Ain't it the truth

Yesterday Amy wrote:

"is there a better way to be sure you never lose another pound than mapping it on a calendar?"

Well, um, no. I don't think there is.

But.

Isn't that how semi-organized, otherwise intelligent people get most things done? Here's the goal we want to achieve. Oh, and we need to get it done by this date. So we break it down into manageable chunks. Lessee, that's X number of months/weeks/days/hours, divided by Y number of things to do to reach the goal, meaning if we do five tasks a day or write one chapter a month or lose two pounds a week, we'll be done on time!

Done. That's the kicker, really. We're never done. There will always be another project. The house doesn't stay clean, the weeds don't stop growing, there will always be another letter/article/novel to write, photo to take, dish to wash, skirt to iron, muscle to build and pound to lose.

Because if you're anything like me – and I think you are – these pounds don't go away forever. They tend to sneak back when I'm not looking, planning, thinking, watching, planning, sweating, working, and oh, did I mention planning?

I've been reading PastaQueen's archives from the very beginning, a few entries each day. She stutter-stepped for the first few months and then, in July, 2004, said:

I'm going to focus on losing about 15 or 20 pounds at a time and celebrate when I reach that small goal.

And that worked. She hasn't faltered since. Fluctuations? Sure. But she's made steady progress toward her ultimate goal. I'm pretty sure she thinks it's taken longer than it ::airquote:: should ::airquote:: have, but truthfully? It's taken as long as it's taken. Period. One step at a time, day in and day out, planning, experimenting, assessing, evaluating. Keeping on keeping on.

Me? Well, my progress stopped last fall. And I think I've let that lack of progress color my attitude about my ability to do just about anything else new or meaningful or challenging. I have this very cool, very expensive new camera and I keep saying I'm going to find a class and learn how to use it. It's difficult here in the Middle of Nowhere to find photography courses. That's what I keep telling myself. The truth is, I haven't even started to look. We do have university extensions and community colleges within an hour's drive. If it was worth it, I'd have found one by now.

If it was worth it. If I was worth it, I'd have made better progress on that other goal I have. You know, the shrinking part of the title of this blog.