Things To Do While Waiting for the Computer To Stop Thinking

1. Clean smelly things out of refrigerator
2. Take out kitchen trash
3. Check mailbox
4. Re-line kitchen trash can
5. Sort laundry
6. Start a load of wash
7. Vacuum house

By this time, it has become painfully obvious that the computer’s objective for the day is to remind me that my time is probably better spent in other pursuits.

1. Empty bagless container of vacuum into outside trash can
2. Check mailbox again since outside anyway

The computer has revived itself—didn’t even have to give it a “warm boot.” Is that term even in computerese anymore or have I just been around that long?

1. Put away vacuum cleaner
2. Add fabric softener to second rinse of washing machine
3. Empty dryer of remainder of towel load done three days ago
4. Put wet laundry in dryer and actually remember to start it
5. Put second load of wash in machine, gagging on Simple Green spray used as stain remover

I have found it a little disconcerting that I use my computer time as a rationale for not doing other things when, in reality, those other things take very little time to accomplish and do more to enhance my lifestyle than any amount of laptop time. It probably has something to do with my basic aversion to housework and wanting to grab at any straw that will remove me, however temporarily, from said chores. And we wonder where the kids get it.

When I was growing up, housework was a threat: “This room has to be cleaned before you can watch TV.” This was really a big deal because I was semi-addicted to Saturday morning cartoons and my room was always a hopeless mess. Feeling overwhelmed, and being exceedingly distractible, everything I unearthed was truly buried treasure and required immense amounts of thought and study before it could be lodged in an appropriate place (drawer, closet, trash, wherever).

A particularly dangerous item for me to pick up was a volume of the Encyclopedia Americana. If it should (by accident) fall open, then all bets were off on the continued mucking out of the bedroom. On more than one occasion, I could be found reading a volume cover to cover having made virtually no headway into the mounds of clothing, books, toys and who knows what else populating my floor. In many respects, I have carried that same tendency into middle age, only my distractions of choice are search engines, email, and social networking, with the odd game thrown in for good measure.

But today, I think I have learned something from my Baby Dell. I can get things done and still have time for play. What a revelation!

Life continues to be amusing, from my point of view.