Yesterday turned out to be much busier than I expected.

I knew I had a class scheduled for the afternoon, so I had already planned to spend part of the day preparing for that. What I didn’t know was that repair work on our elevator would also become part of the day’s unfolding story.

Because the elevator has been out of order, I had planned to hold my class in collections storage. There was simply no practical way to bring everything upstairs otherwise. It wasn’t ideal, but it was manageable.

The repairman arrived first thing in the morning, attempted a fix, and quickly realized it hadn’t worked. He left to get additional tools, returned, and then discovered the issue was more complicated than expected. When I asked if they might be back later in the day, he didn’t think that would be possible given his other appointments. I told him that was actually a relief—I had a class that afternoon and really didn’t want repairs happening in the middle of it.

Of course, what should not have been a surprise: they came back anyway. Fifteen minutes before my class was scheduled to begin.

To their credit, they were respectful and did not disrupt the class, and I am genuinely grateful that the elevator is now working again. Still, it added an unnecessary layer of stress right at the moment I needed to be focused and present.

I ended up spending most of the day in collections storage. That’s not usually how my days go—I’m typically in and out, pulling what I need for a class and then returning items afterward. I’m the educator, not the collections manager. But there are certainly worse ways to spend a day, and there’s something grounding about being surrounded by history, even if it comes with a bit more physical strain.

By the end of the day, though, I had been on my feet far longer than usual, and my back is reminding me of that this morning in no uncertain terms.

If all goes as planned, today should be easier. At least, that’s the hope.

But if yesterday reminded me of anything, it’s that plans have a way of shifting, interruptions arrive whether we invite them or not, and sometimes the best we can do is adapt, take a breath, and carry on.

And maybe—just maybe—hope for a quieter day ahead… without saying it too loudly, lest we jinx it.

Lately, I’ve been tired in a way that sleep doesn’t quite fix.

Not the kind of tired where you just need a good night’s rest and everything resets. It’s more of a slow, lingering fatigue—the kind that settles into your bones and follows you through the day. The kind where even small frustrations feel heavier than they should.

Part of it is just routine being off. I’ve been waking up earlier than I’d like, earlier than I’m ready for, and while I can sometimes crawl back into bed, it’s never quite the same. There’s something about interrupted sleep that lingers, leaving the day just a little more difficult to move through. You keep going, of course—you always do—but everything feels just slightly out of sync.

And when you’re already worn down, even minor things start to weigh more than they should. Little inconsistencies. Extra steps. Situations where you feel like you’re putting in more energy than necessary, or where expectations don’t quite line up. Nothing major, nothing worth a confrontation—but enough to create a quiet undercurrent of frustration.

I’ve never been someone who leans naturally into confrontation. I tend to pause, to weigh, to let things go more often than not. Sometimes that’s a strength. Sometimes it just means I carry things longer than I should.

Still, I’ve been trying to find a better balance—to speak up when it matters, but also to let go of what doesn’t.

Because not everything needs to be fought. But not everything should be carried either.

So for now, I’m reminding myself to take things a little more gently. To allow for the tiredness without letting it define the whole day. To recognize that some days are just heavier, and that doesn’t mean something is wrong—it just means I’m human.

And maybe tonight, I’ll get a better night’s sleep.

Or at least close my eyes long enough to rest.

Yesterday was a busy, exhausting day. By the time I got home, all I wanted to do was crash.

I talked with Susan for a bit, watched the news and Jeopardy!, and tried to read for a while. But I kept catching myself reading the same paragraph over and over again, my eyes drifting closed between sentences. Eventually, I gave up and fell asleep almost immediately.

Apparently, Isabella decided I needed the extra rest. She waited until after 4:00 a.m. before making a halfhearted attempt to wake me. After a few minutes, even she seemed to give up, and I managed to sleep until 4:45 before she determined I was finally awake enough—and, more importantly, that she needed to be fed.

So, I got up.

Even after coffee and breakfast, though, I still feel like I could go right back to sleep.

Unfortunately, that’s not an option today. I have to go into work for a meeting and a public program that I’m hosting. I’m hoping today won’t be quite as exhausting as yesterday, but if it is, at least I have something to look forward to—working from home tomorrow.

Normally, I work from home on Fridays anyway, but this week got shuffled around because of coworkers’ medical appointments. Still, the thought of a quieter morning tomorrow (assuming Isabella allows it) is enough to get me through today.

Let’s just hope she sleeps in.

It’s Monday again, and it was very hard getting up this morning. Isabella finally convinced me to wake up, and I sat on the side of the bed for a few minutes before promptly laying back down and going back to sleep. Isabella was not amused. She made her displeasure quite clear, but I simply put a pillow over my head and continued to ignore her.

Eventually, I sat up again, and this time I managed to get out of bed for good—mostly because Isabella was not going to let me forget that she had not been fed yet. Once her breakfast was served, peace was restored in my apartment.

I’m still not entirely happy about being awake, but I have a busy few days ahead. Work is going to keep me moving today, tomorrow, and Wednesday, so it’s shaping up to be a bit of an exhausting week. Hopefully everything will go smoothly.

In the meantime, the coffee is hot, Isabella is fed, and the day has begun whether I like it or not.

Have a great week, everyone!