Update on me

Well, I'm mostly doing better than I was on Thursday. My week has begun with me throwing myself into my work, of which, thank God, I have a lot. As soon as Shabbat was over I took my computer to a cafe -- I didn't even bother changing clothes -- and was working working working until 1 am. Then I came home and tried to wind down, but couldn't. I lay in bed all night, my mind racing, unable to stop thinking about Israel and Lebanon and stupid media people and really annoying bloggers, so annoying that I place the blame for my lost night of sleep squarely on their shoulders! :-P Finally at 5 am I called a friend in the US and we shmoozed for about 45 minutes. At 6 am I got out of bed, washed up, and started my Sunday.

Thank God, an appointment in Holon today was cancelled in the last minute, so after getting dressed and ready to leave, I was able to turn back around and sleep for 2 hours. Now I've been back in a cafe, working steadily for the last 5 hours. You can't think about the war when you are creating activities about similes for Israeli 12-year-olds, and composing an article about a treatment for Parkinsons' disease, and trying frantically to reach people on the phone for a time-sensitive story (the war, actually) that one's boss wants to file very soon - even then, I'm not focused on the war, just on when will these people call me back? I have a deadline! (And this is what makes reporters so darn lovable.)

The fact that I have deliberately avoided reading any news since 6 am has significantly improved my stress level. Please do NOT tell me what is going on with the war unless it is good news. I'll check again in the morning. Once every 24 hours is enough for me. I'm not covering the war, I'm living near it. Too near it. So I don't need to be masochistic about it.

(This reminds me of the time that Professor Richard Blood at the NYU Journalism department looked at me fondly and said "Sarah, you should be a reporter in Israel [to cover the conflict]. You could win a Pulitzer Prize. And I'd sit shiva for you!"Um, thanks, Professor Blood. Thanks . . . I think . . . )

I'm going to try to find out where my nearest air-raid shelter is, just in case. Besides that, my plan is to
a) work, work, and work some more, to keep my mind focused on something else (and meet deadlines. And earn money). I'll splurge on the cost and calories and work in cafes, so I'm not locked up alone at home.
b) NOT read the news
c) I've scheduled a couple of outings to see friends this week.
That's it.

I'm hoping that my lost night of sleep will help me get back to a normal pattern in which I sleep from, say, 11 pm to 6 am, rather than from 2 am until 11 am. Wish me luck.

Thanks to everyone who emailed me or left messages of support. I'm glad you are in my life.