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January.

I always used to love January, back on earth. I enjoyed the holiday season, but after a while it just got to be so draining. January always turned into my month to relax and reflect. It was my calming down time. The weather annoyed me, but I always had the comfort of a warm house and a cozy afgan on the couch when I'd curl up on lazy weekends to read. Aside from the occasional diplomatic crises, January was the month where I tended to be able to take time off and recharge.

And now I'm in Atlantis, and January's looking to be just as exciting and busy as December was. More, most likely, given the wedding celebration for Rodney and Laura in the next few weeks. Which reminds me, I still need to assign someone to do a last sweep of that section of living quarters, and arrange a group of people to move their belongings into one of the larger suites down there.

Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad excitement to be facing. It's certainly better than some of the other January events we've had here on Atlantis. But it's still going to be busy.

There are times when I feel like such a nagging mother, and I try to suppress my immediate tendency to worry over my my people.

Then there are the days like today, when I think that if I wasn't there to worry over them, and nag them to take care of themselves, they'd end up dead within a week. And I always end up deciding that it's better to sound like a nag than to witness the aftermath.

It's been a quiet day, so far. And I know by saying that I've probably jinxed my afternoon to be insanely busy, but...

Ah well. I've been having some interesting conversations with Daniel about language. It almost makes me wish that he'd been able to come with us on the Atlantis mission. I know he'd have loved to be able to spend some time doing an in-depth look at how the presence of the Wraith has impacted the Pegasus galaxy. And he would have loved interacting with the Athosians. *tempts Daniel with stories about the Athosians*

I'm actually quite sorry that I've never had much time to spend with Teyla's people. The first few months here were so insanely busy, and then they moved over to the mainland and...well, regrets are a part of command, aren't they? I'll just have to make time later, get John to fly me over when Teyla next goes to visit.

But if I want to go do that later, I really have to get the rest of this paperwork sorted out. Can I really call it paperwork anymore, if it's all on our little Atlantian touchscreens?

What is it about life on Atlantis that every day is filled with minor crises?

Never mind, I'm not going to worry about that tonight. Tonight, the rest of Atlantis can fend for themselves. I've got a pot of tea that Teyla brought over from the mainland, a trashy novel I picked up on earth, and a chance to sit back and relax.

I can't remember the last time I've been able to do a night like this.