My head is spinning. I have so many things to talk about. (Not the least of which is how ending a sentence with a preposition has become commonplace not only in everyday conversation but also used frequently by my favorite authors. So I’m thinking…….if it’s good for the goose……well….you know.)
Now that we’ve established the fact that I’m no longer going to squirm in my seat at the utterance of a grammatical error, there are more critical topics to discuss. Almost two years ago I established this blog with a brilliant plan. I would blab perfect nonsense about my life, my observations and philosophies all under the pretense of dispensing wisdom into the interwebbiworld. Hoping, of course, that you would comment back with your undeniable ingenuity, insight and intellect and I would benefit from free therapy your advice. ……..And it has worked like a charm. Thank you very much.
I see no reason at this point to make any changes to the business plan.
That being said, there are so many problems to solve, important issues to discuss, revolutions to start…..but where to begin? Unemployment rates, the BP oil disaster, the ugliest shoe trends in the history of women’s fashion? Pro-life, pro-choice, world peace? The rising cost of chicken breast? What is that about? Where do we start?
At the beginning, of course.
Maybe you’ve noticed my absenteeism over the past few months. It seems that real life keeps getting in the way. And that would be great if the interruptions were caused by the FUN STUFF. Sadly, that is not the case. My life has become a task-driven monotony. One great, big, long to-do list. I keep finding myself thinking that “when this is all over I’m going to __________” (fill in the blank with the FUN STUFF). It has slowly dawned on me that “this” is never going to be over and I better start enjoying the journey or the only accomplishments I will have made in my life are those little check marks in my task list. *Curse you, Microsoft Outlook!*
I guess I’m a bit of a slow learner. The end of this year will mark a very significant anniversary of my birth: I’ll be …..49….again. *Ahem* It’s time to wake up and smell the freshly-ground Hazelnut flavored coffee! Get with the program. Get on the stick. Just do it. And all that crap.
Right here. Right now.
The TO-DO list be damned. I’m going to start smelling the roses. All I need is some advice…..from you. We may need to create a 12-step program for this. Check-lists anonymous? What do you do to break away from the tasks at hand? Do you make sure that you’re taking the time to LIVE your life and not just spin your wheels? Or are you in the same boat with me?
Let’s start enjoying this journey called life. Let’s work together to ensure that we are getting the most out of whatever time we have here on earth. Let’s squeeze out every bit of joy that we can.
Who’s with me?
OK, here’s where you do your part: You comment back to me with your wise counsel, I benefit from said counsel, you get to feel good about doing something for another human being and the plan is a success. Ready…..set…..GO!
28 comments:
Is that a business plan or a mission statement? Does it matter. I'm glad to see you.It's been awhile...
Glad you're back. I am going to share my philosophy of life with you....are you ready??? Are you sure you're ready??? Being on the plus tax side of 50, I don't miss and opportunity to do what is necessary to keep a smile on my face and a song in my heart. No, really. I mean it. Being dependable, loyal, true blue, hard working are all things that I have from time to time been happy about and then there is creating which always brings me joy. So now, I choose joy when I can.
It doesn't make me a slack, at least I don't think so. Happiness is, or should be within the top five things on our to do lists.
says The Olde Bagg
Yeah, I was kind of wondering what had happened to my favorite broad with a smart mouth.
For me, time by myself is KEY. If I don't stop and make sure it happens, it's like my brain and body go into overdrive and I get super duper cranky and everyone knows to step back and give me some space. I honestly can handle anything that is thrown my way as long as I have that precious alone time to regroup, process, and just not have to listen to people for a while. Or have to respond. Sometimes listening and responding just makes me so darn exhausted!
So, I don't really know if you are one who likes to be alone or not. But that's my 2 cents worth.
Oh, and making time for the blog is also key!
i think you just gave yourself all the wisdom you need...now go live...smiles.
Omigawd. She lives. She breathes. And she wants advice ...
No point in looking to me for 12-step, or even 3-step programs, my dear. I've enough problems trying to keep up with this two-step called Life. So my only advice is just keep on trucking, and always leave room for ice-cream.
(Truth be told, I think you might be going through the old "coming up to the first anniversary of my 49th birthday" funk. Been there, done that, have the wrinkles to prove it. And, when it was all over, I felt no older (or wiser), so it was all for nothing.)
50 you say? *yawns* Been there done that.
Nice to see you back on the blogway of life. Are you sure you are ready to come back? It's a whole lotta work.
Di
Man, I hate it when all the crap you gotta do to live life gets in the way of living life. Or something like that. I, too, have been squeezed out of almost everything I get enjoyment out of by all the crap that must be done. My breaks from crap recently have been the following: being called by my son to "come get me" and driving with the radio up loud. Going to church for one hour. Trying to fight back the weeds in the garden...although many times that's on the "crap" side of the list and not the fun side...but it is usually a quiet, contemplative time by myself. That's all I got; I'll check back to see if anyone else has a good idea. Good luck to you in the meantime, and may the fun stuff start to outweigh the crap.
Isn't it a bummer when life gets in the way?? I could get SO much done if life would QUIT interfering.
As a NEW (cough) fifty year old, I have been struggling this year with the way I am feeling. These emotions are strange and unsettling. When I find an answer- I'll share!!!
Oh honey, if life weren't getting in the way so badly here... I'd be around and about more as well.
I love your manifesto. I'm in - have no idea how to help you right this moment - but I'm with you.
As you know, other half is also turning 49 and 13 mos this year as well. It's doing him in. We need help. xo
The big "five oh" hit me like a ton of bricks. It suddenly dawned on me that I wasn't going to live forever and I couldn't do everything I use to do (without pain) and I kind of started feeling old and life really changed. It's taken me nearly 4 years but I've decided to come out of the "five oh" funk and live my life. Don't get me wrong, things didn't magically change when I decided to change my way of thinking and problems didn't disappear but now I"m beginning to look at things differently. I'm trying to take care of me FIRST and stop trying to take care of everyone else first. I've got some things to work out but I'm also to a point I never thought I'd be and that's the point of moving away from all these kids and grands so I'm not so accessible. I think everyone will benefit from that arrangement.....but HBL and I will benefit the most.
Get out there and live your life even if it means making changes. Life is just way too short and there are no guarantees. MUAH! Love ya@@
I'm 52, quit keeping parts of the house that don't need kept. People will notice dirty front porches MUCH sooner than weeds in the back, etc.
Do as many errands as possible @ once.
Most important? Learn to say NO and I'm sorry I can't get that done, no way....
Girl,
I think life's mission is to throw us curve balls. Do I have an answer, NO! But I promise to help you look. I just love a good scavenger hunt.LOL
At your young age (yes, there is always someone who thinks you are young)I too was into the "gotta do" syndrome.
When I retired, I developed an island mentality. In the Bahamas they live by "eat when you are hungry, sleep when you are tired, and play the rest of the time."
I have yet to see,"she kept such a neat house" in any obituary.
I cannot function without my check list. BUT...here are a few examples from my current checklist: #2 watch a movie with Blue eyes tonight. #6 Knit til I dont want to knit anylonger. #8 Do absolutely nothing or pretty much anything I want.
And of course...that which overrides everything...the "windows of opportunity". When you have a preschooler and a teenager in the house...any window of opportunity to ahem...you know...The list goes out the window...followed by the panties. *blush*
I hate it when Life gets in the way of Fun Stuff. So I do the Fun Stuff! Weeding & dishes can wait. Unfortunately house payments can't so I go to work each day but in the evening I sit on the deck with a glass of wine or go for a walk with ELPH. Don't sweat the small stuff:)
At 48 I feel like i enjoy life more and more as I age. I try and make sure to do some small thing to nourish myself each day: a conversation with a thoughtful friend, a fun thing with a kid (if they're around and not being bitchy...), a float in the pool with a beer, enjoying some amazing blogs, something small. I'm that boring. But it has to be every day because life's too short to go every other day.
So glad to see you back.
xo
Girl, I am so glad not to be the only one needing the 12 steps.
I keep coming back to this same square going, wait just a hot minute while I catch my breath only to realize what I really need to do is quit running from it!
Coming off an incredibly busy year, I'm not the best at learning how to balance. But, right now? I can say this. Drink lots of wine. Go into a favorite room, get comfortable and don't let anyone in. Don't apologize for needing to be alone. (See, you talk about prepositions. I hate when I use too many "to be" verbs.
Like you, I've been gone a looong time from blogland and, like you, I've been dealing with real life trials and tribulations that just won't seem to go away. I'd truly love to offer some sage advice on prioritizing your life so that you have time to do what's necessary but also have time to smell the roses. Unfortunately, I've been trying to do exactly this for several years now and obviously, I've not succeeded, so am the last person to give advice. Having said all that, I wish you well and will be watching your blog to see if some of your other devout followers comes up with something creative that I can apply to my own life/situation. In the interim, I hope your summer's going well because mine sucks thus far... lol!
Jane
It's like we are the same person living 6,000 miles from each other.
OK That was a bit stalkerish, but really?
I have been in the same boat since last August. There is not enough time in the day for my to do list. I came to the realization that I need to stop thinking of what I have to do to help others at this time of my life IS my life, for now.
Check out the video on my blog today SMB. It's serendipitous with your post.
Oh, my. Hmmm. Well, my dear, I have no advice because I'm pretty much in the same boat. There is a great deal going on in my life - a lot of it painful and depressing and stressful - that I cannot/will not blog about. The reason I still blog at all is because it makes me think about, then verbalize, something besides how I'd love to just go sit in a corner and and do some of that loud, ugly, braying, sobbing that men hate.
It wasn't until I went through my second bout with cancer that I realized that I didn't NEED to do EVERYTHING for EVERYONE. My family was capable of taking care of a lot of things...regardless of whether or not they wanted to do it. The house will not fall apart if you just up and use your house cleaning time to go to a yoga class or something like that. If someone thinks the house needs to be cleaner...tell them to have at it!
It's all about priorities and we Cajuns make having fun a number one priority! If you will do this, then everything else will fall into place. Oh, and get rid of the Microsoft Outlook and replace it with a simple list of 5 things that you want to accomplish each day, with fun, at the top!
Just found your blog and have read your latest post and all the comments. Sounds like there are a lot of us in the same, or at least similar, boat! I am ___yrs. old and retired from teaching primary school. I don't have the extensive TO DO LIST that I used to have...but believe it or not, I sorta miss that. I am a person who MUST have something to do at all times and yet I'm a big procrastinator in getting anything started. I do think that many of US don't look at life as we should. We let too many things get in the way of our happiness...worries, problems, insecurities, fears, etc. I try to have faith that God will guide me and I pray for that guidance but either He's not listening to me or I'm not hearing what He's saying!!! I too am trying to find my way so I have no sage advice to give you. Maybe we can all travel along this road together and help each other. I look forward to hearing what you and others have to say. I will tell you that TIME FLIES as you get older and older....so make the best of every day! I struggle with that but I'm trying!
I'm still marveling at the fact that you have a to-do list.
I have never been so efficient that I needed a to-do list. Yes there are days that things do need to get done but it is never long enough to warrant a to-do list.
If you must have a to-do list, then pencil a time to just sit and relax.
Hey!!! You're back! Don't be too ambitious about this blog please, or you will be gone again in a whiff.. is my advice. Be a loose blogger and enjoy the fun. It's good to see you again :-)
Don't postpone joy. These are words I try to live by. Yes, I know I may be too old to strive for "immediate gratification," but then who knows how much time we have on this earth and if not now, when?
Good luck with your quest.
My to-do list is in my head, but it's still there, every.single.day.
Even living out here on 27 acres, I find myself propelled TO DO. I don't know why I have that type of personality, but I do. I find it hard to sit down for 30 minute and simply relax. Have a glass of iced tea or a glass of wine. Read a magazine. I have been conspicuously absent this summer in blogland... just not enough time to write new posts AND visit everyone. It sucks how hectic life is every day.
And BTW, the big 5-0 will bite me in the butt approximately 10 days before the end of 2010.
Life sucketh right now. *whine*
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