I am the family prognosticator. It is my job in the morning to predict whether the kids should be wearing long or short pants. It is my job to look at a child’s crooked teeth and predict whether they need immediate attention or whether natural growth will solve the problem. It is my job to plan ahead and schedule events so that they do not conflict with each other. As part of that last, I must also plan ahead and leave space for events which are not yet scheduled, but are likely to be scheduled for me on short notice.
All of this has been very much on my mind because now is when I am setting up our business/family schedule for the 2010 year. The task has created quite a lot of internal tension for me because it seems like every day an exciting new possibility comes up. Then I have to analyze all over again what we can afford and what we have time to actually do. I have a strong motivation to not over schedule us for next year, because this year was insane. We have to have space between the big events. There has to be time set aside when life can be routine for weeks at a stretch. Every new idea threatens those unscheduled spaces. Howard’s usual answer is “I can do it. I’ll just work harder.” Part of me agrees. We could just work harder and snag up all these opportunities. But no one can run forever without breaking. In this case I am the weaker link. I can not work as hard, or as fast, or as long as he can. And so my limitations place limits on the business. This is not all bad. Not even Howard can run at top speed forever without breaking. I would like him not to break.
This afternoon I sat down with the calendar for next year. I once again looked at the major events and was able to picture how everything would fit. I could see the spaces that I have blocked out for routine. I’m back to feeling like 2010 might be a little less busy than this year. Maybe. I hope. I also spent time planning for our family vacation. That last piece helped everything else snap into perspective a little. The business things are going to take over all the family spaces because I have put a stake in the ground labeled “Family Vacation.” The vacation is not allowed to move. And I don’t think there will be a single businessy thing about it. Just Howard and I and the kids in a hotel near cool things to go see.
So I am feeling better. At least until the next cool thing is presented and I will be called upon to use my predictive powers to decide whether it can be done. My current prediction is that the next shiny option will present itself within the next two weeks.