Obviously; organization is my favorite subject。 How could such a boring sub… ject be so satisfying? Let me explain。
At our house; we work on a system of negative rewards。 By that I mean; I don’t hear too much about it when I do things right; but I hear plenty when I mess up! Sound familiar?
After spending hours on all fours cleaning the refrigerator; I can’t remember ever hearing anyone say; “Gee; Mom; the refrigerator looks great!” And no one ever says; “l’m so glad all the buttons are on my shirt this morning。” Or; “Aw shucks; dear; you made the bed!” But; boy; do I hear about it if there’s a button missing; a sticky floor; or an unmade bed。 Sometimes it seems there’s a universal misconception that I have exclusive rights to the sewing box; the mop; and the linen closet。 (I’m doing my best to re…conceive that idea!)
You too way have noticed that doing housework is like fining a sieve with water。 Phyllis Diller sums it up nicely: “Cleaning the house while the children are growing is like shoveling snow before it stops snowing。
Negative rewards。 We face them daily。 Do it right and no one remembers; but do it wrong and no one forgets。 Maybe you’ve noticed that there’s not a lot of glory at home。 We don’t often receive accolades or pats on the back (with the obvious exception of Mother’s Day or Father’s Day)。 And where are my loyal supporters the rest of the year? Why; they’re spilling milk in my clean refrigerator; throwing gum wrappers in their sock drawers; and volunteering four hundred cupcakes for the next PTA meeting (which is usmlly this evening)。 No wonder we conclude that organizd living is best left to the childless; the single; or to incredibly stouthearted parents!
All this leads me to why getting things in order is exciting! When you have a closet; a cupboard; or a drawer in perfect order; that one little area seems to say; “You’re doing a wonderful job! Keep up the good work!” What motivation! It’s terrific to feel those words; because chances are ten to one you’ll never hear them。
Every day I get letters from people all over the country。 Invariable I get one that says; “Today I cleaned out my closet。 Every five minutes I go in there—just to look at it!”
Organization feels good; and that good feeling spills over into your disposition。 It can improve your entire outlook on life。 Organized living sets you free from feelings of despair; and stress is greatly reduced。 You experience a feeling akin to relief。
I remember when I first observed a savings and loan promoting the “good feeling” that banking with them gave their customers。 Since then I’ve noticed a lot of similar claims wafting through the airways: “We’ve got it and we’ve got it good。” “We bring good things to life。” “Milk has it。” “Make the world your oyster with Master Card。” Even the dog is running around the yard with the Hi…Pro glow。
These days everyone is cashing in on the good feeling。 I; too; am offering it to you—free of charge。 All it takes is some forethought; a little time; and some good old…fashioned work。
Christopher Robin (from A。 A。 Milne’s Winnie…the…Pooh) said it best: “Organizing is what you do before you do something; so that when you do it; it’s not all mixed up。”
If you want organized living with kids; you can have it。 Stick with me and we’ll work together—gradually; smoothly; and systematically—down the road to emancipation。
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生命的过客
侠名
当他告诉我准备离开时;我觉得自己就像一只被打碎了的花瓶,支离破碎地全部撒在了茶色的地板砖上。他喋喋不休地向我解释离开的原因,说这样才能有最好的结果,我也可以做得更好,这一切都是他的错,与我无关。虽然这些话我已经听过上千遍,可是不知为什么,每次听完仍会很伤心,或许没有人能在这样巨大的打击面前无动于衷吧。
他离开后,我努力继续自己的生活。我灌了一壶水,把它烧开,拿出红色的旧杯子,看着咖啡粉末一点点滑入骨质瓷的杯子里。这正是我生活的真实写照:咖啡粉末无休无止地不断滑人,却从未真正泡成一杯咖啡,不知道为什么。
水开了,我装作没有听见水壶发出的警报声。迈克的离去也是如此,来得那么突然,而且毫无挽回的余地。我宁愿沉醉在迷糊中,也不愿就这样结束。我想着,不禁哑然失笑,一杯咖啡竟引发我如此多的哲思和感慨,我一定是老了。
可是镜子里回望着我的仍是一个年轻女子啊!她的前途充满着希望,明亮的双眸和丰满的嘴唇似乎在期待着光明的未来。不论怎样,我也从来没有真正爱过迈克。况且,生命中有比爱更重要的东西,我坚定地对自己说。然后,我盖好咖啡罐,如同封存了所有关于迈克的记忆。
很担心那晚他会出现在我的梦中,然而没有。梦里,我在飞翔,越过田野和森林,俯瞰着大地。突然,我摔了下来……清醒后才发现原来自己被猎人击中了,但是击落我的不是他的子弹,而是他的灵魂。后来我才逐渐明白,原来迈克就是那个击落我的猎人,而我则是那只渴望飞翔的小鸟。第二天晚上,我又做了类似的梦,但是猎人消失了,我一直在自由地翱翔,直到遇上另外一只小鸟,和我比翼双飞。我开始懂得,总会有那么一只鸟,那么一个人在前方等我,这个人或许是一个爱人,或许只是一个朋友,但一定是我的灵魂伴侣,这令我如释重负。我想起曾经觉得自己像一只破碎的花瓶,现在,我意识到我已把自己修整好了。迈克只是我生命中一个小小的过客,他了解的仅仅是我的表面,只是我生命中一个微小的部分。
A Little Piece of Me
Anonymous
When he told me he was leaving; I felt like a vase which has just smashed。 There were pieces of me all over the tidy; tan tiles。 He kept talking; telling me why he was leaving; explaining it was for the best; I could do better; it was his fault and not mine。 I had heard it before many times and yet somehow was still not immune1; perhaps one did not bee immune to such felony2。
He left and I tried to get on with my life。 I filled the kettle and put it on to boil; I took out my old red mug and filled it with coffee watching as each coffee granule3 slipped into the bone china。 That was what my life had been like; endless omissions of coffee granules; somehow never managing to make that cup of coffee。
Somehow when the kettle piped its finishing warning I pretended not to hear it。 That’s what Mike’s leaving had been like; sudden and with an awful finality。 I would rather just wallow4 in uncertainty than have things finished。 I laughed at myself。 Imagine getting all philosophical and sentimental5 about a mug of coffee。 I must be get