Ranting at life...Because life can be a pain in the ass

[Reverend]

No really, it's been quite a pain in the ass for me for some time now, and probably all at my own fault too. Stop me if you've heard this before by the way, and remind me that I ought to suck some of this up and keep moving on with life otherwise nothing will ever get done. (There is also an explanation as to where I have been, but that's not really the point, just airing grievances to try and feel better)

So the semester started, and right of the bat, I'm hit with several projects that are taking up my time. First, I have to locate a prehistoric archaeological site that I will be in charge of doing preliminary testing on AND be filling out a State report on my findings. And while it is very interesting to be doing (my current job is archaeoligcal survey's) the actual finding of a site that would pan out is a lot harder than it looks. Despite what you may think, most people aren't jumping for joy when you find a site on their private property, though I have to always explain that I am not trying to halt the building of your Mod-awful McMansion, just attempting to preserve historic and cultural ideas that at this rate will be lost in several decades time never to return. As of this date I am still without a locked-in site.

For a second fun thing to spend all my time on, I'm researching the discrepancies between the media news coverage in the US vs. a foreign country at least one ocean away (currently Japan). So now I'm having to digest mutliple sources of news coverage (one I have to translate) a day to fatten up files for me to eventually reiterate come end of April.

And of course, because everything in this world costs money, I have to fit in time to work, usually the other days I am not in class. This continues to erode that time I'd have for pursuing other activities, which I have to now find time to juggle and I have not been juggling them well, my absence from this board since the beginning of the year speeks to that. (Also, for what it's worth to the people involved in threads I was running, I am sorry that I bolted on you without cause or explanation, like I said I have not been handling my lack of truly free time all that well, it's me and not you.)

As always, life brings baggage with it like an annoying relative who brought a few to many suitcases for a simple one night lay-over. Only a few weeks ago I found myself actually remebering a dream, that itself being odd, but the contents of the dream were me screaming bloody murder at my loved ones. Needless to say I am now trying to work through just what I'd be angry about with them, and the fact I even feel this way about them has me kinda spooked. I've never been one who was good about dealing with any of my own emotion, always trying to be the optomisitic one in the family. Seems that I might have been burying a lot of resentment and petty anger, and that I may have to change that in the future.

And of course, I now have to be thinking ahead to the fall of '05, and where I will be transfering myself to. This means I need to be looking up places now, so I can see them in the summer months, and file transfer papers this fall.

It just seems like I have a list as long as my arms that never shrinks and just keeps growing. It's hard enough to get the stuff done in the day that I do now, and there's MORE?!



How do the rest of you do it? Help a guy out here, what's your trick to keeping from feeling overwhelmed?

[Excel Zero]

Well man here's what I say. I think this is good advice too....

Usually, people are the ones who complicate their own lives. Now that being said, I also have a list like that as well. Between school, military work, the rabbit work that I do with Kiyomi, Coaching my soccer and volleyball team, running this soccer camp and tutoring, I have little time. Not to mention that I need to squeeze in sleep and cooking dinner. It seems that I never have a day off anywhere. Now of course I happen to be married to someone who helps me immensely, but if you are not married lemme throw some things at ya that might help.

1. Find a partner, whether it be marrige, dating, a freind, co worker, fellow student to help take some load off of you. Or at least give you a great chance to vent. It's nice to chat online here but being face to face to a friend is far better.

2. Learn to power nap. A power nap consists of a rest in a totally unlit area, for 15-30 minutes once a day. Find the time of your day when your energy is the worst and take it then if possible.

3. Relax. Just plain relax. Yes that is alot of things for one man to take on but realize that your life is what you make it. You may not know it or want to admit it but there may be something you're filling time with that may not be worth your efforts.

4. Don't try too hard. I find this is one of the biggest problems around. Some people will try too hard to forget or get rid of problems, or try too hard to solve them. There is a time for logic but sometimes you need to just live from the heart.

5. Finally find your passion. It took me years to find this. That one thing that takes a little while, a hobby, sport, whatever that you are just crazy about. Something that makes you smile just thinking about it.

Remember one thing though.....Nothing is impossible

Excel

[Sperrit]

Man, I was wondering what happened to you, Pot. One moment you were here, the other you were gone. Of course, I've done that as well, so I really can't berate you about it, but I was a little concered.
Jeez, that's a lot of stuff, man. I'm curious as to how you got a job in archeological survey, though. Most people just get jobs waiting tables or selling cars. I can only imagine all the snobs you have to deal with when you find a suitable site. That can't be good.
I'd have to agree with Excel about the power-napping. I never knew about the unlit-room part of it, but it can help when you've run out of steam and need a little pick-me up. It's something that I've learned to do well since I have yet to have a quarter at school that's under 18 credits.
As far as time management is concerned I can only tell you what I had to learn through experience: You've got to make choices. Sure, you can run around trying to do everything under the sun but you'll really just end up wearing yourself out and not enjoying any of it. Eventually you'll have to sit down and ask yourself: What is it that's really important to me? What is it that I can cut from my schedule? What could I not live without? Hard questions, these, harder than one might think. However, it was asking these questions that I finally found peace and a direction for my life that I had, until then, lacked. These same questions might just make choosing a school easier as well, though that kind of decision is always difficult.
As far as the dream about your family, that can get complicated. Maybe it was just a dream. Maybe it meant nothing at all. However, if you feel a resonance of truth within it, then it's certainly something you should look at. You can go through your life being mad at your family, but it's exhausting and no fun at all. I know, I've tried.
I wish you the best, Pot. I hope you can find what you're looking for.

Join the Fun

[BWS-1]

Well Rev, I'm currently working on something to forget about financial problems, which leads to more time for yourself/friends/family (and you end up having a healthier life) BUT I have yet to see if it works (gimme 3 or 4 months and I'll come back to you with something)