SOLC #3/31 -
I'm slicing with the Two Writing Teachers community for Day Three of Thirty-One of the Slice of Life Challenge in March. Thank you Stacey, Tara, Anna, Betsy, Dana, Kathleen, Beth, and Deb. 
Our skies were covered with darks clouds yesterday in the early morning, and as I drove south, the streets were wet. A little rain had passed that way. Then those clouds were swept away and left us with tremendous wind. The sun made things look nice, but the usual plastic bags and trash bits were blowing down the street and into the trees. Some leftover leaves also blew around, onto porches and into my car when I opened the door!
As I was driving, I also noticed some workers trying to clean up someone's autumn leftovers with leaf blowers. It was a futile venture, at least when I went by. The leaf blower blew them one way, and the wind answered back, and blew them to another part of the lawn. Remember Sisyphus and that boulder?
This started me thinking of a few other things that seem futile in the doing, at least in the time they are done:
- Vacuuming the rugs before my granddaughters come to visit. (They really aren't that messy, but it happens often, and then I re-consider my planning.)
- Washing the car before knowing the weather forecast. (I don't have a garage anymore, so try hard to keep my car clean most of the time, and yes, one day I have it washed, and the next day, snow or enough sprinkles happen that make it look bad again.)
- Keeping clean a light-colored couch when one owns a black dog or cat. (I admit that I've never done this, but I did own a dalmatian once and it didn't matter what color our furniture was, it was covered with black and white hair most of the time. I did love my dog, Sophie, however.)
- Being a good re-cycler, and emptying a lot of old cans of food - from my earlier moving-down the garbage disposal instead of just dumping all the food in the trash. (Yes, I did this and ended up with a rather large plumbing bill.)
- Trying to change a light bulb when it just burned out without a piece of cloth. (It's too hot, and not only did I burn my fingers, but I dropped the bulb and ended up with a big clean-up.)
- WHAT WOULD YOU PUT HERE?
photo credit: The leaf blower via photopin (license)
The leaf blower blew them one way, and the wind answered back, and blew them to another part of the lawn. - This line made me think of the "Call and Response" in some writing and some religious experiences. It tickled my thinking.
ReplyDeleteIm having problems commenting.
Glenis Redmond is a poet that often uses call and response in her work.
Adding to your list I would add - washing dishes and examining regrets, and I will add listening to political ads to that list.
Love the additions, especially that final one. I guess we'll be seeing many more in the coming months. I will look for Glenis Redmond. Thanks, Ruth. Will e-mail you about the comments.
DeleteThis is a clever list of futile things... I can relate to some of them Linda! Cleaning out a teenager's closet might be another one for me.
ReplyDeleteOh, you've sparked a memory for me, Lisa. Good one!
DeleteThis is so clever! I love that picture! Hmm what would I add . . . Tidying my teacher area. I throw things on it all day so it always looks like a disaster at day's end no matter how neat it might have started.
ReplyDeleteYes! The piles we make during the day when I kept saying I would take time to put the things where they "really" belong. Thanks, Carrie.
DeleteLove the list of futile things. What would I add?
ReplyDeletePicking cat fur off of my clothes. It is just in the air and sticks to everything. Listening to and complaining about weather forecasts. It is not going to change anything anyway.
Would like to see a compilation of what others added.
I started to add cats, too. I've had a few & it is hard to keep the fur from going with me. I'll try to add in the list toward the end of the day. Thanks for the great idea!
DeleteGreat list Linda! I always say wash to floor before company comes . . .and I don't mean kids ;-)
ReplyDeleteHah! Terrific, & it's true! Thanks, Lynn.
DeleteSometimes you just do things because of habit. I know my husband would have a list a mile long because I always seem to be the one who creates the mess. As for the car, we do have a garage and I seem to be confined to the house if the roads are wet so the car doesn't get dirty. Sometimes that annoys me.
ReplyDeleteI've known a few who insist on that shiny & clean car. Perhaps my neighbors notice, but I don't at all. And then, I drive by a car wash & think, I really should stop. Each one of us is different! Thanks, Elsie.
DeleteThis slice is the dose of humor I was needing today. There are so many things we do that are futile efforts. I have cats outside. They climb all over my car, so cleaning it lasts less than 24 hours. And the fingerprints on the windows (or paw prints in my case)...futile. Just leave them there. They show that someone was here.
ReplyDeleteAnd now you've made me remember seeing squirrel tracks on my car, but I don't anymore. I wonder why? Love the reasoning, "they show that someone was there." Thanks, Margaret.
DeleteI think that most of the time people are not aware they are doing futile things. You have figured this out for yourself. I hope it helps you to avoid the same activities in the future.
ReplyDeleteYou may be right, Terje, only "after". Some of this I've figured out, yet I imagine I'll repeat again. Thanks!
DeleteAsking my hubby to reshelve his books. It's futile, and I think he will NEVER do it. We are a twenty pile family. I must accept this. It is my life. LOL
ReplyDeleteLove that term "twenty pile family", Brenda. My husband's work bench might have qualified for that. Thanks!
DeleteLinda very funny! I have done the raking leaves when the wind is in charge! For me it is cleaning my kitchen before my kids come over - they are both into food and cooking. It will always be crazy once they walk in the door. It is the first place they go!
ReplyDeleteYes, I guess it's better "after" they leave, Joanne. When one has a set goal for a morning or afternoon, that's when the futile seems to happen, one must plow on! Thanks for sharing!
DeleteLinda, I particularly liked the line'the wind answered back' Our lives appear to be punctuated by often futile efforts. Thank goodness there is balance.
ReplyDeleteKids often say what's the point of making my bed, i'm only going to sleep in it again tonight.'
Thank you, Alan, and yes, you're right. Thanks for the reminder. That bed-making was a bit of an argument in my childhood too. Now it is so automatic.
DeleteMy mom always got annoyed at me because I argued that I was philosophically opposed to making my bed! (I still don't do it -- what's the point?) :-)
ReplyDeleteAs you probably read, others brought this up, too. Why I made it in the past was because I didn't want my pets to snuggle into my sheets, but I don't have pets now, so - hm-m! Thanks, Jennifer.
DeleteCleaning out a teenager's room the most futile job in the world. But, now they are gone, their rooms are tidy, and I (sometimes) miss the mess!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean. Seems like I remember trying to find the laundry, or maybe trying to look out the window? But those extra rooms in my house now stay very clean, unless the grand-girls come. Thanks, Tara.
DeleteLove this. I'm thinking of a few of my own, but they might make a blog post of my own!
ReplyDeleteAha, I love reading others that spark ideas. Be sure to let me know!
DeleteWhat would I add? Maybe keeping tabs to articles I want to read open. The chances of me reading them, especially this month, is pretty slim! Thanks for sharing, Linda!
ReplyDeleteThat new Google "Reading List" of mine is very full. I agree, chances are slim I'll return to read some of them. Thank you, Catherine.
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