I did Rose Thorn Bud last year around this time and it worked well, so I’m doing it again. One success, one challenge, and something with potential or what went well, what didn’t go well, and something you’re looking forward to.

Rose

I finally cleaned off the loveseat in my bedroom. It was the biggest external indicator that I was in a depressive episode because every night I would just look at it and how unwieldy it was and then just get in the bed because there was nothing else to do about it. The most I did was fold the clothes that were on the loveseat, but I couldn’t get up the energy to put them away. However! When my friend called me, I decided to use the time to actually clean off the loveseat. I even managed to clear out the space to put my suitcases in my closet, finally. I also took pictures of the loveseat so I can post it to Facebook Marketplace and make room for the chair I bought. I felt very accomplished. We will not talk about the new pile that has accumulated at the end of my bed.

Thorn

Uhhhh, see above re: new pile. No, no, I’ll get to that this weekend since I have to wash clothes. The real thorn is that MY CLASSES ARE STILL NOT FULLY PREPPED INTO CANVAS. It is stressing me out so much that I am only one week ahead of my hybrid and face-to-face students. It’s stressful because (a) I have to sit down and set them up, (b) I’m still teaching those classes, and (c) I’m so far behind on grading that I don’t even want to think about it. Oh, and I also have other work things that I’m not doing well at like remembering when the speakers I invited to campus are going to visit my classes. So. you know. All of that.

I need to just buckle down and do the prep, but the only time I have time is on the weekend, and my body physically rejects working on Saturdays. But yeah, spring break is coming, and once that’s over I have my 8-week (also unprepped) online class, so the overwhelm will only get worse, not better.

Also, just like last year at this time, I still have not done my taxes.

Bud

So, part of the problem is that I want/have to do things that are not work during my non-work hours. For example, this weekend, I have a work event that is most of the day on Saturday and then after that, I’m going to a friend’s game night who lives close to San Diego. On the way there, my other friend wants to stop and get some TikTok famous egg rolls that are supposedly the best ever. (I’m sure they mean on the West Coast. East Coast egg rolls and West Coast egg rolls are totally different beasts.)

Next week is the AWP conference (maybe I’ll see you there?), which should be fun in the way nerdy things are. Four of my friends have panels, and I’m doing a volunteer shift on that Saturday where I think I’m going to see another friend.

And then it will be APRIL. Good grief.

I need to bring back the writer I was at the beginning of the challenge because, once again, I am getting this done at the last minute ????. And tomorrow I need to get up early and will be busy all day so I need to do tomorrow’s post before I go to bed even though I have to get up in the middle of the night practically (7 a.m.).