Have you really met me? One look at the video above should give you a small idea of who I am, personality-wise. I have labeled myself a "plate spinner" since I was 15 years old. While I don't do the amazing stunts that Erich Brenn (dude in video above), does...I have been as adept a life juggler as anyone I've ever known.
What does it all mean? Well, I'm an over-doer. I get criticized by people from time to time that I take on too much and while I may agree sometimes, you have to understand why I do it. Let's start back when I was 15. I was in band (rifle twirler), school, part-time job, boyfriend, in drama club, started sending my own Christmas cards with calligraphy addressing, Sunday School teacher, home exercise club organizer (ask some of my friends from high school - they'll remember the basement Sweatin' to the Oldies sessions); and I'm probably leaving something out. Was I crazy then? Absolutely, but it's all a part of who I am.
I am a GO GO GO girl. I enjoy being busy because it makes me feel alive and engaged. Plus my passions are varied yet share a thread of the same energy so dabbling and doing makes me feel like the true quintuple-threat (LOL), that I aim to be. In fact, lifestyle plate spinning has been an art I have worked at for over 20 years now. Goodness time flies. So when I tell people that I'm currently:
- assisting at a dance studio,
- teaching dance 5 x a week and running my own registered dance concept classes,
- acting as creative director of a dance troupe that performs within the community at least once a month,
- moonlighting as a performance artist with another troupe,
- producing and starting up my own "variety show" night at a local club in town once a month,
- selling products through my online businesses (2),
- working a 9 to 5 job in a well-adorned cubicle,
- being a wife and a mother to 3 fur-children,
- while managing 5 websites and blogging;
I'm asked all the time how I do it. To be honest, I don't know...I mean really, it's just something I do and have done forever that it's a part of my blueprint. It's hard to explain something that seems like overload to some, but breath to me. While I'm not perfect at all of the above, it's helped me learn that perfection (which I used to value and expect from myself), is really not attainable. Working hard and doing your best is and that is what I aim for these days.
Contrary to popular belief, I'm not "running away" from anything by loading up my life, I'm actually living my dreams. If I could live my artistic dreams and pay my bills - I would; but until that day, I still need to keep my full-time job. I am always amazed by marvelous women who manage life, home, business and children and I never ask them if they're running from something. I suppose I don't understand why anyone should have to explain their desire to want a little of everything that life has to offer? Mind you, the Jim values slower times and sometimes struggles to understand how I "work", but I thank my stars above that he puts up with all my crazy dreams and supports them (reluctantly at times, but is always there for me and I love him dearly for that).
So, I know you want to know: do I crash ever? Yes. I did back then and I do now at times. However my crashes now are more therapeutically scheduled for myself. There are days, weeks or times in my life where I go "off the grid" (not really), from time to time and become more insular. I do it to recharge and re-evaluate. I'm heading into the summer where some of the above will take focus, but I have well intentioned down-time scheduled. I suppose I'm blogging this now, because I've just applied to add one more thing to my artistic life that would be a natural addition and flow to my troupe involvements and the production of my variety nights.
Am I crazy? Probably...but I only get one go at this life so I wanna indulge. I know in my heart that what needs and deserves more focus will present itself and some of my activities may lessen at times...but aw hell, I'm going to try to keep those plates spinnin'.
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