Recharging my batteries

So far today I: slept in, lounged and cleaned for a few hours, hiked with friends, went to the gym, and currently have laundry in the dryer and banana bread in the oven. A pretty ideal day if I say so myself. And very needed.

It's Easter weekend which means 3 days away from work and a chance to recharge my batteries. For the past month I've flown back and forth for work every 3 or 4 days. The constant back and forth, combined with working long hours every weekend, is probably more exhausting than the fall in which work takes me away from home for about 2 weeks at a time.

Originally I was supposed to be traveling this past week, but changed my plans a few days before I was supposed to leave. It was partially because it would not have been a productive trip, partially because it was a very busy week in the office and I knew they could use me, partially because I didn't want to leave my cat at home alone for a week, but mostly because the idea of getting to stay home thrilled me. I knew if I stayed home I'd be able to get errands done as well as actually sit back and relax. Take a mental break.

And it has been fantastic. I actually got more than 8 hours of sleep last night (which hasn't happened for quite some time), and then once I did wake up I just laid in bed watching TV for a bit. Knowing that if I had wanted, I could have stayed in bed all day. Granted that's not my style so after an episode of Boy Meets World I still got up.

I'm looking forward to another 2 days of pretty much the same. Looking forward to starting next week fresh and energetic. Looking forward to not dreading flying out again on Monday. And finally, looking forward to my banana bread which is just about done.....

Fresh Air and a Fresh Attitude

I always enjoy making my normal blog reading rounds. My favorites to check are the ones written by friends. Sometimes it's because I know I'm getting a shout out, but mostly it's because I love to keep up with my friends and get inside their heads more than just a Facebook status update. One such friend is AMK. We've been friends for years and even though we still see each other all the time, I still love reading her blog!

Thumbs up for being chums!!

Reading her latest post about our camping trip last weekend made me want to post one of my own. The Outdoor Activities Club in college is one of the big ways AMK and I became friends and so we still love to go hiking and camping when we have the chance.

This particular camping trip came at the best time possible. Work was leaving me highly annoyed and stressed, and to the point I really didn't want to be there whatsoever (which is quite rare for me to say as I typically enjoy my job). What I love about camping is the chance to completely get away from it all. Being able to escape the modern world can be amazing. Don't get me wrong. I absolutely love technology and modern amenities. But turning off my phone completely and not having any TV, radio, internet, or phone was fantastic. There was no way work could reach me. And it was peaceful knowing we were 'off the grid' so to speak.

I think that's the main reason I'm drawn to camping. Escaping from all the stress that normal life puts on us. There's no work emails reaching me, no friend drama to surround me, and no sloth guilt for doing nothing but watching TV all day. Camping means that I can just enjoy the world around me. Let my mind stop running a million miles a minute and just enjoy the fresh air. Typically I enjoy going on hikes and exploring while camping, but this time we only left the immediate camp site when nature called. I think it was for the best this time because it really allowed me to just stop everything. (It also allowed me to not freeze since staying in the campsite meant staying by the fire.)

We all need that sometimes. To be able to escape the normal stress of life and decompress a bit. Everyone has their own way of going about it. The outdoors just happens to be mine. It allowed me to come back with a much better attitude as well. I came back refreshed and while I wasn't exactly excited for work, I did come back more willing. Now that Spring is really starting to come around (this weekend its 60 degrees! So much better than the 40 we had as a high last weekend!) I hope to get out more and more. Whether it be more camping trips, or day hikes, running outside, or even just sitting outside and reading. I can't wait to enjoy more fresh air!!