This is one of those times where I’m feeling pretty overwhelmed. This isn’t a really horrible “life is too much” sort of overwhelmed, but more of my typical “I suddenly want to do a million things, only all at the same time” sort of overwhelmed. It might be a stretch to call it self-inflicted, but this is something that happens to me often. Usually when I get inspired or motivated to do something, it comes in a batch with about a dozen other things I’m inspired or motivated to do, and the result is that there is never enough time or energy to pull off everything. Even on a great, massively productive day, I can end up feeling like somewhat of an unaccomplished failure. Ahh, the complications of being an occasional over-achiever. So this is something I see coming for this week — hopefully I can tackle it head-on without burying myself completely. In an attempt to stay organized, here’s the list:
Tackle the 38+ unlistened-to new-music podcasts, in an attempt to refresh my recent listening selection
Attempt #2 at frying doughnuts (and maybe another batch of creme brulee and chocolate eclairs, in spare time)
Dive headfirst into my new chocolate recipe book
Use the recent unusually red sunsets as an opportunity for photo experiments
Goodwill shopping
Finish the skirt I started sewing last week, and result in at least moderate success
Get back up to running a 5k again
Massive spring cleaning, though a bit late
Eat healthier, sleep more, drink lots of water
As is typical for me, nothing on this list is trivial enough to deserve putting off until next week, so of course all of it has to magically take place right now. This is why I can never focus, really.
I just got back tonight from our girls’ beach trip. We stayed in Hilton Head, my first time on the island, and I enjoyed it much more than I expected. There were a lot of bike trails, and the beach was very clean and not so crowded. It was nice having a house to stay in instead of hotel rooms, nice being right on the beach, nice not having any guys around, and especially nice not having an agenda. I have never been too much of a fan of “beachy” things like sunbathing, swimming, and whatnot, partly because of my tendency to burn at even the mention of a hot sun. That being said, there is something really wonderful and freeing about the ocean. I love the combination of textures and composition and senses at the beach… walking through the sand, feeling the water swirl around my ankles, and feeling inconsequentially small while gazing over the water — these things always leave me in awe of our amazing Creator, and it’s such a refreshing perspective change.
While we were unpacking the car tonight, a nearby neighbor came into the yard to inform us that while we were gone, he discovered a six foot snake in our front yard. He had promptly called animal services, who drove up and promptly removed the offending creature and took him wherever it is that kidnapped exotic animals are taken. They informed the neighbor to tell us that we need to fill in the big hole in our front yard — this is apparently where the snake has been living for the past however long. I’m having a hard time consenting to this request for two reasons. Firstly, the snake (which I have, since discovering his existence, named Leopold) did not ask to be kidnapped by animal services, and probably deserves both an apology and restoration to his natural habitat, where he was calmly, mostly minding his own business. Additionally, until we found out about the snake, we had been grooming the hole in our front yard to play part in a rather elaborate Halloween trick-or-treaters’ trick — one which probably won’t get to happen now, since no child likes suddenly plummeting into a concealed snake nest. I’m not sure whether or not there are laws about recovering animals taken from your property, but if there are, Leopold and I are going to fight this one to the finish.
I’ve been listening to massive amounts of nineties music lately, and not in a bad way at all.