Today's "done" list.

Didn't get much fiction writing done today. The bulk of writerly efforts today were focused on pulling together the core of stuff needed for the December column for Computer Bits and on crafting an invite to the fourteenth annual YWCA-Santa Clara Valley luncheon, which happens a week from tomorrow.

I've invited people to this event every year since the first annual. I used to be on the YWCA-SCV Board, for pete's sake. Every year I procrastinate and then pull together a group. This year is the latest I've ever procrastinated.

WHY DO I PROCRASTINATE?

The guest speaker this year is Sally Ride. How cool, no? She was always a hero of mine. I've known who the guest speaker is since May. Might I have been just ever-so-slightly procrastinating or is my life really so jammed full of activity that I can't work up an appealing invitation and send it out to likely attendees?

My job is to pull together a table of ten within the next twenty-four hours or so, a table full of ten people who each will be willing to write a check for $150+ in exchange for listening to Sally Ride give us good words and for having lunch with a copacetic bunch of people.

I checked with the staffer who's handling the YWCA end of it and she promised that my guests wouldn't have to stand in long lines at registration, as late registrants have had to some years.

After getting her assurances, I sent e-invites out to twenty-seven people after lunch today and have two confirmed, two "will be out of town", one "have other plans" and one "I'd like to come with my daughter and have already talked with someone at the YWCA, can we sit at your table?"

Dropped a note to the staffer with the confirmed names. Asked her if the friend and her daughter can be assigned to my table. Five seats still empty.

The event is pretty cool. Last year we had Benazir Bhutto speak and raised $353K for YWCA programs. This year (IF CERTAIN PEOPLE GET OFF THEIR BUTTS AND PULL TOGETHER A TABLE OR TWO) we hope to raise more.

... and that's why I haven't even touched my mystery novel in need of rewriting today.

Tomorrow, fer sure.