9.22.2009

by the numbers

Today is the first day of fall, which means 2009 is nearly three-fourths over.

For some reason, I often think about life and it's milestones in terms of ratios. I think it helps me to organize and conceptualize the past and make the future less chaotic and more manageable. Either that or it's some type of neurosis that I'm not quite ready to come to terms with. I'm not sure when I started doing this, but I think marking time this way stems from measuring life in context-specific intervals (terms/semesters in school, transfers on a mission, etc.).

So here it is, my life by the numbers:
  • I am 27; I have lived about one-third of my expected life span.
  • I have known Clark for one-third of my lifetime. We have been married for half of that time.
  • We've lived in Idaho over half of our married life.
  • Five years ago today, I came home from my mission . . . and that doesn't divide evenly into 27.
  • In December, I'll be three-fourths done with my degree.
  • I have finished one-fourth of this semester. Even though the work/school pace has been rigorous, I can definitely do this three more times. (This same logic works with exercise - one mile magically turns into two. Three, if you're lucky and optimistic. Try it; you'll like it).
  • There is still one-eighth of my farm share still to enjoy this harvest season (upcoming post - analysis of our first year of CSA membership).
Sometimes it's hard to quiet these numbers in my head (1/4th of my work day left, the week is half over, etc!). In the last months of my mission, I got a letter from Haley, who had then been home from her mission for a several months. In it, she said she had been home for 3 transfers (6 weeks each) and that she felt basically back to normal. I knew then that 'normal' is a relative term and that I would never really be the same.

Reader, how do you mark time? Do you just let life happen and not worry about quantifying it or are you mildly neurotic, too?

6 comments:

  1. When I said "normal", I meant "as normal as I'm going to get after that whole mission thing."

    And I still hold to that answer. I definitely changed. But, I wasn't afraid to relax anymore after 3 transfers being home. :)

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  2. Dang. I even ran that by my editor to make sure it didn't sound offensive. Hales, I wasn't implying that you weren't normal. You might be the most normal person I know in terms of being relaxed, etc. I was just referring to the fact that your time was still measured in transfers - something I probably did for a year.

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  3. all time is measured by when my next meal is :)

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  4. I used to be real specific with things, but mine was with stuff like, the space between each hanger, not touching the bed after it was made. As I get older and busier with the kids I have had to let things go. But there have been lots of birthdays lately and it sure makes me think about my age, but I am just a simpleton, no equations, just wow I will be 30 in 3 years and wow I will be 40 in 13 years, and so on. I bet my writing skills drive you nutty!! sorry bout that

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  5. Not at all, tiff. You're right, 30 is creeping up.

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  6. how about...you're an awesome person x 1000?
    Thanks for the veggies last night. I plan on making myself an amazing salad for lunch. :)

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