get set, ready, dash…
by bam
a page ripped from my to-do list, on this the day when a constellation of holidays converge on one little square of my calendar…
6:02 outa bed, sweetheart.
get oatmeal going, dump in dried fruit.
6:40 get 13-year-old out door to orchestra. our turn for carpool. do not forget toothpick bridge.
treadmill (how ironic).
blog.
latkes out of freezer.
teddy up, fed, dressed.
9:30 leave for hockey. don’t forget bag of chocolates for coach.
rent shin and elbow pads.
wedge feets into skates. lace up. squeeze helmet on head. let loose.
10:00 tedd on ice. re-make grocery list. refine to-dos. call editor.
10:45 strip sweaty hockey player of pads, skates, helmet.
look one more store for latke mix, darn it.
pick up gift cards for junior high teachers.
stop for two loaves holiday bread.
make fruit salad for kwanzaa at kindergarten.
make stewed apples for hanukkah.
finish setting table for hanukkah dinner tonight. don’t forget to let tedd put candles in menorah.
don’t forget to feed tedd.
12:30 drop tedd at school.
try again to file expense report. call computer help desk.
write bike accident essay.
2:30 kwanzaa at kindergarten. don’t forget yam chips, fruit salad, cups, napkins, forks, books. and notecards.
3:15 pick up tedd from school.
3:30 go to shake-shake at physical therapy.
4:10 pick up jelly donuts for hanukkah.
4:30 grate potatoes for latkes.
slice and reheat brisket.
salad ready to go.
check will & homework.
get little christmasy things off coffee table–toddler is coming.
6:30 hanukkah dinner for 12, at long last. hallelujah.
9ish clean up.
tedd to bed.
will to bed.
write teacher christmas letters. stuff gift cards inside.
line-up all gifts for delivery thurs.
make to-do list for thurs.
make fat bowl of popcorn.
do nothing.
don’t even begin to think about christmas eve, and what it’ll take to get there….
because i believe it’s therapeutic to share the madness, feel free to lay your to-do list on the table. i’ve always thought a year’s collected to-do lists, or the amalgamated lists of so many busy people, would make for one fascinating anthropological analysis…we begin here….
pull up a chair 
barbie, i came home to four, simple, wide-smiling red and white gerber daises in a vase (the same one todd’s maternal grandfather placed flowers in every friday for his wife) from my brand new husband. there was a note pledging new tradtions for a holiday that lost it’s magic for me. so top on my to-do lis for this year: recover faith. which is why i like to check in with your blog as a place to do just that. x0. laura
how nice to know that the stress doesn’t let up after high school! in case you didn’t think we sophmores weren’t busy…(wednesday)5am, wake upfinish homework until 6 (final edit on essay, chemistry, hopefully french). take too-long shower. get dressed, comb hair. loose track of time.6.30am, not enough time for contacts. pack lunch (only pre-oackaged things-granola bars, pretzels, yogurt). make tea and breakfast to go. 6.40am, leave house. eat breakfast on the way.7.10am, chemistry! during school, finish the rest of french before 3rd period, world history before 7th, and english before eight. skip lunch. turn in essay (phew!), take french test, math test. begin memorizing for tomorrow’s tests.3.30pm, pack up, RUN to bus stop!4.00pm, home (hopefully). practice viola.5.00pm, change for physical therapy. leave @ 5.15.6.30pm, home. dinner.7.15pm, leave for viola lesson.8.15pm, home. start homework.11.00pm, stop homework. brush teeth, check email, check “pull up a chair” (a lifesaver!)11.30pm, fall into bed. don’t forget to set alarm for 5am— still have homework left!…repeat monday-friday, august-june.
ahh, lordy, i love both of you up above. laur, you made me cry, you and your new bridey-ness. gotta love a man who aims to shake clean the etch-a-sketch and start christmas anew. c-belle, you darling angel, wish i could whisk into your world and lift you out of the madness. at least the pause button is hit 12.22, at least for two too-short weeks. come to my table anytime, for a breather. xoxox