Suddenly it's all quite demanding

Very suddenly, the end of the year feels both close and freighted with stress. Most of this is because the first half of November just got Entirely Spoken For, with a work trip sliding into my schedule right between the pre-planned handstand retreat and the pre-planned coaching class. I wish it were simply impossible to attend, but... it isn't. I can go, and I don't even have to do two big things on any given day. I just also don't get a day of downtime between any two things.

So, with all that happening, and various things at work barreling forward (I have to write a team-structure pitch tonight), and someone under me unofficially giving notice on Friday, and, you know, etc, I've realized that the rest of the year is going to be thoroughly planned out and focused on just the important stuff. By this, I don't mean no relaxation, I just mean that my personal victory conditions for the days and weeks had better be set to "streamlined"... it's not going to be the right time to add in a bunch of extra projects, hobbies, obligations or self-improvement streaks. I am only going to get a few things done, and they'll be the top few things.

Things from the last week:

• Went out for emotional support calories with one of those friends who're breaking up. They were sweet together, so that was a sad evening. But I did learn that there are some cute new stores at Bow Market, including interesting ice cream.


• Crafty thing: sewed a ring into my new purse so that I can properly attach my keys to it. This is after I relieved it of its horrid metal logo, which snagged on things.


• Careful thing: downloaded my raw genetic data from 23andme.com servers so that I could request account deletion. Instructions here if that's relevant to any of the rest of you; the company is floundering and likely to be sold soon.


• I had what felt like a meaningful exchange with the bug, where I told him I'd been playing with the idea of just considering him retired; I know he still wants to accomplish something career-ish, but "retired" is really the only mental model I have for someone in his position who is crafting his own days and isn't urgently looking for a job. To my surprise, he said he'd be okay with my thinking that, and that he's been wondering himself whether it fits. So that's interesting. We seem to be slowly on the path to thinking more similarly about these things.


• I have a newly protruding vein in the inside of my lip. It's been getting more prominent for a couple of weeks now. It's strange and I don't like it, and the vein doctors didn't immediately call me back, so I guess I'll just keep calling.

Today I brought apfelsingail to open studio at the circus school, and then did some meal prep for the week and then crashed out on the bed with Caltrop (the impetuous young cat) snuggling me. She's gotten way more snuggly as the temperature's dropped, and I know she's just cold but it feels affectionate anyway. I think I really needed the nap. I'm kind of sneezy/sniffly so maybe I have a bit of a cold... ugh.