Monday Musings-Procrastination
Here we are 11 days before Christmas and anyone ready for it? Slowly raising hand in the back of a crowded shopping mall… Actually you won’t find me anywhere near a shopping mall I avoid them like the plague. I’m a very sensory individual so my personal bubble is close like a vest. I have to resist the urge to throat punch most people around this busy bustling season.
I’m usually quite a calm person but the harried, hectic energy of the holidays sends me into a tailspin! Just driving into a parking lot to mail my Christmas cards is enough to send me into a panic attack as I drive around and around looking for a parking spot. I prefer to do my shopping really early or late at night at a big box store. Then if all else fails I have the online option sitting on my couch and I don’t even have to wear pants! I do though because it’s winter and damn cold in my fridge box of a house.
My husband discovered I turned up the heat last night to a balmy + 25 degrees. Comparing that to 77 degrees Fahrenheit which some states are experiencing this winter! Our Canadian one came upon us graciously and gradually compared to the blizzard of 2014 that had me wearing my winter coat and freezing my ass off in September brrrrrr!
This year we were blessed with chinooks (a beautiful phenomenon that has warm air meeting cold air and the result is higher temperatures) In October we had a + 20 degree day ( 68 degrees Farenheit) and I set up the bouncy house for my kids. They loved it as did I, it’s a great workout bouncing all my stress away. It was fabulous and fleeting but I enjoyed every minute of it.
Getting back to the winter and procrastination at hand, I’m not usually a Bah humbug I love Christmas as you can read about here. But I’m a Grinch about shopping it’s either done very early or very late on my time table. This year early didn’t factor into my plans and late well I’m not entirely there yet but I will be soon if I don’t stop procrastinating!
In my defence though I had the flu bug hit my home like an assault team taking no prisoners. It took down each member of my family with no mercy. I cleaned up enough bodily fluids and wiped down and sanitized every square inch of my household. I was cursing the former owners on their decision to install beige carpeting in my kids rooms!
Even now my plan was to mail off my Christmas cards and parcels today but my youngest child is sick with a nasty chest cold. I’m doing my best to not share in that misery but my loving little germ factory is crawling all over me as I write this. Sigh I can’t say I blame him though all I want is my Mommy cuddles when I’m sick. But unfortunately heaven doesn’t take drop ins just permanent guests.
I felt I was more on the ball this time then last year. There was a death in my family two weeks before Christmas and with that experience I learned
- That death can devastate you even at the most special time of year
- That the good really do die young.
3.Cancer really, really, sucks.
This year I had one of my closest friends and a family member die. It’s a time of self reflection, sadness, and also to realize what’s important in life. Not the crossing off every present on my kids list, shopping for family members that can’t shop for themselves, or even passing along my own wish list to my husband. Who was kind enough to buy me some new specs so that I can see properly since my eyes are getting older.
The list that matters that I’ve lived, loved, and learned from is as follows.
- Kindness above everything is the most important gift to possesses and give freely.
- Gratitude is a game changer in life. If you’re not grateful for what you have, you won’t appreciate what you want.
- Love solves everything, is everything, and means everything.
It’s like the good ole wise Grinch from Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas found out and narrated by the late great Boris Karlov says:
It’s time for #Mondaymusings and all you have to do is this list of things.
Write a post sharing your thoughts with us – happy, sad, philosophical, ‘silly’ even. Make it as personal as possible.
Use the hashtag #MondayMusings and link to this post.
Add your link to the linky which you will find either here and on the post of a co-host.
Use our #MondayMusings badge to help other bloggers join in too.
Today’s Write Tribelink up is co-hosted with The Bespectacled Mother, Vinitha Dileep, and Everyday Gyaan. Thank you to these lovely ladies for co-hosting and letting me part of some Monday magic. ❤️
Loved the grinch quote!! Super adorbs!! Great post Hun!! Such a pleasure reading them as always.. ❤️❤️
Thank you so much! I find myself quoting Dr. Seuss when I need to process things in my life. ❤️
Love the Grinch quote too! My heart really goes out for you Jeanine in all things here. I know how hectic this time of year can be. I talk an ASD client out today so he could buy his post cards and it took us half an hour and four car parks before we finally found a place. My anxiety levels were sky high, I can’t imagine how he coped.
What I used to do when I did Christmas shopping was choose one day like December 10 for example and just do it all that day. It worked for me.
Thank you Mike that’s a great tip. I’m going to go out later tonight and brave the stores. Not because I want to but because I have too. I’d rather go kid free and take my Dr. Seuss feel good vibe with me. As for parking that’s enough to make anyone have an anxiety attack. Thank God for my good health so I can workout the stress and find a way to cope through sweat therapy. ?
Good post for a Monday 🙂
Thank you H for stopping by and reading. It clears the cobwebs from the weekend. ?
Argh! I failed to put out a Monday musing!
I am so busy with so many projects that I can’t even keep up with my own. Hopefully the new year will bring me the time and space I require to get myself sorted before ANYONE else!
I too feel your pain on the Christmas shopping front. I hate when people are too close and can only go if there is some support there with me to keep me from running for the hills!
I would imagine that it’s what a caged animal feels like! I feel so uncomfortable in my skin in big crowds I just prefer to avoid them altogether! Being busy is a good thing, being stressed when busy isn’t. As for the Monday Musings linkup there’s still time, 3 days, 21 hrs, and 5 minutes to be exact. ?
Follow this link and you’re good to go!
http://www.inlinkz.com/new/view.php?id=590445
I shall endeavour but fear with a couple of problems that raised their head today I shall be otherwise engaged in helming my friend get into her house this weekend before I start any new projects of any kind. If I get 5 minutes I shall look it up.
Thank you!
You’re welcome, you’re a kind friend to help out another in need. You inspire me to reach out to my own group and spread some Christmas cheer and support. ??
Why thank you. Inspiration is a good thing. We should all help each other, it’s what makes the world go round…. 🙂
What a lovely post. Love the first meme! Also love your list. I’m the same as you, my Xmas shopping is always done really early or really late – late this year! I’m an online shopper and can’t stand shopping malls – I would much rather pay full price than go to the sales! X
Thank you so much for reading. That meme spoke to me I wish I knew who had made it so I could give them credit accordingly to a statement I’ve said myself. ?
Unfortunately I have to brave a few stores tomorrow to shop for family who want to give my kids gifts. I’m appreciative and will do as instructed but I will do it at cartoon speed as much as possible! ?
Surely the list of gifts that matter are kindness, gratitude and love. Rest all is madness, madness prevailing on the roads causing traffic, of the trouble finding a parking spot and of the crowded malls and shopping centre.
For us the festival of Diwali is big. There is a similar madness, as you have enumerated in the post, here at that time of the year. I am a calm and quiet person too and the whole frenzy of shopping for Diwali takes a toll over me. I prefer to shop, even on regular days, in the early part of morning as soon as the stores open and try to get over with everything within half an hour to 45 minutes.
My son was learning about Diwali in school and it was fascinating. I just can’t circulate in crowds I’m like a skittish cat in a room full of rocking chairs. ? Kindness, gratitude, and love top my list more then shopping, finding that elusive item, and the commercialism of Christmas. It’s all about presence with your loved one not just presents. My view isn’t to judge to just live my life according to those values. Magic happens anytime of year not just in December. ??
Love your post…and I did most my Christmas shopping in my jammies sitting on the computer…LOL merry Christmas…akt
how about Kat lol
I knew it was you. ?
I fiqured….lol
It made me giggle though. ?
Merry Christmas you wise woman. It’s really the best way to remain sane during the holiday season. ?
notin like shopping in your jammies…LOL
It’s the best braless and pj’ed. I shudder to think I have to get dressed and shop for real tonight. As money and gift cards were sent my way from my siblings. ?
wear a heavy sweater and go braless….keep it real…LOL
Freedom!!! ?
and I won’t tell….LOL
Bahahaha nor will I. ?
You’re captured the true spirit of Christmas. All the rest is just icing! 🙂
Thank you so much Corinne for your kindness. ?
A beautiful reflection. Such a simple recipe for life, kindness, gratitude, love. Come to think of it, all the great leaders thinkers people- men women young old. Did nothing but that, simple living – kindness gratitude and love wherever you are whoever you are with and whatever you are doing. So there is no aspiration or wishes we ever really need fulfilled, we simply need authenticity and commitment to our own selves, which already know and are familiar with these ingredients – kindness, gratitude, love.
That’s a beautiful way to think of it and I agree so many philosophers, inventors, poets, and artists have thought this way and lived their lives. This is what I accomplish to achieve in my own life, and teach these simple but profound ways to my children. Kindness, gratitude, and love the recipe for our success. ??
I hate hate malls like plague! And so sorry to hear about the loss in your family. The holiday season tends to create bitter sweet emotions with us..
It’s true it does and all we can do is live through it by being our best ourselves. That’s how I honour my loved ones that have passed on. As for malls I avoid them as well. I spent 3 hours in Walmart and it was later at night and I got lots of shopping done. Now what I don’t have I won’t worry about till the new year. ?
That’s an honest post and I loved that quote. Magical!
Sorry about the loss. Yes, the crowd isn’t good but I manage well 🙂
Happy Christmas to you and your family 🙂
Thank you Parul I really appreciate your kindness. Happy Christmas from our house to yours. ???