Okay, Something's Gotta Give

I have been living on the edge.

Three weeks of no school and no running commentary in my brain of what's due next or what must be read or written or filled out. It's been bliss.

I've been rediscovering the Chuck of 3 years ago--the Chuck that has lots of interesting things to do. I pulled out old projects, old hobbies, old books and covered the dining room table. The coffee table. The buffet, the guest room bed.

I look at all these things and think, "what will I do today?" It's overwhelming. It's amazing. It's wonderous. It's fractured. It's scary. I love it.

Being a Gemini, I'm going to have a conversation with myself this week. The other side of my personality is saying "There's just too much. Something's gotta give."

I'm going to have a serious conversation with myself.

"Yes, all of this other stuff is fun, but you have responsibilities as well. Wouldn't it be nice to see the floor? Wouldn't it be nice if the bedroom didn't smell like three dogs, two bears, and a cat? What about the litter that's blown into the side yard? How about putting up some cedar shakes at the cottage, marking the driveway, or clearing out the scrap wood? And when was the last time you poop scooped the dog run?"

Okay, okay, okay. Let's make some lists. Let's make some exhaustive lists. You like lists. We can split them up. Some for me and some for you. But let's not get strict about it.

"Well, if we're not strict about it, how can we be sure to balance fun with responsible?"


Do we have to?

"I think we should. In fact, we should probably be even MORE responsible."

But I've BEEN responsible. I got all A's. I worked hard, I wrote a lot and read a lot and put up with a lot. Why can't I just watch movies, knit, read, and nap?

"You've been doing that for three weeks. AND you have to get a job. I'll give you until 2010. January 1st we start ticking things off of MY list."

I won't like it.

"Yes I will."

He's Baaaaaack ! ! ! !

I'm sure that this dusty old thing (the blog, not me) has fallen off of your radar screens, but here I am again.

I am DONE ! (For now.) With college. Yesterday I did the last thing I had to do. I need create no more, turn in nothing else, and neither write nor read for obligation (at the moment).

All I have to do now is sit back and wait (and fret) for the grades to come in (Christmas), the teaching certificate to be approved (January to March), and the degree to be printed (May).

My summer reading list was nothing compared to what I read in the last quarter. Visit www.gliterature.blogspot.com to get an idea. (Then tell me what you think.)

Student teaching had its downs and ups, but I've found I actually do like middle school kids. They weren't the hellions everyone said they were, and oh, the potential there!

Okay, no more talk of school and schooling (and I won't EVEN go into job hunting).

My new year resolution for the past couple years has been boiled down to one word.

2008 - Simplify
2009 - Finish
2010 - Family

It's the year of the family. For the past 3 years I have been woefully out of contact with family and friends who are family, so this coming year I'm going to do something about it.

I'm going to write letters.
I'm going to send cards.
I'm going to visit.
I'm going to call.

I'm fairly certain I've missed EVERYONE's birthdays for the past three years (and NO, I'm not knitting any retroactive gifts).

(I actually still owe Tammy TWO gifts - one promised for killing the most bunnies and one for her last birthday. I haven't forgotten ! )

College obligations are slowly draining from my mind (contented sigh) and the creative Chuck is coming back to life.

I have fleeting visions of writing, painting, knitting, meditating, oh the places we'll go.