Me time. Is that allowed?

Wow, it has been awhile.  I am so busy.  I thought last year was busy but this year is has been busier.  However, and I know this sounds strange, we have been taking time to just do nothing.  Does that make sense?  I think part of the reason that I am busier is that I am carving out "me time."

So, you might ask, "how does that work?" and "how do I get me some of that?"  It is, in many respects, relatively easy.  Because I cannot justify just sitting around or, frankly, doing only one thing at a time, my first stop (as it has been for years and years) is the local library.  We are very lucky in Cuyahoga County, Ohio.  We have one of the best ranked libraries in the country.    Really!!!  For our population, our library is ranked number 1 in 2010 (I don't think the rankings have been published for 2011).  For a point of reference, Cleveland is the county seat for Cuyahoga County.  Yes, Cleveland.  Yes, in Ohio.  Cuyahoga County Public Library is a jewel.  We go there at least once a week.  Currently, the schedule is to go to the library after swimming on Saturday mornings.  Zachariah prowls and usually goes on the computer.  Me, I sit.  I listen to a book on a playaway (book on a little MP3 player thingee . . . it is something you can check out from the library and they are getting more and more books on these things).  Anyway, I sit.  I listen to a book.  I knit.  There is a very nice sitting area in our local library branch, with a fountain and comfy chairs.  We usually spend about 60 to 90 minutes there.

Boom.  60 to 90 minutes of me time.  Just like that!

I take the bus.  Again, on the bus, I listen to playaways and knit.  I think my fellow bus riders enjoy watching my latest projects grow.  I take the park and ride bus.  The park and ride is about ten minutes from my house.  The bus ride in the morning takes about 30 minutes and then I have a seven minute walk to my office.  Going home, I leave work at 5:15 and am usually in my car headed home by 6:10.

Boom.  Approximately two hours of me time.  Oh, yeah!

During the winter, I often spend my lunch hour listening to books (either on CD or a playaway) and knit.  Now that the weather is getting nicer, I will be walking at lunch but, again, I can still listen to a book while I walk.

Boom.  60 minutes of me time.

Now, you may think that I probably had this time before, but while I did, I didn't take advantage of it.  We would zip into the library, grab some books or movies, race out, stop at the store, do more running around etc.

On the bus, I would be checking my blackberry, sending emails, listening to stupid messages, etc., and basically working my way to, well, work.

And at lunch, I often would sit in my office and, again, work.

The funny thing is that I have discovered that I am much more relaxed and don't have a problem grabbing time to just sit and knit and read and taking time to just relax.   The only and I mean the only issue that I have is that when I am not taking time to relax, I am so very very busy.  LOL.