Ouch

I returned a few days ago from two weeks spent beachside. Unfortunately, I had to work pretty much every day of the trip. The photo is the Mighty Mac in my makeshift office during the trip. What other profession allows you to take off elsewhere for two weeks and work just as well wherever you go? A few highlights:

I may or may not have told Rush Limbaugh to get his car "the hell out of the way." Spouse insists that it was him, I think it was probably someone who looked a lot like him, sounded like him and happened to drive a car with large "Impeach Obama" signs in all of the windows. It could happen.

I decided to try to take two days off near the end of the trip. I went down to the beach with the intention of getting some sun on my so-pale-as-to-be-see-through legs. After two hours I was burned so severely that one person in our group actually wanted me to go to the hospital. I was unable to walk during those two days and so went back to working. And that's what going outside gets you.

While everyone else was stung by at least one jellyfish, none of them would sting me even when I yelled jellyfish challenges toward the water. Cowards.

While I was gone I took on a new client and was accepted by Examiner for a national topic. I have no idea how it will pan put because it's a rev share site. I know of several people that do very well there and I know of some that do pretty poorly. I chose a national position because I am hoping that it will generate more traffic than a local one. I thought I had enough rev share sites going, but I'd like to increase that income to allow me more time off. Maybe eventually I can get outside enough so that I don't burn every time it happens.

Realistic Limits Have No Place in Writing

I often overextend myself, assuming that I can take on more work when I'm already booked. And I do. I just avoid sleep and do it. There are times, as I learned this week, when you have to accept that there are times when you have to take a little time off.

Earlier this week I had surgery to remove my last baby tooth. Yes, I'm sure. Every time I mention my baby tooth people ask me if I'm sure. YES. My surgeon said it isn't that rare. He may be trying to make me feel like less of a freak, but he did say it.

The thing with a baby tooth in your 30s is that they can cause a lot of problems. I opted not to have general anesthesia because that was a lot more expensive and because I didn't want to be out of it for days like you are when you have it. So, I had pills that would put me into a "relaxed state." I assumed that they would wear off later in the day and I would be able to work that evening. Why not? Surgery, a little rest, then back to work. Sounded reasonable.

However, the "relaxed state" actually turned out to be a "hallucinogenic state" that caused me to have to be wheeled out, waving good-bye to a lamp (seriously) and telling the doctor that he was "not threatening."

After on and off sleep that didn't seem like it went on that long, I got up to get back to work, horrified to find out that it wasn't Monday anymore. Tuesday! I missed out on work! Imagine my surprise a few minutes later when I discovered that it wasn't Tuesday after all. It was Wednesday.

Moral: There are times when you just have to take time off. Like when you have surgery, it really is ok to take a couple of days off. I should have cleared my schedule and informed clients or done this week's work early and actually planned for some down time. Who knew?