Focusing on Work

Work is starting to get pretty crazy for both of us, and it shows no signs of slowing. I spent last week being bombarded from all angles, working late into the night and then getting up for early phone calls. I headed to Utah (Salt Lake City) on Tuesday night and was supposed to be there Wednesday and Thursday. Fortunately, we wrapped up all our meetings and got to fly home late Wednesday night. In theory, that meant I had an "extra" day on Thursday; in reality, that meant I quickly found "extra" work to do. Next week I'll be in Chicago for a few days, prior to which I have to do a significant amount of prep work. I also have to prep for the week after, when I'll be back in Salt Lake City and then in Sacramento on back-to-back days.

D is busy too, as softball season officially started during President's Day weekend. She usually coaches the Freshman-Sophomore team, but this year there weren't enough girls to field three full teams (Junior Varsity and Varsity being the others). So this year D is an assistant coach for the JV team, which means more games, more practicing, and a bit more pressure. She has to be at practice every day, which means driving to campus on the days she's not working....I don't think she's been home before 6pm in the last week. It also bites into weekends. There was a fundraiser activity at school today, and the next several weekends are taken up by tournaments. Last weekend we were both at school, helping to edit/approve the newspaper, for which D is the faculty adviser.

So, we're definitely keeping busy. I suppose that's good, as it gives us less time for sitting around and missing what we don't have. Still, I've been a little emotional recently and I find myself crying at completely random things...from home videos to pictures to TV shows to music to political videos (I said it was random). I just heard the most recent offender for the first time on the radio tonight.....a song called Teardrops on my Guitar, by Taylor Swift. D warned me that I shouldn't listen to it, but I hadn't heard it before and didn't have any idea what it's about. For the most part, it's a sappy teenage love song, lamenting the fact that her crush (who happens to be named Drew) isn't paying any attention to her. Naming coincidence aside, it takes a personal turn about two and a half minutes in, where it finishes with the following lyrics:

So I drive home alone, as I turn out the light,
I'll put his picture down and maybe get some sleep tonight...

Cause he's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar,
The only one who's got enough of me to break my heart,
He's the song in the car I keep singing, don't know why I do...

He's the time taken up, but there's never enough,
And he's all that I need to fall into..

Drew looks at me, I fake a smile so he won't see...

There are a couple parts that really get me....I won't go into details. I'm not sure why my emotions have been more raw recently, though I think perhaps we're going through some (adult) growing pains. Some friends are battling illness, others are moving away, and we've definitely had our share of loss. The feeling that nothing is as it should be is a bit unsettling. Fortunately, I tend to be pretty good at shifting expectations and moving forward, so I know we'll be okay.