Yesterday afternoon (Friday), I sat for a moment in the crisp, cool afternoon sunshine that makes San Diego autumn so amazing. I made a list of things I need to get done over the weekend, plus some of the chores for Monday.

• I need to work on three things for my biggest client: help him write some Google AdWords ads, create a
  QuickStart page for new users of his application, plus I’m looking for some software he can use to create an online discussion forum for his site.
• I got a call Friday, and someone wants to see hard copies of samples of my work. I told him I’d put it in the mail by Monday, which means I have to rummage and print and make color copies this weekend.
• I send an eNewsletter out the second week of every month. I’ve got to compile the results of a survey on
  eNewsletters for my main article for this month’s edition.
• Because I got all that wonderful survey data on what people like and don’t like in an eNewsletter, I need to spend some time revising mine. The pressure is on!

I have a whole other list of things for Monday — all the above items are things I have to do this weekend. And last weekend I spent all Saturday night and some of Sunday printing letters, sticking labels, fighting with the envelope printer and generally doing a horrible job of stuffing envelopes for a large marketing mailing that I sent out on Saturday. [The good news? The call Friday was a response to the marketing mailing.]

In my last job I regularly worked nights and some weekends, but now it’s imperative. I did a mental calculation this morning before I got out of bed, and I figured I’m only bringing in about half what I need to in order to make a pretty decent living.
Of course, I’ve only been at this since the third week in August, so half ain’t half bad. But I’ve got to keep it up.