Even though I’ve been back in the work force for three full-time years, and am currently working part time (about 25-30 hours a week) I still find myself adjusting to the pace of the work world. I guess after 20 years of working on a part-time basis (only about 6-9 hours a week) and being a full-time stay-at-home wife and homeschooling Mom, a slower daily rhythm became ingrained in my soul.

As much as I love my new job, I miss quiet mornings at home. I like a slow start to the day, I like empty stores and streets (which are easily found around 9 am), I like getting everything done around the house by noon and having the afternoon stretch ahead of me. Now, since I have admitted to being a morning person, it should be obvious that having a work schedule that begins around 7:30 and ends around somewhere between 12:00 and 1:30 means that I am in my work world at my peak performance time. That’s a good thing. But it also means that I’m at my peak lazy time when I get home. It’s awfully easy to talk myself out of chores, or errands, or class-prep or grading or Pilates or even another run.

I know how incredibly lucky I am to be able to work part time, and I am not complaining at all. In fact, I love my job and would jump at the chance to work full time. Really, it’s more that I am a homebody at heart – I could hang around the house for days on end, with an occasional foray out to the world for food and books and visits with friends, and be very happy. I also realize that all of the things I’ve described are probably on the wish list of everyone who works full time. Maybe what I feel is a simple longing for days gone by, when the boys were little and we were all home together.

So, even though I expected to be adjusted to a new daily pace after more than three years, I find there I still need quiet, slow days at home, days where I can move at my own easy tempo. I find myself building easy days into every month to keep myself centered – this weekend is one of them. I’m looking forward to it.

As I think about this, it becomes apparent to me that my running rhythm matches my natural life rhythm: slow and easy. And maybe that’s why I like small marathons – smaller, friendlier crowds. Funny, the more I think about it, the more I realize that running is an echo of my life – built in rest days each week, high mileage for a couple weeks, then a low mileage, easy week…I wonder which is a reflection of which? Life echoes running or running echoes life? It doesn’t really matter because whichever way it is, it works for me!

I’m off to Washington DC later this afternoon with the rest of Pierce College Puyallup Student Government. We’re off to attend a national conference on Student Councils retuning on Wednesday. I am very thankful and excited for this opportunity — I have never been to Washington DC and this is only my second time on [...]

My blog has been a bit spastic lately. I’ve changed its appearance several times this week, trying out a variety of looks and styles until settling on this one, and I’ve finally come up with a name. The boring “Amanda Haines” title was simply a placeholder while I waited for something creative to percolate.  It’s [...]

I have always wanted an open-source Clubhouse – with computers running Linux.. SO…..this Friday, the dream has started to come true, at the Intergenerational Clubhouse (Lakewood Presbyterian Church) we will be showcasing a new Puppy Linux that is LOADED (I mean really loaded) with games for all ages. We will also be showing folks how [...]

Anyone who knows me knows that I love, love, love music. It’s a really weird obsession I have – seriously, I listen to all music (except Country) from all time periods. I am so thankful that I grew up having music a large presence in my life because music is definitely what gets me through [...]

Sometimes, a gal just needs to make a list. Here’s mine.
Things I Love Right Now
• CSI: I tend to run five to seven years behind in movies and TV, and this is a perfect example. I only recently discovered this show and I’m hopelessly addicted. Luckily, it’s in syndication and can be found on almost [...]

This Veteran’s Day, it was definitely not a day off. I spent the day working my other job (not my Student Government job) in Lakewood. While it’s nice to get away and have a change of pace mid-week (usually I work out here on Fridays), I could have really used this day to catch up [...]

This Veterans Day feels harder than any other I can remember. The tragedy at Fort Hood and the spate of shootings in the week since, combined with the loss of so many of our Fort Lewis soldiers since the summer, has made today a difficult day. There have been so many lives lost and families [...]

I am from Taiwan. I love Taiwan so much.
Everything is cheap and awesome in there.
I keeep telling my friends that they have to start a group, and they can go to travel in Taiwan.
That will be so great. I will be your guide.
I have some link for you.
http://eng.taiwan.net.tw/
http://www.sinica.edu.tw/tit/
http://wikitravel.org/en/Taiwan
Checking out.
I will post more pictures about Taiwan [...]

Just wondering
Does anyone that is interested in joining committee?
Please let me know.
I have lots of meetings now, so I need someone helps me to attend them.
Thnak you so much.