What Do You Mean, You're Busy? You're Single!

Last night was the first night I slept in my own bed since Monday.

Lest you think I've spent the week cavorting and indulging in the types of activities typical of a single girl living in Southern California (or anywhere else) that doesn't end up back at her house at night, I'll just dispel those rumors right now.

(The only men that have been involved in my week have been of the married and/or related-to-me variety.)

Tomorrow is supposed to be the annual Chino Christmas Parade. Weather permitting.

My girls are in the parade. Which means I'm in the parade.

And I'm perfectly okay with that. I mean, it starts ridiculously early, but whatever. The girls want to participate and we've done it for years and I'm willing to make the sacrifice for them. I love the organization and I want to support them however I can.

But it would be nice if the weather bumped the parade to next Saturday.

Although, there is a bit of prep involved in transforming a flat-bed trailer into a Winter Wonderland suitable for tweens and teens to sit on while crawling along the city streets.

Some of that prep has to be done the night before, and some of it can't be done until the morning of because everything could fly right out the back of the trailer when we're transporting it to the staging area.

One of the parents apparently doesn't quite understand that concept. Yesterday, she told me the girls were getting ready to set up the "float" so that it would be ready for Saturday. I tried to explain why they shouldn't do that. You know. Cuz it might rain and stuff. And when I told her the parade might be moved to next Saturday, she was upset. Because, of course, I should be able to control the weather, right? I mean, I obviously wasn't paying attention the day they taught that in my meteorology class back at Weber State. My bad.

This parent got frustrated and said, "I can't handle all this last minute stuff. I'm working 6 days a week right now. And I've got my husband's office Christmas party. And [this kid is doing this and that kid is doing that]. I'm busy. You're going to have to do it all."

Woah.

Remember that time when I told you I hadn't been home since MONDAY?

I've noticed an assumption among some of my friends and colleagues that, because I don't have a spouse or children, I am obviously not doing anything.

Free as a bird.

O how I wish!

When I do nothing but get up in the morning, work all day and come straight home, I am out of the house for twelve hours.

TWELVE.

Granted, it's my fault for living so far from work.

But, still. Twelve hours that I'm not at home. And that's when I don't have anything going on after work.

I'm the adult leader in Job's Daughters.

I'm in the Relief Society Presidency at church. Yeah, okay, so I'm the secretary, but still. It means meetings and stuff.

I've been staying at my mom's one night a week to take care of my grandmother while my mom has been taking a class.

I'm working with Bionic Products and that's starting to pick up a bit.

I'm in three different book clubs, one as an advisor, and that means I'm supposed to be reading or something.

And, oh yeah. I'm trying to finish my novel.

I'm thinking if I had a husband and kids, I'd have to give up sleep altogether. At this point, that only happens about once or twice a week anyway, so I suppose it wouldn't be hard to cut that out of my schedule.

Seriously. What's my problem? That mom was right. I have all the time in the world. I guess I just need to be a little more committed.

Although I really probably just need to be committed.


So...What misconceptions do people have about your life?