Burnout is something I don’t know that I understand how to recognize when it’s happening—only that I know when it has happened. I don’t always feel anything different until I’m toast. I’m done. I reached that stage last week, and now I’m just pushing on fumes. I still care, I’m still pushing hard, but the meaning behind what I’m doing doesn’t carry as much weight.

I was able to get report cards out, and frankly, I’m incredibly proud of the work I’ve done on that. They’re a complete change from how we used to handle those things—they look so much better, handle the information better, and look official. They give space for comments. They took me 30 to 40 hours of design work to accomplish, and the design work isn’t straightforward. It’s all dimensions and code and database queries and working against the system over and over and over until you get the right thing. It’s exhausting work, but seeing the end product is pretty satisfying, even if it’s something as mundane as a report card.

Next week I have testing. I was able to get the ACT testing moved back to paper, thank goodness, but Tuesday I still have the PSAT to administer digitally. Then that evening I have to set up for an event and be there, smiling with all those people. And for what it’s worth, I don’t not get along with those people—I’m just not a very good social person. It takes so much out of me, and having testing the same day, which will already have taken it out of me, is something I’m already having a little bit of anxiety about.

The American Grand Prix is this weekend in Austin, Texas. It’s a phenomenal circuit. It’s super late in the season, so we already know how a lot of things are shaking out. McLaren have already won the constructors, but there’s still a lot of interesting stuff left to play for in the drivers, and I’m excited to see how it all plays out.

The art show last night, with works from Madison and Mark Dauber, was interesting. It was fun to see the different people who were there. There was a particular picture that Erika and I both really liked—a woman through a doorway in a hotel room, getting dressed or something, barely visible in the right corner but reflected in a mirror in front of the subject—or in front of the photographer, I should say. It was a very interesting and compelling photo, and it was the one we both liked. We got to hang out with the Flowers, talk to a few different people, have a drink, and then we got home, made a pizza, and got ready for bed not long after that. We’re super exciting people on a Friday night!

I just sent Thomas off on a camping trip. They’re going to Talladega, camping outside the stadium, and then they’re going to walk the track. The big race is this weekend, but they’re not attending that one—they’ll see some of the support races and a few other things. I’m interested to hear what he thinks about all of it when I see him again tomorrow.