Holiday Decorations

Hi readers,

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Madrid.

Actually, it's likely that it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas everywhere.

I just noticed yesterday.

The city decorated for Christmas two and a half weeks ago.  There are lights up on all the major streets, massive fake trees up in all the plazas, and hordes of slow-walking Spanish old ladies  strolling arm-in-arm on every sidewalk.

The thing about Christmas decorations?

You have to stop and take the time to appreciate them.  Otherwise, they just pass by in a peripheral blur as you focus on side-stepping slow old ladies and trying not to say mean things about them in your head.  Or out loud.

Yesterday,  I was sitting in a cab, blissfully unaware of the crowds on the sidewalks, and took the time to stop and appreciate some of the city decorations.

Translation: I  took 30 seconds to look out the window at a Christmas tree set up in a European chain coffee shop.  But whatever, Christmas spirit calls from many different locations.  I found the silver-tinsel laden tree at La Rollerie very peaceful and inspiring.

I love holiday decorations.  This year, I had kind of forgotten about them (due to aforementioned travel/work fall rush).  I'm excited to find some peace in the holiday season.  Decorative meditation photos below from the places I will be spending my holidays.

(Sol Plaza, Madrid)

(Rockefeller Center, New York)

(Champs de Elysee, Paris)

Whats important?

Hi readers!
Where have I been, you ask?  Let me tell you.  In the last 3 months, I have been:

-in the South of France
-in Barcelona
-In Morocco
-in Italy
-in London
-in Valencia

In addition, I have been working 60 hours a week, teaching 3 separate subjects to 110 students.  I've written comments and assigned grades for all of them twice.  I'm taking 2 different types of Spanish classes and desperately trying to give my wonderful boyfriend some measure of meaningful attention. I've spent probably a combined total of 10 hours with my friends in the past 2 months.  In the past week I've done my Christmas shopping, given final exams to my aforementioned 110 students and signed my intent form for my job for next year.

So, as they say on the mom blogs I like to peruse when I'm feeling sorry for myself (because no matter how busy I am...I'm not mom busy) I've been a little "over-extended" lately. I've been trying to make time for writing, but what I've been writing about mostly seems to center around dark feelings of stress and deep questions about my priorities.

Not light-hearted blog-friendly material.  But I do want to throw this question out there:

What's important?  Am I doing it well?

I'm desperately trying to define my priorities.  Time seems short lately, and I always question if I'm using my days effectively, if everything I do is adding up to something in the end.  How do people know the answer?  How do people even know the right question?  It all seems very distant and confusing.  When I try to think about it, I always run out of time.  For example, right now I'm making myself late for lunch.

Pictures of travels below.


Valencia

Segovia

Okay, these pictures are actually from last year.  The new pictures are not on my computer, and as I mentioned, I'm late to lunch. 

Sigh.