Getting Cleaned Up

It's one of those posts, again, denizens.  One of those whiny, why-can't-I-do-better, my life is a mess posts.  Blame it on Ernie.  I am. 

My desk is, once again, an untenable place for creative thought.  My mind, barely linear in the best of times, is distracted by coupons for 17 bonus prints per month and a half finished Merle Reagle Thursday crossword and the notice of Meg Wolitzer's appearance at the Literary & Prologue Society of the Southwest which reminds me that I have to pick up the book which reminds me that it is one of the very few novels I put down and never picked up again and there I am at the end of a languid conversation with myself but nowhere near where I wanted to be, post-wise.

Every time I clean it p I vow that it will never be this messy again.  I am at an inflection point right now; I can still see the desktop peeking through the detritus.  A quick glance reveals paper itineraries for trips already take, paper bills which have already been paid, and various pages I thought were important but which turn out to have no relevance for today.  It will be a simple matter to dispose of them. 

I'll be right back. 

I updated the sidebar (Movies) and tossed the paper reminding me of Harlow's adventures among the upper crust.  I filed paper bills and had the conversation about saving them or shredding them since they are on-line anyway and I've already seen them and reviewed them, which is easier in hard copy though the bill shows up in the bank's Bill Pay program which helps me pay them in a timely manner.  Those red BILL DUE icons are real attention grabbers..... and do you see what's happening here?  I go about the business of organizing and I end up in an existential conversation about the reality of bills on the interwebs.  Silly, but true.

I stacked the photos I've printed close to hand; I need to compare them to the ones still in digital storage  Some things need to be handled without a screen; I'm finding that FlapJilly pictures fall into that category.... define that category ..... are everywhere.  I have the Neiman Marcus 2014 Christmas Book on the giant expanse of desktop before me.  It is next to but not on top of a project for my granddaughter, that crossword puzzle, and the sample ballot for next week's trip to the voting booth. 

With that done, I should be able to turn my attention to the floor surrounding my desk.  I've created a moat of unusual dimensions, whose constituent pieces include Lenore the Lenovo Laptop's recyclable cardboard box and the giant reusable grocery bag from Staples which held my brand new keyboard until I looked into its depths as I started this post.  I installed the tiny USB plug into the tower and, after figuring out how to minimize the maximization of the images on the screen, I have been reaping the benefits of putting things away as I've been typing this post. 

I wish I could remember this feeling.  It might help me maintain the current state of orderliness. 

Or not.

I bought much too much yarn for an afghan I decided not to make after all and now it is sitting in a big white plastic bag, continuing the mess moat around the side of the desk to the larger of two recycle bins.  There's an even larger reusable Century 21 bag containing four ancient skeins of yarn from G'ma's stash.  I saved the brightest colors; I'm making a lap rug for Meditation; the room is too cold for clothes which are appropriate for Tucson's outdoors.  I wish I had another drawer for yarn... but I don't.... and if I ever wished for an attic or a basement it's at times like these.

Used to be, TBG and I would pull up stakes and move to a new house when things got this messy.  Sadly, that is no longer an option.  I am going to have to get used to the fact that messes will accumulate and demand attention.  If only I could get Ernie and his yard guys to work their magic inside as well as out. 

In les than three hours this morning, four men pruned and cut and sawed and climbed and raked and blew and carried and now the outside of my house is pristine.  There is nothing to move.  All I have to do is look and enjoy it.

Kind of like my desk... for the moment.