As I look out my window the wind is billowing clouds of snow off the roof, sending them in cyclones across the yard. The sun is warm, but the weather forecast predicts another night dipping below zero. This winter has found me far less grumpy about such nights, as the house we now live in is more than adequately insulated to withstand such temperatures. While I do still have to get up in the middle of night to put wood in the fire, the wood stove is much easier to maintain than the wood boiler in the other house, thus my nightly routine consists of 5 minutes instead of 45, a welcome change.
This isn't an ordinary Friday afternoon for us, involving merely preparations for the end of week and Sabbath, but also for our trip to South Carolina on Sunday. We'll be going for 2 weeks this time, instead of 1. We're also traveling heavier than usual, as we are taking the truck, trailer, skid steer, and a good deal more food than usual. As the wife of the beekeeping duo we meet up with in South Carolina is staying in NY for this trip, I will be taking on the responsibility of feeding the crew of us (3 adults and 2 very hungry teenage boys). So for those of you wondering if my food service days have gone to waste, I assure you they have not! We are also taking our canine companion for his first time south. We're very excited to not have to be separated from our cuddle buddy for this longer stay! No more shivery nights, as he will likely be lying right between us with his head on the pillow. ;)
It will be a busy and productive couple of weeks down there as we prepare to send the bees to California to pollinate the vast acres of almond orchards. As hard as it was for me to leave the North the first several trips south in the middle of the holiday season, this one is slightly easier, as the holidays are past, and warmer weather is waiting to greet us in the South. :) We'll enjoy it for all of you up here! Still hoping there is snow upon our return home, however, because we have a lot of snowboarding we want to do in February!
Do your best to stay warm Northern friends! We'll send you some sunny rays from the south while we're away!
Friday, January 16, 2015
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Sometimes Extroverts just don't "get" Introverts
In my adult years, I've become well acquainted with the definitions of Extroversion and Introversion. I have taken a number of Facebook quizzes and test, personality tests (both general and very long and specific), that have told me again and again that I fall into the introverted category. I know many people that have the same results I do from these test, that understand the many ways Introverts can be misunderstood. Even still, for those of you who did not find themselves on that side of the test results, this post is for you.
As an introverted kid, being an only child was like a dream I didn't know I'd had come true. I was never bored, which was a quandary to my cousins who came from multi-child families. I loved spending time reading, doing crafts, or just wandering around outside alone, talking to myself and playing made-up games. Having quiet time by myself was something I relished. Now don't get me wrong. I was not a hermit child. I did have friends and cousins, and played with the wildest of them. My best friend growing up was a big time Extrovert, which helped draw me out of my shell and teach me social skills. But as much as I spent time socializing with other kids my own age, I still craved alone-time.
As a teenager I tended to surround myself with friends who, like myself, were less outgoing than our piers. Partying was definitely not an interest of mine. (No I'm not talking about typical partying, since I went to an Adventist school, although there was that too.) Large social gatherings which involved mingling with a lot of people I didn't normally hang out required expending a lot of energy, so I usually only attended such things if it was required by the dorm.
As an adult, I find that it is not always easy to find the alone time I often crave. When its available, I snatch it up, relishing the quiet time to recharge my social batteries. What Extroverts just don't always understand is that if I am quiet, silent, or seemingly unsociable, it is not necessarily because something is "wrong," but that my social reserve battery has been depleted and needs to be charged. Being overtired is a trigger for me. Most of the time, it doesn't seem like work to be social with others. If I'm tired or have spent a lot of time in crowded environments, however, it begins to take more and more energy to put on the "bubbly" persona. If my social reserve continues to deplete without being charged with quiet alone-time, I will likely keep words to a minimum in socializations, doing my best to not seem rude, but not always succeeding.
Having quiet time for morning devotions is also a must for me. Often that time is interrupted, which can throw my mood, and sometimes my whole day off. I continue to strive to make that specific alone-time with God possible, because I know it refocuses my mind and attention back on Him, restoring my good mood and social battery for the day.
In short, if there are times where I have offended those around me by not being my normal "bubbly" self, I'm sorry. I don't do it on purpose. I have nothing against you that makes me not talkative. I may just need time to relax in a restorative environment (usually home), and build up my social reserves.
As an introverted kid, being an only child was like a dream I didn't know I'd had come true. I was never bored, which was a quandary to my cousins who came from multi-child families. I loved spending time reading, doing crafts, or just wandering around outside alone, talking to myself and playing made-up games. Having quiet time by myself was something I relished. Now don't get me wrong. I was not a hermit child. I did have friends and cousins, and played with the wildest of them. My best friend growing up was a big time Extrovert, which helped draw me out of my shell and teach me social skills. But as much as I spent time socializing with other kids my own age, I still craved alone-time.
As a teenager I tended to surround myself with friends who, like myself, were less outgoing than our piers. Partying was definitely not an interest of mine. (No I'm not talking about typical partying, since I went to an Adventist school, although there was that too.) Large social gatherings which involved mingling with a lot of people I didn't normally hang out required expending a lot of energy, so I usually only attended such things if it was required by the dorm.
As an adult, I find that it is not always easy to find the alone time I often crave. When its available, I snatch it up, relishing the quiet time to recharge my social batteries. What Extroverts just don't always understand is that if I am quiet, silent, or seemingly unsociable, it is not necessarily because something is "wrong," but that my social reserve battery has been depleted and needs to be charged. Being overtired is a trigger for me. Most of the time, it doesn't seem like work to be social with others. If I'm tired or have spent a lot of time in crowded environments, however, it begins to take more and more energy to put on the "bubbly" persona. If my social reserve continues to deplete without being charged with quiet alone-time, I will likely keep words to a minimum in socializations, doing my best to not seem rude, but not always succeeding.
Having quiet time for morning devotions is also a must for me. Often that time is interrupted, which can throw my mood, and sometimes my whole day off. I continue to strive to make that specific alone-time with God possible, because I know it refocuses my mind and attention back on Him, restoring my good mood and social battery for the day.
In short, if there are times where I have offended those around me by not being my normal "bubbly" self, I'm sorry. I don't do it on purpose. I have nothing against you that makes me not talkative. I may just need time to relax in a restorative environment (usually home), and build up my social reserves.
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