Some Days Just Are Like That

How to be Batman When You Just Don't Really Feel Like It

In the thrilling graphic novel “The Killing Joke”, written by Alan Moore in 1988, The Joker delivers his famous ‘One Bad Day” monologue to Batman. One day, just right, could push anyone into madness. Batman listened silently, knowing all to well himself. One day was all it took to kill Bruce Wayne, and give birth to The Dark Knight. My pregnant wife didn’t die in a house fire like the Joker. I’m completely fine and healthy, but I’ve sure been in a funk.

I just don’t really feel like Batman very much. Oh, I’m not in pain, and I’m not dying but I do feel a bit like one of those teddy bears strapped to the grate of a semi-truck. The root is school-related no-doubt. I am still settling into this routine, yet midterms are right around the corner. I’m spread thin this time of year.

I had a particularly good sprint done on my project, the momentum was full and working. Abandoning ship for the night would have wasted a few hours worth of work I still had with me. By the time I had been in bed, it was far too late not to be tired tomorrow. Following right after, Jack is carried off to school on my way up to uni. Not so long after, I collapsed. Oops, right past Calculus.

And that is perfectly normal. Is missing my class a good thing? No, not when viewing it without context, but in the grand scheme of things the price of missing the class and catching up later was worth getting a couple hours of sleep. That was a compromise I was willing to take. And you shouldn’t be afraid to take as well. College student or not.

I’ll go anywhere with my grandad like some sort of goon to lift things, do the grunt work, and eat. We went to the Abraham Lincoln museum, and on the wall in grand, golden font: “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” I liked Lincoln. President of the people. Tough as nails.

So, sharpen the axe before you start hacking away. Running on fumes and all-nighters will never be a sustainable, permanent option. When things get a little thin, don’t forget to allocate an appropriate amount of time to keep the machine well-oiled and running. It’s simple math, put more in and get more out. Even if it is easier said than done.

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted, and honestly awhile since I poked my head out of the ground like a meerkat. I practice what I preach and needed some time to take care of myself while adjusting to balancing school, work, and my personal life(🧑‍🦰,👧🏾and👩🏽). Which is very Batman in and of itself, going underground to hunker down and power through it. Even if I don’t feel like it, there will always be a little piece of Bruce Wayne in there.

I took so long to write this post that I’ve started to emerge from my funk. Living proof it is all temporary. Keep fighting the good fights, Carlodytes.