Tired



Ant on a wildflower.



Do you ever feel too tired to sleep? That’s the way I feel as I write this. My body feels like all the energy has drained out of it. But I’m having a hard time relaxing.

Today—well, it’s after midnight now, so yesterday—was a long day. I spent most of it in court, covering a trial. I was there until nearly 7 p.m. Then I had to rush over to another county building to cover a couple of public hearings. I went from there to the office, where I wrote two stories, one on the trial and one on the hearings. Then I worked on updating the website.

The trial isn’t over, so I have to be back in court later this morning for the closing arguments. Then the jury deliberates. Once a verdict is reached, it’s back to the office to write a story for the website.

I’m rambling, but I’m having a hard time focusing. And I’m having a hard time coming up with a topic that would be helpful and interesting for you.

I worry about that. I want to write posts that connect with you. But on days like today, all I can do is tell you how I feel and maybe a bit about how I handled the day.

I felt rushed, and I worried about getting out of court in time to cover the county story. But I did something that I don’t always find easy to do: I asked for help.

Last week, I knew Tuesday was going to be a bear. So I asked my boss if he could help by covering a 4 p.m. government meeting if I didn’t get out of court in time. And he did. I was apologetic about it—I don’t like asking for help—but he was OK with doing it.

So there’s a good reminder for me: it’s OK to ask for support.

And one more thing I did that helped me through the day: on the way back to the office in the evening, I listened to music in the car.

I haven’t driven in over two months because of my broken foot. But today, it was just necessary that I drive. I didn’t know how long I’d have to be in court. The courthouse is a 25 minute drive from home. I like having the car there where I can retire for a brief respite during court recesses.

So I told Larry I would drive. I put on a shoe and drove, and then put the boot back on when I got to my destination. It worked fine.

But what I’m really getting at is what did while I was driving this evening.

Usually, my driving-alone time is also my music time. I listen to my favorite music and sing along. I don’t do it as much when I’m with Larry.

I missed Larry today. We’ve been riding around together every day for a long time. But it was nice to put on some Alison Krauss and listen to her angel voice and sing along. It gave me a 25 minute rest, in a sense.

Asking for help. Music. Both are good things.

And now my brain is telling me it’s time to stop writing. My thoughts have slowed down for a change. It’s time to go to bed.

I didn’t have the opportunity to read blogs Tuesday, but I hope to be able to later today. I miss my daily routine, but I’ll be back.