Am I Just Tired...Or Am I Old?

This week was my first official week back in an office 8 hours a day. I'd been masquerading as a stay-at-home housewife and two-hours-a-week newspaper writer for about seven glorious months until a month ago when I was offered a part time position at a facility on base (which will remain nameless, again to protect the innocent). As daunting of a task as it was to start waking up at 6:45 every morning, at least I came home by 12:30 p.m. so that I could enjoy the quiet of the house, do the grocery shopping at a reasonable hour and watch my Sex and the City re-runs without judgemental looks from Mr. Navy. Things were good.

However, the paper started getting tedious and I wasn't feeling like I was able to rise to my full potential(damn my over achieving conscious). I was tired of being neglected by my editor and writing boring, mundane stories about ribbon cuttings and twin pilots. Something wasn't right. Something was missing. I wasn't feeling important or useful. Most importantly, I wasn't feeling creative. Then, the part time position at the facility on base offered me a full time position.

Long story short, I accepted the position, quit the newspaper and have been waking up before the sun comes up and heading home after it's gone down all week. I feel creative, productive, and...I get to wear cute shoes again. But, I'm also unbearably exhausted.

Am I tired, or just old? Why can't I motivate myself this week to do anything? Cook dinner--No, I'm exhausted. Go to the gym--Ha! I can barely keep my eyes open. Last night I dared to go grocery shopping after an 8 hour day at the office. I thought I was going to die. I still haven't recovered.

Am I just tired...do I just need to get used to not being a housewife any longer? Will my psyche and my body recover from the shock of not being able to stay at home and watch The View and Oprah in my 'jammies'?

Or, am I just old? Is this the life of an old person? Am I going to be tired every day and never be able to participate in after hour activities Monday through Friday? Am I going to start going to bed at 7 p.m. every night like my mother?

Am I just tired...or am I old?