Sailbourne

It is the beginning of a new year, the beginning of a new decade (as some reckon it), and a shade over five months since I posted anything here.  I wasn’t going to make a New Year’s resolution (having been pretty dismal about such things over the years), but a couple of days into January, as I was working my way through the mountain of paid bills and other paper-based minutiae of life, I realized that the last time I had done such filing was the prior November.

Not November 2009, a little over a month before.  November 2008, thirteen months before.  And to be totally honest, it isn’t the first time such a thing has happened.  Not by a long shot.  Clearly, it was far past time for me to do something about this.

There are so many things that have drawn my interest and effort over the years, so many things I want to do and try.  But it is far past time for me to admit to myself that right now, there just aren’t enough hours in the day to even come close to doing everything I would like to do.  And there are things in life that I need to do which take time as well.

Since I don’t have a robotic duplicate I can send out into the world to do stuff for me, and since I don’t anticipate getting a TARDIS any time soon, this means I’m going to have to set priorities, make choices, and (most importantly) stick to them.  And so the first part of my New Year plan is to pay more attention to the basic work of taking care of myself and my family, and make sure that we have the resources, the energy, the good health, and the time to accomplish what really matters to each of us.

(Granted, in the case of the cats, that’s largely eating, sleeping, and chattering at the birds and critters outside the window, but if they’re not healthy, they’re not going to be able to enjoy even those things.  So the point stands, even if it does mean getting carted off to The Evil Doctor now and then.)

My biggest priority for this year, beyond keeping on top of the everyday work of caring for myself and my family, is supporting and promoting Ollin Productions — especially “Afterhell,” but also “Dicebag Theater” and at least one other big project which will hopefully go into production this year.  Continuing support of Dreams Landing, my jewelry crafting efforts as the House of Sailbourne, and maintaining the online sim games I’m a part of are also important things for me.  And I want to organize a renewal of vows and celebration of Joe’s and my 20th wedding anniversary.

I’m realizing that these things, plus the day job that allows everything else to happen, add up to a quite full plate.  There are some things I’m going to have to let go of, at least for a while.  The first one, which I’ve already started on, is to cut way back on my Facebook games and applications.  Facebook is a great tool for connecting with friends and family, and the applications and games available on it are fun, but stack up a few of them and it becomes an almost frightening time sink.  There are only a few Facebook games and applications I’ll be maintaining from now on, and as the year progresses, it may happen that I have to cut back on those.  I apologize to anyone who is inconvenienced by this; I know most of the FB games depend on having as many friends as possible also playing.

Another item that is going on the shelf, for a while at least, is the It Was 20 Years Ago Today podcast.  I’m not abandoning it, but the podcast will go on hiatus for a time.  Exactly how long, I don’t yet know.  It will be back though.

A final note.  I plan to update this blog regularly this year, at least once a week.  I plan to use it to keep on track with my efforts both to take care of myself and my family, and to keep on top of the many tasks that will be priorities in this coming year.  I might even use it just for fun now and then — I’m sure the memes won’t go away, even if I resist the urge to play them all!

After all the upheaval of the last month or so, it’s a little comforting to get back into routines. I’m trying to use my planner book more carefully — there is so much to do, that it’s essential! I don’t want to miss anything important!

My old pattern of doing things allowed for way too many crises to pop up all the time. I don’t think my health — mental or physical — can stand that sort of thing any more, so I am trying to keep things well organized so the crises don’t pop up.

I’m starting to get worried over the booth at the craft fair at the end of next month. Will I at least be able to make back the money I’m paying for it? Will I have enough things to sell? Will my mom or anyone else help me out with the costs? There are so many bills still piled up, and I have to find a way to pay them all somehow. If I can just stay focused and keep myself together, I think I can make it work.

So much has been happening: so much work, my grandmother’s death and her funeral, a quick trip north for a cat show, and then getting sick. Will there be any time soon when I can rest?

I know that I face a lot more work, a party which is going to require roleplaying, trying to get healthy, trying to keep the cats healthy, trying to sell cats, trying to get ready for the craft fair, sweating about money, and on and on. Will there be any time soon when I can rest? I can’t help but doubt it.

But despite all that, I am recommitting myself to write a journal entry, at least every weekday. I don’t know if there’s anyone who reads this — I think I’m doing it more for my own benefit anyway. And the true beauty of posting more often is that I won’t forget what password I used.

This is getting to be too much fun.

• The only person who shows any interest in buying my cats wants one cheap and wants it declawed
• Maxis has finally added pets to The Sims, but you gotta buy an add on and when am I gonna have that kind of money?
• Certain twerpy kids are patently ignoring complaints
• I’m probably going to have more night shift work next week
• this damn headache STILL won’t go away!

On a more serious note, my grandmother is still in the hospital, not getting better when she should have been days ago. I have a bad feeling about this. I’ll miss her. Maybe more than my mom will, but I have to wonder how she will react if the worst happens soon. She hasn’t had much good to say about her mom lately, but … you never know, do you?