The start of this fall…

The start of this fall semester just slammed me. This is, I think, the first weekend when I haven't either had something scheduled or had something urgent to do for work (mass of grading, ASAM web updates, etc. and so on) since about two weeks before the semester started. Close to two months now of just frantic-ness. And I did find moments to relax here and there, but they were stolen hours, mostly taken when my brain was just too numb or my body just too exhausted to work anymore. I took them, when I had to, but I never quite relaxed -- at the back of my brain the little blinking lights shouted work, work, you ought to be working!

Now, though, I have two full days stretching out in front of me with nothing to do except keep an eye on the kids and putter around the house. It's amazing. I may finish crocheting my scarf, or wind some yarn around twigs for a fall decoration, or bake Halloween cookies with the munchkins. I may read or watch tv, if they allow it. I may just stare out the window. If we can convince Anand to nap and Kavi to at least lie down and watch a movie, I might nap too. I've been chronically short of sleep for the last two months, I think -- just a half hour missing here and there, but they add up.

Next week is a big pile of work again; I'm giving a talk on Monday, and we have multiple other ASAM events coming up in the next month, and I have to finish revisions on The Stars Change (almost done, I think -- maybe two more solid days of writing to go), and I've got to convert some more stories to eBooks, since my cover artist is ahead of me now, and I need to get the students started on their second paper, etc. and so on. There's a visit to my family at the end of October for four days (I'm taking the kids for my uncle's 50th birthday party and leaving Kevin behind to work in peace). And looming on the horizon is my ten-day conference trip to Melbourne in mid-November -- everything needs to be finished before then. Deadline!

But there's nothing that can't wait until Monday, for a change. Weekends -- I've missed you. Welcome back!

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