This week’s to do list (- hot water)

I made it back to Austin last night, despite the polar vortex (great weather name, no?) and threats of overbooking and delays. Denver airport was full of camped-out travelers and the line at the United customer service desk was long long long, so I had my moments of doubt, but all went pretty smoothly and I don’t think I have ever been happier to see my luggage come around the carousel. The baggage claim at Austin International is FULL of hundreds of bags separated from their owners, arranged in sad single-file snakes, and the sight of all of those bags as I came down the escalator made my stomach lurch just a little. A good reminder that I should buy myself a few decent luggage tags.

After three weeks of mostly relaxing and bumming around in Montana, I was all hyped up to power through my (absurdly long) to do list this week…but then I was greeted upon my arrival (at one a.m.) with a notice on my door that my building will be without hot water all day today. Hmm. Turns out laundry, mopping the kitchen and bathroom floors, cleaning out the fridge—those things all require hot water. So I guess I bought myself a little down time today, a good excuse to pick up my mail at the post office, go in a fruitless search for post-11 am breakfast tacos (waa!), and take a closer look at my ever-growing to do list.

Inspired by Anna at Door Sixteen’s seemingly superhuman productivity whenever she posts a to do list, I thought I might make mine public this week and see if it inspires any above-average follow through.

This Week’s To Do

Running around town
– drop bags off at cobbler (two leather bags in need of some love)
– get new car key made
– take (ahem, Thanksgiving) tablecloth to the dry cleaners
– pick up mail/file Priority Mail complaint (USPS is on my shit list at the moment)/buy stamps
– pick up books on hold at the library
– grocery shopping (Trader Joe’s? nope. this can wait)
– buy lightbulbs – some of the ones I need are nowhere to be found!

At home
– unpack suitcases (no seriously, must unpack suitcases)
– laundry
– make bed with new sheets (yay!)
– clean out fridge
– make at least one crock pot meal
– sweep and mop kitchen and bathroom floors
– clean windows and mirrors (halfway there)
– (finally!) hang map over bed
– finish messing around with IKEA spotlights (one down, one or two more to go)
– vacuum
– take down the few holiday decorations I managed this year (took them down, need to put them away)
– filing and shredding catch-up
– write thank you notes
– update resume again
– mark upcoming job deadlines in planner
– spend a little more time with Susannah Conway’s 2014 workbook and see if anything comes

Computer/internet/phone
– get portfolio to OK spot pre-conference
– updates to Dad’s website
– try calling Lacie again about hard drive nonsense
– download iPhone photos to computer/clear more space
– email Craigslist person again (fingers crossed on this one) (ugh. another one bites the dust)
– continue uploading photos to Flickr backup (turns out Flickr is the source of all of my recent internet woes. Grr.)
– email with info about Blurb book order
– update student group website I manage
– order textbooks
– figure out hotel situation for April conference in Baltimore

Well, yes, that does seem a little daunting spelled out like that…but let’s see how far I can get.

What items are on your to do list this week? Did you make any resolutions? Any 2014 plans? In the spirit of New Year community, let me know in the comments!