Snapshot of Summer

July 19, 2005, 3:05 p.m.
The first half of the summer has passed by in a blur and I have spent most of it working. The past few months have been really busy (a bit too busy if you ask J who complains about never seeing me and my massage therapist who has spent hours working the stress-related knots out of my neck and shoulders). I have worked on everything from profiles of immigrant farmers for a book project to articles on complex health procedures and have still managed to squeeze in time to write dozens of other articles, work on two special sections projects, submit a bi-weekly column and teach a class on query writing.
In other words, almost every waking moment (and several of my dreams) have been filled with work. I made a promise to myself while we were in Jamaica (where we spent most of the week confined to our room to wait out Hurricane Dennis) that I would start stepping away from the computer and start focusing on some of the other things that are important to me. This just might be the summer that I knit a sweater, finish my scrapbook or organize the garage.
The halfway point in the year is the time when I start assessing how close I am to reaching my yearly goals and developing strategies to make sure that I am on track. I have done all of those things this year (and I am proud to say that I have surpassed several of my goals and I am making excellent progress towards the remaining ones) but I have also started thinking about whether my goals are still valid and important.
I often realize that some of the goals I set at the beginning of the year are things I think I should do instead of things I really want to do. In terms of writing, those goals are often focused on breaking into certain prestigious publications or mimicking the career paths of more established writers. I am guilty of making those missteps again this year but I am beating myself up about it much less than I have in previous years. I am also learning to see goals as more fluid and adaptable and less set in stone which is definitely a step in the right direction.
The next time you check back and see that I haven’t updated in a while I’m hoping it’s because I’m playing in the garden, walking around the neighborhood or sitting on a patio somewhere spending time with friends. Enjoy the rest of your summer!