I am getting a lot of office work done today: Spanish conversation exercise for class, editing a draft for the Great Spirit Church newsletter that I do in addition to the Mt. Hood Cherokees newsletter. I just finished the draft ballot for the Cherokees election, coming up next month. I am the main person on the Elections Committee. I have cleared out most of my email inbox. I prepared multiple Christmas letters for a second attempt at delivery, now that they were returned to me, yellow stickers attached with the new addresses I needed to use. I popped a copy of a friend’s will into an envelope after Pedro and I signed as witnesses, and it’s going to Kellen, who (younger than all our friends) has been asked to be the executor. I boxed up a single shoe (!) found in the back of the Jeep after friends stayed with us. The shoe needs to go join her partner, who lives in Washington, D.C. Soon I will make a trip to the post office to mail it all.
I brought kitty out here to my office this morning, to keep her from bugging Pedro, who was trying to sleep a little more. She was not having fun at all until she realized how many critters she could see through the giant windows out here. Like the many hummingbirds buzzing around.
It is a challenge for me to enjoy down time. I am an over-achiever, even when it comes to play. If I do something enjoyable, there’s a little critic inside my mind that tells me I must somehow be productive in play, or play the best I’ve ever played, or play in a new, educational way. I tire myself out with this. And I am actively working on learning to slow down and goof off.
But still…I love to get a whole list of things done. I mentally checked all those things off my list and I don’t have to think about them after today. I cannot deny how good it feels.
Conscious Engagement 
Two good photographs. Despite the small size your hummingbird is clearly visible. Good that you enjoyed some down time
Thank you Derrick! I was tickled to get that photo. It took me a long time to set up and focus through the office windows. I had time for a single shot, and the bird zoomed away. That one shot turned out to be a good one. 🙂
“Hummingbirds!!!Hummingbirds! What cat can resist a hummingbird!!! WE’ll be right over!”- Sabrina and Marcus
Hey you two, Jupyter would LOVE to have you over. We humans are way too boring and tire way too fast and she would be absolutely joyous to chitter through windows over hummingbirds and squirrels with you both. Please do come quickly!
Unfortunately, Marcus couldn’t operate the wheel and the accelerator at the same time!
Oh my goodness, Jupyter is one of the nicest looking cats Ihave ever seen. Very kind of you to let P get the extra sleep and hope the show makes it to DC 🙂
I hope it makes it to D.C. too! I should message them and ask if the shoe reunion was a happy one. I don’t recall the delivery date though – it might not have arrived yet. Thank you for the compliment on our long-haired kitty. It’s hard to tell in photos, but she is covered in grey, tan, and russet streaks that remind Pedro of the planet, and that is how she got her name. (And also he programs on the software platform called “Jupyter,” and he likes that spelling.)
oh purrrrfect name then
ha
I feel exhausted just reading this post, Crystal. Gee wiz, you really do have a lot on your plate. I’m a list person too, but am quite happy and satisfied if I ticked off one or two items. 😅
I find it interesting how lists help some people to be more productive, and do the opposite for others. Just one more example of how human brains are different.
I have a couple of consistent crunch times in my years. February is one of them, curiously, and it’s all due to my volunteer work: the two newsletters and the elections all come up at the exact same time. This February, I’m scrambling to get it all done before a week in Disneyland the first of March. The chaos is easier because it’s temporary, and interrupted near the end with a vacation. 🙂