The Golden Mean

I had a lovely weekend, and as I went to bed last night I reviewed my itinerary to see just what it was that made it so pleasant.

• I spent time with friends (seeing the latest Star Trek movie at the Alamo with Brian Friday night and dinner Saturday with Rachel, Ben, Brian, and Jack), 
• I did things for myself (working out, haircut and errand running Saturday morning), 
• I accomplished items on my to do list (craft projects not for a show but instead for a certain nephew who's turning three)
• I served (substitute teaching in RS Sunday and attending an enrichment planning meeting)
• I cleaned my house,
• and I didn't fret about my sleep schedule because I knew that I only had 3.5 days of school left so going to bed at 10:30 didn't feel like the end of the world.

As I suspected, it was a well-balanced weekend.  This kind of schedule - one that allows me to have time to myself, time with others, and time for others - works well for me.  The weekend was a break from work, a chance to accomplish things I enjoy and things that make me feel good.  It's a golden time of year when I have enough work to feel accomplished, yet not so much that it takes over my life.   A golden and a rare time - in the 2012-2013 school year it lasted about 3 weeks total.

Of course the challenge is how to find such balance on a regular basis.  Summer is just as daunting as the school year - there's so much time to fill and flying close to the sea is just as dangerous as flying close to the sun.

I'm working on it, though.


P.S. You fellow crafters are probably curious about the aforementioned projects, and I will post more details after the birthday party.  Granted, the nephew does not read my blog, but I think we all know the presents are just as much for Rachel's reaction as they are for Jack's.

Just for fun, though, here's a glimpse: