Well, maybe not necessarily ‘busy’, but busier might be better in some sense. I have come to realize that over the past week, as my family is away. As you can see, my blogging has been light. Yet I have had more time! Does that make any sense?

Well, I have heard it said that if you want to get something done, go ask the busiest person you know. It’s not a fail proof statement, but it doest prove a simple point, namely, that the reason many people are so busy is because they actually get things done, so people come ask them to do more. Again, this is not to exalt busyness, but it is to say that oftentimes, when we have the most to do, we get the most done. And when we have the least to do, we get the least done.

That hasn’t proven to be exactly the case in this instance for me, but there is a good degree of truth in it. With more time, I begin to think I can do various other things and, inevitably, I don’t have as much time as I originally thought. Consequently, a simple practice such as blogging gets crowded out. But by what? That’s a good question, indeed.

Do you notice this at work in your own life? Do a host of activities serve to strengthen your focus and a lack of activities maybe make you too relaxed? It’s at least worth considering. Having a good balance between the two seems best to me.

I am currently typing this post from a brand-new desk and chair. It’s one I have been waiting for for quite some time. And it is one I asked for numerous times, because for me, a good desk is a necessity for life, wherever I may be.

Around the Crispin house, you might hear us periodically singing a song from the classic Disney movie, Jungle Book. “The Bare Necessities.” Or then again, maybe it’s entitled, “The Bear Necessities” as it is Baloo the Bear’s big gig. I thought of that song when I my desk arrived, because though it is not food and clothing, it is, at least to me, that vital.

If I lack a desk, I am inevitably disorganized and thus, a little scattered. If I have a desk and you find a bit of a mess, chances are it is a reflection of my current state. For it is my hub. My workstation. My organizational Sun. Without it I just cannot make do. And, inevitably, without it I will barely blog.

There might be some folks out there who don’t have a clarified workstation. If that is you, I would encourage you to get on board and make a good desk one of your ‘bear necessities.’ Sure, there may be some who can be organized and orderly without it, but frankly, I find it hard to believe.

Are our desks (or lack of them), at least in this day and age, a reflection of our selves and the efficiency of our lives? Maybe so.

And will the presence of one serve to help me get into that elusive blogging rhythm I have been looking for. I happen to think so, but only time will tell.

The same thing happens every single time I move to a new place.  For about one month, I am more or less out of sorts. I have difficulty finding a good routine because of my new surroundings and new schedule and little things fall by the wayside.  My emails pile up (I think I have over 50 in my Next Action Folder (ones I have to reply to)…usually I try to keep it to 20 tops).  Blog posts become scarce.  Life is just a bit scattered.

Then things begin to settle down and I realize how frustrated I am with the lack of routine.  In my frustration, I write down my essentials.  And one of the first things I do is start blogging about how important a good routine is! So here I am again.  I suppose you could say that this process has become something of my routine.  I just wish I could learn to adjust a bit quicker!

Yet at the same time, after picking up and moving to Italy for, Lord willing, the next 9 months, I have realized why finding a good routine is such a struggle.  Indeed, I have seen more clearly than ever why this process of playing overseas is often so difficult.  I spend three months at home (if I am a lucky one).  By the time I leave, I have found a good rhythm  And then I pick up and move to a new place where you have to more or less set up an entirely new life.

Where’s the grocery store?  Where can we find the best bread?  What bank do I need to get set up with and who can take me down there?  Where can my kids find friends and activities?  Where’s the best place to eat?  The list goes on and on.  Sure, they are all little things, but they are little things that I take for granted while at home.  Indeed, they are what most of us take for granted.  We just have all these little, normal life things set and don’t realize what comfort we derive from it.  Or, if we don’t have them set, and move to a new place, the new place often is in the same country, so there is a certain degree of familiarity.  We can usually find one of our favorite restaurants in the area.  And most importantly, we don’t need someone to take us everywhere, because we actually speak the language.  Not so here, at least for me.

In saying all this, I am by no means complaining.  I learn a great deal through the process.  And I see that it is wise to sometimes sit back and look at your life from the outside in order to understand why things might not be so easy. It helps you to relax a bit, believe it or not, and, at least for me, enjoy the journey.  And maybe, just maybe, it will help me to blog consistently once again!