Posted on by LA · 105 Comments

Too Little Time

I had a conversation with someone recently. They talked about how they have all their groceries delivered. They buy almost everything off Amazon or via mail. And they routinely use that service that will pick things up for you.

I asked if this was a COVID thing. They replied No, that they were just “too busy” to do all that “normal” (their word not mine) stuff because there lives were just “so jam packed”. Then they asked, rather haughtily, why I didn’t have everything delivered off Amazon. (I won’t go into my long winded answer about dog walking, supporting local, liking to pick my own meat and produce, and time management with you)

To be fair, I don’t need to give an explanation as to how/why I shop the way I do. I don’t care that you wonder how I have the time to do “normal” things. Because frankly, the attempt to tell me that you’re so busy that you can’t take care of your life without the UPS guy makes me a little sad and a little angry.

I am not impressed by those who need to tell me how busy they are.

I am impressed by people who figure out what is and isn’t important in life, and live accordingly.

I like busy. I think people should have things on their plate because I think it keeps the mind stimulated and makes you happier. I like a sense of being mentally and physically challenged at the end of the day. (to be clear, physically challenged means I walked at least 12,000 steps and I did some stretching- I’m OK not training for a triathlon) I think one of the reasons that we have a problem with addiction is that people are bored, or that’s how it starts anyway.

But…

I think when you can’t get a quart of milk, you don’t quite have your priorities straight… I also wonder how much of this talk is for show…How much of this “Oh everything is delivered to me” is supposed to be a sign of wealth and power?

Do people get awed by those that have their lives delivered?

Do people think those who are “sooooo busy” are better?

Is talking about how busy you are a common talking point?

Cause if it is, I will shock you and tell you that Friday afternoon I sat in my brown chair with the attempt to shred some documents, and Betty jumped up and went to sleep on my lap, and that began the end of my weekly productivity. After 2:50, it was TV, magazines and Facetime with the daughter. I ordered takeout because of an intense craving for Red Curry from my favorite Thai place- not because I was too “busy”.

I did ask this person if they wanted me to help them devise a planner system…and I think they were taken aback that I wasn’t impressed by their lifestyle…

If you want to impress me, show don’t tell. Show me your awesome series of lists that get you through the day. Show me your accomplishments. Show me your kindness and humanitarian efforts. Show me why you’re busy. I can respect hard work. I applaud anyone who has a goal and works towards it. But please don’t just say that you are sooooo busy….

Busy is not an accomplishment in itself…

Living a well balanced life is.

Posted on by LA · 51 Comments

I Love a Good Oxymoron

What do you think about things that seem to embody opposite qualities?

An animal that is so unique to almost be considered ugly but in that uniqueness it’s totally adorable?

A food that is both sweet and spicy?

A work of art so incredibly genius yet hard to look at, read or experience because it contains so much that is awful?

I love a good contradiction: to me, contradictions add depth where there really ought not to be. And the one I’ve been thinking about lately is thus:

Hard working lazy people.

How do I define these people?

Well, I will use my poor husband as the example. He will decide to mop the floor. First he will get the mop out and ask me to assemble it properly…because…you know…my degree in engineering and all…(not). Then he will proceed to do about half the area that he should mop. Then he will leave the mop and the cleaning solution out somewhere in the house. Like, the solution will be on the floor next to a chair, and the mop will be against the wall in the bedroom.

Hard working enough to decide without nagging that the floor needs to be mopped. Lazy enough to not do the job thoroughly and put the utensils away.

I, on the other hand, am an energetic slacker. When I decide to do something I do it 100%. I have the right tools, I set up a workstation, I have a lot energy when I get involved in a project. However, I really really really need to be motivated to tackle something. I will not normally wake up and say- “Gee- I need to mop.”

I wonder if this has to do with the planner/no planner mentality. I use a planner. I detail everything I need to do. I keep lists. My husband is the opposite- though he keeps a date book he rarely checks it. Maybe he makes one list a year…

We are both self motivated- yet our paths of motivation are different. I need to think about it and know that I can do the whole job in a certain way. My Husband is more impulsive- he gets the idea and just does it.

Neither of us are right or wrong: it’s just how we handle things. Luckily our shared traits have produced our daughter: energetic and hard working. But never fear: she has her own particular brand of oxymoron’s.

What are your personal oxymoron’s? What qualities do you have that seem to be opposite in one way or another?

Do you have a favorite contradiction? A combo that is a little bit (or a lot) odd that really makes you feel something. I know the chocolate covered bacon fad is something I can’t really fathom but there are people who LOVE it…

Think- reflect-

Discuss…