Dear Reader:

The end of the semester approaches.   I can FEEL it.   And, tomorrow I have a DAY OFF from the constant, ceaseless, end-of-semester stuff.    I look at my schedule this week and see that I had something EVERY NIGHT (including tonight's "Service of Darkness" at church - Holy Week is not for the faint of heart - #churchmusicianproblems).   Tomorrow is so blessedly, beautifully, gorgeously, fantastically FREE.   I am just smiling.   Sigh.

Because, let me tell you - next week will be total chaos and craziness.   Let's look at next week just to get an idea of what I'm facing here in the waning moments of the spring semester:

Sunday:  two church services, student's senior recital
Monday:  two classes, six piano lessons, board meeting after school
Tuesday:  senior thesis defense, student music recital (I'm accompanying), five piano lessons
Wednesday:  two classes, five piano lessons, faculty meeting,  church choir rehearsal
Thursday:  meeting with colleague about tenure/review process, seven piano lessons, walk with friend around campus, brass concert
 Friday:  College President's inauguration  (yeah, I'm actually the co-chair of the inauguration - what?), one class, dance class for kids, evening inauguration party duties
Saturday:  friend's tiny human's 1st birthday,  piano competition adjudication in Greeneville, TN
Sunday:  two church services

Plus, you know, GRADING.  

And, you know, brushing my kids' hair and giving them baths and reading them stories and cooking them meals and packing their lunches and doing their laundry and generally keeping them alive.  

Oh, yeah, I just forgot that I haven't gotten my kids' Easter basket situation squared away.   Hmm.  Time for another ridiculous "pay-a-babysitter-so-that-I-can-go-be-the-Easter-bunny" situation.  

OK, OK, dear reader, I hear you.  I am, in fact, just complaining now.  And, really, my life is objectively not-that-bad.  In fact, it might even be pretty-darn-good.   And, I can SLEEP IN TOMORROW.  Did I mention that I have tomorrow off?   Plus, if I get 6 more papers graded tonight, I am going to allow myself a glass of this:

So, yes, I will pull myself together now.   I've been getting a little tired of wallowing in my end-of-semester-and-for-all-sorts-of-reasons-emotional-weariness.   Time to wake up my inner drill sergeant again.  A healthy dose of annoyance directed toward my wallowing self is now called for, I believe.   So, on Monday I am back on the fitness track, people.    I will start logging calories and exercise again.   I will ACTUALLY USE MY FITBIT NOW.    I am looking up the Couch-to-5K app that my friend recommended, because I really, really want to get gently started running this spring/summer.   

Meanwhile, my eating wasn't too bad today:

You knew, dear reader, that I always start my day with a good dose of magic, right?   

Cafeteria salad and tortilla soup?   Not bad.  Not bad.

Not the best dinner, but when you are winging it from preschool directly to church services, you can at least pat yourself on the back that you did not order FRIES.   Am I right?   

Also, I had one small brownie at lunch and about 6 crackers with cheese just now.   And, I'm going to pop some lime/salt popcorn.   Slowly getting back into the habit of logging things on myfitnesspal.com.   

My priorities for this weekend are:

1) Completely finish the dwindling pile of grading (so as to be ready for the final push).

2) Sleep.

3) Go on a hike at a state park with the kids, followed by a picnic.

4) Go to a faculty social and maybe be just a little bit sociable (for once?).

5) Sleep.

6) Continue reading Moby Dick.

7) Watch something humorous on TV.   I need to LAUGH.   

8) Sleep.

9) Channel the Easter Bunny and watch the kids have fun.

10) Dream about my mini-vacation which is exactly 17 days away.   Not that I'm counting or anything.   Or marking the days until that glorious day off of the calendar one-by-one.  Of course not.  

11) Sleep.

I hope, dear reader, that you have the loveliest, most rejuvenating holiday weekend, too.   

Thanks for reading!