2005
just keep swimming
maura @ 11:38 am
Woah, so suddenly it’s fall here, yippee! I love fall, that whole back-to-school thing, plus the promise of cooler weather (after the hellishly hot summer the weather’s been gorgeous the past few weeks) and pretty leaves and yummy roasted root vegetables. Jonathan’s listening to the Sundays, as he does every fall (though sometimes they seem more springy to me). I’m listening to the Lucksmiths, still, which is definitely warm weather music so it’ll have to be phased it out soon. But it’s too early for the Cocteau Twins, so I’ll have to find something else to hold me over.
Gus is OBSESSED with Finding Nemo recently. Like, would watch it continuously all day if we let him. This is a weird place for us, and we’re not sure where to draw the line. Historically he hasn’t much been interested in TV (we don’t have cable), and while his interest in videos has waxed and waned it’s been mostly restricted to 30 min tapes. Even with movies, he’d usually watch about 30 min then wander off. But now, he will be glued for pretty much the entire hour and 40 minutes. And we’re torn…we can get so much done in that time! And he’s quiet, and not getting into anything! At least school’s started again, so he doesn’t really have that much free time during the week anyway.
Today is my first Free Friday, having just reduced my work hours from 30 to 25, woo hoo! Hooray for some breathing room! Hopefully this will make me feel a little less like a rat (in a race). I’ve been reading lots lately (like this book) about the whole time v. money conundrum, and it’s been getting me thinking lots, too. Jonathan pointed me to an interesting article from Harper’s about the virtues of idleness (side note: sometimes I really miss subscribing to Harper’s) that is really, really worth a read.
I want to be less busy, less stressed. Part of that is my own fault — I fill the non-work and non-childcare hours with innumerable projects, lists, tasks, etc. But stress management is a huge deal for me. And in talking to a massage-therapist friend recently I’m reminded that the last time I had a massage the masseuse actually scolded me for being unable to relax! Oh, the shame.
So, to sum up: I’m tightly wound. Going to try to unwind more in the future. Meditation, I think, will figure prominently, if I can figure out when to do it (I want to do it in the AM but I can rarely get out of bed without waking Gus up). And also going to the gym more. And sleeping, yes, sleep, my favorite friend: I’m going to spend more time with you and try not to feel guilty about it. (I have mentioned before that I require a pretty big chunk of sleep to function at my crank-free best, at least 8 hrs, preferably 7 at night with a 1 hr nap [which only ever happens on the weekends but what can you do?]).
And wine, of course. Lots and lots of wine.
2 comments on “just keep swimming”
Man, do I remember those sleepless days (and nights!). I hope Alex gets it together in the sleep department soon. Sometimes I think I am still recovering from Gus not sleeping through the night til he was over 2.
I love those turtles! It’s just really a good movie — we are all constantly quoting it. The Nemo obsession does seem to be waning a bit though — yesterday he requested Alice in Wonderland instead (which he thinks is called Alison Wonderland. :) I know her! That kooky blond chick, right?).
A pretty big chunk of sleep? What is that?! We are currently studying the effects of long-term lack of sleep on ourselves. Mainly it results in a painfully acute sense of the tv schedule between midnight-6 a.m., the inability to remember anything for, um, I forget how long, and losing track of…
HEY, maybe you should follow Gus’s lead and watch “Finding Nemo” for several hours. That might help you de-stress. Pay close attention to the turtles, whoa! They are very laid-back.