Frozen

I don't want to think about how long it's been since I posted a real blog here but I was just saying to myself, as I had a cigarette as the ultimate delay tactic before I brushed my teeth, which was on my list of things to do, "I bet I have a thousand things I should do."  I thought it would be kind of fun to see if that's true.

Because when my brain is buzzing, I tend to freeze up & get absolutely nothing done at all.

And because I am so easily overwhelmed, I have to break big chores into small ones, so this adds to the list.  I don't clean house, I clean a shelf, for instance.

Let me also begin by noting what I have actually done of practical use in the six hours I've been up & what is not negotiable in the next six hours:

• Walked two dogs.
• Not eaten.
• Done a phone Stepford meeting.
• rolled $3 in pennies during said-meeting.
• brushed my teeth.
• I have another three dogs to walk.

Brava.

Now for the bad news.  I wonder if this will be good for me or bad.

1. shower
2. floss my teeth
3. put some things away in the high cupboards in my kitchen
4. cold water laundry
5. warm water laundry
6. hot water laundry
7. whites/bleach laundry
8. see if my TV/cable is working
9. try to figure out why the VCR portion of my DVD/VCR machine doesn't work
10. find out how to download the lost registration & software for the camera I bought 28 months ago that I infinitely prefer to the camera I'm using
11. watch the Netflix Emma series on my desk
12. call the IRS & find out why I'm paying penalties as well as interest on back taxes which the IRS deducts my payments for
13. having cleared the laundry out of the bathroom, clean the bathroom.
14. collect all the bits of jewelry, pair them up & put them away
15. change the sheets
16. shave the callouses on my feet
17. get a pedicure
18. start farmette box (long story: remind me to tell it when I've finished this list)
19. clean out kitchen cabinets & put all the flatware in place
20. go to the damn grocery store
21. go to the post office
22. go to Capital One & pay bill
23. photograph some shoes I don't wear & list on eBay
24. leave feedback on eBay
25. scan family records & photos for family members
26. take pictures on Columbia Heights of the flower I admired
27. cull Adobe album & delete unwanted photos
28. finish editing photos from Prague
29. look up plane reservations to Montana for grade school reunion
30. can I afford to be off work for a week?
31. figure out how to use my American Airlines miles before they expire
32. put books away in proper places
33. dust books
34. sweep under bookcases
35. read Silas Marner
36. find a video of Ballanchine's Don Quixote
37. get password straightened out with AWP
38. look at job listings on AWP & MLA
39. edit ED's chapters
40. come up with phony French lesson for novel
41. delete the scene I wrote yesterday
42. take stuff to the dry cleaners
43. return call to B (since Christmas)
44. return call to A (since Christmas)
45. write S a note
46. figure out how to work my iPod docking station
47. clean & dust my desk
48. find case for Xmas carol cassette & put away Xmas music
49. blog
50. decide what first book is being used in novel & do some research
51. call G. & set up French conversation lessons
52. put away heaviest winter clothes
53. sew buttons on coats
54. move desk flush with wall
55. file
56. send out CV for adjunct jobs
57. write C. a note
58. put fallen stuff back on bulletin board
59. make CD for K.
60. make CD for Dad
61. write my sponsor
62. pair up socks
63. write new scene in novel
64. read the half a short story I wrote in January & try to figure out where it went wrong
65. read fragments/unfinished short stories & type them into computer
66. write magazine proposals on adoption, Mrs. Schweitzer
67. see if I can speak to someone about curriculum at School of American Ballet
68. take stuff to Housing Works
69. start a daily journal
70. listen to meditation CD
71. write poems about fat boys, tulips
72. dust & clean framed photos
73. start the Shakespeare reading circle I want to do
74. ask G&A if I can come to dinner on Sunday night when I have no dogs
75. write out most used recipes & file in box so I don't have to run from computer to kitchen
76. throw out last quarter's essays
77. burn bills
78. brush Daisy
79. take Daisy to play bally
80. find Stepford materials & arrange on chest
81. go through clothes to donate, sell or throw out
82. cancel prescription at CVS
83. order prescription from Canada
84. make coffee date w/ A.
85. cancel Hulu
86. proofread novel
87. change from flannel to cotton sheets
88. go through drawers in corner
89. find slides to be transferred to DVD
90. copy photos for R, T, L, the Ms
91. write C2.
92. dust dolls
93. put magazines in basket
94. order new shorts
95. put CDs away
96. put movies away
97. find itch-free stuff in bathroom
98. shave my legs
99. read K's play
100. read G's novel
101. make dinner
102. vacuum window grates & spider webs
103. clean windows
104. update money earned
105. update calendar
106. throw out beaten up dog toys
107. make will
108. step work for sponsor
109. charge Kindle & cell phone
110. say the rosary
111. put odor eaters in dog-walking shoes
112. put all the book bags on the floor away -- or better yet, cull a bunch out before putting away
113. pull out chests of drawers & sweep
114. get vacuum cleaner bags
115. rent floor steamer
116. get new sports bras
117. research & write essay on Alcott, Elliot & C. Bronte
118. read Don Quixote
119. go through Writer's Chronicles for short story contests
120. get rid of old taxes & put the last couple of years in bigger box; store
121. write Psychology Today blog
122. open L's Xmas gift from 2010
123. get ticket for School of American Ballet Theater workshop
124. buy new fan for summer; throw out the broken ones
125. list all Ellen Gilchrist books in order of publication & note which I've read
126. ditto Angela Thurkell
127. find other kibble dish
128. take TV tray out to recyling
129. get another filing box for school stuff
130. lather up with hand lotion & wear gloves to sleep in
131. put away last of Xmas ornaments
132. copy photos for J & B
133.  walk Hudson...
134. take Daisy to vet
135. go to Stepford meeting
136. listen to L'elisir D'Amore
137. how much would it cost to rent a storage unit & how complicated would it be?
138. write donations to World Services & Spirit Animal Sanctuary
139. post my disaster-discovery cookie on All Recipes
140. read the Times
141. call Dept. of Health for nicotine patch
142. find something to eat
143. open boxes that came in mail
144. clean refrigerator
145. eat some fruit
146. stop playing games when done eating
147. recycle boxes that came in mail
148. read R's book
149. read B's book
150. say no to book clubs
151. empty out letter holders & throw away
152. put books I'm selling on Amazon out of the way (back of desk?)
153. write P.
154. write J & N
155. make date w/ E
156. clean fingernails & trim
157. put out cassettes & VHS tapes on cool dry day
158. get batteries in watches
159. put away winter shoes
160. wear warmer clothes tonight
161. make date to go to botanical garden
162. throw out stretchy sentimental thing that's all stretched out
163. take out garbage
164. get new flip-flops
165. drink some water
166. make brief novel notes to hang up & refer to
167. bing! how to bring Hartwell/Harry into novel! -- write it
168. make list of all dog client phone #s
169. call J.
170. find video of Mozartina
171. go to bank
172. put away wallets
173. put away purses & backpacks
174. find rosary book
175. what is that black plastic bag way up in kitchen shelves?
176. put change away
177. open mail
178. finish New York Magazine
179. call L.  Does she have my rocking chair?
180. throw out those Rocket Dog shoes
181. get batteries in watches
182. dust penguin head
183. put up recycling signs in basement
184. outline Emma
185. outline novel
186. email C4 for M's address & ask abt baptismal gown
187. find a great box
188. should I make May Day cookies for people who didn't get Easter cookies?
189. start Commit Art page on Facebook
190. email SJ about photo session
191. wash all those dusty dishes that are getting discolored
192. walk down to Blyn Bridge Park
193. put all reference books needed for projects on chest
194. cross off Western Washington U. from application list & DON'T GET DEPRESSED
195. take Prozac