Parts-n-Pieces

Five Good Things (presemester edition)

As I'm overwhelmed and overstressed, I need to refocus my energies.  Therefore, I write a "Good Things" list (and today, this was actually hard to do):

• I have a daughter who amazes me everyday.  OK, I always list her in a "good things" list, but she is, well, a good thing.  We spoke tonight and she told me about her team's first win of the season in double-overtime  . . . how the coach and the assistant coach on the opposing team knew her from her undergrad institution . . . and how tired she was from working hard all day.  I'm amazed that she came from me.  
• I have an office at school that remains at a constant 68^oF.  This might seem too cool to some, but it feels great to me.  It's hot and humid here.
• I am confident that all the stressors of the last week or so will eventually go away.
• I am going to get referral $$$ from my apartment complex because I referred another new professor to complex and she leased an apartment. w00t!
• I have social plans for tomorrow, and this is a good thing:  a "welcome to the year" party at a professor's house. 

With that, I go to bed. Tomorrow will be a good day.

Billie's Summer Camp 2009

This summer, I took a quilting class, scheduled a pottery throwing class, joined a book club, participated in a camera club, won one-1st and two-2nd place ribbons in a photo contest, grew vegetables and herbs, took day trips to small towns near me, practiced yoga, traveled to Florida and Louisiana, and built a bracelet holder for my closet.  I got to swim several times in a pool, in the ocean, and in the Gulf of Mexico.  There was pizza and lots of homemade ice cream.  In short, I've been to summer camp.

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But camp is coming to an end, and I'm ready to get to work.

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The time off has been good for me in significant ways, as I've never had such concentrated time when I wasn't working and going to school and rearing a family (and and and), and doing several major activities simultaneously.  Having the time off and a wide open schedule was a new experience.  I finally had the time to take some care of myself. This summer I've rested, I've taken afternoon naps, I've written (and scheduled projects), I've begun to meet local nonprofit directors and leaders, I've planned my courses for fall, and I have re-envisioned how I want my life to look.

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Billie's Summer Camp has been a lot of fun, but I'm ready to get to work.