Reclaiming My Time

Saw this in the lovely little internet/stationary shop up the road in Kacyiru where I buy my electricity and airtime. I've never seen a customer service notice in Rwanda before. I think every shop should have one. 

To be fair, this guy, Emmanuel, is pretty special. He sells me stuff in advance, texting me the codes, and I pop in to pay him whenever I'm passing. Extraordinarily useful when it's raining or, like now, when I'm laid low with a cold and can't be bothered to crawl up the hill. 

In other news, I'm weirdly quite happy at the moment. Got the most incredible book review and a couple of authors started big-upping my work on Twitter. Resulted in a few more book sales, hopefully. Was supposed to have a dinner date today, but she stood me up - again. Which, oddly, despite dragging myself out of bed and making myself smell nice, wasn't a disappointment at all. The last thing I feel like doing at the moment is entertaining anybody. So I've had a really lazy day. 

Also excited as I took on a UK client a year or so ago. I got a bit suspicious the other day because he has the same last name as my landlord. Turns out they don't know each other, but he is Rwandan, and he's coming here en route to Goma this month! Truly excited to meet him, as we've been working together (virtually) for a long time. 

Last night I had a really long chat with an old friend. We talked for ages, whilst the cutest baby gecko eavesdropped by my elbow.

Spot the Gecko?

I love them even more than millipedes. Wee boggley-eyed geckos are so cute. They don't say their names (gecko, gecko) like the ones in Laos, but occasionally they chitter at each other.

Anyway...

This friend of mine runs an online database of standing stones and ancient sites. I've known him for years - he is one of my oldest friends. A few years ago we started talking about turning his passion into something a bit wider-reaching. Basically converting it to a nonprofit so that we could develop projects and get more people involved with it.

It's taken a couple of years, but we've now got a really good team of trustees and committed volunteers involved (including his daughter, who is brilliant). Everything's moving forward well. That's part of the reason we were talking. 

It made me nostalgic for standing stones and sweeping glens. For being able to walk out into the middle of nowhere without being chased for money or having the word muzungu screamed at me. To enjoy the perfect silence of the lochs, and watch the deer and the birds of prey. 

I'm having a real life/work evaluation at the moment.

Decided to cut out everything that I'm not really enjoying or that doesn't further the things I enjoy. 

Things I really want:

• To keep writing
• To read more
• To invest my time in my friend's project, because it makes me smile and it's actually delivering results

Things that gotta go:

• People who keep you waiting or leave you hanging. I'm audi. Seriously, done.
• Doing free stuff for people. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. I'm terrible at offering free stuff (websites, consultancy, training) or grossly under-charging. (Exceptions made for incredible friends who have done stuff for me in the past - the givers not just the takers.)
• Development work - on the whole. You know what? I don't actually enjoy it.
• Being tied to my business. Time to either a) bring on a partner b) give it to someone c) close it. Administration here is 24/7. I want an extended break in the UK come September (perhaps even repatriation). I don't want to be worrying about tax returns or chasing contracts whilst I'm there.
• My UK charity, which was another 'for-the-sake-of-it' project. I don't have the time or the passion to invest. As it's not doing anything, might as well not exist.

I think that's it to begin with. I've already started my friends cull. Going to get a lot more jealous over my time. I've realised just how much of my day is spent waiting on other people to get back to me so that I can complete the favour I offered to do them. 

What a waste!

Planning to wind everything down towards September. Going to get up in the mornings and write before I so much as glance at my e-mails. Tried that today. Got 5,000 words down!

When I do reply to e-mails, I'm going to read them thoroughly and answer them succinctly. In no more than a few lines if they're work-related. My aim is to cut down the amount that comes through my in-box by being efficient in answering, and - unless absolutely necessary - asking no questions that might solicit another back and forth. 

I'm so totes in the zone.

Finally Looking Like a Home
Thank Heavens for Damascene