Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Is It Just Me?

We are closing in on the middle of January. You know . . . January. The long, slow month of the year.

Whose long, slow month of the year, I ask?? Is it just me or is anyone else also feeling as if the days are flying by and as much as you try to pack into them, there's still a lot that doesn't fit.

In the summer time when I'm outside most of the daylight hours, I long for winter time when my responsibilities out-of-doors are down to bare minimum and I will have ample time indoors to do whatever needs to be done and then finally get at those things I want to do.

This winter I'm trying very hard to learn to be laid-back, to relax, take time for reading, maybe watch a movie or two, get enough sleep and, oh yeah, GET INTO MY QUILT STUDIO.

My life is not complicated. I do not work outside the home. My husband is not demanding. I don't have children or dependent relatives to care for. (Well, there is the dog and that aforementioned undemanding guy I live with . . . )

I had papers spread out all day yesterday trying to balance the check book, but did I manage to get it done? Nope. My husband is starting to look like Jeremiah Jones because his hair is so long. He's been asking for a hair and beard trim for a week now. Simple tasks such as these fill my To Do List every day and seem to get carried over for three or four or more days before I manage to get them done and crossed off. I haven't found (taken) the time today to make my morning latte. And it is now 3 p.m.

I know I have many interests and choices of pursuits I want to follow. Maybe that's part of the problem; these days we do have more choices and opportunities than ever before. I know I spend time each day blogging and corresponding with fellow bloggers. But that is a fulfilling, relaxing if you will, part of my life that I don't wish to give up in order to spend that time doing something else.

I'm sitting here thinking of all the things I could/should be doing rather than blathering on to you. About 99% of them are things I really want to do and would gain great satisfaction from. But I can't fit them all into my day. Or the next or the next.

Call me maladjusted but I'm actually getting panicky about the long, slow winter being over.

Okay. Prioritize. I need to prioritize and be happy with what I do accomplish. If the clock would just stop going around for about an hour, I'd take the time to lay everything out and do just that. Right after I go make my latte, that is.

P.S. A warning: The next person who says anything about winter dragging on or how much winter is still left or how they are suffering from being cooped up may get punched out. I'm just sayin'.

20 comments:

Jane @ Hard Work Homestead said...

I am a little scared to leave a comment with the P.S., and all but....I find I am getting nothing done also. But that is just because I am not doing it! I have 0 motivation. Days come and go and the list is just as long. I swear it's because there is not much sun. That sun shinning makes me feel human.

Jennifer Jo said...

Oh man. I am SO sick of winter. It's so sloooow and I'm sooooo bored---HEY! WHAT DID YOU JUST HIT ME FOR?!

(Just kidding.)

The Apple Pie Gal said...

Are you holding the other oar in my boat? Feels the same to me!

The days come and go and I have little to nothing to show for it. Blah!!!!

Sorry it's contagious and yet thankful you don't have very long arms...

Erin said...

I feel the same way! All fall I kept looking forward to hubby being home finally and I get to learn to sew, knit, etc, etc and it appears all I'm going to get done is set up my space and then it's right back to seed starting for spring! I have tons of paperwork to do for Loch's school, started my semi-annual toss-a-thon in the closets, I feel like I work all day and I'm no closer to sewing that apron LOL!

Teri said...

Lol - thanks for the chuckle. I'm laughing because I understand, especially the need to prioritize the things you want to get done. My first priority would be how to not work and be away from home 10 hours a day so I can do what I really want to do. :) (Lotto, maybe???) :) You are indeed, in an enviable position from where I sit. Have fun and enjoy! :)

Anonymous said...

Totally empathise. Got one thing done on my list today, still have two boxes of pears sitting on the back porch to dry before they rot (guess the chickens can have 'em), all of a sudden it's 4 pm. I have been feeling sicky, so spent the day on the couch watching tv... laughing at the shows with new parents and dumb brides. Can't believe it's almost the end of the month... I need to accomplish something. Oh well, I will tomorrow?

Mama Pea said...

Jane - YOU with no motivation? OMG, the world is coming to an end!

Not my problem here. I have plenty of motivation, running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Even though I'm going all day long, just the business of living seems to keep me from accomplishing projects!

JJ - Very funny. VEEERRRY funny!

APG - What did Cher say in "Moonstruck?" We need to "snap out of it!" Whap! Slap upside the head!

Erin - We need a clone of ourselves. (Would that be scary?)

Teri - I knew one of you hard-working, job outside the home gals would smack me back down to size. And I deserve it. I think that's what's really frustrating me . . . I'm home all day. Why can't I accomplish what I want? I should be more grateful.

Ruth - Preserving pears in January. Does it never end? I have apples that need to be turned into applesauce and I. just. can't. seem. to. get. to. them. Arrrrgh!

P.S. Feel better soon. Hugs.

Dirt Lover said...

Seems life flies past, no matter what the season, or what the month. I'm planning on having a girl weekend the middle of the month, on MLK weekend. Going away to sew, each chocolate, and watch movies. I realized Monday, that MLK weekend starts this Friday!! Now I am madly packing, trying to get all my sewing stuff that I might possibly want/need, and can't find everything. Agh! But then, I also am looking forward to starting seeds, so I can't complain too much. Besides, it won't do any good.
~~Lori

Sparkless said...

I never get enough done in a day or a week or a month... well you get the point. The minutes fly by and I seem to never manage to make a dent in my to do list.

Instead of making a "to do" list trying making a "done it" list. That way you can actually see that you do get lots done in a day and then you aren't so worried about what you didn't get done.

My biggest problem is distractions. I start something and end up being distracted by something else and while I'm doing that I get side tracked by something else. I get lots of things half done. LOL!

Amy Dingmann said...

Motivation....organization...prioritization...I'm telling you, you've read my mind. I could have wrote this blog post tomorrow, and in fact was thinking about something very similar. I've felt so scatterbrained lately, like I have a thousand things to do, don't know where to start, and am lacking the motivation to really settle down into any of them. But since you've nailed it on the head, maybe tomorrow I'll just post "Ditto, MamaPea!" and call it good? ;)

Val said...

I totally agree with you! I have so much that I want to accomplish but it doesn't get done. Who knows? I also spend a lot of time blogging and leaving comments but this is "my" time and I enjoy it. When you figure it out let me know. I also enjoy winter time because it is more laid back that summer with all we have to do then.

Jenyfer Matthews said...

LOL - I was just thinking last night "where the heck is January going in such a hurry??"

I'll tell you what I told Chicken Mama on FB the other day: getting caught up is just an illusion - there will always be something else to do. Accept that basic truth and maybe some of your panic / anxiety will go away?

And maybe you can think of your blogging / email time as your relaxation time. Take your latte to the computer and just enjoy yourself. You don't actually have to be in your jammies watching a movie in bed to take some time for yourself here and there.

Sue said...

Well, you know I had to chime in on this. With you ALL THE WAY. Don and I sit there at 4 in the afternoon, saying WTF happened to the day???? ANOTHER ONE GONE???????
I do manage to cook the meals and keep the house up. But , for some reason or another, I'm not having time for painting, reading,practising piano,NOTHING.
We always joke, at the rate time is going, we'll be dead before we've had time to do anything! But, on a bright note, we'll be out in the garden soon---you know, when you go out in the morning early, and the next thing ya know, it's 4 o'clock...........

Susan said...

I swear that - with so much we all have to do - looking at the "whole" makes me freeze up solid. Now I look at the little bits and do them one by one. I'm making my lists smaller and saner (more sane?). But I agree with Jane - it's the lack of sunlight. I feel like my batteries are only getting half-charged each day, so I run down faster. When I was a youngster, who cared how fast the days went? They were going to last forever. Now? Well, let's just say I know better. Chin up, darlin. Make sure you have your latte and do at least one thing you love a day. To heck with the rest.

Lorie said...

I am with you Mama Pea. Winter can not be over until my winter projects are complete and like you I am moving rather slow. I love to hibernate in the winter....but the family keeps interrupting me. :)

Kelly said...

I miss feeling the sun on my face too. Experiencing the morning sun through a window is just not the same. SO, I am VERY much wishing for spring- but I agree, winter is flying by. I am just now trying to iron out the garden details, like seed sowing and amendment ordering. And I still have canning to do from all those summer fruit pickings. I took "A Garden Day" on Monday and did nothing but garden sketches and seed rumaging for the entire day. I didn't even cook dinner, hubby brought home a pizza. :)

Mama Pea said...

Lori - Best wishes for a WONDERFUL weekend. Relax, rest, recharge. Have fun!

Sparkless - Yeah, that ol' distraction thing is hard. Especially when I'm working in the house (close confines) I SEE so many things that need doing. I think I need a pair of horse blinders.

Mama Tea - You're more than welcome to "ditto" my post. :o) I think many of us are struggling with the same things here. (Might your problem be that what you really want to do is sit down and write but won't allow yourself to do so??)

Val - How can we manage to get it all done in the summer when we can't do it in the winter when our "jobs" should be fewer??

Jen - Gosh, you're advice is so wise. For myself, I know guilt still plays a big part in my inability to flow with it in a way that would be more satisfactory. (Maybe when I grow up . . . )

Sue - Does it scare you the way time is going by so fast? Every day at 4 p.m. signals another day that you will never experience again.

Susan - Okay, Mom. Can I have a hug now?

Lorie - Ha! I have a picture of family poking a big, ol' curled up bear with a stick. (That's both of us playing the part of the bear.)

Kelly - Could you schedule the day you had last Monday to fall about three more times this week? For all of us?

Kaytee said...

I'm the same way. All this time, yet nothing getting done.

Perhaps you should teach the Mister to cut in own hair and trim his own beard! Luckily, my man does it himself. Although, I need to come in at the end of the hair cutting to trim the back along his neck or it's a totally funky line!

Jenyfer Matthews said...

Okay, Mama Pea - get up first thing tomorrow morning and cut that man's hair, right after the morning oatmeal! One thing to tick off your to-do list and you'll feel better for having it done (at least until it grows out...)

Mama Pea said...

Kaytee - Oh my. That would be a scary, scary thing if my hubby had to cut his own hair. I cringe at the thought! Your guy must be very talented. I know I sure couldn't cut MY own hair.

Jen - The hair cut and beard trim are DONE! Halleluja. You're right. If only it would STAY that way.