Life also goes on here....

I went back to the day job today. I'm finding I'm still dragging a bit from last week, and it's another of those transitions from one way of being to another. Though I have to say, having NG commenting on my last post really gave me a giggle this morning. Who knew! Yesterday was kind of long and meandering. I got a couple projects done, mainly painting my very old lawn chairs and my very rusty fire pit. While I was painting, I noticed that I was doing something that's been going on a lot lately. I was talking to myself. The increase in this behavior coincides temporally with living alone, so I am implying causality, even though I do remember from my stats classes that correlation says it ain't necessarily so. But if not, then something more ominous may be implied. My impending birthday that is taking me over the speed limit? Or worse? Mostly whenI am talking, I cheer lead myself. For example when I painted the chairs and the color and the texture really did match the existing chair finish I said "I rock!" I also talk to myself about things I need to do, give myself pep talks, and such. The thing is, I do some of this out loud. Which is fine if I am home alone, but I have caught myself doing this in public a couple times. I also have displayed a couple of other disturbing signs of possible impending neurological decline that have me a little worried. Word finding for example. When I am not nattering away to myself, sometimes I can't seem to think of the words I need. The other day I could not come up with "chain link fence" to save my life. And I needed that phrase! And people's names. Well forget that one! Back in the day when I led workshops, I could have forty people's names down by noon the first day. I am mortified to admit that when I was teaching recently, there were students whose names I wasn't really really certain up right up to the last day of school! I have been assured (by people I usually trust) that I could easily attribute it all to stress. I hope so. Because I am really not ready to lose my mind just yet. For one thing, I kind of need it for my livelihood for a while yet! So let's hope the talking to myself is just a sign that I am just getting very comfortable with myself and caring less what others think and willing to be my authentic slightly quirky self more publicly, and that other thing....what was that, oh yeah, the word thing, that it really is stress, and will get better as I do.