Beat, but thankful.

I am exhausted.

It’s largely my own fault – I did NaNoWriMo in November and went to the Thank God It’s Over party up in S.F. last night. I tried to do some damage control – only writing during lunch breaks or at the once- or twice-a-week NaNo gatherings. Last night when we got home after midnight, I set the alarm for 8am rather than the usual 6am so that I could get 7 whole hours of sleep.
But my brain is tired. I am having trouble thinking. I’m incredibly stiff. The pain when I sit still isn’t bad, but any time I move my muscles burn. It’s almost as though I’d gone and had a crazy workout last night instead of sitting around drinking and listening to people read novel excerpts.
I think I am going to have to restructure my time a little so that I can get more like eight hours a night. I’ve been getting by on seven, and it’s just not cutting it. Either that or I need to be sure not to stay up so damn late, regardless of how late I can set the alarm.
I’m proud of myself for doing NaNo – I’m five for five in the attempts/wins department. But I’m frustrated that this condition means I get so damn tired so easily.
However, I’ve been thinking a lot about what I’m grateful for – Thanksgiving can do that to ya, even if you’re too busy NaNoing to blog it. So here’s a list, in no particular order, of some of the things I’m grateful for.

• Even after three years (last night was our three-year anniversary!) the bf and I are still totally in love. In fact, I think we’re even more in love now than we were two years ago. We compliment each other’s strengths, weaknesses, and neuroses just about perfectly, which makes us an awesome team.
• My cats are healthy, affectionate, and pretty.
• I have a job I find moderately fulfilling with people who don’t suck.
• I have time to pursue my movie review career ambition.
• I have a nice roommate who is helpful and friendly and awesome and understanding when I leave dishes in the sink for the umpteenth time.
• My relationship with my parents is good, and I think my relationship with my Mom is finally settling into some sort of maturity.
• I live in a nice house with approximately enough space for all the crap I can’t quite bear to let go of yet.
• I have a handle on my debt.
• I am finally, four years after my graduation, making a living by putting words down in order for others to read. I’m a professional writer.