A day in the life

I'm sometimes asked what my typical day is like. It's a question that's awfully hard to answer because while there are some constants, there are usually many variables, even within the same day of each week.

Occasionally, people also ask me how I can juggle work, seeing to my kids, blogging and other activities at the same time. Truthfully, I'm a little embarrassed by the idea that I could be a super mum because I really am not. The freedom I get from running my own business from home can't be overstated, it gives me the flexibility to tend to changes in schedules, and how long I spend on work really depends on how efficient I can be, not how many hours I have to sit in an office.

So essentially, this arrangement affords me the lifestyle I want, while allowing me time with my kids. However, every now and then, I have one of those days where I feel I have too much on my plate and get totally frazzled. Last Tuesday, during the PSLE marking week, was one of those days. Here's what transpired - a glimpse into a not-so-typical-day of my life.

8.15am: Crawl out of bed. I really should stop going to bed at 2am.
8.30am: Poke head out of bedroom door and yell at kids to get ready.
8.39am: Yell at kids to put on their shoes because we're out the door in 1 minute.
8.40am: Leave the house.
8.41am: Go back to house to retrieve car keys.
8.43am: Enroute to school, mutter under my breath about arranging badminton training sessions at this "unGodly hour".
8.55am: Drop Andre at school. Shout last minute instructions at him from car window.
8.56am: Drive Lesley-Anne to chalet. Lucky girl is having a post-PSLE sleepover with her girlfriends. Proceed at snail pace because I've never driven this route before.
9.15am: Reach destination unscathed, hooray!
9.30am: Finally arrive at chalet on foot, slightly winded. Parked at the wrong place, darn it.
9.40am: Leave chalet, feeling somewhat sentimental over Lesley-Anne's first sleepover with friends.
9.55am: Home. Have toast and big mug of Super 3-in-1.
10.10am: Finally can settle down to work. Hmm... maybe I'll just check on Mouse Hunt first.
10.30am: Get call from Andre - training will end half an hour earlier, only 2 kids (including him) turned up. Darn it! Well, gotta pick him up soon so might as well continue playing.
10.45am: Leave to pick up Andre. Mutter at the crazy pedestrians playing Russian Roulette by stepping off the kerb in front of my car.
11.00am: Have a chat with badminton coach on Andre's progress. Wonder how to juggle all the upcoming changes in the training schedule.
11.30am: Enroute home, marvel at an elderly man who proceeds to cross the road despite seeing my approaching car, waving his walking stick at me menacingly the whole time.
11.45am: Arrive home. Send Andre to shower. Tell him he has to practise his piano before lunch.
12noon: Rap on the bathroom door and yell at Andre to hurry up, taking a luxury spa bath isn't going to get him off practising his piano.
12.15pm: Decide it's really time to work. Oh look, almost time for lunch. Ah well, might as well play Scrabble then.
12.30pm: Lunch.
12.50pm: Sit at computer. Really should start work now.
12.51pm: Oh wait, forgot to assign Andre his math revision homework.
1.00pm: Go back to computer. Open several emails from clients asking when they can expect their writeups.
1.02pm: Major panic. Attempt to start writing. If only can get rid of this writer's block.
1.10pm: Mojo flowing now. Subject is awfully boring though. Come on, keep at it.
2.30pm: One draft completed. Break to mark Andre's math assessment paper. Mutter under my breath over careless mistakes.
2.45pm: Go through math paper with Andre. Before I start, Andre says, "Mummy, can you not say 'tch' when I get something wrong? I don't like it." Yikes, guilty as charged.
3.00pm: Fall asleep. Super 3-in-1 has limited potency. Or maybe I shouldn't go through test papers on my bed.
3.25pm: Wake up with a start. Stumble to computer. Full intention to work... right after I sound the Mouse Hunt horn.
4.15pm: That can't be the time????? @*&!@%$!! Scramble to start work. Feverishly. I'll have another mug of that Super 3-in-1.
5.15pm: Phew! Managed to finish it before the end of the day. Send it off to client. Amazing what looming deadlines can inspire.
5.20pm: Drive Andre to get his hair cut. Seriously, I feel like I'm participating in a live video game where you maneoveur the car to avoid zig-zagging pedestrians. Wasn't there a recent report in the Straits Times about the increase in jaywalkers? I swear half of them live in my neighbourhood.
6.00pm: Hair cut done, ooh... Michael Chang, look out! Off to have dinner at the nearby hawker centre. Char guay teow with all the crispy lard bits. Never mind lah, Andre had badminton training this morning. I know I didn't, doesn't driving count as exercise? Teh tarik to wash it all down.
7.20pm: Home. Put all my persuasive charm on to cajole a pouty Andre to do a couple of English worksheets, reminding him it's SA2 next week.
7.30pm: Get sms from Lesley-Anne: "Just had dinner. Having a great time."
7.50pm: Mark English worksheets. Terribly worried over mistakes. Go through worksheets with Andre, trying very hard to reign in the 'tch'.
8.30pm: Fetch Kenneth from MRT station. Very happy it's my last drive of the day.
8.50pm: Chillin' time. Andre and I take turns to watch each other play computer games. Wonder what Lesley-Anne is doing.
10.00pm: Watch 'The Mentalist'. One of the better shows on tv these days.
10.30pm: Pack Andre off to bed. Hugs and kisses. "I love you, mummy." He truly is a good kid.
11.00pm: Me time! Rest of the household is out like a light (well, except for Lesley-Anne whom I'm sure won't be getting much sleep tonight). Alternate between playing Mouse Hunt, clearing emails and writing this post (wondering again why I ever started this blog).
1.00am: I'm wide awake. That teh tarik sure has kick!
1.55am: Decide to go to bed. Technically, it's not 2am yet, right? I'm sure I'll be fine tomorrow... I mean today.