Daughter says the big mistake in getting up is in first heading into the interwebz. Screen-sucking as I call it. I don't have a device yet and am holding out. Having a device could completely destroy my life as I could take it to bed and play Lexulous until the cows come home. Or not. Because I wouldn't care, would I? But I have to agree with her, once in the claws of the interwebz it's might hard to smash those leg irons and emerge, battered, bruised and bedazzled.
I had these thoughts this morning as I fixed a lampshade that Ansa had inadvertently knocked off a window sill. I like a light in a window, don't you? Something welcoming about it. I was restitching it in a rather attractive earthy-heathery wool and my mind went to the piles of work in my office and the usual guilt set in.
Deferring gratification is the first sign of maturity, did you know that?
Well, I always knew it but to practise it? "Sin sceal eile" as my people have it. "That's another story altogether." Can't seem to master that skill set at all.
I'd rather play in my house or read my book or knit or write (like now) and feel the stress of mounting workpiles and do absolutely NOTHING about them.
I keep thinking life would be so simple if I dealt with the work first. Then it would be over and I could be free to play.
That's my father's voice. Not mine.
I answer back ' "Oh do I hafta??" "Oh please, just one more row, just one more chapter, just one more episode of 'Homeland'".
There are lots of arguments pro- and con- deferred gratification.
ReplyDeleteYou could follow the cold Calvinizstic doctrine espoused by Thomas Carlyle in hia book, "Sartus Re-Sartus" (the Tailor Re-Tailored", where he ssys: "Work while it is called today, for the night cometh when no man shall work."
Pretty grim, hah?
On the other hand, as ther Andrews Sisters sang, "Manana is soon enough for me."
Unless, of course, the work puts food on the table; then my position doesn't make sense.
Da work feeds me. Marc. Not necessarily a good thing if ascetism is the goal. But it's not.
ReplyDeleteI do love to cook.
XO
WWW
I used to do the work first with the fun stuff as a carrot, but that game is not working so well these days. I need a plan!
ReplyDelete"I could take it to bed and play Lexulous until the cows come home." Would you hafta if dem cows never came home ?
ReplyDeleteI find myself doing insensible things before I do the sensible things and a feeling of having to be responsible creeps up on me and usually, I answer to it. I know I will not really enjoy myself if I do not take care of the sensible things first. I think it comes with being responsible and dependable. You do have to take care of your own life properly in order to live well. We can not blame that nagging voice on anyone else, it is ours.
ReplyDeleteOh Lawrd! I recognize myself in this!
ReplyDeleteIs it an Irish thing do you think?
Yield. I do every now and then and come out refreshed for the experience. But, being disciplined when no one is looking shows character! That is, if it is an important aspect of your life that you would like to own up to.
ReplyDeleteOh you always share
ReplyDelete"me" :)
Marc:
ReplyDeleteBut nothing makes sense. I need the money. I need the work. And I just want to play after working for 1/2 century. And I can't.
GM:
Don't look at me for any ideas as to how that can happen!
GFB:
I don't care about the damn cows and that's my problem!
Irene:
You lost me. Completely.
Molly:
I suppose the one saving grace is it could have gone this way: We could be opening and closing the pubs somewhere in Connemara, right?
Ramana:
Your philosophy, my good man, truly appeals to me!
OWJ:
Soul Sistah!
XO
WWW
Life would be pretty soulless if we did everything we were supposed to, when we were supposed to. It's much more fun to find excuses for pushing all the dull stuff out of sight for a bit.
ReplyDeleteA device being a smart phone? I have that and an iPad, but I haven't gotten sucked in by games. But I do have a tendency to check email and texts more than I should.
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