Puritan Curse

There is one thing I think most everyone I know can agree on; there are not enough hours in the day to get everything done. If I were to actually write down all that I need to do I am sure the list would be five or six pages long. Thank goodness I don’t have time to do that.

At this point I have a few priorities of things that I always do everyday. Of course walking 20,000 is probably the thing that takes the longest and could be cut down in an emergency, but since I am able to accomplish other things while I walk I somehow get it done most days. Like most people the things that would be on my list are dull and boring and that is why they stay on the list. Or they are things that never end, like laundry or cooking.

Today, being Easter Monday, it is like a holiday, at least in my mind. Carter did not have school and my father-in-law was visiting until his departure this morning. So my calendar was blank of outside the house stuff. But that is hardly a holiday. I had a story to write for Durham Magazine and chores to do.

It occurred to me as I was prioritizing my day that perhaps I was looking at everything backwards. Rather than trying to get as many things done that I did not want to do maybe I should do the fun things first and then fill in with the work?

So I worked on the puzzle my father–in-law started over the weekend for a good hour. Then I watched last night’s Mad Men while I walked. All the while I ignored my pressing chores in favor of fun. Eventually I guess I felt like I wanted to do some work and got right down to writing, did a few loads of laundry, answered some e-mails from last week, and paid a few bills.

Somehow I still feel a little guilty as I pass by the puzzle and see that the yellow and orange sections are done. I’m sure I probably got about the same amount done by playing first and working second, but somehow it feels wrong. I wonder if I kept my calendar totally free of outside obligations if I could get through the bigger list of looming projects and thus alleviate future guilt if I played first and worked second?

I don’t know why I dream of this because I can’t imagine it ever happening. I am not quite sure if playing first is worth the guilty feeling. I guess that puritan work ethic is too ingrained. Damn.