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Monday, January 9, 2012

In Sleeper Mode


This blog that is, not me.  I’ve done everything BUT sleep lately.



Hey there my dear blog!  How the heck are ya??



I’ve missed you.



I’m still missing you.



Here’s a little tidbit about me, Hopes, the author of this blog (just in case you were wondering or forgot, or was saying to yourself…ummmm WHO are you again?).



When I get overwhelmed I shutdown.  Like go into robot mode to do what has to be done during the day, but any kind of creativity in any area of my life is shot…type of shutdown.   



The holidays tend to overwhelm me at times but this year was a doozy!  We had to get our recently torn up house ready for our annual hosting of holiday events.



Here’s another insider tidbit on me.  I LOVE entertaining.  LOVE IT!  But, I tend to be a bit…just a little itty bitty bit of a perfectionist when it comes to hosting events/dinners/parties/gatherings/anything-that-requires-entertaining in my home.  



I succeeded only about 80% this year, in my “I’m not a perfectionist” way of seeing things.  We didn’t have a powder room, and two main rooms of our house were missing sections of carpet BUT we had walls and molding that were up and painted, doors hung, and hardwood floors one finish away from being actually finished. 



Why were things unfinished?  Because I put a stop to the repair work so that my kids could have a Christmas tree in their house for more than 2 days.  So that we could dance to Christmas music while putting up our decorations and make our previously draped with plastic home festive again! 



Because my children having decorations, and spirit and memories meant more to me then having floors completely finished and bathroom fixtures installed. 



So I learned the art of improvising.  I put furniture and a Christmas decoration over the missing carpet area in our family room.  I just ignored the demolished and ripped up playroom that everyone had to go into to use the restroom and I decided to just sing “Jingle Bells” in my head instead. 



I was thankful that everyone who entered my home was family either by blood or by friendship and they knew the situation and understood.



Because the bottom line is it’s not about the place, but about the people. 



And I’ve got amazing people!! 



BUT, it zapped all the energy out of me. 



For almost an entire week after Christmas I sat in my PJ’s watching my kids (who were also in their PJ’s) happy to just be home without having strangers (aka construction workers) here.  I watched them play with their Christmas loot and just be comfortable. 



So yes, you can say this blog and what I put into it has been in sleeper mode for much longer then I would have ever liked it, or expected it to be. 



Here is the last tidbit about me for today.



I write when I have something to say.  I write when I want to express myself.  When I want to brag or nag about my children, when something strikes me as funny, interesting, fantastic or off-the-wall.  I may be random at times….oh who are we kidding, ALL of the time. 



But one thing is constant.  I always write from the heart and I’m always real.  I don’t try to fill the pages just because I think I should write when I don’t have something to write about.



So the crickets you’ve been hearing on the board?  I’m hoping that this post is going to silence them…even just a little bit. 



My creativity has been displaced for the time being.  I never knew how much went into choosing the correct color/shade/style of carpet.  Or how many bathroom vanities were out there to choose from (a freaking MILLION in case you were wondering). 



But I’m here.  I am.  I’m just in a strange current within the sea of testosterone that consists of construction and Star Wars Legos/figurines (yeah, that’s a story for another time)!



I’m coming back slowly but surely.  I believe I’ve hit the maximum taps on the snooze button and it’s time to come back to play!



Are you ready?



How do you keep your creative juices flowing??


17 comments:

Heather said...

I can not even the drain of a remodel. We also had a super crazy Christmas, including a week long trip to Disney right after. I was also feeling the lack of any creativity, but once I started to write last night I started to feel so much better!
Good luck!!

Alison said...

I'm impressed you had time to write this post - I would have taken the opportunity to sleep :)

Sounds like you had a lot on your plate. Ease back into normality slowly, we are still here waiting for you to come back!

Bits of Bee said...

I'm ready, I've missed you and your posts!

Christine @ Quasi Agitato said...

Yay, you're back! I love that you held those workers at bay for the holidays. That is precious time, especially when they are little. You just have to be in it...or you'll miss it.

Hopes@Staying Afloat! said...

Heather,

It definitely zaps all of your energy. But like you once I wrote this post a spark started! I hope it continues!

Hopes@Staying Afloat! said...

Alison,

Oh man, I would give just about anything to actually sleep!! We aren't 100% just yet, but all we have left are the finishing touches. I can do this!

Thanks for always being so supportive and understanding!

Hopes@Staying Afloat! said...

Bits of Bee,

I miss you too!!!!

Hopes@Staying Afloat! said...

Christine,

At some point you just have to say "enough is enough" There was no way my children were not going to have their house decorated for Christmas.

The Woven Moments said...

I hear you about waiting until something burns to be written.

I wrote too much fluff last year just because I didn't want to have NOTHING to post.

But writing takes time. And quality writing takes longer.

Good for you for holding out for the good stuff!

Unknown said...

I love that you hold out and write when something needs to be written. No fluff or filler. Love that. Glad you had a wonderful holiday and that your house is almost back in order!

Anonymous said...

Hi!! I missed you, I kept checking back. Thanks for the updates.
It is tough for me to blog when I get busy or overwhelmed. I took a few days off during the holidays and actually thinking about making this a monthly thing. ;)

Soap Box said...

Everyone needs a break! That's what allows us to come back and get things done at better than if we try and forge ahead :)

Julie said...

R.E.A.D.Y.

And you did the right thing. Because dancing to Christmas music with your kids?

Is better than anything.

Even us ;-)

XO

kate f. said...

Writing when you have something important to say is totally the way I go too. Good for you that you took time to do what was important to you at that time! Blogging on your own personal blog should be fun - not something you have to do! Glad you are getting through this busy time ;)

The Sisters' Hood said...

yes, come back and play (alth, truth be told, have not been up to too much on my own blog of late)
And as for the decorations ... hey til the Season and the reason for the season ... and let us not forget, He arrived in an old stable, without a bed ... but your home was filled with love,and that my dear, is all that mattered!

Kimberly said...

Sometimes people forget that there is a life waiting to be lived AWAY from the keyboard.
I'm glad you chose that road.
PS. You can sleep when you're dead...hee hee...I love that saying.

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