Procrastination....

When I was 17 I was talking with one of my young woman church advisors and mentioned to her how I had been scrambling the week before to finish a gigantic Engish project (1/4 of my grade for the whole school year). The computer or printer had died at my house. Since my dad was the bishop of our ward, at the time, I left work early one evening to get a ride with him up to the church where he had meetings. While Dad conducted meetings and interviews in the bishop's office I sat in the clerk's office typing frantically and struggling with a dot matrix printer. BUT--I got the assignment done--and I pulled off an 'A' on it.

My leader quietly told me that procrastinators are really just people who love excitement. "We, procrastinors, know the thrill of being fully fueled by pure adrenaline." That is not the words I expected to hear from my advisor! But, I think it's a little bit true.

Over the years I have done some serious procrastinating. I've had a few experiences where whatever I was working on ending up looking, smelling, or tasting like trash. BUT, for the most part, I pull it off...like magic...from an adrenaline junkie.

I don't know why I procrastinate. Okay, with all the psychology I studied, I do know why. But, I am still sickened with myself that I do it! The Lord needs to punish me for it more by not making me have so many successes when I do it. For instance....

9th grade...we spent a week working on writing assignments for the PTA's Reflections contest--and for a grade. I dillydallied. Most kids were taking their work home to work on it. Not me, though. On the final afternoon that it was due, I frantically began scribbling. I wrote a poem. It was turned in with all of my classmates' submissions. Guess who won the school, and later, district contests and was invited to read her poem at a special luncheon with the mayor and city council? Isn't that just wrong?!

College. My husband and I took one class together--Anthropolgy 101. Grading was simple enough--read two assigned books and 1 of your choice on various cultures around the world. Write 10 page paper on each. One morning I awoke early to finish my book of choice and to write the subsequent paper. Class started at 8am. My husband shook his head in disbelief as he got ready that morning, watching my frantic attempt at starting/finishing. He had finished writing his paper several days before. I begged him to wait a second and let me finish so that he could turn my paper in for me. I would not be going to class that morning--not all nasty-haired and unshowered. A few days later we received our graded papers back. He got an 'A'; I got an 'A-'. He couldn't believe it (and frankly, neither could I).

You don't want to know how many lessons, talks, baked goods, and such that I have had similar experiences/results, far more than I want to recount. It's like an addiction! One that I really need to kick. So, guess what my goal for 2010 is?

Hey, it's not even 2010 and I've already started working on my goal! Go me! Maybe there is hope for this adrenaline junkie!!!!