Perhaps I Should Plan for Fun

It's been a long two weeks since I last blogged, and as much as I really, really, really (Really!) wanted to make a couple of blog posts, time just hasn't opened up for me to blog. I've been really under the gun with all sorts of things coming from all sorts of directions all the time. Just a sampler of what I've been up to:

• Interviewed my brother and a senior citizen, then wrote a 5-page paper for my Adolescent Psychology class
• Had a formal observation from the School Board as a part of a school-wide walk-through
• Gave our final Parishwide Assessment before the iLEAP standardized tests
• Wrote a Unit Assessment Plan for my Assessment class
• Taught a unit on mythology to classes full of disinterested students
• Gave essay tests on said mythology unit
• Became our school's pointman for our Promethean board installation
• Completed a unit of my Educational Technology course
• Wrote a model test for my Assessment class
• Began History Bee practice for the St. Mary Parish History Bee in May
• Finally (!!!) completed the installation of a wired FM modulator for my car

Yeah, my life is completely mad at the moment. We're headed for the stretch run of the school year, and I am really getting stressed out, and to be completely honest, I think I'm getting to the breaking point. This past week I did nothing after coming home from work/class but shower and collapse into my bed for ten-plus hours of sleep. I wake up the next day dead tired only to trudge through the day for a long period of time before I was really awake and running. Part of it was that I was trying to overcome a nasty head cold, but still, this past week felt like a giant red flag was raised for me to see and say "You know, I may just need to take a breather and catch my breath."

The problem is, how the heck am I supposed to do that?

This is one of those times where I can hear my mom standing behind me telling me to stop being dumb because I know how to have fun and enjoy myself, but right now everything I normally find to be fun and enjoyable involves me being at home alone. I really enjoy watching the English Premier League soccer, but it isn't as though I can put on my Arsenal shirt and scarf, hop in my car and drive to the local British-themed pub, order a non-alcoholic drink (I am a proper Evangelical, you know), and taunt Liverpool FC supporters for several hours. There's virtually zero interest in the game around here, and on the occasions I went to Lafayette and tried to get a TV screen at the sport-themed restaurants, I got laughed at. I will credit two of my colleagues, the affable Mr. Schmidt and Mrs. Smith, for dragging me out of my dungeon and letting me spend time with them and their respective families. It feels really weird to go to someone's place and be entertained because my family never did any of that growing up, and it is definitely a growing process for me.

Even as great as it is, I feel like I need to break out of a very deep rut I've found myself in. I'm at a point where I just can't find anything to blow off steam. I used to be very good at managing large amounts of stress, and just less the pressure diffuse over time, but I'm now at a point in my life where that just isn't acceptable. I need some stress-relieving activities that I can fit into life and I need get going on them. I'm kind of stumped. Any ideas?

Until next time.