i don't think i've ever been as busy with non-work things as i have been these last two weeks. it will continue for one week more, at least. it's so odd, because work is actually slow these days. i got plenty of cases on my desk, but as opposing counsel, judges, and clients disappear for some holiday-related vacation, most of my work has stalled as i wait for one or more of those people to return. for the last week, i have mostly been dredging through THE PILE. THE PILE is a pile of things that i never had time to deal with before, a real chamber of neglected horrors. nothing in THE PILE is a serious problem (the work can only enter THE PILE if there is no real deadline). but there usually is a reason i originally tossed a particular piece of work into THE PILE rather than just doing it. so dealing with THE PILE, while a good thing to do now and then is a real slog. procrastination is always a tempting option (you may note from the time stamps of my blogging that i have been doing most of my posts during work hours lately). at least i don't have to stay late at work these days.
when i leave work, however, i've been crazy busy. i've had an executive board meeting, several holiday parties, a bowling party where we did not bowl, arabic study sessions, the arabic final exam and post-exam boozing with classmates, dental appointments, a sneak preview of monster, people coming over to play board games, a birthday brunch for my mother, and, of course, the opening night viewing of return of the king. tonight, we are hosting another holiday party at our apartment, followed by my firm's party tomorrow night, then we wake up bright and early saturday to fly to minnesota to visit my father-in-law and assorted family members. we fly back from minnesota monday night, i go to work on tuesday, the next day we leave again for central pennsylvania to spend christmas with my mother-in-law and another bunch of my wife's family.
that brings me to sunday, december 28th. after that, things may finally calm down. or maybe not. our post-12/28 time is filling up fast. every time some new social event comes up we push it back to the other side of christmas when we will finally have time. except that soon we won't have time. there is no escape from this cycle
don't get me wrong. all of the things that are keeping me busy are fun (except for the dental appointments. damn that sweet tooth of mine!). i am enjoying myself. but i am also wearing down. i've barely seen my wife over the past few days (last night i didn't get home until 12:30, only to wake up early this morning for work). it's been weeks since i simply left work and went home without having guests show up or immediately leaving for somewhere else. at least in minnesota there will be some down time.
but blogging. well, i've only been able to continue with my erratic posting lately because work is slow. when i go away to various in-laws, it will likely stop. i really can't blog when i should be spending quality time with the relatives. i realize i also said that i might not be able to blog when i was in uzbekistan, but then ended up posting a lot. yeah, i was a dirty liar back then. but this time i really mean it. i just hope that my political rants don't build up to dangerous levels in my brain when i have no blogging outlet.
