Coming and Going...

Although it's probably like this every year and I just don't remember, I'm going through this intense not-being-at-home phase. And it's catching up with me...

I guess it started with Mom's surgery, which was an unexpected time away. And then there was the last second wedding invite - to a wedding in Boston, which I made work in my schedule (leave MA at 9 to be back for demo rehearsal at 4 - no problem!). And this past weekend was the Brattleboro Ball with a waltz in Whately the next day (home Sunday at midnight, work on Monday - no problem!). And Thanksgiving is nigh, the Philadelphia Ball following, and then possibly NYC the weekend after that. Crazy.

And yes, I'm "home" all week, meaning I sleep in my own bed, but home is always a relative term. Most of those nights I'm out dancing or teaching. My one free night at home usually takes me and my laptop elsewhere to work on dance programs, etc., in more distraction-free places like the library (also home to free wireless - thank you Mayor Nutter for keeping my two local branches open...).

So what falls through the cracks:

-Housecleaning - oh-so-easy to avoid
-Making/eating dinner at home
-Grocery shopping in a non-piecemeal way
-Crafts
-House projects
-Adequate sleep

I have these notions of a life more home-centered. I want to entertain. I want to work on the house and make it feel more like mine. I want to do all of those things on the list (okay, I don't want to clean), but I think the thing that overwhelmingly stops me is that I don't prefer to do any of those things alone. I love being with people, so I leave the house at a whiff of socializing, and try to fit in the house stuff in the small gaps of time, or when absolutely deadline driven.

So, how do single, extroverted people stay motivated to do solo tasks? How can you get people to keep you company over unglamourous projects when everyone's life is over-scheduled? Do I re-prioritize, or get more comfortable with the fact that my life is not home-centered and that it will take me longer than seven months to get my house in order. Because, give up one of my nights out? How would I do that.

So while I ponder, I will continue to work on that 'don't choose, do both' theory in my whole life, rather than in just my dance life...