A Word to the Wise

I was supposed to write this blog post yesterday.

In my planner, it just says "Words of Wisdom", so I'm not certain if I'm supposed to share my wisdom, or words of wisdom given to me along life's path...

I don't know.  Neither option is good, really. 

Most of the words of wisdom I got from my elders ran along the lines of practical knowledge, meant to keep me safe and help me along in the world. Besides the golden "treat others as you would want to be treated", I got things like this:

"Don't put your tongue on cold metal; it'll rip the hide right off it." (Standard wisdom that kids nearly always test, only to find out that it is indeed true.)

"If the fish aren't biting, use a chartreuse lure." (Grandpa Dutton)

"Use real butter and real vanilla, always." (Aunt Bert)

"Cut away from you. Remember Miles Phalen's missing eye? You don't want to end up like that." (A good threatening example that I never forgot.)

"When you're cooking, make enough for the group you have plus a couple extra. You never know when someone might drop by." (This happened fairly often, actually, and I still cook for six even when there's only four of us.)

"When someone asks you to dance, never turn them down. You don't know how much courage a guy has to get up to ask a girl to dance." (Dad)

"Don't go anywhere without a jug of water." (Everyone in Eastern Montana.)

"Dress in layers. You can always peel clothes off to get comfortable, but it's rough if you don't have any to put back on when it gets cold." (Again, everyone in Eastern Montana)

"Wait for the man to open your door and pull your chair out." (Both parents.)

"Be early for everything, at least 15 minutes." (Cardinal rule)

"File most recent to the top" (Mom)

And so forth...

I can tell you that I have no real wisdom myself, but have been carried through many years on the wisdom of others who were generous enough to share it with me.  There's a lot of nonsense floating around, false fronts and empty platitudes that my kids are going to bump into. I hope I remember enough of these for them to hang on to as well!

It's HARD

Happy September!

I was going to do other posts here before the blog challenge week hit again, but our computer monitor (that has faithfully served us for 17 years) died and we only just got the new one.  It seems so BIG and bright!

The topic on the challenge today is for me to write about something that's hard for me, something I struggle with.  That particular topic could be its very own blog!

Here's the biggest struggle I have, day to day:
FOCUS

Oh, my stars....

When the movie "Finding Nemo" came out, I immediately identified with Dory, the little blue tang fish, who (as she regretfully but truthfully admits) suffers from "short term memory loss".

It's not that I forget things immediately, but that I'm easily distracted from something which leads to distracted from THAT, which leads to.....what are we having for supper? 

The only thing I've found that works is to write every, every, EVERYTHING down.  I have a planner that I use daily, two calendars, highlighted reminders, lists for groceries/town errands/daily to-dos.  This blog challenge is in my planner with a little check box to it because if I don't have it there, I'll completely forget.  I can hide things from myself, like a chocolate bar, and if I don't see it, I don't remember it....isn't that awful?! On Sundays, I line out my week with a menu for all the meals and a review of "what's happening".

It really throws me when school schedules change or the day gets scrambled around, because my total daily plan flies out the window, and there it goes. It may SEEM as though I'm organized, but it's just the opposite.  I think truly organized people carry a mental checklist around in their heads and can adjust it on the fly.  

The good thing about this, though, is that I'm going to transfer seamlessly into senility.  No one will be able to tell when I lose my marbles because it will just be an extension of my day to day distraction and forgetfulness.  

**POSTSCRIPT**

Another thing I struggle with was highlighted this morning and I feel compelled to share it with you...

Backing up a trailer...horse trailer, camper trailer, little bitty lawnmower hauling trailer, LEGO trailer...I can DO it, but Lordamercy it's painful for anyone to watch because it takes a ridiculous amount of time and salty vocabulary.  

That's all the confessions for today, folks!