Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Everything but the list.

I'm procrastinating. 

Its raining and blowing a gale outside, so we've come in to get some inside jobs done. 

I have articles to write, questions to answer, laundry to hang out, meals to cook, a house to clean, photos to choose, lemons to process, a pattern to write, a test to knit and some emails to return. But instead I am doing the tech version of what my Dad calls 'sharpening pencils'. I am writing this blog.

If I had to write this blog I probably wouldn't. But I don't, so I'm completely distracted by my photos from the egg run this morning. By the realisation that my photos are much better in crappy, grey weather. By the wish that my baby would agree to let me home school her next year. By dreams of learning photoshop. And by anything else that is not on my list to be done today.

Its funny isn't it that something you love to do can become something you procrastinate about as soon as it gets onto the to-do list. That it somehow changes it. That have to means don't want to.

Most of it will get done in the end I'm sure. Closer to the dead line.

I found this on pinterest (the greatest procrastination tool of all) this morning. It's true, yeah?

Oh and look at that, its lunch time. I'd better go and feed the fire to warm up the soup and put some toast on. Maybe I'll tick some stuff off after we eat. But then maybe it'll be time to pick up the girls. Maybe.

Do you do this too?
Are you doing it now?
Should you be doing something else instead of reading my blog?
Eeeeeeeeeep!!

Bye now. x

35 comments:

  1. Oh Kate - but it's such a lovely distraction!

    Everyone has The List I think, and I for one am always guiltily thinking that I should be doing something else. cheers Wendy

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  2. Oh, the weather is just terrible here too - such a dramatic difference after those first few days of spring sunshine! Your little girl is so adorable, the clouds are like a giant soft-box and the lighting is just perfection.

    I have a love hate relationship with my list. Writing things down makes them more accountable (bad) but means I can tick them off and feel a sense of achievement (good!). But the biggest step for me is the commitment to MAKE the list. I keep telling and telling my children.... it's like eating an elephant. One bite at a time. Probably I should take my own advice.

    Meanwhile I am having a legitimate break between a crazy morning music performance and another one tonight. In this weather. Hooray! So I am having a coffee, some lunch, and working on my newest patchwork quilt while the wind howls around the house.

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  3. Yes, I'm doing it right now. I should be working instead of procrastinating and reading blogs :(

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  4. I am making lists, the master list which then is being made into smaller lists so that the panic will subside and then making those smaller lists into weekly, then daily lists...
    School starts tomorrow and there is much to do from that moment on and so I spent an afternoon making lists instead of ticking off a single thing from them.

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  5. Yes Kate...I am queen of procrastination this afternoon :)

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  6. I am doing it RIGHT NOW! I am meant to be learning my songs for my album tour! But i am not! Oh dear deary dear. Okay i'm going to get a big bottle of water, lay my instruments on a picnic rug and go play outside. Soon.

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  7. I'm totally doing it now. Thanks for enabling me!

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  8. Hahaha! Yep! Should be packing moving boxes, cooking, feeding animals, ironing, etc, etc, etc!!!

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  9. I'm so glad that you procrastinated and blogged instead :)

    cheers Kate

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  10. Yes!! I should be doing so many other things right now, I blame it on the rain..x

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  11. Oh yes... Pinterest easily eats up half of my day if I let it... that and Instagram... oh and Facebook... and ...
    I think I sharpen a lot of pencils around here! ;) Kx
    p.s. great photos - love how self-assured Pepper is with those chooks :)

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  12. yes, yes, yes...I should be doing a 'last tidy' before going to the airport to pick my son and daughter-in-law-to-be up....and walking the dogs....and putting my crafty stuff away....but, no, I'm sitting here, reading your blog..teehee!!
    Take care
    Jude

    ps. I love reading about your changing season, as we have the opposite here, cooler days, cooler, darker mornings and evenings... toodle pip!!

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  13. How funny I so agree with u, I always left my assignments to the very last weekend with the intention of not doing this but I would always find another job that NEEDED doing like that draw that needed cleaning out ha ha.
    Lovely pictures your little girl is so sweet.
    I agree with the pinterest post to :-)
    Have a great day

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  14. Oh yes I am so a under pressure productive rate up girl.....what is so annoying is that once the said job is done ( and didn't take half as long as I thought it would) there is so much more clean space in the head and heart .....but will I learn...no just keep repeating it over and over. . They always said if you want something done well ask a busy person....xxxx

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  15. I also have lists, lists& more lists. Even enjoyable craft projects no longer look fun when you put them on the LIST, that's why I then get so enthusiastic about new projects (because they are not on the list). Throw away the list!!! Sarah. P.s beautiful photos as always!

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  16. Yes! You know! But every now and then I jump up and file something for my husband :-)
    Love the ride on the back of the truck, miss growing up on the farm.

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  17. Yes - reading your blog and worse, writing to tell you that I am procrastinating! Double whammy.
    Have to drive to a local town to collect my raffle winnings...
    Sort out a huge pile of clothes for the charity shop/ebay
    get the washing out
    take my friend to the gym at lunch time
    pick raspberries to freeze
    go to the bank
    choose some new colours for Han' wavy crochet blanket which is taking an age to grow.
    Finish my book club book for the meeting tonight!
    Phone the vacuum man about the cleaner which needs a new part...
    but I do love reading your blog.

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  18. I love this phrase - Sharpening the Pencils! So true.

    Guilty of the same procrastinating indugences..because if they were routinely required, they wouldn't be indulgences now, would they?

    Your little one is so cute! :)

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  19. Love love love seeing pics of your chookies! Keep them coming! x

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  20. i do this ALL THE TIME.

    thats why I love my blog more than my washing pile. It doesn't need to be done!

    xo em

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  21. I'm doing it right now by reading your blog! But it was lovely.......I loved the picture of your little girl on the back of the truck. It reminded me of doing the same as a little girl.

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  22. yep, i do it all the time and right now i should be getting some sleep. soon!
    its blowing a gale here too, my garden is in tatters.

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  23. Yes - I should be working NOT reading your blog - but your blog ALWAYS improves my day - thank you so very much! T :)

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  24. Should be in the shower and getting ready to go out for breakfast.....I know it's not boring jobs, but I'm comfy sitting here in my nightie surfing the net air con. on.
    Even though it's overcast outside and gloomy looking I know as soon as I walk out the door the warmth and humidity will hit me, yuk.
    But hey, it's NEW YORK and it's an amazing place and Kate I visited Purl in Soho yesterday and I'm sure you would've loved it. So much gorgeous yarn in an array of colours that would make you cry, I'm sure you would love it...

    CLaire x

    P.S. I have to do a load of washing this afternoon.....same boring jobs different city

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  25. I don't actually find pinterest too much of a time eater. I do look on there a little but most of my pins come from sites all over the internet. Blogs for me are the thief of too much of my time. I don't have a reader that alerts me there is a new post as I like to go and look for myself. Often there isn't one so I spend all day clicking on posts that I have already seen. With pinterest too my pins are limited to things that are hand made. I have no interest at all in commercial pretties, no idea why not. I know some people have so many boards, I think I have about 5 or 5 a couple of which are very full.

    With you on the procrastination thing. If it has to be done I don't want to do it - even if it is something I like doing. It's very weird and annoying and I don't get half the things done that I could/would or should like to.

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  26. I should be listening to doctors dictate letters but they mumble and don't do it properly and i am fed up and i don't want to do it anymore and i am now reading your blog.

    So in answer to your question ... YES i should be doing something else!

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  27. I should be making waffles for our son who is going off to second grade this morning, but I'm more interested in reading right now.

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  28. I've been too busy on the tractor, planting trees and fencing this week to procrastinate. Whilst I've been doing it I've been dreaming of the days when I look back on the good old days (as per your last post which I missed cause I've been so busy,) Enjoy your Thursday, a bit of procrastination is good for the soul.

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  29. Ah yes. The list is long, the enthusiasm for the list is small and the mac screen is so pretty and the blogs are so interesting and the interest pins are so much fun....
    I think my pencils are very sharp!!

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  30. I feel the same about my crochet blanket - because I have a deadline now and NEED to get it done I don't want to do it anymore. I am not liking it.

    I have spent the last 2 hours wrapping orders and am reading your blog before I go to the post office and then start the afternoons chores of cutting fabric. I don't want to do that either.

    I want to come to your place and drink tea and eat cake.

    Pepper looks a lot like Bren in that first picture.

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  31. I'm laughing out loud, shaking my head and laughing some more... WE ALL DO IT! It's a HUMANWOMAN thing. It's also not a permanent affliction .. a bit more like a cold or a head ache... This too shall pass. Console yourself with the knowledge that many of your readers are comforted to hear your truth and see that "life" happens to us all in equal measure. :-) And YES - I am reading your blog ... at work.. with another screen ready to pop up just in case the boss walks in - and then I'm going to make more tea and blame a co-worker on my lack of proficiency today (he's my Hubby so he wont mind) Xxx

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  32. "The two rules of procrastination: 1) Do it today. 2) Tomorrow will be today tomorrow." No idea who said that but I find it useful.

    So far today I haven't done the washing, or cleaned the living room, but I did repot my orchids, which wasn't on the list :)

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  33. I am reading a great book about the Tuscan peasants and they say "why do it today when you can put it off until the day after tomorrow" Such wisdom.

    xx

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  34. Pepper will have the best life experience by the time she's even entered kindy. I wish I had this kind of exposure to the land, she has a wise look already I think haha

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  35. A procrastinator AND list writer here!
    I write list after list,after list and seem to achieve very little ...sigh.
    As a homeschooling mum to 4, I say just do it.
    We are in the process of building and starting our lives as hobby farmers, and guess what? You ( Daylesford Organics) was and is our inspiration. While living in the Middle East for years,I would log onto your blog, and sigh and dream
    One day we bit the bullet and bought land not too far from you. After years trying to get plans approved ( thanks Hepburn Shire), we have started.
    The 2 teens were thinking of heading off to school next year, but the thought of them not being able to potter around the block for hrs at a time etc worried them.
    Do what feels right in your heart Kate.
    Over the past few years I have grown better at listening to my heart- not to what others tell me what they think I should do.
    Go, enjoy this sensational spring weather!
    Cyn

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Thanks so much for stopping by...

I do read every single comment you leave and appreciate it very much, but I should let you know that I can be a wee bit on the useless side when replying to comments, that's just me, everyday life sometimes gets in the way....so I'll apologise now, just in case.

Kate XX

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