S again -- since the last post identified its author as Loose Chicken... This is Loose Chicken Stephanie.

Woke up this morning with continuing sense of overwhelm, flailing around thinking about bookcases and file cabinets for my study. But actually I don't think that's the right place to start in that room, and before I could fully organize *that* thought a bunch of others rushed in: what about stripping wallpaper, what about a time for Laurie to come over and Martha to come over and should I take a yoga class today and I need to pay some bills and organize the paper into files that are sitting in boxes on my study floor. Bruce and Sam and Will are coming tomorrow dinner time until Saturday afternoon, tonight we have a Standing Committee potluck and Saturday night a dinner party at Anne and Bennet's. Tomorrow will go to hospital, and we need at some point to go finish up at Princeton Rd and I still forgot to do the mail forwarding with the post office. OK. That's a glimpse into my kinda sick not very yogic mind at the moment. Oh yeah and Catherine's recommendation and answer Beth G's email and change my lunch Sat with Claire Cerrato because I didn't know Bruce was coming when I made the date. Errrr. Not yet the idyllic Walden Year I imagined.

OK. Organize these thoughts into something more manageable. Here is a To Do list, including some pesky little stuff, so I don't forget it and maybe so I get real about how much is enough (an issue for me always). Goal is to do these things between now (Thurs morning 8:45) and Friday evening:

Cancel Claire lunch
Mail forwarding
Pay 2 bills
File business paperwork
Make bed for Bruce
Pick up mail and air mattress at Mom's
Visit Mom
Plan dinner/breakfast/lunch for Bruce, Sam, Will
Shop for those
Call Laurie re: coming over (today?)
Write Beth
Fill out rebate info from computer purchases
Stop by church to see Iana and get expense check
Pick up something for SC potluck
Thank you note to Christine and Bob Allen
Fiddle with study layout (for fun!)
Floss teeth because I got scolded again by hygienist and I know she's right

Whattaya think? Can I just calmly, yogically, even skillfully perform these tasks? And here's a philosophical Waldenish question: is it better to spend 2 hours going to yoga or to seek a yogic attitude in performing tasks that I will feel better having done? Is it better to go to yoga or have Laurie come over? I don't know!

A very nice thing happened while I was writing this post: Dave came in and tinkered with my decrepit file cabinet. Now it works again and stands up straight and I can put my files away! It may not be the perfect design or condition for the study ultimately, but I can get those 8 boxes of files off the floor and into the cabinet! And see the room better to plan its future. That was extremely sweet of him to do; he sees my stress and wants me to feel better. Awwww. I love him.