Cluttered mind

Tonight I was IMing with a friend and realized I'd completely forgotten about my blog since I started it last week. The only reason I remembered it was because the friend I was chatting with is the one who introduced me to the blogging scene. She's got a blog and I've always been interested in them so I decided to give it a try. Since one good turn deserves another, I'll do for her, on my blog, what she did for me on hers. Thanks, Tracy, for giving me the idea for this, and for supporting me on your site. I really do appreciate it. I've also added Tracy's blog to my list of blogs - it's the only one so far - that I follow. She writes some pretty interesting things and is well worth reading.

I'm pretty much thinking that the reason I forgot about the blog is simply because I'm so busy lately. I'm in my final two weeks of this school term and that's when all the heavy work is due; I've got a friend staying with me for a short while so we spend a lot of time chatting when I should be working - the distraction from my usual routine is quite nice, though, I'll admit; I had to get the boys prepared for their St. Paddy's Day celebrations at school; and now they're off until Monday for their spring break so I don't have as much free time this week.

I guess everyone knows what it's like to be busy these days. Everything moves so quickly that we barely have time to breathe. That's why I have to write my own little to-do list every night before I go to bed. If I forget the list, I forget many of the things that should be done each day. It stays on my desk, right next to my computer mouse so I can't miss it. I try to get everything on the list done each day, with the most important items getting done first. If I don't get it all done, the leftover items get rolled over to the next day's list. It's handy and helpful. Besides, I find that if I write things down, or ask someone to remind me of something, I'll remember on my own. It's as if I've programmed it into my head once it's on paper or out there in the open. Go figure. I wonder what would happen if, instead of writing my list, I just spoke it out loud each night. Would that help me remember everything the next day? I'll have to give it a shot when I don't have anything pressing to do the next day. Right now I'm too afraid I'd forget something really important and would be kicking myself for it. For now, the list will suffice. :)

What's really funny is that when my kids need me to do something for them - write a note to a teacher or get something from the store - they'll make sure I put it on my list. "Did you write that down on your list, Mom? I don't want you to forget." Good grief! The boys are only 5 and 7 and they're already privy to my secrets. I wonder how my daughter will be when she's old enough to be reminding me of things. Eventually I'll probably have an extra write on/wipe off board on the fridge. I've already got one for shopping needs - one side is for groceries, the other for incidentals that I pick up anywhere that isn't the supermarket. When the kids are all old enough to spell and write, I'll put up a board titled "Things the Kids Need Mom to Remember." I can just imagine how much will be on it in ten years when they're all teenagers.

Well, once I'm finished with school, mid-June, things will settle down and I won't have so much heavy stuff on my mind all the time. That should help me get myself together, and my to-do lists will be much shorter. That'll leave room for me to add "update blog" to it occasionally. In the meantime, I'll just do what I can, when I can, and I won't stress over it. Stress isn't worth my time and energy anyway. I'd rather this just be fun and relaxing, which it appears to be so far. I've rambled on tonight about absolutely nothing and feel really great about it. That's as it should be.