For many years, the best thing about my unambitious personal plans was the amount of down-time in between crises--kind of like the stereotypical cop shift of donut stops and shoot-outs. Maybe I'm spoiled, but I seem to need blocks of unscheduled time --or at least time to sandwich in scheduled relaxation. Each morning last week began early, with an alarm. Each day featured an overflowing list of necessary tasks, and required racing from one appointment to the next. A sizable snow storm cancelled only my meditation group. My hurried, harried state cancelled my individual meditation. My dog walks were fast and short. Meals were on the run, or snatched from the meager pickings at evening meetings. And trust me, woman cannot live on Doritos alone!
And after all this "effort," mostly in the service of the more miniscule of my part-time jobs, volunteer activities, and my children, I can't point to much in the way of results. My blood pressure is up, and I'm no picnic to be around. The coming week threatens more of the same. Here's the week's results:
- Completed Week 6 of Couch Potato to 5K Training
- Finished A Trouble of Fools, by Linda Barnes; Writing in an Age of Silence, by Sara Paretsky
- Walked my grateful dog most days, despite blizzard and crazy week
- Took my blood pressure daily
- Went on one college visit with teenager; set up another
- Worked disproportionately hard at two part-time jobs
- Attended 7 meetings; scheduled three more
- Published 5 blog posts
- Survived best efforts of gym's freebie personal trainer to kill me
- Bought plane tickets for New Orleans trip
- Celebrated teenager's birthday
- Began working on submitting children's book for publication
- Provided 3 a.m. mothering to distressed teenager
As I negotiate the coming week's commitments and surprises, I will try to keep in mind the hamster wheel effect, and leave some time to breathe.
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