Stress management

Phew. When this week is over, I'm going to be so happy to have survived again.

Everything always piles up. Work, studies, sequins, stuff on my desk... It's really annoying. This week is once again one of those incredibly hectic ones, even though I sit at home most of the time. To reduce the stress and strain a bit at least I already had to cancel the politics exam I was planning on taking on Friday. I just cannot effectively study 1200 pages of politics, concentrate on the materials for the history prep course and embroider my dress for Saturday's recital at the same time. I haven't got the hours in my day. And I'm already staying up till 1 a.m. with the sequins and itty-bitty beads...

Which actually lead to something strange today. I never make coffee for just myself when I'm at home. I like coffee, but I'm trying not to get hopelessly addicted to it by drinking it at home, too. Addiction-schmaddiction, says I today. I just had to have a lot of coffee to keep me studying the history of plague and other interesting diseases, since I've been sewing those darned beads onto that dress for two nights now. (On a happier and related note, though, I must say I'm so incredibly proud of myself for actually being able to put that dress together from scrap all by myself! And the thing fits me, too. That's just unreal.)

Plague and other diseases, you wonder, huh? One of the books that are required reading for the entrance exam of the history department this year, is called Plagues and Peoples by William H. McNeill. It seems (and is) fascinating, but isn't able to keep me awake (without caffeine helping) after two late nights in a row. Thank god for coffee.

I'm not exactly sure how the grand show on Saturday is going to go. I'm so afraid there isn't going to be that many people in the audience at all (even mom and dad canceled, since they were invited to visit dad's younger brother & his family in Tuusula) and that the whole thing is going to be a flop. I'll look ridiculous trying to snitch "the fire" from the dragon (yes, to see me skulking in the shadows / go bump in the dark, come and see it for yourself on Saturday) and boring when dancing my solo. I'm supposed to be Fikriya, the Wise Lady (the previous being some kind of Arabic translation of the latter), but I feel more like the Fool. Don't know what that'd be in Arabic. Maybe I'll feel better about all of this on Saturday morning, when the performance is getting closer. Then again, maybe not. I'm feeling decidedly pessimistic now.

This week will also see one of my nearly permanent causes of stress disappear. Whee! It's time for my last dance classes in Lieto and Parainen. It'll be a relief, but also sort of sad. The ladies in all my groups are very nice and it's not their fault that I don't have the energy to teach them anymore. Satu will take good care of the ladies in Lieto, but I still have to try and find a replacement for the group in Parainen.

Hrmpf. The beads are calling me again.