I HAVE NOTHING!

Over the last couple days I’ve tried to sit down to write my weekly blog and realize I’m stumped. I have nothing. I’m on information overload.

Throughout the last couple weeks I have: officially started my new volunteer position three days a week; started to learn Word and Excel; received an offer for a paid writing assignment and an opportunity to review a show at Indy Fringe Festival; my kid started school; and to top it off, I’ve switched over to the dark side – yes, a Blackberry. Have I mentioned before I am technologically inept? Email and court reporter software was the extent of my knowledge for over a decade.

I am 100 percent excited about all of these latest developments (except my kid starting school), but with these opportunities comes a high amount of stress with my learning curve. Add to that my perfectionist personality, phew. I’ve been snapping at my family, defensive, all-around crabby. Every bump in the road gets blown way out of proportion.

The one consistency through all of this is I stopped running before my summer trips due to a minor injury. Since the trips I’ve been making excuses as to why I haven’t started again – too busy, too hot out, feeling rundown. Well, not anymore! I started today. I was so frazzled, I threw on the shoes (screw the 80-degree weather) and ran. So it didn’t feel all that fabulous (lungs screaming – legs jelly), yet I am a little calmer, and I’m glad I’m finally back to doing something I love and makes me feel so much better.

Log Blog

I got stuck on a log. I was on my way to a meeting in the midst of a downpour, and there was sporadic road flooding. I saw something floating, but I thought I got through the “puddle” unscathed. Then I heard this dreaded “rrerrer,” a bit like the sound of a garbage disposal. The “rrerrer” was stuck under my car. Thankfully the usually busy road wasn't at that moment, so I had the chance to back up to try to break free. No such luck, “rrerrer” again. I pulled slowly to a right turn lane and looked under the car. Yes, a log.

The rule in my past profession was understood: if you're not 15 minutes early, you're late. This habit has carried over into my new position. My anxiety commenced.

Gratefully, a kind citizen stopped to assist. He jacked up the car just enough, and I pulled the log out. This log was about 4 feet long and about 7 inches in diameter. I picked that log up over my head and chucked it over the guardrail. The man turned to my son and said, “Wow, did you see what your mom just did?” To which I replied, “I am woman; hear me roar!” Okay, I didn't say that. But all my anxiety over being late went with said log. He had gotten some dirt on his light khaki work pants in the posterior area, which I politely informed him of while thanking him for helping me. He then pointed it at me for help, to which I politely replied, “Yeah, I can't help you with that, I'm married.” One good deed does not always warrant another.

My moral to this story is, one, when I'm nervous, find a log to chuck to release anxiety – physical exertion releases stress from my brain (duh!); and two, the ever-present not jumping to conclusions when someone is late. You never know, someone may have gotten stuck on a log on the way to a meeting.