Post by Honeylioness on Mar 26, 2009 13:17:53 GMT -5
Is there anything more daunting than a blank white page? It just sits there, stark and silent, as though daring you to mar it’s white expanse with black marks of rambling thoughts.
Perhaps there is ONE thing more off putting – the TO DO List.
We all have one, or two or 20 of these guilt bombs floating around. Some people keep track of chores, errands and shopping lists in their heads – mentally shuffling and editing the roster day by day. But I find most of us write them down at odd times and places, and whether it is on the backs of old envelopes or lovely imprinted note pads they all have one thing in common - the best of intentions.
Perhaps it is that Friday morning meeting where, in order to keep from nodding off, you jot down all the things you are going to accomplish during the upcoming weekend (the added benefit to this ploy is that you look as though you are taking notes and really paying attention). Of course completing most lists will require the world to stop turning for at least 4-5 hours as you will need that extra time, you also should plan on forgoing sleep, showers or even eating. Because if your list looks anything like mine – well, I am not sure there is any one person living that could realistically accomplish the items I wrote down in a two-day period.
There is a special satisfaction though in being able to cross an item off your list. So much so that I will confess to something many will deny. I have often done something not on the original list – then added it just so I can cross it off.
However no matter how many lines I draw, how many items I check off – the TO DO list seems to be an organic living thing, not only capable of reproducing but of spawning offshoot lists. Has anyone EVER completed their list and not had at least one item that is transferred to the NEW list – thereby “seeding” the next round of obligations? If so I would like to spend a week with them learning their secrets, which I most likely will discover is really a ruse. They probably just write down items such as: wake up, eat, breathe, get dressed, go to bed. Things easily accomplished – well, most days anyways.
One of my more recent lists looked something like this:
WHO AM I KIDDING?
Even if I COULD get all this done in just 48 hours – do I really want to? What would I actually DO if my list was completed, if all the laundry was done, the house showroom ready, every possible surface gleamed like new and there were no longer unfilled papers or plans? Where would my motivation be to get up tomorrow? How could I really enjoy LIVING in my home knowing that even my breathing was creating tiny dust eddies that were at that moment disrupting the perfection of a place without any pending tasks? And what about the stress of watching your cat rise and stalk off the couch while you become painfully aware that you could see hair on the cushions. And what would be the point of leaving the house – it is not as though you had anything really to do or anywhere to be.
To say nothing of the social stigma that would surely follow as you find yourself unable to commiserate anymore with those around you who also feel the press of too much work and too little time.
I just am not strong enough to take those risks I guess. So if you will excuse me I need to write down that I wrote this journal article so I can cross it off my list.
Perhaps there is ONE thing more off putting – the TO DO List.
We all have one, or two or 20 of these guilt bombs floating around. Some people keep track of chores, errands and shopping lists in their heads – mentally shuffling and editing the roster day by day. But I find most of us write them down at odd times and places, and whether it is on the backs of old envelopes or lovely imprinted note pads they all have one thing in common - the best of intentions.
Perhaps it is that Friday morning meeting where, in order to keep from nodding off, you jot down all the things you are going to accomplish during the upcoming weekend (the added benefit to this ploy is that you look as though you are taking notes and really paying attention). Of course completing most lists will require the world to stop turning for at least 4-5 hours as you will need that extra time, you also should plan on forgoing sleep, showers or even eating. Because if your list looks anything like mine – well, I am not sure there is any one person living that could realistically accomplish the items I wrote down in a two-day period.
There is a special satisfaction though in being able to cross an item off your list. So much so that I will confess to something many will deny. I have often done something not on the original list – then added it just so I can cross it off.
However no matter how many lines I draw, how many items I check off – the TO DO list seems to be an organic living thing, not only capable of reproducing but of spawning offshoot lists. Has anyone EVER completed their list and not had at least one item that is transferred to the NEW list – thereby “seeding” the next round of obligations? If so I would like to spend a week with them learning their secrets, which I most likely will discover is really a ruse. They probably just write down items such as: wake up, eat, breathe, get dressed, go to bed. Things easily accomplished – well, most days anyways.
One of my more recent lists looked something like this:
- Costco: cat litter, toilet paper, paper towels
- Clean out truck and vacuum
- Sweep bedroom, dust, change sheets
- Vacuum all area rugs, roll and store away
- Scrub tub and main bathroom
- Take down sheer curtains, wash and re-hang
- Ironing
- Balance checkbook
- Pay bills
- Do next month’s budget
- Wash kitchen floor
- Wash Dining Room windows
- Clean guest bathroom
- Add borders to 30 quilt blocks for class
- Go to grocery store
- Drop off newspapers for recycling
- Find charity to pick up clothes/donations
- File paperwork from office (5 months worth)
- Create spreadsheet listing of all quilt and craft books
approximately 100+)
WHO AM I KIDDING?
Even if I COULD get all this done in just 48 hours – do I really want to? What would I actually DO if my list was completed, if all the laundry was done, the house showroom ready, every possible surface gleamed like new and there were no longer unfilled papers or plans? Where would my motivation be to get up tomorrow? How could I really enjoy LIVING in my home knowing that even my breathing was creating tiny dust eddies that were at that moment disrupting the perfection of a place without any pending tasks? And what about the stress of watching your cat rise and stalk off the couch while you become painfully aware that you could see hair on the cushions. And what would be the point of leaving the house – it is not as though you had anything really to do or anywhere to be.To say nothing of the social stigma that would surely follow as you find yourself unable to commiserate anymore with those around you who also feel the press of too much work and too little time.
I just am not strong enough to take those risks I guess. So if you will excuse me I need to write down that I wrote this journal article so I can cross it off my list.