I grew up in the era when the expectation was that you finished whatever you began, whether it was the dishes or a marriage. Walking away wasn't ever an option. You just kept at it until the job was done. So I'm having a hard time admitting that I might have bitten off more than I can chew--or swallow. What to do? I really don't like to leave things unfinished.
On the other hand...
I worked for many years in a job where the expectations were impossible. And when I left that job, I determined that I would never go back to that stressful lifestyle. So it's sheer stupidity if I do it to myself. I suspect that I will have to make a couple of changes and set aside a plan or two or three. I wish that didn't make me feel like I'd failed. After all, these are MY expectations and I can choose to change them, much like I chose to have New Years goals instead of resolutions. Life is basically how we look at it.
Possibly the most difficult part of restructuring is deciding what to keep and what to toss. I'm a keeper of everything. "Someday I might need it..." Well, not today. It's about clearing the decks for those things I truly want/need to do. The rest must go. Time is passing and once gone I can never get it back.
Priorities are a bitch to set, aren't they? Oh, some are simple. Family, spouse, income, outgo, those things are sort of set in stone, right? But after that, things are a tad foggier. Doing the dishes every day? Vacuuming every day? Getting up every day? Decisions, decision. What to do? Tea or coffee? Bikinis or grannies? Get dressed and stay in the jammies?
Exciting and difficult to keep re-inventing myself after forty, fifty,... You would think that I would eventually settle down. Eventually pick something to be. I'm nearly grown up, after all. Shouldn't I know what I want to be when I grow up? Apparently not.
But I'm working on it.
Anny
I have a scavenger hunt all month long on my webpage at http://www.annycook.com/ so check out the contest box for rules and clues.
What could you spend an eternity doing? What is your passion? Your hunger? Your deepest desire? Each day beginning February 5 and running through February 14 one of the ten authors will complete the line, "My darling I could spend eternity…" on either their blog or website. Collect all ten answers and e-mail them to anny@annycook.com with Eternally Yours in the subject line to win some hot, romantic books. There will be three lucky Valentine winners.
The prizes –1st prize--5 books
2nd prize--3 books
3rd prize--2 books
Entries must be in by February 16 at midnight EST. All books and prize winners will be drawn randomly.
Sandra Cox Silverhills
Mona Risk To Love a Hero
Brynn Paulin Tribute For the Goddess
Bronwyn Green Mystic Circle
Cindy Spencer Pape Stone and Earth
N.J. Walters Seduction of Shamus O’Rourke
Elyssa Edwards Mating Stone
Amarinda Jones Shades of Gray
Kelly Kirch Time for Love
Anny Cook Honeysuckle
Check out Amarinda's blog where she's being contentious all week at http://www.amarindajones.blogspot.com/ and then pop over to Kelly's blog where she's reciting poetry at http://www.kkirch.blogspot.com/ Blessings on your day!
I am the Queen of unfinished stuff and I plan to never grow up. I expect when I snuff it my coffin will only have some of the handles on it and the inside will not be finished properly and no one will be able to understand my will as I have changed it that many times. But damn, I love me.
ReplyDeleteI'm still working on the invention. My twenties were all about allowing myself permission to be an adult not an adult in training. My thirties so far have been about claiming my perogative and shove off if you don't like it. Can't wait for forty. Life seems to get better ever decade.
ReplyDeleteSet them aside and put them on re-evaluation status. Then you ahven't quit them. Just delayed.
ReplyDeleteI suck at setting priorities - other than the basics. I keep thinking I should have learned from my mistakes by now, and yet...
ReplyDeleteMy priority/project is to get my house in order: ha ha ha. It will never happen.
ReplyDeleteI may give Amarinda a run for her money on unfinished things. I have craft projects left in various stages of completion because I lost interest. I have a total of 13 unfinished, but begun, stories.
ReplyDeleteI try to set priorities. Of course, I have my own priorities (writing at Borders after an hour or two at the gym) - I thought tonight I finally had a night off from the daughter's softball. But then the rest of the family needed help. The oldest son is having car trouble, so I had to get him from the car repair shop, take him home, pick up his son/my grandson to bring home so I can take him to school tomorrow. By the time I got my grandson into bed, I'm beat. Oh well... Family's the most important, right?
ReplyDeleteWhy do I think you're talking about your beaded chopsticks project??
ReplyDeleteWhatever it is, set it aside for a while to "reevaluate" the idea. Not every project is a good one.