The Ladies Room: Pencil It In

  

10429No comments yethttp://www.parcbench.com/2009/11/16/the-ladies-room-pencil-it-in/The+Ladies+Room%3A+Pencil+It+In2009-11-16+15%3A10%3A50Kristyn+Ostman

Written by Kristyn OstmancloseAuthor: Kristyn Ostman Name: Kristyn Ostman
Email: kristyn@parcbench.com
Site: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Kristyn-Ostman/196028681881?ref=nf
About: Columnist, The Ladies Room. Kristyn is a writer, an accountant an avid fan of rock music. She dreams of one day owning dishwasher. She enjoys reading Ayn Rand and Chelsea Handler. Unfortunately, she has never developed a taste for fine wines. She takes her coffee black, no sugar.See Authors Posts (64) on November 16, 2009

I am a busy person. Not sure how it got like this - it’s possible that I’m a people-pleaser. Regardless of my motives, I’m just plain busy.  Working, commuting, continued education and, most importantly, my Parcbench column. What was I thinking?

Allow me to add that I do this all without the assistance of a Blackberry. I write all my commitments into a large monthly planner. Just like it were 1982.

Plenty of young people these days are as encumbered as I. It might be a fear of missing out on life that drives us to commit to anything and everything. (Charity potato sack race to end premature balding in Switzerland? Sure, sign me up!)

Eventually, I’ll have some neat stories to tell my future progeny.  Whenever it is that I find enough time to even meet someone.

The worst thing about all this is that I believe my existing friendships have suffered. Truth is, I only have a few key friendships anymore. I maintain these via email and occasional visits. Luckily, they’re also too burdened by work and life to realize we haven’t spoken in weeks. Since when did being a twenty-something constitute such a lone wolf lifestyle?

My overly demanding schedule has forced me into some rather odd behavior. Most of my relationships, whether romantic or otherwise, are becoming impassive. It’s not that I don’t care about people; it’s that I lack the time and energy to be a decent friend. Yes, I am that crap friend that everyone has.

Social plans are either factored into my calendar a week in advance  or are made last minute when I realize I have a free evening and proceed to call everyone I know in an attempt to ensure I never have a moment without activity.

I might be part shark. If I stop moving, I’ll die.

Could this be why there are so many “friends with benefits” situations? I don’t know if it’s an increasing trend; however, it’s popular among the other busy people I know. I don’t want a disconnected relationship of utter convenience. But I think it’s something that’d be easy to fall into given the opportunity. I simply cannot imagine balancing everything along with respecting the needs and emotions of another person.

So far, I haven’t gotten myself into that sort of situation. Rest assured that if I ever even have time to meet someone new and it dematerializes into something casual, it’ll make for a whole new article.

Until then, my advice to those like me is to embrace it. Might as well before you strap yourself down with two kids and a picket fence.

Currently, I find that I am generally free Tuesday evenings and am currently looking for additional freelance or volunteer work to fill the void. A friend of mine once said, “when you have a nervous-breakdown and go on your killing spree, please spare my life.” Indeed.

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