THE BEHINDER I GET

There is an axiom or observation, at least, that says, “The hurrier I go, the behind I get.” When I’m on the road, each day serves up its own menu. You figure out where you are, what needs to be done; and from that, what you are able to do. Then you go and do. Sometimes everything plays out like a situation comedy, ends happy and it’s time to go to bed. Sometimes it’s like a game show, full of surprises and change of plans. Each new day is different than the one before. Off the road it's waking up in the same place, with mundane chores that go along with owning a house and accumulated stuff. Days run together and you find yourself going round in circles. I’m one of those people who get hung up on one little, perceived obstacle and it unhinges me for days. I’ve got too much stuff. I want to organize a room but there is no place to put the stuff that needs be put away. Before I can put stuff away I need to move stuff in the basement. Can’t do that until I clear space in the garage but that necessitates finding space somewhere else. Eventually I realize the only true solution is to throw a lot of stuff away. But how do you do that when stuff is too big and heavy to do by yourself?  

‘The Behinder I get.’ By now I’m so ‘behind’ I don’t know where to begin. I just bought two pieces of wood, 1.5” x 12” x 8’, one Maple and the other Hickory. There is no place in my shop to put them. The wood rack is full and there is wood stacked on the floor. My office is staked full of stuff, some of it I haven’t used in years. I need to throw it away but then I’d have to go through it to be sure it really is junk and I don’t want to do that now. I’d have to go buy a new barrel for throw-away stuff. I think the dump is the answer. As much as I used to preach, ‘Reuse & Recycle’ I am now realizing the allure of the dump. I am several trailer loads away from creating an uncluttered work/living space. George Carlin did a great monologue on ‘Stuff.’ “Other people’s stuff is shit but yours is precious ‘Stuff.’ 

I am going to finish potting up flowers today. I still have ‘Saw-dust’ projects underway. If I let them get hijacked or derailed I really will be in trouble. Maybe I just need to buy a new barrel. I can put a lid on it and store throw-away stuff it in the back of my truck. There will be a day when I need the truck bed for something else and I’ll have no choice but hook up a trailer load of stuff and go to the dump. God Bless the dump; and everybody said, “G-B the D”