Terminalcoffee discussion

I have a twenty page paper due tomorrow so I'm vacuuming, decorating the Christmas tree, shopping on Amazon, cleaning the kitchen and baking cookies.

I just found myself dustbusting the cobwebs from above the bathroom mirror and had to force myself back into the office to at least be near to my paper.

What do you do to procrastinate? Do you procrastinate? Why do we do this? Why does it take until the day before a semester long assignment is due to really get down to business for those of us with the procrastinating gene?

I do the exact same thing, Sally, and I've been doing it for the last eight years or however long I've been in school now. I have no idea why except that I just don't enjoy it.

I only procrastinate at something that I don't really want to do. Thus no pleasure is derived from it. No pleasure = no completion. The only reason I do some things is to stay employed.

You know, this is an interesting question. Sometimes I think what some people call procrastination actually means they're not ready to work on something at that time. And that's ok. That said, I tend to do most academic work way ahead of time. I need to write, let it sit, go back and check it out again.

Well, I've written the entire thing over the course of the last month and a half. I do do what you are talking about, I write it, take a couple of days away, revisit with fresh eyes, take time away again, etc. Its that I need to spend one last day with it to tighten up before I turn it in for good tomorrow and I just can't muster up the gumption to care any more.

Thank god the semester is over. I'm toast.

But I am going to miss my class. I love those guys! (in very un-illegal ways) I can never tell them that they were my very first class ever, but I would like to, because I know I'm going to remember them forever.

What do I do when I procrastinate??

I'm doing it right now!!

(No, not that. I meant GOODREADS! I'm at work, so I'll do that other thing tonight. When I'm alone.)

WEll, I usually curl up with a book either on the couch in the college library and read instead of doing stuff that should get done. Then depending on my mood or my piano's mood (more of the huge factor than my own) I practice my piano that lives in my living room. None of my other stuff gets done but I am done with finals for this semester and I cannot wait to celebrate the world of procrastination. :-) I'm going to have a 'Procrastination weekend and I believe that I earned it and will enjoy it to the fullest. Happy Procrastination.

Charly wrote: "I'll respond tomorrow if I get around to it."

HA!

I'm with you Charly. Tomorrow!!!!

Oh you people, you are sooooooooooooooo funny.

When I was in school, I always did my best work at the last minute. But now that I'm older, I find it's much easier to just do whatever it is and get it out of the way so I don't have to think about it anymore.

Hubby is the worst procrastinator. I once got him a book on overcoming procrastination from the library. He put off reading it and I had to return it.

You know, that's a habit I get from my dad, not that you mention it...

I keep seeing students I had from that semester at places that are important to me. Like yoga. And ... well, when they babysit Leah. And at yoga.

my bain is housework: lets see, dust or book? guess which wins. If it's something I HATE doing (dust,vacuum) I procrastinate. If it's something I only dislike: I do it then reward myself with time at Goodreads or a book. Unless I have a migraine so bad I am confined to bed for 24 hrs. then the house could fall down and I would not care. There are migraines that put me in bed for a couple of hours every afternoon so I try to get all the necessary work done in the mornings.

GR/book/TV is how I reward myself too after getting something done.

I tend to do the "have to" stuff straight away so I can relax and screw around totally enjoying it, rather than feeling that little tug on my conscience the whole time.

I'm the same way Amelia :)

I should be writing or doing housework but I am on Goodreads instead. My excuse is that I have to do proper work tomorrow.

right now I should be outside shoveling snow. Instead, I'm enjoying a late breakfast (7:40 AM) watching the snow come down. My wrist is sore, I'll have to wrap it up to shovel.

Mich, why must you shovel? If it's still snowing, isn't it an exercise in futility? Why not wait until it stops?

I shovel often because when you are 63 it's easier to shovel a few inches at one time and then finish several more inches later rather than wait until it's a foot deep and heavier than....actually, we lucked out and only got maybe 7" on top of the 5 we got yesterday. it's still spitting snow but it does not seem to be accumulating. I'll go out and shovel off the deck and the steps. My sister in law can shovel a path to her car if she feels well enough to go to work tomorrow. I'm not planning on going anywhere until Friday morning when I go to the library again. If I wrap my hand up it isn't too bad. But I've pretty much talked my sister in law into buying a snow blower next fall because next winter I'll be 64 and she'll be 52 and it's getting to be a bit much. OK you people living in snow country: which is better an electric or gas powered snow blower. I'm leaning towards electric but I'm a babe in the woods when it comes to anything with a motor.

We have to shovel at least a little before it finishes because our gate opens outward and if it snows too much we can't get out.

We never get enough to shovel here. We get 1-2 snow days in an average year and that's only a few inches at best. Two flakes and the whole city shuts down. :)

I just want someone to explain to me WHY teachers feel it necessary to make all the projects due at one time. I work in the school system and I don't understand it. Two science fair posters, a track physical to get done, 3 tests for 3 different teachers and some kind of class party---ALL due next Tuesday. In all fairness, I did put off the physical until the last minute but I did not know if my kid was going to make the team. We need another snow here in the South to give me a couple of days to catch up and finish all this. :)

Shel, just tell me you didn't tell the kid that's why you were procrastinating the physical...

"Let's just see if you make the team first, THEN we'll worry about the physical!"

Never mind. My mom totally would have said that to me, and I turned out fine...

Well that's a matter of opinion :-)

Leave it to Jim! (Hence the ...)

Well, actually, I did. :) I am one of those tough love moms. I have already shucked out the money for the band instrument (which she is good at, thank you Jesus!) and went and bought the ball and glove for the softball tryouts (massive fail) and the pads for soccer (also a fail). I decided that this time we would see how functional she was BEFORE taking a day off work for a doctor trip. I know, I am mean. But I said it with love....lol.

Heh. I'm feeling all nostalgic...except I sucked at the violin.

It was the flute for me. Oh how sad I was when it "accidently" got left on top of the van and fell off onto the interstate..... My youngest daughter beggggggged for a violin for 4 years and we finally got her one this Christmas. Gotta find a teacher now.

I know one...in Sunnyvale, CA. :)

Lol...am hoping to find one a little closer to home.

(You're "private", I didn't know where home was, so I figured I'd throw it out there.)

My cousin has her son going to a violin instructor in Puyallup, WA. Is that any closer?

Lol....I was thinking though...wonder if my husband would have a complete meltdown if I told him I was heading out to a violin lesson and would be back sometime next week.

North Alabama by the way. I need to change my settings but had a creepy stalker for a while following me around on here so I locked it down

Shelley wrote: "It was the flute for me. Oh how sad I was when it "accidently" got left on top of the van and fell off onto the interstate..... My youngest daughter beggggggged for a violin for 4 years and we finally got her one this Christmas. Gotta find a teacher now. ..."
Yes, it's important to get a violin teacher quick. That is not a pretty sound in the hands of someone untrained.

No, you don't need to change your settings, you just need to "friend" all of us non-stalker types. :)

I know NO ONE anywhere near Alabama. In fact, Kansas would be my closest...or is Dallas closer? Drat my US Public School geography education!

I have a couple of feelers out in Huntsville. There are a couple of students from the university who need some extra cash. I know it may not be the best teacher down the road but to start her out I think they could get her going.

Sarah Pi wrote: "Shelley wrote: "It was the flute for me. Oh how sad I was when it "accidently" got left on top of the van and fell off onto the interstate..... My youngest daughter beggggggged for a violin for..."


Oh come on....it is a beautiful sound....cat in a blender is the phrase we use.

My step-dad got up and walked out of my 3rd grade violin concert. He couldn't take it anymore, apparently.

Amelia wrote: "My step-dad got up and walked out of my 3rd grade violin concert. He couldn't take it anymore, apparently."

Oh no! I always hated concert time. The flute accident happened just before a concert and I was unable to continue with my un-inspired life as a concert floutist. I was so NOT devastated. My dad said he was glad it was gone because it drove him crazy when he had to listen to me practice. I was really really really bad.

Michele wrote: "OK you people living in snow country: which is better an electric or gas powered snow blower. "

Gas. No contest.

Too much of a hassle finding extension cords that long and then remembering not to run over them.

Isn't gas more powerful as well, like with lawn mowers?

Gas - hands down!

Sally wrote: "I have a twenty page paper due tomorrow so I'm vacuuming, decorating the Christmas tree, shopping on Amazon, cleaning the kitchen and baking cookies.

I just found myself dustbusting the cobwebs..."

How you procrastinate seems like a lot of work to me! If I were you, I would need a break from my break.