Thread: A few questions for David

Thank you for your kind thoughts.

To answer your question about how I get it all done,:

1. I have a classic Type A personality.

2. I drink lots of caffiene - preferably in the form of colas.

3. I follow a set schedule for "down time." Since I work every day as an innkeeper, I make a point of not working after 6 PM. I have a procedure in place for guests to check themselves in after hours but after 6 PM, I'm off duty. I don't answer the phone. I have a disconnect button on my doorbell. I retreat to my apartment and hang out with my cats while I work on a manuscript, read a book, or watch TV. My time from 6 PM to whenever I go to bed is the only free time I have on a daily basis.

4. Surprisingly enough, I find that being a volunteer firefighter is relaxing. It's a break from routine. When the borough siren goes off, if I can get away from the inn, I hang a laminated sign on the door. The sign explains that I'm a volunteer firefighter and that I'm replying to a call that was sounded at ___. I hope to be back by ___. I use a dry erase marker to write in the times. I lock the front door, run out the back door, jump into my car and go to the fire station.

Day calls from the fire station are usually vehicular accidents or faulty smoke detectors. Three weeks ago, we had a carbon monoxide alert. I got to don an airpack and respirator mask and go into the building in search of CO2 buildup. It turned out to be a dirty furnace, so we turned the furnace off and ventilated the building.

5. Breakfasts at the inn are made to order. Guests are requested to submit breakfast orders by 9 PM. Since the breakfast orders specify the time that guests want breakfast, I use these forms to adjust my nightly schedule.

On days that guests want a late breakfast, I get to stay up late and sleep in. On days that guests want an early breakfast, I go to bed early and get up as easly as 5 AM. In other words, the use of breakfast forms helps me to make intelligent use of my time. There's no point in getting up at 5 AM if guests don't want breakfast until 9:30 AM.

6. I'm not married - which shouldn't come as any surprise since I have no time for relationships. When I was a teacher, I spent a lot of time at work. I went to school on the weekends and brought work home. Now that I'm an innkeeper, I live where I work and work where I live. (I live on the 3rd floor and the owner's suite is separate from the rest of the inn since guests have no access to this floor.)

7. I make intelligent use of my time. I don't spend hours on-line while things need to be done at the inn. I go on line between tasks i.e. while the dishwasher is running and two loads of laundry are in the wash and another two are in the dryers.

8. I only require about 4 hours of sleep to be functional as long as I'm getting some good REM cycles. When I "sleep in," I get about 6 hours of sleep.

9. With regards to my posts, it helps that I type 80 WPM. I can almost type as fast as I think.

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My lifestyle is not one that I would really recommend to anyone. You can't burn the candle at both ends and in the middle before burning out - no pun intended.

I burnt out in 2002 and quit teaching. Since I've always wanted to go to culinary school, I cashed out my Texas teacher retirement savings and did just that. My father accused me of having a mid-life crisis. (GRIN)

After graduating from culinary school, I acquired a B&B inn. The price was lower than market value because the business was on the verge of bankruptcy. I completely remodeled, refurbished, and redecorated the inn. New services and amenties were added and business picked up.

Now three years later, the business is doing well - and I'm horribly bored. I have nothing to occupy my mind while cleaning rooms or doing laundry. The business is no longer challenging because I know this establishment is sustainable as a small business.

Last year I started a secondary business making soap. I handcraft soap that looks like real food i.e. full sized hamburgers complete with lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion, ketchup and mustard with a removable sesame seed bun, fried chicken, tossed garden salad, slice of watermelon, chocolate chip cookie, ice cream sundae etc. If you visit my inn's website, you will be able to see pictures of my soap products.

The production of soap has been fun but to really get this business of the ground I have to market and I hate marketing and sales. (If I could find a business partner, I think soap production could really become a nice little business.)

So - now that I've hit on the idea of getting certified in Pennsyvlania, I've been able to throw my excess energy into Praxis I test preparation. I'm a bit disappointed that my test is on Wednesday because I'm ready for the test and have nothing left to prep for.

I'll have to find a new project to keep myself occupied ...

In the meanwhile my laundry is ready. Talk about perfect timing ...

David