I started a project the
other day. It’s something a kindergartner
could easily do, yet it has taken me over a week already.
I am gluing little glass “bead”
token things around the rim of a table I got for free from a neighbor. I am, as David says, “bedazzling a table”.
Mind you, when I accepted
this table, it was reportedly to display items on at the Kindness Yard Sale
this summer. Last year I didn’t have
enough tables to put things on. But even
before we got the table home, my mind was envisioning a project. One that I couldn’t admit out loud, because let’s
be honest, I have a shit-ton of unfinished projects, and we do NOT need any
more furniture for inside OR outside the house right now…
But I got those little
glass tokens out. They are leftovers
from when my sissies and I went crazy mosaic-ing stuff last year! We all did a bowling ball and I also did a
planter. And these little leftover beads
had been hoarded by me.
So, I got them out. And I got out a tube of super strong
glue. I washed down the table and,
without admitting it out loud or to myself, set about making something to keep…
I jumped in like I do with
most things – with no plan of attack. I had
the beads! I had the table! I had the glue!! What else could I possibly need???
But as I glued bits on,
they slipped and wiggled… I tried to
stand and hold them in place, but I was more eager to put on MORE BITS than to
be a caretaker of the ones I had already placed… Luckily for me David saw my dilemma and
suggested I tip the table up and work a section at a time. Ahhhh, I am fortunate to have a wise man by my
side… You see, David is the exact
opposite of me. He would never begin a
project without a plan. And he would
draw that plan onto at least 6 bits of paper (3 of which would get lost before he
started the project). He would have the
necessary space set up, tools at the ready, measurements taken…
But me? Me – I just jump.
And that is why, about
half-way around the table, I got to wondering, “Am I going to have enough glass
tokens to go all the way around this thing??”.
Because of course, I hadn’t measured.
In fact, when I started worrying that I might run out before finishing, I
consoled myself with this little thought, “Susan, it’s ok!! It would be impossible to measure something
like this before beginning! Ha ha! What would you do – try and HOLD the little
beads on with your fingers all the way around the table to make sure you had
enough?? Duh. You couldn’t do that.”
I smiled at my brilliance
and kept gluing, only later to shyly realize that I could have MEASURED around
the table… Hello Einstein, a little tape
measure would have solved the mystery before you began.
But no. I jumped.
I have about 1/5 of the
table left to “bedazzle”. My glass
tokens are getting sparse. I have mainly
orange bits left… Of course I did not
use a PATTERN of colors as I worked (did you read earlier, I am a jumper…). But I DID mix the colors up as I glued. And it would look slightly awkward if the
last chunk was all orange…
But you know what? If that last chunk is all orange, or even if I
run out before making it all the way around, I BEDAZZLED THAT SUCKER. I jumped.
I glued. And don’t tell David,
but I want to keep it…
Comments
As I struggle with even being awake lately I use your projects as hope that I too may someday have the energy and health for that pleasure!