Thursday, April 21, 2011

Loose plans

I have almost an entire week off, and that thought fills me with anxiety. I am aware that half of day 1 is already over, and I am not in holiday-mode at all (can't expect instant results, I guess). Part of me wants to go away, the other part wants to just take it easy and work on a few things that I have been putting off. Because, to be honest, I am fast approaching a very long summer holiday, so a bit of work won't kill me. Procrastinating will only make me more anxious. I probably need to look at why so many things fill me with anxiety, even the prospect of a few days off...

I don't want to plan too much. So my prescription to myself is to just let it happen, see what comes up, be spontaneous (some sort of day trip perhaps), and chill the f... out. Since I have a few deadlines looming, there will have to be some work, but I will limit that to the mornings, unless I really feel like working at other times, too.

I will also
-check my e-mail only once a day max.
-see friends
-get back on track running-wise
-go to the beach
-eat nice foods (without sugar): My current obsessions are almond butter -tastes like those roasted almonds you get at fun fairs and Christmas markets - and millet.
-watch a movie I rented (on iTunes, a first) - An Education. I have read so much about it, and I like Lynn Barber's writing. The screenplay is by Nick Hornby.
-read this (have started already):


Whenever a new book of hers comes out, life is good. Thankfully she is quite prolific. The reviews were in the English papers weeks ago, and I was checking the bookstores here every few days, and yesterday it had finally arrived. I was happy to buy the hardback edition -her novels will stay on my bookshelves. I have been on a decluttering mission and am getting rid of some books, too. Once upon a time, I imagined my future dwellings with a large library, and I still like the idea. But now I wonder whether certain books we are unlikely to reread (most novels) aren't cluttering our lives. And it makes sense to give them away for other people to enjoy instead of making them a dead object at home. At the moment, my criteria are:
-keep all non-fiction
-keep all children's books
-keep favourite novels (for instance, everything by Siri Hustvedt)
-keep visually beautiful books. Yes.
-keep the classics
-keep some novels I won't reread in the spare room for guests

I might also do some housekeeping here on the blog and with other online stuff -so expect to see some changes soon!

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