Not a Good Day
Posted by: onebagnation on: July 19, 2008
It’s late on Saturday evening. My daughter is asleep, my husband is upstairs reading and I finally have a quiet moment to sit and write a post.
It’s been a long week. Between my new job and my daughter’s summer camp schedule, I’ve felt like everything is falling apart around here. It all came to a head yesterday: I was throwing a small party in the evening and I had a lot to do. I looked around and there were the messy piles on my desk (again); I couldn’t find something I needed for an event; there was (and still is) a basket of clean laundry to put away; I had forgotten to send in some paperwork for Girl Scout camp; blah blah blah . . .
My evening ended with ranting and raving at my husband – “other people don’t live like this” – and I went to bed feeling awful.
I had to get up early to run in a 5K and I think that saved me. Nothing like a burst of endorphins to lift your spirits. We ended up having a really fun family day, and had some friends over to finish off the Sangria and food left from Friday’s party.
I feel much better, but I think I need to re-evaluate my commitments and my schedule for the next few weeks so I don’t have more days like yesterday. The summer is too short to spend it feeling cranky and out of control!
13 Responses to "Not a Good Day"
July 20, 2008 at 9:19 am
“other people don’t live like this”
I beg to differ. I think most people love like this!
Glad you’re feeling better. Don’t be so hard on yourself.
July 20, 2008 at 9:43 am
You have a kid, you have a husband, you have a home, you have a job, you have a blog, you have friends . . . I’d say you’re doing great.
July 20, 2008 at 9:56 am
I’m with Vered. Oh ya, baby, other people do live like this! And when I do, I can feel my angst building. Now I try and give my head a shake, and remind myself that life is way too short to worry about piles of papers, and unfolded laundry.
Speaking of which, I am off to do another load of laundry. The Urbane Lion had to go commando to a dinner party last night *grin*
July 20, 2008 at 5:58 pm
@Kelly: yikes, a cranky weekend starting on Wednesday! I hope you’re out of your funk now.
@Vered: that’s what my husband says, too, and I suppose you’re right.
@Marelisa: thank you! I need to remember I have a lot going on and a lot to be thankful for.
@Panther: OK, so I had to check with my husband about what “going commando” means LOL. Yes, it’s hard not to give in to the rising anxiety – especially if you’re out of clean underwear 
July 20, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Hi Ann,
NO ONE can do it all, even if it looks like they do. Concentrate on what’s really important, and the rest will wait.
Glad to hear you’re feeling better!
July 21, 2008 at 7:57 pm
@Barbara: today I talked with a mom who said she hasn’t turned in any of her camp paperwork in on time all summer – and I thought she had it all together! It’s good to know I’m not alone. . .
August 4, 2008 at 4:09 am
What IS it about camp paperwork? I don’t think it’s because I don’t want them to go away for a couple of weeks. (I really DO. It’s OK. We WILL survive while they are gone!)
When my DD was about 10 I realized that we didn’t have her medical form filled out – one hour before leaving for Girl Scout camp on a Sunday. She HAD been for her physical, everything was fine, I just hadn’t gotten the medical release filled out.
I don’t think relations in this house had ever been colder when I whispered the news to my husband. Brrrr!
We finally got a friend who was almost a Nurse Practitioner to help us forge the documents. No names here.
I still haven’t learned – three kids later, I sent DS off to camp last month with a hastily-scribbled “Tell us someting about your child so the counselors can know him better” essay. I included a school photo with long hair – with a note “He’s looked like this for three years but he buzzed it all off last Friday. Sorry we don’t have a current photo, but you’ll recognize the same unbrushed teeth . . . “
August 4, 2008 at 11:03 am
Hi Anita: when we got to camp last week, they didn’t even ask for the MD report they had “required” me to bring, nor did it seem they read any of the copious paperwork I filled out. I wasn’t pleased . . .
August 7, 2008 at 5:35 am
I have come to realize that a lot of the time the anxiety and stress I feel comes from my own (unrealistic) expectations, giving rise to thoughts like, “other people don’t live like this!” or “I should have done ____ so I wouldn’t be in this mess.” While the latter thought can be helpful in terms of reminding me to step back and do more advance planning, I think that the self-flagellation doesn’t help. I should (that word again!) just keep a running list of things I observe need doing so I won’t be in a jam in the future, and just keep plugging along. It needs to be more neutral, I think. As for paperwork, I still haven’t filled out my daughter’s 8-page “family history” form for school next year, due June 1. I decided the sky would not collapse, and lo and behold, it hasn’t. This is very unlike me (not the procrastination but the nonchalance). I think it’s healthy, though subversive. Good luck to all of us as the school year begins!
August 7, 2008 at 6:19 am
Hi Sonora: I agree, the self-criticism doesn’t help, but I fall into it so easily. And that school paperwork is just awful! Last year (kindergarten) I was really on top of it, but I wonder if I’ll be more lax this year because it will be “old hat”.
August 7, 2008 at 6:29 am
My older child is almost 10, so yes, perhaps being lax this summer is due to “old-hat” syndrome. I’m pretty good about the medical forms, though. And I’ve learned to fill out the afterschool signup sheet ASAP as once he almost didn’t get into his beloved chess because I waited until the due day to turn it in. (Turns out it’s first-come, first-served.) So much of the delay has to do with the dreaded decision-making process. I am working on being more decisive.
August 7, 2008 at 8:59 am
Sonora: You’re exactly right about the decision-making; I’ve even heard that from the organizing “experts” and I know it’s true in my case, or I’m just procrastinating like on doctor appts (for me), that sort of thing.
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July 19, 2008 at 11:16 pm
Oh, do I ever hear you! I’ve had a cranky weekend so far too… it started on Wednesday! Here’s to Sangria…