I’ve had some wonderful responses to my The Week Ahead series of posts. I’ve done them off and on over the past two months, and I realize how much it helps me to lay out a plan for the week; I feel more committed to at least heading in the direction of the plan, even if it doesn’t execute perfectly!
Remember that Seinfeld episode where Jerry makes a car reservation, but the car isn’t available for him when he goes to pick it up? In exasperation he says to the rental agent, “See, you know how to take the reservation, you just don’t know how to *hold* the reservation and that’s really the most important part of the reservation, the holding. Anybody can just take them,” then he mimes snapping his hands in the air with a grabbing motion, “take, take, take, take, take!” Well, that’s me without a calendar reminder to nudge me – I “take, take, take, take, take” good intentions, but don’t always hold them!
So, I invite you to join me in this adventure I call planning The Week Ahead. I post mine on Monday for that week, Monday through Friday. I jot down anything book-related that might be of interest, plus other non-book items I might want to share. There’s not always an entry for every day; some weeks are like that … this is just a serving suggestion!
If you want to play along, grab the calendar graphic from the top of the page, and start planning your Week Ahead. Comment on my post weekly when yours is up. This is all about establishing a habit, so you’ll be entered in the drawing if you post a Week Ahead post for three of the four weeks in August and three of the five weeks in September. (edited 8/18/08) The original plan looked like it would be a bookkeeping nightmare, so I’m simplifying – you’ll earn one entry for each week that you post a Week Ahead summary, at the end of September I’ll draw a winner!
The winner will receive a page-a-day Book Lover’s Calendar. This is a nice desktop calendar with book and author factoids on every page. Amaze your friends with literary trivia!
[...] 8/4/08 – I’m inviting everyone to join me in planning The Week Ahead! See my post just below this one, from earlier in the [...]
My problem is always lack of perspective, I tend think I can accomplish in 2 days what in reality takes me 5!
I’m game! I think it would be really useful if I could keep up with it. I’ll try to do my first one before the end of the day (cause really, what’s the point of starting on Tuesday?)
I have one of those Book Calendars and my TBR pile grew astronomically! (surprise, surprise!)
Kelly – my eyes are always bigger than my stomach (or however that saying goes!). I know it applies to putting more on your plate than you can eat, but it seems appropriate to planning overload as well.
Lisa – yea, I’m glad you’ll join me. I’ll look for your post!
Amy – the calendar looks dangerously fun, doesn’t it?!
And to show that plans change … the trip to BJs went so well that there was no need to bribe the kids with books. Instead, we’re watching a movie with popcorn (rain is off/on here). I did struggle over a copy of *The Condition* for myself, but I put it back (for now!). Cool to see *The Lace Reader* prominently displayed, since I reviewed it before the release and loved it.
[...] I posted an invitation (and a contest!) for bloggers to join me in building this planning habit. Read the details here; you could win a Page-a-Day Book Lover’s [...]
This is a great idea. I get so behind on everything unless I have a list and even then I get behind. If only everything I think about just magically appears on paper, life would be so much easier. Since I just found this today (Wed), I’ll start next Monday.
Bree – I’ll look forward to reading your Week Ahead on Monday!
I’ve changed the way I’ll pick the winner of the calendar, tracking a percentage of the month seemed like an accounting nightmare! I’ll give one entry per week entered, and draw the winner at the end of September. The more weeks you plan The Week Ahead, the more entries you get!
[...] August 11, 2008 by Dawn (SheIsTooFondOfBooks) Thanks to all who have expressed an interest in joining me in planning The Week Ahead, and who will enter to win the Page-A-Day Book Lover’s Calendar! I’ve decided that my original way of counting entries would be a bookkeeping nightmare, and might discourage people who learn of the program late in August or even in September. So, to simplify, one entry per week you play along, winner to be pulled at the end of September. Don’t know what I’m talking about? Read the details here! [...]
[...] There’s still time to join us in planning “the week ahead”, and to enter to win a Page-A-Day Book Lover’s Calendar. Find the details here: [...]
Interesting. I just did my first one!
Stephanie – thanks for joining us! Good luck to your daughter with her first week of school, and to you as you start another round of classes.
[...] There’s still time to join us in planning “the week ahead”, and to enter to win a Page-A-Day Book Lover’s Calendar. I picked up the calendar from our local bookstore, so I’m ready to send it out to the winner at the end of September. Find the details here. [...]
I decided to join you on this. I think it’s a great idea. My first Week Ahead is postedf at:
http://bookchatterandotherstuff.blogspot.com/2008/08/this-week-ahead-august-25-31-2008.html
Ti – I’m glad you joined us – looks like you have a full week!