I’m not the type to blame my character flaws on astrology, but I do believe I fit the description of a Libra freakishly well. As an October baby, I have trouble making decisions, I love love, and I require a great deal of balance in life in order to be happy. Luckily, decisions can be made by playing the hold-your-breath-close-your-eyes-and-POINT-to-one game, and I’ve got my love to keep me warm. (D’aww.)
Balance, however, is slightly more difficult to achieve. These days, every day is a whirlwind of activity. Each morning starts easily enough: I drive my luxuriously short commute to work and am there from 9 to 2:30. Them’s part-time hours. But for the past three-plus months, I’ve tacked on an additional 30-minute drive after that to go work for two hours in the city at Urbanite magazine as their editorial intern. (If you’ve been reading Witty Title Here, that should sound vaguely familiar.) When I’m done there, I’m just in time for rush hour. On a great day, it’ll only take half an hour to get home. On a bad day, you can find me adding curse words to G-rated songs for a solid hour.
I’ll be finishing up my office hours at Urbanite soon, and then I’ll be starting a paid project. Which is exciting, because it’s paid. But it’ll still make for a lot of driving. So how, in the meantime, do I maintain my sanity and fit in exercise, blogging, occasional freelancing, laundry, family bonding, and zombie zone-out time for that balance I oh-so-crave?
For the past three months, it’s been hard. I picked up the editorial gig mainly as a way to boost my resume and get some valuable experience. But I also did it because, at the time, I felt a great sense of imbalance. I had more down-time than work-time. Which, as I type this, sounds glorious. But I hate wasting time, and I felt like I was letting that happen. Now, I don’t have enough hours in the day. Maybe I should look up characteristics of a Libra again. Is “never satisfied” one of them?
This weekend, however, I felt like I got to do everything I’ve been meaning to do. Aside from being social (wahoo!), I got in a run with John, sat in the sun with a good book, finally put all my winter clothes in storage, washed my car and was therefore responsible for the rain, and cleaned my room. A combination of productivity and relaxation makes for a VERY happy me. And because I tend to go awhile between room cleanings, I thought I’d better take some photos of it while it’s still cute:
I love it so neat and tidy! But here’s a photo to give you an idea of what it’s usually like:
And the closet, even on cleaning day, always looks like this:
One day at a time.
I like how, to this day in 2012, you so proudly display your giant tower of CDs.
Haha, I know. It’s a bit of a problem.
The room’s looking lovely! And as for the balance thing – I hear you! It’s a struggle. No matter how busy I am, though, I try to make sure to squeeze in some “me-time” everyday. Taking an hour to read, make dinner, catch up with a friend – it makes such a difference!
That’s a good rule to live by– having a little “me”-time, no matter how busy, every day. It’s the first thing to go out the window when other stuff comes up, but to me, it’s the most important time of day.
This is kind of cute. I just wrote about the same thing yesterday- http://librasmoments.blogspot.com/2012/05/i-want-it-all-so-what.html
Gosh. This really makes me superstitious after all…
Wow, that’s kinda creepy we both wrote such similar posts. (And I swear I didn’t read yours before posting mine!) Must have something to do with how the stars are aligned.
Your room looks like a haven. I has a jealous.
I am not a Libra, but I can relate so much with the need for balance. My to-do list looks eerily similar to yours this weekend, right down to the car wash, but then I said “forget it,” and went to the zoo instead. It was nice, but I’m starting to feel the lack of balance in my bones. Or something.
So, yes, I can relate.
Lor
First of all, I love your dog, your arm chair, and that you hang your necklaces on your lamp. Second of all, I can vouch for The Doctor’s Wife if you haven’t already read it. It will keep you reading until the last page.
Ooh, good to know! I wasn’t sure what to read next, and I have not yet read The Doctor’s Wife, in fact.
I’m not a libra, but I’m definitely one of those that hates having a lot of free time with nothing to do, so they pile up a lot of projects/jobs/events and then suddenly there’s not enough time to do shit and it’s all my fault.
So yeah, craving a balance and trying to perfect that is a work in progress.
P.S. I love your desk. A lot.
Note…. just found your blog by typing insert witty title here and I glad I did!
One idea to deal with dllong drives are audiobooks. It keeps my sanity somewhat. Its just tough driving tons overall.
Haha! That’s funny– so many people search that term, and I wonder what it is they’re really looking for. Gets me a few extra hits! My mom swears by audiobooks, too. I’ll have to to try ‘em sometime.
I’m a Libra too! But my birthday is on the first day of it, so some sources say I’m a Virgo…eff that s.
I love your wicker bookshelf! And the slanted ceiling! I want a slanted ceiling.
And holy hell, yes, I need balance so badly…I have a million projects to do at home, I’m trying to get my whole photography thing off the ground, I’m trying to have a social life…so instead I sit on the internet and let it all pile up. Le sigh.
Thank you! I actually MADE that pillow! DIY craft blogging, here I come.