plans-ish*

Sometimes your plans change at the very last minute.** What you expected to do isn't what you end up doing but you make new friends (Yes, California Rob, you're now in my "friend base" so suck it up!), discover a new bar (new to me, at least), and learn that the tunnel fare is astronomical compared with the bridge.

So, I've decided to try an experiment:***

Background: I usually make solid plans well in advance so I know what I'm doing and how to divide my time during any given day. Rarely does that work b/c other obligations always come up (or I'm just not in the mood) and it certainly doesn't make me any happier.

Hypothesis: If I reduce the number of actual, solid plans I make in advance and allow myself more freedom to do what I feel at any given time, then I'll be more relaxed and happy.

Apparatus: One day-planner (there are some obligations like teaching, appointments, etc. that I can't change), one cell phone (for those impromptu opportunities of fun and fellowship), and countless understanding friends who will permit me the indulgence of making fewer plans.

Method: For about a month (note the non-planned duration of this experiment) I will keep the plans I've already made like teaching (and Marty, we're still set for the Japanese drumming on Friday!). However, for new events, I will hope that I'll still be invited (a few things are in the works at the moment) and when prompted for the official R.S.V.P., I will say something like, "Thank you so much for the invitation. I would love to go but I will see how I feel that day. You are a good friend and I hope to see you that night but if I don't, I hope we can go out another time together."****

So, dear friends, please bear with me as I try to lead a more relaxed life. I have enough obligatory crap that I MUST do (pesky prospectus!) that I don't want to start feeling like social events are "obligations"--the things that are solid like Celtic Festival and weddings, etc. will certainly remain but I'm trying to be more flexible in other areas.

Conclusions: I'll let you know when I figure it out.

Footnotes:
* Thanks to California Rob for the "circa" joke. It's a keeper.

** I apologize that Miss J. was the recipient of such changed plans last night. It was unintentional but I've now figured out how to articulate what happened and hope (with all my heart) that she is not overly pissed off at me.

*** I tried to outline this experiment like we used to in Inorganic Geochemistry at U. Windsor.

**** I thank Miss H. for the suggestion of dialogue.