Busier Than a One Legged Woman in an A** Kicking Contest

   But aren't we all busy? I've got two books coming out this summer, my Science and Technology Encyclopedia came out a few months ago and I'm working on a new book (more on that in a different post). At least Cal Poly finished for the semester and I DO NOT teach summers anymore. Too many books to write! 
    I've published a lot of books the past three years. So many in fact that I recently realized my life was out of whack. All I did was write and teach. Oh, and sleep, but not enough because sleep is hard. Don't get me started. Anyway, I recently decided to try to re-balance my life. Leo (my ruggedly handsome husband) and I rebuilt some of our garden beds and installed some really cool trellises for tomatoes and beans. Then I watched a bunch of "Garden Porn" on Youtube and planted some new stuff. We'll see how that goes. I also bought the world's tiniest amp and a clip on pick-up for my ukuleles so I'd have a new challenge there. And I've begun to make cheese. Emma and I (I'm in Bozeman this week) made a really pretty feta yesterday--it's dry brining for the next few days but it looks promising. 
    What's my point? Is Peg just bragging? Absolutely not. I know so many women who do sooooo many cooler things than me. I have a friend who retired from professing and taught herself to paint. Now she travels the world and paints the loveliest things. It's pretty cool. Or my mother, who after a full career as a nurse practitoner, has become a kayaking, cycling jock (despite a hip and knee replacement). One of the things I admire about women, particularly older women, is their nearly endless ability to re-invent themselves, learn new things and have fresh adventures. That's what novel writing is for me-- a chance to re-invent myself as a story-teller and fiction writer.  
    Anyway, my point is that we're all busy. Every single one of us. But the best sort of people, the happiest sort of people, are the ones who do not let their waged jobs define them. Your 'busy' ought to be more than your job and domestic drudgery. Sure I teach at a university for money, but that doesn't make me a Professor. Or not just a professor. It's what I do to pay the bills. It took me a long time to realize I was more than my job--in fact it took some pretty unhappy stuff at work to get me there. That and listening to my super smart female friends. 
    We're all busy but we're not all happy. I guess that's my point. I think a lot of unhappiness comes from working too hard for the wrong things. So the question becomes: Am I living my best life and if not, what can I do to change? DO! Because Doing is the key. We're all busy, so be busy at the right things. I'm going to go check that Feta cheese right now. I bet its gonna taste fabulous. 
Love, 
Peg