Crazy Busy…
Ξ November 19th, 2007 | → | ∇ Friends, General, News, Philosophy |
It seems everyone is talking about balance these days. Rebecca of Modite discussed how she’s struggling to find balance in her life last week. Penelope of Brazen Careerist blogged today about how dressing up for work makes her feel more confident, and how that affects her work. And here I am, trying to reconcile a schedule that has become positively insane. Let’s go over my last week or so shall we? Story time…
I’ll forgo the dull discussion of my 40+ hour work week. I’m in the middle of a career change, and so I spend my days at work filing and processing logistical things to help my successors deal with me when I’m gone. So ignoring my 6:00 to 4:30 job (this includes commuting time), I had a total of one evening free last week. Monday I attended the first of eight sessions of the Brotherhood’s Celebrant Training Program. Tuesday, I cleaned and tried to relax. Wednesday and Thursday I had 2-3 hour practice sessions with my fellow students of the Brotherhood’s Mystery School. Friday was the second session of the Celebrant Training Program. Saturday I had a meeting to begin planning for the Brotherhood’s winter retreat, and that evening was ShadowDance (from 3:30 to 11:00). After ShadowDance seven of us wound up at IHOP until 1:45 am. Yaaay for meeting cute new University of Chicago guys at ritual!
Sunday was my day off. I needed it badly, and though I got lots of relaxation time, I didn’t get as much time to myself as I had planned. I woke up at about 11:30 in the morning, and after staring blankly at the computer for about 45 minutes George, Lizzie, and I left to have Lunch with Shivian, Mark, and our new college friend at Lulu’s. Delicious dim sum. George, Lizzie, Mark, and I, returned with Shivian to his place where we relaxed for a couple hours; digesting as Shivian culled some books and embossed a bunch of others. He likes to emboss.
We met Frank back at Ceann Uide (our apartment), and snuggled up in the living room to watch ShortBus. (If you haven’t seen it, rent it. It’s a must see movie for everyone. John Cameron Mitchell is a genius!) The inevitable biting, licking, wrestling, and clothespins followed. Don’t ask unless you really want to know. Then dinner at Leona’s on Sheridan. Then home, more blank staring at the Computer, then sleep.
If all that wasn’t enough, Shivian and I are also working very hard on a super-secret project, bringing in some of the rest of our family as well.
This week is Thanksgiving. I don’t even want to begin to try and imagine the schedule that is going to rise out of this. Shivian’s Birthday is Tomorrow. Celebrant Training tonight. Thanksgiving Thursday. Celebrant Training on Friday. Brotherhood Party on Saturday.
But I’m sitting here, still awake, still alive. I’m surviving. There are moments when I feel like I’m never going to survive the responsibilities that I’ve taken to myself. But I stop and think about it. I’m already surviving them. I’m already doing the work that I need to do. I’m already living a healthy balanced life.
So I’m going to try to focus on the details. I’m going to focus on my to-do list, and not on the big picture, because focusing on the big-picture right now will make me run for the hills.
Update: I bowed out of dinner tonight and tonights class. I absolutely needed some time for myself. I gave my desk and the study a real good twice-over cleaning, and then took a nice long shower to clean myself up. I feel much better. Not quite up to actually dealing with people, but somewhat human.
on November 19th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
just wanted to say…. i really like your blog :) is there a way to email you?
john
on November 19th, 2007 at 8:42 pm
john,
glad you like the blog. You can email me at theogeer[at_symbol]gmail[dot]com
theo