Breathing room...

Breathing room...

Yesterday afternoon I crashed after going more or less constantly for the prior 4 weeks. I laid down on the couch and slept for 45 minutes... woke up and went back to sleep for another hour. Usually a nap for me is about 10 minutes. And I still went to bed at 9:30.

I've been feeling a lot of stress on a number of fronts lately. Lots of it good - fun even - but still stress.

The MCCO concert Saturday night was a lot of fun. Since November I've been playing first chair in the second violins. I've always tried to do my best, but leading the section turns the responsibility dial up several notches. Besides learning the part and playing as musically as I can, I have to get all my entrances right. Before, even though I tried not to, I did rely on my stand partner to lead; when in doubt, follow. Its a very different experience.

I can't be truly objective about how I did. Our director complimented me, so that is worth something.

The weekend before I finished my seminary course. One of my classmates stayed at my place for a couple nights. I've really enjoyed the class, but it has been quite a bit of work - reading about and practicing direction. All good - but extra.

The really stressful thing is some litigation that has come down in my business. We're trying to resolve it through negotiations. We have a deadline that we're working towards (May 22). Maybe - maybe - we'll have it resolved by then. If not we have to decide how much to give in and how much to fight. Fighting is very very expensive. The whole thing sucks energy out of me like - what? - imagine the most negative coworker/employee you can. Multiply that by 1000. You're getting close. It makes for some sleepless nights.

Meanwhile the garden is getting started. When I planted the asparagus I bought a couple of blue berry bushes. When they arrived I had to make space for them, so I did a bunch of flowerbed rearranging. It looks great, but it all takes time.

Oh - and that's not to mention the skunk that I think took up residence somewhere near my house. No major blasts - just a lingering odor that seemed to emanate from under the front porch. Jerry told me that moth balls will drive them away, so I bought a couple boxes over the weekend and scattered them under the porch. No sign of them tonight. I wonder which neighbor he/she adopted?

So last night and tonight I've let myself alone and putzed around getting a few things done - but not too much. Now it's time to get to bed.