Gaaahhh on the Mountain!

My strength is coming back. I’ve slept and napped more hours in the past five days than perhaps in two ordinary weeks combined. I cannot remember a time in my adult life when I’ve rested so much for so many consecutive days.

Yet work still gets done. I’ve finished a memoir this week and written three essays. In the past two days I’ve written 14 pages of new material and am shooting for 20 to send out in my fifth packet to my advisor this Monday. The semester is nearing a close. I’ve now officially read 40 books and written 24 essays in the past 11 months. There have been many more books during breaks and so forth, as well, plus informal studies of poetry and collaborative challenges with Cam, too.

It feels good, but it’s still a bit too soon to celebrate. I still have evals to do and a study plan for next semester, including a proposal for my critical essay. Kyle and I are set to drink a celebratory beer over the phone Monday or Tuesday, so I’m keeping that as the carrot at the end of the stick so to speak.

Meantime, I’m still allowing myself only one activity per day and requiring afternoon naps of myself. I’m starting to go a bit stir crazy though – talking to myself a lot and laughing out loud from daydreams I’ve been lost in for who knows how long. I had a few long sessions of leaping around and shaking and dancing interspersed throughout the day, as well. That might sound strange, but really, I’m not talking to people or seeing anybody and I’m all alone and staring and the trees and naming birds (indigo bunting, scarlet tanager) and cussing at mice and picking my nose and more and more and more. The shaking and laughing keeps me alert to the physical world at hand, lest I get lost in the one I’m creating on the page.

Phew. Three more days of this then let loose the reins!

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