I have to admit that I work way too much. I really don’t think I can escape it either. Between a full-time job (building websites), HomeSkillet Records, and a roster of freelance clients, there really isn’t time for rest and relaxation. Add Toula the Pitbull, Jesus the Cat, and D (the girlfriend), into the mix and there isn’t time for much else.

Eventually I will have to split with the freelance, or split with the full-time job. For now, I have to come up with a way to stop being so busy. To my friends who have known me for years, it’s a rare occasion anymore, when I actually show up to an event, or do something at the spur of the moment. It’s not that I plan, because I am terrible at planning, it’s that I am either assumed to be busy, or can’t give up any free time because I immediatley try to fill it with more work. Usually yard work, or brainstorming up new projects (Type A, with a flare for chaos).

Enter this weekend (Pictures in my flickr feed), I actually hung out and stayed out…

I had the pleasure of being invited to a house in a town called Sherwood, south of Portland, OR. “The Parents” were gone and it was going to be 3 days, 2 nights of chillin’ by the pool. Oh, and drinking.

Friday - Rolled in after work with Toula and D. Went swimming and hot tubbing. Had a real good drunk. Kept shooting airballs on the basketball court, nobody cares, “He’s Drunk.” Starting to lose my edge.

Saturday - Woke up at about 9, took D to the airport and came back to the party at about 3. Watched the College World Series game (while designing a tree removal site for tradeout), Beavers lost. Barbecued dinner, had some more beer. Fumbled my way through a few Johnny Cash covers on the guitar and a few original tunes, impressed some 19-year-olds with it (Wahoo, young chicks! Just kidding baby.) With no real plans other than to stay at the house, edge fully gone.

Sunday - Woke up around 10, made some breakfast in the huge kitchen of the huge house. Put some trunks on and laid by the pool till 3:30 (fully burnt now). This was where there was no edge to be found. I was fully rested and relaxing. Game two of the three game College World Series is on, Beavers need a win. 5-0 Beavers are losing. A twang of stress (wtf?). Beavers come back and win it 11-7. Stress gone, anxiety for tomorrow. Fully rested, fully relaxed.

So what’s the point?

I really needed this past weekend. I didn’t know it until today, but taking a break from the screen, taking a break from email, instant messenger, and being tackled into the pool with my cellphone in my pocket, really did wonders for me. As cliche as it sounds, I feel like a new man.

I’m on the verge of taking a “Vacation” to go back home to Sitka, Alaska on July 12th, but there will be no rest. I will be on the move there even more than here. HomeSkilletFest is coming up and that will require a lot of my time.

If you are like me and you take time off from your job only to do more work, then take the necessary steps to remove yourself from your busy life, if only for a few days. It will do wonders for your mental health. I was fortunate to have it fall in my lap and only be 45 minutes away. I am lucky.

How do you get away?

** Update - Oregon State Beavers win the College World Series.

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