Daily Newsie

It is endlessly interesting to me that, no matter how much I complain about being too busy and too stressed out, I am simply not happy unless I’m being pulled in 18 directions at once. To wit: This semester I have two part-time jobs (I cut my hours at the chiropractor’s office a few weeks earlier than planned) that total 40 hours a week, a full load of graduate classes, a side job (five to 10 hours/week) on the mayor’s campaign, and the first half of my thesis, yet when I got a phone call today from a local nonprofit group asking to work on their newsletter, I jumped at the chance. This group was one of my favorites while I was a reporter, and I’m happy to be able to help — but one wonders whether my head is going to separate from the rest of my body come election time, when things reach a fever pitch. I doubt it, but one never knows.

It will be a year next month since I left the newspaper, and I am constantly surprised that people remember me. A friend and I bumped into the head of the local utility company the other day and he called me by name, which shocked me a little. “Of course I remember his name,” I said to my friend. “That’s because I think he’s important.” He just smiled and let me come to the obvious conclusion, which made me feel all warm inside. It’s nice to have friends — especially ones in high places — and it’s nice to know that people didn’t just hang out with me because I could get them good press.

The mayor is having a fundraiser tomorrow night, so Beloved and I are stopping by on our way out of town. I squeezed into my little black dress tonight just to prove that I still could, and am very much anticipating the opportunity to rub elbows with some old friends, show my support for the mayor, and give my leopard-print stilettos a workout. Then Friday night is my bachelorette party in PA (I hear tell my attire will be accented by a giant veil), followed by a family reception on Saturday. I haven’t seen my best friend or my family since Memorial Day and it’s been several years since I’ve seen most of the people who are coming to the reception, so I’m pretty excited about the whole deal.

You know, even with work stresses, the hectic schedule, and the near-constant missing of my family and best friend, I really am so, so lucky. Especially since the biggest hat of all — the wife hat — is made so much easier for the wearing by the fact that my husband is an easygoing, supportive man who doesn’t mind if I miss dinner, hog the laptop, or throw a fit because I’m stressed out, and that makes for a good foundation for everything else.