Balancing Act ...

So I've never really been one to be good at finding balance in my life. Typically one thing or another (typically work or my social life) just takes over for a while until the things I've been avoiding or putting off push themselves to the top of the list. You know like when suddenly you decide you really just want to finish your Masters Thesis so you spend 6 months working 12 hrs a day and drinking lots of coffee and not spending any time relaxing or really enjoying your friends.

Lately ... and it makes me smile to think about this ... work has been somewhat on the bottom of my list and friends, relaxation and fun have been at the top of the list!!!! This is somewhat of a new concept for me ... learning out to actually enjoy my life and not just being a workaholic ... but seriously it has been a great ride the past few months. OK ... so right I did have to do my prelims somewhere in there, but seriously I think I put those off for as long as humanly possible and I probably could have worked a whole lot harder than I did, but whatever I passed and it no longer matters!!

Dating someone new is (as would be expected) adding an additional piece to my juggling act. Because now ... not only do I have to figure out a time to do some work (eek ... I really need to learn to be a bit more productive) AND make sure that I have time for my friends (who lets face it are really more like my family and my support here) AND find some time for myself, BUT I also want to make sure I have time to enjoy hanging out with the new guy!

The major crux to this problem is that most of the time it seems like most girls (and maybe most guys?) tend to forget about their friends when they first start dating someone new. And nothing and I mean NOTHING is worse than feeling like you are losing your best friend to some lame guy. We have all been here ... your best girl friend falls for someone and suddenly you are on the "reserve" list for when the boyfriend can't hang out or is out of town. And really ... no one likes to feel like they are second best. I know that evenutally things start to even themselves out ... but sometimes, if you are not careful, you can end up losing a friend in the process :(

Anyway, I promised myself when I first started internet dating that I would not ditch my friends for whatever guy I find ... really I would rather just give up sleeping and cleaning my house and eating healthy food than stop hanging out with my friends ... but sometimes it is just hard to know if you are really doing enough. So I guess ... for all 3 of you who read this blog ... if it ever seems like I am neglecting you (assuming that I actually end up dating this guy anyway ... who knows how he is going to handle my crazy-ness) please please please please let me know! I'm a big fan of working things out ... talking things out ... and I don't want you to end up hating me just because I am a stupid girl :(

Ok ... well I guess thats enough of a rant for today (and woo hoo for me .... posting two times in like three days!)