Some days I conquer; some days I let my brain sleep in

I worked with a woman some years ago that had a little sign over her desk that had printed on it: “Of all the things I’ve ever lost, I miss my mind the most.” After working with her for a while, my thought was she may not have been kidding.
I worked in that arena, a large school of higher education, for a couple of years before I understood why she would say that…but since then, I have decided my mind is not lost, but goes visiting so often I no longer miss it when its gone.
I am not implying my responsibilities are of such menial, mundane levels or lack of import they require little or no thought—for surely that is not true. It is just that after doing the same things for so long, I can accomplish many of my daily tasks by rote (mechanical repetition of something so that it is remembered, often without real understanding of its meaning or significance). Much of the work I do is programmed into my entire cellular structure not just my gray matter. My complete physical and psychological composition is permeated or saturated with it. At times it seems the keyboard and calculator are extensions of my hands. (Kind of an Edward Scissorhand symptom or situation). So my mind is free to wander, visit elsewhere, or just stay abed if it so chooses. My body, unfortunately, is seldom allowed the same luxury. (Hmmm…just a thought, if I could get my mind to go to work and leave my body abed…..Hmmm Guess that can’t be done—stuff of Sci-Fi movies.)
I am sitting here looking at my 19” flat-screen monitor trying to decide if my brain is indeed up and thinking or if it is still abed. I know it is not visiting some far away place or situation or it would send me pictures occasionally to add insult to injury by letting me know of what I missing out by being at work.
Insert disclaimer scenario here: You are, probably, aghast that I am blogging from my desk at work…well, just calm down. I am not stealing hours or money by doing personal tasks on my boss’s time. You see, I work from home, I am the boss, and I am doing this on my break time—or as I like to call it—my respite time.
Okay, now that I have that established, my mind must have come to work with me this morning…so I conquer. But, the day isn’t over…so I will report back when I am through with my work.
The work day is over. I have been to a new restaurant serving Indian cuisine. The food was excellent. I am back.
Have you ever played the game “Conquer or Consequences?” No? All right, you have me there. I have never played that game either. But it sounds good. In all truth, though…there is not a board game, or a TV show, or any other game called Conquer or Consequences…the fact is this concept is called Life…as in mortality, day-to-day rat race, etc. My mother used a mind-game phrase once in a while when I wanted to do something for which she wouldn’t say no, but she wouldn’t say yes, either.
“Do whatever you want to,” she would say. “But you will pay the consequences.”
Well, isn’t that always the case? No matter what our decision, good or bad, wise or foolish, we will pay the consequences. That doesn’t always mean bad things will happen. Sometimes the consequences of our actions are rewards, not punishments. But when parents use that psychology…the implication is something bad will take possession of your soul if you follow your desires and you will be cast into hell for ever—or you will have to do dishes every night for the rest of your life! Whichever punishment the parent deems worst.
So today I conquer. My work was shared on whatever ratio was needed with brain and body both pulling their weight. I accomplished many things which I “have been meaning” to undertake (—the old “road to hell…paved with good intentions rule applies here). I have filed all the things which I have been piling for weeks…my philosophy…pile it until you have time to file it….my piles were heaps, my desk had disappeared except for the lower drawers and the legs. Much of my floor space had started to look like a garbage heap…but today my desk is clean. My floor is actually showing the new red carpet, and I can find things again, such as my stapler, my printer, and my mouse pad.
Yep, today I conquer, but will my brain desert me another day? In the words of Scarlett O’Hara Butler “…tomorrow is another day….I’ll worry about that tomorrow.”