SUNSHINE DAY

This is a great title, because I'm in a good mood. Also it's really sunny outside and I think I lost ten pounds sweating today. Do you see how there are two meanings there? Because I could flesh it out a little more.

See, the word "sunshine" evokes a feeling of carefree bliss. But in the literal sense, "sunshine day" simply describes a hot, sunny day.

It also recalls memories of the Brady Kids singing "Sunshine Day" in colorful, fringed costumes. This was most likely both a happy and sweaty event for them. Do you see how many levels this title works on? It's really just ridiculous.

Now that we are all on the same page...

When I was really stressed out and overwhelmed this past spring, I longed for the lazy days of summer. I'd heard past volunteers talk about how much time they had to read, watch tv, spend time with their host families, cultivate hobbies. I thought to myself, "I WANT THAT. Where is this free time you speak of?"

Then summer came. You may remember I made a list of goals to accomplish for the summer. I realize I could just look back at that blog, but for the sake of drama I am going to tell you that I ALREADY FORGOT ALL THOSE GOALS. Except the one about Single Ladies, but honestly I don't even plan to carry that out. I've moved on. I'm obsessed with Ciara's video, "Ride" now.

More to the point. This summer has so far been an incredible rollercoaster of emotional highs and lows.

I'll pause momentarily while you let the poetry of that last sentence wash over you.

One day I am so happy to be in Morocco, the next I want to get the fuck out and pretend like this 10 month blip never happened. Sure, I have good and bad days no matter what the season, but something about summer has made everything feel more intense.

Then I realized it's all linked to my productivity level. I've always been a to-do list girl. Checking things off my list feels like ... well my mom reads this so I won't get too detailed here. Anyway, in the summer work really slows down and a week may go by where I don't really NEED to leave my house. Then out of the blue a fun opportunity pops up and I couldn't be more excited.

This is bad for me. I don't handle downtime very well at all. I am either running around like Sarah Goldfarb cleaning her apartment on uppers in Requiem for a Dream or utterly useless, pantsless, and directionless. Just look at this graph I drew up for the occasion:



As you can see, the more stuff I'm doing, the more of a happy maniac I am. Yesterday all I did was watch How I Met Your Mother and drink iced coffee. In other words I was depressed AND tweaked out at the same time. Today, I got up early, visited a bunch of families, and did my laundry and bam, I'm a happy camper again.

I think I'm becoming one of those people that can't stand to be alone with her thoughts. Am I that annoying?