Where’s Your Waldo?
Remember those books in the 80’s? You’d have to find this goofy-looking guy amidst a colorful, chaotic picture. The whole point was, once you could see him, you couldn’t un-see him.
Which brings me to a recent incident with someone I know and who, though is not close to me, I still care about. So, here’s my question for today: What do you do when you find “Waldo” but still don’t want to see him? Sort of a white elephant kind of a thing. Are you following along?
In the chaotic picture of our lives, we sometimes miss the obvious because we refuse to look it square in the face. Why? Fear of change, fear of failure, fear of the unknown. But that’s crazy if the unknown is now in our faces, right? Well, yes and no. What you suspect may be true, but when you have to square off with it, then you have to make another change, perhaps a residential change and that would be a magnificent upheaval in our lives. Even if this change is for the better - no doubt about it - we still fear it. How crazy is that? Big time crazy. The alternative is too much to bear.
What’s even crazier is that I let this make me crazy. I see it coming like an out of control train and there is nothing I can do except slap this person across the face and say, “Wake up! You have children to think about!” In my imaginary scenario I mention a few other things such as self respect, but that’s private.
So, I’ll stay mum for now, although it isn’t one of my strong points, and quietly listen for the train whistle.
I’m Not Waving
If we’re not careful, breathing easy may not be as simple as it should be. Recently this became obvious to me when I began work on a large project.
I’ve been procrastinating on this project for quite some time and noticed I’d been holding my breath while I began my preparations. Why was I holding my breath as if I was underwater, and did you notice I wrote “large” project? Ha - like that adverb would provoke tea and sympathy from anyone reading this. Hmmm, a therapist would have a field day with me today.
I love to begin new projects – large or small. The planning, the list-making, the excitement of a new adventure; then about one week later I’m ready to pass it off to my assistant. Wait a minute, I don’t have an assistant. I’m the assistant. One baby step at a time. Do a little bit, and a little bit and a little bit to chisel away at the project. Don’t start new projects until the current ones are fully completed. This is great advice; I just don’t always heed my own warnings.
At last count, I have three projects in the works, and that’s a conservative number for me. I can keep track of how many projects are my “WIP” (Work In Progress) projects by the number of yellow legal pads I have strewn in prominent places around my home. There’s that great spot at the Kitchen table – my corner, there’s the obvious nightstand spot, and don’t forget the coffee table! But those are the “great ideas” that I’m working out, and they need whole pads of paper. How do I count the bursts of inspiration, the ones in my head that haven’t come to fruition yet? Well, those are on small scraps of paper and they’re all over the place. I also like post-it notes, except they have a tendency to get stuck to things that get tossed out. Did I mention I needed an assistant?
When this pattern of self-abuse starts, and it is self-abuse if you don’t finish things you start, it’s time to breathe, really breathe. Speaking of tea, go make yourself a cup of hot or a glass of cold and sip and breathe for 20 minutes. It will clear your head and then you can get a better perspective on how you may wish to approach your project(s). Sometimes, only sometimes, the project hits the shredder. In that case, cut your losses and be grateful, I try to be.
Not to worry; maybe it’s a sign of genius, wasn’t Einstein a tad absent-minded? I can only pray that I’m not destined to be one of those little old ladies who collects papers and books and such and has them in every room, all over her house.
The Art of Puttering
The American dictionary describes puttering as: to occupy oneself in an aimless or ineffective manner. I hardly agree with that, but if the dictionary states that definition than so be it.
I like to believe that my puttering is accomplishing something. For example when I putter around the house I’m actually, straightening, lightly moving things, and rearranging. Which, in essence, is moving my Chi and adjusting vibrations and energy. I’m being ineffective? Hah! I don’t think so.
Picking the little dead leaves and what nots off all the greenery in the house, and yard, tidying my clothing closet, and lining up my shoes is not goofing off. I do meander from room to room - sometimes with a fresh cup of coffee or tea - and just assess the room. A crooked picture here and there, maybe fresh flowers over here, my puttering encompasses many activities. Sometimes the porch needs a good sweeping.
This is beginning to sound like more work than waste; perhaps a new word is in order for my activities. How about doting on my house? I like that. Doting. The dictionary defines doting as: to bestow or express excessive love or fondness habitually. Okay, doting it is. “I am greatly fond of my home, and I express it habitually by puttering in as well as outside of it, ensuring it’s beauty.”
There, now I’m satisfied. I’m going to go putter on the couch and dote with the remote.
If You Have To Ask…
Ah, magazines and television shows that help us sell our homes. I think they scrape the bottom of the barrel for these folks. When your house is filthy, smells like cats, your driveway is all cracked and you have dead plants brittling in the front yard, consider it free advice that you are a slob. Too harsh?
Come on! You’ve got to admit when watching these shows you talk to your television, “A red kitchen is NOT going to help you sell.” Or maybe you’ve said, “Why block a beautiful fireplace with a baby gate?” Suddenly stupid is the norm on television and we wonder why our houses (or the neighbor’s) sits on the market for months. What happened to location, location, location? I think it flew out of the window - wait a minute, I can’t open the windows because they’re dirty and stuck shut! AGGGHHH!
Now, there’s nothing wrong with a red kitchen, paint with expression! - but according to the “experts” if you’re going to sell your house then you’ve gotta pick neutral colors. Does anybody really go to Sherwin Williams and buy just neutral colors? How boring is that? Whatever happened to individuality? And if beige is so great, then why do we suddenly have an influx of shows about color and feng shui and designing by The Divine? Which is it? I can paint my house how I want, but not if I’m going to sell it? The new owners are going to paint anyways, so what’ the difference?
According to recent reports, it is considered a buyer’s market now - which means buyers have the upper hand, so to speak. Before we purchased our house, my husband and I looked at about 30 houses, in several different areas, and I gotta tell you - most people just don’t get it, not at all. One house we looked at was huge, painted silver, gray and dark purple, plus the owner stayed home drinking, during our walk-thru, while her kids and their friends had a pool party. Were they not informed we were coming?
My point is this: don’t be stupid. If you don’t wanna clean your house, what makes you think someone else wants to buy a dirty house? If they can actually see dirt or grime, than what can’t they see? Take a look around, have a friend take a look around, listen to your real estate agent - DON’T go it alone. These agents know what they’re talking about - at least 95% of them do - and they’ll help you sell.
Good luck.