Have a Plan

Soon after Safe Haven moved me from streets to an apartment, late 2006, I wrote on back of note card:

Rule #1

HAVE A PLAN - STICK TO IT

#2 Don't talk so much

#3 Judge/analyze them

#4 Think fast

Them was double underlined. Below that I wrote:

"Why do you ask?"

"I have my own agenda."

"My dance card is full."

I leaned the card against lamp on kitchen table so that I would see it every time I sat there, which was often.

Did not help me one bit. Doing my paper reduction bit, I look at the card and wonder ~ save or trash? If staring at it every day ~ several times a day ~ did not help, doubt that keeping it tucked away to come across now and then will remind me not to get drawn into other people's dramas.

I am only guessing that is why I wrote the note. I used to say, "I am easily distracted from my goals." I notice that is still true when I am at Facebook. It usually starts with a message, that I promptly answer. Sender being online at Facebook then draws me into a conversation I would rather not have.

Lots of times I have typed long replies, then deleted them in favor of a terse answer. Other than that, do not think anyone is distracting me from my goals, because I am not pursing anything at all. Um, of course, neighbors have been preventing me from obtaining goal of going to sleep nights when tired...

I would have to do some backwards thinking to remember who was judging/analyzing me at that time. (I hate when I hit enter and Blogger erases what I just typed. Not sure exactly what I just wrote.) There was a time when I was not so quick to answer people's questions; everything you say can and will be used against you in their Kangaroo court of law.

Another useless piece of paper to the recycle bin, hooray.