morning and try again after lunch. The office work can wait.
Having a Plan B isn't about over-thinking everything; it's about adaptability. And being adaptable is a good thing.
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| Source: graziadiovoice.pepperdine.edu |
Her flight arrives at 4pm.
Given that I'm still on sabbatical and don't have to go to the office, I puzzled over whether to make a day of it at Ryerson, and then take care of those chores in preparation of her arrival after lunch, or just work from home in the morning and head downtown after lunch. I decided to go to the office and get some paperwork done that might take weeks to get to otherwise. It would also give me a chance to have the world's best burrito for lunch.
But that means getting out of the house before 8am to deliver #2 son to school and still have time to get a decent parking spot at the subway commuter parking lot. I couldn't see an obvious choice, but still, I figured I'd be able to knock quite a few items off my todo list at work before they're actually due....
So that was Plan A.
But I'm not particularly cogent in the morning, even after coffee. And junior had gotten into the car before me; so I jumped in with him and off we went. I dropped him at school and was on my way to the commuter lot when I realized junior had gotten into my car, not my wife's. And my Yaris just isn't big enough to handle my aunt's luggage.
By the time I returned home to get my wife's car, I'd miss my chance to get a parking space at the commuter lot.
Enter Plan B: without skipping a beat, I just turned around and went home, where I'll stay the morning and try again after lunch. The office work can wait.
Having a Plan B isn't about over-thinking everything; it's about adaptability. And being adaptable is a good thing.
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