Stress-Crafting

I've been feeling a little overwhelmed.

I just received the Royal Orchestral Society's rehearsal schedule and seating plan for our big concert on November 30th at Cadogan Hall and found out that I'm sitting third stand, on the outside, in the firsts (if that didn't make any sense to you, it simply means that I'll be sitting towards the front of the first violin section, on the side of the stage. Where, you know, everyone can see). Our first rehearsal is on Monday and I haven't even looked at the music. To be honest, I don't even really know how it goes. Big gulp.

I'm baking and photographing a Thanksgiving-themed tutorial (which I can't reveal yet!) for a website and I'm nervous that it won't turn out well (both the baking part and my photos).

I've got so many blog posts that I want to write up, but so little time.

I'm working on another article that's due in by the end of next week and - again, I'm worried that it won't be funny, pretty, or smart enough (which is sometimes how I feel about myself).

My birthday's in a few weeks' time and I can't decide whether I want to organize a party or not.

I want to meet up with just about everybody for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but I don't have time.

I'm supposed to be self-studying for an accounting certification (don't ask) but have so far only managed to study for (but pass!) one exam. Out of five.

I miss my family.

I burst into tears at the sight of a homeless man this morning and felt extremely guilty after I left an almond milk latte and half-eaten pain au chocolat behind at an expensive cafe, then spent 10 minutes searching for him so I could pretend he dropped a £10 note, but I couldn't find him and was late to work.

So. I was browsing Pinterest and became obsesssed with these Honestly WTF bracelet tutorials. Did you grow up in the friendship bracelet-making era? I constantly had strands of thread taped to our dinner table or safety-pinned to my jeans. Anyway, I just bought some embroidery thread (£4.85 for a pack of 50 on eBay) and plan to indulge in some bracelet-making therapy this weekend.

Crafting calms me down. Remember this sock monkey? Making it for my niece made my life a living hell, but I also found it to be deeply therapeutic. I remember putting on a movie, sitting in my comfy fleece robe on our non-couch (long story: our couch doesn't fit into our living room and it's still standing up in the middle of our hallway. Yes, we've lived like that for a year and a half now), and stitching the sock monkey's arms and legs. I felt such a sense of accomplishment by the time I attached the tail to its butt.

Sometimes, it is so nice to have your greatest accomplishment defined as attaching a tail to a sock monkey's butt.