Homebodies - What is an empty desk a sign of?
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- Published on Monday, January 19, 2015
By Rita Friesen
As I jot down my musings, it is a frosty Tuesday morning. I have enjoyed a cup of espresso and watched the morning news. I heard some good news, great news actually.
Jan. 6 is Clean Up Your Desk day. And I did that yesterday! I am ahead of schedule for/in one aspect of my life. The newscast shared quotes of famous people– Einstein: “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, what is an empty desk a sign of?” It was a comprehensive report.
Busy people often have an untidy workspace. Piles of books and stuff have an order to the stacker. We know in which stack the paper we need might possibly be. And individuals surrounded with clutter are often known to be creative problem solvers, thinking just outside of the box. It was necessity that caused me to purge my desk and filing cabinet. The new year is bringing a new batch of statements.
I am truly attempting to simplify my life and it is happening. Slowly. I recall the days when our home was an active farm family. Income tax time was a time for silence. The table tennis surface in the basement was used for the ‘laying out’ of the year’s financial activities. Woe to one who messed with the orderly disorder. And then, when all was said and done, the flotsam and jetsam were placed in storage and the official debris hauled to the accountant. And all reports duly kept for seven years. Boxes full of papers. Now seven years of paperwork fills one small box. I am okay with that.
This season of my life includes several additives to the purging process. One account I deal with has not yet been informed of my single status. Might as well make that phone call. Another supplier needs to be informed of a change in banking procedures. Another phone call. It is delightful when a call results in a real person with real problem solving abilities. When the day’s work was completed, there remained only one business that I had not been able to contact. I tried using the 1 800 number, and between busy signals and a quiet voice assuring me that my call was important but the response time would be approximately eight to 10 minutes, I tried the direct line. With the same results. There was no conciliatory offer to have my call returned if that would be my heart’s desire. All I wanted/want is someone who can take my money, on a regular basis, from an active account! Too much to ask?
So my desk is clear. My mind, however, is still cluttered. I know that despite the most sincere resolve, the clutter will reappear. And I will not yet be accused of hosting an empty mind!
