Time keeps on slippin’, slippin', slippin' ...

Does anyone really get everything done? Everything? On time?


In the last few days, I’ve received notes from two friends from two different stages of my life, each asking how I was coming on my next book.

Honestly, I told them, I haven’t done anything on it in weeks, probably a couple of months, and ... as the joke goes ... today doesn’t look good for it, either.

More than once, I have constructed schedules and plans to dedicate time to writing.

And exercise.

And Bible study.

And ... fill in the blank.

The plans seldom last as long as a new year’s resolution.

Why? I actually desire all of those things. It’s not like I actively seeks ways to keep from writing, exercising, studying ... whatever. Life just happens.

As John Lennon wrote, “Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.”

Part of the blame goes to the Internet, where I enjoy following everything from news and weather to what’s happening with my Facebook friends.

I do make an effort to control things. For example, another friend says he is mad at me for not organizing a fantasy baseball league this year.

It’s not the organizing or managing of the league that’s bad, but I tend to spend sizeable amounts of time managing my team for the long baseball season. Why? Because it’s fun.

Sacrificing that fun this year should give me several minutes every day for more important things.

I marked up another success through sheer luck. After joining the Facebook community last summer, I found large numbers of people playing virtual world games such as Mafia Wars and Farmville, along with many others. They inundated me with requests to join a gang or become a neighbor.

Fortunately, I put it off until I was more familiar with what they were. Well, judging from some of the comments of participants, a personality such as mine could get sucked into playing 18 hours a day.

Thanks, but I believe it’s better for me to stay on this side of the computer screen.


TOOL OR TOY?

We’re considering upgrading to smart phones, iPhones, Blackberries or something along that line.

There are solid reasons for doing so. For example, I’m currently on the session at church, sort of the governing body, and urgent business is often conducted via e-mail. Well, if I don’t get to my e-mail until the evening, it could be too late. I’ve already missed one emergency meeting because of it.

Besides, I’m in the communication business, so to speak, so I need to be able to keep my online presence up-to-date and respond promptly when necessary.

Good reasons ... but I’m a little concerned, too.

Those phones all come with and are capable of uploading all kinds of fun, neat, useful and ... ultimately ... time-consuming toys – uh, I mean, applications.

So, would it become more of a useful tool or an additional anchor to my daily responsibilities?

Would it take time from my day or make more time available?

And would it make me get back to work on my book?

Tomorrow.


(c) 2010 by Steve Martaindale