My Theme Song from the Summer

So, summer has been ridiculously busy.  That in and of itself is wholly expected, but I am still amazed by the sheer exhaustion I feel coming to the end.  This song was introduced to me by a friend, and, understandably, it has popped into my head at certain appropriate times, those moments when I'm just about fed up.  Enjoy "Hurry, Hurry" by Air Traffic Controller.

Catchy, yes?  

Our speaker is going through the world right now at a faster pace than he is comfortable with.  He is at risk of losing everything that is important in his life--people, events, and everything in between.  
Ooh im gonna miss something
if i keep bumpin'
The most significant stuff
All my friends and all the loose ends
And this love of mine
Cause I'm running out if time

He recognizes, too, that his mental and physical health are at risk.  In fact, the speaker has been so busy with things that he is essentially having an existential crisis.  
Who am I
Am I still the same guy
Or have I lost something as I keep stompin’
mind and health, every bit of myself
I ignore the signs
As I'm running out of time
For the first verse, it's very much in the present, realizing hurrying as a state of being, but starting rather innocently with simple worries about little things he has forgotten.  Moving in to the second verse, hurrying has become a strong pattern.  He also realizes that all of this hurrying has not really benefited him at all, and he's reflecting back on things that he's lost.  By trying to save time, our speaker has lost so much of it.  Unfortunately, he has gotten used to being busy.  He speeds through conversations with his loved ones, sex, and even his own quiet time.  By the time he finally stops, it seems he has met an early death from all of the combined stress, never having lived life.  

Well.  Isn't that an optimistic thought.  

Thankfully, that third verse seems more speculative, a cautionary tale to himself (and consequently us) as he caught in the daily grind.  I know that I get caught being a human "doing" instead of a human "being," where I start to determine my own worth by all the things that I can get done.  I want to be involved and included--there is a fear of missing out there--and yet I cannot overtax myself.  But I also have a lot more energy than I used to.  I know that I can (or should) say no, but I don't want to.  Work has simultaneously slowed down and stayed busy at the same time, through some bizarre magic.  I'm trying to reintroduce things back to my schedule, like piano lessons, the gym, and social outings, but even things I enjoy doing are more things in the schedule.  All told, I don't know what my balance is anymore.  

Funny that I procrastinate on relaxation.  I will take "me time," but I have to convince myself to do it first.  And I will.  Eventually.  Intellectually I know what I need to do--and have been reminded by many people--but I still have to reach that point on my own.  Next year, I will be planning a few days off in September to try and recover from the inevitable summer craziness.  This year, with our Norway adventure looming, I'm loathe to take time off that I don't have to, keeping in mind that a couple of sick days now might be the difference between a few weeks of being truly sick later.  

At least I have a catchy song in my head in the meanwhile.