Guest Commentary

By Christine Sackey

Last month I wrote about giving up whining. Though I had only partial success, it made me feel so good about myself that I decided to continue the self-improvement program by giving up something else in April. A large pile of things to be filed suggested the perfect project: I would give up procrastination!

I thought I would start on April 1, but soon realized I was only fooling myself. And April 2 was a Wednesday - who ever started a new project on a Wednesday? No, much better to begin on a Monday, so I looked forward to the start of a new, improved me starting on April 7.

But of course, I had to work that day. How could I possibly start any new project on a day when I couldn't even be at home? Obviously, the best day to begin would be on a day off. However, on my very next day off, a friend invited me to spend the day with her, and how could I turn down a friend?

I've been very busy every day since then. I had to write this column, for one thing. I meant to do it last week, but I sort of put it off. And now, it's already the middle of the month. I'm sure you would agree that it's better to wait for the start of a new month to begin putting off procrastinating.

I feel like I'm ahead of the game, though, for I have a very clear idea of all the projects that I have put off over the years. One of these days, I may write them all down in a list. Yes, a list would be a definite help when the time comes to actually choose a project and start on it. I'd better wait until I have the list before I begin.

And so, it's decided. As soon as I have a Monday off near the beginning of a month, with nothing else to do, I'll definitely sit down and think about making up that list. In the meantime, I feel much better about myself just knowing that I'm planning such a wonderful self-improvement project, one of these days when the time is right.