You know how no matter how hard you try, you never ever get your to-do list down to nothing?
Tasks just accumulate.
And wow. It gets so much worse when you have kids.
Before kids, I'd at least know I could get something done.
But with kids. There's no guarantee. I could go days, or even weeks, and I won't get anything off the list.
Unless I put things on the list like "feed children" and "put children to sleep".
And my to-do list has taken on different forms. It used to be one list. Now there are several. Much of it is on random pieces of paper because when I think of it I am no where near my main list and so I jot it down on a scrap of paper and then it turns up later. Like some kind of lost fortune cookie. "Your world needs more light" translate "buy light bulbs"
But I have to write it down because who knows when I'll remember to do it again. Simple things. Things that there used to be no way I would worry about forgetting it. Like responding to personal e-mails.
Or like sending a sympathy card. How can I forget that? But if I don't write down to do it, I will.
And I'm amazed at the things that will languish on the list. Like start an "enjoy parenting blog". That's been on the list for....hmmm....let's see. Well over a year.
A year! How can that be?
During pregnancy I would frequently start my to-do lists with "Grow Baby". I would put it on because there were some days that I had such severe fatigue, I felt like that was all I could do.
I think now that I've got two kids, perhaps that's what I need to do again. Just start the to-do list with "Care for Children", because seriously, sometimes nothing else seems to get done.
How is that possible? I don't know. Surely I should be able to get something done.
Usually I am at peace with my reduced productivity, and with the fact that the list will always be there, and it will always be much, much longer than it was pre-kids.
Because with kids, there's more that goes on it, and there's less time to do it.
But other days, like today, I feel like I am a hose that's been left unattended and I've got water shooting out in all directions but it's not putting out any fires.
Okay. Deep breath. Time to look at that list and get something done!
And since never-ending got me thinking about this song - I'll leave you Modest Mouse's Never Ending Math Equation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-EW-C31J2g
The idea of multiple lists now defines my life! I use the sticky note feature on my desktop and literally have so many to-do lists that I can't see my desktop anymore. While I admit my biggest character flaw is being a work-a-holic, I am trying to remind myself that I will never regret not having worked that extra day, but I will regret not having spent enough time with my fabulous daughter. So, in essence, I now have a hierarchy to my to-do lists with the family to-dos ranking high above the rest. That and remembering to feed the new fish....poor little guy :)
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