Countdown.

I'm at that point where I am just waiting for three events to be over. Not that I am sitting passively by, all of them require much work on my part, alas. But I am looking forward to these things being done so I can catch up with my "normal life".

The first will be done by 3:00 pm today, that is the Youth Service. It doesn't require a lot of work, but the mental energy commitment is a bit large and every year when it is over, portions of my brain that have been thinking about it, are free to go back to their idle musings.

On March 14, I take the Praxis Middle School Math test. The test itself is 2 hours of my life, but I have spend 43 hours studying in regular half hour chunks since early September. I took a practice test last night and now can complete the problems in the time allotted with the bonus that now I understand how to tackle 95% of them, a fact that was not true when I began this process. So all my studying has benefited me, I just don't know if I will have enough right answers to pass. Time will tell, but I'm most excited that it takes 4 weeks to get your results. So I will have four weeks of not studying.

Following soon on the test's heels is my final paper and project for my math class. This is a tough one, because it requires me to have an actual product--the other ones will happen whether I'm prepared or not, but this requires me to not only produce a paper of some length, but also have a presentation. I can't really fake my way through either of those. So the other back of my mind is working on that problem and I have to carve more time out of my schedule to actually put pen to paper, or rather letters on screen.

While I work on those things, so many other things are dropping by the wayside. Less vegetables are being consumed. My desk has geologic layers on it, marking the passage of time. Someone's birthday present is underneath everything, and I hope I can mail it today. Laundry isn't folded, blog posts aren't finished, bank balances haven't been updated. Goals aren't being made.

I don't mind rising to the occasion and "doing" all of these things, but I really hate the aftermath: I'm tired and then have to catch up all the things that have fallen by the wayside. Mostly I don't mind making the amount of money I make (though I'm always open to more, of course) but it's during these times that I recognize the power of money for easing your life. "It would be nice if I could hire someone to cook and clean up for me." I think to myself. But alas, I can't, so I hobble on. Thank god spring break is coming up. I can't imagine trying to do the catch up without it.