My Rant at Father Time
There aren’t enough hours in the day. How many of us feel this way all the time? I’m raising my hand and waving madly. As women, as mothers, as workers, we are the masters of multitasking. At least I am.
I drive and make lists in my head and hope I don’t forget things when I get home. I make lists and don’t get to half of them. I have a manuscript due July 1 and I have more than 2/3 of it left to write. Why don’t I just sit down and write it then? Let’s look at my week:
1. Monday – 8:30 doctor’s appointment for one child, then cross town to get her eye glasses only to find the place is closed, so drive her to another town where her school is, walk her in, drop her off, go home and then start my own errands. Here I am and it’s 1 PM. Write now, you suggest? Tomorrow’s my blog day, Wednesday I am doing a speech for the Brandeis National Women’s Committee and need to write/work on it, and I have an interview from a bookstore sitting in my inbox to be answered! Oh and did I mention I agreed to do an essay for Benbella books on the TV show Grey’s Anatomy? I also have to call to have the outdoor water turned back on from the winter, my husband’s car is dead and he’s at work, need to call to have it jumped but the phone number he left me isn’t working and he’s not answering his cell phone. So I’m writing my blog, in between doing the text for my new website, in between helping my oldest with a project on the Cold War – do you know what a complicated concept this is for a child who’s never lived through what seems so normal to me? (the Reagan years, for example). Then the carpooling starts, dinner, … you get my drift.
2. Tuesday – the local paper is coming to interview me and take photos bright and early! A friend is having a handbag sale at her house and I want to show my support. Maybe I’ll find Mother’s Day gifts – Oh My! I need Mother’s Day cards and I forgot! If I can wrap that up by 1 PM, I can write until 3 when one daughter has a Lacrosse game, and I have to do the driving to Lacrosse practice. My husband usually can drive home for her. In all likelihood, another day shot!
3. Early carpool for activities for kids before school, then speaking engagement which is in a place I’m not familiar with and don’t drive well to … Who knows … maybe this afternoon will be free enough to work.
4. Thursday – I haven’t exercised since Saturday. BAD! Must fit that in. But this day looks slightly free until the afternoon when one daughter has Lacrosse game, other daughter has dance and then practice for lacrosse .. more driving!!!!! And Friday’s my Jungle Madness day … I need to think of a prize …
5. Friday – Looks free but remember looks can be deceiving. As soon as things appear open, bad things happen – like the 3 stitches in the back of my daughter’s head last Thursday night after she bumped her head … and they’re right. Head wounds DO bleed! So although Friday now looks like a good day, I’m reserving judgment.
And the weekends are never quiet!
I wish I was a chemist. I wish I could create more hours in a day, more time to work. I wish I had the discipline to turn off the addictions Leslie spoke about yesterday. I don’t. But most of all, I wish for the ability to ENJOY what I do have no matter how rushed together it all seems to be sometimes.
Hi Carly, I totally understand what you are saying. I have 2 elderly grandmothers. One of them I don’t know what she did when I worked full time, but I now take her to all her appointments the bank and the grocery store. All while helping my husband go back to school to get his degree and work full time, take care of my 2 year old, the house, the dog etc…you get the drift I’m sure. Then throw into the mix my 2 younger brothers who neither have a car and call 20 minutes before they need to be to an out of town Dr.’s appointment. :s
But now I ask, are you the type of person that CAN actually relax when you have down time?? I ALWAYS feel like I need to be doing something, or that I am forgetting to do something because down time almost NEVER happens. LOL!!
Comment by Kelly — May 9, 2006 @ 9:34 am
No I think I’ve forgotten how to relax too. Always need the computer on my lap. Sigh. Although if I’m reading and I get into a book, THEN and only then do I relax and realize it afterwards! :d
Comment by Carly — May 9, 2006 @ 9:37 am
Oh, Karen, I’m right there with you, this time of year especially. With getting ready for one daughter’s graduation, another’s birthday, a month-long visit from my m-i-l and *hopefully* a move out of state, things are just crazy here. Writing? What’s that?
Leslie
Comment by Leslie Kelly — May 9, 2006 @ 11:50 am
I’m not married and do not have children and yet I too feel there are not enough hours in the day. I take my hat off to everyone who is raising children, working and still managing to stay sane! (y)
Comment by Susan — May 9, 2006 @ 12:02 pm
Oh, yeah, this is my life as well. There is always something going on! :o
Comment by Janelle — May 9, 2006 @ 12:16 pm
Bless your heart Carly. You have had it rough. But then again I think we all do. I am the stay at home mom. One daughter in college my other a soon to be tenth grader in High School. Who is wanting me to teach her how to drive. I taught the first one and thought I’d have a nervous breakdown. I thought driving is supposed to be the dads job. I spent yesterday taking my moms puppy to the vet. This wasn’t planned but she slid on the wood floors in her house and tor the webbing between her toes. My oldest daughter (since she is out of school for a couple of weeks)and I spent the rest of the afternoon soaking the dogs feet in epsom salts every couple of hours.
I was reading and article in a magazine last evening whilemy daugher was in dance class ands it had a quiz as to wether you used the right side of the brain or the left. The right is supposed to be the creative side the left the logical side. My score told me that I used both sides and was able to adapt to change really well. I believe that. Seems like I’m always adapting.
Like Kelly I have aging parents and in- laws and they always expect me to be available to help them out pick them up take them some where on the spur of the moment. You know since I’m the stay at home mom. What a
joke.
Comment by Gigi — May 9, 2006 @ 12:37 pm
There is never enough time! I have to do things for my mom and I babysit for my daughter. There is always something that needs to be done. You just have to make the time for what is important and we need you to find the time to write!
Comment by Carol — May 9, 2006 @ 12:42 pm
wtg moms (y)
Comment by kim H — May 9, 2006 @ 1:00 pm
DITTO! (@)
Comment by Melissa — May 9, 2006 @ 1:21 pm
My husband and I are retired and we have less time to do things than we had when he worked. Where does the time go?
Comment by Estella Kissell — May 9, 2006 @ 2:25 pm
Carly & everyone, you are making me tired just reading about your day!
Loved it when my children were little & I’m loving being older, single & a grandmother! 
Just remember to take a deep breath & make time to enjoy the now.
I remember when my children were young & my days revolved around everyones schedules & appointments. It does get better–they grow up, learn to drive & eventually grow up & have their own lives & home–it’s wonderful!
Donna M
Comment by Donna M — May 9, 2006 @ 2:31 pm
Yeah, there never seems to be enough hours in the day. I thought when my kids were grown and left that life would slow down, but now I seem to be on the go just as much, because I too have elderly parents and they need things done for them, and taken places…………..But in the long run it gets done.
I admire the Authors that manage it all and still get time to write and keep us readers happy as well………You All Rock……… (y)
Comment by Cryna — May 9, 2006 @ 3:07 pm
I just thought of something, the only time I get to relax is when everyone else is asleep here. And do you know what I do….I sit very quietly in my bed with my itty bitty book lite and read. LOL!!! I think for me it is a way to escape the overwhelming reality of a SAHM. Who everyone in her family and her husbands, thinks is the secretary, babysitter, chauffer and so on. I think I need a (d) with an umbrella in it. Or a good book so I can have some time to escape. Never mind those calgon commercials….Carly, Janelle, Julie & Leslie take me away. I love escaping with your books.
Comment by Kelly — May 9, 2006 @ 3:08 pm
My friends and I talk about this all the time, How was your weekend too short? I still have wash to do and I swear it multiplies in the hamper. It seems the older the kids get the more you have to do. I don’t have time to work haha. I’m with Kelly I read to escape and I read to keep my sanity
Comment by Beth — May 9, 2006 @ 5:56 pm
8 hours of sleep, 8 hours of work and 8 hours of work - hey, what happened to 8 hours to play? I think I’m such an insomniac because of all the things I want to do for myself and nowhere to fit it in, lol. One of my favorite pieces of jewelry is a ceramic handmade pin with a clock face on it - the numbers are out of order and aligned and the hands backwards, and it says “Who Cares About Time” - love it.
Comment by Pam P — May 10, 2006 @ 12:21 am
I agree with Kelly. Carly, Janelle, Julie & Leslie take me away. I love escaping with your books. That is my escape also reading.
Beth also said it right the weekends come and they are to short.
Comment by Cheryl — May 10, 2006 @ 7:37 pm
:s Okay, boss, I get the “comic hint.” LOLOL! Just one problemo - you
need to have it blown up into poster size, framed, and snail mail it to me for to hang over ye olde computer. 8)
Carla (o)
Comment by Carla — May 27, 2006 @ 2:17 am