Busting My Ass

You know what’s fun? Working yourself into an early grave just so you can have a brief moment of joy before the universe slaps you back into reality. That’s been my life lately—busting my ass, grinding away, and making sure all my responsibilities are handled like the overachieving, sleep-deprived queen that I am. Why? Because I have some big things coming next year. And when I say big, I mean “so big that my stress levels are currently skyrocketing, but it’s fine because I’m totally thriving… right?”

The one thing keeping me from losing the last shred of sanity I have left? A VACATION. That’s right, folks. Me and my middle daughter are getting the hell out of here. Out of the country, no less! Because if I’m going to ignore my responsibilities for a brief moment, I’m doing it somewhere scenic, with good food, and far away from the never-ending chaos of my daily life.

But here’s the catch: vacations cost money. And money doesn’t just fall out of the sky (trust me, I’ve checked). So I’ve been out here working my ass off, making sure that when the time comes, I can actually enjoy myself without having to check my bank account every five minutes and contemplate selling a kidney. I’m making all the moves, setting up all the plans, and getting everything done ahead of time so that, for once, I can actually relax without worrying about what’s falling apart back home.

The stress? Oh, it’s real. The lack of sleep? Tragic. The overwhelming feeling of “holy hell, I need a break but I can’t take one because if I stop moving for five seconds, everything will collapse?” Thriving on it.

But in all seriousness (not really, let’s not get too deep here), I know this ridiculous hustle is going to pay off. The late nights, the exhaustion, the occasional existential crisis in the shower—it’s all for something. And when I finally sit my ass down on that plane, knowing I worked my ass off for this, it’s going to feel so damn good.

So, to everyone who has also been working themselves into the ground, trying to make things happen—cheers to us. May our efforts be worth it, our stress levels drop (at least temporarily), and our future vacations be filled with overpriced cocktails and the sweet, sweet feeling of freedom. Until then, back to the grind.