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finding balance [at least i'm working on it]

picnic

i often feel like if i stop for one minute i'll shut down and i won't be able to start back up. and then like a house of cards everything would tumble and i'll live up to the flaky artist stereotype that drives me crazy. but luckily i have a husband who misses me - and who tells me that my priorities are sometimes screwy.

we had the most amazing weather this weekend. what we usually have in fall. sun, warmth, slight breeze.... not too hot, not too cold - bust out the summer shoes weather. and D insisted we picnic.

so i gave up the laptop [after doing my traffic school course] and i stopped grading and we listened to baseball and i lay in the grass with the dogs and cats.

i don't know why i feel like i have to be forced or given permission to take a break, but.... it's OK to not get to every blog, or every friend's photo on flickr, or write a 2 page response to a 2 page paper.... i don't feel slighted when people disappear for awhile and weave back in. it's all part of life. i'm a slow learner in this area, but i'm trying i really am.

tonka

just because tonka wanted to say hi to everyone....

michale a salter

and this is the 22 foot tall bot i was talking about a few posts back michael salter is a very cool artist. i'm really glad i got to meet him and see his work.
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Camilla Engman said…
I guess we all feel the same way about the web but also about Tonka :) Give me a Tonka and do it now!
Tue Apr 15, 11:38:00 AM PDT
Anonymous said…
good for you!
i do find the older i get the more guilty i feel when taking time to "just hang out."
if i take the time to sit on the couch on watch a movie or tv i always feel like i also need to be catching up on email or knitting or doing something "productive."
yourpicnic looks lovely and was a much deserved break!
and your puppy! omg the cutest thing ever.
Tue Apr 15, 12:40:00 PM PDT
Anonymous said…
I know that feeling and am starting to think it really does take a whole lifetime to find perfect balance. Be easy on yourself and take all the breaks you need! Hi to Tonka & D, too!
Tue Apr 15, 12:50:00 PM PDT
Anonymous said…
Life is all about finding that nice balance, huh? Over the weekend I accomplished little in terms of "work", but it felt SO good. Now I feel refreshed and ready to "work". Sometimes we need our loved ones to pull us away [that's what the boys + Appah do for me]. ;)

Have a fantastic week!!
Tue Apr 15, 02:03:00 PM PDT
shari said…
good reminders about finding balance. tonka is the cutest and that robot. wow. your picnic seems so fun. hope your week is lovely. xoxo
Tue Apr 15, 03:31:00 PM PDT
jen said…
such a lovely post, lisa. sounds like a delightful time. thanks for sharing.
p.s. tonka is so cute!
xoxo
Tue Apr 15, 03:45:00 PM PDT
bugheart said…
i am glad
d
is there
to tell you
to stop
and take
a little
picnic.
i often feel
like a house
of cards
waiting for
the wind
to take me down.
must
keep
going.
xoxo
Tue Apr 15, 05:57:00 PM PDT
Andrea Tachezy said…
Tonka is sooo lovely!
Tue Apr 15, 11:47:00 PM PDT
Esti said…
I understand your feeling too. I feel I need to do more than one thing at a time. I feel that if I only have one thing on my mind, then I'm losing energy. And this goes on forever. Cheers to all the Ds in the world!
Wed Apr 16, 03:14:00 AM PDT
Ana said…
I can so relate to what you said that sometimes the thought of slowing down just scares you because you might not start up again, I'm the same way but I have learned it's really important to just sllllllloooowwww down and appreciate things, moments, people, etc....

Love the robots and OH WOW I'm in love with Tonka!!!!

Be well.
Wed Apr 16, 05:01:00 AM PDT
/// said…
OK man. Everytime I see Tonka I want to smother him with love. If you EVER need a pet-sitter, I'd fly to SF to watch the little one! :)
Wed Apr 16, 11:34:00 AM PDT
Anonymous said…
Finding balance can be so hard to master... I often feel the same way. At the moment, I'm in the midst of trying to stay afloat.

Beautiful spring-saturated pics,
hugs, g xo
Wed Apr 16, 04:50:00 PM PDT
Tiffany said…
Balance seems to be a big topic lately. I was just talking to my friend about how when work starts to take precidence and I have no choice but to drift away, I often feel like I'm missing out on so much because I'm not finding the balance - crafty/quilty/painty/bloggy time vs. outdoor-prepping-for-spring-planting time vs. working-inside-chained-to-a-desk-missing-the-daylight-hours time.

the pinic looks splendid!
Wed Apr 16, 06:03:00 PM PDT
amisha said…
amen to all of this. why is it so hard to remember sometimes... but then when the break comes (and e does that for me too-- hey honey why don't you just *relax* and don't worry about multitasking while you do it...) it feels so so good.
the picnic looks like great fun! we have been having crazy gorgeous weather here too and it's making me nuts because when i bring my books outside to study, i just end up gazing off into a tree or daydreaming or just sitting, heavy-eyed, warm and cozy... and sadly breaktime is still 3 weeks away... so i have to lock myself in the library :(
xox
Wed Apr 16, 09:07:00 PM PDT
Anonymous said…
i have been feeling this way so ofen lately, and your insight is just beautiful. i hope there are many more sunny picnics ahead for you (before the summer fog arrives). your little patch of grass looks perfect. and tonka looks perfect... and the robot looks perfect. that too.
Thu Apr 17, 11:05:00 PM PDT
Anonymous said…
I guess all of us are trying to achieve some kind of balance in our lives, I'm glad D is there to help you shift that axis a little close to the centre. Sounds like the picnic did wonders and, I just LOVE this photo of tonka. * impressive robot installation.
Fri Apr 18, 01:45:00 AM PDT
Elizabeth Soule said…
You take breaks?!?! Just kidding, I feel the same way. I don't like disappoint people and work long hours and spend too long working on things that don't need to be done at the moment. And I feel flaky and it annoys me to know end when I send a "sorry it has taken me so long, I just got slammed email". Oh, and if I could just take it down a notch or two, the boyfriend thinks I run on pure stress. : ) It makes me glad to know I'm not the only one.
Hope you enjoyed the weather and your time relaxing. It's a good reminder as to why we do what we do.
Fri Apr 18, 07:13:00 AM PDT
Anonymous said…
oh yes, i feel like i'm in hyper-mode most of the time, trying to do as much as i possibly can every day. it is exhausting sometimes! i feel guilty taking breaks, too, or leaving something undone.... i think there's a fine line between being self-motivated and freakishly obsessed with working all the time (perfection maybe...?) Thanks for the post-- it reminds me that it's ok to stop once in a while and just enjoy the moment. :)
Sat Apr 19, 05:32:00 AM PDT
Anonymous said…
there is so much talk about finding balance around our blogs right now. I feel it too, its why I've drastically cut back on blog reading/commenting. I hope you find your balance, its good to evaluate where life is at once in a while. Being in front of the computer is not necessarily living life for me,I have to remember that sometimes.
Mon Apr 21, 11:02:00 AM PDT
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