Going, Going, Soon-to-be Gone!

I am simply amazed at how most everything happens around this house at a snail’s pace. Yesterday I related my long overdue errand experience as well as the happiness I felt when finally accomplishing it all. Why is it that certain chores take us so long to do? Why can’t we be better motivated?

I always blame it on my five men. I do. I know I do. In one way or another I can pawn most responsibility off onto one or more of them:

If they would only pick up the house as they should, I would have more time and inclination to accomplish more meaningful projects around here. I wouldn’t be cleaning up the same messes over and over again, day after day, decade after decade.

If they would take a sledge hammer and smash to smithereens the Call of Duty video game, the stress level in our house would drop by at least half. An abundance of time would be freed up to…study, build those closets, hang that drywall.

If the most technologically advanced of my five men would help me with my Web site, I could accomplish so much more toward the advancement of my writing.

My life of ifs.

Guess what? I’m done with other people’s ifs.

It’s been a slow, tedious and oftentimes, disappointing process, but I am beginning to realize I must stand on my own two foot to do the things I want to do – and not let anything or anyone get in my way. Today I called the local high school my sons attended, and where I substitute taught for many years. I have a call in to the guidance counselor asking for a smart computer-literate girl to tutor me of the ways of Web sites and all things computer. Everything I have learned up until now has been mostly self-taught. And I get so frustrated! Those closest to me hear my pleas, and when they don’t help me I want to clobber them. Really hard! So far, I have not. Last night, however, I did have a major blow-up. I had had it! When the dust cleared I knew nothing would change. Definition of insanity: Doing the same things over and over expecting different results.

For years we followed this insanity plan when it came to handling our weekly trash. Every week the critters would get into the trash. I would buy new, better, stronger, smarter-than-raccoons locking lids, but my dear darlings would never consistently attach the lids. Most times “taking the trash out” was somehow heard as “throw the bags next to the cans.” It is an embarrassment to admit how long this ritual continued, until one day the good old insanity definition entered my mind. That day I called the trash company, and the next day two mega huge trashcans were delivered to our door. Everything fit easily. No cramming. Lids swing down. Problem solved. And easy to roll to the street to boot!

Weeks ago my family and I began the Great American Clean Up of our upstairs. The hallway is a hideous sight, but the bedrooms have greatly improved. Why? Because I think my sons finally realized that if they didn’t clean it up nobody would. Doing the same thing over and over netted the same results: living in squalor. It is true we have no closets in our 1823 home, but cleaning up the mess was the first step. My sons have way too many clothes, many of which they never wear. Time to give them away. Get rid of the stuff. Free up the floor space and let’s get busy on those closets.

But that’s mom talking. Not a teenager or young adult. It’s the weekend! Must go out. Can’t stay home. Must have fun, fun, fun. I know it’s slow-going, but it is going.

And living as a computer-challenged adult is another situation that is going away, maybe slowly, but it’s going bye-bye…eventually.

P.S. Happy St. Valentine's Day to all!