Thursday, February 19, 2009

Raise your hand if you're super-duper busy.

You know what? Our weather might be fabulous right now, (seriously people, it can't get any better), but this time of year is rough. I am exhausted. And sleep deprived.

I mean, I know the holidays can be stressful, but in the fall (or if you live here, when temps drop precipitously into the 90s), you can start slacking on all kinds of stuff. Trust me. You just have to look harried enough, and roll your eyes around like crazy while you mumble it's that time of year, you know! 

This holiday excuse will work beautifully from October 15-January 15. 

Summer is also a wonderful excuse for laziness. First of all, around here, it is so hot that if you move too much or fast, you might actually die. Also, people are vacationing like crazy. Even if you aren't actually going anywhere, you can 'leave town' too! No, no, I'm not speaking of one of those 'staycations,' where you have to run your kids around to desert botanical gardens and Science Centers and sleep in tents in your backyard. Is a horrid idea. I mean, just tell everybody you are leaving, then barricade yourself inside your house and read blogs for a few days. Clothing and regular hygiene are totally optional! (In addition to your fake vacations, you can actually go to California and drag your kids to the beach and Legoland. Is not relaxing, but it does get you away from your other commitments.)

The summer will entirely excuse all laziness from May until school starts again in August. (Your dates may vary.)

There is also a small window of reprieve, where the burden of our cares is lifted, when the yoke is in the mire (no, wait, am mixing metaphors again), for a week at spring break. Sometimes, though, it takes some time to recover from spring break (I've seen some of the MTV coverage), so we can comfortably count out any productivity in the last half of March.

So, what have you left? August through mid-October, and then mid-January through 'til May. 

What does this mean? 

It means you have no excuse. 

It means a long, wide desert of piano lessons and science projects,  Abe Lincoln book reports and pinewood derby cars to design; of entire weeks of 6 a.m.s and midnights, and pediatric neuro-psychologist appointments (because your son's teacher thinks he's ADHD, but you aren't sure it isn't just a bad case of the wiggly-and-smarts), and new glasses to get to replace lost ones, and unplanted gardens. It all lies before us, a wasteland of work, bereft of fun.

It means your shoulders are to the wheel. 

It means you can't wriggle out of anything. You just have to DO IT.

It means you can't read or blog because your brain is fried. You keep re-reading the same tub-wrinkled old paperback chick lit, and find yourself saying "wow, how did this not win a Pulitzer?" (No?)

It means somebody better give you at least two pounds of See's chocolate for Valentine's Day, because you are going to need it to sustain you in the long nights ahead, even though you are still supposed to be on that diet you started in January. 

It means, people, that you are BUSY.

And as usual, when I say, YOU, I mean, ME.

But what about actual you? Are you busy, too? Let's see a show of hands.

23 comments:

Wonder Woman said...

Yes, ma'am. Busy busy busy over here. And my kids aren't even in "real" school yet! I guess you can say you're a busy, busy bee? (I know. Lame pun. It's all I could come up with in the hustle and the bustle.)

Heidi said...

Hear hear! And March is going to be way worse from the looks of my calendar. BTW, I vote for a case of the wiggly-and-smarts. Stick to your guns--you're the mom, you know best.

Barbaloot said...

Ooh-I'm definitely busy. I'm swamped at work today----and yet, I can't seem to get anything done unless I take a break to blog:)

Alyson | New England Living said...

I had this same thought some time back. Can't wait until June when I have excuse for complete laziness again. Yay!

One Sassy Mama said...

I'm raising both hands in agreement. Life is crazy!

Unknown said...

Oh! Oh! Oh! *raising hand in the air and waving it, while wiggling frantically in my seat like I need to visit the bathroom right away*

Yeah. Busy.

Jenni said...

My hand is up! Raising it HIGH!!! It's a never ending circle of craziness I tell ya!!! Hang in there...send me some See's if you get tired of yours. =)

Banteringblonde said...

Oooh hand up here. The school work is killing me ... uh, I mean my son's school work is killing him. The next few months is clearly all about being ready for next year. I'm busy being busy....

Kari said...

Super busy. But with piles and piles of the stuff that I work like crazy to get done, only to turn around and wonder what I did with my day. Nothing to measure, nothing to show for it. But we've still got snow on the ground, so maybe I should be putting it off based on weather. Yeah--I think that's what I'll do. Thanks, Kel.

Shanana said...

Amen, sista! The other day I went in to work late because both of my kids and my husband were all home sick and puking. When I went in to the office that afternoon, my first patient puked all over me while I took an impression of his teeth. So, in essence, I left all the puke at home to go to work to get puked on.

...And that pretty much sums up my life right now!

But at least the weather is nice.

AdriansCrazyLife said...

Goodness! You've been reading my mind. I was just sitting the other day counting the weeks until school is out - 14 weeks (sigh). I am SO ready to be done with school. But you're right, we HAVE to do it, so we might as well make the best of it.

LisAway said...

Totally

Claire said...

I'm busy... but am not seeming to achieve anything! i haven't even updated my blog in ages, cos i'm too busy being unproductive.

Tell the teacher to get lost. Perhaps her teaching style just isn't good enough.

Natalie said...

i'm too busy to answer your question.

Heather said...

Ditto on the busy life! I too thought, lets get through the holidays and it will all slow down...NOT!

cally said...

I'm with ya.

Make it stop.

Anonymous said...

no. i am not busy. taking the semster of means that i have no life besides work and singles ward activites that i can either choose to ignore or attend. i personally would rather be busy and not have time to read my precious blogs, because in turn it would make everything more interesting and i would have better posts because i would have SO MUCH to say..

oh and btw if you sleep in your backyard in a tent in arizona are you not asking for death???
crazy..
i say legoland all day everyday.

Melanie Jacobson said...

If you mean by busy that I have no time to breathe, why yes, yes I am. Oh, and P.S. I could never live somewhere where moving too fast in the summer=death. Viva la beach!

Jolene said...

My hand is up. Busy busy - so busy that during FHE this week, husband instituted 20 minute family cleaning time. He's tired of the messy house that I am too busy to clean.

wendy said...

That wasteland of work bereft of fun can be pretty depressing and draining after awhile. I wouldn't mind coming down to Arizona for a little SUN and warmth. You young moms have alot on your plates...I must say I like this stage of my life. It is a little more calm and more "me" time.....so if you can hang in there for say....15, 20 more years, you may get your break.

Renae said...

Cameron's new bball coach called and asked when a good time would be to have practice. After laughing hysterically, I asked if tuesdays between 4:30 and 5:15 would work cuz that's all I've got left.
Both hands raised and making that "Ooh Ooh Ooh, pick me!" sound.

Pam said...

I'm definitely getting on this bandwagon of busy women. Both hands up with the jumping and the messy hair, dirty clothes, sleep deprived look. Can't life just give us a break for a teeny tiny minute. I just want a good book & bon bons already.
Thanks for the post and reminding me that I am not a busy woman alone.

Brett and Shireen Olsen said...

I am for sure busy, and I don't even have kids old enough for science projects or pinewood derby cars. I did, however, successfully manage to demolish a 1 lb box of sees candy that Penelope sent us for Valentine's Day. Why does she do that anyway? "Don't eat it," she said. Yeah right. Have you met me?

Back to being busy - I too thought after the holidays things would settle down, but no chance. At least I have time to read your blog, even if I don't always have time to shower.