This is travel central

This year I said the travel is supposed to slow down. I have made a conscious effort to not go to stuff here at work if it's not critical. I've even passed up a work-related series of meetings at KSC and a shuttle launch earlier this year because of too much travel.

I still can't get away.

Jan = Disney
Feb = Cruise
March = I STAYED HOME (except for local trip to Louisiana)
April = Colorado, Berlin Germany
May = STS-132 shuttle launch, Florida
June = Trieste, Italy
July = New Orleans
August = Colorado
September = Kansas City
October = Berlin (again), Las Vegas = Canceled
November = Austin for Thanksgiving, and San Diego for a conference
December = well the typical drill is Christmas at the in-laws this year (Louisiana).
Jan = Disney

I shouldn't complain. I really don't mean to complain. I know I am super lucky to travel! Some of these trips are the ones I treasure for my little family (Colorado, shuttle launch, 4th of July). There are actually more I'd like to do, like little local trips to family. The remaining trips are outreach trips, work trips, and/or conferences. They're all super fun, but does this look insane to you? I am not really complaining but I think it's lending to my exhaustion. That on top of the events that never slow down around our house on the weekends and evenings. I know we bring this all on ourselves.

People who complain they're too busy do have control over their lives enough to slow things down. I get that. So it's all my fault. But right now, my job is super fun and I'm growing with it, Paul's got a busy, successful clinic to grow (and we have a big event coming up this weekend), and our young daughter has memories to make. I guess I could quit teaching but that's finally become turn-key enough that it's less effort than ever. My running with the 4am group has been cut back to just twice a week even though it's my full intention to ramp up again to 3 if I can just get a good week in.

Problem is that with such busyness I get cranky and take it out on people who ask just a little more of me. My inner thought is: seriously? You want me to DO WHAT for you? You want me to GO WHERE with you? I think people outside my world are selfish if they ask something of me that seems benign enough to them.

I've got to learn to cope and in the meantime, everyone forgive me for appearing selfish. Admittedly, I am at the time in my life where every minute counts and I am fierce in protecting my own agenda, starting with my little family. The good news is I will tell you NO when I mean it and when I tell you YES it's because I mean it too. So I'll never be doing something I don't really want to do.

And in the meantime I'll be a little tired :)