Friday 29th December 2017

This holiday period has been quite hectic.  I’ve been surprising social over the last couple of weeks and I’m now getting to the stage where I want the rich food gone and a return to healthy eating and quiet nights in.
That doesn’t mean I’m not enjoying it.  My body clock is a little skewed after a number of very late nights, and I’ve certainly not been bored this holiday season.
Today was the night of the School of the Sword Xmas party.  I’d not seen a lot of them since Wessex League London.  Taking a couple of weeks off has been brilliant.  I’ve not done any subs work, any blog updates, or anything.  I’ve really needed that break from everything.  And it means that I’m really starting to look forward to next year now.
I think the thing the couple of weeks off has taught me is just how busy I’ve been.  I’d originally only taken on the dues as a stop gap but money always stresses me out and with that, the blog, Wessex League results and other things, I’ve just been swamped.
It’s meant that I’ve been able to enjoy my holiday.  I’ve been able to go to be social and enjoy myself without worrying about the long list of things I haven’t done.
I think if the last couple of weeks have taught me anything it’s that at the end of 2018, it might be OK to actually take a break and rest.
It was a long drive to Surrey, and whilst I’m used to it, I was a bit out of practise, my mind focused on relationships rather than novel quandaries.  I usually like to put those long drives to good use as thinking time.  Still, it’ll be back to normal next week so I’ll have plenty of time to get back into the swing of things.
One thing I did notice at the party is how much more relaxed I felt.  Not that I particularly feel stressed around them, but I normally feel quite anxious about one thing or another.
I had arranged to stay the night which meant that I could have a drink.  Given the incidents that happened last time I stayed over and got drunk, I’m happy to report that there was no repeat.  Instead, the evening just flew by and it was 2am in absolutely no time.
It’s also looking likely that I might be doing my final grading next year which is much sooner than I expected.  Given it’s based on number of hours attended and I hardly ever miss a lesson, I suppose I should not be surprised.  However, when I started swordfighting I always said it was for the journey and there’s a small part of me that feels like I’ve got there too soon.  Of course, there will always be new challenges and this doesn’t mean I can’t improve but it just proves to me that I enjoy the journey much more than the destination.
If you want to follow more of my journey, then be sure to check me on my social channels.  Likewise, if you’d like me to expand on any point mentioned above, please say so in the comments.

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