Oh, very practical, Typo! I especially like, "let me check my calendar" - completely reasonable, but gives you a metaphorical moment to step away and get a little perspective.

That is fantastic advice, Typo. And bonny, for what it's worth, I have to have external sanity checks on taking on obligations or saying yes to things asked of me.

Also: are these people who would do what they are asking of you, for you? Have they done it for others? Have they done anything ever for you? Of any magnitude similar to what they are asking?

One of my friends gets into the situation where people have her fix their computers. She is good at it, likes to do it , but it can eat her weekend. And a lot of people drop by 'desperate' . My suggestion was that she tell people that it might be awhile before she can look at the computer - a week ten day, etc, and that it will be longer to actually fix it.

Maybe with animals, it is simple - you just want to meet them first. the reason - to give you time to think of all the reasons you can 't do it. Too many other jobs, difficult pet, difficult commute, and it gives you time to remember all the right questions , where are the paper towels, what it the preferred liter , preferred foods, who is friendly , who will hide. ect.

I think even when helping people out in non -pet situations - you might want to think what are the reasons not to help some one. Not that you won't help but so you know why you might not want to . I have to go the other way sometimes. - remember the good reasons to do something...

Ever since K-Bug moved out her room has become the pilot room (pile it here, pile it there). Today I decided to tackle the mess and I have it sorted now, just need to put things away and I feel a migraine coming on. Not cool man. I still need to hit up the farmers market, go grocery shopping, and vacuum the rest of the house.

I could prob be ok skipping the farmers market and vacuuming but there is no food in the house.

I really wish I knew where this constant anxiety was coming from. It's probably not terribly healthy.

I kinda feel like the bridge from Peter Gabriel's "I Have The Touch":

Pull my chin, stroke my hair, scratch my nose, hug my knees
Try drink, food, cigarette, tension will not ease
I tap my fingers, fold my arms, breathe in deep, cross my legs
Shrug my shoulders, stretch my back - but nothing seems to please

I think if you're under stress for a long time, your body/mind can adopt anxiety as a default mode. I'm not sure about the best ways of addressing it. I mean, Xanax worked for me when I was stressed about my dad's health, but that's not necessarily the best route for everyone.

Sean, do you have the time and opportunity to do some kind of physical exercise?

I get the "general anxieties" often enough that my best remedy is a long walk with some really good music in my ears. U2 used to be my default, but I also really like the Blues. seems kind of counter intuitive, but I like the groove. Funk works too.