Stop the Treadmill, I Want to Get Off!

Do you ever feel like you're on a treadmill and someone keeps upping the speed and you can't seem to slow it down and you can't get off the damn thing, either? That's where I am right now, running as fast as my little legs can go, desperately trying not to fall off.

September, and so far, October have been insanely busy, and November isn't looking much better. And don't mention holiday shopping! Hubby and I have a non-profit foundation (in addition to my day job and this writing gig), and September included a historical fashion show fundraiser. Two weeks later I had a surprise birthday bash for Hubby. Last Saturday we had a new event for us, the Halloweener Derby, and this weekend we host our 10th annual sports camp for kids with cancer. Next weekend is Hubby's big Rotary Club fundraiser. In the meantime, I received my revisions from my editor for Dreams of Her Own.

And did I mention I have a day job?

Some days it's all I can do to hold onto the treadmill hand rails while the belt goes round and round at ever increasing speeds.

There is a glimmer of hope on the horizon, however. I have a couple of work holidays coming in the next two weeks, and I think I might just tack on some vacation days. Hang out at home with Hubby, sleep in, maybe catch a movie. Nothing big. Nothing fancy. Just a little down time.

If I survive 'til then.

Life in the Fast Lane

Whew! I almost missed my Thursday blog post! Life's been a bit out of control the last few weeks. I threw a surprise party for my hubby last week, which was months in the planning, and had a houseful of out-of-town guests who came to the party. I'm working on the revisions from my editor for Dreams of Her Own, due out at the end of the year. The day-job has been a little insane, and I have two community events in as many weeks. Not to mention all the regular stuff that has to get done on a day-to-day basis. I don't even want to THINK about the upcoming holidays.

Do you ever wonder why events seem to converge into a narrow window of time? You can go for weeks or even months just bumping along at a steady pace, and then WHAM! Three, four, five things are crammed into a short period. Even if they're all good, the stress can take a toll on you.

As an introvert, I crave downtime. Alone time. Me time. And when life gets crazy, and I don't get that, I turn into a bitch, um, grouch. Just ask my hubby -- he'll tell you.

What do you do when life piles it on? Do you thrive under the pressure, or cave like a cheap suitcase?  What helps you cope?