Frozen fingers

I stayed up WAY too late, but I finished the two green chenille elf hats. Whew. I have taken pictures, but they look like lumps of greenish blurriness, so use your imaginations. Thick and Quick is aptly named, and since Michael's had it on sale...well really now, how can a girl resist?
Hmmmmm, I thought typing might warm up my fingers....I've given away all the mitts I've knit and it is in the 20's and the heat hasn't kicked in yet....brrrrrrr.
Inspired by Bonne Marie (I mean, if you are a knitter and you AREN'T inspired by Bonne Marie, well check your pulse, darlin'....) I ordered the steamer from Target. If I had it already I might be steaming something just to unfreeze my fingers....and then I started thinking about Getting Organized. (sigh)
Every year about this time I start my LIST for the coming year. I review all of the things from last year's list and check off the impossible goals....accomplished, check. I move the things forward which are still in process, and ALWAYS, always, there is the item which states GET ORGANIZED. I never check it off. I always feel guilty. I berate myself around the block. WHY CAN'T YOU BE ORGANIZED?
Danger Girl stepped in last night with a brilliant (If I do say so) retort.
You know what your problem is? Yeah, I'm not organized (see me hang my head in shame....)never have been. I don't think so, missy...that is not the REAL problem. The REAL problem? I don't want to think about REAL problems, I just want to get organized, once and for all.
Well, I am sick of the whining. You set these absolutely impossible standards for yourself...standards you would NEVER expect anybody else to measure up to, and then you get upset if you can't be absolutely world class gold medal perfect at every damn thing. Get over it already.
I will NOT get over it, bossy boots. I want to be perfect. I set my standards high because i don't want to settle for mediocrity in anything....(see me stomp my foot and look really childish) OKAY, so don't get over it. Be that way. Make yourself miserable if you want...but here's the TRUTH: you are never ever going to be organized the way you picture it because you would be absolutely miserable.
I don't know what you mean (oh yes I do, and I'm starting to like the way this is going, but I'll pout a little longer to hear the rest of this thankyouverymuch) YOU would never be happy in those minimalist rooms with the absence of visual stimulation. You can not clear out your stash because you need all those colors and textures and fibers to jumpstart your brain into the next creative frenzy that makes you Who You Are.YOU can find what you need when you need it, and when people come to your house what do they always say? Well, um (blush) that it looks exactly like me...wild and creative and OH. yeah. okay. What I really need is to Boss My Knitting Around, ala Bonne Marie (although everytime I say ala, my brain replies Peanut Butter Sandwiches) RIGHT? YES, yes. exactly right. You learn something new with everything you knit and not settling is an important part of that. Just don't drive yourself crazy. Don't drive myself crazy? A little late for that dontcha think? I'm talking to myself, my fingers are freezing, and I'm still in my Tigger jammies. Define crazy and use it in a sentence, please.
SIGH for dramatic effect....You'd be CRAZY to try and change your stripes. Just BE.
DANGER GIRL wins again.

Comments

[Rachael]

Oh, sweets. That's just what I needed to hear. I had a little girl at my apt the other door and she tugged her mom's arm and said, "This place is messy, Mom." Insta-shame.

But it's not really messy, it's just cluttered with books and art and fiber and love and cats.

And now I say YES! Danger Girl says this is living. Thanks, darlin. You're always just what I need.

[maggi]

Here, here! I'm thanking DG that you have room in your life for someone as imperfect as I, who had to give up what little organization there was when I was blessed with the wee one. I do that year-end assessment, too, usually on NYEve ~ though this being the first full year of Caroline, I'm not sure I even set goals, and I surely didn't keep track of acomplishments like I used to . . . I'll happily count my blessings instead, you among 'em!

[Kim]

Danger Girl brings tears to my eyes tonight. I SO needed to hear this. We're going through the annual "we must declutter this place" activity, and as I look around at the colors and textures and memories I find myself lacking for not excitedly getting rid of all this "junk". Ah, but beauty *is* in the eye of the beholder, is it not? And what I see around me is....with the exception of the dog hair....beauty.

Thank you for a great, inspiring post, dear Greta Girl.

[marcia]

I'm pretty sure my daily mess (inner and outer)would set all y'all back on your over-protesting heels. My current problem is that I'm living a connundrum of my childhood.

When I was a kid, ever so often (but not often enough to let any new habits take hold) my mom would get on a mission to rid our household of all "junkincrap." One word. Remarkably redundant. Incredibly irritating.

So I'm fighting a losing battle. I will not answer to that voice and that non-word. But I certainly could make use of the principle.

I say write "take 'get organized' off list" at the top of the list.

[Carolyn D.]

Yes! So true. I work with a woman who has one of those minimalist houses -- she has no stuff! No books. No magazines. No hobbies. Just white walls and pristine carpets. I think I would go mad. . .

[Em]

I also really needed to hear this. I think I know the difference between creative clutter and a big ol' mess, and I know that my office is a big ol' mess. But I knew there was a reason I go through my yarn stash every month to "organize" it, but wind up not doing anything different to it at all--it's as crazy and cluttered as it ever was. And it's fabulous!

[claudia]

I see your Tigger jammies, and raise you my SHEEPIE jammies. ;-)