Here's what's been going on in my world:
- We had to get a new HVAC system installed for the house last week after the old one died. It turns out that heating systems are less-good when they only blow cold air in winter... I had big plans to buy a new camera lens, but now I'm turning into a Scrooge while we build our our savings back up. On the plus side: we have heat!
- Anyone ever go to the No Kill Conference? Anyone going this year? Talk to me about it.
-I'm really bummed that I'm not getting a new lens. Whiny whiny complainer = me.
-I'm really excited that one of the reasons I've been so busy lately is because I'm doing more rescue work! Of course that's involved learning some new skills, so I'm giving myself a crash course in fundraising.
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| Anyone have any recommendations for fundraising guides, books, webinars? I'm all ears! |
- The old sofa is gone! Woohoo! I'm so excited to have it out of the house!
- Alas, the leopard print chair that I loved for so long is also gone. I didn't think I'd miss it, but I actually do a little. I'm sure that feeling will be gone though as soon as I can buy something new (my feelings for furniture are shallow that way).
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| Adios chair! |
-I love this quote by Nelson Mandela: "It all seems impossible until it's all done." I feel like it sums up a lot of how I've been feeling lately. Trying to get everything done, feeling unsure about some of it, but knowing it's going to come together in the end.
Replacing HVAC sounds like one of those necessary but sooo not fun ways of spending your $$. New sofas and camera lenses are way much more fun! I too have been super busy lately - I've got a dozen half posts swimming in my brain and no time to form them into actual posts. I tell myself someday I'll be one of those bloggers who plans and writes her posts in advance but then I laugh at myself. Who am I kidding? I love the last-minute, spontaneous blogging. Even if some times I fall off the bandwagon for a week or so.
ReplyDeleteYeah, spending money on the HVAC system was no fun - although I can say that having heat again was pretty darn awesome!
DeleteI do the same thing with blogging. I try really really hard to have good stuff everyday, but during the winter it gets really hard for me! As long as we get back to it, it's okay right? ;)
Wow- you have been busy! I'm expecting the next month to be that way for me, and I'm not all that excited. But congrats on the fundraising stuff- you seem like you have a perfect personality for it! I just started as a volunteer adoption coordinator for a rescue I'd been helping with- man is it time consuming! Worth it, but it definitely cuts into blogging time! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteThanks! That's awesome that you're an adoption coordinator! I have a lot of love for the people who process all of applications!
DeleteI have gone to several no-kill conferences (not in several years). You will love it, learn lots, and meet lots of wonderful like-minded folks.
ReplyDeleteI am also a professional fundraiser (though hoping to make a career change soon), mostly grant-writing, direct mail, and events. There are lots of really great online resources, e-classes, webinars, etc. If you want more information, let me know.
Kristin (Pip's mom)
I am so so excited to hear you say that about the conference! I'm really looking forward to going :)
DeleteI would love to get more information from you too - I'll send you a separate email soon :) Thanks!!
Hi Kate, I work for Animal Farm Foundation as the grants admin: We attend the No Kill Conference every year and the speakers are usually quite good, and this year they have a larger venue so more participants are expected, which should make for a great networking opportunity. Also, feel free to email me at cquinn@animalfarmfoundation.org to learn more about our grants programs and if they might work for the rescue work/fundraising you are doing. I've been a longtime reader of your blog and would love to help if I can.
ReplyDeleteWow! Thanks so much! I'll definitely email you!
DeleteVery impressed with the research/reading! And don't worry, the lens will come, eventually. Excited to find out which it is!
ReplyDeletehaha, thanks! For the lens, right now I'm leaning towards the sigma 30mm f/1.4. Aleks from Love and a Six Foot Leash recommended it, so I'm really eager to try it out.
DeleteBusy bee, indeed!
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about your HVAC. I am waiting for the day ours dies... :-/
lol, did I mention that it died on us the day that we got that snow? Yeah, the one weekend it's freezing this winter and we had no heat - doh! At least the new one works... that's about all you can say about an HVAC really... It's not even pretty or anything to make you feel better about all the money you have to spend, haha.
DeleteToo bad about the HVAC kicking the bucket. But at least you were able to get a new one up and in place pretty fast.
ReplyDeleteWhich lens did you have on your wish list before this happened?
The sigma 30mm 1.4. Aleks from Love and a Six-Foot Leash recommended it. Super bummed I'm going to have to wait longer to get one of my own...
DeleteIt seems like everyone has been so busy lately (I'm now MIA M-W). I too was curious about the new lens you were going to buy...
ReplyDeleteI was looking at the sigma 30mm 1.4 that Aleks recommends so much. I think that's what you use too? Or you use the 35mm?
DeleteBummer about your furnace. Our furnace was out when we got back from a week in Florida (it was 41 degrees in our house)and I've been paying monthly for this American Home Shield insurance like thing, so I was really hoping the furnace was dead so they could buy us a new one. No such luck, they were able to fix it with two new parts. The furnace is 24 years old for heaven's sake. They get a little pricey don't they?? Hopefully you'll be able to find a fabulous deal on the lens you want and be able to get it a bit early.
ReplyDeleteMy dogs would freak if I ever got rid of the old sofa, thats where Tori lives!!
ReplyDeleteStop on by for a visit
Kari
http://dogisgodinreverse.com