Getting Ready to Go Away

[sabrinamari]

It's been a rough few weeks in regard to staying on task: work has heated up considerably with many new wonderful opportunities coming my way. I've encountered the chance to submit a proposal to create a fitness and nutrition intervention in an urban Black church and the opportunity to propose a small study focusing on the link between childhood obesity and emotions in poor minority families, just to name two. The opportunities are great, but they all need to be submitted ASAP and they all require a great deal of work.

I've been really tired---super tired---and I haven't been working out. The gym is my prozac, and going without it results in depression and anger. That hasn't made things any easier. I love gardening, but the requirements of hand watering and horticulture have sucked away further work out time. I seem to spend every morning performing vegetable bondage. And dissertation work? Hah! I have 40 hours left to do and every possible utterly crucial task that could emerge to get in my way has indeed done so.

In my Craft life and work, many wonderful new opportunities have emerged and great new people have netered my life. But boy, I just can't keep up with them right now.

What I need now: I need to go to Colorado with George's computer (thank you, George!) all my relevant notes, all needed materials and a few clothes. I need to write and revise for several hours every day. I need to trust that Sarah and Dan will take care of my gargantuan but demanding plants, and I need to FOCUS on polishing "Senoras Invincibles", or whatever I call my dissertation and book draft.

When I come home, I need to refrain from answering the phone, answering emails or going anywhere. I committed to hosting the South African women on the 29th, so I must do that. Otherwise, it's D-day, baby, and I just need to FOCUS on that task and that task alone. Work is another matter. I have no strategy for managing that yet...I need to get one. I'll probably be writing the faith-based fitness program grant and it's profoundly evil deadline conflicts with my dissertation mail-out date. Ouch!

I know myself. There will be weeping, there will be comfort eating and there will be weight gain, but not the muscular kind. The house will descend into chaos until Fred comes over and cleans it. Fortunately, Ken will be in Iceland from the 28th to the 8th, so I will not be freaking out all over him. Sadly, I will probably be freaking out all over Sarah and Karen. I am sure they are praying for me to finish this damn thing and give it all a rest; I would be!

So, for those of you who are my friends: expect not to hear from me much until mid August. Expect that when you do hear from me I will be wierd. Expect me to be able to meet no one's expectations and to be able to complete no new tasks and maybe not even many old ones. Don't stress about my sad and freaky state. It's all part of this academic rite of passage. Afterwards, I'll sleep, rest and chill and it will all be OK.

Also, if you are a local friend:

*Please, please* come and pick my ripened organic produce and eat it between Saturday, July 19 and Sunday, July 25th. I expect all the giant tomato plants to ripen simultanously while I am gone, and the eggplants and peppers are already in need of harvesting. Please come and take produce. It would be a shame for all that lovely veggie pulchritude to go to waste!

Sarah and Dan will be here every day watering, working out and feeding cats at some point in the day. You can call them if you want, or just wander over and pick stuff from the plants in the front yard downstairs.

love,

Sabri

Comments

So Many Comments, So Little Time

[wild-place-king.livejournal.com]

I am excited for you! So many opportunities for leadership, growth and personal satisfaction. I envy your close friends. Good luck, I know you will complete all of your projects, then take a long time off and heal, and bounce back stronger then ever before.

Re: So Many Comments, So Little Time

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

Thanks, my friend. I appreciate your support, now and always.

[vgnwtch.livejournal.com]

You do realise that the point is to be able to freak out on us, right? Anyway, sooner it's done, sooner it's over. Just keep letting us know what you need.

Is there any way to delegate the Church proposal or any parts of it? Is there any way to delegate other stuff? If you need a place to write that's not your place, come on over. And all that jazz.

It'll all be over soon. Honest. And there will be much rejoicing.

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

Maybe I can delegate some of the proposal to a very smart, cool grad student that's working for us. And chances are high that I will land at your place at various times during this periodic or ask you to come over and write in the evnings, or read, or anything, so that somebody else is working in the same space and I am being kept accountable.

Laughing....I'll buy everyone in Braided Stream and Cat and George and Ken an honorary degree when it's time to put in for my paperwork...you have all earned the Ph.D right along with me! Seriously, and you can all post them up on your (bathroom) walls. They do give graduating doctors that option---to buy supportive friends honorary certificates.

[vgnwtch.livejournal.com]

I will land at your place at various times during this periodic or ask you to come over and write in the evnings, or read, or anything, so that somebody else is working in the same space and I am being kept accountable.

Life is hard. But if I have to spend time in companiable quiet with my best friend, well... I'm up to the sacrifice.

They do give graduating doctors that option---to buy supportive friends honorary certificates.

You're kidding?! I had no idea.

[seedmoon.livejournal.com]

I'll miss hearing from you of course but GO!
Attack all this...you got this.

Send me a message when you break through the other side and breathe the first sigh of relief.

Remember that you are stronger than you know.
You're a warrior....now go slay that dragon.

If you feel like picking up the phone and 2:00 in the morning and screaming and venting at someone......you have my number.

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

Thank you, my dear.

Best wishes, and see you in a month

[kinkypagan.livejournal.com]

As one of those 'new people' in your life, I'm sure I speak for all the new DC B* folk in wishing you the best. Don't worry about meeting *our* expectations and keeping up with us - we're busy scrambling to meet *yours* and keeping up with *you* :)

Take whatever time you need to recover after this particular right of passage. We'll all still be here when you get back, and more than willing to give you whatever support *you* need.

Hugs,
Galen

Promises, Promises!

[methastra.livejournal.com]

Now Sabrina, I heard your New Moon vow, and unlike all these other supportive people, MY job is to be a pain in your ass :-) and remind you of it.

Remember, you've got to take your "medicine" or you'll go nuts, right? Wake up, stick on whatever clothes you grab first and go outside and walk around the block for 10 minutes before you get sucked into the daily grind. To answer your initial response of "but I don't have time": "It will help clear your mind, stimulate your body (since your mind and body seem rather interdependent) which will make you more productive for the rest of the day, saving you far more than 10 minutes worth of time when you account for the increased efficiency and mental scatteredness.

I'll IM you in the morning to lecture you if you don't do it..... You've been warned! :-)

BB,

- bg

Re: Promises, Promises!

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

I love you for this Brian! THANK YOU!

I am going to go back to my cabin and walk this evening before I gop to bed. I know I'll feel better afterwards.

Colorado is exactly what I needed----and I'm working on my diss like mad, too. I'll touch bases again when I get back.

Thank goodness for public libraries with free internet access!