Thursday, January 10, 2008

Boiled Down

Reading books and magazines had to go. There was just no time. Now we're down to running, commuting, working, doing chores, telling made-up stories about a frustratingly finite group of cartoon characters, blogging/reading blogs, catching up, sleeping.

I guess the weird thing is that we still actually have the same amount of time that we always had, but we made all these choices, coupled them with commitments to ourselves, and managed to completely fill the time up with activity related to those two facts. Any spare time is taken up thinking about how to solve drainage problems.

With one additional hour per day, I would: run more regularly
With two additional hours per day, I would: pitch more stories to magazines
With three additional hours per day, I would: take up reading again, and write longer pieces
With four additional hours per day, I would: plan and execute drainage projects, train for another marathon, put my kids in daycare less
With five additional hours per day, I would: take half-day trips in the region

...Although what's stopping me now?

3 comments:

stephanie said...

Oh, I can't get started on the 'one more hour' thing...It gets depressing, precisely because of the question you asked last - what's stopping me?

I think I'll get on this.

Anonymous said...

Most important on the list:

Once a week: half-day trip in the region with family (kids in day care less). Take the five hours, Bill. It's fun, and it's worth it! It's a down payment on childhood's memories. Once the kids are gone, that's it!...What they'll remember is your special time together.

Anonymous said...

Just last week I was thinking "if only the day were 2 hours longer, I could . . . ." I kept coming back to "sleep more" but then, I have a 1 year old who seems to think 5:00 a.m. is an acceptable time to get up every day, and a 3 year old who seems to think it's acceptable to call for mom and dad at least once a night. Oh and I should mention I go to bed too late in an effort to do all the things I'd like to do if the day were 4 hours longer. . . .