priorities

Priorities

Written by Tom Being Tom

I made a conscious choice. I think it was in October, but it might have been in November. It was around the time I said I would maintain my autumn weight throughout the winter in a pact with Steve. I decided to make a change.

It involved priorities.

Priorities are a many-splendored thing. Some of us have them all straight from the beginning, or at least I’ve heard of folks that do. They emerge from the birth chamber knowing exactly what they want to do with their life and then they spend their entire life in the quest to attain it. Kudos to them. I’m whatever the opposite of that is. I wake up, pour coffee, and decide what my priorities are immediately after, and every priority can be superseded by another priority mere moments after if my whimsy has its way.

Which it almost always does.

“I’m going to get the lawns done first, balance the finances, research SBA loans, and then start preparing something for dinner in the crock pot for later today,” says I.

“Want to go to Church?” says Rodger.

“Sure!” says I, “See you at 9!”

On my way to getting ready, of course, I “quickly” check the blog, check Facebook, check Twitter, and write 700 words on the importance of whimsy and golden dogs.

Around 9:40 I meet Rodger for one beer. Around 1 I get home after 4 beers. Mow the lawn? Research loans? Prep dinner? Okay, let’s play some Madden first. Later I’ll order a pizza. Productive Sunday!

Whimsy won.

Those are good Sundays, important days off. I’ll take ‘em. But that capitulation to impulse tends to guide my life and I end up looking back and saying “I should have” a lot. “I’m behind on” a lot more. And a lot of the times it’s stuff I really want to do, like read another chapter of Harari or take the boys for a walk or declutter my closets and office space. God I love to be organized, healthy, cheerful, and well read.

Who doesn’t?

So I made a conscious choice sometime back in October or November, just before my old site crashed, to turn my priority box upside-down. In the morning, when I wake up, after I pour my coffee, I hit the list first. Balance the finances from the day before, update the budget. A clear picture is always in sight, financially. I read a chapter or two before I sign onto anything. I check in on the world next, because I like to be informed. I look at the calendar and to-do list, make sure I have a coherent plan and then, time-permitting, I check out my various social medias (Facebook, Twitter, Blog).

Guess where you hardly ever see me anymore?

It’s not what I want. I’m social by nature. It’s just that the list, whichever way I tackle it, never leaves time for the last things on it. By force, the last month or so, the last thing on it is this.

Three years ago, this month, I announced to the world that Tom was going to start a blog. He did. It’s been fun. It still is. Yesterday I walked by my refrigerator in the garage and saw on it one of those bumper stickers Dylan got me a couple of years back that read: “#FreeLudo www.tombeingtom.com.” It reminded me how much I love the sound of that. The engagement in it.

The experiment, if you want to call it that, is almost over. Or, at least, that part of the experiment where I investigate what happens when I turn the box upside down. I’m incredibly better-organized. I have a clear vision ahead. It’s kind of amazing. But I’m never completely organized or entirely certain what the future holds. No one ever is. If I made organization the goal of my life I could lop things off the bottom of the list all day long and just fold socks. I have a lot of socks.

But I like to blog. I like to interact. I want to go to Church.

So now I have to make another conscious choice. I have to take that priority box and what I’ve learned from turning it upside-down and find a way to jumble it better. I have to organize it, something I’ve gotten pretty good at lately. I have to make time for this, too.

After the Rams win the Super Bowl I might have more Sundays free. 😉

This is more of an explanation than a confession, but it is also a promise. Tom is back. Maybe with a little less whimsy than he had before, maybe he’s a little more Methodical Tom, but he’s here with the intention that there are only so many hours in a week, and some of them should be spent blogging.

Prepare yourselves then, my friends. Organized whimsy is coming.

And I don’t yet know what that means anymore than you do. 😁

49 thoughts on “Priorities”

  3. Yay! Organized chaos and the Rams!! Just so you know I am a temporary Rams fan, well until football season starts up again. But I’m putting all my faith in that “mob” of Rams and hope they take down those narcissistic team from the east. And thanks for the inspiration, I’m trying really hard to organize everything in my life. It’s been a complete upheaval and I don’t do well that way. GO RAMS!!!!

    Liked by 2 people

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  5. Don’t grow up to fast, Tom!!! Man, I thought you had been arrested and put in prison? Or at least abducted by aliens… I was wishing for one of those milk cartons to show up with your picture on it. At least I’d know where you were… missing! I get the priority thing. I dropped most social media, so I don’t see you on those platforms anymore. I blog and have FB. (The only way I can keep up with family otherwise FB would have gone!) Any whooo… Rams at the Superbowl, it is definitely going to be a game to see! Glad you are still alive Tom, now go clean your damn closets! 😉

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    1. LMAO! You’re killing me, Kim! 🤣🤣🤣

      While I’m reworking my priorities I have to admit I’ve figured out what each social media platform is for, for me:

      Instagram is a boring waste of time. It’s out. Twitter is for information purposes only, like a super-quick, customized news feed. Read, no response. If I respond or post there, I’m doomed for time. Facebook is my be-all end-all of social media. My mini-blog. My catch-up. My stay-in-touch. I need to and like to make time for that. Gotta find a place higher on the priority list for it. The blog is the ultimate expression of a lifetime of words in my head finding a voice and an interactive audience. That sounds pretty important, and the need for it must be met. What gets pushed down the priority list, then, to make room for the latter two?

      Stay tuned, I’m still figuring that out!

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  6. I was wondering why I didn’t get notices of you posts. When you created the new site I must have dropped the ball and never followed through on this new location. I really hope your Rams surprise everyone next week. Either way, I expect to see a post gushing with euphoria or melting with despair. I know what the Saints fans are hoping for

    Liked by 2 people

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    1. True story! The Saints fans are going to Congress and the courts to get satisfaction; like a bad call never helped decide a game before? I get it, I’d be mad, too. But I’d also be over it. What’s that old adage? Shit happens, eh?

      Glad you found me. I’m in the Reader, and my stuff actually appears instantly now, but anyone who ever had e-mail subscriptions got erased in the explosion and subsequent move. Maybe it disheartened me a bit. But I’m heartened and back; and I’ll catch up on what I’ve missed soon!

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  8. It might interest you to know that Oliver Sacks, a guy who certainly accomplished a lot, was very organized, putting together what he was going to wear and even what he was going to eat at least a week in advance so that when opportunities for whimsy popped up he could take advantage of them. I’m not entirely sure how that worked but I hope jumbling things up helps.
    Also are you going to church at 9am or 9pm? A few beers that early in the morning might really throw off your day. Or maybe that’s just me. I like craft beers that tend to be higher in alcohol. I’m really into this one called “Scotch” and let me tell you after twelve ounces of that I’m pretty much wrecked for the rest of the day.

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    1. Hahahahahaha! Yes, a few ounces of that kind of beer would certainly ruin my day, and has. 🤣

      What’s that old saying? You can’t drink all day on a Sunday if you don’t start in the morning, Chris. 😉 But I gotta warn ya, don’t try this at home; we’re professionals!

      Plan everything well in advance so there’s plenty of time for whimsy? I like that! The other trick that Sacks probably knew was: plan everything ahead but leave too much time for everything, so there are gaps in between for play. Does that sound right?

      Shoot, it’s almost 7:30 already. Cheers! 🍻

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  9. Damn Tom, I thought you were kidnapped and being held hostage somewhere! I am glad to see you are back and safe! I was actually talking about you the other day, nicely of course! I was chatting with someone about the Super Bowl and they said they hope the Patriots win. I told them that I knew a pretty great person that would disagree! You must be thrilled your team is going to the Super Bowl, where they are going to win!!!!

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    1. I sure am, and I sure hope so!

      But here’s my perspective on the thing: I want to win but a loss in the Super Bowl does not invalidate a great campaign. Only one team wins the big game and, on any given Sunday, a hundred things can help decide a game. I can’t “expect” a thing! I can only know the reality and that is: my team is one of the last two standing! What a thrill!

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  10. I just about had a heart attack when I thought this was a post about shutting down your blog. Thank the gods I was wrong. I look forward to many more whimsical meanderings, and I hope they aren’t TOO organized!

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  13. Ehh, priorities. I’m an avid list-maker and even I enjoy throwing the list aside and mindlessly scrolling through social media and watching re-runs of a 90s sitcoms I’ve watched over a dozen times. I agree organization is key, but a little idleness can’t hurt. Right?

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    1. Exactly right! And since writing this I’ve got my priorities (and whimsies) in a better place. Consequently, there’s been more time for all things under the sun. Now that’s a good place to be!

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