The Age of Distraction

Wow. I never thought the day would come when I would have to remind myself that Rome and Ethics Papers weren’t built in a day! Yet I just had to forcibly remove myself from my desperate need to get all of my homework for the week done tonight, despite the fact that I’ve already done everything I had due for Thursday and am down to the journal articles for this week’s 3-5 page paper.

I really, really hate weekly papers. Having a paper due every week is ridiculously stressful. Don’t get me wrong, I much prefer it to the process of having a huge test each unit (although in the wide, wonderful world of open book quizzes you never know), but geesh. I think I’ve just gotten so used to being ridiculously stressed that I’ve forgotten how to sit back and take these things in stride.

Speaking of which, I still have to go move laundry. Ugh…

I’m looking at the remainder of my paint job wishing I could work up some motivation, but it’s just not coming. I love working full time again, but I forgot how tired it can make you! It was 8 o’clock by the time I finished work, picked up some groceries and got home. There’s a huge sense of accomplishment in knowing that if I absolutely had to, I could support myself financially though. That’s something I’ve never had to do. I moved back in with my parents when I dropped out of college, shared an apartment with my fiancée when I moved back out, moved back in with my parents when that didn’t work out, then moved in with my in-laws before I finally got a place with Mike. My financial burden has never been mine, and since the kids were born I knew I couldn’t handle it.

It’s nice to know that between my brand spanking new, full time job and the freelance jobs I could still take advantage of if I wanted to I could actually support myself for once.



Do you think it’s wrong to have never lived alone? My baby sister is chafing at the bit now, since she moved in with her boyfriend straight out of high school, and I can’t say I blame her. On the one hand, you shouldn’t move backward in a relationship. On the other, she’s never really been with anyone other than the guy she’s with now, and if she doesn’t get some space to finish growing up she’s going to implode on him sooner or later. I know. I’ve been there.

This past month was tremendously good for me, because for the first time in my life I actually lived on my own for more than a day or two. The whole “no hubby or kids for 2 weeks straight” and the fact that I really only had the kids for a handful of days in July translated to a nice, recuperative break for Mom, who got to eat when she wanted, sleep when she wanted and go to the movies whenever she wanted. And go see the midnight showing of “Eclipse” twice if she was so inclined!

Yes, I used and abused it, but I’m in a better place mentally for it, and I think my baby sis would be too. Now it’s a matter of convincing her boyfriend that letting her go is the right thing to do. The beginning of the end, or the end in the beginning? Who knows? The only thing I know is that TNT.tv is finally working, and I want to go see the end of Leverage before it changes its mind! Sayonara!