Positive

I feel that my last post was rather negative and stressed, so I'd like to counter today. I spent from 5am-6am this morning listening to my through-the-wall neighbors have a shouting match/breakdown, ferociously angry, punctuated by full-body sobbing. Then, since my attempts at pillow-over-the-head were unsuccessful, I got up and found my earplugs, and went back to sleep.

I have a lot to be positive about, and am in general a positive person (dark sense of humor notwithstanding). Having passed the one-year warm-up mark, I find myself increasingly comfortable in academia, with the idea of independent research, and with the concepts and tools of my field. (And now I have a group of comfortable friends.) I am in good health, and (nearly) able to be as active as I want to be. My friends and family are also in good health, in good situations. I find myself happy with life and my position in it, though of course there's always that little apprehensive dread of what the future may bring. And I can remember the last time I was as upset, and distraught, and angry as my neighbor -- I was 14 or 15.

So life is good, happy, healthy, peaceful. Busy. Today is my birthday-eve, and I'm celebrating by going to my old house and packing my remaining belongings into boxes. Then I'll go to my lovely new apartment and sleep in preparation for a long day (parents, moving, Ikea) tomorrow.

This post's theme word: salubrious, "healthy."

TGI... M/T/W?

I had a very exhausting weekend.

Saturday:

8-noon pack and move boxes of books, clothing, and some large furniture to new apartment (thanks to the heroic friends who turned up to help!); sprint to pool
noon-2 swim practice
2-5 more packing and moving, though slightly toned-down since by now I'm having trouble walking
5-8 go to Ikea, too tired to effectively find suitable windowshades
9 drop into bed already unconscious

Sunday:

8-3 unpack some things at new place, pack things at old place, move a little more; help roommate carry her boxes up the perilous fire escape into the apartment
3-5 another swim practice
6 drag myself to buy food, cook it, eat it, fall asleep

I was truly thankful for Monday to roll around, since it meant a reprieve from the gruelling swim practices. My new, noisier street has meant uneasy sleep (and strange dreams), and the first half of the week has flown by in a sore, tired daze. I wrote parts of this post on Sunday, intending to post it Monday, and you can see how that turned out. I need a break, but my bookshelf and several crates of books are lingering at my old place, and there's shopping to brace myself for this weekend.

Lots of projects and projectlets are moving forward; there's research and writing to do, games night #100 celebrations to plan, another teammate for the puzzle challenge to find, my parent's visit to anticipate, GHC (need to get cards, a finished résumé), my Canadian Thanksgiving trip, office hours and grading, ongoing knee therapy/care, and my birthday is Saturday. (Project Simplify update: I've sold two books online, posted several others, and assembled a pile of clothing to donate.) This is besides all the daily rituals and upkeep. I feel very busy. It will really help when I'm completely moved into the new apartment.


In the spirit of moving furniture, this post's theme word: antimacassar, "a small cloth placed over the backs or arms of chairs, or the head or cushions of a sofa, to prevent soiling of the permanent fabric."