Things are kind of amazing lately.

My projects are taking off and I have several good friends whom I’m in touch with nearly every day. I’m creating a community out of my friends, introducing them to one another, making beneficial connections. My leads are hopefully finally leading to professional opportunities. My projects put me in touch with a lot of wonderful people and open the chances to do a lot of fun things. Best of all is the positive response I’m getting – I mean, I love the process, but I can’t deny I’m hooked on seeing my project’s visitor stats rise and hearing people praise the work I’m doing. Better, I love seeing my work actually helping people.

For the first three weeks, it felt a bit like a treadmill. Like I was trying to keep up, constantly. Every week I’d promise myself to be a day ahead on the process. Which should have made me feel guilty about taking the weekend completely off.

But I didn’t, except for a few twinges on Sunday.

This weekend was supposed to be pretty crazy. Friday was a research field trip, then the weekend had a scheduled 3-5 mile hike, apple picking, a soccer game, and a trip to the crafts fair. Much of this included hour-long drives.

I was disappointed that the soccer game was canceled, but the rest? I didn’t miss it. Instead I made applesauce and read in the sunlight from the kitchen window. I started making crafty holiday cards (which are coming out wonderfully!). I spent hours talking to a friend. I joined in a Rock Band concert with my nephew and sister. I got a whole bag of free books to send to some of my soldiers.

It was all exactly what I needed.

I’m not really used to two-day weekends. In Israel, we don’t have them. And in museums, you don’t have them either. So by Sunday I admit I was a little antsy. But I enjoyed having the openness to focus the energy on whatever most appealed to me.

I’d say it worked. I was SO productive today! Probably also helped to work outside for most of the morning.