I think I am too busy?

I am now in the mode that I need to get everything off my plate but I am realizing that I am so busy that the plate is overflowing. Breathing is taking a back seat lately. I am now in a frenzy to get studio work done. I assigned my students HW that involved them assigning me an assignment. The original thought was that it would challenge me to stretch in my studio practice. I am feeling like I bit off so much more than I bargained for. They assigned 13 portraits, one of each one of them in the way that I see them and in their typical medium. I have grande plans for this. My idea really has me RACING this morning, but as I embarked on my studio work this morning I realized that I am so not accomplished in graphite. Practice, practice, practice, but this deadline is looming (Jan 4th).

In anycase, I am blogging about that too because I don't have enough to do (actually, its because I am always asking them to show process and I want to model the behavior I am preaching). If you want to follow along (promise not to laugh).

DEAR MR FANTASY...

If I could have my choice of music to accompany this post that wouldn't get shut down it would be THAT Traffic song!

I was driving home last night from Walpole, it was about 8:30 when I hit Hartford, CT. I still had a 90 minute drive and I had a sleeping kid in the seat next to me. The station I was listening to on the radio was playing some incredible tunes. I started to get all nostalgic, thinking about my HS years, and all the trips to MA that I had made in that 4 years to "hang out" with Denise, Sean, Tim and Kevin. Sometimes I brought along my own friends, Annette, Kari, or Joanne, but most of the time I was by myself. We used to hang out at this burger place, car stereo blasting, eating French Fries, burgers and drinking coffee milk (which was a commodity to a NY'er)

I spent the day yesterday in Walpole at a speedskating meet. My oldest friend Denise joining me. Chris skated well, listening to his coach MOST of the time, which left him utterly exhausted. I marveled at how time seems to have stood still with Denise and I. There was this period of growth a few years ago that was awkward for us, but we survived it and seem to be closer than ever. I give her a tremendous amount of credit for being both patient and persistent.

With all this reminiscing and thoughts about persistence, I started to think about Chris's journey in this sport. There was a time that we were told to give it up more often than not. We were wasting our time and money. He would never amount to anything on the ice. (Dear Mr. Fantasy...something to make us all happy) I am so glad he stuck it out, the rewards of discipline will carry him through his life, besides, his face lights up when those laces are tightened and the steel starts to melt that ice. I see an athlete who has his sport in his soul, and that is all that matters.

A few days ago I was told that someone mistakenly thought my last post was sad. To those of you who thought that I want to assure you that is not at all the case. It was a healthy acknowledgment of my plate having way too much on it, which always seems to be my case, yet I almost never admit to. I'm actually pretty blessed with a great family and opportunities that allow me to be who I am. I couldn't imagine anything better.

I leave you with this final thought...do everything your care about from core of your being and happiness will most definitely find you! Off to find some solace in 17" of steel myself! (of course I am smiling!)

Life is Definately in the Way; but somehow I am at peace with that?

About a month ago, I entered a blogging contest that would have had me going to the Olympics had I won. I know I write well, and I love to tell life stories, I thought this would be a grand adventure, right up my alley so to speak. I thought about what I had to do to stand above the crowd, strategized, and began the competition period by writing frequently. What I didn't anticipate is that life would somehow, suddenly, grind every once of spare energy and bit of time out of me. I found that I suddenly had no time for the basics, and blogging was cut out of the equation.
In the meantime, one of my REALLY good friends made it to the semi-finals. I have spent the past week in a state of both joy and jealousy. Kelly, if you read this I mean no offense by it. I am so happy for you. If someone has to win, I would hope it would be someone I know and I would be even more thrilled if it were a friend.
I think my feelings are generated from the competitive beginnings of our relationship. You see, Kelly and I met at a speedskating meet. It was her first and my first after a VERY long 22 year hiatus. We were both a bucket of nerves. When I think back to all the situations we have been in together since I know that for the purposes of this contest, she is definitely better suited than me. Yet there is a little piece of me that is so envious. (:0)
My life in that past few weeks has been in interesting range of experiences, from putting together a very strong and cohesive body of work that I heartbreakrokenly wished more of my friends and colleagues had gotten the chance to view, to preparing for an upcoming panel discussion at a conference, to running a coaching clinic for US Speedskating. I have also been writing letters and sending packages to women soldiers who are deployed in various branches of the military. Exercise has consisted of on ice work about 6-7 hours a week. I know that I have to step that up soon, and keep telling myself that the oval will be open shortly...yet I also know that this holiday week will have me in London chaperoning a trip. Damn, life looks like it plans on staying in the way for sometime. I think I am tired? Do I have time to be tired?

In your travels, I hope you can visit Kelly's blog http://momsgotblog.blogspot.com/ and then vote https://www.officewintergames.com/default.aspx . Another good friend who has made it to the student semi-finals of the same contest is Christi, and her blog can be found http://www.lakeplacidskater.blogspot.com/. Both would bring much character to the OLYMPIC experience.

I am off and running somewhere...in which direction am I expected again?