A former newspaper reporter who has lived in Franklin for nearly 40 years, Marjorie is active in several Franklin and Hales Corners organizations.
Summer ends for me next week when I’m back in the classroom. I’ll be teaching writing and literature to college freshmen on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Concordia University Wisconsin in Mequon. Although I’ll be busy with preparation and student papers, in addition to numerous other involvements, I do plan to “keep on bloggin’” for CNI. However, I would like to see some other Hales Corners people join me on the Community Voices section of CNI NOW. (In Franklin, we have quite a few “voices” competing with each other for space and readership.)
One highlight of my summer was a trip to Coon Rapids, Minnesota, to visit a niece, nephew and their families. On the way home my husband and I drove along the Mississippi to Winona, enjoying once again the spectacular views. This was a week before the bridge collapsed. Many of the areas now flooding were then suffering from drought.
This past weekend I immersed myself in a women’s retreat at Pine Lake Camp near Waupaca. We had two days of rain, but it was a beautiful location for my transition from “lady of summer leisure” to teacher – clubwoman who never finds enough time in a day to do all those things on my “To Do” list. Today’s list includes: “Write a new blog” – and so here I am!
When the summer began, I had three major goals. One was to write my weekly blogs, and I’ve done pretty well there. Another was to improve my golf game because I had reached the stage where I was ready to put my golf clubs away permanently. However, I knew I’d miss getting together with my women golf friends at Whitnall Park and Brookfield Hills every week, and I’d miss those outdoor walks through beautiful, meditative settings. My game is still not very good, but I’m enjoying it more – thanks in large part to a wonderful woman pro, Mary Ruth Nagle, who focuses on the golf swing. (One of the first things she does is remove the word hit from her students’ vocabulary.)
The third goal, though, was “Get Organized.” People who know me well just laugh every time I talk about getting organized. Now, let’s set the record straight: I have made some progress this summer, but these piles of papers which collect around me are a constant challenge. With a new semester looming, there will be more papers to manage – my own and my students’. For now I won’t start listing all the other kinds of paper that are part of my daily challenge; and I want to salute my cousin Joanne Sisson, who has been helping me bring order to my various paper piles and files.
I'd also like to credit two other “De-Clutter” wizards who send me free helpful e-mails from time to time. First, there’s Kathi Miller, a local “Clutter Coach” who gives talks and presents workshops – and who will even come into your home to work with you side by side, bringing order to your otherwise chaotic life. (You can contact her at cluttercoach@sbcglobal.net. Kathi will be happy to add you to her newsletter list.)
Second, there’s Yvette, a delightful woman from Australia, who reaches halfway around the globe to cheer me on in my quest for orderliness. Here’s a sample from a recent posting:
DEVELOPING TIDY HABITS
Look at this mess! I only just tidied up. How did it get like this so fast?
Easy, it’s because you (and/or those you share your home with) have not developed the habit of being tidy.
Errrrgh. That sounds really boring. Well being annoyed and frustrated by constant and ever re-appearing mess is more boring than developing a simple habit, and it’s easier than you think to develop this habit. Perhaps you have it already in some areas but not in others.
Being tidy is really just about consistently putting things in their designated place when you’ve finished with them. This is a constant and ongoing thing to be done all day, every day, but that doesn’t mean it’s difficult.
How long does it take you to hang up your coat and put your shoes away? No more than about a minute probably, and a lot less time than looking for things lost in the jumble at the end of the day, or in the morning as you’re getting ready to go out.
Next time you look around and see that you need to have a tidy up, think of the items to be put away in categories, and make a mental assessment of what the main categories of stuff tend to be in your home. (To read more, check out the June 2007 entry at Yvette’s website, http://www.getmyselforganized.com)
Yvette has a delightful sense of humor; I e-mailed her once, telling her that some of her tips remind me of my mother, looking over my shoulder. She responded right away – even asking permission to quote me in one of her newsletters. And now I’m quoting her!
In the months ahead, as I keep working on my To Do lists, “Blogging” will be close to the top. Thanks for reading!
