Computer Down

June, 2015 Storm over DeKalb County, IL at Afton Prairie Park

I came in to work today, a Saturday, to finish the park district's youth summer sports photos. This involves hundreds of photos. I've been here, on a beautiful sunny day, a direct weather opposite of the photo above, for a total of six and one-half hours and have not entered a single team due due to multiple catastrophes. At this point I trying to just make it through the day as all those bazillion photos are filterd through image processing.

I'm disappointed in having to waste a brilliant day perfect for hiking or kayaking due to problems at work. I'm frustrated that it means more work—on top of work—that needs to be accomplished by Monday. Now, I'll be working Sunday as well which means I'll be working 12 days straight without a break, which ultimately means I can't complete my projected artwork in time for the Summer Gala at Plum Bottom.

After I finished school and got my degree. I saw myself having more time at home to devote to my artwork. I naively thought I would work, leave at 5 go home,  and so artwork. But, the day-job ramped up to include more and more (and more) hours, volunteer and community-related responsibilities were taken on. Home life suffers. Artwork suffers. Relaxation and de-stressing suffers. Health suffers. It sucks. It just sucks. No other way to put  it.

So, what am I going to do about it?

Be grateful. These are good problems to have: I have a day job doing something creative. I have a home. My husband and I are happy. I'm satisfied with the quality of the art I do achomplish, if not the quantity.

Reprioritize. If a stranger looked at my life - my actions-what would they say is the most important thing to me? I think they would say work because that is where I spend so much time, but my heart wants God, family & friends, artwork & work in that order.

Simplify. I need to find a way to become more disciplined and intentional with my time.  Too much time is wasted on things that, if I could be more disciplined, would be rejected in favor of doing something more productive. The question is how can I achieve this?

My elementary school teachers as well as my mom would say that I was too day dreamy. I think today they would call it Attention Deficit Disorder. Well, whatever it would be called, I still am. I'm easily distracted, my mind races ahead. Outlining everything that needs to be done is so overwhelming that the most difficult part to getting it done it simply starting.

Everything has a season. There were times when I didn't work as much, those times will be there again, someday. I, maybe more than most, know how quickly a person's lot in life can change. Work hard, while the work is here. As my father-in-law would say, "It's the best time of your life if you only knew it."