List, anyone?

I think I need one. It’s my first official day of summer break, and I’m experiencing the familiar jittery feeling of being “at sea.” Adrift. Purposeless. Confused about which thing to do next.

J’ever get that way? Each time I’ve tried to make a list, it’s ended up in varying stages of mild success to abject failure. I grow tired of the list, I lose the list, I start the list over again, or I simply ignore it. Why am I so disciplined in other areas of my life, but in the areas that really count (to me, anyway), I’m terrible?

I’ve always believed it’s a matter of self-discipline, and shame on people who can’t control it (e.g., me). It’s somewhat of a self-fulfilling prophecy merry-go-round at times:

I should make a list, but if I do, I’ll end up not following through with the tasks on the list, which will make me feel like a failure, for which I’ll say, “If I’d just be disciplined enough to follow a list of the things I need to accomplish, I’d accomplish them,” only to make the list and end up not following through with the tasks on the list, which will make me feel like a…

Yeah.

Still, I do not give up the fight. I could just, say, not make a list and simply attack the jobs that need to be done as I think of them. Hmm, I guess so. But I’m lazy, I think. I’ve discussed this phenomenon with the Thriller on many occasions. He calls me a “big picture thinker,” as I struggle with breaking down big tasks/concepts into little pieces (lists?).

For instance, I’ll think to myself, I have got to clean this house, ARG! Yikes, huge task, and I’ll often say, “Well, I’ll clean this house later — for now, I’ll read that article.” If I ignore it, it goes away, see? I need to just buck up and get going. I’d rather write a 20-page treatise on the dangers of GMOs in our food than iron those blouses or clean the bathrooms. 

All right, stop complaining. I have to go make a list. What goes on it today, I wonder? I know: everything. Just do everything.

Oy.

9 thoughts on “List, anyone?

  1. Rae

    Ha, I just had this same conversation with… well… “Heffe the Hubby”, now. :)

    I’m not in school for another seven or so weeks and TCO is off till July. I keep thinking “I have all kinds of time!” — so, I try to write a blog, spent most of the weekend on throwing away things in the garage, and decided that we’re gonna make this condo work for us… so then we ripped apart every room, took out parts of the closet, hung the TV up in the bedroom and finally, after two and a half years, realized that we don’t have to refit the headboard after all (fits fine). Now there are screws, boards, printers, miscellaneous things everywhere. Where do we re-begin? I don’t have a list. Maybe I should.

    What did we do last night? Vegged till 8 or so, then watched Mad Men and Nurse Jackie. Heffe said “Well, at least we can cross that off the list”. Ha.

    I usually end up making a HUGE list. It’ll say “Wednesday” on the top… then I’ll cross two things off: One thing on the list, and “Wednesday”, changing it to Thursday. Between now and July, we’re going to see Dave Matthews Band, watching my parent’s house, and I’m playing in an opera. Guess I forgot to add those to the list…

    But, we feel really good about the garage. Now we have room for more crap tonight! Or… Thursday…

    Reply
      1. Rae

        The DMB tickets I bought for Heffe as a wedding present. Looks like it’s gonna “severely” thunderstorm in Akron that day. Ha. Oh, well. It’s the thought that counts, or so I’m told.

        I’m excited about the opera, though. I didn’t think you’d be in town to come up to the Ohio Theatre to see it. :)

        Reply
  2. Suzanne

    Here’s your list, ladies.

    1. Obsess about writing a list and end up not writing one.

    Cross off number one and ENJOY that time off! Are you kidding me??? :)

    Reply
    1. Rat Fink Post author

      Hey, be nice, Miss Sarcasmo. I do enjoy my time off, but I don’t enjoy struggling with my organizational disability.

      Reply
  3. Wendell

    Umm…also add to the list:
    Enjoy a scrumptious lunch over the summer with Abe, Stoney, and Wendell.

    Reply

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