Sunday, May 24, 2015

Spontaneity is Overrated

A few months ago while buying a refill for my planner at Office Depot, a young man who worked there commented, "Wow, I didn't realize they still make these." Well, yes they do, thank you very much! He followed up by, "You know, you can track everything in your phone now?" Surprisingly, I was not insulted at all by all these bantering. I actually thought he was funny. I sensed he was not trying to be rude, actually trying to help a little old lady (me) about technology. I told him that I feel a sense of accomplishment when I check a task with a red ink. Plus, I can go back and forth and the writing on the pages calm me down. He seemed confused with my response, so I paid and left. From then on each time I open my planner, which is all day every single day, I kind of think about that encounter. Am I becoming obsolete? I know there is an app for everything now. Yet, I keep my life's to-do list in a notebook with my multi-colored pens and post-it notes. The thing is, I cannot help myself. Trust me, I have tried to wean myself from making lists, I only acquired insomnia and stomach ache. 

I never saw myself as a Type A kind of person until recently when a friend who was trying to be funny sent me an article about character traits of a Type A individual. At first I was a bit put-off, but then after reading it, I realized I sort of am and have been for most of my life. I must admit that I do have peculiar quirks. Unfortunately, this list gets longer as I get older. 

1) I always make my bed every morning as soon as I get-up. No excuses, unless I am deathly ill. This drives my hubby crazy, because when he is off work he'd get-up to go to the bathroom and I'd sneak in and make the bed real nice which forces him to not go back to bed. 2) I wake-up early even on weekends. I firmly believe that staying in bed when you've gotten enough rest is a waste of precious time. There are things to be done. Chop, chop! Perhaps, this was because my grandpa used to always say to me, "You can get all the sleep you want when you're dead." "Early birds catch the worm." Yada, yada. So, here I am forty years later, still getting-up at the crack of dawn. 3) I walk fast. I always have things to do, so my family knows that if they go somewhere with me, they are going to have to keep up. Even at work they know when I am coming, because I walk briskly and purposeful. This I know is a trait that I inherited from my grandma. She walked like the wind. 4) I tend to interrupt people when they are telling stories or finish their sentence. I am aware that this is a really, really horrible character flaw that I have been trying so hard to change about myself all my life, but still unsuccessful. Please be assured that my goal is not to be offensive or obnoxious, I just cannot control myself. It's also because my mind is constantly going 100 miles per hour and this is how I process my thoughts. I need to engage myself in the conversation in order for me to remember we even had it. 5) Which brings us to...Tada! I make endless check lists in order to stay on top of things. I have check lists to make lists. 6) It bothers me when people are late. To me, to be on time means to be early. I have things to do, so please respect my time. 7) I am a planner. I prepare the outfit/shoes and accessories I will wear tomorrow the night before - just as an example. 8) Misspelled words are unacceptable; same with texting lingo. 9) Whistling, sniffling, gum-popping, humming and chewing loudly are major no-nos. 10) I don't know how to react to compliments. When someone admires anything I am wearing, instead of replying with a simple thank you, I'd tell her where I bought it and how much. Don't ask me why, I just do. Because I'm strange, that's why!

Well, there you have it. I don't understand why I am the way I am. I am sure there's a very good explanation why I do the things I do, but so far, it works and I am happy with myself - so, why change now, right?
I'd be completely lost without my Franklin Covey Compact Planner 
I love my multi-colored pens and post-it notes
Another Screen Divider style card made with the soon retiring Hostess set called Bloom with Hope.
Pool Party, Early Espresso and Wild Wasabi CS, Watercolor paper and colored with classic ink and Aqua painters. 
I can't post an entry without a card, so here is one we did in our Fancy Fold class last week. Two weeks left before the brand new catalog goes live. I am so excited. I have literally been looking at my copy every chance I get. 

Well, that's all for now. Thank you for stopping by. 

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