Fishing in the Dark

A friend of mine recently told me that my quest for balance sounds like another part-time job…and sometimes it feels that way. I think I’ve lost something very near and dear to my heart this summer. That is, I’m no longer working at the school (school’s out for summer and all that) so I seem to have lost my balance. The pace, the people, the kids, they all keep me pretty balanced. I found myself the other day driving out to the elem. school just to “touch base”. I used to do that with home…but home is a longer drive (and much more expensive these days) so I am using the school as my touchstone.
Another thing that has caught me off-guard is just how lonely a dissertation summer can be. Even though I am spending time with friends, catching up with people I haven’t seen in ages, and loving my students at UNC, all the alone time really wears on me…and I am by no means an extrovert! I’ve attempted to use Sex and the City to replace my social time as needed (still fun but less of a time commitment) but I finished the last episode this evening. I’m not one who is normally lonely…in fact I can’t really remember the last time I even used the word, but this summer often makes me feel that way.
On the up side, things are moving along. Dissertation stuff is coming along nicely, teaching is so much fun, and I love the summer sun! I wish I knew where it was all going…job, dissertation, relocating, etc. but I guess for now I just need to enjoy fishing in the dark, knowing that the light is just around the corner!