I am really determined to take December slowly this year.

And I’m already off to a good start.

Often, I use December as an excuse, an external pressure, to get projects finished around my house.

So, in addition to the extra tasks of shopping and preparing for Christmas, I ended up giving myself all kinds of extra work.

Not this year though.

This year I have decided that any project I take on in December has to be very short and can’t involve lot of upheaval.

It has already paid off because my mind is a lot less busy than it usually is as we move into this month.

I’m really happy I created that boundary for myself with myself.

After all if I don’t look after myself then who will?

I feel like Friday morning slid into Monday morning without me stopping for breath.

On Friday, I was working on a grant application and on Saturday I went to a story workshop and a couple of other events, Sunday morning I went to another storytelling event – so I know how I spent that time but Sunday afternoon is kind of a blur.

I mean, I know I walked the dog, planted a few bulbs and did a little reading but I didn’t spend very long at either one – I really don’t know where my time went.

I’m not complaining about that – I feel good about my weekend and even about the mysteries of yesterday- it’s just weird how time shifts and reshapes if I don’t tell myself to pay close attention.

I’m spending a lot of time in my head these days.

And it feels like everything I want to write about is too complicated or too big for me to get into in the time that I have.

That means I’ve been avoiding writing and in the big picture that’s not gonna be helpful.

So I’m posting this kind of ?placeholder today and trying to come back for a longer writing session tomorrow.

?

I’m feeling extremely grateful for this long weekend.

Sure it’s not particularly original to be thankful for Thanksgiving weekend, but I’m rolling with it all the same.

I really need this little break, an extra day out of my usual routine.

And I guess really what I’m getting is an extra day from other peoples routines. The fact that things are closed on Monday and that other people are taking a break means that I will really have the freedom to shape my own schedule on that day.

I’ve been having a lot of trouble with time lately. My schedules don’t seem to be staying in place, things are taking longer than they usually do, and I’m finding that people are not getting back to me with information and then when they do they’re in a big hurry.

And since I struggle with prioritization, it really adds to my own level of stress. I can’t tell how seriously to take them, how much their priorities should become mine.

And that’s damn tiring.

I’m glad to be getting a break from it.

And it goes something like this:

“Christine, why are you in my face with your phone?”

(It’s because I love her face)