What it means to be busy

So first, I was wrong when I said it wouldn't get above freezing until March or April, because Friday and Saturday were like spring here – all the snow melted. However, everything is frozen again today and there is a light coating of snow, so I suppose it's back to normal. If you want one perspective on what the weather is like here, check out this rant. Apparently some people were offended (not as much by the language– though this probably shouldn't be played around children– as by the general negative sentiment toward Saskatchewan), but I find it extremely funny.

The last day of classes here is December 4, and then there is a two-week period of final exams. I feel like the next two weeks are ridiculously busy, and I have a little bit of trouble figuring out how I am actually going to accomplish everything I need to get done. I have a list with dates, prioritizing things and noting deadlines, and somehow if I work pretty solidly for the next little while I should be able to get the most important things done, but it is a bit overwhelming at times.

On the other hand, being this busy means that I am capable of being this busy. My capacity for doing things continues to improve, partly because I'm figuring out how to better manage my limitations, partly because Jeff has gotten into a rhythm with doing all the things he does because of my limitations, and partly because I am slowly continuing to get better. When I think of how things were a year ago, I can't really do a lot of things now that I couldn't then, but I am doing more of the things I can do.

For example, I am still part of the Regina Newcomers Club, and go to a couple of the social events held by the club each month. This is not different from one year ago. But now I am also a member of the executive committee for the club, coordinating membership and the new member nights. Volunteering in this capacity adds much more time and responsibility to my activities with this group.

Everything is kind of like that – instead of one graduate student I have two, instead of one honours student I have two, I am on a huge number of student thesis committees, I am on a university employment equity consultative committee, a committee with the Saskatchewan College of Psychologists, a departmental committee, I proposed a new psychotherapy skills group for graduate students and am heading that up, I am seeing a client as part of my teaching duties, the number of research projects I am involved in has increased exponentially since last December, and probably lots of other things that I'm not thinking of right now.

Two years ago, I was probably doing about a tenth of what I'm doing now. Even one year ago, I was doing probably 1/2 to 2/3 of what I'm doing now. And the thing is, I think probably even three years ago or five years ago, when I was perfectly able-bodied and had none of the limitations that I have now, I wouldn't have been able to keep up with the pace that I'm keeping now. I think that with all of my limitations I have had to learn to be more efficient in much of what I do, and where I'm limited in some arenas, I'm probably shifting energy and focus into places where I'm not limited.

This is my only explanation at the moment, and I hope it is a good enough way of thinking about things to prevent me from seriously crashing and burning in the next couple of weeks :-)