More on the Plate Issue

I just received the book Mindless Eating by Dr. Brian Wansink. One of the experiments he discussed on the TV show where I saw the book mentioned was the idea that if you have a smaller plate you tend to eat less.

Lately I've been stressing about my doing too much - again. The whole "I've got too much on my plate issue" applies to me in more ways than one. So at one point, what last week was it?, I resolved that enough was enough. As things come off my plate, like school, I'm not going to add any more. Heck, I may actually take items off my plate, even if that means giving up a little income (and as a writer, I can tell you, it is little!).

I wasn't 100% sure about my plan, of course. Even a little money adds up when you do it regularly or add it to other little money jobs, but I was convinced that I just couldn't do it all and do it all that well either.

Then, of course, out of nowhere I get an email about another small writing job, a column once on month, easy topic for me too boot. Sure, I can do that. It's just once a month.

Then another email comes. This time it's about teaching a few English classes at a university no less and locally. The classes are small. The students will need lots of help, but it's grammar and basic writing skills. Hey, that's my thing. I'm great at breaking down grammar goop and helping students organize their thoughts.

In the back of my mind as I'm loading up my plate yet again, my brain is going "Stop! What the *ell are you doing? You can't do this." But I ignore this voice, this voice that wants to bring me down, to make me pick waxing the kitchen floor (which really needs it by the way) to teaching a class. My floor will go unwaxed for a few more months, maybe longer, but I'm just a full plate kind of gal I guess.