was to get home, collapse into my wooden plank of a bed and sleep. Now it’s absurdly difficult. The lights were off for about five minutes, there was a glimmer of hope as my mind was fading into a wild stream of consciousness. Then I abruptly snapped out of it and thought “Ugh. Come on.”

So, a few thoughts. And maybe by the end of them, I’ll be ready to wrap myself up like a burrito and fall asleep.

I’ve started to realize the importance of doing things that make me feel like myself. Ever since I started this hectic job, it’s been a bit difficult to establish the balance that allows that to happen. There’s a certain daily routine I have to follow, otherwise it’s as if I don’t feel complete. I feel like something’s missing. I have to wake up, play guitar for at least an hour, do my situps/pushups, write a beer review or two and maybe read or something, all the while staying in contact with good people. And I have to reach a certain quota for each activity, otherwise my mind feels unsettled. And if something gets in the way of any of this, I feel annoyed all throughout work, because I’m stuck in a cold control room and I can’t get to doing any of what I truly care about until I get out, and even then it might be too late because I’ll be too exhausted when I get home. 

In ways I’m still struggling to find that balance, but I can feel it gradually getting there, especially with my hours about to shift to something (a little more) normal. I just want to remain productive in terms of intellectual stimulation and property. That’s been the case with the former, as I’m always reading (mainly about brewing), but the latter has been a challenge, though that’s coming along as well. Bad Case of Big Mouth has finished an EP I’m very, very proud of, and Scotches and I are playing a gig at Crossroads on the 19th. Things such as this make me feel like me, and not having them consistently makes you realize just how important they are. 

I’m surrounded by nothing but wonderful, amazing people. I just need to make sure that I’m keeping up with the things that make me hopefully be equally wonderful to them in return.