Yesterday my horoscope told me to “get one thing done”. My gosh, getting one thing done is ambitious for me. With my carefully crafted daily “to do” lists, getting one thing DONE, actually finished to the point of achieving a specific end is always my aim. Intent is not always reality
Each day is like a lesson plan. I set my goals, write specific objectives and map out how I will know that I’ve achieved the goal. Sounds good. Sometimes, sometimes it works, but more often than not, I get part of the objectives done. For instance, I get the vacuum out of the closet and put a new Swiffer on its holder.
Once in a while I actually write a goal that is doable given my current state of mind and body. I may get all of the rugs, all five of them, downstairs, vacuumed. More often than not I get two or three done, saving the other two for tomorrow, as if I were saving half of my dessert. A comfortable fiction if there ever once was one. As if vacuuming rugs were a fun thing, an aspirational goal?
Unfortunately, because of some kind of bizarre early training, I hold off on the fun things because I haven’t done the must do things. I used to be able to push the dust bunnies and speckled carpets out of my consciousness and forge on to more fun things, but since I’ve retired, I can’t. I have no idea why?
I used to be able to go to, let’s say, Marshalls and wander with no particular goal in site. Spend easy hours chatting over coffee or getting a mani-petti. Or, visit the dollar store just in case something was there that I needed. You know how that is.
Not any more. There is a kind of inertia that holds me to the unvacuumed rugs, the undusted hardwoods, the greasy wooden cabinets in my kitchen, the laundry that needs folding. On and on.
Am I just too overwhelmed with the mounting problems of climate change, tribalism, a polarized political scene, anti-vaxxers … my continuing need to use a cane, etc.?
So, what is up with this? I looked it up on Google and Goog, my buddy, Goog said that it may be any number of things including depression rearing its ugly head, boredom, anemia, household cleaner brand confusion or according to an article in the Irish Times, it may just be something else. I’ve included the link to this article for those who might be interested. I found it thought-provoking and, a bit elevating when it comes to my question about my lack of motivation for housework…
www.irishtimes.com/opinion/columnists/cleanliness-and-household-chores-are-next-to-godliness-1.1329266
The author, Ann Marie Hourihane, a gal with the written wit to have me laughing out loud, takes the position that menial tasks, such as those involved by housework have been looked down on by just about everyone. I quote, “ The one belief that unites us all these days is that ordinary life is for losers and is to be avoided if at all possible. … In fact, this contempt for menial tasks has already caused us problems. It’s a fair bet that this country (reference to Ireland) was brought to ruin by men who are simply too important to iron their own shirts.”
She does acknowledge that some are engaged in activities so important that they may be excused from the everyday labors that are so vexing. But these jobs are few and far between
Hourihane points out that it wasn’t until Pope Francis revealed that he made his own meals and took pubic transport that even the mention in the media of such things as mopping the kitchen floor or cleaning the toilets was possible. After all someone has to do these things or we would live in squalor.
But, other than the Martha Stewart groupies, who and what media takes this up as important?
I’ve been doing these and other such chores for all of my life but now? Is this a quiet and dusty revolution? Or is it a series of interstices, spaces of time where I am pondering the meaning of life and how much I should be devoting to the washing up, etc.
Yes, I do deserve some time off, even though I cannot point to anything that I am doing that would absolve me from mundane chores.
Then, too, one might question whether Roku and Amazon Prime with all of their evil abilities to suck me into binge watching things like “Goliath” and old “Mary Tyler Moore” and “Bob Newheart” shows is at least partially at fault ? You can’t really vacuum while watching TV. The vacuum is too loud. Dusting takes you away from the TV and doing laundry takes me down into the cellar.
When you are retired, there is always tomorrow, at least figuratively.
.Next week, I am making a list of one goal-a day chores. No option to put things off to a tomorrow of undetermined date.
By the time I can go outside without a coat, I hope to be 15 pounds lighter ( Losing weight is a chore.)
and have most of my Spring cleaning (which includes my winter cleaning too) done.
It may also be good for my soul.
I am quoting my new favorite author Mary Ann Hourihane,” There’s nothing like washing the kitchen floor, or discovering for the hundredth time that you’ve run out of milk, to put a stop to your gallop and make you a little less fascinated with yourself.”
