The Balancing Act

It's tricky, this balancing act, especially this time of year when I'm regularly slammed with heavy grading loads. Spring semester means poetry and research, and intensive writing in prep for state testing, among other things. When you've got 150 plus students, well, just do the math. Even if I spent only 60 seconds on each paper each day... Add in a couple of WIP's (works in progress, if you're not into writer's lingo), Dreaming Anastasia coming out in the fall and all that entails, keeping up with blogs, website and the wonderful thing that is Class of 2k9, plus that slippery thing called the rest of my life and you've got the picture. So much I want to do, including reading every book of my fellow 2k9er's. And only so many hours in the day. So when you've written a couple of hours, taught for eight, stayed after school for another hour or so, graded into the wee hours and realized that you still need to wash your hair and that your carpet hasn't been vacuumed in, well, awhile and the bathroom's an ugly story, what do you do?

Actually that's the question! If you can't do it all but you really sorta need to, what do you cut? For me, it's been tv - which I shamelessly miss - and some of the more intense keeping up with friends that I've always done pretty religiously. It's been quitting most committees and really truly saying no to volunteering. Not that I ignore my friends. Just that I'm unable to do as much as often right now. And sleep - sometimes that seems to go, too. I know I'm not alone in that one. But what else can ya do? You've got this enormously amazing gift that is publication and the day job that currently pays the bills.

So like I said, it's a trick, this whole thing. Wouldn't give it up for the world. I mean seriously - what a lucky problem to have, right? I'm not unaware. I'm thankful beyond measure, beyond words. Happier than I've ever been. But even at that, I'm always wondering how everyone else manages.

Anyone want to chime in?

Til next time...