I had planned to spend all of today working. I flew into Minneapolis yesterday, and then took a bus to Menomonie, Wisconsin, and the whole way here I was planning how today I’d do nothing but catch up on paperwork.
When I’m teaching/travelling this much things get hairy in my inbox. There’s just a finite number of hours in the day. I’m pretty good at bending those hours to my will, but every once in a while the whole thing gets away from me, the to-do list stretches to two large post-it notes, and I start to feel nervously doomed, and that’s where I am now. I don’t have to lecture until this evening, so I figured I’d get up early, find coffee, and just be dedicated to this laptop. I’d answer email, do the work, get on top of everything that’s gearing up for the Bike Rally. (I know. It’s 43 weeks away, but the Steering Committee is already working and planning.) I wasn’t happy about this plan, but I did like the idea of being (sort of) caught up. I arrived here at the Retreat last night in the dark, made a few calls to get caught up on a few things, and then curled up, accepting that my fate for today was sealed. When I woke up this morning I got myself organized, found some coffee, staggered back to my room for the day of work and threw open the curtains in my room to let in the light and get started.
This was my view. Those are woods and trails and it is a very, very beautiful day in Wisconsin, as much as I tried to resist, I couldn’t. After a few hours I snapped, I took my sock with me, and knit while I had a good long hike.
When I came back, I felt a little guilty, and sat down with my laptop, and told myself that I’m probably going to get way more done because I took that break, and I sincerely hope that’s true, because it’s still really lovely out and I might have to go again.
PS. The astute among you will see that the sock jag has persisted. It’s a good one. All socks, all the time, but I just looked at the calendar and realized that it’s almost Rhinebeck sweater time (if by almost, you understand that I mean I should have started weeks ago.) I have no idea what I’m going to make, but I know I’ll have to start it the minute I get home. Ideas?