Everything all the time

Do you ever have those moments where you look away, and several days pass?

I'm trying to remember what on earth I've been doing all week - obviously such important things that I didn't get as far as writing anything in the blog.

I keep meaning to take lunch breaks to either go for a run, or get some writing done. Unfortunately every day this week I've been met in the kitchen by a sink full of washing up, and a dishwasher full of plates, cups and glasses to put away. I know I could leave them, but a little voice on my shoulder tells me that will just mean more to do later.

Last night I cut the lawn. A thankless task at the best of times. I've suggested to my daughters that they might like to help in the past - but spent so long tidying up the massacre they visited on the grass that I tend to just get on with it myself now.

This evening I took most of my family to the local pub for dinner, and then for a wander around the supermarket to get food for lunches. Somehow I ended up paying for the meal, drinks, and groceries, then carrying them home while everybody else tried to break the slow-walking world record. I ended up leaving them behind.

I've been working on content creation every night this week so far - catching up on lost time from the weekend away. You should have seen the eye-roll while holed up in a cottage half a country away when an email arrived announcing the arrival of four aircraft in the simulator - four aircraft I would be expected to write procedures for and demonstrate.

I'm starting to feel a bit like that famous Scottish test pilot - "Eric Winkle Brown", I think his name was. He flew hundreds of different aircraft during his career. While pretend aircraft aren't quite the same thing, it's still a bit mad. Over the course of the last few weeks I've been either pretending to fly, or documenting everything from a Boeing 777, to an Airbus A320, a variety of EARLY 1980S Piper planes, and a Supermarine Spitfire.

A close friend messaged me recently, worrying that I was burning myself out. She was probably right. I can't keep this up forever. I need to start putting brakes on trying to do everything all the time. Look at now for example - I'm sitting here in the dark at 1am writing this, and will be back up in 6 hours - getting ready to start writing code again.

It's nearly the weekend. I need to keep telling myself that. And maybe kick back a little. Read some of those books I bought. Now THERE's a good idea.