Running Late

Don't anyone please dare to tell my older daughter that I said something to the effect that I am "running late" since it is the family joke that she is ALWAYS (and I do mean ALWAYS) late!

Not that I have anyplace to go or anything drastically important to do, so for me, today, the fact I am a little behind on some stuff - like posting to my blog today - isn't a big deal. Fact of the matter is, with respect to doing my posting today, I just plain forgot!

Ok, a poor excuse is better than no excuse, isn't it?

But there are aspects about the "running late" theme that most of us do use from time to time that in some camps gets really old after a point in time too.

Take for example a dear friend who has her own home-based business but never manages to keep a set of timely priorities going to keep it running properly but is forever using the "running late" excuses all the while, she adds on more things that require more time for her to be away from attending to business and then wonders why she gets so far behind!

Her current excuse is that she has issues with Adult attention deficit and yes, that probably is very true. BUT.... well, if you already have problems keeping up, staying somewhat undepressed by that issue, why then take on more responsiblity when you can't manage what is already on your plate?

My daughter has no sense of time, none whatsoever! She lives about 45 miles from me, which means, under the best of weather and traffic conditions, it is at least at 50 minute drive from her place to mine. But she never seems to give that a thought until all of a sudden it dawns on her, too late of course, that gee, she should have left the house there 15 minutes ago in order to be here by some set time and if she had planned to make something to bring with her, she can't start making a cheesecake that takes 2 hours maybe from start to finish, twenty minutes before she needs to be backing out of her drive, unless she has magically figured out how to mix ingredients, get it into an oven she has managed magically to install in her car, and have it baked in the time required and still be here on time too! These things all get lost in the mix in her mind when it comes to time and planning and organizational skills!

Don't get me wrong - I am not innocent in this respect either - not by a long shot as there are times when I forget too how much time is needed to do this, that or another thing and before I know it, I'm screwed. But, in general, I can usually manage to get things somewhat pulled together. Key word there maybe being "somewhat."

My daughter often exhibits many of the same characteristics my Mom had. Same principle to them anyway. She can't leave the house unless every last strand of hair is just so, her clothing is something out of a fashion magazine and is accented in a "just so" manner, etc. All of this takes up time that she doesn't realize is rapidly dwindling away on her.

My Mom used to drive my uncles (her brothers) absolutely nuts when they would come home for a visit and at some point in time, a suggestion would be made that they take Grandma for a little "Sunday Drive" - just to go look at the scenery, nothing specific you know. Which ever brother would be here and make this suggestion, would, at a time he felt was indicated by my Mom's actions that she was ready to leave, go get the car, get Grandma and me loaded in it and then, proceed to sit in front of the house, motor running, and wait - and wait - AND WAIT some more for Mom to start out the front door. All the while, he would be smoking another cigarette and mumbling or cursing under his breath, then turning to me and with a really disgusted tone to his voice ask "What the hell is she DOING in there anyway?"

And often it was just stupid little things - rinse the last coffee cup cause lord help us all if we left the house and there be a dirty coffee cup or spoon on the counter or in the sink. Or, perhaps it was she had to go and make sure certain appliances were all unplugged, or every light turned off or who knows what else it might be that would drag her down to where by the time we would leave - actually have the car moving forward - maybe the last speck of daylight would be going down in the west!

All of these actions of hers were really quite unnecessary to the overall well-being of the house, family etc., but not so to her! These were very important things and one simply could not leave and have anything like that unattended to!

That's one aspect in which I am definitely not my mother's daughter!

If I am going someplace and the whole counter is loaded with dirty dishes waiting to be done, they will wait. They'll still be there for me when I return - unless that fairy godmother of doing dishes shows up while I am out and about - or if the house is a wreck, it can wait till I get home, feel in the mood to do that too. Whatever! It just doesn't make my list of priorities.

And, if my hair isn't perfect - so be that too! Who cares? If someone is that damned concerned that every freaking hair on my head be exactly in place, then they better tell Mother Nature not to let the danned wind blow either cause you know, don't 'cha that as soon as I get the body out the door, the wind is gonna pick up and I never did, still don't, look my best with the windblown effect either!

So tell me now - how do you deal with "running Late?"