Reinventing Cleanliness

There is rope in the back of my truck which was used awhile ago to secure some chairs and tables. It is still strung across the bed of my truck all loose and untied signalling me that there is yet another thing to do.
With just my truck alone, I need to:

1. Get a trash bag


2. Put up my new volleyball sticker on the rear window


3. Replace my CD's


4. Vacuum the floor


5. Undo the rope.


6. Change the oil


7. Rotate the tires


8. Clean the outside.


9. Get Rhino Lining


10. Get a camper shell

9 and 10 have been there since I bought the truck eight years ago. I am not anticipating ever getting that done.

Bombarded with things that are yet to be done is the plight of people. A never ending list of undone things, chores, tasks, simple to-do's.

As I go through my house, each room that I look into has something which needs to be done. Each room has multiple things. Dusting and vacuuming are just the start. What about the corners? Cleaning the furniture? Rearranging the motif? The carpet buckle?

I am pretty impressed with my brother-in-law, T, who has managed to finish his basement himself with a little help from his brothers and various others. Going down there, it is like wow! Here I am taking 3 or 4 months to do the baby room. He is taking 2 or 3 months to do the basement. And in the fall, he landscaped his yard.

Oh, for motivation! Why do all this stuff when I can spend that time watching movies or writing or reading? Who do I have to impress? Don't answer that! I think the reality of that question is that I need to impress myself.

If I walk into somebody else's house, what do I expect out of them? (Hopefully nothing, you judgmental jerk!) But whatever standard one has for others should be that same standard for oneself and their environment. If I am going to clean my house, my truck, or fix things, it should be because I want to be in that clean, picked-up environment.

As an example, every once in awhile I clean the windshield on my truck and the mirrors. I love that. I love when it is so clear that you can hardly tell the windshield is there. I love that clarity. But why don't I keep it like that all the time?

I really do like things to be clean. I do not like being a slob. I personally feel better when my environment is picked up.

My resolve is to do what I like. Not that I like cleaning, but I do like being in a clean environment. (I suppose the to-do list is mostly cleaning. It usually is. What is pulling weeds, but cleaning the yard?)