That’s totally not me.
Years ago, when my kids were in school, I used to volunteer for things but I quickly came to terms with my strengths and weaknesses. I could design a program cover for the school musical in my sleep and I can stuff envelopes with the best of them but give me a list of phone numbers to call and I can guarantee no calls will be made. I’ll procrastinate and come up with excuses until there’s no point in dialing any more. After a few years, I had to do the humane thing and just say no when asked to do things I know I won’t do. Much better to assign such tasks to someone who may conceivably do it and have everyone think I’m a lazy eccentric than to allow crucial jobs to go undone just to preserve my cover.
I am a lazy eccentric! My life has been so much easier since I owned it.
When I see a toddler go limp in his mom’s arms because he doesn’t want to leave the playground and get in the car, I empathize. That’s what my brain does whenever I’m faced with a chore I don’t want to do. And there’s nothing in the world I want to do less than make a phone call.
But yesterday, I felt ambitious! From the moment I got out of bed, my head was filled with plans for what I could accomplish; get to Sam’s and pick up my photos and fill my tank before I went to the shop to drop off my orders; take the pretty little arm chair I’m having redone to the upholsterer, clean out the little bedroom and put away all the crap that should have gone back into the basement after Christmas and spend the afternoon working.
I hate that feeling.
I know that compared to the to-do list of most working women, especially Mom’s, my busiest list is embarrassingly skimpy but I did all that for 30 years. I’ve earned my laid back approach to my own schedule.
I didn’t go to Sam’s before I hit the shop. As usual, I diddled around over coffee longer than I meant to. But I called the upholsterer to see if I could drop off the chair, which I did right after lunch. Then I got over to Sam’s to pick up the fixin’s for chicken and dumplings. Josie was coming over for dinner and had put in that request.
I realized when I looked through my packet of photos that I’d forgotten to get doubles made of the new designs, so I’ll have to do that before I delete them all from my phone.
I also skipped the line at the pumps. I hate the way the Sam’s in Bloomington has their gas pumps set up. One long line shepherding you to a pump with no consideration for which side of the car your tank is. It’s time consuming, infuriating and not at all worth the $1.50 I’d save. My time and temper are worth more than that.
Besides, I stopped at the Goodwill before getting on the highway and found an open frame for one of my new paintings. It set me back a whopping .99cents. I saved more than $1.50 on that!
My momentary burst of ambition-to-accomplish had passed by the time I got the rotisserie chicken on the boil. I was perfectly content to spend the afternoon in my studio, painting and listening to The Greatest Showman soundtrack.
Josie and I watched Singin’ in the Rain while we ate our chicken and dumplings.
The day definitely went in the ‘win’ column.