Picture the antithesis of Carpe Diem.Or picture me spending a day pretending it's not today (yesterday, actually), but rather another day a month ago, or a year ago. Yeah, more like another day a year ago. Back before I had homework and deadlines and any place in particular to go or to be at a certain time. Picture me spending a day trying not to think all the thinks best left unmet lolling about my unsightly head. That was Saturday for me. I spent part of the day dissecting The House of Flying Daggers for no good reason, and then later, I investigated The Liberator. My recommendation is not to investigate The Liberator if you are A.) single or B.) celibate. Just let it be.
But my waste-of-a-day yesterday has me thinking about the nature of procrastination. What is the purpose of procrastination; where does it come from, and why do we indulge in such a self-sabotaging behavior? I think it boils down to avoidance. We avoid what we don't like, what we don't want to face. Right now I have some BIG things I'd rather not face, rather not find time for in my life. I'd prefer that life would stand still and I could exist in that hypersleep state like in the Aliens movies. Just wake me up when the mean-and-nasties are gone. A bientot, ma copine.
But no! Life does not allow us to channel surf the boring ads of life; it does not allow us to TiVo the moments we were too busy to notice; it does not allow us to scene select the good stuff and leave the gore alone. No, we are forced to experience it all, every damn moment of our lives.
I, for one, cast my vote for procrastination-avoidance. I mean, if life doesn't give us the option of picking and choosing our moments, the least it should let us do is postpone them a little. Especially those gory ones. Garsh.
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One for you, two for me!
A Question to Remember
What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore -
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over -
Like a syrupy sweet?
-Langston Hughes
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore -
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over -
Like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
Like a heavy load.Or does it explode?
-Langston Hughes
11 comments:
I am working on the goofy word definition constest RIGHT THIS ABSOLUTE MINUTE. SO, stay tuned...I will be announcing the winner QUITE SOON (my version of "quite soon," not yours. See blog posting "Te-Diem" for clarification.)
And when you are done with all that, you can share what conclusions you came up with your digging...
:P
I shall!
I know about those gory moments as I had quite a doozy recently. Yes, it is too bad we can't fast forward to a better section of life when things go wrong.
Plus, here's another well-known advantage of procrastination as opposed to the opposite--which is responsible planning and working ahead of schedule: Procrastination forces one into crisis-management mode which in turn has produced some of mine and the world's most best results. For example, my research papers and essays were often done on the late night before they were due. Of course, one might say that all my papers I wrote were good, so what does that prove? Okay, point taken. Well lets take a look at chores and errands. If I were to do them as they came--laundry, shopping, phone calls, etc--then I'd be doing un-fun crap like that everyday. With procrastination, I store it all up for one lousy day of doing it all. Sort of like taking medicine quickly and getting it over with as opposed to spreading it out over a long time.
I'm with you on the procrastination. Why do or deal with today what you can put off tomorrow or indefinitely?? It just doesn't make good sense :)
By now u already realized I am quite curious, so I tried to check out what ‘The Liberator’ was, I found several references and am not sure to which one you were referring. So, what is "The Liberator"?
WWiiguy made some excellent points. I have little to add, just that I have put stuff off for so long it no longer became necessary to do it. That is the ultimate procrastination. (For example, your socks will rot until it becomes unnecessary to wash them, if not put out on the curb your garbage will eventually decompose and cease to give off a stench, etc.) Also, I procrastinated on birth control but that is another story, ha ha!
Thank you, WWII guy, for the much-needed guffaws. I completely agree! And as for my mother's ultimate procrastination...I have actually experienced the garbage that no longer sends a stench, but that, too, is another story! DCvR, I warned you...The Liberator I am referring to is the "ultimate sexual adventure." I hope you and your wife thank me for this. Since I sure won't be gleaning any advantage from my knowledge of it. Hmph.
I'll comment tomorrow
meanie
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