the art of relaxation

I don't really miss school, only a little. I miss buying supplies. The notebooks and paper, and dividers, but most importantly, the pens. I could spend hours picking out pens and would like to have several different styles / thickness / colors for different moods or a different day's notes.

But that is beside the point. Usually while you're in school, there's homework to be done, and books to be read and things to think about when you're not in class. Trying to work and go to school is very time consuming. When I wasn't in school, I would be working and when I wasn't working, I'd be thinking about school and / or studying (or, more than likely, fitting in some play time, while thinking about trying to motivate myself to study). But now that I am done with school, it is strange for me to come home from work and not have to bring home anything about work or school. I come home and I'm done. It's so nice to have evenings off and now that I'm working 3 12 hour shifts I'll have days to ski and play and run errands it'll be great.

But, even though I don't have school work hovering in the back of my head, I still have lists of things that need to get done and things like skiing and DDR that I want to do. However, what if I don't want to do anything? What if I want to spend all day inside, reading or watching movies, or crocheting or whatever? At home, there is always things to do, and errands to be run that make it hard to just relax. But last weekend, I had a great time doing not much of anything up at my family's cabin in Oakley. My 16 year old brother, Thayne, and his friends were there, and they played outside, building sledding jumps, ski jumps and just wresteling in the snow for hours and still went back out later after dinner. I was amazed at thier level of energy, and remembered, that I used to be like that. Is it maturity or laziness that made me enjoy doing a lot of nothing? I'd like to think maturinty. On a somewhat cloudy, overcast day the thought of cuddling under a blanket (preferably with a cute boy) and reading was way more appealing. I finished a book, made a leather braclet, started a couple beanies, took a bath and a nap and I loved it. I did get out for a good cross country ski, which did feel good to get outside a little, but I did have a couple anxious thoughts of "I know there is something else that I should be doing" but for the most part, I was able to turn it off and enjoy the stuff that I don't make time for. I love being outside and skiing and getting stuff done, but there is definately a time and a place just to hang, and it was awesome to have the chance to just turn off that "you need to be doing something else" part of my brain and just have a good weekend. Thanks Martin Luther King Jr. for making this weekend possible!