I was exhausted entering the holiday season. I think two straight months of cleaning and decluttering a 5-person house will do that to anyone. But the two holiday weeks–even with the cooking and such–were restorative. I needed that restful time, the reading, creating, sleeping late (by which I mean 8 am versus 6:15), the indoor days. Although I wasn’t keen on returning to the regular schedule this week, with its early mornings, lots of driving time, and schooling the 10yo, I do feel energized and ready to take it all on.
“All” includes a five-week after-school program at my kids’ school built around the Art Together zines. This has been in the works–originally scheduled for the fall–but with one thing and another it started this week. This is a Very Good Thing. I really enjoy working with kids in this way, and it’s a good experience for me as well. The group is larger than I anticipated, so I conscripted both my boys to help out. They are wonderful at this–they’ve both helped out in these settings before, and they know the materials and the activities. They are extra hands to fetch clean water or more paint or even answer questions. We started with the color wheel and color mixing this week. I just have all good feelings about all of it, for everybody involved.
I’ve also stocked up on library books as I begin researching the next issue of Art Together.
This is one of my favorite parts, y’all.
I received a metal stamping kit for Christmas, and I’ve been making talismans for some folks I know….
I have more to make. Bit by bit.
And finally, I paid for a membership to the University athletic complex again, month by month this winter (because who knows when we might move??), so I can run on their indoor track. I like running. I do not like cold. Every time I see a runner outside all bundled up I feel a little guilty, but…I run because it’s pleasurable. Running IS the means to the end. I’m not doing it for any other outcome but to enjoy the running, and running in bitter cold is more akin to torture for me, and I’m not into suffering, really. (On the flip side, unlike many, I don’t mind running in 95% humidity in the summer. To each his own.) So I’d rather pay the monthly fee and run indoors in shorts and a t-shirt, even if running perfectly flat circles gets a little boring–it’s warm and dry and the air doesn’t hurt my lungs and I start running and I can’t help smiling. Also, since it’s indoors, I’ll listen to music, which I won’t do while running on the road, when I want to hear approaching cars. So it’s a different sort of workout but it still clears my brain and gets me moving and I love it. Which is the whole, entire point of running for me.
So. How is your 2015 starting out?