Lost Time

Where does the time go?

I admitted to my most recent Time Suck last week. But, I've been losing time for years, so there must be other draining factors.

Before FB, there was my blogging addiction. And attached to that, is the long process of pictures: taking them, transferring them to the computer, editing, then uploading. Windows Live Writer does make the upload process much easier, but it's still a lot of time and effort when you are dealing with the large quantities I do.

But, really, I think it all comes down to: "Dealing" with the kids and dogs. Pen posted an article recently that really captured it;

"it's needing 45 minutes to do what takes others 15."

Ah, so true. The constant start and stop of the day with all of the interuptions and distractions and trying to concentrate while still listening out for when things might be escalating and you need to step in; when there might be an injury looming or crayon on the wall or as just demonstrated to me, hands in the unflushed toilet. The repetative nature of your day, constantly saying, "no" and "get off of your sister" "don't push your brother" "be nice" "don't hit" "SHARE!" "stay out of the water!" "get out of the kitchen!"[to the dogs during meals] "Maybe next time you want to do a flip off of the couch, you should move so you miss the coffee table and not smack your heels on it"

and the providing of food and love and encouragement and discipline and down time and stimulating, educational time and reading and coloring and playing and running and wiping wet paws and letting in and out and bundling up to go outside or thinking through the trip (even the shortest of trips just to run errands) and what you'll need before getting in the car. . .

Then, especially dealing with sleep issues really seems to drain any amount of "free" me time at night. I'm a night owl, so usually I'm up when issues start and haven't even gotten any sleep yet. When your kids normally sleep great and you aren't used to having issues, they tend to do even more damage (I think, because you are so unprepared).

So, yeah. That helps explain some of it, I suppose.