The juggling continues

[bironic]

Reading

More than advisable, this past week. I didn't expect to feel so competitive about our friend group's fall reading challenge—not even against other participants so much as there's a motivating factor in having a Bingo card I can fill out. Must! Get! Squares! Tweak and lengthen library queue for strategic sheep purposes! After I found myself rushing the end of a book on Wednesday, I dialed back.

Writing

I did not sign up for trickortreatex in the end, but I did start a treat yesterday. Hoping to finish it. It's not long, I just don't have faith yet in my staying power since the return of the fic-writing urge is still so new.

Also have been puttering around with the Red Road and Longmire fics. The Longmire one (Mathias/OFC) now has something like four potential beginnings and no endings. I hit a bump in the Red Road draft (two noncon pairings) when I discovered that I don't think Jason Momoa's character would do what I want him to do. Gotta either get over it or change the plan.

…When there's time and mental space for writing. Sigh.

Watching

A handful of movies. Season two of The Red Road to get the character voices back in my head. Too bad that's all they managed before cancellation. If they'd moved faster, they might have done more interesting things with the Lenape plotlines about (1) the time it takes to sue a company that dumped toxic waste on the reservation when people need money ASAP to treat the life-threatening illnesses it caused and (2) internal dissent, plus competing external pressures, over whether to build a casino after the tribe won federal recognition.

I'd intended to see Starman (1984) in 70 mm at the Somerville Theatre a few days ago, our family having watched it often enough growing up that we continue to quote it at each other, but when I arrived, the ticket counter staffer said FedEx had neglected to ship some of the film reels and therefore they needed to reschedule to this Thursday. So that was a wasted pre-movie dinner out. Hoping to make the rain date, although I've got stuff planned after work on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and a social engagement on Saturday, which is already about three more evenings out than usual for this poor introvert.

Vidding

Not actively at the moment. festivids approaches, and my nominations list is in good shape. Doing beta work on a vid by deelaundry that should make House/Wilson fans happy.

Working

I put this last but I'm thinking about it the most. I'd been looking forward to a quiet autumn-into-winter in which I could read, write and vid more consistently by taking some of the vacation days that I'd been discouraged by my supervisor from taking in the spring, couldn't take in June/July and didn't plan well enough to take in August. Now our team is short-handed due to poor management and I'm being asked to handle two significant projects due before the end of the year. Combined with one Oct. houseguest and one Nov. trip, suddenly everything feels squished and stressful. :/

Time again to confront the limitations of spare time—and to experiment with new actions based on changing priorities, i.e. see what happens if I put my hobbies before my job for once and request those days off anyway. Ditto the possibility of staying home for Thanksgiving to do what I want instead of flying to NY. Selfish, or self care? Rhetorical question.

Comments

[sovay]

I'd intended to see Starman (1984) in 70 mm at the Somerville Theatre a few days ago, our family having watched it often enough growing up that we continue to quote it at each other, but when I arrived, the ticket counter staffer said FedEx had neglected to ship some of the film reels and so they needed to reschedule to this Thursday.

My mother and I had the same plan, thwarted for the same reason. David the projectionist said it's a six-reel movie. Five reels arrived. *hi-hat*

[bironic]

Ha! Do you think you'll try again this week?

[sovay]

Do you think you'll try again this week?

I'm hoping to! It depends on work and not being sick.

[bironic]

Makes sense!

[minoanmiss]

I really hope you can make the Starman rain date!

[bironic]

Thank you! <3 Are you looking forward to anything this week?

[minoanmiss]

Not really, but maybe I should plan some adventures...

[bironic]

I hear Starman is showing at the Somerville Theatre... ;)

[minoanmiss]

Alas, I'm not going to be well enough to go. I think I need ot save the adventuring for next week. wry smile

[sheafrotherdon]

I'm so sorry that bad planning on the part of other people has meant a crunch in time and enjoyable things for you. So frustrating! I hope you get to do many fun things this fall, and that the crunch passes as swiftly and painlessly as it can ♥

[bironic]

Thank you, friend. <3

[stardreamer]

"Selfish or self-care" is not the only possible framing for your work situation. One that I'm starting to see more frequently is "not accepting abuse as a normal part of employment". This is generally in the context of pushback against the "Millennials are such SNOWFLAKES!" meme, which is no real surprise; in any kind of abusive relationship, once the target starts to stand up for themselves, accusations of selfishness and over-sensitivity are common. (See also: "Your lack of planning does not constitute my emergency", which dates back into the 80s -- I used to have it on the bulletin board in my office.)