***We don't have to stay, this way, to have a boring time, oh, no***

R. pointed out early this month that remodeling one's home is high up on the stress index. Same are job changes. Looking in retrospect, I have to agree with him: both have contributed to my (mild) depression and mood swings since I left my last perm job back in 2004.

Since then I've been...floating...through my life. I've been almost afraid to feel any intense emotions, "numbing" myself to my concerned spouse and even myself. And when I did feel something intensive, it was usually anger or frustration. Not something one likes to feel constantly.

But all things end. Thankfully.

I don't know it started. Was it better sleep over the weekend? Resumption of exercise? Eating more food? Longer days of sunlight? Or was it just time passing and my endorphins coming down (or up) from their prolonged state of high anxiety. Whatever the reason, I feel much more stable, emotion-wise. (Well, except mornings before coffee.)

I'm using this period of relative calm and implemented the following events to continue progress in my life:


Switching shifts.
I recently discovered that employees have an option to work a different shift at work. Starting next week I'll be working from 7 A.M. to 4 P.M. instead of my current 8 to 5. I'm already up at 6 A.M. This way, I'll have more time in the sun as the California weather continues to brighten and lengthen as spring approaches. Only major disadvantage is that'll I'll have to be asleep by 11 P.M.

Project focused.
And I have a lot. The date to replace the floor is fast approach (mid-April) and we have a lot of crap strewn downstairs. R. and I have already discussed using the weekend to clear out the dining and family rooms.

We'll be meeting our accountant next week. Thankfully I've organized most of the necessary paperwork already.

Our book business has been pushed back while we've been remodeling. However, we're seeing an increasingly larger number of orders. I don't want to lose those sales so I'll have to figure out a more effective way of finding the orders from all those boxes.

The Festival of Books is fast approaching. Renaissance Fair all through May. And, in July, Comic Con. Sheesh. Gotta get ready.

New vehicle: 2007.
The obsession over cars is coming to an end. I really don't need (or desire...much) a Jaguar S-type. While I still follow the shinanigans over at the Autoblog and--especially--GM, I feel the desire fading fast. My own car is currently more than adequate for my needs. I hope to fix its (few) faults in the next few weeks. Can anyone recommend a brand for a good car stereo?

Blog shut down.
No, not Words, Weights, Whatever but my other two blogs (Way of the Writer and Forging the Physique). As I feared and many fellow bloggers warned me, I couldn't (wouldn't?) keep up writing in three such disparate on-line journals. I've already posted notice on both and plan to shut them down by month's end.


There's more (there's always more) but the above should suffice at the moment.