Always in Demand

Copyright Ruth Lampert 2/21/14



Changing interests, lifestyles, and technologies create the need for new skills and talents, but always and forever in demand are the services of a dedicated and creative nag. I am fortunate to have one in my employ. Sue’s official title is “Assistant”. She is here only two hours a week, and in that short time she accomplishes technological tasks, repairs and innovations that span – well, just about everything I ever need. And recently, as my tendency to procrastinate increases, so does her talent for nagging.

For example, some of the services she does not provide, but recognizes my need for, falls in the category of “more household help.” Comments such as “Your leg will heal faster if you hire more household help so you can delegate more of that stupid cleaning you really know you hate” (more, that is, than I can dump onto Tony) inspired me to move in that direction.

More important for readers of this blog (you know who you are) or at least for me, the writer of it, are tactful prods such as “when are you going to put your butt in that chair and write?” or words to that effect. E-mails that inquire, “so nu?”, are very useful. And she is getting better all the time at the use of praise/guilt as motivators. “You have so much talent! What a shame to let it go to waste while you clean the silverware drawer which you know no one will ever notice whereas, your Blog! Well! The world awaits!”

Let me digress – or segue- for a moment to the topic of procrastination. I know everyone does it to some degree, but some of us are clearly masters of the art. I count myself among that group. The only thing I never procrastinate is taking a nap. I mean, if that is scheduled for 3:00, by God I will do it then no matter how great the temptation to clean the silverware drawer!

One of my favorite aphorisms is “always put off until tomorrow what you could do today because tomorrow someone else may have done it for you”. Variations on the theme: …”because maybe it doesn’t really need to be done”…. “because, tomorrow may be an important religious holiday and you must postpone doing the task for the sake of your immortal soul” or, in a somber key, “tomorrow you may be dead and then it won’t matter either way,” but I prefer to avoid that idea.

Sometimes it helps to make a list of all the things you put off doing which turn out to be of no consequence such as: 1) hemming those slacks which eventually went completely out of fashion and you would never wear them 2) calling a friend to say thank you for a favor because in the meantime that same friend did you a disfavor, and don’t try to tell me that if I had said “thanks” in a timely manner she would not have done the disfavor. And please, spare me from having to hear that if I not taken the time to write the list, I could have done the procrastinated task several times over. I don’t like listening to that kind of junk.

Anyway, back to nagging…. oh well, I’ll put off writing more about that until later, it is now 3:00 p.m. and some things can’t wait. If Sue calls I’ll call her later……