This post is called I should, but I don’t want to.
I should really answer email faster. I should clean my house more often. I should go to stats camp in the summer. I should have clothes that fit better. I should floss more. I should obey my alarm clock. I should procrastinate less. I should organize my closets. I should spend more effort reaching out to friends and relatives I don’t talk to very often. I should call my grandmother. I should send birthday cards. I should be more patient (but I know I’m not going to). I should probably adjust the settings on my Netflix account. I should either read that damn Trollope book or get rid of it. I should be more productive in research. I should catch up on fun things I am interested in. I should be more motivated. I should invite people over for a party.
…But I am too lazy.
#2 notes that she flosses and her closets are probably the only organized part of her life (well, that and the bookshelves) since organizing closets and shelves is one of her primary procrastinator-y things to do. Also no grandmothers, and she has either read the Trollope books or gotten rid of them. Other than that the list is almost exactly the same but there’s also a heck of a lot of service stuff and other work things on the list, and she still hasn’t called Ing to figure out why multiple forms later they haven’t released her money and… there’s a lot of stuff she’s avoiding thinking about lalala. She wonders if her taxes will be done by the time this posts…
What should you do that you’re not going to?
April 8, 2011 at 2:01 am
I think one should only do what one really wants to do. Life is too short for collecting lists of “shoulds.”
April 8, 2011 at 12:37 pm
In that case I would never, ever brush my teeth. I think sometimes “should” has a place. It makes me clean the litterbox, too. Maybe I would eventually WANT to clean it out, but…
April 8, 2011 at 2:12 am
I should exercise more. I should eat fewer cookies. I should keep my desk and kitchen counter free of paper clutter. I should have finished my taxes by now. Ahh..that feels better.
April 8, 2011 at 12:37 pm
Cookies are awesome. We should appreciate them more!
April 14, 2011 at 5:23 pm
Love it!! we finally got our taxes done on the 9th. but it is the 14th and I haven’t paid my KCMO etax yet. :(
April 8, 2011 at 6:42 am
Other people tell me I should post more often. But I don’t wanna.
Other people tell me I should date more. But I don’t wanna.
Oh I do have one!:
I should push myself to keep reading Eat, Pray, Love on my e-reader since its from the library and expires soon. But she’s starting to annoy me.
I don’t think I should all over myself too much anymore. Something happened when I turned 40ish and kind of killed that tendency.
April 8, 2011 at 12:38 pm
Actually, pretty much everyone I’ve heard from says that Eat Pray Love is tedious. Life’s too short to finish books you’re not enjoying!
April 8, 2011 at 1:46 pm
I’ve heard that the book Eat Pray Love turns into a whine fest after a while. I saw the movie the other night, maybe that will suffice. It had good moments and only lasted a little over an hour.
April 8, 2011 at 6:10 pm
Lindy, it starts off as a whine fest. Holy revolving door on the “cannot be without a man for 2 minutes” syndrome. I like your idea of just watching the movie. I like Julia Roberts’ laugh.
April 10, 2011 at 8:08 am
http://www.sheldoncomics.com/archive/100705.html
“You gotta hand it to the author…”Eat Pray Love” is a way catchier title than “Spending a Year Indulging in Expensive Manias That the Average Person Could Never do.”
April 8, 2011 at 6:55 am
Oh – meant to mention that some people like to use Getting Things Done “Someday / Maybe” list to clear their heads of this stuff. Just forgetting seems to work too.
April 8, 2011 at 10:28 am
I’m with Clarissa. Life is short, and getting shorter all the time. And I have a citation (see, I really am a good academic): Ms. Mentor says to make two to-do lists, one of “must do” and one of “should do,” and then tear up the “should do” list. My recommendation is to list “must do” and “want to do,” and then do the “want to” items first.
April 10, 2011 at 8:09 am
Ha!
April 8, 2011 at 11:25 am
I should lose weight. (Not for reasons of vanity, but for health.)
I should stop allowing myself to feel panicky/overwhelmed.
I should stop spending so much time on the Internet because of its potential to affect my work and well-being. (See above two “shoulds.”)
I’m working on them all. Well, maybe except for the last one — otherwise, why would I be not just reading, but answering???
April 8, 2011 at 12:40 pm
This internet site supports your growth. Uh, at least, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
April 8, 2011 at 11:40 am
I’ve read more than once the best thing to do is replace “should” with “could”. And then you’re forced to make a decision on it and you let it go if you choose not to do it. In that thought process…
I could excercise at least once a week.
I could finish that panda bear for Eldest.
I could cook and bake more.
I could get into a cleaning schedule.
I could get my hair cut.
I could send more birthday cards.
I could send more letters.
I could buy stamps to do those things with.
I could have a garage sale.
April 8, 2011 at 12:41 pm
I would end those things with “…but I’m probably not going to,” which has the same effect eventually. It’s true, I could do all those things. I just haven’t made them priorities! And I probably won’t.
April 8, 2011 at 1:47 pm
I should be doing work right now. But I don’t wanna. :0)
April 10, 2011 at 8:10 am
Hm… I should be finishing a referee report…
April 8, 2011 at 6:13 pm
I should write more posts on my blog instead of spending all my time reading other folks’ blogs. Hmm, maybe tomorrow. . .
April 8, 2011 at 11:22 pm
That’s why blogging with someone else is great. We bounce off each other.
April 9, 2011 at 10:26 am
I should read the rest of those darned student papers that are sitting on the server! Don’t wanna don’t wanna don’t wanna!!
April 9, 2011 at 6:43 pm
*patpatpat*
April 10, 2011 at 3:33 pm
I’m all proud of myself because today I made an editorial decision on one manuscript and submitted a review of another!
April 10, 2011 at 3:37 pm
Woo! Hm… I have a review due tomorrow… but I don’t wanna…
April 10, 2011 at 3:47 pm
DO ITTE!
April 14, 2011 at 5:24 pm
I SHOULD BE doing my homework and instead I’m catching up on reading a few blogs! So much better use of my time… Well until night before the due date!
April 14, 2011 at 5:25 pm
Yes, do your homework!
June 11, 2011 at 8:36 am
This is such a great site during these dog days of summer, yes 90 degrees already which REALLY brings out the shoulds. I hope this stream doesn’t stop.
I should ride my bike more (spent enough money on it)
I should not eat so much junk food
I should not be such a couch potatoe