Yet. But I’m working on it.

Y’all may have noticed (if you’ve been paying attention) that I’ve been a bit off kilter for a while. Kilter – from the English “kelter” (c 1600), “good condition, order.” Not. Not at my best. I can’t seem to dig myself out of the pit o’ writing despair. The farm – well, no aspect of the farm has been going quite as well as I would have liked by now. The whole coding-for-Antarctica thing? Let’s just not talk about that. Honestly, I’ve been finding myself emotionally exhausted by everything.

I’ve got a simple checklist for when I find myself feeling overwhelmed and on the ropes: sleep, food, exercise. Have I been getting enough sleep? Am I eating the right foods? Am I getting enough physical activity? Usually it’s one or more of those – caffeine interrupting my sleep. Or too much sugar, or sitting on my duff, staring into the Glowing Box of Eternal Distraction. Frequently all three, as these things tend to cascade.

But I have been doing the right things, mostly, and yet….

With what passes as the wisdom that comes with years, I’ve come to recognize that sometimes the problem is that I’ve gotten my mind so wrapped around its own axle that I can’t unwind it, step back and gain a little perspective on what’s going on in my life (and what I would like to have going on in it). To unwind it, you’ve got to get away, get outside your mind and look at it from the outside.

So I’m stepping away for a little. Getting away from farm, family, software. Hopefully not the writing, though. Unlike the last time I went walkabout, back in the beforetimes, I’m hoping to keep the blog going, as opportunities present themselves. So I’ll keep you posted, eh?