No time for my thoughts

I'm burned out. I work 8 or more hours, go directly to rehearsal for three hours, and get home around 10:30p.m, when I need to prepare ALL of my meals for the next day before collapsing into bed (at which point my downstairs neighbors decide to have an argument, or turn on the t.v. in their bedroom, both of which keep me up even more late).

My show opens a week from tomorrow (technically, my cast starts on Saturday, March 31). This means that we have rehearsals every day. Saturday and Sunday I have stuff going on all day. I have chosen my obligations and I'm happy to fulfill them.

But, I'm not necessarily a social being. On a normal week, I need at least one or two evenings to myself. When that doesn't happen, I get crabby, and my thoughts become confused because I have no time to reflect on all that's going on. Well, I haven't had a night to myself in about two weeks, and the thought that I won't get one until after my show opens depresses me even more.

Even more frustrating is when I'm that irritated and haven't worked through why, and then someone insists I tell them what is wrong. I appreciate the support of my friends and understand they're just trying to help, but if I don't know what I'm actually upset about, how the heck am I supposed to explain it to someone else? I end up saying bratty things I later regret. Then I have the guilt of having just been rude to my friend when they were just trying to make me feel better; as someone who is very sensitive to other people's feelings, this is the very worst thing. My moods don't generally last very long, but I do need time to work through them.

I am tired and grouchy. So much so that I'm considering taking tomorrow off. Not even calling in sick, just taking a vacation day. This is HUGE! I hoard my vacation days like Scrooge McDuck hoards his gold coins.

If I were to stay home tomorrow, I would do the following:

• sleep in
• cook breakfast
• do a prolonged, real workout, instead of just taking a walk and calling it "sufficient exercise"
• clean my house (it's in desperate need!)
• cook lunch
• catch up on some of the many t.v. shows piling up in my Hulu queue
• maybe take a nap
• cook dinner (do you see a theme here?)

Okay, I talked myself into it. I'm taking the day off tomorrow. At least from work. I might skip rehearsal, too, 'cause the other cast is running so I don't really need to be there, even though I like going and the other cast is hilarious. Then again, there is such a thing as TOO much time alone, and it's rough not to talk with anyone for an entire day. We'll see how I feel.

Just need to survive today! *Resist the urge to cry*

What are things that you do that relax or cheer yourself up when you're having one of "those" days? Do you like to be around people when you're in a bad mood?

Unrelated Funnies

A Snow Spell

I might try this tonight...


Ah Cul de Sac. Always so attuned to what I'm feeling at any given moment!

Are YOU a picky eater?

Today's Cul de Sac by Richard Thompson:

Alice's Rant

Giggle-worthy

A Lesson from the Terrifying Uh-Oh Baby

My current favorite comic strip is Cul de Sac by Richard Thompson. It's hilarious! This week, Alice and her friends were terrorized by the Uh-Oh Baby. I posted some of my favorites from this week, so you can laugh along with me (if my blogscreen cuts off the right side, just click on the picture for a full view):





I started to wonder: what is it that makes the Uh-Oh Baby so terrifying? The fact that it goes around ominously anticipating doom? Or is it just letting them know something bad happened? Is it that the baby can't seem to say anything else? Or that the baby is so adamant about its gruesome message?

Possibly, the baby is scary for all of these reasons. After all, there must be something to look forward to or feel happy about, right? Do each of us play the part of the Uh-Oh Baby from time to time? Shouldn't we be counting our blessings instead of our hardships? There's only so much doom and gloom a person (okay, me) can listen to before they (again, me) want to run from the room screaming.

Everyone has problems, and heaven knows I need someone to listen to me complain every once in awhile, but I hope that I can find something in every day and every situation to be grateful for. Often, I can even find positive lessons within my hardships, and those are the most valued blessings of all. I think I'll work on those a little bit more.

On the flip side though, I want to pick that cartoon Uh-Oh Baby up and give it a big hug and tell it everything will be okay. Sometimes all I can do for a loved one during their bad day is listen and offer hugs. And sometimes when I'm having a bad day all I need is someone to listen and to love me. Sad indeed is the Uh-Oh Baby that everyone runs away from. Guess the secret is to offer Uh-Ohs in moderation, and to remember that no bad day can last forever.

So, the next time I feel like an Uh-Oh Baby, I'll seek out someone I trust for a hug, and make more of an effort to follow the advice of that wonderfully cheesy hymn:

When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings; name them one by one
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings; every doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you his wealth untold.
Count your many blessings; money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven nor your home on high.

So amid the conflict whether great or small
Do not be discouraged; God is over all!
Count your many blessings; angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey's end.

Count your blessings, name them one by one.
Count your blessings, see what God has done.
Count your blessings, name them one by one.
Count your many blessings, see what God has done.

Clapping Skills

On Tuesdays, the Deseret News prints part of a serialized children's book that parents can read to their kids or whatever. They've been printing Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary for the past couple of months, and I really enjoyed getting to know her again. They are the first books I remember reading over and over. Man, Aunt Bea was cool. I wish I were more like her sometimes.

I missed last week's installment, so imagine my sadness to find that it was the LAST CHAPTER! Boo! Oh, well. I need to borrow all of them from the library anyway.

Fortunately, I've discovered a new comic strip. It's not often I laugh out loud, but today I did! See what you think:

Cul de Sac by Richard Thompson


I don't know who the kid on the left is, but he made my day!