Last Monday, I posted this:

My plans for this week include finishing Developer 49, a "Part 2" to the Email Seminar where I show you how to READ email directly from Gmail (or any POP3 server) directly into your Access database, and of course more TechHelp videos.

And this is exactly why I hate publishing any kind of schedule for my work. Ended up having a much busier week than planned. Some unexpected personal stuff came up, and then of course my wife made me help do more "stuff" around the house because her mom is coming for a visit this week. And now I won't be able to get much more done over the next couple of days (which I'm not complaining about - I love when family comes to visit) but I won't be able to do a lot of work while entertaining.

I used to post a monthly schedule years ago when I first started doing this, but I quickly realized that I suck at keeping to schedules. I guess one of the benefits of working for yourself is you really don't have to keep to a schedule. Nor do I have to write an email outlining five things I accomplished last week [ugh]. However, I hate posting things and getting people excited for new releases and then not following through. So that's why I try not to do it.

So, moving forward, I'm not going to post what I have planned at all and I'll just let you guys keep guessing. I do have this Release Calendar that I have published. It's mostly so I can make sure I've got videos scheduled for the right days - and to remind me what I'm working on. I'm such a harebrained mad scientist sometimes. Don't take anything on here as "definite" until it's in purple. That means it's actually posted.

I did prioritize getting TechHelp videos done though. I'm good until Friday. I've got to record quick queries for this Friday, and then I'm good. The week is covered. Access Developer 49: the first 2 lessons are posted. I've got the other ones outlined and ready to go, I just have to sit down and record them.

As far as the POP3 email seminar, I might just release that as a quick template at first and see how much interest there is in me making a seminar out of it. I'm going to gamble that most of you don't really care as much about how it works as to that it works. :)

Plus I started tinkering again with my Access to Web Template, which is a database that I'm working on to take your Microsoft Access forms and turn them into web pages. I've got the proof-of-concept finished. It's just tweaking it and making little things work, you know, like combo boxes, LOL.

Sometimes, the best plan is no plan at all. Over the years, I have learned that the universe has its own ideas about how my week is going to go, no matter what I put on my to do list. There is nothing wrong with setting goals, but it is just as important to leave yourself room to adjust when life throws you a curveball. Some of my best ideas and projects have come from days where I tossed the schedule out the airlock and just went with the flow.

Sometimes you do everything right, make your lists, set your schedule, and the day still ends up on a completely different course. And that is fine. There's nothing wrong with that. As long as you accomplish something in the day - no matter how small - you're still winning. As Captain Picard once said, "It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not weakness. That is life."

So much planned... so little time... Greatness is in the works, and I'll get back to it when the planets align.

Actually they were kind of aligned a few days ago. Did anyone see that really cool Parade of Planets the other night? I was sitting in my backyard enjoying it with a beautiful Florida sunset.