Sunday, June 17, 2012

Failure to launch

I want you to know that this is probably one of the most embarrassing things I've ever made public. I have no doubt that by the time you are done reading this--that is, if you get through it--you will think I am either completely insane, or suffering from full blown late-life onset of attention deficit disorder. It is . . . a list of unfinished projects at my house.

This is what I've got going on right now:
more china and glass waiting to be upcycled
  1. 7 pieces of furniture in my basement waiting to be painted, distressed, refurbished, etc.
  2. 45 new ceramic pendants at the ceramic workshop in various stages of completion
  3. 30 completed ceramic pendants waiting to be strung
  4. 50--give or take--pieces of vintage and antique china and glass waiting to be made into something else
  5. 1 very large full sun perennial bed overrun with weeds that needs to be completely pulled up, re-edged, and re-designed
  6. 4 pieces of tin ceiling panels to be painted, distressed, and installed as the back splash in my kitchen . . .

Whew. Okay. That's just the beginning . . .

This is what else really needs to get done but for some reason doesn't even make it into the list of things that are on the front burners (that's plural "burners", as in a giant commercial stove with lots of burners):

small table waiting patiently to be refurbished
  1. Finish organizing craft room (I painted it and arranged it last year, but never really completed the organizational phase).
  2. Finish trim work in remodeled kitchen.
  3. Create new facade and mantel for chimney in living room.
  4. Clean out garage (a task that gets done a little at a time when I get completely frustrated with it or when I have a garage sale like I did last week).
  5. Run electricity to the garage (the garage was built several years ago and, for one reason or another, I never got around to running electricity out to it).
  6. Unpack the rest of my dishes (which hasn't been done since remodeling the kitchen last fall).
  7. Unpack my teapot collection (also has been in boxes since last fall).
  8. Completely remove and replace decking and railing on front porch.
  9. Remodel bathroom (there's only 1 bathroom so remodeling it will be very tricky and have to happen very quickly once underway).
  10. Clean out my clothes closet and take lots of clothes to Goodwill.
  11. Clean out attic for garage sale and Goodwill trip.
  12. Plan and prepare for fall garage sale, including going through Christmas decorations to purge some things (if you're like me, you have way too many Christmas decorations for your own good).
  13. Lay 200 brick pavers as a new path leading from backyard path to driveway.

Okay, I think I'll stop now. There are more, but my head hurts. If your head isn't spinning around like a satan-possessed 12-year-old yet, then it's probably because you have started formulating your own list in your own head and it's starting to dawn on you that we all have huge lists like this. Maybe huger! Maybe you have the hugest list of all!!

So in the next week and a half, I am preparing to go east to sell some jewelry, visit some friends and look for additional work out on the east coast. And guess what I'm going to get done from my lists between now and the time I leave for Rhode Island?

handmade necklace made with vintage crystal from a chandelier
Items 2, 3, and maybe a little bit of 4 on the first list. Three things. That's it. Three things. Can I be happy with that? With only getting three things done on this seemingly endless list of really big projects?

Absolutely! Because it's great to have goals and aspirations, but it's even better if you can live with the fact that we're human beings and we do what we can. As long as I am working hard, feeling some joy in what I'm doing and feeling tired at the end of the day, I can be grateful for what I have and proud of what I've accomplished. Even if it looks like my work will never be done.

So we can go ahead and make our big, I-can-do-it-all-if-I-just-work-harder list of things we want to accomplish. But we must also be good enough to ourselves to know when to walk away from the list and live life!

I'm livin' large at the following fabulous parties:

35 comments:

  1. I could have written the same post, well just add different projects in it. I just did a post today saying what my hubby thinks (that I'm like a ping pong ball bouncing all over the place). I have so many projects started and so, so much to do that it's hard to find time to get everything done. I've purchased furniture that I don't even need or have room for just so I can re-do the pieces. But I am having fun~so that counts for something...right?
    We should form a motivational group for gals like us--I think there would be plenty a joining. ha,ha.
    Sell lots of your jewelry and have a fun trip visiting your friends. All your "need-to do's" will be there when you get back.

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    1. I'm definitely guilty of purchasing things I don't really need. But that's what garage sales are for, so you can get rid of old stuff and make room for the new, right? Thanks for stopping by, Jana!

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  2. My to-do list is long, but I do believe you have me beaten by a hair!!!! I think we are all guilty of putting off these not-so-fun things in life.
    Thanks for coming by - and I don't know why you would let a little 14 hour drive stop you from coming to see me!!! : )
    Rhonda

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    1. Oh yes, I forgot to add one thing to my list . . . visit Rhonda and her shop in Alabama! You're near a beach right? I'm always up for visiting new beaches. And all you have to do is tell me there's a farmer's market there and I'll throw my jewelry in the back of the jeep and be on my way! ;-) Thanks for stopping by!

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  3. Hi Peggy: Wouldn't life be more fun if we were all organized, had no projects waiting in the wings, and knew exactly what we were going to do tomorrow? Well, actually, NO. We wouldn't have anything to gripe about!! Maybe,the answer should be YES!!..Happy Sunday, tomorrow's another day..Judy

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    1. Of course the answer is YES!! I love having huge lists of things to do and I love chipping away at the huge lists with my tiny little miniature dwarf chipper that barely makes a dent in the daunting list. Thanks for taking the time!

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  4. Hi Peggy,
    You sound like a very busy girl with lots of projects! I do have some unfinished projects of my own but none as big as yours. I don't have a building or porch where I can strip down and re-paint so my projects are always on the small side. Alas, I can no longer do the big projects anyway. Thanks for your visit and I hope you enjoy your trip to your friends.

    Blessings,
    Sandi

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    1. Welcome to my world, Sandi. Thanks for joining me. I shouldn't do the big projects either. I just have to make sure I have plenty of help when I do them. If not, I'll end up making the rounds from the chiropractor to the physical therapist to the massage therapist. ;-)

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  5. I think you were very brave to write the lists! I do the ostrich-thing and only figure out as I go and what I am inspired to do that day. You way is better....

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    1. I don't know if it's better, it's just who I am. I was raised by a list-maker. As I think my friend A.O. is saying above, if you don't make a list to begin with, you don't have the issue of ignoring the list in order to have a moment of peace. Luckily, the world is filled with all different kinds of people, huh. Thanks for stopping by, linda!

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  6. I'm tired just reading your list. But then, it sounds an awful lot like mine. As we near the halfway mark of 2012 I was considering doing an update on my January to-do list (half of which never got touched let alone finished).

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  7. Ha Ha! Yep - I have lists like that too!
    Good luck getting some of them done! I manage to tick some off now and again from mine - but then more keep getting added too....


    Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
    Hope you have a fabulous week!
    Jill @ Creating my way to Success
    http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/

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  8. First off ... completely awesome necklace!!!!!!
    Your list of stuff made me laugh! Right before I came to your blog I was writing out a list of "to-do" stuff that I HAVE to get done this summer! I usually do a little of everything at a time, so basically nothing gets done. Today I am starting on ONE project! pippa

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    1. Glad you like the necklace, Pippa. I'm working up to having an Etsy shop probably in the fall. I almost never finish one thing before going onto the next. I think it makes life more interesting!

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  9. Hi Peggy, lol you sound so much like me. All we can do is take one thing at a time. Thanks for coming by my blog and leaving kind words. I'm now a follower. Peggy

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    1. Thanks, Peggy, for stopping by and for the follow. I'm happy to meet another Peggy blogger!

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  10. sometimes it feels overwhelming to have so many things on a list. I am a list maker too and sometimes it helps to break it down into smaller lists and just take it one at a time.

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    1. Thanks, Anna, for stopping by and for your kind words. I like to use the "sticky notes" feature on my laptop, a tip I got from another blogger some time ago. You can color code different kinds of tasks and they are always there, right in front of my face when I log on to blog.

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  11. I love your jewelry and remember "busy people get things done"...Connie

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  12. I can totally relate. Sometimes I long for my single days when I lived in one big room and I knew where everything was. I feel like I spend half my life trying to figure out what to do next. I have decided that I am so brilliant that my mind works faster than I do. Make sense?? Thanks for visiting. Following back.

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    1. Thanks for visiting and for the follow, Scribbler! I enjoyed checking out your blogs and checking out the info on your book. Looks very intriguing. When will you publish again?

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  13. Whew!! I'm tired just reading your list :)!!! Believe me, I have a similar list. Just today I was thinking about how there is no way I can ever get to everything I want/need to do! What an interesting blog you have. As promised, I'm following you back. Thanks for visiting me and following! ~Zuni

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    1. Thanks for stopping by and for the follow, Zuni. Nice to meet a neighbor!

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  14. As you can see Peggy, we all seem to be in the same boat. I am proud you were able to fess up and list all the unfinished projects. It's like airing our dirty laundry. LOL Me? Unfinished projects? Well, let's just not go there! Have a great day!

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  15. Thanks for posting this--definitely made me feel better knowing someone else is in the same place! Thanks for stopping by my blog. I'm now your newest follower! Looking forward to seeing more!
    Danielle @ The Retail DIYet

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    1. Thanks for the follow and comment love, Danielle! I've been looking back through some of your archived posts. Nice work! Can't wait to see the living room reveal.

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  16. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you - reading all that makes me feel like I am NOT the only one out there making small progress on BIG plans! Thanks for visiting my blog so I could come over and find yours. Your newest follower.

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    1. You humble me by coming over here Dear Helen. Your talent looms large at your place and I'm delighted I found you, let alone you following me.

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  17. I think you have me beat! I thought my list was long, but it's nothing compared to yours! Sounds like it's time to pull in some Ninja Warriors :)

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    1. Yes, yes, yes! I need ninja warriors, ninja warriors that look like George Clooney! Where can I get some of them? Thanks for stopping by, Glenda.

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