Clari-Tea

Right now, I'm supposed to be grading. [This statement is likely to be true no matter what time you find yourself reading this post]

But, finally, after 4 years of teaching, I'm learning how to set time aside for myself. It has taken numerous breakdowns (and near breakdowns) to reach this point.

Instead of grading, I'm sipping a cup of tea, preparing to sit down for 30 minutes of reading before bed. This is part of my Balanced Life '09 plan. It's not part of a New Year's Resolution List (bound to be broken anyway), but rather 1 of 4 "boundaries" I've given myself.
They are as follows:

• Maximize every moment at work
• No more than 2 hours spent on work after school
• Read for 30 minutes every night
• In bed by 10:30 pm

I know. It sounds like these things should go without saying, but I need them.
I'm a person of absolutes. I've always had difficulty with ambiguous declarations like "cut back on..." or "do more...". Exactly how much is more? What does a little less mean?

When I was pregnant with Leila, the doctor said I shouldn't have too much caffeine. Not sure what "too much" was, I stopped drinking anything caffeinated. Done.

My return to caffeine has been gradual and closely monitored (tonight's tea is herbal). Perhaps I'll slip gradually back into workaholism one day. One day in the distant future. But for right now, I just want to enjoy my tea.