June 25, 2006
Getting A Round Tuit
Written by Shirley Karr in Jaunty PostBeing a consummate perfectionist and procrastinator, deadlines help me overcome inertia and get going on a project, and keep going until I finish.
For the past couple years it seems I’ve been staggering from one deadline to the next, focusing my energies on manuscripts, proposals, revisions, promotion, etc. Housecleaning was way at the bottom of my list of priorities. Fortunately I’m married to a wonderful man who cooks. He also understands the importance of meeting contractually obligated deadlines. To free me to wrestle with my characters and plot, he took over much of my share of the household chores.
Those of you who are married know where this is going. I love my husband dearly, but his idea of housecleaning differs significantly from mine. When it comes to dusting, there’s a physiological difference between men and women — something about the rods or cones in our eyes that really does make it difficult for men to see the dust bunnies. But for the rest… he cleaned just enough to prevent disease and pestilence. I confess I didn’t do much better in keeping up with the mail. Sure, I separated the bills and set aside the catalogs and magazines for when I had more time to read. But we’re on the mailing lists of far too many companies that send us “special offers.” And we don’t get just one — because of our businesses and volunteer positions, we get up to five of every offer.
A couple weeks ago, I finished the manuscript and edits and proposal and all that other stuff. While I wait to hear back from my editor, this is a perfect time to do all the things I said I’d do when I had more time. I’ve been working on it a bit here and there, filling paper sacks with junk mail to recycle, and running the shredder overtime to get rid of all those credit card offers and convenience checks. The yard is also calling to me. The roses desperately need to be pruned. At this rate, it would take me all summer to catch up.
Not acceptable. Not only do I need to get writing as soon as I hear from my editor, we needed to get everything up off the floor so we could have the carpet professionally cleaned. Our geriatric cat was fastidious — so much so, when he had the runs (which he frequently did as he neared the end) he didn’t want that mess in his litter box. He had favorite spots in the dining room and hall. We’ve missed having a feline about the house, but don’t dare bring another home until we have all trace of the scent gone. You’d think that would be enough incentive to get all this done quickly. But “quickly” is not a deadline.
Last Sunday I got a call from one of the young men who taught my husband when Mike joined the church last spring. His time serving as a missionary is up, and his parents are coming to pick him up this weekend. He asked if he could bring them by to meet us. I glanced around our still very cluttered home, gulped, and said, “Please do.” Instant deadline.
We’ve made amazing progress this week. I found stuff I didn’t even know I had lost. People who are always neat will never know this joy of discovery. I’ve even managed to change some of the décor and display my keychain collection. As of Saturday afternoon, the carpet was dry again and the furniture back in place. We’re not quite done — there are still a couple problem areas (like, um, my entire office) but at least we won’t be embarrassed when we open the door to our visitors Sunday afternoon.
Now the trick will be keeping things tidy.
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Janelle Says:
Shirley, are you LDS?
Shirley Karr Says:
Janelle, yes, I am. What gave me away?
Robyn DeHart Says:
Nothing like company to get that house clean. DH and I have been pretty good this summer about keeping ours tidy, but only b/c we’ve travelled so much which means our friend who watches our kitties has been in our house. We can’t leave our house dirty for her to see. Of course, my office looks like a tornado hit it and the guest room’s bed is covered in all our clean clothes, but nothing a shut door won’t hide.
As soon as this proposal is done, I’m fixing both of those rooms for good.
Shirley Karr Says:
Yup, guests. We used to do more cleaning in prep of my mom’s visits, but she moved and now lives seven minutes away, not three hours. She drops by several times a month, so that’s no incentive.
Haven Rich Says:
I have that issue too when I’m sick. I get put into the hospital for weeks at a time and then the “before” time is just as bad. So I don’t do much around the house. My husband cooks as well but in other areas..not good. I know I shouldn’t complain but this one time I came home and wanted clean sheets and because I have to have the bed made perfectly I had to do it. No chance I’m going to leave that upto the hubby. Sometimes its annoying being a perfectionist on cleaning…when it does get done haha.
Janelle Says:
Shirley, it was the missionary comment. I’m LDS too… thought I was the only Mormon girl who read romances…
how nice to know that I’m not the only one!
Shirley Karr Says:
Janelle, we’re *far* from alone. I was surprised at the number of ladies at church who read “those” kind of books.
I don’t know if any of them read erotica, but they don’t limit themselves to inspirationals, either. I once had a lengthy discussion with my visiting teachers about Rachel Gibson’s latest.
It makes perfect sense — romances are about learning and growing to become a better person, working together to overcome adversity, and finding our mate for a loving monogamous relationship — which are certainly among the things we’re striving for as children of God. I just skip the extramarital and one-night-stand stuff.
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Rachel Says:
Tuit is my last name!