I am paralyzed. Too much to do. Where to start first? Grade? Buy the boys new pants? Figure out the remaining Christmas purchases? Plan the menu for two parties? Start Christmas cards? Play video games (thanks Megan. Not.)?
Question of the Day: What do you have to do today?
Apt. 11d 
I’m in the same boat. I’m in back-to-back meetings today. Right now I’m eating lunch at my desk. Afterwards, I need to prepare something for a 2:00 meeting. There are still purchases to make. I put the shipping in Mr. Geeky’s hands. There are cookies to make, parties to attend, menus to plan. I’m exhausted.
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Wow. So evidently I’m so stressed out this holiday that a comment describing my schedule has been flagged by TypePad as spam. Who knew I’d reached that level?
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I was not super productive today. So I’m going to cheat and throw in some of my husband’s accomplishments, plus our corporate efforts, too.
1. sewed button on pink fairy jammies
2. sewed button on child’s vest
3. tracked down two witnesses for signing of wills (should have written them years ago), stashed in fire-proof safe
4. got $5 Christmas tree from Walmart (savings $25 over early purchase), sawed off end, put up, watered.
5. unpacked moving box of CDs, DVDs, and VHS tapes
6. opened moving box marked “Iraq”–discovered it contained bathrobes, etc.
7. procured sugar cookies (Pepperidge Farm) for kindergarten Christmas party, did rest of grocery shopping
8. made arrangements to volunteer at child’s school (got to get in two more hours before end of term)
9. made pancakes for dinner
10. picked up toddler’s toys before arrival of cleaners, mostly while watching toddler
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Convince 2 6-yr olds to write 10 thank you cards each for their birthday presents. Wrap presents to mail to parents. Somehow organize/clean mess of a house. Lots of laundry. Find and charge the camcorder which I haven’t used in a whole year. Input final grades for semester.
What I do not have to do: shop. Four months ago I started ordering groceries online. It’s true that sometimes you don’t get everything (but you can order different versions of items you really need, to make sure you get some kind of kid snack, etc.), but it is very much worth it. It usually only costs 5$. I highly recommend it to all stressed mothers (I will be doing the shopping trip for holiday food myself, of course, but it will be the first time I have been in the store in over 3 months!)
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Today I drove everyone everywhere in the teeth of a snowstorm (took forty minutes to do a ten minute drive). Then I submitted grades for one class. Then I bought groceries. Then I shoveled. Then I took the car in to get a headlamp fixed and marked some student papers while waiting. Then I bought a few Christmas things at the store right next to the dealership. Then I picked the girls up from school. Then we came home and put away the drygoods. And emptied the dishwasher. And shoveled the back deck. And then I picked my husband up from work. And did another load of laundry. And made dinner.
Since then? I’ve crashed a bit — I keep dozing off at the computer which isn’t good for marking anything! Basically all that’s on my to-do list for the next few days ought to be marking, but there are those pesky real-life duties including “buy more dog food”, “wash my hair”, “pack school lunches”, “buy presents for teachers” and “try to find house key of friend for whom we regularly house sit.” Eep!
How about those video games?
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Laura-
1. Finish grading. You’ll be much happier (as the spouse of an academic, I know this is true).
2. Skip the pants for now–Santa may bring some.
3. Skip the cards. Or send one for Chinese New Year’s or Groundhog’s Day or sometime when you’re less frantic. Friends are always happy to hear your news.
4. Plan for some simple dishes (roast beef, fresh veggies, read that Times article about 101 appetizers). Farm out stuff for your guests to bring. As long as the wine doesn’t run out.
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2 sets of grades done. 2 to go.
I’m starting to think that we can get pants in Israel for the kid who needs pants for the wedding there. not in the next 48 hours here before the flight.
it’s going to be ok.
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I spent 6 hours today traveling to and from Boston to talk with someone who does corporate training in business writing skills. But before that I taught a class, attended our department’s annual pot luck, and met with the assistant dean over a very very difficult student (who is very much in the wrong but seems litigious).
Tomorrow, I have to teach 6 hours in a row, then I have to drive 45 minutes to interview a prospective student for my alma mater. We’ll be having takeout for dinner tomorrow night.
Off to the intertubes to look for fun stuff to read. Is Crooked Timber still mocking Jonah Goldberg? Good times, good times.
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Thanks, Lucy! It’s deer in the headlights time for me.
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Did you see Dan Drezner had a funny post this week about bad term papers sentences?
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Today is the last day of school. So here’s a list (this time, all mine):
1. go volunteer two hours in the supply closet of doom (I actually find it rather soothing–more so than doing the same sort of thing at home)
2. go to kindergarten Christmas party, watch kids decorating sugar cookies that got bought yesterday
3. leave promptly to go to confession in nearby town–may combine with Czech pastry and sausage buying opportunities.
4. get letter notarized, authorizing foreign travel (OK, Canada) for daughter
5. write abject note to walking club, apologizing for accidentally missing yesterday’s walk
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#2-4 will be joint efforts. Oh, and my kindergartener informs me that yesterday I missed the big banana split party for the classes that had full participation in the school’s big fundraiser.
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I’m not grading this semester (sabbatical!) but I do have recommendations to write, baking to do, a party menu to plan and shop for, more housecleaning, more gift shopping, planning for daughter’s 18th birthday 3 days after Christmas (poor planning, that!). I think I have two essay deadlines just after Christmas, too (I know I do but denial is powerful). Nonetheless I am playing scrabulous on facebook.
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oh, I forgot–we also have to put the tree up today.
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