Two Steps Forward...Two, Maybe Three Back

Alrighty then...so I've made it 2/3 of the way through my volunteer gauntlet. The Shop to Stop Breast Cancer was a big success (that's me with Roryann Clements and Sheena Meder at the event) and a fun evening. Both of my client seminars also went well. And this morning was the Walk With the Animals followed by Sheena and Ronaldo's housewarming party (luckily, dogs were invited too so we just went from one event to the next). You can see just how much Seamus enjoyed his day--this is him at the Walk with the Animals  pancake breakfast (syrup on the paws...yummy, and not at all messy.) He was much better behaved here than he was later at the housewarming where he barked at guests until they fed him. And they all fed him.

So what should have been left on my itinerary was just Alternatives to Domestic Violence's Professionals and Community Leaders Luncheon of which I am the chairperson with a few speaking duties. That's Tuesday and would have been the end of my crazy stretch of over-doing it.

But no. I failed to say "no" once again. So Wednesday night I will serve as co-auctioneer at the Chamber of Commerce Inaugural Ball. Two reasons I couldn't say no (beyond the usual failure to recall that word): 1) Jack Clarke asked me to be the Co M.C. and usually its me dragging him into things, so I owed him one, and 2) the party theme is "It's 5 o'clock Somewhere"/ Jimmy Buffett style and I'm a huge JB fan. I'm rationalizing this by saying it's only a small part. I'm not organizing it, I'm not selling tickets and I'm not really responsible for anything. Yeah, that's how I'm rationalizing it.

Then at the Walk with the Animals today I was approached by someone from the "Bark for Life" American Cancer Society fundraising event. A dog walk to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Given that Seamus and I are both cancer survivors she wanted me to speak at the event this summer. I will admit, I find that one hard to pass up. It's like it's an event perfectly aligned with this blog. And it's not until June! We'll see if she follows up with me, but yeah, I may have done it again.

The other step backward is the fact that I'm not going to the memoir writing class tomorrow. I'm going to work instead. I really need to get some work cranked out and the class takes place smack in the middle of my most productive time (2 to 4pm).  I'm sad about that, but it's what I have to do right now. The fact that I will miss this class, and the way I felt after the non-profit events this week (generally grumpy and a little irritated) should be enough to help me keep my resolution to step away from the volunteerism. In stark contrast, I felt great after my two client seminars and yesterday when I worked at home and got organized enough to know I need to spend Sunday in the office and it didn't make me grumpy as much as just motivated. Hmmm..

Oh, and by telling you all about it, I'm hoping to shame myself into just saying no. Keep me on it, will ya?

P.S. Hating my hair these days, but there it is in the Shop to Stop photo. Too long to be edgy/stylish/ short and too short to really style into anything. I've moved from toddler hair to 6 year old boy.