Where do the hours go?

As you might have read on Park Burroughs' "Grumpy Old Editor" blog, these are trying times for the Observer-Reporter. Like virtually every other newspaper in the country, we're doing what we have to do to keep our heads above water. That has meant some buyouts of longtime employees and even some layoffs. And for those of us lucky enough to still be in the business, it's meant a heavier workload and changes in our jobs. This is a roundabout way of apologizing for my relative lack of blogging in the past couple of weeks. My duties here are changing, as have my hours, and my blogging routine has gone by the wayside. I wonder sometimes where the hours of my days disappear to. Even if we had all the money in the world, we can't buy time. But I was thinking the other day, what if I did have all the time in the world to do whatever I wanted? What would I do with it? We can assume, for the sake of this exercise, that I've just hit a major Powerball jackpot and have no further need to work. I think I would fill those now-empty hours by spending more time with my family, reading and napping. Doesn't sound like much, but it would work for me. Never discount the benefit of taking a nap whenever you feel like it. With these few minutes I have available right now, I'd like to send out a few words to a regular reader of the blog who has a little too much time on her hands right now to ponder weighty issues such as the future and her own mortality. Janice has been fighting a long and difficult battle against cancer, and I just want her to know that my thoughts are with her. Maybe some of you who are good with the "prayer thing" could take a few of your minutes to help her out a little, also. Hang in there, Janice. A lot of people are pulling for you.