Pulled in different directions

Pulled in different directions

By: Gina Yoryet Roman

Dec 8, 2012

The nature of my job/s requires a lot of time on the computer robbing me from my favorite hobbies. 

My weekly goals are something like this:

1) Pray 5 to 10 minutes longer (20 minutes). 

2) Attend Sunday mass regularly and whenever I can during the week. 

3) Spend time with my mom and have lunch with her almost every day. 

4) Workout 4-5 days (when I am in good health).

5) Read and get soaked with topics I like: Health & Fitness, business, finance, politics, philosophy, culture, traveling, law, tourism, etc. 

6) Do volunteer work once a week.

7) Work: That means juggle my time between Health & Fitness, Translating/Interpreting and Teaching. 

8) Post 3-5 articles 

Reality looks is otherwise:

1-2) Praying: 

There are days when it is almost impossible to keep my eyes open so I keep dozing off in the middle of my prayers. But I will NEVER give that up. Running off on very little sleep is not helpful but since August that I have NOT worked out, squeezing in a little more zzz's has suited me perfectly; my cheeks are now rosy and chubby.  :(

2-2) Regular Sunday and daily mass: 

We are 23 days from wrapping up this year and I've only missed two Sundays (One of them was when I recently got operated). I've attended mass during the week every chance there is or when my unstable agenda variates. 

3-2) Mom-me time:

There aren't a whole lot of regrets in this department as I spend quite a reasonable amount of time with her. There are times when we get catty or disagree with each other BUT everything's under control for the most part. :)

4-2) Breaking a sweat:

It is been a little over sixteen weeks that I've set foot at my gym (or any gym) that I've forgotten what it is like to sweat like a real woman. Huh!?

It was torture at the beginning but I am no longer concerned because I am on a countdown from getting a hold of my "normal" me. This experience has taught me to be stronger but more so, to be more patient. Sometimes we have to learn to be more lenient the hard way and so I have.

Right now, my physical therapy is the only action I am exposed to but no complaints as that's got me on the way to recovery. 

5-2) My reading time? It is almost always NON existent

I honestly resent the lack of time spent in this territory. It is not like I don't read enough. I get my share of it but I am mostly flexible to read books and topics I don't necessarily enjoy. The reason behind this is that every one of my classes is required to read a book which we all agree with. Therefore, MY reading gets put aside. What irritates me more than anything is when my students don't keep up with the reading, especially when I am very acquiescent. 

Another reason is that my jobs require me to read a lot about various issues not are per-say amongst my favorite. 

For instance, I went to a bookstore earlier today and bought two Health & Fitness magazines that I had planned to skim through at 8ish the latest, (it is now 10pm and I've got another hour to go).

6-2) Charity labor:

This division had to be suspended for just a little while but I will soon rebuild the bridge and start acting upon this good deed. Albeit not being able to spend as much time as I'd like, I will definitely not break my affair with it because it is in my nature and it has become a part of who I am. 

7-2) One of the most important units in a human being's life and what encourages us to better develop and push ourselves professionally. Before I decided to merge this remarkable and demanding mix of jobs, I had never found something that entertained me as much. 

8-2) Last but not least! I've become more compromised with this therapeutical hobby. My weekly goal is to post 3-5 articles a week but several times when I have the best intentions to get to it, something unexpected comes up. 

1-3) Yes, this morning I wanted to pray a little longer but there was too much work to do so I had to hop out of bed very slowly to avoid hurting myself (I am moving in slow motion these days). 

2-3) I only made it to Sunday mass the last couple of weeks but I will take advantage of being able to drive now and schedule one mass during the week. 

3-3) I've spent more time with my mom than with any other person during the last few weeks.

4-3) Reaching my physical goal. Frustration is no longer lingering in my mind. I am assimilating things a little better and I am so joyful because it will soon be re-integrated. 

5-3) Make myself understand that there will not always be "Me" time. Instead of holding a grudge on this, overturn my emotions and try to make the best of it! Besides, it's really not all that bad. This almost month long "forced" break allowed me plenty of time to enjoy and finish two of my preferred books! 

6-3) My heart is longing this for a couple of weeks now. With this in hand, this is amongst my top things to do. 

7-3) Work can be tedious if/when I let it get to me. As of Friday  I've been snowed under with translation work and deadlines at school. On Friday my brain felt like bursting at any second after I spent most of my day translating a legal document. When I was finally through with it, there was a medical report to edit.

This morning, there was another medical report to translate and so it got done. There were also grades and progress checks to do.

Tomorrow my lesson plans and a Teacher Training Action Plan (to be launched next school year) that another Teacher and I are in charge of awaits, plus I want to post another article.

8-3) When another post is added and when I look at the number of posts, it brings a wide smile to my face and it fulfills  me. I release all my emotions with this, through this, revolving anxiety emotions when I don't do it. 

Is there time for fun!?

Certainly! I took a break and went to buy some magazines and then had lunch with my mother. Later on a friend popped by briefly.

There is no room for monotony as it can sure get tedious…

The truth is, that's what I look forward to day by day because it is the fuel that keeps me going and to be the healthy, happy and strong me. All of this activeness keep me alive, they feed my mind, body and soul so I would never give them up. 

There is always turmoil with my hectic agenda that the image of me tied to four horses pulling towards different directions visits my mind time after time. 

As we speak, my mind is stirring like a tsunami at a million miles per hour trying to plan, strategize and prioritize the few projects that had to be left on standby because of my knee injury.

11:15pm

As soon as my therapy exercises are out of the way and when I make it to bed I will get my hands on my new magazines!