What's Important Today

There has to be a way to do this. There has to be a way to get all the important stuff done, stay organized and neat (maybe even clean), have time with my children and have time for myself. Oh, and get enough sleep. Am I dreaming?

All of my daily-life struggles have to do with simplifying. I define simplicity as keeping what's important and leaving the rest. Facebook is important because it keeps me connected with lots of people I care about, but it's not so important that I need to devote 2 hours to it.

Laundry is important. We don't have a laundry room which is probably a good thing because I manage to fold and put away the laundry as it comes out of the dryer. More or less. The boys' things go right to their shelves or drawers, but mine makes an intermediary stop near my closet before it's put away.

My practice is important. It keeps the kids in school and puts food on the table. My billing has to be done quickly and efficiently. Phone calls need to be returned. People need to be reminded to pay bills. Records need to be kept. Education needs to be continued.

Food is important. It's my biggest variable expense, and so I need to plan. Organic is important, at least in produce. Cooking is important because it's healthier and cheaper.

Play is important. I have to make time each day for my boys so I know how they're doing and they know I care. This is a hard one for me. I'm good at doing crafts, going places, reading and watching movies with them, but I'm not so good at just playing with them.

Spirituality is important.

Friends are important.

My marriage is important.

Time for myself is important. Writing is important. Downtime is important. Reading is important. A non-verbal creative outlet is important.

My health is important. That means sleep and exercise and good nutrition.

So what's not important? Shopping is not important, unless we really need something. Grocery shopping is important but can be streamlined.

Having the boys take a bath every single night is not important. (Having the boys take a bath when they're dirty IS important).

Cooking EVERY meal is not important.

Keeping up on the digital scrapping world is not important.

Reading all of my >100 blogs on my reader is not important every day.

Being an A-list (or even a B- or C-list) blogger is not important.

Clothes are not that important. I should restate it: NEW clothes are fun, but not important. Being clothed, in general, is important in that it would complicate life, not simplify it, if we decided to adopt a clothing-optional lifestyle in our little suburb.

My eyebrows are not important.

My toes are not important, but if it counts as "me" time, they can be upgraded.

The kid we pay to come play with the boys most mornings so I can work or write or whatever is very important. And he is leaving now so I need to go attend to what's important Today.

Coming Back

I am, I swear. I'm still reintegrating into everyday (summer) life after almost 2.5 weeks away in Oregon. I have a lot of reworking to do, personally and professionally. I have lots of half-formed ideas that need some incubation to hatch. But I'm coming back, I promise.