Procrastination, It's Making Me Wait

Jeff and I are at home alone. The kids went to dinner and a high school basketball game with their grandfather. We had frozen pizza. Does this somehow seem wrong? Being at home alone is great- it doesn't happen very often. Frozen pizza isn't even all that bad- I didn't have to make a mess in the kitchen and I could have the toppings I like. I guess what is wrong is that it's one week until Christmas. I could be finishing the gifts I need to take to school tomorrow. I could be wrapping the kids' gifts while they are gone. I could do the annual baking for our friends' gift baskets. After all, I have had three days to work on all of this while we were out of school. (By the way, Alex did receive his wish and we were out today, also.) I could even be preparing for our trip to Colorado which is after Christmas. But sadly, I am not. I am here blogging and once again putting off what I know that I should be doing. Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a terrible procrastinator. I've been a dawdler for at least three decades now. I have been seriously honing my craft for the past twenty. I have learned that I can postpone my work, but make it look as if I am actually doing something meaningful and productive. Let me share a couple of my favorite ways of procrastinating with you. (All of these tactics have even been used in the past 72 hours. I must continually use these skills at the risk of losing my touch.)

Technique # 1: Making lists.
This may actually be my all time favorite way of putting off some vital task. It does look like I am doing something, I am doing something constructive, and I don't need to physically exert myself. List making is a guilt free way of dilly-dallying.
Technique #2: Looking through cookbooks for a recipe.
This one is great when you have a big block of time. If you have enough cookbooks, this could actually kill a couple of hours. You can receive double the pleasure (and time wasted) if you are actually going to prepare any of the recipes, because you can then also make a list of necessary ingredients!
Technique #3: Blogging.
Obviously I have only just begun using this approach - actually only in the past three days while we have been out of school and I could have been accomplishing the many tasks on my to do list. Now, isn't that a coincidence? Maybe this blogging thing really is for me. Rachel and Mom have been trying to convince me to do this for months . . . but I've been putting it off. If I had only known!

Well, I think I can hear a car pulling up in the drive. I've got to go . . . Alex's teacher's gift needs to be wrapped, I have some brownies to bake and bows to make. There are caramel apples to drizzle with chocolate and dipped pretzel rods to wrap in cellophane and a kitchen to clean. But first, I am going to make a list of all the last minute gifts I need to pick up in Springfield tomorrow. Have a great evening everyone!