On Finishing

I had a dream last night recalling my former days as a track athlete in high school. There I was again, dressed in my ridiculously short running shorts, warming up my legs for my favorite race: the 300m hurdles. It was a race I both hated and loved. The beginning was full of strength and rhythm and adrenaline. Naturally I loved that part. The end, however--the last stretch--was a challenge. Burning legs and lungs--still trying to mount obstacles and get to the finish. Feeling just the slightest twinge of concern that I might not make it across the line, but determined to try. Of course I always made it.

The Final Stretch
I bring up this dream because I feel like the last few weeks before summer are very similar to the 300m hurdle race. I can see the finish line (I call it June) right around the corner, with its warm days and pool openings and long bike rides. I’m already buzzing with ideas for my new summer series, and they include lots of fun field trips and gardening and nights at the drive-in. And I can hardly wait to get started.

A Few Hurdles Still to Clear
But to get to summer I have to finish what I started, which is to say that as a Recessionista, there are still a few hurdles left to clear. Still a few things on my list (the one I made in March when all these talks began) to check off. Things like:

* budgeting. One of my Recessionista goals was to revisit my budget and get it into order before the summer sets in. As I wrote earlier this spring, I could use a financial check-up, and don’t want to be scheduling major “appointments” during the leisurely days of summer. And since I can’t afford to wait ‘til fall, I better get serious about clearing that hurdle!

* entrepreneurial progress. I’ve been nurturing my conviction that small, creative enterprise is vital in these times, and there are a still few more ways I want to encourage us to express ourselves in this area before this series ends.

* creativity. I have earnestly tried to make creativity a habit in my life over the past 6 weeks, and want just a little more practice at it before lazy afternoons at the pool vie for my time. Plus, I have a certain red dress to finish....

Finishing Well
Finishing is not, I confess, always my strong suit. With the end in sight, I often get impatient and ramble through the final details. I do not, however, want to follow that pattern for the end of Recessionistas. We still have a few weeks left, and I want to end them well.

So let’s get started on getting finished--

Previous Recessionista Posts:
Can I Get a Pulse?
In the Land of Small
Recessionista Recap