Julie Barrett is a freelance writer and photographer based in Plano, TX.

Monday Mumblings Is Exhausted

Fresh when it gets here from Julie Barrett
Monday, October 29, 2012


Apparently I've just been running on fumes for the last few weeks.

I didn't realize how exhausted I was until yesterday, when I discovered I had a low-grade fever. 

Saturday was just the latest in a long string of events stretching back to midsummer, but it was probably the most emotionally draining of of the lot.

We finally scattered my dad's ashes.

This was an event a long time in the making, obviously. It was finally time, and we drove out to Toledo Bend Lake to do the deed. I never thought a word like "closure" would apply, particularly after all this time. It does feel as though we've had closure, turned the page, or whatever cliche you want to use. 

I got Paul off to the Build conference today, and then came home to attack the home office. This is something I should have done several weeks ago, but just haven't had the time. The big job today was to redo some of the ergonomics at the computer. It's something I try to do once or twice a year, just to keep from getting my muscles too used to a particular configuration. This time around I have to deal with the changes in my eyes. 

I've also had some strange hardware issues the last few weeks, mostly related to USB devices. I wasn't sure if it was the hub or one or two devices dying or what, so I did a little troubleshooting over the last few days. This morning I was pretty well convinced it was my USB hub. Tonight? I think it might have been the power "thing" I've been using for the last 20 years. Think it might be time to replace it? I've been waffling over replacing it for a while, and decided today was the day. I wanted a nice clear desk with nothing under my monitors so I could move them back and forth.  I replaced the "command center" - a slim surge protector that sat under my monitor - with a small tower containing eight outlets and two USB charging ports. Very cool. It means fewer cords to clutter up the desk. And four of the ports are supposed to detect when a particular piece of equipment is in standby and shut down. I'm not sure about that, but I do know that once I got everything plugged back in that my USB devices are no longer acting persnickety. So we'll see.

I'll be cleaning again tomorrow, and watching bits of the Build conference as they stream. 

Officially, I'm calling this week "professional development." Typically I do get some good information from the Build conference. And I can multitask the office cleaning with watching.

But one of the main reasons behind today's flurry of activity was the hope that I'd be completely and totally exhausted when I hit the pillow tonight. Even at my age  and after nearly 33 years of marriage, I still have sleepless nights when Paul is away. 

Right now, I feel pretty darn gone. Mission accomplished, I hope.

Tags: Life

Filed under: Life            

 

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