Running away

[Highland Farm Meadow, Habitat Wildlife Sanctuary; 5/24/09]

So much for easy. The weekend turned out challenging, with pollen allergies exhausting me yesterday on an otherwise nice trip up to Newburyport and Plum Island. Meeting new people yesterday, meeting new people today before/after a theatre event, not to mention the looming cookout with many other new people tomorrow... I finally said 'enough' and bailed on tomorrow, my introvert side screaming for relief. I did request a break mid-day today, before going in to the city for theatre, to go off by myself on a walk at Habitat. Although it was unexpectedly buggy in the woods (probably from the rain overnight), it was lovely and quiet except for sweet sounds of bird calls, flutters of wings, and occasional rustling in the underbrush. Sanctuary, indeed.

[Lupine, Highland Farm Loop trail]

Tomorrow, I'll go to the produce market and buy myself papaya and limes, raspberries, greens, peppers, tomatoes and mushrooms, and anything else that strikes my fancy. I'll putter in the kitchen, go for a walk, read the paper and the book I started on vacation, maybe nap. I may not even answer the phone.

[Turtle Pond]

Comments

[maria]

Your plans for tomorrow sound divine! Hope they will replenish what all that socializing took from you these last couple of days.

[sky]

i am someone who also needs personal space and can be worn out when i don't allocate enough of it for myself. sometimes i make plans i wish i had never agreed to and usually have to cancel - i would rather disappoint others than deeply upset my own rhythm. these photos are beautiful, especially the first one which casts a peaceful ambiance.

[Roberta]

I love the Turtle Pond pic. It looks so peaceful and quiet there. I'm curious to know what you think about People Of The Book. Have you started it?

[Leslee]

Thanks, Maria. I hope so, too.

Sky: Yeah, I try to schedule in needed quiet time. Alas, the new bf overplanned a bit to have me meet everyone at once. And yesterday, he had an out-of-the-blue reunion with estranged friends that I got caught in. Too much too soon.

Roberta: Thanks! I've already read People of the Book - really enjoyed it. Have you read it?

[Jane]

Landed here from Neith and Pat's place... What a delightful discovery! I've bookmarked your little oasis here and plan on coming back to 'back-read' as times permits!

(One little annoyance: I keep being asked to sign in to Twitter with every click of my mouse...?)

[Leslee]

Hi Jane! Funny, others have referred to my blog similarly and it always surprises me. Anyway, welcome!

I don't know what's up with the Twitter sign-in (maybe/hopefully a Merc Rx glitch?). You can register with TypePad.com for free and use that to sign in to comment on any TypePad blog (not sure, maybe you can also use a Blogger account to sign in - also free). Probably a PITA to sign up the first time, but may make it easier in the long run.

[Lorianne]

Yes, Jane's right: there's some sort of Twitter sign-in box that popped up when I accessed your main site & then again when I clicked to comment. I'm guessing it has something to do with the "follow me on Twitter" script you added to your sidebar?

I think I've said this before (off-blog): I always feel exhausted just reading about your social life! I'm supposedly an extrovert, but I can manage only about one social outing per weekend without reaching my "enough" point. (This is partly due to the demands of online teaching: I'm never fully "off," not even on weekends, but still...)

You have, by far, the most extroverted social life of any so-called introvert I've ever known. If you didn't claim yourself as an introvert, in fact, I'd surely peg you as an extro-.

[Leslee]

Okay, I removed the offending Twitter widget. My Twitter tweets are now thither.

Yes, I suppose I do a lot, but seeing art or movies and such are not really extroverted things (involves internal processing), and dinner with a friend is more of an introvert's idea of socializing than, say, going to parties or clubs and interacting with people. My walking group walks are the most sociable thing I do, and I can only take so much. If it's a chatty walk, I'm exhausted. Haven't done one in awhile either - trying out the new relationship has consumed most of my energy.

[Lorianne]

Indeed, removing the offending widget has removed the annoying pop-ups. Perhaps a simple link to your Twitter page (vs. a widget) would work? Or maybe that still would pop-up a sign-in window since your Tweets are locked...?

Socializing is socializing in my book. Yes, parties & clubs are more "active" than dinner or museum-going with a friend, but both require the social graces of leaving the house & engaging in conversation. :-) If I go to dinner, a museum, or the movies with a friend, that one outing is pretty much is "all" the social input I need for the weekend: the rest of the time I'm content (i.e. really want/need) to stay home to work, write, or read.

So when I read about those weekends where you have something "social" planned every day, I'm amazed. To me it sounds exhausting even if you aren't dancing on a table-top with a lampshade on your head. :-)

[leslee]

:-)

I do feel a major difference in energy expended, however. A party (particularly with strangers) could do me in for days. Art and movies, even a good conversation with a friend, may add to the tank or at least not drain it.

[Dick]

Much as I love the kids and wouldn't change my circumstances, just a couple of days mirroring your schedule would be nice! On the rare occasions that we do get out, we're shelling out £30.00 a time for babysitters.

I'll stop moaning! What did you make of the Blue Man Group?

[Leslee]

Blue Man Group was entertaining, although once was enough for me! We went because one of the Blue Men was someone D hadn't seen in a dozen years, a kid he'd watched grow up. So that was intense, and D ended up with a big blue kiss on his cheek! We got a little extra attention.