Treating Myself...

**Okay, so two weeks after I wrote this post, I finally downloaded Mozilla Firefox (thanks for the suggestion Teresa!), and was able to upload the photos so I could FINALLY post it.  Hooray!

Today was the first of two days in a row off this week, neither of which I have to leave town for!  Hooray!  It's been a rather exciting day :)  I managed to drag my butt out of bed at a reasonably early hour and went and picked up breakfast (and some extras for lunch) at La Mie...my very favorite little French bakery.  After that, I came home and wrapped up labeling and organizing my stamps in my new cabinet from Hobby Lobby (thank you, 40% off coupon, for making this purchase possible).

Then, I took a three hour nap.  Yep.  Three hours.  It was a-mazing.  If I could make a trip back to my kindergarten self, I would definitely try to explain the true beauty of naps.  Then, on to craftiness!  I did some coloring...

 I got a couple of cards done for some friends, and as long as I was going out to mail them anyway, I decided to make a couple of stops.  I tracked down my Kohl's coupon and the Kohl's Cash mom gave me last time I was home, and managed to get myself a lovely new Vera Wang purse for FREE!  :)  And when I was heading home, I swung by the grocery store and got myself some flowers for Valentine's Day before they're all picked over and sad-looking.

And when I got home from that, I worked on St. Patrick's Day cards.  All-in-all, it was a fabulously relaxing day.  I'm glad I've got another one just like it planned for tomorrow :)

Birthday Round-up...

Well, my other project from my scrap weekend (besides Easter cards, which I'm not posting right now, but caused quite a Cameo ordeal) was making some birthday cards.  I got a quite a few finished, and have ideas for some more, when I get a free moment to continue.  I love how I get so much done on these weekends, cuz I'm not constantly walking dogs, getting phonecalls, thinking about what else I should be doing at my house, etc. etc...I can just focus on craftiness.  <3  A big thank you to Heather for another lovely trip!!!  Anyway, here's my birthday card round-up:

Tim Holtz Birthday Set Cards
Colored with Tombow markers, and embellished with paper, pearls, and stickles.

A Couple Cute Birdies
Both AI Zoo Crew stamps, colored with Tombow markers, washi tape rosette on the owl card, and don't forget to check out the inside of the vulture card :)

House Mouse Birthday Cards
Colored with Tombow markers, embellished with paper, washi tape, etc.

Miscellaneous Birthday Cards
The cat is Penny Black, and the Mouse is Whimsy Doodles (I think?  I can't remember), both colored with Tombow markers.  Did some doodling on the border of the mouse card, and added ribbon and doodling to the cat :)

And that's all for tonight!  Have a good weekend all :)

Two Kinds of People...

First, I'd like to say my blog has been woefully neglected.  Second, I'd like to say I'm making no promises to do better anytime soon...I'm BUSY!  Work, Christmas gifts, holiday cards, and now I'm working on getting my own jewelry making business started...so yeah...you see my dilemma.  However, I'm feeling inspired today, as the particular topic of this post has played a theme in at least a half a dozen of my conversations in the last week.

I think most people would prefer to avoid wasting time AND money.  However, in all practical terms, you're bound to waste at least one of the two.  The question is, which camp do you fall into?  People who would rather waste time than money?  Or people who would rather waste money than time? 

I fall solidly into the "rather waste money than time" camp.  And yes, it probably makes me come across as a total bitch sometimes.  But I can't help it!  My time is valuable...I fill it up with things that make me happy, that make me feel like I'm accomplishing things, that make me feel like I'm making a connection with friends and family. 

I DO NOT have time to be digging through clearance bins to save $3...I'll spend the extra so I can be on my way and off to doing something I actually LIKE to do.  I DO NOT have time to look through dozens of circulars, clipping coupons, filing them, and remembering to use them appropriately in 17 transactions at the grocery store!  I DO NOT have time to wait in line for an hour to check-out at the sale of the century (in fact, I've been known to get to the front with my purchases, realize there's a huge line, and then decide I don't need any of it that much, and just walk out).  I certainly DO NOT have time to learn how to change the oil in my car or to do minor car repairs to save a few bucks.  In fact, the only reason I learned how to change a tire, is because it takes too long to get somebody from AAA out to change it for me...I don't have that kinda time!  I also DO NOT have time to argue about things that don't matter.  I DO NOT have time to make excuses for people who constantly cancel plans or show up hours late. I DO NOT have time and energy to invest in people who refuse to invest time and energy in themselves.   And over the years, I've discovered that I DO NOT have time to chase people down who claim to be friends, but don't invest THEIR time building the friendship. 

On the other hand, I DO have time to text or call people back within 24 hours of when they call or text me.  I DO have time to find the perfect gift...or to make something personalized to show how much I care.  I DO have time to make cards to send out so the people I care about know I'm thinking about them.  I DO have time to stay up too late to see friends, or karaoke, or have a much needed phone conversation.  I DO have time to make a three hour drive, stay for an hour, and then drive back so I can be at work in the morning, if it means making someone feel better after a horrible day.  I DO have time to be on call 24/7 for work, so I know things are running smoothly and my people feel supported.  I DO have time to plan something special when my family visits, even though I know I don't have to.  And I DO have time to do the things that make me happy, even if it means being short on sleep sometimes. 

I think it's just about making your time "Quality Time."  After all, money is just money.  You're never going to have enough of it anyway.  You can't take it with you when you go.  Do what makes you happy!  And if money IS what makes you happy...then by all means, spend all day clipping coupons, and hunting down the latest, greatest sale.  Just don't be surprised when I totally don't get it.  And for the love of God , please don't try to bring me along...I'd rather pay you the $50 you might save, so you can just pick it up off the neatly organized, non-clearance rack and we can be on our way to do something I might actually enjoy :) 

Oh, I'm Roaring...

I'm having an "I am woman, hear me roar" kind of week.  And I've gotta say, as much as it goes against my laid back nature, it's feeling pretty good.  Monday morning, TCF Bank tossed me the straw that broke the camel's back.  I went in to do our deposit and get change only to find that they don't have any quarters.  Now, being a bank, one would assume they would have quarters.  However, that's not even the worst part of this scenario.  When I asked when they WOULD have quarters, the lady informed me that they wouldn't have any until Thursday.  Thursday.  Yes, I said it.  THURSDAY.  WHAT?!?  You're a freaking BANK for god's sake.  Do you not have other businesses that bank here?  Do people not need quarters for laundry and tolls?  And you're telling me like it's no big deal...NO BIG DEAL.  Somebody should be getting FIRED for that crap!  Sooooooo...anyway, I pretty much yelled all that right at the girl (with people in line behind me), because I've had more than enough TCF ridiculousness for a lifetime.  Anyone that knows me knows it takes a lot to get me mad enough to yell...like...seriously mad.  You've really got to be trying.  And once you get me mad, I'm even more mad that you had the nerve to go there.  So anyway, after storming out, I proceeded to plead my case to home office yet again, where I finally started getting some traction...and then I called and yelled at the bank some more till they gave me the regional manager's phone number.  (All of this EXTREMELY unlike me.)  And then I called and yelled at him too.  Sooooo...yeah...all that yelling that is very un-Megan-like turned out to be a great stress reliever.  It was like I just flipped off every jerk tailgating me for the last six months in one fell swoop.  And THEN, I came home and quit my part-time grading job.  Woot!  Between being short-staffed at work, me being sick, Millie being sick, etc., etc. the extra 20 hours a week of grading was almost killing me.  But I felt like I had made a commitment and I should stick to it.  But after my little outburst at the bank, I decided it was time to just think about what I WANT for a little while instead of what I SHOULD do, or what other people want me to do (also, very unlike me).  So I quit!  And I feel better already...no more crushing guilt over not spending every waking minute that I'm not already at my full-time job, working at my part-time job.  So following all that madness, I spent a lovely day today...slept in, got a massage, went shopping, cleaned my apartment spotless, cooked some meals, and did some crafting (forgot to take a pic before it made it into the envelope though...brain fart!).  All guilt-free...what a lovely concept...spending my one day a week off of work actually NOT WORKING.  Who knew it could be so liberating?!?  *sigh*  So here's to taking care of business, blowing off some steam, taking some time for me and getting in some well-deserved relaxation time.  Back to work tomorrow!  Goodnight!  :)

Smile Like You Mean It...

As anyone who knows me is aware, I'm obsessed with music.  I was a music major for a couple of years, and looking back at it, I sometimes wonder if I went with that subconsciously so I would have a "valid" excuse for all the music I bought.  Anyway, I often identify songs with particular people or events in my life, and sometimes I find it easier to express myself through a song than in my own words (Glee's got it right on that one).  So anyway, I was in the midst of making a happy little play list for car rides and whatnot, and decided to post a few songs that always make me smile no matter what else is going on in my life...

1) Great Day to Be Alive by Travis Tritt
2) Doesn't Remind Me by Audioslave
3) Say It Ain't So by Weezer
4) Vegetable Car by Joshua Radin
5) I Gotta Feelin' by Black Eyed Peas
6) Hey, Soul Sister by Train
7) She Hates Me by Puddle of Mudd
8) Don't Stop Believin' by Journey
9) Big Time by Big & Rich
10) King of Everything by Sara Bareilles

And that's all for now :)  Have a great day!

Slacker McGee...

So yeah...I've been majorly slacking off on my blog...I know.  My life has been crazy lately.  I'm doing this mini-post to get me feeling like I'm caught up on something...lol :)  So here's been what's happening lately:

- Made it through another M&T weekend at work.  I bumbled my way through a little...it seems like it's been nonstop since November...straight from Thanksgiving to Christmas to all-store inventory to M&T, and I'm starting to feel like things are slipping through the cracks a little.  I'm hoping now that we're through the craziest of it, things will start to level off, and I won't feel like I'm about to miss something big at any moment.

- Went to our store managers' meeting in Minnesota.  Most notable about this little escapade was that we had a 3 hour workshop taught by...wait for it...Tim Holtz!!!  :)  He turned out to be nicer and more knowledgeable than I could've possibly expected (oh, and cuter too...pics soon, I hope).  Also, I discovered I can make it through 14 hours worth of meetings in a day on about an hour of sleep.  The meeting was great, but hotel sleep was not so great, so I'm happy to be home.

- My dogs are apparently seeking financial retribution for something I didn't know I did.  Millie's been in and out of the vet's office for about 3 1/2 weeks now with some bizarro intestinal situation (fingers crossed that the antibiotics this time are the last we have to worry about for a while), and Lucy wound up at the vet's after getting bit by a spider and swelling up like a little puffer fish.  They're both alright now, but my bank account sure isn't...the things you do for love, I suppose.

- I remembered that when I'm really strapped for cash is when all I want to do is go shopping.  Whoops.  I've been pretty good so far and have been staying the heck off of Amazon, for fear of how easy it is to just click away and have wonderful, exciting things show up at my door.  Yeow.  The good news is all the dog costs should be caught up by next month, and then I'm back on track.  *sigh*

- In current events, I'm excited that Celebrity Apprentice is back on...my one true reality show obsession...I watch some of the others, but as a general rule, I don't care all that much if I miss one (except maybe Project Runway, I guess...that comes in second...I love Tim Gunn too much to miss that one).  I'm rooting for John Rich, loving Gary Busey's crazy ass, and waiting for Jose Conseco to lose it and beat the hell out of Richard Hatch.  As usual, who cares about the women's team?  Not me.  It's not that I'm down on women or anything...but I'd just as soon watch the guys take a swing and be over it instead of all the nagging and nitpicking and general bitching on the women's team. 

- And in a random sidebar:  What the hell is going on with this Lady Gaga/Baby Gaga ice cream thing???  A few things:  1)  Lady Gaga doesn't have the word baby or gaga trademarked so get over it.  The word gaga has been around forever and is universally associated with the word baby (well,  nationally anyway...I'd assume the connection goes beyond the U.S.).  2)  Who the hell wants ice cream made with real breast milk anyway?  Who's breast did that come out of?  Why are you willing to eat something with some nameless woman's bodily fluids in it?  Gross and grosser, I'd say.  3)  It probably won't matter anyway, cuz apparently the food safety regulators in England feel the same way about bodily fluids being in food distributed to the general public as I do.  4)  I'm so over Lady Gaga.  Put on some normal clothes already, ya nutjob!  :) 

Anyway, yeah...that's my life for now.  In the works for the next few weeks/months (or longer, as the case may be):  Easter cards, Graphic 45 vintage designed portfolio/scrapbook, stationary gift sets, wall art piece for my dining room, organizing my scrap nook in my apartment (hopefully with the help of some new furniture), and possibly a major spring cleaning interior design/restaging project at my apartment (mostly to feed my OCD issues...lol).  We'll see.  In the mean time, lots of reading on my Kindle, which is currently more of a presence in my life than my TV, which is a pretty bold statement, if you know anything about how I usually spend my free time.  lol :) 

Anyway, that's all for tonight...hoping to be back on track with my slightly less frantic life starting tomorrow!

The Joys of Living Alone...

It had been a while since I had lived alone when I moved up here to Zion.  Except for a few months living in the world's tiniest "studio efficiency" (code for one room in the basement of a house with it's own microwave, mini-fridge, and bathroom...woot!), I was always living with someone else.  While there are obvious financial gains to sharing the bills with someone, I am greatly enjoying being on my own for the time being.  That said, it's probably setting me back years in my OCD-esque issues and my dislike for sharing :)  lol. 

I ran the gambit for roommates and apartments.  There was my first college roommate in a dorm room at Millikin, who didn't find it remotely innappropriate to get it on with a different guy every other night in the top bunk of our bunkbeds.  (If you wanna do it, fine, but at least have the courtesy to get home before me and leave a note on the door, instead of coming in at 3am after I'm fast asleep and me having to wake up half motion sick from that nonsense!).  My roommate in a very nice apartment in DeKalb, who turned out to be psychopathic (literally).  Then there were my fab roomies over in Suburban apartments in DeKalb (okay, it's not quality housing, but it's cheap, and that's what's important when you're trying to figure out where your next 50 cent draft is coming from!), by far my most nostalgic and fond roommate memories...wine and knitting, fondue and movies, potato soup and Sex in the City, and let's not forget crazy parties with sinks getting pulled off the walls. 

Then I moved into my studio for a while...it was tiny (my queen size bed wouldn't even fit through the door), the house was crappy, it wasn't in a particularly good neighborhood, but bygolly it was mine, and I made it cute, and I didn't have to share anything!    And while I loved the privacy, I got a job further away in the more-expensive-than-DeKalb suburbs, so I got a roommate again.  We both kind of did our own thing...both worked a lot...when we DID wind up in the apartment at the same time we had some drinks and chatted...it was a nice, comfortable arrangement.  And then there was the co-habitating at a couple of different locations with the ex, which was sort of different than the traditional roommate situation, but the same in a lot of ways too.  I guess the "mine" and "yours" lines get blurred more in that situation...plus, there were less likely to be arguments about who created the dirty dishes and whatnot, which was nice.

The one common thread of having a rommate for me was that I had to let go of my little OCD tendencies, or I would've lost my mind.  Remind myself that I should keep my mouth shut when dirty dishes were put on the counter instead of in the dishwasher, or when the shower curtain is left open instead of closed, or when there are shoes strewn all over the house.  And whether it's a good thing or not, now that I live alone, everything can be PERFECT.  The counter is always clear.  The shower curtain is always closed.  The shoes are always neatly lined up at the front door or in the closet.  There are no piles of random mail and magazines everywhere.  It's a beautiful thing.  And at the same time, maybe it's not...

I can't focus when things aren't perfect now.  The house MUST be clean in order to embark on any potentially creative endeavor, because my mind certainly can't function creatively when there are things out of place.  Under very few circumstances can I fathom being able to fall asleep at night with my scrapbooking supplies all over the livingroom or before my luggage is unpacked and put away when I get back from a long weekend.  But...meh...I'm indulging myself for the time being.  Everything can be perfect for a while longer...I'll live with someone again eventually, and I'll learn to let it go again.  Somehow it's a lot easier when someone else is there...like if there's anyone else in the picture, then that is an x-factor that's out of my control, so I can relax about it.  At least my dogs are running around periodically shredding toys and whatnot, reminding me now and then that it won't be this way forever.  lol. 

Anyway, the house WAS clean tonight, and I WAS feeling creative, so I made a little Valentine card.  It's inspired by a card I got from my sister last year.  I used BoBunny papers, Penny Black stamps (a re-purposed Christmas set), watercolor pencils, the SewEZ tool, and Flowersoft.  I like how it turned out...and I'm glad I wound up using that last stamp in my Christmas set that I hadn't gotten around to using yet. 

Front:

Inside:

That's all for tonight :)  More when I have time!

Winter Wonderland...

Well, I'm spending a few days in West Brooklyn.  I probably shouldn't spend quite so much time here, but I have four days off in a row and 1) I don't have much of anything to do at my apartment, 2) my mom and I have actually wound up on really good terms with each other in the last couple of years, and 3) sometimes I really like being out in the boondocks for a few days.  I know everyone that lives in the Gurnee/Zion area thinks it's the middle of nowhere, cuz it's not Chicago.  But I'm telling you...that's all relative, and compared to where I'm from, it's a freaking thriving metropolis in Gurnee.  I still remember being ecstatic back when I moved to DeKalb, because gas stations were open past 8pm, I could get food delivered to my house, AND I didn't have to drive 45 minutes to get to the movie theater.  Thrilling, I tell you.  And don't even get me started on the first time we drove into Geneva/Batavia at night and saw all the lights...it might as well have been Chicago to us.  It's good to be easily impressed, I suppose.  When the opening of the 24 hour WalMart 45 minutes away was cause for celebration, and the most exciting thing there was to do on Friday night when I was in high school...well...you can see why 1) I get a little out of sorts and panicky when I'm thrust into somewhere like Chicago...it's overwhelming compared to bufu, 2) I think anywhere else that I've ever lived is amazing and fantastic, and 3) why I like getting back to the middle of nowhere for some peace and quiet...where I can be annoyed that a vehicle I don't recognize is driving on OUR road (I mean, what are they DOING here?  We're not on the WAY to anywhere)...where I can battle snow that doesn't get plowed till Monday, and not till after school starts, cuz there aren't any bus-riding kids on our road...and where I can park in the middle of the road and take pictures of pretty trees without worrying that I might cause a pile-up.  So here they are :)

Well that's all for tonight...two posts in one day...woot!  :)

Zentangles...

So a customer asked Heidi if we had supplies for doing Zentangles the other night.  We didn't, but she was curious and did some online research, and has since created Zentangles monsters of a few of us at work.  In case you're wondering, Zentangles are basically glorified doodling (they were actually included in my vocab post a few months ago before I even knew much about them).  Also known as Zendoodles, they're basically doodling with a purpose that tends to have a relaxing/hypnotic effect (hence, the Zen part).  I scraplifted (yes, that's legit in the world of scrapping) Heidi's book of patterns and have been doing some research online for more, along with templates and whatnot.  I think I'm going to make myself a letterblock tray of them to hang in my livingroom, and I'm SUPER excited about it.  :)  Here's some shots of my pattern book...more to come when I'm further into some works in progress:

That's all for tonight!  More soon :)

Rock lobster...

Back to crafting soon...

M'kay, now I NEVER buy cutesy clothes for my dogs...like, never.  But today...it was like it was meant to be.  I was walking into PetSmart when some lady gave me a coupon she didn't need for $4 off the brand of food that I happened to be going in to buy!  Sooooo...I was wandering around the toy aisle, cuz I'm a sucker and pretty much everytime I'm AT PetSmart, I buy them a toy.  However, on this particular evening, I noticed the cutest little leftover lobster halloween costume on clearance for just $3!  lol :)  Like it was meant to freakin' be...and while I don't really do Halloween, I spent the $3 just to entertain myself and take a couple pictures for my blog and scrapbook.  Hooray!  Lucy's gonna hate me forever now...but...

ROCK LOBSTER!

More later!

For the love of karaoke...

I'd just like to take a moment to express how much I love karaoke.  Honestly, if I could find someone to drag out with me whenever I wanted, I'd probably go twice a week.  At the cost of sleep and everything, cuz lord knows it never starts till 10pm.  When I lived in DeKalb a group of us went at LEAST once or twice a week.  Now that I'm in Zion, times are getting desperate for karaoke.  I haven't gone in almost six months.  I'm nearly to the point where I'd just go by myself...which is a trick, cuz I wouldn't be able to drink then since you usually can't take your drink on stage (something about drunk people spilling beer on expensive equipment), and I wouldn't want to leave my drink unattended in some random bar where I don't know anyone.  *sigh*  The good news is, I get to go tonight!  New location, people from work...yay!  Anyway, I'm off to bed for now, but I'll try to remember to take a couple pics and post them.  Hooray karaoke!

But everything was going so well...

Blech, blech, and more blech today.  Isn't it irritating how just when you think everything is finally on track, life pulls the damn rug out from under you?  Every freaking time.  I was thinking about going into the store and cropping today, but I'm in way too bad of a mood now for that. *sigh*  Instead, I think I will take a nap, take myself out for lunch, possibly do a little shopping, make some cute cards, and depending how I'm feeling after all that, bust out the Captain and Coke later.  We'll see.  One more BLECH for good measure, and that's all for now.  If I manage to come up with a happy little card that cheers me up later, I'll post it. 

Finding happy...

Well, I worked an overnight last night with my assistant manager, and man oh man did we get a lot done.  That said, it brought back vivid memories of the time I spent at Kohls, always working, never sleeping (or really having a life, for that matter).  I would routinely get off work there at 2 or 3am and have to be back in at 6am...40 minutes away from my apartment.  Or I'd work an overnight, go home long enough to take a shower, turn around and go back for another 14 hour shift.  The thing that reminded me most of my younger days, when I didn't know when to say when:  I woke up after my 17 minute nap before returning to work this morning, stiff, sore, and just generally miserable.  As I thought back on it, I remember waking up that way nearly every day I worked at Kohls.  I felt like I was 90 years old.  I remember worrying that something was seriously wrong with me back then...cuz a 21 year old isn't supposed to feel that way (at least not without a whole lot of alcohol...lol).  As it turned out, it was just the result of battering my body and not taking care of myself for months on end.  As soon as I got back to a semi-reasonable schedule with a little work-life balance and some semblance of a proper amount of sleep, I bounced right back (with a little additional help from The Walking Company, for which I would gladly do a commercial if I were asked).  It seemed like a miracle at the time...I had spent almost two years like that, and had finally concluded that was just the way things were going to be.  That I was going to just have to live with being miserable and overextended.

Well, years have gone by, and I certainly don't push it to the extent that I used to.  I know better than THAT.  But, I do still have a tendency to overdo it on a semi-regular basis.  Last night was a perfect example...lifting stuff I should've probably gotten help with, among other things...I'm sure there's the writer of a pamphlet about proper lifting techniques somewhere out there who would grimace if there were video footage of everything I moved last night.  Luckily, I found myself another small miracle several months ago...a fantastic massage therapist (who will certainly have something to say about the current condiiton of my back when I go again on Wednesday).  

Now, don't get me wrong, I've always been all for a good massage.  I go on vacation, and someone says: "Let's go skiing," and I hear "Get cold.  Fall down.  Break leg."  Not-so-much...if I want to injure myself, I can manage that on my own, at home or at work.  I'm an INDOOR kinda gal.  Vacation is for sleeping in, eating well, and relaxing..often with a massage, from whatever spa happens to be nearby...or not so nearby, as the case may be.  Anyway, I'd had a lot of massages, and they'd always been nice, but until April or so, I hadn't ever had one that made a lasting impression.  One that actually made me feel better for a few weeks, instead of just relaxed for a few hours.  This girl fixed what I thought was permanent tissue damage from falling down some cement stairs seven or eight years ago (clumsy, not drunk).  It was ridiculous...I didn't even know it was possible to fix something like that.  And for that, I will continue to be a fiercely loiyal customer.

Anyway, I think what I'm getting at with all of this, is that the older I get, the more I realize that it's important to invest in myself...in my health...and in my quality of life.  And okay, yeah...massages cost money...quality shoes cost money...but if it means I don't have to wake up thinking I've aged 60 years overnight, it's totally worth it.    And yeah, if I have to take a job that pays a little less...if maybe I have to move somewhere that I don't know anyone and start over, decide where to cut costs and figure it out all by my lonesome...but I'm happy, and I don't come home angry or go to work depressed...it's totally worth it.  So I'm finding my happy place...in my cute apartment, with my silly dogs, working at a job I love, in an area that suits me, and getting nice shoes and massages.  To each his own though...find your own happy :)

The good times hangover...

Does this happen to anyone else?  No alcohol involved in this one.  A solid day or two of good times and excitement, head back to your real life, and it's like you have a hangover from it.  Just not really feeling well because you overloaded, crashing from your high on fun, and knowing that much fun won't be stopping by again anytime soon.  Back to work and errands and never having time for what you'd really like to be doing. 

I read an article on Yahoo news about this just the other day, and when I went to see Eat Pray Love yesterday, I was reminded again that we're the most overworking, overstressed, overbusy country in the world...and we LIKE it.  The article was saying that overall, most people in America would PREFER to be way overbooked.  We're actually happier when we're a step behind on our to do list, because we feel like we have PURPOSE.  When we finish the list, we have this nagging sense that we're just there...waiting for the next thing we should be doing.  And then in Eat Pray Love (I also read the book a couple of weeks ago...which was better than the movie, obviously, but the movie was quite good as well), they were talking about how we just can't relax.  It's like we need an excuse, or permission, or something.  We have to feel like we EARNED it.  In the book/movie, they were talking about how doing nothing was practically an art form in Italy.  And how American ad campaigns are all about how we've earned a break, and we really deserve to take one...with a Miller...or a Kit Kat...or whatever other product is selling, and we're like, "Really?  You think so?  Fantastic...maybe I WILL go take a break!".  The premise of the conversation in the movie/book was that if one of these commercials ran somewhere else, they would simply laugh...like, "OBVIOUSLY, I deserve a break...that's why I already have one planned...at lunch, and again after work, and again this weekend, and maybe I'll take a day off next week!" 

I'll agree with that (the American part anyway...I can't speak for anywhere else, since I pretty much haven't even been out of the country, but for Canada).  I feel sort of lazy and worthless having a do-nothing day off unless I completely busted my ass the day before and completed 72 hours worth of work in 24 hours.  And I'll be the first to admit that I have a bad habit of worrying about what's happening at work for the first half of my vacation and then panicking about what I'm coming back to at work for the second half.  I'm a LOT better about it than I used to be, particularly since I don't have a job that I can't stand anymore.  Now it's just a distant, nagging feeling.  With my old jobs, I'd be approaching hysteria by day 4...spending disturbing amounts of time considering the cost-benefit analysis of breaking a leg and going on disability for a few weeks, quitting my job and filing for bankruptcy, or moving in with my mom and becoming a waitress...anything but going back.  It's been a breath of fresh air not dealing with that nightmare anymore.  I can actually enjoy myself DURING the fun now, which is definitely an improvement.

But what to do AFTER the fun?  Besides throwing myself back into work and errands and cleaning house and whatever other to do lists I can think of at 1000 mph, I haven't found much.  And I suppose some of it has to do with my control issues and whatnot, but still...there's got to be another option.  Some sort of happy middle ground, where work can happen, and fun can happen, and you can transition easily from one to the other.  Doesn't there?  Well, if I ever find one, I'll let ya know.  Until then, I'm going to enjoy my last 18 hours off this weekend, and then head to work bright and early tomorrow morning to start the rat race all over again :)  lol.

No crafting tonight...back home at my mom's house and I don't have anything with me.  More tomorrow!