1. Get a present for my nephew
2. Go to my nephew’s birthday party
3. Learn how to use Gantt Project
4. Create a master plan with timeline, resources, and subtasks for work
5. Take down the Christmas tree – yes, really
6. Get an oil change for my car
7. Do laundry
8. Call Mom and Gramma
9. Pack away the clothes I’m not wearing
10. Clean the house
11. Install new light fixtures at the front door
12. Pack up some kid clothes to send off for my other nephew
13. Pack up some books for Mom and Gramma
14. Pack up some books to bring to work
15. Get a new filter for the furnace
16. Measure the screen door to replace it
17. Empty the calcium crystals out of the faucets and showerheads
18. Get an estimate from plumber: three new toilets, water pressure issue
19. Pick out the flooring for the kitchen
20. Pick out the paint for the kitchen
21. Buy the paint for the kitchen
22. Paint the kitchen
23. Buy the kitchen flooring
24. See if I have any barter-strength left from freelancing
25. Tighten the screws on the back door
26. Get an estimate for non-fiberglass insulation
27. Pack up all the non-family items in the basement
28. Clean the basement Get the basement cleaned
29. Reorganize the garage
30. Reorganize the kitchen
31. See how much it would cost for broadband to be cabled in a couple more convenient places
32. Sell, give away, or toss all the stuff that needs to go away
33. Find out how much the hot tub repair might be
34. Flip the mattresses
35. Tally up lightbulb needs, buy, install
36. Watch The Prestige so I can finally get my next Netflix
37. See how much it would cost to replace the upstairs carpeting
38. Work on the novels
39. Read stuff I should read
40. Read stuff I want to read

So, for this weekend, I’ve done 1 and 6 already. I’ll do 2 shortly. 3, 4, 5 and 8 are non-negotiable and must be done.

Most of the rest of the stuff will probably not happen – again. Maybe the laundry and some cleaning, if I don’t get too tied up with the work stuff, or suddenly get inspired to write (that’s when it’s bound to happen).

There is a kind of a disconnect in my priority structure. I’m pretty selfish with my time, I guess.

See? I’m blogging when I have all this other stuff to do. I’m supposed to be at the party in 45 minutes, and I haven’t even taken a shower yet.

Better scurry.

You can sort by title or author to see the range. It defaults to last-added.

I’m zombied-out and depressed about the car and my limited choices for what to do about it.

So yesterday I added books to a Facebook application, and today I’m moving things around in my house. (Inner monologue: “We need more light in here. Should I use that funny lamp Frederique gave me? The furniture still doesn’t have the right flow. I want to buy things – a real dining table, a nice bed frame…. a car. Wah.”)

I’m sitting in the middle of the whirlwind right now. The room is small, and I have to smash a lot of stuff in here. My office used to be in a bigger room, but I promised that Ben could take the room when my dissertation was done.

I’ve taken out costumes to be stored, and clothes that are too small or completely out of style. I’ve put my books (two levels deep) in the bookcases in such as way as to have the books that I use most often in the front. I’ve put scattered photographs into three shoeboxes, just waiting for the someday that I’ll make some more albums. I’ve created separate spaces for music and cameras and so forth. Fortunately, the filing cabinets are already as organized as they are going to get. I could throw out a lot of my research and notes, I suppose, but I’m not ready to do that.

I’m about halfway done. I found things in my closet that you wouldn’t even believe (OMG – what is that?). Already there are piles of things stacked all around the floor, and in bags (to donate, give away), and in boxes (to store somewhere else, maybe in the garage- oh no, now I have to do the garage…).

How has it gotten to this point? Well, I clean the rest of the house first. The kitchen and living room get messy every day. There’s laundry to be done, and dishes. Since I’m not working full-time, I can’t really complain about doing all the housework (although it grates on my feminist heart). I hate housework, so I throw on energetic music and whirl through like a Tasmanian devil to get it done as fast as I can.

By the time I get to “my” room, I’m tired. I spend a lot of time in here, but I’m the only one who does, so it ends up being my last priority.

I am making progress – slowly. It’s worth it.

I always feel better when my personal office – the room of my own – is well-organized.

Here’s your chance to chime in, folks!

What is your most avoided, least favorite chore? The one thing you’d trade almost any other chore (or even two) to avoid doing?

Mine’s washing the kitchen floor, and it’s on the list of things I must do today. There are sticky bits and places where coffee has been sloshed, and there are little crumbs, and little bits of airborne floaty garlic shells, and a dead spider. It can’t continue. Sweeping isn’t enough, not anymore. Sigh. Deep sigh. Shudder. Resolve.

See you tomorrow, same bat time, same bat channel.