There’s a few choices of different things to do the next few days before leaving to visit family out of state. I think it would be a good exercise to list them, and identify the most important ones and the less important ones, and then build a to-do list for the next 3 days.

1. Working – I have to work 8 hours today and tomorrow, and 4 hours on thursday. I’m already here today, and can forsee no difficulties tomorrow, but thursday afternoon I’m not sure what time I’ll finish with the test, 2hrs and 15min are budgeted, and if I use the whole amount I could be 15min late for my expected start time on thursday, ending the test at 11:15 and taking 30min to get home.

2. CompTIA A+ Test – At 9am on Thursday morning. I have to spend some time figuring out the logistics, what to bring, how to get there, and what time to leave. I should do that wednesday evening sometime. The test itself could take 2 hours on Thursday, and afterwards I come home to work a half day. Current Quarterly Goal is only to attend the test and take it, the goal itself is not concerned with passing or failing, I get good information either way.

Test Logistics:
30min to get to testing site (location available on my confirmation email)
Expected to arrive 15min early. Start time of 9am means 8:45 arrival time, adding 15min cushion means 8am departure time to arrive by 8:30.
Also need 2 forms of original ID, drivers license and passport should suffice.
At the testing center they will take my photo and signature.
I will not be able to take any items into the testing room, so everything must be able to go into a bag. There will be a locker for my bag.
I’ll Park in V-1 visitors parking lot directly across from the Rollins Center.
Pearson Vue testing is located in the Rollins Center, adjacent to the College’s Testing Center on the Newtown Campus.

3. Studying for CompTIA A+ Test – More important the thinner my estimated margin to pass is. Currently estimating it will be thin. I’ve spent 36 hours studying. According to ChatGPT (sorry), complete beginners need 2-3 months (120-160 hours total), those with some IT/tech experience need 4-6 weeks (40-60 hours), and IT Veterans who already do IT support should prepare for 2-4 weeks (20-40 hours). I currently evaluate myself to be on the “Some IT/Tech Experience” category, leaning towards complete beginner. side. In other words, I FEEL about 60-70% prepared for this test, which I need to reach 70% to pass. That’s why I estimate the margin is thin. Not sure where to put a few more hours to study, but downtime at work could be a good choice, if I’m able.

4. Removing Downed Tree Limb – There’s a big tree limb down in my backyard, which crushed my shed and is leaning on the neighbors fence. I don’t want to leave it there over the weekend, and today after work seems like the best time to segment it and remove. I’ll have 4 hours after work before I’ll need to go to sleep (to maintain good sleep hygiene). My neighbor has offered to help if he’s available, but without his help it may be a great effort, the limb looks heavy and I only have a small saw. I’m going to start by removing the shrubbery and forming a pile on the house side where the garbage bins go. Then I’ll try to cut smaller branches off the main limb, and finally will cut logs off the main limb until its in chunks that the town will pick up. Need to spend some time figuring out the particulars of that, maybe a few minutes tonight after moving the main bulk. I’ve asked a friend to check with their neighbor for an available chainsaw in case we need a power tool to cut the log.

Weather will be rainy tonight. Will need my outdoor trail shoes, work gloves, rain hat, & rain jacket.

5. Buying Presents for My Nieces – I’ll be visiting them on Sunday, and I want to bring a small gift for each of them. I can do that, worst case, thursday after work on the way out of state, but I’d like to maybe get the shopping done wednesday night. Would take about an hour and a half, probably.

6. Laundry – I want to look nice for this weekend. I’ll need to pack a pair of clothes for friday, saturday, and sunday, fancy clothes for a night out and a concert, plus a backup pair of clothes in case of weather or dirt, plus extra underwear and sleeping clothes for 3 nights. Thats: 6 shirts, 6 shorts, 8 socks and underwear, a nice jacket and a rain jacket. 22 clothes items + toiletries and sleep logistics, thats a suitcase. I can probably pick out my outfits in 20min, launder the entire amount at once, and then do my wifes laundry if she needs, say 2.5 hours total.

7. Sleeping – I need to be getting reliable amounts in this time of high activity or my performance could be affected. Would like 8 hours a night. Waking up at 6am tomorrow, I need to be asleep by 10pm, which gives me a total of 4.5 hours from when I get home tonight. 30min of that will probably be bedtime routine and eating dinner, so realistically I have 4 hours tonight. Tomorrow into Thursday I should get up at 7am, which means I need to be asleep by 11pm, which gives me a total of 5.5 hours from when I get home from work tomorrow, same bedtime routine and dinner leaves 5 hours.

8. Online DND game – was scheduled for tonight, likely not going to happen, as I’m writing this.

So, between now and thursday morning I have about 9 hours of downtime. Tomorrow evening I have 5 hours. I should expect 3 hours for laundry and packing. this leaves 2 hours, which I’d like to reserve for either study or buying gifts, depending on how studying at work goes. That covers all of tomorrow evening.

This evening, I will be getting home, having a quick dinner, and then removing the downed limb, possibly with help from my neighbor. Removing the downed limb will be challenging, and I will need proper gloves, clothes, and sturdy shoes. I have 4 hours tonight to remove it and then figure out the logistics of getting it off the property. Should be plenty of time.

Between today and tomorrow, I have perhaps 4 hours of potential study time, which could bring my 36 hours to forty, moving the needle from 60-70% confidence in preparation to about 65-75%, a clearer margin for passing.

Thursday morning will be entirely dedicated to getting ready and going to the test site. Thursday afternoon will be finishing the test and working half a day at work, and Thursday evening will be spent heading out of state.

I feel better about getting this all out on paper.