Dreamer’s World September 21, 2017 – Forcing Myself Back To Normal, Whatever That Is

There are times when I find myself struggling to keep a consistent train of thought as I write. I have decided that I will revert to an old trick. I will make a list of things that strike me and then fill in those sections throughout the day. I hope that this will keep me focused and on topic, rather than rambling all over the place. It can be hard enough to stay focused at the best of times. Recently, I have been pulled in so many directions that I need this discipline to keep me focused on writing.

We all find ourselves struggling as we write, I know that I do. Writing is something that drives us from within, and those who have never felt the urge to write find this difficult to understand. With a busy life that demands our attention, it is so easy to let things like writing fade into the background and eventually just drop out of our lives altogether. I don’t want that to happen to me without a fight!

The daily struggle to write comes at a time when I am looking to make things better around here. For some reason, I feel as if I am treading water in my life. I know that this is just not true, but I have failed to take the time for myself and reflect on how much progress I have made over the last year. It is the failure to see the forest due to the trees syndrome to be quite honest. I need to set time aside each day or so to reflect on how things were going in comparison to the past when they weren’t as good as they are today.

I have been making progress at work and home. The list of accomplishments is impressive to me, although some might find it rather mundane. My life has gotten more complicated since Hal can no longer drive. My schedule became more flexible because of this, and while it does add some variety and spice to the day while I am working from home, it can also be a hassle to deal with last-minute things that Hal needs to take care of.

    Work is going along nicely. I have acquired some additional responsibilities and am learning the best way to approach them and incorporate them into my daily routine. There is a learning curve to these new parts of my job, but that has the benefit of engaging my mind and keeping me more alert. It also makes it clear to me that I am a valued employee and that gives me a sense of job satisfaction.

    On the personal side, I am looking forward to getting into the kitchen this evening so I can prepare some pork chops for cooking tomorrow. I have to mix up the marinade sauce and then let the chops soak overnight to get the flavor just right. I always get a little excited when I am going to cook because I know that it will bring forth dinners together with Hal rather than us grabbing something independently. I need the time together with him because he spends most of the day in another room so he won't disturb me while I am working here at home.

    I have a list of ideas for side dishes to go with the pork chops but those will be prepared tomorrow as I cook the chops in the oven. I will leave it to Hal to decide on a nice wine to enjoy with the meal, and I am certain that we will have to make at least one trip to the grocery store for something that we have forgotten. As long as I don’t cook too much at one time, we should be OK.

    The Stooges are all doing well. Hal The Cat spends most of his days sleeping nearby as I work. Occasionally, he will venture out onto the balcony to enjoy the weather and check out his world. Spartacus and Stevie Nicks usually spend most of their time in other rooms as well as the balcony. On rare occasions, there will be a fight between two of The Stooges, but they never last long, and they scatter if Hal or I have to investigate too much noise around the apartment. Thankfully, The Stooges quickly forget what they were fighting about and usually end up together in peace and harmony within a short time.

    Hal (person) keeps himself busy around the apartment during the day. Right now he is doing some laundry and cleaning in other rooms as I work and write. Thankfully the first meeting of the day was a quick one, and I have almost an hour until I have to conduct the meeting that I host just before lunchtime. I believe that my lunch today will be a turkey sandwich and some chips as well as some pickles. That will get me through the rest of the day here.

    As far as the outside world that is not directly related to work, I am continuing my media boycott to preserve my sanity. I have enough to do here and now without making myself crazy with things that I cannot control. If my job required me to focus on current events, that would be fine, but it is not the case. I need my mental energies for the job I have. My priorities have to take precedence over my desires.

    There are times during the day when work takes a back seat to life. Stevie Nicks can make anything look elegant.