Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Desktop Excavations


According to PM’s desk calendar, today is “National Clean Off Your Desk Day.”

Does anyone else think the calendar is a bit late with this? The second Tuesday of January seems an odd choice. Clean off your desk sounds more like and end-of-the-year thing. But maybe TPTB have placed it in January because by today, pretty much everyone’s life is returning to normal, and they’ve returned to the office where tons of stuff has waited patiently over the holidays for them.

But Clean Off Your Desk day being today actually works for me. Between the holidays and then having AC home with me, I simply gave up on trying to get any writing done. I refused to feel guilty about it either. (The little writing I did get done is just a bonus.) Instead, I’ve spent the last weeks doing all the things that could keep me from my WIP—reading contest entries, event planning for the spring, planning the Playground Scotland Trip, painting the woodwork in the living room, cleaning out the Tupperware cabinet. Anything that AC and I could do together or I could do with AC underfoot. That way, none of those projects could become an avoidance tactic later on.

So I’ve been cleaning off my desk for weeks now—metaphorically speaking--waiting for the holiday madness to end and AC to return to school.

School starts tomorrow.

Unlike folks who started their New Year’s resolutions last week (and may have already broken them), my resolutions start tomorrow. Now that everything will be back to normal, I can actually start on those writing and exercise resolutions. And I’ll have a nice, clean desk to work on. (At least for a little while.)

So what shape is your desk in? Covered in stacks of paper? Or are you one of those super-organized people who always have a clean desk? What’s the strangest thing on your desk right this minute?

15 comments:

Playground Monitor said...

Actually according to my desk calendar, this whole month is International Creativity Month, National Get Organized Month and National Clean Up Your Computer Month.

Yeah, right.

I remember those days of having kids home from school. Nothing got done. And to be honest, it's often not much better with them moved away from home. I have Tupperware cabinets I can clean, broom closets I can organize, bookshelves to straighten. You name it, I can use it to procrastinate.

My desk isn't too bad now and will be less so once I take all the envelopes with my IRA statements and put the statements in a file. There will go a whole pile! I cleaned out my pen and pencil pot (it's a small flowerpot so it will hold more) last week. And as soon as I can buy a four-drawer file cabinet, more stuff can go in there.

Strangest thing on my desk right now? Mementoes from each of my RWA conferences -- a small brass horseshoe from Dallas, a poker chip from Reno and a shot glass from Atlanta that now holds paper clips? Umpteen different note pads and packs of sticky notes? I have a thing for notepads and sticky notes.

PM - who firmly believes the saying that "A clean desk is the sign of a sick mind"

ReadingIsSoMuchFun said...

Ok in the yr of 2006 my table was messy can't lie *G* I decided to be neat this yr and for the rest of the yr *G* Trust me I am not a messy person just my computer desk was.

What’s the strangest thing on your desk right this minute?
Hmmm wouldn't call it strang but I have a cup of pens I got from different authors. Love collecting pens, bookmarks and many more from authors :)

Hugssss
Linda.H.

Maureen said...

My desk can become one huge mess. When I've had enough then that day becomes clean the desk day.

Andrea Laurence AKA Smarty Pants said...

Organized chaos is how I like to describe my desk. I can usually find things, I have a general idea what stack they're in...

I cleaned off my desk at work before we left for holiday, so its looking ok. The one at home isn't so much a desk but a 8 foot folding table where half has a computer and the other half has scrapbooking supplies. A second layer of whatever I happen to throw down on it covers that. It got full so now I have pictures and stickers strewn across the guest bed and a second card table in the corner. Messy, messy, messy.

Weirdest thing...I don't think any of it is exciting enough to be weird. Maybe my vampire Rubber Ducky I got from Raven Hart at the luncheon.

SP

Anonymous said...

Bwahahahaha. I am surrounded by stacks of paperwork. I should send you a picture. However, my desk is an L shape and the section right in front of me has my revisions and a couple of bills. I usually aim to clean desk/office between the time I finish one book and start another. Can't seem to manage it every day. :(

Strangest thing? Nothing really strange, but maybe unusual. Rocks and shells from Baja, a rose quartz egg, a nice chunk of crystal, a Fenton blue glass bunny named Celeste (for speed), a prosperity wand set with amethyst, citrine, tourquise and quartz, and a rune. Nothing strange here. :)

Katherine Bone said...

My desk is a shared desk for the whole family. One of the reasons I can barely find time to use the computer in here. If I put things on the desk that inspire me for some strange reason, I'm laughed at or those things are moved out of THEIR way. (I just move them back! :-)

For instance, I have a STOP 1. are you bleeding? 2. Is the house on fire? If the answer is no..Go Away! sign on the door to warn them off. (Bought at the urging of the playfriends in Atlanta) A traffic cone that says, Back Away From MY Desk (trip to Birmingham), a newborn picture of my grandson, a framed gift from Angel (thanks, Angel), CD's I can't figure out how to make play on the computer! (a vexation). A stack of stuff I'm working on that the family keeps moving onto the floor. Ravenhart's vampire duckie has got my back and a candle with HOPE on it, too. Like everyone else, nothing strange. But all of it needed and comforting!

Plus there is the promising letter from an editor on my wall (the only positive response ever given me) and my Lakota talisman hanging nearby.

Oh, life!
Kathy

robynl said...

Do I have a desk? is the question. It is so loaded with items that I'm not sure if there is a desk under all that stuff. LOL. The strangest thing might be the 2 cute rubber duckies I have on here; one is a Mr. with a black hat and the other is a Mrs. with a lei and a flower in her hair.

catslady said...

I'm a total pack rat and my desk reflects it. There isn't enough room to list half of what's on it. since you said one, I'll pick the gold beauty crown that I won in a book contest :)

Kira Sinclair - AKA Instigator said...

Both of my desks are pathetic. The one at home not as much as the one at the office but only because if I don't keep it somewhat presentable DH will go through and throw things away - without asking me if I need them first.

One of my tasks this week is to try and clear off junk before I head out on vacation. We'll see :-)

The weirdest thing? A deck of Old Maid cards. A bag with stuffed bowling pins and a bowling ball. A sheep. Black VHS tapes. A Strawberry Shortcake sticker book. Perhaps the problem isn't the stacks of paper everywhere but the encroaching toys.

Insitgator

Kira Sinclair - AKA Instigator said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Angel said...

I'm right there with Maureen. I let things pile up until I can't stand it anymore, than I clean things up to at least manageable levels. Strangest things on my desk? 2 orange cones. 1 says "No Whining" and the other says "Do Not Disturb, I'm Disturbed Enough Already." :)

Problem Child said...

A T-Rex staple remover? Sounds very cool.

Playground Monitor said...

I like the Tibetan chimes myself.

Up until about a week ago, I had a deck of Ellora's Cave playing cards on my desk. And just a few minutes ago, I moved a book and discovered my coaster with the naked Scottish butt on it. *g* Wonder where THAT came from?

PM - who has had the same verification word twice today. What are the odds of that?

Meljprincess said...

3 different rubber ducks. Pirate, punk, and vampire.

A REAL voodoo doll.

A red plastic rat covered with white hearts.

A small bobble-head Siamese cat.

Pat L. said...

I just saw this comment now. Funny you should ask...(if you check my comment from Jan. 12) I just bought a new desk - it comes next Sat.

My current desk is almost 40 years old with handles missing and is scratched.

There is nothing strange really on it but my husband keeps a flashlight on top of it. So I guess that is strange.