Fun Friday

It is time for a little bit of fun.

This is the first day of the last break before the start of the 25-26 school year.

I, of course, have been on break since the beginning of this contract year due to the surgery that I had at the start of the last official break. I am not really all that excited about the start of the last summer break, but I am looking forward to another two weeks of being here on my own. I feel kinda guilty about having five weeks off, but I am also aware that I am recovering from major surgery, so the guilt sort of sloughs off.

Anyway, today is Friday, so I want to focus on some fun.

Lately, my source of fun has been library books. Aw long-time readers know, I have recently gone back to the library to support my reading habit. I have been reading lots of things in the recent weeks. I also made a large order from Thriftbooks.com for books for me rather than for my music therapy practice.

Tomorrow, I will be going to a local craft store for an "Introduction to Art Journaling" class. I am not a beginner, but it will get me out and about and doing something creative. There are times when being around other people helps me find my fun. I am hoping that the class will include something that I haven't already done on my own. This will be my second class at this craft store. The first one was scripted - not something I enjoy. I prefer classes where I can do things on my own. I am more of a "free-for-all" type of crafter than a "follow what I say" type. So, if this class ends up being a "do your own thing" class, it will be fun for me. The only classes that I have seen from this store have been beginner level classes.

One of the things that I often forget about in my life is that it is good to have a work-not work balance. I don't like the term "work-life balance" because it implies that work is not part of life. I feel like my work is a big part of my life. So, I will talk about work-not work balance from now on.

My work-not work balance has been skewed towards the not work side of things lately, but I know it will head back the other way once I go back to work two weeks from now.

I tried to do some art journaling of my own earlier this week, but it ended up being a total mess. The paper glued itself to the plastic placemat that I use for painting, and I had to use scissors to scrape the remains of the paper. It didn't work the way I wanted it to work. Instant frustration for me. I will try it again. I want to make some bookmarks. I have a plan but step one didn't work out the way I thought it would. I will use my backup placemat to try a different type of painting.

Painting, crafting, reading books are my ideas of fun. I enjoy making things, and I wish that other people would enjoy using the things I make. I have a shelf full of handmade journals that are just sitting there, waiting for someone to want them and use them. They just sit there, waiting.

The problem with enjoying the making of things is that then you have lots of the things sitting around.

This is a problem that I share with my mother. She loves making things and will often make several hundred of all sorts of things but then has hundreds of those things. It drives my sister crazy because of all the things. My sister is more of an "I have an idea and will do one of these things because I have a purpose for it" type of crafter.

So, my fun this weekend will be an art journaling class and some painting on my own.

Anyone want a journal??