A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING & EVERYTHING IN IT'S PLACE

Organization is the key to conquering the world. It’s not “unorganized crime” and it’s not “unorganizing a coup”...ya gotta be organized to really accomplish anything.

I used to be uber-organized. I was the go-to girl if you wanted an event to run smoothly or simply see that things got done. Lately though...not so much. The world can rest easy again. Debe will not be “directing” a take-over.

I can barely make a list these days, although I used to live by them. Before I went to bed at night I’d make a list of what I wanted to accomplish the next day. Lists for chores, lists for shopping, lists for traveling, lists for parties...I was all about lists. Trees can breathe a sigh of relief cause Debe’s not using up pads of paper making lists anymore.

When did I start this downhill tumble into disorganization? About 18 months ago I believe...when I was laid-off. I HAD to be orderly when I was working. With an eight hour day in the office, plus my travel time...I needed to be sure I kept up with everything else that needed to be done.

I can get high off an organized day. It makes me feel alive to know that I left the house, lists in hand and made the perfect circle to each of the places I needed to visit in order to complete my chores.

Now, I stretch yawn and think...WTH I’ve got all day…I think I’ll take a nap before going grocery shopping or making the bed or doing laundry or grooming the dog or watering the plants. The days I accomplish the most are the days when I have a reason to get up and out of the house early in the morning. Then because I don’t want to come back and have to go out again...I co-ordinate my activities so I can get everything I need while I’m gone. Once back inside the house…the sofa or computer calls me and then I’m lost in the world of the disorganized again.

The key here may be in getting up and out of the house early, but I’ll have to take a little snooze and think about that for awhile. I’m just not up to “organizing” my thoughts at the moment.

TO-DO

Had to make a "to-do" list last night. Tomorrow I am taking a stress test. I don't mean the kind of test where life situations are thrown at you left and right till your a sobbing mass lying on the floor panting...I have that test every week. This will be a "hook the girl up to a heart monitor and see if we can make her pass out" test. I have to admit...I'm nervous and a bit scared. Well meaning friends tell me "oh don't worry...it's a piece of cake"...well I'm a "pie" girl myself and I'm always anxious about the unknown. Has anyone ever experienced a heart attack while taking one of these tests? I'm having the test done cause my doctor doesn't like the fact that I get sharp pains when I exert myself...so he's going to have me run on a treadmill and see if he can make that happen? Hmmmm...do I sense a bit of the sadistic in my MD?

My to-do list is so I won't sit around thinking about this dang test tomorrow. I'll stay busy. I love lists! I love being organized. I love checking off each item as I complete it. Okay...FINE...I'm anal. But I'd be that mass lying on the floor panting today if it wasn't for my beloved to-do list.

I think keeping a to-do list is great while you're writing too. I like making quick notes of scenes or conversations I want to change in my manuscripts...page and paragraph included. Then, check, check...Roger that...as I take care of each concern. Lists of agents I want to contact..check, check, as I query them.

Maybe it's because I like having things so orderly that I'm stressing over my stress test. Maybe if I make a list...get up, get dressed, stay busy, busy, busy, while waiting to leave for appointment, drive to doctor's office, hand in paperwork, read year old magazines in waiting room till name is called...not sure what happens next........that's the scary part. Say a little prayer for me readers. See ya tomorrow...I hope.