KNOW
I’ve written some ridiculous blogs in 13 years. Maybe this will be among the most ridiculous.
But I’ve learned to write what I think, so here goes.
I don’t know how to organize things like “when to replace the cat cardboard scratcher” and I can get so incredibly paralyzed trying to figure it out.
We have two cardboard scratch things for Bella (one for the living room and one in my office). I try to replace them roughly every month.
Tonight, I was standing in Publix and looking at the scratcher that matches the size I have in my office. I am sure I have not replaced it in a month. I’ve thought about buying replacements every time I placed a Chewy order and just need to add something for $10 or so to get free shipping.
But did I do that? NO.
Ideally, I would do this at the first of the month so I can keep up with when I replaced the scratchers.
It’s the 22nd. Did I wait for the first of June? NO. I bought one tonight, May 22.
But now I have to figure out where to keep track of the fact that I replaced the one in my office, but not the one in my living room.
Not that I’ve gotten to the level of cat maintenance, but I’ve been working with Beth Beutler on systems for organizing my life. This work has me thinking of where I can keep track of personal tasks and work tasks.
One of the challenges is that I don’t trust myself to check any of it. I could put “buy more cat scratchers” on my Todoist, but what if I forget to check that on June 1? It could be a Google task. Same conundrum.
So here I sit, holding the insert from the package, not willing to let it go because I know once I do have to trust myself to remember.
I think *I* need a stress-relief scratcher to help me through all of this worry!
Welcome to this week’s Five Minute Friday. Our instructions, via coordinator Kate Motaung: “Write for five minutes on the word of the week. This is meant to be a free write, which means: no editing, no over-thinking, no worrying about perfect grammar or punctuation.” (But I can’t resist spell checking, as you can imagine.)
Wife of one, Mom of two, Friend of many. My pronouns are she/her/hers.
I’m (mostly) happy that we no longer have any pets at home. We do have some wonderful grandpets that we enjoy visiting, though!
For me, recurring or sorta-recurring things like this, I make a Google Calendar entry for. It pops up with the forewarning I choose (usually 2 days) and is super easy to rescedule or ‘snooze’. I’ve snoozed the one to tell me to get/order a new water filter for the ice/water line in the refrigerator every day for almost a week, thinking I’ll be going by Lowes, but….
I will say that the older I get, the more I’m okay with a smart machine reminding me what to do.
I hope your day is sprinkled with joy…
Grove
This was such a validating comment! (I really felt like this was a very “small potatoes” thing to write about, but I’ve learned to follow my instincts. Google Calendar/Tasks is definitely something I’m starting to use more. Wishing many sprinkles of joy to you too! (Your picture showed up the other day when I did Charity Miles for the Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation!)
Thank you!
I am not sure what a cat scratcher is, but I totally get the un-organizable issues! I can keep other people’s things organized, but my stuff I’m a hot mess! I forget to create blog posts or water the garden or turn the dishwasher on and on and on. If it wasn’t for my poor husband I wouldn’t be able to function properly!
Well, thank you for keeping MY blog-related things organized! And I should have explained. A cat scratcher is literally just a piece of corrugated cardboard! That’s why it’s so funny that she likes it so much (I think they do infuse some catnip into it — that probably helps.) Here are a bunch of examples. https://www.chewy.com/f/cardboard-cat-scratchers_c393_f7v64293
I had no idea you had to replace cat scratchers monthly. We have air filters throughout our house, that require quarterly filter replacements. That is up to my husband, because it simply isn’t something I think about. I appreciate the fresh air, but don’t think about what it requires. I live by my weekly/monthly calendar with daily to-do lists I write out on paper in my fancy Paper Mate Flair, ultra-fine markers. I’m in my early forties, and just can’t rely on technology to remind me of stuff- I prefer paper that I can see and write on! Like your big green pen!
Miccah (#37 this week)
Maybe they don’t need to be replaced every month?! Ours end up so shredded, and then they make a mess. You can usually turn the cardboard over, and that buys another month (or however long). And I’m a paper person too, so I get that! My friend Robin suggested I write the date on the scratcher with a Sharpie and DUH what a brilliant plan!
This made me smile at our human foibles – it was like a little glimpse of another swan beneath the water paddles furiously. Thank you. I write copious paper lists and reminders on calendar, diary and even the hand if necessary. I think that writing it helps tell the brain, but it does need a lot of help. Thank you. From #38
Yes! We are probably all paddling in one way or another. Thanks for your compassion.