Life, of late, has been on the crazy side. I've kept telling myself to pull through to June 20th and then I can see where the dust settles and take things from there. In actuality, I am looking forward to Tuesday night, June 15th, when I officially leave town for the Pacific Northwest Quaker Women's Theology Conference. True, I am giving a workshop, speaking on a young adult plenary panel, and am reading my piece from "Spirit Rising" during a book party, oh, and I am one of two vollunteer coordinators, but with the way things are right now, I still consider this a break. Scary huh?
For the last several weeks, I have been working on packing up my old apartment, moving to a new one in another part of town, cleaning the old one, and then unpacking and SERIOUSLY lightening my load in the new one. That's been a great process to go through and one I am sure I will be writing about. I have also been working every day for the schools which is fantastic of course, it has just meant work by day, moving by night and a lot of things that have needed to be done, got pushed away for a couple of weeks. It has been my lesson in learning sometimes we dissapoint people and that is okay, sometimes balls do get dropped which leads to lesson number 2: I have been juggling way too many balls.
With "Spirit Rising" now out and selling, I sold 12 this morning at West Hills Friends Church, and the new apartment in some level of order, the school year is ending, and the conference approaching, I feel the pressure just beginning to ebb. I have been a tight metal spring, wound way too tight. I met with my editors yesterday and am looking forward to writing my poetry again, to releasing all that pressure and starting anew. I am hoping at the conference I'll have time for hiking, writing, talking with friends, speaking, and just getting to do what I do best. A deep and slow breath. I have to admit, I'm bringing my computer too as I'm hoping to get some things on here taken care of as well which will definately help the stress levels. But relaxation will come first. I'm hoping to blog too as I understand there is internet I can connect to.