Procrastinators Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from chronic procrastination.

Monday, 14th of August, 2006

slider's 10:00 CI

This will probably be my only post tonight.

I was in a whirlwind today. :( I slept later because DS did not have to be at band until 9 am. I totally forgot about walking. I could also have done household chores before taking DS to band, but I did not. Instead I did them after I got back, during time I normally go over to church to take care of business there. Then I showered and dressed and did cuop here. Finally, around 11:00, I went over to the church. That's normally when I leave. I thought I would basically just say hi to the secretary, but she had lots of messages for me! Most of them about an online Sunday School curriculum I was supposed to have signed up for this morning. Doing that took about an hour and fifteen minutes, with a few phone calls and emails thrown in. Since I had by then missed lunch with the residents at the nursing home (they eat at 11:30), I needed lunch, so I ate at the house. I stopped for a soda on the way to the nursing home, putting me there at 1:25 instead of 11:30 am. I do have flexibility about when I go, and I did urgently need to take care of the online registration first, but I was violating my own decision about what my hours at the nursing home would be. I did everything else at the nursing home that I was supposed to do (although I was late about joining a devotion led by somebody else because I returned some personal calls). Then I was feeling disgruntled about running late all day, and I started looking at some planner materials I had downloaded and printed out. I got all fascinated about them, working at figuring out what all my project categories should be, how to group things, how things fit together, and how much time I wanted to allot for each. Figuring THAT out turned into a real time binge of formulas and guesstimates for this and that. I was feeling like staying late at my desk was making up for arriving late, but after awhile (6:55 pm!) I remembered that I was planning to go by the hospital after work. I decided to look at my planner to see what else might need doing, and I was horrified to find that I had missed an appointment with a couple planning their wedding (in 2 weeks!). :o I called them and apologized and also lied about it (see post in Hiding Your Procrastination forum). Then I went by hospital after all. By then it was close to time to pick up DS from evening band, so I headed over to wait. And wait. I called his cell twice but got sent straight to voicemail. Finally, on a hunch, I called the house. DS had skipped band, and put off calling me about it. Then I got a call from DH saying he had procrastinated about leaving the office and now he was procrastinating even more about coming home by stopping by the grocery store. Right now I just realized I procrastinated about turning off the hose. What is this--the procrastination phase of the lunar cycle???

And guess what I have ~still~ not done? Copy tax forms or called accountant. :jawdrop: Man, talk about industrial strength procrastination!!!!

Tomorrow am
--get up at 7:00 (still no early band, but I'll get up and get started on my day)
--morning routine
--COPY TAXES!!!!
--CALL CPA!!!!
--figure out what else I must and want to accomplish
--plan the rest of the day

Right now I am neither utilizing my best parenting skills nor manhandling myself. I am just amazed, in an appalled sort of way. :?

Yesterday I said I I knew my progress would be erratic, but this...is so ridiculous. But others of you have had a better day. Normy, you must be the Saint of Overcoming Procrastination! I wish all of you great vibes for achieving your goals (and for developing them in the first place)!

Oh yeah?

Normy, you must be the Saint of Overcoming Procrastination! I wish all of you great vibes for achieving your goals (and for developing them in the first place)!

Gues what I've been up to these last two days? I'm not going to stress out over it though - I think my mind just needed a break, and it decided the weekend had come early!

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Tomorrow is another day

((((((slider)))))))

Don't worry, you just had one of those days. Tomorrow is a fresh day and you'll be fine. You spent your whole life procrastinating & time-bingeing, you can't expect it to be all better instantly - it will take time.

I couldn't check in because I had work colleagues hovering around me all day and of course, I had a productive day because I couldn't slack off ;)

You have made progress, you are aware of what you are doing, and you are taking action. Why don't you schedule something fun for yourself tomorrow? Work hard all morning and when you have done enough copying taxes and you have called your CPA (because those are your biggest, ugliest frogs at the moment), do something just for you. A bubble bath, manicure, a new book, some new makeup (always cheers me up!) or a haircut...whatever takes your fancy. It doesn't have to take hours, nor cost a fortune, but I think you need it and it will be a good reward for working hard all morning. TIP: don't spend all morning thinking about what you want to do. Do your stuff FIRST!!!

I hope I can check-in in the morning before you all go to bed and see how everyone is :)

Oh, and remember Normy has been practising anticrastination for a while now, she's just had more practise. You'll get there :)

Endorse!

I must Endorse myself for moving my muscles and having the will to effort and completeing the to do list :)

Ta Da
called Cali tax office and got a nice recording after recording and never a real voice - so i emailed. we'll see :)

Reliant - got an email from reliant so did not have to call

fill out FASFA form - completed

Extra endorse for not time binging which i usually do once i get started doing paper/money things

Now for fun:
do journal exercise from Normy's post

Double Endorse

Wow, tl, after handling those big things I hope you really enjoy your fantasy journalling!

thanks

it's not an extremely difficult task(s), but it is for me. so weird - i can run 20 mi/week but have such a challenge doing paper work :)

thanks again!

TL - BE - 4 PM

My CHOICES for the next 1 hour

call Cali tax office to see why i keep getting this lovely tax owing letter from a state I do not reside in - i see it as an opportunity to be pleasant to a customer service rep :)

call reliant energy

fill out FASFA form

do journal exercise from Normy's post

Love it tl! :o)

call Cali tax office to see why i keep getting this lovely tax owing letter from a state I do not reside in - i see it as an opportunity to be pleasant to a customer service rep

You do a great line in silver linings! I've a lot to learn from you.

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pro's CI - 11:15am

I just got off the phone with a potential client (a former work associate). I'm going to work on the estimate of her site before I do the other stuff on my list. I won't spend all day on it, though - I need to get other things done, too.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Ta Da~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  • Wake up: 7:00am (per plan!).
  • Post first check-in and CUOP.
  • Fold and put away drip dry from yesterday
  • Water plants.
  • Morning Routine
  • Day Plan
  • ----Check email and clear spam folder - target: 30 minutes (actual: 15 minutes).
  • ----Research CMS for potential client - target: 30 minutes (actual: 15 minutes).
  • ----Return call of potential client - target: 30 minutes (actual 1 hour).

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~To Do~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  • Day Plan
  • ----Prepare estimate for potential client.
  • ----Answer customer email - target: 30 minutes.
  • ----Write to consulting client #1 - target: 1 hour.
  • ----Work on accounting backlog - target: 1 hour.
  • ----Take pills, make and eat lunch, wash dishes - target: 45 minutes.
  • ----Write to consulting client #2 - target: 1 hour.
  • ----Work on PayPal notification backlog - target: 1 hour.
  • ----Errands - target: 15 minutes.
  • ----Open and handle mail, pay bills - target: 15 minutes.
  • ----Check email - target: 15 minutes.
  • ----Straighten work area to prepare for next work day.
  • After Work
  • ----AA meeting, 6pm.
  • ----Iron shirt.

sliders first CI--10:10 am

Well I am up and I am not physically dragging, but I sure feel like playing hookey! Talking about my dreams in the other thread has made me restless, Oh, dear!

Ta Da:
--got up
--got showered, dressed casual for chores
--got DS to turn off hose which I had left on all night
--decided on dates and times for Thanksgiving flights with DSMIL
--took DS to band (he can't play, but he went anyway; he is mending ok)
--got coffee

To Do:
--Feed cats and chickens
--relocate hose to new spot and turn on
--change clothes
--brush teeth
--makeup
--check on church secretary
--get to nursing home by 11:30
--call accountant from there*****
--eat lunch with residents
--take time to plan the rest of the day before healing meditation at 2 pm
--prep for 3 pm Bible study
--stop by hosptial on the way home (YES--today is an APPROPRIATE day for this)

Blew off: walk this morning. didn't get up early enough. Need to work on getting up earlier--and that will take going to bed earlier. What will THAT take??? (I LIKE being up late. Wish I could nap in the afternoons--but I have formally organized activities scheduled in the afternoons at the nursing home, including long-standing worhsip and bible study. Rearrangeable? Perhaps....will think about it.)

Norm 3.45 pm BST

Well, I've finished my Daytime Routine. Took DDog out along the canal and she's dragging her paws again - she can't have her arthritis meds whilst she's having the urinary problem investigated.

There are lots of young animals to be seen at the moment: calves were in the field the other day, running down towards the canal for a wade and a drink, and today; the cygnets are beginning to get some white feathers; there was even a pair of ducks today with a late brood. There was a goose in the middle of the path today - I don't think Ddog has ever seen one close up before - she kept her eye on it as she circled round, then ran away, LOL! Very wise :)

I've got half an hour before I need to set off, so I'm going to get a wash then read my Yoga Sutras (in fact, I'll take them with me).

BBL.
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live?

where do you live - sounds nice and pleasant?

Where I live

This is the canal that I talk about - it's at the bottom of my garden.

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There's also a river nearby (the canal aquaduct goes over the river). The photo in this link is near where I live:

http://www.ukriversguidebook.co.uk/lunehaltonpics.htm

I actually live on a not too pretty council estate, LOL! But it's close to town in one direction, and just a few minutes from countryside in the other. It's near the Lake District in the north of England, and it's also near the sea - we get fantastic views across the Bay.

http://www.morecambebay.com/

You can actually walk across the Bay at the right time with a competent guide (well, sometimes it's a bit of a wade!) - but at other times at your peril - there are quicksands and fast tides and people have died from underestimating them.

http://www.morecambe.co.uk/walk.html

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pretty!

That looks so pretty - thanks for posting it.

I'm catching up on posts today - just saw this.

TL - BE - 9:45 PM

Ta Da
kayaked at 6 AM (i actually transported 3 kayaks at 5:30)

To Do
shower
eat
make to do list :)

Good grief tl

Have you switched hemisphere? ;)

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tl's back! :o)

Don't know why - I thought you weren't back until Wednesday!

Hey, and slider's here too!

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pro's CI - 10:10am

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Ta Da~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  • Wake up: 7:00am (per plan!).
  • Post first check-in and CUOP.
  • Fold and put away drip dry from yesterday
  • Water plants.
  • Morning Routine
  • Day Plan
  • ----Check email and clear spam folder - target: 30 minutes (actual: 15 minutes).
  • ----Research CMS for potential client - target: 30 minutes (actual: 15 minutes).

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~To Do~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  • Day Plan
  • ----Answer customer email - target: 30 minutes.
  • ----Write to consulting client #1 - target: 1 hour.
  • ----Work on accounting backlog - target: 1 hour.
  • ----Take pills, make and eat lunch, wash dishes - target: 45 minutes.
  • ----Write to consulting client #2 - target: 1 hour.
  • ----Return call of potential client - target: 30 minutes.
  • ----Work on PayPal notification backlog - target: 1 hour.
  • ----Errands - target: 15 minutes.
  • ----Open and handle mail, pay bills - target: 15 minutes.
  • ----Check email - target: 15 minutes.
  • ----Straighten work area to prepare for next work day.
  • After Work
  • ----AA meeting, 6pm.
  • ----Iron shirt.

pro's CI - 9:45am

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Ta Da~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  • Wake up: 7:00am (per plan!).
  • Post first check-in and CUOP.
  • Fold and put away drip dry from yesterday
  • Water plants.
  • Morning Routine
  • ----Empty dish drain and wash any dishes from previous day.
  • ----Make bed (convert futon back into couch).
  • ----Take pills.
  • ----Make and eat breakfast, wash dishes.
  • ----Shower and dress.
  • ----Review to-do list and make a plan for the day.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~To Do~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  • Day Plan
  • ----Check email and clear spam folder - target: 30 minutes.
  • ----Answer customer email - target: 30 minutes.
  • ----Write to consulting client #1 - target: 1 hour.
  • ----Work on accounting backlog - target: 1 hour.
  • ----Take pills, make and eat lunch, wash dishes - target: 45 minutes.
  • ----Write to consulting client #2 - target: 1 hour.
  • ----Research CMS for potential client - target: 30 minutes.
  • ----Return call of potential client - target: 30 minutes.
  • ----Work on PayPal notification backlog - target: 1 hour.
  • ----Errands - target: 15 minutes.
  • ----Open and handle mail, pay bills - target: 15 minutes.
  • ----Check email - target: 15 minutes.
  • ----Straighten work area to prepare for next work day.
  • After Work
  • ----AA meeting, 6pm.
  • ----Iron shirt.

that graphic

LOL, that graphic says it all! Sometimes that's just how it feels.

Making myself laugh: Norm 2.18 pm BST

Looks like Milo's gone to bed, but pro is up and doing well - you're really getting going in the morning's now pro.

I don't think I've seen slider yet today, and tl is still out of town.

todayfirst has joined us and the work/break routine seems to be working well. Until recently I was working very long days at the beginning of the week, and planning to do 'catch up' and self-employed things on Thursday - but by Thursday I was burned out, so I understand what you mean about working without breaks. Contrary to what procrastinators seem to believe it's not productive in the long run (and in our unconscious I suspect we know that too, and it's a form of self-sabotage).

Well, I blew off the payroll today - it was a meeting not a client, and I'm still OK for fulfilling my hours this week. After the conversation with the vet and doing the water chart (Urgent & Important - I want that poor little Ddog to get a diagnosis and start on the road to recovery) I decided it would be more productive to carry on with other parts of my list.

Guess what? One of the things on the list 'Yoga Sutras' (a two thousand year old text I'm studying for personal practice and als for work) I'd already done. I've noticed that a few times recently - I'm procrastinating on things I've already done! I guess I'm just not used to having things done in advance, and I'm ~assuming~ I've procrastinated, LOL! And now I know I don't ~need~ to do this for tonight all the resistance has gone - voila! :)

I've also already got the file sorted (but I'm glad I double-checked anyway, as it's the sort of thing I'd forget).

And as a side-effect I've tidied up four hotspots - I had piles of books all over the place, and my Yoga Sutras pile was very awkward to move from one place to the next (I like to leave the computer when I'm studying it as I don't like the sound of the computer, and there's not much natural daylight here). Then I remembered I had a pile of bamboo trays that I like but they were excess to requirement and I'd stuffed them on top of a cupboard until I could find a use for them. So now I've got books and magazines on the trays and everything looks like it's supposed to be where it is, and it's all much neater and more portable! :)

I see bpjennings has arrived now too. Hello bp! Come and join us!

Hello, too, to our occasional visitors and lurkers.

OK. After all that, I'd better check in!

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Early Morning Plan
Morning Plan
Afternoon Plan:
*Make sure everything packed for today - check money, handouts, Yoga Sutras (bags hauled out from behind seat and ready to go)
*Sort out several hotspots

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*Finish Daytime Routine (inc Ddog Walk)
*Study Yoga Sutras
*Check CC course plan for prep for tomorrow

Evening Plan:
*Classes (home by about 8.15 pm)
*Homework 1 hr??
*Me time
*BBR

Carry Forward
*Deal with at least one item per day from in-box on floor
*Weekly Review
*Banking
*Accounts
*Fantasy Journal

Blew Off
*Payroll meeting (apologies sent)

Actually, this is looking a bit more realistic now, LOL!

BBL.

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todayfirst 8:45am EST

Well, enforcing 30 minute blocks with breaks in between for my tasks seems to be working pretty well, though I sometimes have to force my self to stop (and start again). Typically, I will work very hard at a task pretty much non-stop once I get started but by the end of the day I am pretty well used up and by the end of the week I am useless.

I realized on Friday that there is another project (I'll call it Project X) I need to be working on that I had convienently "forgotten" So I will include that.

I also want to work on a generic "play plan" to follow when I am watching my daughter. My wife does very well with a free-form, figure it out as you go style but I am having trouble with it. I need a little more structure to follow otherwise it just seems like the time is endless and I get very bored and frustrated. It needs to be adaptable to different lengths of time (evening only, half day, full day).

Todo:
- Weekly Status report
- Work on program (30 min)
- Break (10 min)
- Project X documentation update
- Break (10 min)
- repeat...
- Weekly review
- Play plan

pro's CI - 8:50am

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Ta Da~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  • Wake up: 7:00am (per plan!).
  • Post first check-in and CUOP.
  • Folded and put away drip dry from yesterday
  • Water plants.
  • Morning Routine
  • ----Empty dish drain and wash any dishes from previous day.
  • ----Make bed (convert futon back into couch).
  • ----Take pills.
  • ----Make and eat breakfast, wash dishes.
  • ----Shower and dress.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~To Do~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  • Morning Routine
  • ----Review to-do list and make a plan for the day.
  • Iron shirt.

pro's CI - 8:20am

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Ta Da~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  • Wake up: 7:00am (per plan!).
  • Post first check-in and CUOP.
  • Folded and put away drip dry from yesterday
  • Morning Routine
  • ----Empty dish drain and wash any dishes from previous day.
  • ----Make bed (convert futon back into couch).
  • ----Take pills.
  • ----Make and eat breakfast, wash dishes.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~To Do~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  • Morning Routine
  • ----Shower and dress.
  • ----Review to-do list and make a plan for the day.

Norm's 12.52 pm BE

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Early Morning Plan - Done

Morning Plan:
*Phone course director - went much better than expected
*Phone Vets - left message
*Book First Aid Course - Yes! I'm on!
*Deal with at least one item per day from in-tray (first aid course/Welsh Festival)
*Send cards with notes to three yoga tutors
*Tickler - up-to-date
*All meals for Tuesday and Wednesday prepped (I don't get time on a Tuesday to prep for Wednesday)
*Meal prep, meal, clear up
*15 mins Zone Work (kitchen) (the kitchen pixies had been in and messed up - or maybe that was DSO ;) )
*Long discussion with vet
*Drew up water chart for Ddog and Emailed DSO to ask him to help me monitor water intake
*CUOP and reorganised Day Plan

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Afternoon Plan
*Payroll
*Study Yoga Sutras
*Make sure everything packed for today - check money, handouts, Yoga Sutras

Evening Plan
*Classes (home by about 8.15 pm)
*Finish Daytime Routine (inc Ddog Walk)
*Check CC course plan for prep for tomorrow
*Homework 1 hr??
*Me time
*BBR

Carry Forward
*Deal with at least one item per day from in-box on floor
*Weekly Review
*Banking
*Accounts
*Fantasy Journal

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pro's CI - 7:45am

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Ta Da~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  • Wake up: 7:00am (per plan!).
  • Post first check-in and CUOP.
  • Folded and put away drip dry from yesterday
  • Morning Routine
  • ----Empty dish drain and wash any dishes from previous day.
  • ----Make bed (convert futon back into couch).

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~To Do~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  • Morning Routine
  • ----Shower and dress.
  • ----Take pills.
  • ----Make and eat breakfast, wash dishes.
  • ----Review to-do list and make a plan for the day.

pro's CI - 7:05am EDT US

I'm sleepy! But I feel it's important that I get up at 7am each day. If I want more sleep, I should go to bed earlier!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Ta Da~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  • Wake up: 7:00am (per plan!).
  • Post first check-in and CUOP.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~To Do~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  • Morning Routine
  • ----Shower and dress.
  • ----Empty dish drain and wash any dishes from previous day.
  • ----Make bed (convert futon back into couch).
  • ----Take pills.
  • ----Make and eat breakfast, wash dishes.
  • ----Review to-do list and make a plan for the day.

Norm's 11.45am BE

Hi Milo Yes I'm having a good day. I appear to have slowed down a bit but that's because I'm doing things that take more. I contacted the woman who is organising the yoga festival and got some news on some of the tutors who I know, but have lost touch with, so I decided to write them cards wishing them all the best for the weekend. I also got the ~last~ place on the First Aid course. It's compulsory for me to have this to remain an active member of my professional body - that place was obviously meant for me!

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Early Morning Plan (Details got lost in the Drupal)
Morning Plan:
*Phone course director - went much better than expected
*Phone Vets - they're ringing me back
*Book First Aid Course - Yes! I'm on!
*Tickler - up-to-date

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*Study Yoga Sutras
*Make sure everything packed for today - check money, handouts, Yoga Sutras
*Check CC course plan for prep for next week
*Homework 1 hr
*Meal prep, meal, clear up

Afternoon Plan
*Deal with at least one item per day from in-tray
*Deal with at least one item per day from in-box on floor
*Payroll
*Classes

Evening Plan
*Daytime Routine (inc Ddog Walk)
*15 mins Zone Work (kitchen)
*Weekly Review
*Banking
*Accounts
*Fantasy Journal
*Evening off!
*BBR

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Norm's 2nd attempt at First BE now 9.30 am

I ~did~ respond to this post, I ~did~! It was an hour ago, and I said Good Afternoon to Milo.

I'm sick of Drupal. One of the things I said in my previous post was I was p****d off about losing two big posts on yesterday's BE (looks like I ran off and didn't come back), the last of which had my plan for today, and I had to start it all over again. Fortunately I copied it and put it into Word, so I'm not having to do it yet another time. I made sure I pressed the post button too.

TaDas
I've got loads done - I'm not going through it all again!

ToDos

Morning Plan
*Phone course director
*Phone Vets
*Book First Aid Course
*Tickler
*Study Yoga Sutras
*Make sure everything packed for today - check money, handouts, Yoga Sutras
*Check CC course plan for prep for next week
*Homework 1 hr
*Meal prep, meal, clear up
Afternoon Plan
*Deal with at least one item per day from in-tray
*Deal with at least one item per day from in-box on floor
*Payroll
*Classes
Evening Plan
*Daytime Routine (inc Ddog Walk)
*15 mins Zone Work (kitchen)
*Weekly Review
*Banking
*Accounts
*Fantasy Journal
*Evening off!
*BBR

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how do you lose posts?

I've never lost a post. How do you lose posts? What happens? Forgetting to click Post after Preview?

Preview/Post

I don't know how I lost it. I ~have~ done preview without post thing sometimes - I think you did too once - but I checked this one and I'm pretty sure I posted.

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previewing without posting

Yes, I did preview without posting once. I'd like to turn that off, but there isn't a way short of going into the program, and the program is written very badly - very hard to understand the flow - so it would take me forever to do it.

I've never seen any program bugs that cause a post to be lost, however, or time-outs. I've seen time-outs in other forum software.

Morning!

I have only ever lost one post, luckily!

Sounds like you hit the ground running this morning, Norm. Go get 'em!